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Deuteronomy Chapter
One
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)