A 1:1-5. Introduction.B C 1:6-32:47. The Tribes. Their Administration.
D 32:48-52. Moses. His Death Announced.
B C 33:1-29. The Tribes. Their Blessing.
D 34:1-7. Moses. His Death Accomplished.
A 34:8-12. Conclusion.
References to Deuteronomy in the New testament, quoted by Jesus Christ in His conflict with Satan. Deut.6:13,16; 8:3; 10:20. Cp. Matt.4:4,7,10.
The following important passages are referred to:–
Deut.1:31. See Acts 13:18. 4:24. " Heb. 12:29. 4:35. " Mark 12:32. 6:4,5. " Matt. 22:37,38. Luke 10:27. 10:17. " Acts 10:34. Rom.2:11. Gal.2:6. Eph. 6:9. Col.3:25. 1 Pet.1:17. 17:6. " Matt.18:16. 2 Cor.13:1. Heb.10:28 18:15. " Acts 3:22; 7:37. 19:15. " Deut.17:6, above. 21:23. " Gal.3:13. 24:1. " Matt.5:31; 19:7. 25:4. " 1 Cor.9:9. 1 Tim.5:18. 27:26. " Gal.3:10. 29:4. " Rom.11:8. 29:18. " Heb.12:15. 30:4. " Matt.24:31. 30:11-14 " Rom.10:6-8. 32 & 33:1-29. Rev.15:3. 32:17. " 1 Cor.10:20. 32:21. " Rom.10:19. 1 Cor.10:22. 32:35,36. " Heb.10:30. 32:43.(Sept)" Heb.1:6. Rom.15:10.
(1452 B.C)
1. 1:6-4:40. 6. 29:2-30:20. 2. 5:1-10:5. 7. 31:2-6. 3. 10:10-12:32. 8. 32:1-43. 4. 13:1-26:19. 9. 32:44-47. 5. 27:1-28:68. 10. 33:2-29.) be the words (Heb. Haddebårîm. See note in intro) which Moses spoke to all Israel (cp. 5:1. Mode given by God, Ex.3:16; 4:29. Lev.24:14. "All" used by Fig. Synecdocke to signify a national gathering of any size [1 Sam.7:3; 12:1,19. 1 Kings 8:2,14,22,55,62; 12:12,16,18 &c.] ) on this side Jordan (=across Jordan, a neutral term, expression to be determined by context. Num.22:1) in the wilderness, in the plain (Heb. ‘Aråbåh=name o vale from Jordan to Gulf of Akabah) over against the Red sea (Heb. Sûph, name of a place. Omit "sea" See Num.33:48,49,50; 35:1; 36:13), between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
22-23rd Jan., 1452 B.C.
3: And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month (40 = the number of probation. First month Miriam died, Num.20:1; fifth month, Aaron died, Num.33:38; at the end, Moses died on the 19-20th February 1452 B.C.; for the 30 days' mourning end with the last day of the 40th year–20-21st March, 1452 B.C.), that Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, according to all that the Lord (Yehovah) had given him in commandment to them (Alway thus. Cp. 2 Pet.1:20,21);
4: After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:
5: On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began (=undertook with will, Heb. yå’al, first occ. Gen.18:27,31) Moses to declare (Heb. bå’ar, make plain, show sense, set forth, especially in writting: occurs only here and 27:8, and Hab.2:2) this law (=tôrah=instruction), saying,
C E G 1:6–3:29. Possession of Jordan. Retrospective. H a 4:1–5:33. Injunctions in Horeb. Retrosective. b 6:1–11:25. Injunctions on entry. Prospective. J c 11:26–28. Blessigs and curses. d 11:29–32. Gerizim and Ebal. F 12:1–27:10. Laws in the Land. J d 27:11–26. Gerizim and Ebal. c 28:1–68. Blessings and curses. H a 29:1–17. Injunctions plus Horeb. Retrospective. b 29:18–30:20. Injunctions re Dispersion.
Retrospective. G 31:1–8. Possession West of Jordan. Prospective. F 31:9–32:47. Laws and Song:
in and out of the Land.
G K e 1:6–8. Command to go up. Before the 40 years. f 1:9–45. Disobedience rehearsed. " g 1:46. Abode in Kadesh. " K e 2:1–3. Command to go up. After the 40 years. f 2:4–3:28. Obedience rehearsed. " g 3:29. Abode in Beth-peor. "
6: The Lord our God (Yehovah ’eloheînû) (=The LORD our God. Two titles of later date do not occ. in Deut: "The Lord of " [Samuel] and "the Holy One of Israel [Isaiah]) spoke to us (Yehovah spoke only here to "us". His speaking to others, see 2:1. Yehovah "said", see 2:9. Yehovah "commanded", see 4:14) in Horeb
(20th day of second month [9-10th April]. Num.1-:11-13), saying, ‘You all have dwelt long enough in this mount:
7: Turn you (=face about), and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places near thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale (Heb. Shephelah=Philistia), and in the south (=the Negeb, the hil country south of Judea. See Gen.12:9; 13:1), and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river (Heb. nåhår, a flood, not nahal,a wady. Cp. Gen.15:18), the river Euphrates.
8: Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which Yehovah swre to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Gen.15:18; 17:7,8; 24:7; 26:3 &c. This promise mentioned 27 times in Deut., but unintelligible without Genesis), to give to them and to their seed after them.
f h¹ 9-18. Appointment of judges, &c. i¹ 19-21. Command to go up. h² 22-25. Appointment of spies. i² 26-33. Disobedience. h³ 34-45. Appointment of judgment.
9: And I spoke to you at that time (see Ex.18:17,18. Num.11:14), saying, ‘I am not able to bear you myself alone:
10: The Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) has multiplied you (cp. 10:22), and, behold, you all are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.’
11: {The Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as you all are, and bless you, as He has promised you! (see Gen.12:2; 22:17 &c.)}
12: ‘How (see Lam. 1:1) can I myself alone bear your cumbrance (Heb. torah, onlly here and Isa.1:14, [trouble]), and your burden, and your strife?
13: Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes (Heb. shêbat, tribe, according to historical or political corporation; always this word in Deut. Where "tribe" is genealogical or geographical elsewhere it is matteh), and I will make them rulers over you.’
14: And you all answered me, and said, ‘The thing which you have spoken is good for us to do.’
15: So I took (cp. Ex.18:21-26) the chief of your tribes (Heb. sar. Cp. Gen.32:28), wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
16: And I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
17: You all shall not respect persons in judgment (i.e. suited to each case. Cp. Ex.18:26); but you all shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is Elohim's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it to me, and I will hear it.’
18: And I commanded you at that time all the things which you all should do.
19: And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible desert (cp. Num.10:11-36; 11:5; 12:16; 13:26; and Deut.8:15), which you all saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, according as the Lord (Yehovah) our God (Elohim) commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea (cp. Num.32:8. A place of solemn import in Israel's history).
20: And I said to you, ‘You all are come to the mountain of the Amorites (descendants of the Nephilim, see Gen 6:3), which the Lord (Yehovah) our (Elohim) does give to us.
21: Behold, the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) has set the land before you: go up and possess it, as the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of your fathers has said to you; fear not, neither be discouraged.’ (cp. 31:6,8. Josh.1:9; 8:1; 10:25. 1 Chron.22:13. 2 Chron.20:15,17; 32:7. Jer.23:4; 30:10)
22: And you all came near to me every one of you, and said, ‘We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land (proposal came from people, and is here charged home against them. Yehovah assented, and this assent appears in the history. Num.13:1-3), and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.’
23: And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:
24: And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came to the valley of Eshcol (=a cluster of grapes. Num.13:22-25), and searched it out.
25: And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said, ‘It is a good land which the Lord (Yehovah) our (Elohim) does give us.’
26: Notwithstanding you all would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim):
27: And you all rebelled in your tents (Heb. rågan, only here, Ps.106:25), and said, ‘Because Yehovah hated us, He has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy (=exterminate) us.
28: To which place shall we go up? our own brethren
(cp. Num.13:28) have discouraged our heart, saying, ‘The people is greater and taller (some codices read "more in number") than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven (Fig., Hyperbole); and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.’ ’ (first occ: elsewhere 2:10,1121; 9:2. Josh.11:21,22; 14:12,15. See Gen 6:3. For "sons of Anak", see Num.13:22)
29: Then I said to you, ‘Dread not, neither be afraid of them.
30: The Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) Which goes before you, He shall fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes;
31: And in the wilderness, where you have seen how that the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) bare you, as a man does bear his son (see Num.11:11,12, and cp. Isa. 63:9 and Acts 13:18), in all the way that you all went, until you all came into this place.’
32: Yet in this thing you all did not believe the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim),
33: Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place (see Ex.15:17. Num.10:33. Josh.3:3,4. Ezek.20:6) to pitch your tents in (not only your inheritance, but the halting place for daily journeying there. Both were and are Yehovah's choice for His People), in fire by night (see Ex.13:21,22. Num.10:33,34), to show you by what way you all should go, and in a cloud by day.
34: And the Lord (Yehovah) heard the voice of your words, and was wroth (see Num.14:20-35), and swore, saying,
35: ‘Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give to your fathers,
36: Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh ( cp. Num.14:23,24. Josh.14:9. Judg.1:20); he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he has trodden upon, and to his sons, because he has wholly followed Yehovah.’
37: {Also the Lord (Yehovah) was angry with me for your sakes (cp. Num.20:12), saying, ‘You also shall not go in to that place.
38: But Joshua the son of Nun (see Num.14:20), which stands before you, he shall go in to that place: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.’}
39: ‘Moreover your little ones (see Num.14:31), which you all said should be a prey, and your sons, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in to that place, and to them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
40: But as for you, turn you (=face about), and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea’. (the eastern arm, the Gulf of Akabah, cp.v.1)
41: Then you all answered and said to me (Idiom. In this Idiom the word "answered" receives its meaning from the context. Here = confessed, or repented and said), ‘We have sinned against Yehovah, we will go up and fight (cp. Num.14:40-42), according to all that Yehovah our Elohim commanded us.’ And when you all had girded on every man his weapons of war, you were ready (=presumptuous) to go up into the hill.
42: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to me, ‘Say to them, ‘Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest you all be smitten before your enemies.’
43: So I spoke to you; and you all would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord (Yehovah) (see Num.14:44,45), and went presumptuously up into the hill.
(11-12th Sept. 1490)
44: And the Amorites (cp. Num.14:43, and see Gen.6:3), which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
45: And you all returned and wept before the Lord (Yehovah); but the Lord (Yehovah) would not listen to your voice, nor give ear to you.
46: So you all abode in Kadesh many days (this is not a summary of the 38 years' wandering but, of what happened before then. How solemn the word "abode" when the command had been "go up"), according to the days that you all abode there.
1. To me [Moses], 2:1,2,7; 9:13; 32:48. 2. To you, 4:12,12; 10:14. 3. To all your assembly, 5:22.): and we compassed mount Seir many days (these are distinguished from those mentioned in 1:46. Those were resting in disobedience, these were journeying obedience).
f L¹ k¹ 2:4. Passage through Edom. l¹ 2:5-9. Command as to Edom and Moab. m¹ 2:10-12. Former inhabitants and Moab. L² k² 2:13-18. Passage over Zared. l² 2:19. Command as to Ammon. m² 2:20-23. Former inhabitants and Ammon. L³ k³ 2:24-. Passage over Annon. l³ 2:-24-29. Command as to Ammorites. m³ 2:30-3:28. Former inhabitants and Israel.
4: And command you the People, saying, ‘You all are to cross the border (cp. Num.20:4; 14-17. Judg.11:17) of your brethren the sons of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take you all good heed unto yourselves therefore:
5: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because (cp. Gen.3:3; 33:6-8; 36:8. Josh.24:4) I have given mount Seir to Esau for a possession (Heb. yårash [because given]. Also in vv.9,12 and 3:19,20 &c; in Deut. not ’åhaz [because seized], as in other books; though ’åhaz is used in 32:49).
6: You all shall buy meat (=all kinds of food) of them for money, that you all may eat; and you all shall also buy water of them for money, that you all may drink.
7: For the Lord you God (Yehovah your Elohim) (=the triune God) has blessed you in all the works of your hands: He knows your walking through this great wilderness: these forty years (cp. Neh.9:21) Yehovah your Elohim has been with you; you have lacked nothing.’ ’ (Heb. "not a word": i.e. of what Yehovah had promised, cp. 8:2-4)
8: And when we passed by from our brethren the sons of Esau (cp. Num.20:21; 21:11-13. 2 Chron.20:10), which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber (=Gulf of Akabah.Cp. Num.33:35 and 1 Kings 9:26), we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab (see the route, Judg.11:16-18).
9: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to me (occ. 13 times in Deut: 2:9,31; 3:2,26; 4:10; 5:28; 9:12; 10:1,11; 31:2,14,16; 34:4), ‘Distress not the Moabites (God judged both [2 Chron.20:1-25. Amos 1:13-15]), neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give you of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot for a possession.’
10: The Emims (=terrible ones. Gen.14:5. A race of the offspring of the Nephilim, see Gen.6:3) dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims (see 1:28 & Gen.6:3);
11: Which also were accounted giants (Heb. Rephaim, another name for an offspring of the Nephilim, from one Rapha. Connected with healing, and with Egypt [Gen.50:2]), as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
12: The Horims (another race or name of the offspring of the Nephilim, see v.10. Cp. Gen.14:6) also dwelt in Seir before time; but the sons of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed (=exterminated them, Heb. shåmad) them from before them, and dwelt in their stead (=room. These are the Canaanites with whom Satan had preoccupied the land to thwart God's purpose in Abraham. Cp. Gen.12:6; 13:7. All these had to be destroyed, as the offspring of the Nephilim in Noah's days were destroyed by the Flood. Cp. Gen.6:4, which tells of a latter irruption. See Gen.14:5); according as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the Lord (Yehovah) gave to them (see 3:20, and note on v.5).
13: ‘Now therefore rise up’, said I, ‘and get you over the brook Zered’ (which flws into the Arnon, the frontier between Moab and Ammon. Num.21:13) And we went over the brook Zered (=exuberant in growth, osier brook).
14: And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years (cp. the anti type of Israel in the flesh, John 5:5); until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord (Yehovah) swore to them.
15: For indeed the hand of the Lord (Yehovah) was against them, to destroy them from among the host (=to shake, Heb. hånan), until they were consumed.
16: So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the People,
17: That the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to me, saying,
18: ‘You are to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
19: And when you come near over against the sons of Ammon (see Gen.19:36-38, and cp. Judg.11:15), distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give you of the land of the sons of Ammon any possession; because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.
20: {That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims (a name given them by the Amorites = noisy ones. See vv.10-12);
21: A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims (see 1:28); but Yehovah exterminated them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:
22: As He did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when He exterminated the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
23: And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim (another name for the offspring of the Nephilim. Josh.13:3), even unto Azzah (=Gaza. Gen.10:19. 1 Sam.6:17. Cp. 1 Kings 4:24. Jer.25:20. Acts 8:26), the Caphtorims (another name, for those that came out of Caphtor. Gen.10:14. Amos 9:7. Jer.47:4. Sometimes identefied with Crete, or the Delta), which came forth out of Caphtor (=crown), exterminated them, and dwelt in their stead.}
24: ‘Rise up you all, take your journey (cp. Num.21:13), and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land:
begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
25: This day will I begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you upon the nations that are under the whole heaven (fulfillment of Ex.15:14,15. Cp. Josh.2:9,10), who shall hear report of you, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of you.’
26: And I sent messengers (Num.21:21,22. Judg.11:19) out of the wilderness of Kedemoth (cp. Num.21:21-24. Afterward a Levitical city [Josh.13:18; 21:37. 1 Chron.6:64,79]) unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
27: ‘Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
28: You shall sell me food for money (Edom refused to let Israel pass through, but dill sell, as here stated. Cp. Num.20:17-21. Moab, too, "sold", but did not meet as a friend [23:4] were karan mean to offer unasked [cp.Isa.21:17]), that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet;
29: {According as the sons of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;} until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the Lord (Yehovah) our God (Elohim) gives us.’
m³ M¹ 2:30-37. Conquest of Sihon. M² 3:1-29. Conquest of Og.30: But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him (cp. Num.21:23. Judg.11:20): for Yehovah your Elohim (acting as the Creator with a creature) hardened his spirit (Heb. kåshåh. See Ex.4:21), and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as appears this day.