View Deuteronomy 1 in the note window.
The preface, fixing the time and place, ver. 1 - 5.
Israel commanded to march, ver. 6 - 8.
Judges provided, ver. 9 - 1 3.
They come to Kadesh - barnea, ver. 19 - 21.
Spies sent, their report, the people's murmuring, ver. 22 - 33.
The sentence passed upon them, ver. 34 - 40.
They are smitten by the Amorites, and remain at Kadesh, ver. 41 - 46.
1: All Israel - Namely, by the heads or elders of the several tribes,
who were to communicate these discourses to all the people. In the
wilderness - In the plain of Moab, as may appear by comparing this
with (De 1:5,Nu 22:1,De 34:8).
The word Suph here used does not signify the Red - Sea, which is commonly
called jam - suph, and which was at too great a distance, but some oiher
place now unknown to us, (as also most of the following places are) so
called from the reeds or flags, or rushes (which that word
signifies) that grew in or near it. Paran - Not that (Nu 10:12),
which there and elsewhere is called the Wilderness of Paran, and which
was too remote, but some other place called by the same name. Laban,
Hazeroth, and Dizahab - These places seem to be the several bounds, not of
the whole country of Moab, but of the plain of Moab, where Moses
now was.
2: There are eleven days journey - This is added to shew that the
reason why the Israelites, in so many years were advanced no farther
from Horeb, than to these plains, was not the distance of the places
but because of their rebellions. Kadesh - barnea - Which was not far from
the borders of Canaan.
3: The eleventh month - Which was but a little before his death.
All that the Lord had given him in commandment - Which shews not only that
what he now delivered was in substance the same with what had formerly been
commanded, but that God now commanded him to repeat it. He gave this
rehearsal and exhortation by divine direction: God appointed him to leave
this legacy to the church.
4: Og - His palace or mansion - house was at Astaroth, and he was slain
at Edrei.
7: To the mount of the Amorites - That is, to the mountainous country
where the Amorites dwelt, which is opposed to the plain, where
others of them dwelt. And this is the first mentioned, because it was in
the borders of the land.
8: Before you - Heb. Before your faces; it is open to your view,
and to your possession; there is no impediment in the way.
9: At that time - That is, about that time, namely, a little before
their coming to Horeb.
12: Your burden - The trouble of ruling and managing so perverse
a people. Your strife - Your contentions among yourselves, for the
determnination whereof the elders were appointed.
15: Officers - Inferior officers, that were to attend upon the
superior magistrates, and to execute their decrees.
16: The stranger - That converseth or dealeth with himn. To Such God
would have justice equally adtninistred as to his own people, partly for the
honour of religion, and partly for the interest which every man hath in
matters of common right.
17: Respect persons - Heb. Not know, or acknowledge faces, that
is, not give sentence according to the outward qualities of the person, as
he is poor or rich, your friend or enemy, but purely according to the merit
of the cause. For which reason some of the Grecian law - givers ordered
that the judges should give sentence in the dark where they could not see
mens faces. The judgment is God's - It is passed in the name of God, and
by commission from him, by you as representing his person, and doing his
work; who therefore will defend you therein against all your enemies, amid
to whom you must give an exact account.
18: All the things which ye shall do - I delivered unto you, and
especially unto your judges, all the laws, statutes, and judgments
revealed unto me by the lord in Horeb.
24: Eshcol - That is, of grapes, so called from the goodly
cluster of grapes which they brought from thence.
28: Greater - In number and strength and valour.
31: Bare thee - Or, carried thee, as a father carries his weak
and tender child in his arms, through difficulties and dangers, gently
leading you according as you are able to go, and sustaining you by his power
and goodness.
32: Ye did not believe the Lord - So they could not enter in,
because of unbelief. It was not any other sin shut them out of
Canaan, but their disbelief of that promise, which was typical of gospel
grace: to signify that no sin will ruin us but unbelief, which is a sin
against the remedy; and therefore without remedy.
33: Your words - That is to say, your murmurings, your unthankful,
impatient, distrustful and rebellious speeches.
36: Save Caleb - Under whom Joshua is comprehended, though not
here expressed, because he was not now to be one of the people, but to be
set over them as a chief governor.
37: For your sakes - Upon occasion of your wickedness and
perverseness, by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly.
38: Who standeth - Who is now thy servant.
44: As bees - As bees which being provoked come out of their hives
in great numbers, and with great fury pursue their adversary and disturber.
