What Does Deuteronomy 32:2 Mean?

(2) **My doctrine.**—Or, *my learning, that which I receive*—a not very common, but beautiful expression in the Hebrew. Everything that comes down from the “Father of lights” is handed on by one heavenly messenger to another, until it falls upon the heart of man, in just that form in which he can best receive it. The Son of God says,” My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me.” “I speak that which I have seen with my Father.” Of the Holy Spirit He says, “He shall *receive of Mine *and shall show it unto you.” The apostles speak “in words which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” The parallels of the verse appear to be these:—My learning shall drop as the *rain; *My speech shall distil as the *dew, *as the *sweeping showers *upon the tender herb, as the *multitude of drops *upon the grass. The “small rain” of the Authorised Version points to a different and probably untenable derivation of the Hebrew word. The *rain *is more definite than the dew, and therefore the first word in the second half of the verse should be stronger than the second, and not *vice versâ. *The *tender herb *just sprouting can bear heavier showers than the grown grass.