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Deuteronomy Chapter
Thirty-one
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 31
Moses
being old
and knowing he should quickly die
and must not go over Jordan with
the people of Israel
acquaints them with it
and encourages them and Joshua to
go over notwithstanding
and not be afraid of their enemies
since the Lord
would go with them
and deliver them into their hands
Deuteronomy 31:1;
and having written the law
he delivered it to the priests
and ordered that it
should be read at the end of every seven years before all the people
that they
and theirs might learn it
and fear the Lord
Deuteronomy 31:9;
and whereas the death of Moses was very near
and the Lord foreseeing the
people would quickly fall into idolatry
which would bring great calamities
upon them
he directed Moses to write a song
which should be a witness for
him
and against them
in ages to come; which Moses accordingly did
Deuteronomy 31:14;
and Moses having given a charge to Joshua
and finished the writing of the law
in a book
gave it to the Levites to put it in the side of the ark
Deuteronomy 31:23;
and then ordered the chief of the tribes to be gathered together
that he might
deliver the song
which by the direction and under the inspiration of God he
had written
Deuteronomy 31:28;
which song is recorded in Deuteronomy 32:1.
Deuteronomy 31:1 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
YLT
1And Moses goeth and
speaketh these words unto all Israel
And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel. The following
words
even to the whole body of the people summoned together on this occasion.
It seems that after Moses had made the covenant with them he was directed to
he dismissed the people to their tents
and went to his own
and now returned
having ordered them to meet him again
very probably at the tabernacle; with
which agrees the Targum of Jonathan
he"went to the tabernacle of the
house of doctrine;'though
according to Aben Ezra
he went to the each tribes
separately
as they lay encamped; his words are these
"he went to every
tribe and tribe
to acquaint them that he was about to die
and that they might
not be afraid
and to strengthen their hearts;'he adds
"in my opinion he
then blessed them
though their blessings are afterwards written;'which is not
improbable.
Deuteronomy 31:2 2 And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years
old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me
‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’
YLT
2and he saith unto them
`A
son of a hundred and twenty years [am] I to-day; I am not able any more to go
out and to come in
and Jehovah hath said unto me
Thou dost not pass over this
Jordan
And he said unto them
I am an hundred and twenty years old
this day
.... Whether the meaning is
that that day precisely was his
birthday
is a question; it may be the sense is only this
that he was now
arrived to such an age; though Jarchi takes it in the first sense
to which are
objected his words in Deuteronomy 31:14;
yet it seems by Deuteronomy 32:48
that having delivered to the children of Israel the song he was ordered this
day to write
on the selfsame day he was bid to go up to Mount Nebo and die:
and it is a commonly received tradition with the Jews
that Moses died on the
same day of the month he was born; See Gill on Deuteronomy 34:7.
I can no more go out and come in; not that he could no
longer go out of his tent and return without great trouble and difficulty
being so decrepit; but that he could not perform his office as their ruler and
governor
or go out to battle and return as their general; and this not through
any incapacity of body or mind
both being vigorous
sound
and well
as is
clear from Deuteronomy 34:7;
but because it was the will of God that he should live no longer to exercise
such an office
power
and authority:
also the Lord hath said unto me
or "for the Lord
has said"F18ויהוה "praesertim
cum et Dominus"
V. L. ו sometimes signifies
"for". See Noldius
p. 285. So Ainsworth and Patrick here.
and so
is a reason of the foregoing; the Targum is
"the Word of the Lord
said:"
thou shalt not go over this Jordan: to which he and the
people of Israel were nigh
and lay between them and the land of Canaan
over
which it was necessary to pass in order to go into it; but Moses must not lead
them there
this work was reserved for Joshua
a type of Christ; not Moses and
his law
or obedience to it
is what introduces any into the heavenly Canaan
only Jesus and his righteousness; see Deuteronomy 3:27.
Deuteronomy 31:3 3 The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy
these nations from before you
and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself
crosses over before you
just as the Lord
has said.
YLT
3`Jehovah thy God He is
passing over before thee
He doth destroy these nations from before thee
and
thou hast possessed them; Joshua -- he is passing over before thee as Jehovah
hath spoken
The Lord thy God
he will go over before thee
.... This he
said to encourage the people of Israel; that though he should die
and not go
over with them
their ever living and true God
the great Jehovah
the Lord of
hosts
he would go before them
and fight their battles for them; so that they
had nothing to fear from their enemies:
and he will destroy those
nations from before thee; the seven nations which then inhabited the land:
and thou shalt possess them; their countries
cities
and houses
fields
and vineyards:
and Joshua
he shall go over
before thee; as their general to fight for them
subdue their enemies
and
put them into the possession of the land
and divide it to them:
as the Lord hath said; Deuteronomy 3:28.
Deuteronomy 31:4 4 And the Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og
the kings of the
Amorites and their land
when He destroyed them.
YLT
4and Jehovah hath done to
them as he hath done to Sihon and to Og
kings of the Amorite
and to their
land
whom He destroyed.
And the Lord shall do unto them as he did unto Sihon
and to Og
kings of the Amorites
.... Deliver them up into their hands; see the history of this in
Numbers 21:10
and unto the land of them whom he destroyed; put them into
the possession of the land of Canaan
as they were now in possession of the
land of those two kings he destroyed by them. This instance is given to
encourage their faith
assuring them that what had been done to them would be
done to the Canaanitish kings
and their subjects
and their lands.
Deuteronomy 31:5 5 The Lord will give them over to you
that you may do to them according
to every commandment which I have commanded you.
YLT
5And Jehovah hath given them
before your face
and ye have done to them according to all the command which I
have commanded you;
And the Lord shall give them up before your face
.... To ruin
and destruction; the Targum of Jonathan is
"the Word of the Lord shall
deliver them up:"
that ye may do unto them according to all the commandments which I
have commanded you; that is
utterly destroy them
make no covenant with them
enter
into no alliances nor contract any marriages with them; but demolish their
altars
cut down their groves
and break their images in pieces; of which last
Aben Ezra interprets the words; but they are not to be restrained to that single
instance; see Deuteronomy 7:1.
Deuteronomy 31:6 6 Be strong and of good courage
do not fear nor be afraid of
them; for the Lord your God
He is the One who goes with you. He will not
leave you nor forsake you.”
YLT
6be strong and courageous
fear not
nor be terrified because of them
for Jehovah thy God [is] He who is
going with thee; He doth not fail thee nor forsake thee.'
Be strong and of a good courage
.... The Septuagint
version is
"play the men
and be strong;'be strong in the Lord
and in the
power of his might
trusting and relying on him that goes before you; and so
take heart
and be of good courage
and act the manly part; the apostle seems
to refer to this passage
1 Corinthians 16:13
fear not
nor be afraid of them; their enemies
though so
numerous
so mighty
and some of them of a gigantic stature
and their cities
strong and well fenced:
for the Lord thy God
he it is that doth go with thee: in comparison
of whom
numbers of men
their strength of body
and fortified places
signify
nothing:
he will not fail thee
nor forsake thee; not fail to
fulfil his promises to them
not leave them till he had given them complete
victory over their enemies
put them into the possession of their land
and
settled them in it. This promise
though made to literal Israel
belongs to the
spiritual Israel of God
and is made good to every true believer in the Lord;
see Hebrews 13:5.
Deuteronomy 31:7 7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight
of all Israel
“Be strong and of good courage
for you must go with this people
to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to
give them
and you shall cause them to inherit it.
YLT
7And Moses calleth for
Joshua
and saith unto him before the eyes of all Israel
`Be strong and
courageous
for thou -- thou dost go in with this people unto the land which
Jehovah hath sworn to their fathers to give to them
and thou -- thou dost
cause them to inherit it;
And Moses called unto Joshua
.... Who might be at some
distance from him
with the tribe to which he belonged. The Targum of Jonathan
adds
"out of the midst of the people:"
and said unto him
in the sight of all Israel; now assembled
together
and what follows was said in their hearing
to make him the more
respectable to them:
be strong and of a good courage; the same that is said to
the people in Deuteronomy 31:6
and which was still more necessary in him
who was to be their general
and to
go at the head of them
and lead them on to battle; and though Joshua was a man
of courage and valour
as well as had military skill
as appears by his fight
with Amalek
Exodus 17:9; yet
such an exhortation was not needless
seeing he had so much work to do
and so
many enemies to contend with:
for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord
hath sworn unto their fathers to give them
and thou shalt cause them to
inherit it; the Targum of Jonathan is
"which the Word of the Lord hath
sworn to give;'the land of Canaan
thither he must go with them; this was the
will and determination of God
and he must go alone without him
Moses
which
would be a trial of his courage.
Deuteronomy 31:8 8 And the Lord
He is
the One who goes before you. He will be with you
He will not leave you nor
forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
YLT
8and Jehovah [is] He who is
going before thee
He himself is with thee; He doth not fail thee nor forsake
thee; fear not
nor be affrighted.'
And the Lord
he it is that doth go before thee
.... The Word
of the Lord
his Shechinah
according to the above Targum
and so in the next
clause; the same that brought Israel out of Egypt
had gone before them in the
wilderness
and now would go before Joshua and them into the land of Canaan:
he will be with thee; to guide and direct
to
assist and strengthen
to protect and defend
to give success to his arms
and
victory over his enemies:
he will not fail thee
neither forsake thee; not fail to
give him counsel and direction
to afford him strength
and to fill him with
courage
and to deliver his enemies into his hands; nor forsake him till he had
finished the work he was to do
had made a complete conquest of the Canaanites
and settled the people of Israel in their land:
fear not
neither be dismayed; at the number and
strength of the enemy
nor at any difficulties that might lie in the way of
finishing so great an undertaking
since the Lord would be with him; see Romans 8:31.
Deuteronomy 31:9 9 So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the
priests
the sons of Levi
who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord
and to all the elders of Israel.
YLT
9And Moses writeth this law
and giveth it unto the priests (sons of Levi
those bearing the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah)
and unto all the elders of Israel
And Moses wrote this law
.... The book of
Deuteronomy
or the Pentateuch
the five books of Moses
which he had now
finished
and which all of them together are sometimes called the law
Galatians 4:21
and delivered it unto the priests
the sons of Levi; who were the
teachers of the law
as Aben Ezra observes; see Malachi 2:7; and
therefore it was proper to put it into their hands
to instruct the people in
it
and that the people might apply to them in any matter of difficulty
or
when they wanted to have any particular law explained to them:
which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord; for though
they were the Levites
and particularly the Kohathites
who in journeying
carried the ark; see Numbers 4:5; yet
sometimes it was borne by the priests; see Joshua 3:13
and unto all the elders of Israel; the judges and civil
magistrates in the respective tribes; for as there were in the book of the law
several things which belonged to the priests to perform
and all of them they
were to instruct in
so there were others which were to be the rule of judgment
to judges
and all civil magistrates
and which they were to take care were put
in execution; and therefore it was proper that they should have a copy of this
law
and which must be here understood; for it cannot be thought that one and
the same copy should be given both to the priests and to all the elders. The
Jews say Moses wrote thirteen copies of the law
twelve for the twelve tribes
and one to be put into the ark
to convict of fraud or corruption
should any
be madeF19Debarim Rabba
sect. 9. fol. 244. 2. .
Deuteronomy 31:10 10 And Moses commanded them
saying: “At the end of every
seven years
at the appointed time in the year of release
at the Feast of Tabernacles
YLT
10and Moses commandeth them
saying
`At the end of seven years
in the appointed time
the year of release
in the feast of booths
And Moses commanded them
.... The priests and the
elders
to whom the law was delivered:
saying; as follows:
at the end of every seven years; every seventh
year was a year of rest to the land
and of remission of debts to poor debtors:
at the close of this year or going out of it
according to the MisnahF20Sotah
c. 7. sect. 8.
even on the eighth year coming in
the following was to be
done
namely
the reading of the law; and so Jarchi interprets it of the first
year of release
the eighth
that is
the first year after the year of release;
but Aben Ezra better interprets it of the beginning of the seventh year; for as
he elsewhere observes on Deuteronomy 15:1;
the word signifies the extremity of the year
and there are two extremities of
it
the beginning and the end
and the first extremity is meant; which is more
likely than that the reading of the law should be put off to the end of the
year
and which seems to be confirmed by what follows:
in the solemnity of the year of release
in the feast of
tabernacles
or "in the appointed time"F21במעד "in tempore statuto"
Pagninus
Montanus:
stato tempor. Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; of the year of release
of
the release of debtors from their debts
Deuteronomy 15:1;
when the time or season appointed and fixed was come: moreover
what is here
directed to being to be done at the feast of tabernacles
shows it to be at the
beginning of the year
since that feast was in the month Tisri
which was
originally the beginning of the year
before the coming of the children of
Israel out of Egypt
and still continued so for many things
and particularly
for the years of releaseF23Misn. Roshhashanah
c. 1. sect. 1. ; and
this was a very proper time for the reading of the law
when all the increase
of the earth and fruits thereof were gathered in; and so their hearts filled
or at least should be
with gladness and gratitude; and when there was no
tillage of the land
being the seventh year
and so were at leisure for such
service; and when all poor debtors were released from their debts
and so were
freed from all cares and troubles
and could better attend unto it.
Deuteronomy 31:11 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses
you shall read this law
before all Israel in their hearing.
YLT
11in the coming in of all
Israel to see the face of Jehovah in the place which He chooseth
thou dost
proclaim this law before all Israel
in their ears.
When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God
.... As all
the males were obliged to do three times in the year
and one of those times
was the feast of tabernacles
and so a proper season for the reading of the
law; see Exodus 23:14;
in the place which the Lord shall choose; the city of
Jerusalem
and the temple there:
thou shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing; the book of
Deuteronomy
as Jarchi
or it may be the whole Pentateuch: who were to read it
is not expressly said; the speech seems to be directed to the priests and
elders
to whom the law written by Moses was delivered
Deuteronomy 31:9;
and who were either to read it themselves
or take care that it should be read.
JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 12. ascribes this service to
the high priest; he says
standing in an high pulpit (or on an high
bench)
"from whence he may be heard
he must read the laws to all;'but the
Jewish writers commonly allot this work to the king
or supreme governor
who
at least was to read some parts of it; so Jarchi says
the king at first read
Deuteronomy
as it is said in the MisnahF25Sotah
ut supra. (c. 7.
sect. 8.) ;"he read from the beginning of Deuteronomy to Deuteronomy 6:4;
hear
O Israel
&c. and then added Deuteronomy 11:13;
then Deuteronomy 14:22;
after that Deuteronomy 26:12;
then the section of the king
Deuteronomy 17:14;
next the blessings and the curses
Deuteronomy 27:15
with which he finished the whole section;'and so we find that Joshua
the
governor of the people after Moses
read all his laws
Joshua 8:35; and so
did King Josiah at the finding of the book of the law
2 Kings 23:2
and
Ezra
Nehemiah 8:3. The
king received the book from the high priest standing
and read it sitting; but
King Agrippa stood and read
for which he was praised.
Deuteronomy 31:12 12 Gather the people together
men and women and little
ones
and the stranger who is within your gates
that they may hear and
that they may learn to fear the Lord your God
and carefully observe all the words of this law
YLT
12`Assemble the people
the
men
and the women
and the infants
and thy sojourner who [is] within thy
gates
so that they hear
and so that they learn
and have feared Jehovah your
God
and observed to do all the words of this law;
Gather the people together
men
and women
and children
.... At the
three grand festivals in other years
only males were obliged to appear; women
might if they would
but they were not bound to it; but at this time all of
every age and sex were to be summoned and assembled together; and it is saidF26Bartenora
in Misn. Megillah
c. 1. sect. 3.
when the king read in the book of the law
all the people were obliged to come and bring their families
as it is said Deuteronomy 31:12;
"gather the people"
&c. and as it could not be done when it
happened on the sabbath day
the reading of the section was put off to the day
following:
and thy stranger that is within thy gates; not only the
proselyte of righteousness
but the proselyte of the gate that renounced
idolatry
for his further conviction and thorough conversion to the religion of
the true God; or
as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it
that they might see
the honour and glory of the law. The end is more fully expressed as follows:
that they may hear; all the laws which God had given:
and that they may learn; and attain unto the true
knowledge and right understanding of them:
and fear the Lord your God; serve and worship him
internally and externally
according to these laws:
and observe to do all the words of this law; so take
notice of them as to put them in practice; and reading them in such a solemn
and reverent manner made them the more servable
and raised the greater
attention to them
to the importance of them; otherwise they were read in their
families
and on sabbath days in their synagogues; see Deuteronomy 6:7 Acts 13:15.
Deuteronomy 31:13 13 and that their children
who have not known it
may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God
as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.”
YLT
13and their sons
who have
not known
do hear
and have learned to fear Jehovah your God all the days
which ye are living on the ground whither ye are passing over the Jordan to
possess it.'
And that their children
which have not known anything
.... Of God
and of his law and of their duty to God
to their parents
and the rest of
their fellow creatures:
may hear
and learn to fear the Lord your God; hear the law
of God
learn the meaning of it
and so be brought up in the fear
nurture
and
admonition of the Lord
and serve him their Creator in the days of their youth:
as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to
possess it; this being a means to continue the fear
service
and worship of
God in their posterity
and so of their long continuance in the land of Canaan.
Deuteronomy 31:14 14 Then the Lord said to
Moses
“Behold
the days approach when you must die; call Joshua
and present
yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting
that I may inaugurate him.” So Moses
and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT
14And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Lo
thy days have drawn near to die; call Joshua
and station
yourselves in the tent of meeting
and I charge him;' and Moses goeth -- Joshua
also -- and they station themselves in the tent of meeting
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... Either at the same
time
or quickly after; rather
perhaps
the same day:
behold
thy days approach that thou must die; which does
not necessarily imply that he had some days to live
though but few; but that
the time of his death drew nigh
his last moments were approaching; the time of
his death being
as every man's is
fixed by the Lord
with whom is the number
of his years
months
days
and moments
beyond which he cannot pass
Job 14:5
call Joshua
and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the
congregation
that I may give him a charge; this looks as if the
people had been dismissed after the above exhortations given; and now Joshua
was called
and Moses with him
to have a charge given him:
and Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the
tabernacle of the congregation; before the Lord. Aben Ezra says
Moses went
from the camp of Israel where he was
to the camp of the Shechinah; the Jews
pretend to know in what form they walked thither. Moses
they sayF1Debarim
Rabba
sect. 9. fol. 244. 2.
went on the left hand of Joshua; and they went
to the tabernacle
and the pillar of cloud descended and separated between
them.
Deuteronomy 31:15 15 Now the Lord appeared
at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud
and the pillar of cloud stood above the
door of the tabernacle.
YLT
15and Jehovah is seen in the
tent
in a pillar of a cloud; and the pillar of the cloud standeth at the
opening of the tent.
And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud
.... As he was
wont to do
see Exodus 33:9; in
which cloud there was a lustre
a brightness
a glory visible
which showed
that he was there:
and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle; it seems to
have appeared first in the tabernacle
and then it came out of it
and stood
over the door of it
near to which Moses and Joshua were: the Targum of
Jonathan adds
"Moses and Joshua stood without;'
though
the former clause
according to NoldiusF2Concord. Ebr. Part. p. 164.
No. 737.
should be "over the tabernacle"
or above where the cloud
was wont to be.
Deuteronomy 31:16 16 And the Lord said to
Moses: “Behold
you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and
play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land
where they go to
be among them
and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have
made with them.
YLT
16And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Lo
thou art lying down with thy fathers
and this people hath risen
and gone a-whoring after the gods of the stranger of the land into the midst of
which it hath entered
and forsaken Me
and broken My covenant which I made
with it;
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... Out of the pillar of
cloud:
behold
thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; a phrase
expressive of death
frequently used both of good and bad men
which serves to
render death easy and familiar
and less formidable; and to assure and lead
into an expectation of an awaking out of it
or a resurrection from it:
and this people will rise up; in their posterity; for
not till after Joshua's death
and the death of the elders of Israel
did they
revolt to idolatry
Joshua 24:31
and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land
whither they go to be amongst them; that is
after the gods
of the Canaanites
who though at this time the inhabitants of the land
yet
when the children of Israel became possessors of it
they were the strangers of
it; and being suffered to continue contrary to the directions God had given to
destroy them
would be a means of drawing them into the worship of their idols
expressed here by going a whoring after them
or committing whoredom with them.
Idolatry in Scripture is frequently signified by fornication and adultery; and
as foretold
this was the case; see Psalm 106:35
and will forsake me: their husband
departing
from his worship and service:
and break my covenant which I have made with them at Sinai; and now again
in the plains of Moab
and which had the nature of a matrimonial contract; see Jeremiah 31:32.
Deuteronomy 31:17 17 Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that
day
and I will forsake them
and I will hide My face from them
and they shall
be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them
so that they will
say in that day
‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is
not among us?’
YLT
17and Mine anger hath burned
against it in that day
and I have forsaken them
and hidden My face from them
and it hath been for consumption
and many evils and distresses have found it
and it hath said in that day
Is it not because that my God is not in my midst
-- these evils have found me?
Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day
.... As the
anger of a man is against his wife who has treacherously departed from him: and
jealousy
which is the rage of such a man
is very cruel; and much more the
wrath and anger of a jealous God
who is a consuming fire:
and I will forsake them; withdraw his favours
from them
and his protection of them:
and I will hide my face from them; take no notice of them
in a providential way for good
nor hear their cries
to deliver them from
evil:
and they shall be devoured; by their enemies
or by
the sore judgments of God
by famine
sword
pestilence
and evil beasts
they
and their substance:
and many evils and troubles shall befall them; both in their
own land
and in other countries
where they would be
and have been carried
captive:
so that they will say in that day
are not these evils come upon
us
because our God is not amongst us? of which they
would be sensible by their being exposed to their enemies for want of his
protection
and by the evils upon them through his displeasure
and by their
being deprived of the good things that came from him; but no intimation is given
of their being sensible of their sins as the cause of all this.
Deuteronomy 31:18 18 And I will surely hide My face in that day because of
all the evil which they have done
in that they have turned to other gods.
YLT
18and I certainly hide My
face in that day for all the evil which it hath done
for it hath turned unto
other gods.
I will surely hide my face in that day
.... Which is
repeated for the certainty of it
and that it might be taken notice of; that he
was the spring and source of all their good things
their sun and their shield
who being withdrawn from them
they would be deprived of every thing that was good
and be liable to all evil; and this he would do:
for all the evils which they shall have wrought; for all the
immoralities they should be guilty of
every transgression of his law
whether
of the first or second table
and especially idolatry:
in that they are turned unto other gods; to the
worship and service of them
which of all evils would be the most provoking to
God; and the way of speaking suggests as if all evils were included in
idolatry
and sprang from it
or were committed with it.
Deuteronomy 31:19 19 “Now therefore
write down this song for yourselves
and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths
that this song
may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.
YLT
19`And now
write for you
this song
and teach it the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths
so that
this song is to Me for a witness against the sons of Israel
Now
therefore
write ye this song for you
.... Which was
now dictated by the Lord
and given to Moses and Joshua to write
which is
recorded in Deuteronomy 32:1
and teach it the children of Israel; teach them by it
instructing them in the meaning of it: thus it was usual in ancient times to
write things in verses
that they might be the more pleasingly attended to and
regarded
and be longer retained in memory; and especially this practice was
used with children
and still is:
put it in their mouths; oblige them to get it by
heart
or lay it up in their memories
and repeat it frequently
that it may be
familiar to them
and not be forgotten by them:
that this song may be a witness for me against the children of
Israel; when in times to come they shall call to mind how in this song
they were cautioned against such and such sins
and what they were threatened
with should befall them on account of them
and how all things have come to
pass exactly as foretold in it; which would be a testimony for God of his
goodness to them
of his tender care of them
and concern for them
in the
previous cautions he gave them; and of his foreknowledge of future events; and
a testimony against them for their ingratitude and other sins.
Deuteronomy 31:20 20 When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk
and honey
of which I swore to their fathers
and they have eaten and filled
themselves and grown fat
then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and
they will provoke Me and break My covenant.
YLT
20and I bring them in unto
the ground which I have sworn to their fathers -- flowing with milk and honey
and they have eaten
and been satisfied
and been fat
and have turned unto
other gods
and they have served them
and despised Me
and broken My covenant.
For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware
unto their fathers
.... To give it to them
and put them into the possession of it
even the land of Canaan
often thus described
and as it is by the following
character:
that floweth with milk and honey; aboundeth with all good
things; see Exodus 3:8
and they shall have eaten and filled themselves
and waxen fat; that is
after they have for a considerable time enjoyed the good things of the land
and they abound with them
and increase in them
and have great fullness of
them:
then will they turn unto other gods: turn from the Lord who
has brought them into all this plenty
from the fear
worship
and service of
him
and turn to the worship of idols:
and serve them: the works of men's hands
and at most but
creatures
and not the Creator; than which nothing can be more absurd and
stupid
as well as wicked and ungrateful:
and provoke me: nothing being more provoking to the Lord
than idolatry
it striking at his very nature
being
and glory:
and break my covenant; now made with them; this
being foretold by the Lord
which exactly came to pass in numerous instances
proves his precise foreknowledge of future events
even such as depend on the
inclinations
dispositions
and wills of men.
Deuteronomy 31:21 21 Then it shall be
when many evils and troubles have
come upon them
that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it
will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants
for I know the
inclination of their behavior today
even before I have brought them to the
land of which I swore to give them.”
YLT
21`And it hath been
when
many evils and distresses do meet it
that this song hath testified to its face
for a witness; for it is not forgotten out of the mouth of its seed
for I have
known its imagining which it is doing to-day
before I bring them in unto the
land of which I have sworn.'
And it shall come to pass
when many evils and troubles are
befallen them
.... As did in the times of the judges
in the Babylonish
captivity
and do now in their present exile:
that this song shall testify against them as a witness; which so
clearly points at their sins
with all their aggravated circumstances
and
describes so fully their calamities
distresses
and punishment for them:
for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed; which shows
that it respects time to come
their later posterity
whose memory of this song
would be conjured up by the evils that should come upon them for their sins;
nor is it forgotten by them to this day
who acknowledge there are some things
in it now fulfilled or fulfilling in them:
for I know their imagination which they go about even now: or are
"making"F3עשה
"faciens"
Montanus; "quam facit"
Pagninus. ; forming and
framing within themselves
there being a secret inclination in their minds to
idolatry
which were working and contriving schemes to bring it about
and set
it up; and this
God
the searcher of hearts
knew full well
and that in
process of time this evil imagination would break forth into act
in an open
and flagrant manner:
before I have brought thee into the land which I sware; to their
fathers
to give it to them for an inheritance
as is suggested in Deuteronomy 31:20.
Deuteronomy 31:22 22 Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day
and
taught it to the children of Israel.
YLT
22And Moses writeth this song
on that day
and doth teach it the sons of Israel
Moses therefore wrote this song the same day
.... The same
day it was dictated to him by divine inspiration; he wrote it
as Josephus saysF4Antiqu.
l. 4. c. 8. sect. 44.
"in hexameter verse
which he left in the holy
Bible or book (the Pentateuch)
containing (as he adds) a prophecy of things
future
according to which all things have been done
and are done; and in
nothing of it has he erred from the truth;'which is a very just account of it
and worthy of observation:
and taught it the children of Israel; instructed
them in the meaning of it
directed them to repeat it frequently
to lay it up
in their memories
and often meditate upon it; as being a divine composition
and of great importance
as the consideration of it will make appear.
Deuteronomy 31:23 23 Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun
and said
“Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into
the land of which I swore to them
and I will be with you.”
YLT
23and He commandeth Joshua
son of Nun
and saith
`Be strong and courageous
for thou dost bring in the
sons of Israel unto the land which I have sworn to them
and I -- I am with
thee.'
And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge
.... It may be
a question who gave this charge
the Lord or Moses; according to the connection
of the words with the preceding
it seems to be the latter; for the immediate
antecedent to the relative he is Moses
and so the Septuagint interpreters
understand it; but then they are obliged to read some following clauses
different from the original
as
instead of "I swear"
they read
"the Lord sware"; and the last clause they read
"and he shall
be with thee"; but Aben Ezra gives the same sense without departing from
the common and genuine reading
supposing that Moses gave the charge in the
name and by the authority of the Lord; his words are
"he gave charge by
the commandment of the Lord
therefore he saith
"which I sware unto
them";'but it seems best to understand this of the Lord himself
since he
ordered Moses and Joshua to present themselves before him
that he might give
the latter a charge
Deuteronomy 31:14;
and the language of the following clauses best agrees with him:
and said
be strong and of a good courage; See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:6;
See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:7
for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I
sware unto them; See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:7;
and I will be with thee; See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:8;
the Targum of Jonathan is
"my Word shall be thy help.'
Deuteronomy 31:24 24 So it was
when Moses had completed writing the words
of this law in a book
when they were finished
YLT
24And it cometh to pass
when
Moses finisheth to write the words of this law on a book till their completion
And it came to pass
when Moses had made an end of writing the
words of this law in a book
.... In this book of Deuteronomy
and which
concluded the Pentateuch:
until they were finished; all the words of the
law
and the whole five books of Moses
excepting some few verses
Deuteronomy 34:1
which were added by another hand
Joshua or Ezra.
Deuteronomy 31:25 25 that Moses commanded the Levites
who bore the ark of
the covenant of the Lord
saying:
YLT
25that Moses commandeth the
Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah
saying
That Moses commanded the Levites
.... These were not the
common Levites
but the priests who were also Levites
to whom the law was
given
Deuteronomy 31:9;
and none but they might touch the ark
or go so near it as
they are bid to do
to put the law on the side of it; so Aben Ezra; it follows:
which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord; as the
priests are said to do; see Gill on Deuteronomy 31:9;
for though in journeying the Kohathites carried it
yet not until it was
covered by the priests
for they must not touch it; as these must do when they
put the law on the side of it
as they are ordered in Deuteronomy 31:26.
saying; as follows.
Deuteronomy 31:26 26 “Take this Book of the Law
and put it beside the ark
of the covenant of the Lord your God
that it may be there
as a witness against you;
YLT
26`Take this Book of the Law
and thou hast set it on the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your
God
and it hath been there against thee for a witness;
Take this book of the law
.... Not Deuteronomy
only
but the whole Pentateuch:
and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your
God; not in the ark
for there were nothing there but the two tables
of stone with the ten commands on them
1 Kings 8:9; but on
one side of it; the Targum of Jonathan says
it was"put in a chest (or
box) on the right side of the ark of the covenant;'which is very probable.
Jarchi observes
that the wise men of Israel are divided about it in the TalmudF5T.
B. Bava Bathra
fol. 14. 1. 2. ; some of them say there was a table (or ledge)
that stood out from the ark without
and there it was put; others say it was
put on the side of the tables of the law within the ark; the former are in the
right:
that it may be therefore a witness against thee; when they
fall into idolatry or any other sin
a transgression of any of the laws therein
contained.
Deuteronomy 31:27 27 for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If
today
while I am yet alive with you
you have been rebellious against the Lord
then how much more after my death?
YLT
27for I -- I have known thy
rebellion
and thy stiff neck; lo
in my being yet alive with you to-day
rebellious ye have been with Jehovah
and also surely after my death.
For I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck
.... How
rebellious they were against the Lord and his laws
and how unwilling they were
to admit the yoke of his commandments to be put upon them
and submit to it;
this he had an experience of for forty years past:
behold
while I am yet alive with you this day
ye have been
rebellious against the Lord; murmuring at his providences
Exodus 16:8
speaking against his ministers
Exodus 16:2; breaking
his laws
particularly being guilty of idolatry
in making and worshipping the
golden calf
Exodus 32:8; and
even now
as in Deuteronomy 31:21
were imagining
forming
and framing in their minds something of the same kind
from the time of their coming out of Egypt unto this time they were now on the
borders of Canaan; this had all along been their character; see Deuteronomy 9:7
and how much more after my death? When he would be no more
with them to instruct and advise them
to caution and reprove them
and to keep
them in awe by his authority.
Deuteronomy 31:28 28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes
and your
officers
that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and
earth to witness against them.
YLT
28`Assemble unto me all the
elders of your tribes
and your authorities
and I speak in their ears these
words
and cause to testify against them the heavens and the earth
Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes
and your officers
.... The heads
of the tribes
the princes
and all other inferior magistrates:
that I may speak these words in their ears; not the words
of the law
but of the song which he was ordered to write
and is recorded in
the following chapter:
and call heaven and earth to record against them; to bear
witness of what he delivered to them
and to bear witness against them should they
transgress the laws he gave them; and to bear witness that they had been
faithfully cautioned against transgressing
and had been severely threatened
and the punishment plainly pointed out that should be inflicted on them in case
of disobedience
so that they were left entirely without excuse.
Deuteronomy 31:29 29 For I know that after my death you will become utterly
corrupt
and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will
befall you in the latter days
because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord
to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.”
YLT
29for I have known that after
my death ye do very corruptly
and have turned aside out of the way which I
commanded you
and evil hath met you in the latter end of the days
because ye
do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah
to make Him angry with the work of
your hands.'
For I know that after my death
.... Which was just at
hand
some time after that
not immediately; this he knew by a spirit of
prophecy
namely
what follows:
ye will utterly corrupt yourselves; their ways
works
and manners
and so themselves; corrupt the worship of God by making
idols
and serving them
which is the corruption chiefly intended:
and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you: from the way
of the commandments of God
which Moses had given them in his name
and in
which they were directed to walk; but
as here foretold
would wander and
swerve from them as they did:
and evil will befall you in the latter days; not only in
the times of the judges
and in the time of the Babylonish captivity
but in
their present captivity
as they call it; which shows that the following song
has things in it which respect times at a great distance
and even the present
ones
and yet to come:
because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord
to provoke him
to anger through the work of your hands; their idols
idolatry
being the evil chiefly designed
which is of all things the most provoking of
the Lord.
Deuteronomy 31:30 30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of
Israel the words of this song until they were ended:
YLT
30And Moses speaketh in the
ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song
till their
completion: --
And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel
.... Not in
the hearing of the whole body of the people
and every individual thereof; no
man could be able to speak to such a numerous congregation
as that they should
hear him; but in the hearing of their heads and representatives
the elders of
their tribes and officers
ordered to be gathered together for this purpose
Deuteronomy 31:28
the words of this song
until they were ended; which song is
recorded in the following chapter
Deuteronomy 32:1.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》