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Deuteronomy Chapter One                            

 

Deuteronomy 1 Outlines

The Previous Command to Enter Canaan (v.1~8)

Tribal Leaders Appointed (v.9~18)

Israel’s Refusal to Enter the Land (v.19~33)

The Penalty for Israel’s Rebellion (v.34~46)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 1

The time and place when the subject matter of this book was delivered to the Israelites are observed by way of preface Deuteronomy 1:1 and it begins with reminding them of an order to them to depart from Mount Horeb and pass on to the land of Canaan which the Lord had given them Deuteronomy 1:6 and with observing the very great increase of their number which made it necessary for Moses to appoint persons under him to be rulers over them whom he instructed in the duty of their office Deuteronomy 1:9 and he goes on to observe that when they were come to the mountain of the Amorites they were bid to go up and possess the land; but instead of that they desired men might be sent to search the land first which was granted Deuteronomy 1:19 and though these men upon their return brought of the fruits of the land and a good report of it particularly two of them; yet being discouraged by the report of the rest they murmured distrusted and were afraid to enter though encouraged by Moses Deuteronomy 1:24 which caused the Lord to be angry with them and upon it threatened them that they should die in the wilderness and only two of them should ever see and enjoy the land and therefore were bid to turn and take their journey in the wilderness Deuteronomy 1:34 but being convinced of their evil they proposed to go up the hill and enter the land which they attempted against the commandment of the Lord but being repulsed by the Amorites they fled with great loss to their great grief and abode in Kadesh many days Deuteronomy 1:41.

 

Deuteronomy 1:1  These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness in the plain[a] opposite Suph [b] between Paran Tophel Laban Hazeroth and Dizahab.

   YLT  1These [are] the words which Moses hath spoken unto all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness in the plain over-against Suph between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Di-Zahab;

These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel .... Not what are related in the latter part of the preceding book but what follow in this; and which were spoken by him not to the whole body of the people gathered together to hear him which they could not do without a miracle; but to the heads of the people the representatives of them who were convened to hear what he had to say in order to communicate it to the people; unless we can suppose that Moses at different times to several parties of them delivered the same things until they had all heard them:

on this side Jordan; before the passage of the Israelites over it to the land of Canaan; for Moses never went in thither and therefore it must be the tract which the Greeks call Persea and which with respect to the Israelites when in the land of Canaan is called "beyond Jordan" for here now Moses was; and the children of Israel had been here with him a considerable time in the wilderness the vast wilderness of Arabia which reached hither:

in the plain; the plains of Moab between Bethjeshimoth and. Abelshittim where the Israelites had lain encamped for some time and had not as yet removed; see Numbers 33:49.

over against the Red sea: the word "sea" is not in the text nor is there anything in it which answers to "Red"; it should be rendered "opposite Suph" which seems to be the name of a place in Moab not far from the plains of it and perhaps is the same with Suphah in Numbers 21:14 for from the Red sea they were at a considerable distance:

between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab; these are names of places which were the boundaries and limits of the plains of Moab or lay very near them; for Paran cannot be understood of the Wilderness of Paran which was too remote but a city or town of that name. Tophel and Laban we read of nowhere else; a learned manF1Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible p. 471 &c. conjectures Tophel is the name of the station where the Israelites loathed the manna as light bread because of the insipidness of it which he observes this word signifies; but that station was either Zalmonah or Punon or this station must be omitted in the account of their journeys and besides was too remote. Jarchi helps this conjecture a little who puts Tophel and Laban together and thinks they signify their murmuring because of the manna which was white as Laban signifies; but the above writer takes Laban to be a distinct station the same with Libnah Numbers 33:20 and Hazeroth to be the station between Mount Sinai and Kadesh Numbers 12:16. But both seem to be too remote from the plains of Moab; and Dizahab he would have to be the same with Eziongaber Numbers 33:35 which he says the Arabs now call Dsahab or Meenah el Dsahab that is "the port of gold"; and certain it is that Dizahab has the signification of gold and is by HillerusF2Onomastic. Sacr. p. 67 300. rendered "sufficiency of gold" there being large quantities of it here; perhaps either through the riches of the port by trade or by reason of a mine of gold at it or near it; so the Vulgate Latin version renders it "where there is much gold" and the Septuagint version "golden mines" Catachrysea; and JeromF3De loc. Heb. fol. 92. A. makes mention of a place of this name and says they are mountains abounding with gold in the wilderness eleven miles from Horeb where Moses is said to write Deuteronomy; elsewhereF4Travels p. 319. he calls it Dysmemoab i.e. the west of Moab near Jordan opposite Jericho.

 

Deuteronomy 1:2  2 It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.

   YLT  2eleven days' from Horeb the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-Barnea.

There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadeshbarnea. Not that the Israelites came thither in eleven days from Horeb for they stayed by the way at Kibrothhattaavah a whole month at least and seven days at Hazeroth; but the sense is that this was the computed distance between the two places; it was what was reckoned a man might walk in eleven days; and if we reckon a day's journey twenty miles of which See Gill on Jonah 3:3 the distance must be two hundred and twenty miles. But Dr. ShawF5De loc. Heb. fol. 92. I. allows but ten miles for a day's journey and then it was no more than one hundred and ten and indeed a camp cannot be thought to move faster; but not the day's journey of a camp but of a man seems to be intended who may very well walk twenty miles a day for eleven days running; but it seems more strange that another learned travellerF6Pococke's Description of the East vol. 1. p. 157. should place Kadeshbarnea at eight hours or ninety miles distance only from Mount Sinai. Moses computes not the time that elapsed between those two places including their stations but only the time of travelling; and yet Jarchi says though it was eleven days' journey according to common computation the Israelites performed it in three days; for he observes that they set out from Horeb on the twentieth of Ijar and on the twenty ninth of Sivan the spies were sent out from Kadeshbarnea; and if you take from hence the whole month they were at one place and the seven days at another there will be but three days left for them to travel in. And he adds that the Shechinah or divine Majesty pushed them forward to hasten their going into the land; but they corrupting themselves he turned them about Mount Seir forty years. It is not easy to say for what reason these words are expressed unless it be to show in how short a time the Israelites might have been in the land of Canaan in a few days' journey from Horeb had it not been for their murmurings and unbelief for which they were turned into the wilderness again and travelled about for the space of thirty eight years afterwards. Aben Ezra is of opinion that the eleven days for the word "journey" is not in the text are to be connected with the preceding words; and that the sense is that Moses spake these words in the above places in the eleven days they went from Horeb to Kadesh.

 

Deuteronomy 1:3  3 Now it came to pass in the fortieth year in the eleventh month on the first day of the month that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them

   YLT  3And it cometh to pass in the fortieth year in the eleventh month on the first of the month hath Moses spoken unto the sons of Israel according to all that Jehovah hath commanded him concerning them;

And it came to pass in the fortieth year .... That is of the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt:

in the eleventh month; the month Shebet as the Targum of Jonathan which answers to part of January and part of February:

in the first day of the month that Moses spoke unto the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them; repeated to them the several commandments which the Lord had delivered to him at different times.

 

Deuteronomy 1:4  4 after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt in Heshbon and Og king of Bashan who dwelt at Ashtaroth in[c] Edrei.

   YLT  4after his smiting Sihon king of the Amorite who is dwelling in Heshbon and Og king of Bashan who is dwelling in Ashtaroth in Edrei

After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites which dwelt in Heshbon .... Either Moses speaking of himself in the third person or rather the Lord to whom Moses ascribes the victory; of this king and his palace and the slaughter of him see Numbers 21:24

and Og the king of Bashan which dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei; or near Edrei; for Edrei was not the name of a country in which Ashtaroth was but of a city at some distance from it about six miles as Jerom saysF7De loc. Heb. fol. 87. I. ; hither Og came from Ashtaroth his palace to fight with Israel and where he was slain see Numbers 21:33. Ashtaroth was an ancient city formerly called Ashtaroth Karnaim and was the seat of the Rephaim or giants from whom Og sprung; see Gill on Genesis 14:5 see also Deuteronomy 3:11. Jerom saysF8lbid. E. in his time there were two castles in Batanea (or Bashan) called by this name nine miles distant from one another between Adara (the same with Edrei) and Abila; and in another place he saysF9De loc. Heb. fol. 89. M. Carnaim Ashtaroth is now a large village in a corner of Batanea and is called Carnea beyond the plains of Jordan; and it is a tradition that there was the house of Job.

 

Deuteronomy 1:5  5 On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab Moses began to explain this law saying

   YLT  5beyond the Jordan in the land of Moab hath Moses begun to explain this law saying:

On this side Jordan in the land of Moab .... On that side of Jordan in which the land of Moab was and which with respect to the land of Canaan was beyond Jordan; this the Vulgate Latin version joins to the preceding verse:

began Moses to declare this law: to explain it make it clear and manifest; namely the whole system and body of laws which had been before given him which he "willed"F11הואיל "voluit" Montanus; "placuit" Junius & Tremellius Piscator; "statuit" Tigurine version. as some render the word or willingly took upon him to repeat and explain unto them which their fathers had heard and had been delivered unto them; but before he entered upon this he gave them a short history of events which had befallen them from the time of their departure from Horeb unto the present time which is contained in this and the two next chapters:

saying; as follows.

 

Deuteronomy 1:6  6 “The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.

   YLT  6`Jehovah our God hath spoken unto us in Horeb saying Enough to you -- of dwelling in this mount;

The Lord our God spoke unto us in Horeb .... The same with Sinai as Aben Ezra observes; while the Israelites lay encamped near this mountain the Lord spoke unto them:

saying ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: or near it; for hither they came on the first day of the third month from their departure out of Egypt and they did not remove from thence until the twentieth day of the second month in the second year Exodus 19:1 so that they were here a year wanting ten days; in which space of time the law was given them the tabernacle and all things appertaining to it were made by them rulers both ecclesiastical and civil were appointed over them and they were numbered and marshalled in order under four standards and so ready to march; and all this being done they must stay no longer but set forward for the land of Canaan. It is well for persons that they are not to stay long under the law and the terrors of it but are directed to Mount Zion; Hebrews 12:18.

 

Deuteronomy 1:7  7 Turn and take your journey and go to the mountains of the Amorites to all the neighboring places in the plain [d] in the mountains and in the lowland in the South and on the seacoast to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon as far as the great river the River Euphrates.

   YLT  7turn ye and journey for you and enter the mount of the Amorite and unto all its neighbouring places in the plain in the hill-country and in the low country and in the south and in the haven of the sea the land of the Canaanite and of Lebanon unto the great river the river Phrat;

Turn you and take your journey .... That is remove from Horeb where they were and proceed on in their journey in which they had been stopped almost a year:

and go to the mount of the Amorites; where they and the Amalekites dwelt in the south part of the land of Canaan and which was the way the spies were sent Numbers 13:17

and unto all the places nigh thereunto; nigh to the mountain. The Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret them of Moab Ammon Gebal or Mount Seir: "in the plain in the hills and in the vale"; such was the country near this mountain consisting of champaign land hills and valleys:

and in the south; the southern border of the land of Canaan as what follows describes the other borders of it:

and by the sea side: the Mediterranean sea the western border of the land which Jarchi out of Siphri explains of Ashkelon Gaza and Caesarea and so the Targum of Jonathan:

into the land of the Canaanites; which was then possessed by them the boundaries of which to the south and west are before given and next follow those to the north and east:

and unto Lebanon; which was on the north of the land of Canaan:

unto the great river the river Euphrates; which was the utmost extent of the land eastward and was either promised as it was to Abraham Genesis 15:18 or enjoyed as it was by Solomon 1 Kings 4:21.

 

Deuteronomy 1:8  8 See I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers—to Abraham Isaac and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them.’

   YLT  8see I have set before you the land; go in and possess the land which Jehovah hath sworn to your fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give to them and to their seed after them.

Behold I have set the land before you .... Described it to them and set its bounds as well as had given them a grant of it:

go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give unto them and their seed after them: and which being thus made sure unto them they had nothing more to do than to go and take possession of it.

 

Deuteronomy 1:9  9 “And I spoke to you at that time saying: ‘I alone am not able to bear you.

   YLT  9`And I speak unto you at that time saying I am not able by myself to bear you;

And I spake unto you at that time .... About that time; for it was after the rock in Horeb was smitten and before they encamped at Mount Sinai that Jethro gave the advice which Moses took and proceeded on it as here related; see Exodus 18:1.

saying I am not able to bear you myself alone; to rule and govern them judge and determine matters between them. Jethro suggested this to Moses and he took the hint and was conscious to himself that it was too much for him and so declared it to the people though it is not before recorded; see Exodus 18:18.

 

Deuteronomy 1:10  10 The Lord your God has multiplied you and here you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude.

   YLT  10Jehovah your God hath multiplied you and lo ye [are] to-day as the stars of the heavens for multitude;

The Lord your God hath multiplied you .... Which was the reason why he could not bear them or the government of them was too heavy for him because they were so numerous and the cases brought before him to decide were so many:

and behold you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude; whereby it appeared that the promise to Abraham was fulfilled Genesis 15:5 they were now 600 000 men fit for war besides women and children and those under age which must make the number of them very large.

 

Deuteronomy 1:11  11 May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are and bless you as He has promised you!

   YLT  11Jehovah God of your fathers is adding to you as ye [are] a thousand times and doth bless you as He hath spoken to you.

The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are .... This prayer he made or this blessing he pronounced on them to show that he did not envy their increase nor was any ways uneasy at it but rejoiced in it though he gave it as a reason of his not being able to govern them alone:

and bless you as he hath promised you: with all kind of blessings as he had often promised their fathers.

 

Deuteronomy 1:12  12 How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints?

   YLT  12`How do I bear by myself your pressure and your burden and your strife?

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife? His meaning is that he could not hear and try all their causes and determine all their law suits and decide the strifes and controversies which arose between them; it was too heavy for him and brought too much trouble and incumbrance upon him.

 

Deuteronomy 1:13  13 Choose wise understanding and knowledgeable men from among your tribes and I will make them heads over you.’

   YLT  13Give for yourselves men wise and intelligent and known to your tribes and I set them for your heads;

Take ye wise men and understanding and known among your tribes .... Not only whose persons were well known but their characters and qualifications for their probity and integrity for their wisdom and prudence in the management of affairs for their skill and knowledge in things divine and human civil and religious and for their capacity in judging and determining matters in difference; see Exodus 18:21.

and I will make them rulers over you; the people were allowed to choose their own officers whom they were to bring to Moses and present before him to be invested with their office. A like method was taken in the choice and constitution of deacons in the Christian church when the secular affairs of it lay too heavy upon the apostles Acts 6:3.

 

Deuteronomy 1:14  14 And you answered me and said ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’

   YLT  14and ye answer me and say Good [is] the thing which thou hast spoken -- to do.

And ye answered me and said .... As the speech of Moses to the people is not expressed before so neither this answer of theirs to him:

the thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do; to look out for and present persons to him as before described; this they saw was for their own good and profit as well as for the ease of Moses and therefore readily agreed to it.

 

Deuteronomy 1:15  15 So I took the heads of your tribes wise and knowledgeable men and made them heads over you leaders of thousands leaders of hundreds leaders of fifties leaders of tens and officers for your tribes.

   YLT  15`And I take the heads of your tribes men wise and known and I appoint them heads over you princes of thousands and princes of hundreds and princes of fifties and princes of tens and authorities for your tribes.

So I took the chief of your tribes wise men and known .... The principal persons among them that were remarkable and well known for their wisdom and understanding whom the people presented to him:

and made them heads over you; rulers of them as follows:

captains over thousands and captains over hundreds and captains over fifties and captains over tens; see Exodus 18:21.

and officers among your tribes; which Jarchi interprets of such that bind malefactors and scourge them according to the decree of the judges even the executioners of justice; and so the Jews commonly understand them to be though some have thought they were judges also.

 

Deuteronomy 1:16  16 “Then I commanded your judges at that time saying ‘Hear the cases between your brethren and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him.

   YLT  16And I command your judges at that time saying Hearkening between your brethren -- then ye have judged righteousness between a man and his brother and his sojourner;

And I charged your judges at that time .... When they were appointed and constituted even the heads and rulers before spoken of; this charge is also new and not recorded before:

saying hear the causes between your brethren; hear both sides and all that each of them have to say; not suffer one to say all he has to say and oblige the other to cut his words short as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; but give them leave and time to tell their case and give the best evidence they can of it:

and judge righteously; impartially just as the case really appears to be and according to the evidence given:

between every man and his brother; between an Israelite and an Israelite:

and the stranger that is with him; between an Israelite and proselyte whether a proselyte of the gate or of righteousness; the same justice was to be done to them as to an Israelite.

 

Deuteronomy 1:17  17 You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you bring to me and I will hear it.’

   YLT  17ye do not discern faces in judgment; as the little so the great ye do hear; ye are not afraid of the face of any for the judgment is God's and the thing which is too hard for you ye bring near unto me and I have heard it;

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment .... Or pass judgment and give sentence according to the outward appearances circumstances and relations of men; as whether they be friends or foes rich or poor old or young men or women learned or unlearned; truth and justice should always take place without any regard to what persons are:

but you shall hear the small as well as the great; persons in low life and in mean circumstances as well as great and noble personages; or little causes and of no great moment as well as those of the utmost importance; all must be attended to a cause about a "prutah" or a farthing as well as one about a hundred pounds in which Jarchi instances and if that came first it was not to be postponed:

ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; of the frowns and threatenings of rich men and of such as are in power and authority; not be awed or intimidated by them from doing justice; see Job 31:34

for the judgment is God's; judges stand in the place of God are put into their office by him and act under him and for him and are accountable to him; and therefore should be careful what judgment they make or sentence they pass lest they bring discredit to him and destruction on themselves:

and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me and I will hear it; which is said for their encouragement as well as was an instruction to them not to undertake a cause too difficult for them; see Exodus 18:22.

 

Deuteronomy 1:18  18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.

   YLT  18and I command you at that time all the things which ye do.

And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do. Delivered to them all the laws moral ceremonial and judicial which were then given him at Mount Sinai.

 

Deuteronomy 1:19  19 “So we departed from Horeb and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites as the Lord our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea.

   YLT  19`And we journey from Horeb and go [through] all that great and fearful wilderness which ye have seen -- the way of the hill-country of the Amorite as Jehovah our God hath commanded us and we come in unto Kadesh-Barnea.

And when we departed from Horeb .... As the Lord commanded them to do when they were obedient:

we went through all the great and terrible wilderness; the wilderness of Paran called "great" it reaching from Mount Sinai to Kadeshbarnea eleven days' journey as AdrichomiusF12Theatrum Terrae p. 116. relates; and "terrible" being so hard and dry as not to be ploughed nor sown and presented to the sight something terrible and horrible even the very image of death; to which may be added the fiery serpents and scorpions it abounded with Deuteronomy 8:15

which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites; that is in the way that led to the mountain:

as the Lord our God commanded us; to depart from Horeb and take a tour through the wilderness towards the said mountain:

and we came to Kadeshbarnea; having stayed a month by the way at Kibrothhattaavah where they lusted after flesh and seven days at Hazeroth where Miriam was shut out of the camp for leprosy during that time.

 

Deuteronomy 1:20  20 And I said to you ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites which the Lord our God is giving us.

   YLT  20`And I say unto you Ye have come in unto the hill-country of the Amorite which Jehovah our God is giving to us;

And I said unto you you are come unto the mountain of the Amorites .... Which was inhabited by them and was one of the seven nations the Israelites were to destroy and possess their land and which lay on the southern part of the land of Canaan:

which the Lord our God doth give unto us; not the mountain only but the whole country of that people and even all the land of Canaan.

 

Deuteronomy 1:21  21 Look the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’

   YLT  21see Jehovah thy God hath set before thee the land; go up possess as Jehovah God of thy fathers hath spoken to thee; fear not nor be affrighted.

Behold the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee .... The land of Canaan on the borders of which they then were; See Gill on Deuteronomy 1:8

go up; the mountain by that way of it which was the way the spies went and up to which some of the Israelites presumed to go when forbidden they not complying with the call of God:

and possess it as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; as in Deuteronomy 1:8

fear not neither be discouraged; though the people of the land were numerous and strong and their cities large and walled.

 

Deuteronomy 1:22  22 “And every one of you came near to me and said ‘Let us send men before us and let them search out the land for us and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up and of the cities into which we shall come.’

   YLT  22`And ye come near unto me all of you and say Let us send men before us and they search for us the land and they bring us back word [concerning] the way in which we go up into it and the cities unto which we come in;

And ye came near unto me everyone of you .... Not every individual of them but the heads of their tribes that represented them; this is not to be understood of the present generation personally but of their fathers who all died in the wilderness save a very few of them; but they being the same people and nation it is so expressed:

and said we will send men before us; that is they thought it was proper and prudent so to do and came to Moses to consult him about it; for we are not to suppose that they had determined upon it whether he approved of it or not:

and they shall search us out the land: that they might know what sort of land it was whether good or bad fruitful or not and whether woody or not: see Numbers 13:19.

and bring us word again by what way we must go up; or "concerning the wayF13את הדרך "de via" Noldius p. 117. No. 594. so the Arabic version Junius & Tremellius Piscator. in which we must go"; which is the best way of entering it most easy and accessible where the passes are most open and least dangerous:

and into what cities we shall come; which it would be the most proper to attack and subdue first.

 

Deuteronomy 1:23  23 “The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men one man from each tribe.

   YLT  23and the thing is good in mine eyes and I take of you twelve men one man for a tribe.

And the saying pleased me well .... Taking it to be a rational and prudent scheme not imagining it was the effect of fear and distrust:

and I took twelve men of you out of a tribe; whose names are given in Numbers 13:4.

 

Deuteronomy 1:24  24 And they departed and went up into the mountains and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out.

   YLT  24`And they turn and go up to the hill-country and come in unto the valley of Eshcol and spy it

And they turned and went up into the mountain .... As they were ordered and directed by Moses Numbers 13:17.

and came unto the valley of Eshcol; so called from the cluster of grapes they cut down there as they returned:

and searched it out; the whole land and so were capable of giving a particular account of it.

 

Deuteronomy 1:25  25 They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us saying ‘It is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us.’

   YLT  25and they take with their hand of the fruit of the land and bring down unto us and bring us back word and say Good is the land which Jehovah our God is giving to us.

And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands .... Besides the cluster of grapes which was carried between two men on a staff; even pomegranates and figs Numbers 13:23

and brought it down unto us; who lay encamped at the bottom of the mountain:

and brought us word again; what sort of a land it was:

and said it is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us; that is Caleb and Joshua two of the spies said this as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it and so Jarchi; yea all of them agreed in this and said at first that it was a land flowing with milk and honey Numbers 13:27.

 

Deuteronomy 1:26  26 “Nevertheless you would not go up but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God;

   YLT  26`And ye have not been willing to go up and ye provoke the mouth of Jehovah your God

Notwithstanding ye would not go up .... And possess it as the Lord had bid them and Moses encouraged them to do as well as Joshua and Caleb who were two of the spies sent into it:

but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God; disregarded the word of the Lord and disobeyed his command and thereby bitterly provoked him which rebellion against him their King and God might well do.

 

Deuteronomy 1:27  27 and you complained in your tents and said ‘Because the Lord hates us He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us.

   YLT  27and murmur in your tents and say In Jehovah's hating us He hath brought us out of the land of Egypt to give us into the hand of the Amorite -- to destroy us;

And ye murmured in your tents .... Not in a private manner; for though the murmurs began there they having wept all night after the report of the spies; yet it became general and public and they gathered together in a body and openly expressed their murmurs against Moses and Aaron Numbers 14:1

and said because the Lord hated us he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt; a strange expression indeed! when it was such a plain amazing instance of his love to them as could not but be seen by them; being done in such a remarkable and extraordinary manner by inflicting judgments on their enemies in a miraculous way giving them favour in their eyes to lend them their clothes and jewels and bringing them out with such an high hand openly and publicly in the sight of them where they had been in the most wretched slavery for many years; yet this is interpreted an hatred of them and as done with an ill design upon them as follows:

to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us; which now under the power of their fears and unbelief they thought would be quickly their case; see Deuteronomy 4:37.

 

Deuteronomy 1:28  28 Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts saying “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’

   YLT  28whither are we going up? our brethren have melted our heart saying A people greater and taller than we cities great and fenced to heaven and also sons of Anakim -- we have seen there.

Whither shall we go up?.... What way can we go up into the land? where is there any access for us? the mountain we are come to and directed to go up is possessed by the Amorites a strong and mighty people who keep and guard the passes that there is no entrance:

our brethren have discouraged our hearts; ten of the spies; for Joshua and Caleb encouraged them with very powerful arguments which had they listened to it would have been well for them:

saying the people is greater and taller than we; more in number larger in bulk of body and higher in stature:

the cities are great and walled up to heaven; an hyperbolical expression; their fears exaggerated the account of the spies; they told them they were great large and populous walled and strongly fortified; which appeared in their frightened imaginations as if their walls were so high as to reach up to heaven so that it was impossible to scale them or get possession of them:

and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there; the giants so called from Anak the son of Arba the father of them; their names are given Numbers 13:22.

 

Deuteronomy 1:29  29 “Then I said to you ‘Do not be terrified or afraid of them.

   YLT  29`And I say unto you Be not terrified nor be afraid of them;

Then I said unto you dread not neither be afraid of them. With such like words he had exhorted and encouraged them before the spies were sent and he still uses the same or stronger terms notwithstanding the report that had been made of the gigantic stature and walled cities of the Canaanites. This speech of Moses which is continued in the two following verses is not recorded in Numbers 14:5 it is only there said that Moses and Aaron fell on their faces but no account is given of what was said by either of them.

 

Deuteronomy 1:30  30 The Lord your God who goes before you He will fight for you according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes

   YLT  30Jehovah your God who is going before you -- He doth fight for you according to all that He hath done with you in Egypt before your eyes

The Lord your God which goeth before you .... In a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night:

he shall fight for you; wherefore though their enemies were greater and taller than they yet their God was higher than the highest; and cities walled up to heaven would signify nothing to him whose throne is in the heavens:

according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes: which is observed to encourage their faith in God; for he that wrought such wonders in Egypt for them which their eyes at least some of them and their fathers however had seen what is it he cannot do?

 

Deuteronomy 1:31  31 and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’

   YLT  31and in the wilderness where thou hast seen that Jehovah thy God hath borne thee as a man beareth his son in all the way which ye have gone till your coming in unto this place.

And in the wilderness .... Where he had fed them with manna brought water out of rocks for them protected them from every hurtful creature had fought their battles for them and given them victory over Amalek Sihon and Og:

where thou hast seen how the Lord thy God bare thee as a man doth bear his son; in his arms in his bosom with great care and tenderness:

in all the way that ye went until ye came into this place; supplying their wants supporting their persons subduing their enemies and preserving them from everything hurtful to them; and therefore having God on their side as appeared by so many instances of his favour to them they had nothing to dread or fear from the Canaanites though ever so mighty.

 

Deuteronomy 1:32  32 Yet for all that you did not believe the Lord your God

   YLT  32`And in this thing ye are not stedfast in Jehovah your God

Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God. That they might go up and possess the land at once and that he would fight for them and subdue their enemies under them; or notwithstanding the favours bestowed upon them and because of them they did not believe in the Lord their God and which was a great aggravation of their unbelief and was the cause of their not entering into the good land Hebrews 3:19.

 

Deuteronomy 1:33  33 who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents to show you the way you should go in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.

   YLT  33who is going before you in the way to search out to you a place for your encamping in fire by night to shew you in the way in which ye go and in a cloud by day.

Who went in the way before you to search you out a place to pitch your tents in .... For when the cloud was taken up they journeyed and when that rested there they pitched their tents; and hereby they were directed to places the most convenient for water for them and their flocks or for safety from those that might annoy them:

in fire by night to show you by what way ye should go; which otherwise they could not have found in dark nights in which they sometimes travelled and in a wilderness where there were no tracks no beaten path no common way:

and in a cloud by day; to shelter them from the scorching sun where there were no trees nor hedges to shade them only rocky crags and hills.

 

Deuteronomy 1:34  34 “And the Lord heard the sound of your words and was angry and took an oath saying

   YLT  34`And Jehovah heareth the voice of your words and is wroth and sweareth saying

And the Lord heard the voice of your words .... Of their murmurings against Moses and Aaron and of their threatenings to them Joshua and Caleb and of their impious charge of hatred of them to God for bringing them out of Egypt and of their rash wishes that they had died there or in the wilderness and of their wicked scheme and proposal to make them a captain and return to Egypt again:

and was wroth and sware; by his life himself; see Numbers 14:28

saying; as follows.

 

Deuteronomy 1:35  35 ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers

   YLT  35Not one of these men of this evil generation doth see the good land which I have sworn to give to your fathers

Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see the good land .... The land of Canaan; not only not one of the spies that brought the ill report of that land but of that body of people that gave credit to it and murmured upon it:

which I sware to give unto your fathers; Abraham Isaac and Jacob; see Deuteronomy 1:8.

 

Deuteronomy 1:36  36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked because he wholly followed the Lord.’

   YLT  36save Caleb son of Jephunneh -- he doth see it and to him I give the land on which he hath trodden and to his sons because that he hath been fully after Jehovah.

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh he shall see it .... Enter into it and enjoy it:

and Joshua also; who was the other spy with him that brought a good report of the land; see Deuteronomy 1:38

and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon and to his children: not the whole land of Canaan but that part of it which he particularly came to and searched; and where the giants were and he saw them and notwithstanding was not intimidated by them but encouraged the people to go up and possess it; and the part he came to particularly and trod on was Hebron Numbers 13:22 and which the Targum of Jonathan Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret of that; and this was what was given to him and his at the division of the land Joshua 14:13

because he hath wholly followed the Lord; see Numbers 14:24.

 

Deuteronomy 1:37  37 The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes saying ‘Even you shall not go in there.

   YLT  37`Also with me hath Jehovah been angry for your sake saying Also thou dost not go in thither;

Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes .... Not at the same time though as some think at the same place near thirty eight years afterwards they provoking him to speak unadvisedly with his lips; see Numbers 20:10

saying thou shalt not go in thither: into the land of Canaan; and though he greatly importuned it he could not prevail; see Deuteronomy 3:25.

 

Deuteronomy 1:38  38 Joshua the son of Nun who stands before you he shall go in there. Encourage him for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

   YLT  38Joshua son of Nun who is standing before thee he goeth in thither; him strengthen thou; for he doth cause Israel to inherit.

But Joshua the son of Nun which standeth before thee .... His servant and minister which this phrase is expressive of:

he shall go in thither: into the good land instead of Moses and as his successor and who was to go before the children of Israel and introduce them into it as a type of Christ who brings many sons to glory:

encourage him; with the promise of the divine Presence with him and of success in subduing the Canaanites and settling the people of Israel in their land; and so we read that Moses did encourage him Deuteronomy 31:7.

for he shall cause Israel to inherit it; go before them as their captain and lead them into it; fight their battles for them conquer their enemies and divide the land by lot for an inheritance unto them; so the heavenly inheritance is not by the law of Moses and the works of it but by Joshua or Jesus the Saviour by his achievements victories and conquests.

 

Deuteronomy 1:39  39 ‘Moreover your little ones and your children who you say will be victims who today have no knowledge of good and evil they shall go in there; to them I will give it and they shall possess it.

   YLT  39`And your infants of whom ye have said For a prey they are and your sons who have not known to-day good and evil they go in thither and to them I give it and they possess it;

Moreover your little ones which ye said should be a prey .... To the Amorites into whose hands they expected to be delivered Deuteronomy 1:27 see Numbers 14:3.

and your children which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil; not being at years of understanding and which is a common description of children; it is particularly expressed "in that day" for now they were the very persons Moses was directing his speech unto and relating this history it being thirty eight years ago when this affair was so that now they were grown up to years of discretion:

they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it: the relation of which now might serve greatly to encourage their faith as well as it would be a fulfilment of the promise of the land made unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob which was not made of none effect through the unbelief of the Israelites whose carcasses fell in the wilderness since their posterity was to enjoy it and did.

 

Deuteronomy 1:40  40 But as for you turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.’

   YLT  40and ye turn for yourselves and journey toward the wilderness the way of the Red Sea.

But as for you turn ye .... From the mountain of the Amorites the border of the land of Canaan:

and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea: see Numbers 14:25. Jarchi says this wilderness was by the side of the Red sea to the south of Mount Seir and divided between the Red sea and the mount; so that now they drew to the side of the sea and compassed Mount Seir all the south of it from west to east.

 

Deuteronomy 1:41  41 “Then you answered and said to me ‘We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war you were ready to go up into the mountain.

   YLT  41`And ye answer and say unto me We have sinned against Jehovah; we -- we go up and we have fought according to all that which Jehovah our God hath commanded us; and ye gird on each his weapons of war and ye are ready to go up into the hill-country;

Then ye answered and said unto me .... Not being willing to go into the wilderness again though they wished they had died in it; nor to go the way of the Red sea which was their way back again to Egypt though they had been for appointing a captain and returning thither; but now they repented of what they had said and done:

we have sinned against the Lord; by murmuring against his servants and disobeying his commands:

we will go up and fight according to all that the Lord our God hath commanded us; which is more than they were bid to do; they were only ordered to go up and possess the land and it was promised them the Lord would fight for them:

and when ye had girded on every man his weapon; his sword upon his thigh; a large number of them for all of them were not so disposed though many were:

ye were ready to go unto the hill; though before backward enough when they were bid to do it. De Dieu from the use of the wordF14"levis et facilis fuit res" Golius Colossians 2593. in the Arabic language renders it "ye reckoned it easy to go up unto the hill"; before it was accounted very difficult by reason the passes were kept and guarded by the Amorites; but now there was no difficulty when they were bid to go another way but were ready at once to go up which comes to the same sense; he further observes that the word in another conjugation in the same language signifies to make light of or despiseF15"Contempsit" ib. ; and so may be rendered "and ye despised"; that is rejected and despised the order given them to go into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea in the preceding verse by their attempting to go up the hill; though the word so taken will bear another sense agreeable to the first that they now made a light matter of it as if it was nothing and there was no difficulty in it to go up the hill which before was too hard and heavy for them.

 

Deuteronomy 1:42  42 “And the Lord said to me ‘Tell them “Do not go up nor fight for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.”

   YLT  42and Jehovah saith unto me Say to them Ye do not go up nor fight for I am not in your midst and ye are not smitten before your enemies.

And the Lord said unto me .... When the people had armed themselves and were in motion or ready to set forward to ascend the hill:

say unto them go not up neither fight; neither go up the hill and if they did contrary to this order and should meet with enemies not fight them but retreat:

for I am not among you: the ark of the covenant the symbol of his presence was then among them but it did not go with them it continued in the camp Numbers 14:44 nor did the Lord exert his power or show himself present with them or to be on their side but left them to themselves and to their enemies:

lest ye be smitten before your enemies; God not being with them to fight for them protect and defend them and give them victory.

 

Deuteronomy 1:43  43 So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen but rebelled against the command of the Lord and presumptuously went up into the mountain.

   YLT  43`And I speak unto you and ye have not hearkened and provoke the mouth of Jehovah and act proudly and go up into the hill-country;

So I spake unto you .... The words the orders he had received from the Lord to deliver to them:

and ye would not hear; so as to obey them and act according to them:

but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord: as before by not going up when he would have had them gone and now by attempting it when he forbid them:

and went presumptuously up into the hill; that is of themselves in their own strength disregarding the commandment of God and what they were threatened with; this they endeavoured to do for they were not able to effect it; the Amorites perceiving them to make up the hill came pouring down upon them in great numbers and stopped them and obliged them to retreat; see Numbers 14:45.

 

Deuteronomy 1:44  44 And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do and drove you back from Seir to Hormah.

   YLT  44and the Amorite who is dwelling in that hill-country cometh out to meet you and they pursue you as the bees do and smite you in Seir -- unto Hormah.

And the Amorites which dwelt in the mountain .... Elsewhere called Canaanites being one and a principal one of the seven nations of Canaan and who were joined and assisted in the attack by the Amalekites Numbers 14:45.

came out against you and chased you as bees do; which being disturbed in their hives come out in great numbers and with great fury and ardour (for though a small creature it has a great deal of spirit); and pursue the aggressor and leave him not till they have stung him though thereby they lose their stings and quickly their lives at least their usefulness; so these Amorites being irritated at the approach of the Israelites on their borders came out in great numbers and with great wrath and fell upon them and smote them and pursued them a long way as is after expressed though these in the issue were destroyed themselves. The Syriac version renders it "as bees that are smoked": or irritated by smoke; which is a method that has been used and was anciently: to dispossess them of their hives and get their honey as BochartF16Hierozoic par. 2. l. 4. c. 10. col. 507. from various writers has shown as from VirgilF17"-----Fumosque manu" &c. Virgil. Georgic. l. 4. v. 230. OvidF18"Quid cum suppositos" &c. Ovid. de Remed. Amor. l. 1. v. 185. and others; and when they are too much smoked become exceeding angry as AristotleF19Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 40. and PlinyF20Nat Hist. l. 11. c. 16 18. observe; and which same writers take notice of the strength and force of their stings as that they will kill with them the largest animals even horses have been killed by them; and though such small feeble creatures are not afraid to attack men and beasts; yea sometimes people have been obliged to leave their habitations and have been driven out of their country by them of which AelianusF21De Animal. l. 17. c. 35. gives an instance; all which shows the aptness and propriety of this simile; see Psalm 118:12 and destroyed you in Seir even unto Hormah; pursued them as far as Mount Seir even to another place on the borders of Edom which was called Hormah either from the destruction now or afterwards made here; See Gill on Numbers 14:45 though some take it not to be the proper name of a place but an appellative and render it "even unto destruction"; so the Jerusalem Targum; that is destroyed them with an utter destruction.

 

Deuteronomy 1:45  45 Then you returned and wept before the Lord but the Lord would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.

   YLT  45`And ye turn back and weep before Jehovah and Jehovah hath not hearkened to your voice nor hath he given ear unto you;

And ye returned and wept before the Lord .... Those that remained when the Amorites left pursuing them returned to the camp at Kadesh where Moses and the Levites were and the rest of the people; and here they wept at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and hence said to be "before the Lord"; they wept because of the slaughter that had been made among them and because of their sin in going contrary to the will of God and because they were ordered into the wilderness; and very probably they cried and prayed unto the Lord that they might not be turned back but that he would go with them and bring them now into the promised land:

but the Lord would not hearken to your voice nor give ear unto you; was inexorable and would not repeal the order to go into the wilderness again where he had sworn in his wrath their carcasses should fall; the sentence was irrevocable.

 

Deuteronomy 1:46  46 “So you remained in Kadesh many days according to the days that you spent there.

   YLT  46and ye dwell in Kadesh many days according to the days which ye had dwelt.

So ye abode in Kadesh many days .... Yea some years as some think:

according to the days that ye abode there; that is according to Jarchi as they did in the rest of the journeys or stations; so that as they were thirty eight years in all at several places they were nineteen years in Kadesh; the same is affirmed in the Jewish chronologyF23Seder Olam Rabba c. 8. p. 24. . Maimonides saysF24Moreh Nevochim. par. 3. c. 50. they were eighteen years in one place and it is very probable he means this; but Aben Ezra interprets it otherwise and takes the sense to be that they abode as many days here after their return as they did while the land was searching which were forty days Numbers 13:25 but without fixing any determinate time the meaning may only be that as they had been many days here before this disaster so they continued many days after in the same place before they marched onward into the wilderness again.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Deuteronomy 1:1 Hebrew arabah
  2. Deuteronomy 1:1 One manuscript of the Septuagint also Targum and Vulgate read Red Sea.
  3. Deuteronomy 1:4 Septuagint Syriac and Vulgate read and (compare Joshua 12:4).
  4. Deuteronomy 1:7 Hebrew arabah