30.1 ‘And it shall come about, when all these things are come on you (thee), the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you will call them to mind among all the nations, to which Yahweh your God has driven you,’

Aware from long experience of the truth about the people he was dealing with, Moses informed them that he was aware that in the future they would experience both the blessing and the curse, as described in chapter 28. See also verse 19 here. He expected that for a time they would keep covenant and would experience blessing. The blessing would come on them. But then as time went by he was sadly confident that the faithfulness of many of them would lapse, and then they would begin to experience the cursings, until at length God had had to drive them out of the land (compare 4.27-30).

But when that happened they were to call to mind, when they were among ‘all the nations’ to which Yahweh their God had driven them, all that God had said through him related to the blessings and the curses. Note the emphasis on ‘all the nations’. No particular exile was in mind. This is not a prophecy except in the fact that it is a declaration that the cursing was to be taken seriously and would inevitably be carried into effect. This reference to both blessings and cursings takes us back directly to chapter 28.

30.2 ‘And will return to Yahweh your God, and will obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul,’

In that day they (Israel as a community not each individual person) will return to Yahweh their God, and will obey His voice in accordance with the covenant, and will begin again to obey His commandments with all their heart and soul (compare 4.29). They will thrust idolatry from them, and again seek His face. They will set aside all else out of a firm desire to know Him again, and will commit themselves to obey His voice.

He knew that this would happen because of the faithfulness of God, and because of His promises to their forefathers. He knew that nothing could finally frustrate God’s final purposes, just as Israel’s faithlessness in 1.26 had not done so. He had simply turned to others, in that case their sons.

30.3 ‘That then Yahweh your God will turn your captivity (or ‘your fortunes’, literally ‘turn your turning’), and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, to whom Yahweh your God has scattered you.’

And when that time came Yahweh their God would have compassion on them. He would reverse their situation. As He had brought them from Egypt, so would He bring them from all the peoples among whom He had scattered them, and restore them to the land which would now welcome them again because they were from their hearts responding to the covenant. Note here the stress on the fact that He will know exactly where they are. He is not just a local God. He is God of the whole earth.

‘Turn your captivity.’ Most now favour translating as ‘turn your fortunes’. The idea is basically the same, that their lot will be changed because Yahweh intervenes. It would be recognised as normal that some would have been carried away as slaves, while others would have fled for refuge and be relatively free. Some would be captive. And some would simply be struggling to survive.

That there was in the future such a turning back to God which resulted in their returning to the land is clear from Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah. They were then being given their second chance. But there is no reason for seeing in this description the return of the Jews to Palestine in our own time. For that is not a return in faith. As far as the Christian is concerned it is a return in unbelief, and even the Jews themselves recognise that Israel as a whole is a worldly nation. It may be that God has a purpose for bringing them there at the present time, but it is not necessarily so. And it is not strictly in accord with what is described here, for this refers to a change of heart before their return. The present return was not required by the prophecy.

We must remember that the purpose of the land was that within it should be built up the Kingly Rule of God. But once that Kingly Rule was seen as available to all men everywhere because its nature was heavenly, the land became redundant. In the end the land was superseded by its greater spiritual reality, and today that Kingly Rule is centred on another land, the heavenly land. The earthly land is no longer of importance. All must be centred on the Kingly Rule of God and on the King, Jesus Christ, and on our future with Him in the new Heaven and the New Earth (2 Peter 3.13; Revelation 21.1). If some of the Jews are to have a part in it, and they probably are, it can only be by becoming Christians. But the land is no longer the goal.

30.4 ‘If any of your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there will Yahweh your God gather you, and from there will he fetch you,’

However far from the land they may be, He will gather the outcasts from where they are. From whatever place they are He will fetch them. (And so he did, for Palestine was repopulated with Jews from all parts of the world well before the coming of their Messiah, Jesus Christ).

‘Outcasts.’ Literally ‘those driven’, therefore the ones driven out of the land and driven there by God.

30.5 ‘And Yahweh your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers.’

And He will bring them back to the land from which He drove them out, the land which their fathers had possessed, and they will once more possess it. And He will prosper them there. He will ‘do them good’. And He will once more enlarge their numbers (compare verse 16; 7.13; 13.17, contrast 28.63). There is implicit in this that they will not be replaced in His favour by another nation, because the promises to Abraham must be fulfilled.

That this in fact happened the later prophets and history have recorded. Beginning as a trickle the people began to pour back into the land, so that by the time of the coming of Jesus Israel were once more well established in Palestine, and had experienced periods of independence and prosperity, and many of them were seeking God with heart and soul, as the ministries of John the Baptiser and Jesus made clear. But as had happened previously the hearts of many, especially the leaders, grew cold, and His kingdom was never established.

The enlarging of their numbers then went beyond all that they could possibly have dreamed when not only large numbers of Jews around the world, but also even larger numbers of Gentiles, through Christ, became members of the true Israel, and true sons of Abraham (Galatians 3.29; 6.16; Ephesians 2.11-22; Romans 11.17-26) by becoming Christians. For now the vision of the land has become that of a greater land, and of a greater Kingly Rule of God (Hebrews 11.15-16; 12.22-24) based on a better sacrifice and a better hope (Hebrews 9-10). What God offered now was far better than the old land, which had been but its earthly representation at a time when people would have understood nothing better.

It should be noted here that a welcome within the covenant was always available, right from the start, to any who chose to follow Yahweh and come within its terms. Indeed Israel was from the beginning inclusive of many who were not strictly descended from the patriarchs. These included the servants and slaves of the ‘households’, the mixed multitude of Exodus 12.38, and many who subsequently united with Israel in the covenant, witnessed to by names such as that of Uriah the Hittite.

It was added to by proselytes who added themselves to Israel in the post Old Testament days. The establishing of the Christian ‘church’ (in Jesus’ terms the ‘congregation’ of new Israel - Matthew 16.18) as the Israel of God, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, was simply following on the pattern. There can be no other Israel in Biblical terms than the one composed of those who are in Christ, believing ‘Israel’. Unbelieving Israel is no Israel (Romans 9.6; 11.17 with 23). There cannot be two Israels. If rejected Israel are to become Israel it will be by response to Christ and a uniting with His people, now the true Israel.

30.6 ‘And Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.’

This new people would be established because of what God would do, because of His work in men’s hearts (compare Philippians 2.13). The idea behind this way of describing it (circumcising the heart) is taken from 10.16. The thought is of a transformed heart which is turned to righteousness, either by the cutting away of sin and disobedience, as the foreskin is cut away in circumcision, or through the shedding of the blood of the covenant as the blood is spilled in circumcision (compare Genesis 17). But while in 10.16 they were to circumcise their own hearts, (although the thought was always there that it was with Yahweh’s assistance), here it is Yahweh Who is to circumcise their hearts. The idea is therefore of the activity of God working in sovereign power, transforming their lives and putting love for Him in their hearts, so that they may fulfil 6.4-5, loving Him with heart and soul, and may live. This was also what Jeremiah had in mind in Jeremiah 31.31-34; 32.36-44. Compare also Ezekiel 36.26. It certainly took place through the ministry of Jesus and the early church.

As ever the thought behind ‘living’ is not only that of being alive, but of living abundant and fruitful lives, lives of joy and wellbeing and blessing, what Jesus spoke of as eternal life, life under the Kingly Rule of God.

30.7 ‘And Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.’

And the curses, which would no longer be on them, would be put on their enemies, on those who hated them and persecuted them. Strictly speaking the curses of the covenant could only come on those who rejected the covenant, thus this would signify that these enemies had had the opportunity to come within the covenant, but had rejected it. But it may be that the connection is more general.

Of course as a result of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the covenant was offered as a new covenant to the whole world, but it is the irony of sin that in the early days it was the unbelieving Jews, the rejected Jews, who were one of the greatest enemies of the church of Christ, the new Israel. That they endured the curse, and would until they repented, is evident from Luke 21.20-24 compare Matthew 23.37-38.

(As Paul makes clear in Romans 9-11; Ephesians 2.12-22 and elsewhere the true Israel still continued in the church of Jesus Christ, which was solidly based on Him (as the archetypal Jew) and His Apostles (all Jews) and on large multitudes of Jews who had put their faith in Him, to whom were joined the new mixed multitude of all those Gentiles who responded to Jesus Christ. This was now the true Israel, the Israel of God, God’s covenant people. The cast off Jews could only have their part in it by coming to Him and submitting to Him as their Messiah. Until they did they no longer had, or can have, any part in God’s Israel).

30.8 ‘And you will return and obey the voice of Yahweh, and do all his commandments which I command you this day.’

And the result of their return to God would be that they would obey His voice and do all His commandments as commanded through Moses. Through God’s working the covenant would be triumphant in accomplishing its purpose. A faith that does not result in obedience is no living faith, and we are still equally responsible for fulfilling the principles of what Moses taught except in so far as they are superseded by and fulfilled in Christ, or made impossible by the conditions of the times. And we are to do this, not in order to be accepted into His covenant, but because He has brought us into His covenant and we seek to please and obey Him (Hebrews 8.6-10; 10.16).

This picture of joyous obedience is the sign of the true people of God. It was no doubt seen in those who returned from Exile. It was seen in the faithful remnant described in Luke 1-3 who were awaiting the coming of the Messiah. It will be seen in the church too. Outwardly the church may appear grown old and tired, but the true people of God within it will ever be finally vibrant and obedient, even though sometimes they have to undergo trial, because they are His.

30.9 ‘And Yahweh your God will make you plenteous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, for good, for Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers,’

That the remnant of Israel, the ‘few in number’, did return to God is testified to in history and they did eventually prosper and enjoy the covenant blessings, being plenteous in the work of their hands, fruitful in begetting children, and abundant in cattle and agriculture (compare 28.11). And so it mainly continues today for those who are the church, the true Israel. God blesses their births, God blesses their work, God blesses their productivity. Indeed one of the churches’ great problems has always been that those who became Christians tended to prosper, and this then led on to complacency and forgetting God. This is not, however, to doubt that there are many Christians who are poor, especially in countries where they are a small minority. But their tendency will always be to grow richer simply because they work hard, are abstemious and can be fully trusted.

30.10 ‘If you will obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.’

But the promises are all dependent on true response to God. They are fulfilled only for those who obey His voice, and thus keep His commandments and His statutes as written in the book of His Instruction, and if they turn to Him with all their heart and soul. As Jesus would later say, ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me’ (John 10.27). This is the life to which He has called us.

His Commandment Is Something That Can Be Achieved (30.11-14).

Moses again stressed that what he was calling on them to do was not difficult to achieve. It did not demand great expenditure of effort and great daring, a seeking to achieve God’s secrets, but it called for a loving response to what was already known. It was not something far off that was unreachable. It was there to hand if they would but seize it.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off (11).
• b It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” (12).
• b Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” (13).
• a But the word is very nigh to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it. (14).

Note that in ‘a’ his commandment given that day is not too hard nor is it afar off, and in the parallel it is near in their mouths and their hearts so that they may do it, In ‘b’ and parallel it is not in any unreachable place, whether it be heaven or the mysterious sea, where they could not reach it.

30.11 ‘For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.’

He stressed that the commandment that he had given, which contained the commandments and statutes and ordinances, was neither hard to discover nor distant from them. It may be that he had in mind here myths and stories about men’s attempts to consult the gods and to obtain wisdom and understanding, where they sought to ascend into the heavens or travel beyond the seas. These were no doubt fairly common motifs and one or other is found in, for example, the Canaanite legend of King Keret and the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh among others. But this may not necessarily be the case, for he may simply have been thinking of remote, inaccessible places as an example. The sky and the sea would necessarily commend themselves as such. The sky was unreachable and the sea to be feared.

In other nations the mystery of the priesthood and priestly ministrations and knowledge might be kept from the people, but not in Israel. The whole had been laid bare, and was known to all.

‘This commandment which I command you this day.’ This is typical Mosaic phraseology. Compare 6.1; 7.11; 8.1; 11.22; 15.5; 19.9; 26.13; 27.1; 31.5. See also 4.2, 40; 6.2, 17; 8.11; 10.13; 11.8, 13, 27; 13.18; 27.10; 28.1, 9, 13, 15, 45; 30.8 where ‘commandments’ is used in the plural in a similar way, often following up the above singular usages.

30.12 ‘It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” ’

Yahweh had not put His commandment beyond man’s reach. It was not in heaven that men might say, ‘who will go and get it for us?’ Note his meaningful way of describing it, ‘who will go -- for us?’ Even now he knew that they did not want to get too close to God. They had wanted him to go into the Mount to receive God’s commandments (5.27), and it would be the same if the commandments were in heaven. They would want someone else to go for them. And therein would lie great danger, for that was why they could be manipulated by people who made such claims (consider Balaam). But Yahweh’s ways on the contrary were made plain to all. They are to hand in His word.

‘Make us to hear it.’ What was more he indicates by these words that they were aware of their own weakness. While they did not want God to make them hear it with His terrible voice, for they had heard it once ‘from heaven’ (4.36) and that was enough, they did want someone to make them hear it, that they may do it.

But they need not fear. He had gone into the Mount to receive God’s commandment for them ‘from heaven’ (4.36) and it was now easily accessible to them, and he was doing his best to make them hear it so they would do it. So they had no excuse.

30.13 ‘Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” ’

Nor would they have to go beyond the sea. No great adventurer (like Gilgamesh) was required who would sail forth to unknown lands to seek to obtain it for them, in order to make them hear it and do it. There was no far off mystery which could bring them wisdom and understanding. God had given it openly there among them.

30.14 ‘But the word is very nigh to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.’

For the word was as close to them as it could possibly be. It was in their mouth and in their heart that they might do it. It was there in what he had taught them, and the word from God that he had brought them. They could teach it to their children, they could speak of it with each other, and they could meditate on it in their hearts (4.9; 6.7; 11.18-19). But there was no one who could make them hear it and do it. That was up to their own their final choice.

The Choice Is Put To Them Between Life and Death (30.15-20).

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil, in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land to which you are going in to possess it (15-16).
• b But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them, I denounce to you this day, that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land, to which you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it (17-18).
• b I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed (19).
• a To love Yahweh your God, to obey His voice, and to cleave to Him, for He is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them (20).

Note in ‘a’ that the choice between life and death, and good and evil, has been put before them and they are commanded to love Yahweh their God and obey Him so that they might live an multiply, and so that Yahweh their God might bless them in the land which they are going in to possess, and in the parallel they are to love Him and obey Him and cleave to Him so that they might enjoy possession of the land promised to their fathers of old. In ‘b’ if their heart turn away from God and His word then he is the witness that they will surely perish, and in the parallel heaven and earth are called in as witnesses to the fact that he has given them the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing. Thus must they ensure that they choose life by responding fully to Yahweh and obeying Him as His covenant people.

30.15-16 ‘See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil, in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land to which you are going in to possess it.’

And this commandment which he had commanded them set before them ‘life and good, and death and evil’. For they could choose either to love Yahweh and walk in His ways and keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, or not. And if they did choose to follow Yahweh then they would live and multiply, and receive blessing from Yahweh their God in the land which they were about to enter and possess. They would receive all the good and the blessings which He had promised. But if they did not only evil and death awaited.

The choice rests with us too. We also must decide whether we will serve Him and wholly follow Him, or whether we will side with those who ignore Him and refuse to listen to what He has to say to them, living for the things of the moment and forgetting eternity.

In Scripture we have a constant reminder to us that there are two sides to God’s workings. On the one hand He carries out His will and none may deny Him, He carries forward His purposes whatever man may do. It is He Who circumcises our hearts. That is His side of things. And on the other He calls on man to choose Whom he will serve. That is our side of things. We must circumcise out hearts, by submitting to Him and allowing Him to circumcise them. The sheep may hear and follow, and that is what they must seek to do, but it is the Shepherd Who draws them. In the end His will and man’s choosing are but two sides of the same coin, with His side predominant.

30.17-18 ‘But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them, I denounce to you this day, that you (ye) shall surely perish; you (ye) shall not prolong your days in the land, to which you (thou) pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it.’

But there was an alternative to life. The alternative of choosing death and evil happenings as described in the cursings. For if their hearts turned away and they refused to hear, because they were being drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, then he, Moses, could only denounce them. He could only stress that they would surely perish, that their days would not be long in the land that they were passing over Jordan to enter and possess it, that they would endure all the judgments that he has described.

30.19 ‘I call heaven and earth to witness against you (ye) this day, that I have set before you (thee) life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you (thou) may live, you (thou) and your (they) seed.’

Indeed he closed this section by calling on heaven and earth as witnesses. We can compare this with 4.26 where the witness was to the effect of what would follow disobedience described in terms similar to verse 18. But now there was a choice, a choice between life and death, between the blessing and cursing that he had described in chapter 28, and they could choose either. And he called on them to choose life and the gracious activity of God that would go with it (compare Joshua 24.14-24; Jeremiah 8.3; 21.8).

Calling on heave and earth as witnesses was a regular covenant feature in ancient covenants.

30.20 ‘To love Yahweh your (thy) God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him, for he is your (thy) life, and the length of your (thy) days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your (thy) fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.’

And what did choosing life consist of? Of loving Yahweh their God, and obeying His voice, and cleaving to Him, for He was their life and the source of long length of days. And it consisted in living faithfully in the land which He had sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and enjoying its promised blessing. Thus they would find fullness of life in God and in His promises.

For us that life consists in even more. It consists in receiving Christ’s life, His eternal life, and enjoying His presence daily; in cleaving to Him, and in obeying His voice, and in living with Him under His kingly power (Colossians 1.13).

And so in these words ends his appeal. He has brought them God’s covenant, he has pleaded for their response. He can do no more.

Note. It should be noted that in this futuristic picture as depicted by Deuteronomy there is no hint of the rule of a future king, even though it was expected that they would have a king at some point. There is no Messianic expectation, no reference to a temple. The future is depicted very differently from the later prophets. It is depicted solely in terms of returning to the covenant and the land. This confirms the early date of the ‘prophecies’. It would never have been written like this in the days of the kings or after. (End of note).

Chapter 31 Moses’ Final Words.

Having made his great oration Moses was now aware that his death was rapidly approaching, and he spoke even more earnestly in the light of it. And that approaching death could only increase his pessimism about the people.

His first words were to ‘all Israel’, encouraging them to trust Yahweh (1-6), his next to Joshua in order to encourage him in what lay ahead (7-8), and then he spoke to the priests and elders for the preservation of the covenant (9-13). But then he entered into the secret counsels of Yahweh and his message was less encouraging, at least for the medium term (14 onwards). From that point on he was taking the longer view about Israel, and it was not very encouraging at all, so much so that Yahweh commissioned him to write a song in preparation for it, a song of Complaint.

Moses Final Words Of Encouragement To His People And Call To Joshua (31.1-8).

Moses now calls the people together again and addresses then in readiness of his death.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them, ‘I am a hundred and twenty years old this day. I can no more go out and come in, and Yahweh has said to me, “You shall not go over this Jordan” ’ (1-2).
• b Yahweh your God, He will go over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you will dispossess them, and Joshua, he will go over before you, as Yahweh has spoken (3).
• c And Yahweh will do to them as He did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land; whom He destroyed (4).
• d And Yahweh will deliver them up before you
• d And you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you (5).
• c Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid at them, for Yahweh your God, He it is who does go with you); He will not fail you, nor forsake you (6).
• b And Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you will go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you will cause them to inherit it” (7).
• a And Yahweh, He it is who does go before you. He will be with you, He will not fail you, nor forsake you. Fear not, nor be dismayed (8).

Note that in ‘a’ the bad news is that Moses cannot go over Jordan with them because Yahweh has forbidden it, and in the parallel the good news is that Yahweh Himself will go over before them. In ‘b’ Yahweh will go over before them and destroy the nations from before them, and so will Joshua. And in the parallel Joshua must be strong and courageous because Yahweh is going before them and will cause them to inherit the land. In ‘c’ Yahweh will do to the nations what He did to Sihon and Og, and in the parallel they are therefore to be strong and of good courage. In ‘d’ Yahweh will deliver them up before them, then in the parallel they are to ensure that they drive them out or slay them.

Note the two references in the second part of the chiasmus to ‘Be strong and of good courage’. We have already seen earlier that that is typical of the Pentateuch, the repetition of something vital in the second part of a chiasmus (see for example Exodus 18.21b-22a with 18.25b-26a; Numbers 18.4 with 7, 23 with 24; Deuteronomy 2.21 with 22. Compare also Isaiah 2.19, 21).

31.1 ‘And Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.’

Once again we have it stressed that we have here the words of Moses, and in fact there is really no good reason to doubt it. As we have seen all the signs point in that direction.

‘And Moses went.’ This is a gentle indication that this was at a different point in time to the previous chapter, stressing also deliberate purpose.

31.2 ‘And he said to them, I am a hundred and twenty years old this day. I can no more go out and come in, and Yahweh has said to me, “You shall not go over this Jordan.” ’

He declared his old age (compare 34.7). One hundred and twenty was probably a round number, possibly representing three generations of forty years. He had been ‘eighty’ when he had first approached Pharaoh (Exodus 7.7 - he had had a generation in Egypt and a generation in Midian) and Aaron had been three years older. It may be that each period of his life; his time in Egypt, his time in Moab, and his time leading the people in the wilderness, was seen in terms of ‘three generations’ expressed in terms of three forties of years. This was the way numbers were often used in those days, to convey an idea rather than a mathematical fact. Note how many of the references to age and time in Genesis end in nought or five. Thus he had lived through three generations. He may in fact have been, say, in his eighties or nineties.

‘I can no more go out and come in.’ This did not signify decrepitude. To ‘go out and in’ indicated being busy with the affairs of life. But this was no longer to be possible for him because he was to be displaced. His usefulness was over. This was his constant regret. The phrase is not a contradiction of 34.7. His eye was still keen, he had been able to see across the Jordan. His strength had not abated. He could still walk and move around. But there was nothing further for him to do. His purpose in life was over.

But his greatest disappointment was that he was not to be allowed to cross the Jordan. He was not to be allowed even to step into the land. It was partly because of his failure at Meribah, which had revealed a lack in his full commitment. But we may also see it as indicating that God did not want Israel’s first days and memories in the land to be ones of grief and disappointment at the death of their great leader. He wanted them to be days of encouragement. They would need such encouragement before they were finished. Thus it was far better for them to get over the death of Moses before they entered the land. Moses could only ever be a reminder of the wilderness. Joshua could then be a new beginning who would see them through the first years after their entry into the land.

31.3 ‘Yahweh your (thy) God, he will go over before you (thee); he will destroy these nations from before you (thee), and you (thou) will dispossess them, and Joshua, he will go over before you (thee), as Yahweh has spoken.’

But lest this discourage them he pointed out that while he may die Yahweh would still be alive. He would go over before them and would destroy the nations from before them so that they would dispossess them. Like a true leader his thoughts were for his people and not for himself. And he also pointed out that Yahweh had appointed a new leader for them, even his servant Joshua. He too, like Moses, would be God’s instrument of deliverance. He would be ‘the Servant of Yahweh’ in his stead (Joshua 24.29). He too would go over, in the triumphant train of Yahweh (compare 7-8).

31.4 ‘And Yahweh will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land; whom he destroyed.’

And they need not therefore fear. Yahweh would destroy the nations before them as He had Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites. He had destroyed them and their lands. They had therefore no need to fear Amorites any more (contrast 1.44), for now they had seen what Yahweh could do to them.

31.5 ‘And Yahweh will deliver them up before you (ye), and you (ye) shall do to them according unto all the commandment which I have commanded you (ye).’

For Yahweh would deliver them up before them, and when He did they were to ensure that they did what He had commanded them, slay every last person, so that evil might be rooted out of the land. Had they in fact carried out this command they might have been saved for a much longer period from the cursings. But subsequently they were disobedient once the initial rest and time of blessing was past (Judges 2.7), simply because they were influenced by the people still remaining in the land, as the narrative in Judges makes clear, and that was why the cursings began to reveal themselves. When God calls on us to do something, however unpleasant, we do well to do it (but we must make sure that it is God Who is calling us to do it).

31.6 ‘Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid at them, for Yahweh your (thy) God, he it is who does go with you (thee); he will not fail you (thee), nor forsake you (thee).’

They were therefore to be strong and of good courage. They were to carry no fear in their hearts, and they were not to be afraid of the enemy. For it was Yahweh their God who was going with them, and He would neither fail them nor forsake them. They would be able totally to rely on Him. If God was for them, who could be against them?

Here they were on the verge of the land. Ahead of them lay battle after battle. The thought that Yahweh was with them and that victory was certain in them all if they truly followed Him, would have been a huge encouragement,

We too must ever remember as we go forward in our lives Who it is Who goes with us. The thought should not only keep us from sin, but also be the assurance to us of the certainty of success if we walk with Him. If God be for us who can be against us, no matter how long the trials may go on?

Moses’ Commission to Joshua (31.7-8).

Having encouraged the people Moses then hands over the reins to Joshua ‘in the sight of all the people’.

31.7 ‘And Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you will go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you will cause them to inherit it.’

All the detail had no doubt already been dealt with, but this was the final commissioning ceremony as Joshua took over the reins. In front of all the people he was ‘sworn in’ (see 3.28 and compare Numbers 27.21-28). All the concentration, however, was not on him but on the fact that Yahweh was with him. He could be strong and of good courage for his future victory was certain. He would go in with his people, into the land, and he would possess it, for it was the land that Yahweh had sworn to their fathers to give them. And all because Yahweh was with him.

31.8 ‘And Yahweh, he it is who does go before you. He will be with you, he will not fail you, nor forsake you. Fear not, nor be dismayed.’

And this was because it was Yahweh Who would be going before them. He would be with them. He would not fail or forsake them. Thus he and they had no reason to be afraid or be dismayed, for all was in Yahweh’s hands. When Moses was dead Yahweh would repeat to Joshua precisely the same thing (Joshua 1.5-6), confirming his position as the new God-chosen leader and commander. Joshua was taking on no light responsibility. He was replacing Moses.

He had, however, been groomed for it from when he was a young man. He had been with Moses in the Mount (Exodus 24.13; 32.17). He had commanded the army of Israel in resisting enemy attack (Exodus 17.9). He had watched over the original Tent of Meeting where he had probably had much to do with the recording of the words of Moses (Exodus 33.11). He was constantly Moses’ right hand man (Exodus 24.13; Numbers 11.28). He had been one of the spies who searched out Canaan (Numbers 14.6, 30, 38). He had been demonstrated to be selected out for leadership (Numbers 32.28; 34.17). He had thus received plenty of training before being ‘chosen’. If we would be chosen by God we must first prepare ourselves well.

The Law Is Handed Over In Written Form And It Is Commanded That It Be Read In Its Totality To All Israel Every Seven Years (31.9-13).

Moses’ attention now turned to the priests. They primarily had the responsibility for the maintenance of the whole covenant, especially the ritual element.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel (9).
• b And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh your God in the place which He shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing (10-11).
• b Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and your resident alien who is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law (12).
• a And that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Yahweh your God, as long as you live in the land to which you go over the Jordan to possess it (13).

Note that in ‘a’ Moses wrote the Instruction and handed it over officially to the priests who would teach it to, and enforce it on, the people, and in the parallel it is so that their children might hear it and learn to fear Yahweh. In ‘b’ they were to gather every seven years to hear the reading of the whole Torah at the Feast of Tabernacles, and in the parallel the people were to be assembled to hear, learn and fear Yahweh.

31.9 ‘And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel.’

In the context of the book ‘this law’ would refer to the whole of Deuteronomy up to this point. God’s instruction in Deuteronomy is now firmly placed in the context of the Sanctuary. But the fact that he did this confirms that he would also have done it previously for the remainder of the Law, the whole of the Pentateuch. Deuteronomy in itself was very much incomplete as a source of Law, it had simply given various slants on it, and said very little about the ritual that would be the primary responsibility of the priests. He would have been irresponsible merely to record this popular version, and not the more detailed requirements contained elsewhere. This is confirmed in Nehemiah 8.14-15 when in the reading of the law at the feast of Tabernacles Leviticus was clearly read. Thus Moses had this written in order to put it with the other scrolls/tablets (31.26).

We are not to see the whole Law as all written down for the first time at that stage. It had taken many years to write, and to bring to completion. Moses would have recorded it and built on it. It would already have been placed ‘by the side of the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh’. But now he was about to die and so he had finalised it with this summary in Deuteronomy, and then solemnly handed it over to the religious and secular leadership. It was to be the foundation of their authority. Now that Moses would no longer be with them this would be their Bible.

It was not handed over to Joshua. While Joshua was supreme leader under Yahweh, the oversight of the people was in the joint hands of the priests and the elders, and the Law was therefore held within the Sanctuary, a seal on the covenant between Yahweh and His people.

‘The priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh.’ The priesthood had overall responsibility for the Ark and all its movements. It was under their jurisdiction. This does not mean that they had to actually carry it themselves, except when it was uncovered and going forth to war. Levites had been appointed for the task of being its bearers when it was covered (Numbers 4.4-15). But it was the priests who covered it and had overall responsibility, and who alone could carry it when it was uncovered. To have such an exalted position as this, responsibility for the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh, demonstrated their unique standing with Yahweh. They were the throne-servants who served the Lord of the whole earth.

‘All the elders of Israel.’ These might include in this context the princes of the tribes, the tribal heads, the judge (17.9) and wider judges, the sub-tribal heads, the leading men of the tribes, the commanders of thousands, and the wider-family heads. (Compare 29.10; 2 Chronicles 5.2).

31.10-11 ‘And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh your (thy) God in the place which he shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.’

Provision was now made for the reading of God’s Instruction every seven years during the seventh year ‘Year of Release’ at the Feast of Tabernacles. Then all Israel would appear before Him at the place which He would choose to hear the reading of ‘this law’, the whole Law, ‘before all Israel’ in their hearing. In Nehemiah it is clear that ‘the book of the law’ read at the feast of Tabernacles certainly included Leviticus (Nehemiah 8.14-15, compare Leviticus 23.34-42). This periodic reading out of a treaty was a familiar feature of many treaties as a reminder to those bound by them.

This confirms the importance of the Year of Release to Israel. Only one aspect has been mentioned in Deuteronomy (15.1-11), but it was a year of great import (Exodus 23.10-11; Leviticus 25.2-7), indeed of such importance that, when they failed to keep it, it would be divinely enforced by turning them out of the land (Leviticus 26.34-35, 43). Their failure to observe it was a sign of refusal to recognise His ownership of the land, and of themselves and their time.

Of course this was not the only time when the people would hear God’s Instruction. Some part of it would be communicated at every feast. But this was to be the time when the whole Law was read out.

‘The year of release.’ Compare 15.1, 9 where debt was released, and Exodus 22.11 where the land was ‘released’.

31.12 ‘Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and your (thy) resident alien who is within your (thy) gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,’

For this reading of God’s Instruction all must gather, men, women, children and resident aliens so that all may learn, and fear Yahweh and observe to do all that He had said in His Instruction.

But it may be that some of the women and children could be represented by some who would stand in for them from among their number, and that recitals of the Law were also arranged in cities and towns, for the cattle could not be left for seven days without milking on their farms. ‘All Israel’ in verse 11 could mean all the adult males. They certainly had to gather at the Sanctuary. But some of the remainder could possibly gather in their cities and towns. Compare how unleavened bread had to be throughout the whole of Israel at the feast of unleavened bread (16.4) even though the males had to gather at the Sanctuary.

31.13 ‘And that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Yahweh your (of ye) God, as long as you (ye) live in the land to which you (ye) go over the Jordan to possess it.’

This was to be very much a renewing of the covenant with the latest members of Israel. Each seven years the latest additions to Israel would ‘know and hear and learn to fear’ Yahweh their God. And this was to go on for as long as they lived in the land which they were going over Jordan to possess. They too must learn that the land was Yahweh’s and that they held it from Him.

They would, of course, have been taught the instruction of Yahweh from babyhood. But hearing it solemnly read out at the feast would be the seal on their recognition of it as the word of Yahweh.

For the theoretical purpose for the land was that it would be an everlasting kingdom under Yahweh, a land of purity and light among the nations, a land where Yahweh and His people would be together within the covenant relationship. It was to be like a marriage. The actual practise would in fact turn out to be far different simply because of the disobedience of the people.

But in the final analysis it was preparing for a greater purpose which would be revealed in the coming Messiah, resulting in an everlasting kingdom which was beyond man’s wildest dreams.

Moses’ Final Charge From Yahweh (31.14-23).

God now called Moses and Joshua into the Tent of Meeting, and when they had entered, the cloud stood over the door of the Tent of Meeting in order to demonstrate that they were in conference, and to prevent interruption by the priests. Both Moses and Joshua as servants of Yahweh clearly had a unique right of access.

In a book where the emphasis was on the ‘place’ which Yahweh would choose where the people met, this one and only mention of the Tent of Meeting must be seen as significant. It is bringing out the difference at this point between Moses and Joshua on the one hand, and the priests and the people on the other. At this point Moses and Joshua alone went into the Tent of Meeting itself, and went behind the cloud as they had at Sinai, while the remainder stayed away. The priest could minister in the tent but Yahweh owned it. They could only enter with His permission.

And in this private interview a totally different picture was given of the situation that was being presented. In the first half of the chapter all had been confidence and assurance and certainty and encouragement. But in this second half, while the same general pattern is followed as in 31.1-13, a reference being first made concerning Israel as a whole (16-21, contrast 1-6), then concerning Joshua (23, compare 7-8), then a giving of the Instruction to the priests, which was to include the elders ( 24-26 with 28, compare 9), the emphasis is totally different. It is pessimistic rather than optimistic. The first half was full of confidence and expectancy. This second half is filled with doubt and mystery. We can almost again hear the words of Moses, ‘the secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us (Israel) and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Instruction (29.29).’ While the children of Israel had received what Yahweh had given them, His secrets were only being revealed to Moses and Joshua.

Compare for this sudden switch in mood 28.1-14 with 28.15-68; and 29.1-21 with 29.22-28, the latter leading up into the saying in 29.29.

And the giving of these secrets was then followed by the giving of the book of the law to the priests and a communication to the elders (24-29, contrast 9-13), while stressing to both the untrustworthiness of, and stiffnecked attitude of the people, with regard to the covenant. Among other things it was an attempt to remind them that they should not be complacent.

So in this chapter a message of hope is deliberately combined with a communication of doubt, as previously in the book. Compare 4.23-31; 28 all; 29.1-28; 30.1. Let them go forward confidently but let them beware and recognise what they were in their own hearts.

He begins verses 14-29 by informing Moses that his death is approaching, and called on him to bring Joshua in with him into the Tent of Meeting. And there He informed him prophetically in no uncertain terms of what Israel’s future would be like. His emphasis was on the fact that it was a future that would result in failure. And the purpose for emphasising this was so that he and Joshua (ye) might write a song, which would be available to speak to Israel when that time of failure came. The song was as given in chapter 32. This was a main purpose of this secret meeting, the need to write an inspired song to meet future emergencies.

Yahweh then personally called on Joshua, and repeating Moses’ previous assurance, confirmed his appointment as the new leader, and encouraged him with the certainty of His help. At least that part of their future was secure.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, your days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge.” (14a).
• b And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting, and Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the Tent (14b-15).
• c And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers, and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the foreign gods of the land, to which they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them” (16).
• d “Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them (17a).
• e And I will hide my face from them, and they will be devoured, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ ” (17).
• e And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they will have wrought, in that they are turned to other gods” (18).
• d “Now therefore write you this song for yourselves, and teach you it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel” (19).
• c “For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant” (20).
• b “And it shall come about, when many evils and troubles are come on them, that this song will testify before them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.” So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel (21-22).
• a And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you will bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them: and I will be with you” (23).

Note that in ‘a’ Moses is to call Joshua and they are to present themselves in the Tent of Meeting so that Joshua can be given a charge, and in the parallel he gave Joshua the charge and told him to be strong and of good courage, for he would bring the children of Israel into the land and Yahweh would be with him. In ‘b’ they went and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting and Yahweh appeared in the pillar of cloud and it stood over the door of the Tent. (The cloud is the witness to the covenant and His purpose was twofold, firstly to give Joshua a charge and secondly to tell Moses to write a song which would be a witness against the failure of the people to keep the covenant). And in the parallel when trouble comes on them the song will testify against them as a witness. In ‘c’ the people will rise up and play the prostitute after foreign gods and will forsake Yahweh, and break His covenant which He has made with them, and in the parallel they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise Yahweh, and break His covenant. In ‘d’ then His anger will be kindled against them in that day, and He will forsake them, and in the parallel the song which is a charge that they have forsaken Him is to be written as a witness against the children of Israel. In ‘e’ He ‘will hide His face from them’, and many ‘evils’ and troubles will come on them and they will realise that God is not among them, and in the parallel He ‘will hide His face from them’ because of the ‘evil’ that they have wrought in turning to other gods. Note also the repetition in the first statement and the parallel of ‘in that day’.

We should notice that this is the third charge to ‘be strong and of good courage’. Compare verses 6 and 7 for the other two. It is giving ‘complete’ assurance. Furthermore the song is referred to four times in this passage, once to be written (19), twice to be a twofold witness against them (19, 21), and once in the writing (22). It is central to their purpose in being there, and to the passage.

31.14 ‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, your (thy) days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves (ye both) in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge.” And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.

God first confirmed that Moses must die. He must therefore make preparation. So He called on him to bring Joshua with him into the Tent of Meeting, so that He may ‘give him a charge’. Though he must die for His failure at Meribah, Moses was not rejected. He was still Yahweh’s supreme representative. The Tent was the place of the covenant, and he was safely within the covenant, as Joshua would be as well. And here he must pass on his responsibilities to his successor.

31.15 ‘And Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the Tent.’

And there, alone with them in the Tent, Yahweh appeared in a pillar of cloud, the cloud by which He had led Israel in the way, when also they had not believed (1.33). It was the same cloud that had hidden Yahweh when He proclaimed the covenant (5.22), and into which Moses and Joshua had ascended previously as they went up alone and left the children of Israel behind (Exodus 24.13, 15). Now as then there was again a separating between them and the whole of Israel. To them were to be revealed the secret things.

We should note that the coming of the cloud was in complete contrast to the writing of the song. The cloud was the witness that He was there as the God of the covenant, that Yahweh was with them and with His people. The song would be a witness that at come stage they would break the covenant, and was in order to be ready for that day.

This is the first mention in Deuteronomy of the Tent of Meeting, although there can be little doubt that it was around the Tent that Israel had gathered to hear the words of Moses, in ‘the place’ at that time chosen by Yahweh which the Tent proclaimed. But the people could not enter the Tent. It was unknown territory to them and had thus been ignored in the people’s covenant, being seen rather as ‘the place’. It is mentioned here to confirm its status as the place where Yahweh would be met with, and Yahweh manifested His presence in the Tent, by means of the familiar pillar of cloud which hovered over the door of the Tent (Exodus 13.21-22; 33.9-10; Numbers 12.5; 14.14) preventing access. And there He spoke first with Moses.

31.16 ‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers, and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the foreign gods of the land, to which they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.” ’

Yahweh was under no illusions about Israel. Even though they would be given every opportunity to serve Him faithfully, their future was known to Him. He knew that once Moses ‘slept with his fathers’ they would be unfaithful and turn to the gods of the land, and would forsake Him and be unfaithful to the covenant which He had made with them. It had already happened both at Sinai and at Baal-peor. It would not happen immediately while Joshua was around, but it would certainly happen. And He now made this known to Moses so that he would, with Joshua’s help, write the song that could be a blessing to Israel in the future.

It is here made clear to us that God is sovereign over the whole future. Alone in the Tent He can reveal what that future holds, because from that future He intends to finally establish His purposes. But He makes clear that it will not be achieved easily. Outside the Tent was optimism, and entreaty and encouragement, as they looked forward to the short term, the occupation of Canaan. Inside it was the truth as things would be in the longer term. Outside men were called on to choose freely. Inside the inexorable purposes of God are unfolded, the result of the extremes of man’s sinfulness.

‘Play the prostitute.’ A sign of unfaithfulness and wantonness. Compare Exodus 34.15-16; Leviticus 17.7 20.5; Numbers 15.39; Judges 2.17; 8.27, 33; etc. It indicates reckless unfaithfulness to a marriage covenant, a covenant which was very similar to Yahweh’s covenant of love with Israel. Cult prostitution would have been well known to Israel from connections with Canaanite religion in parts of Egypt, where Baal was clearly worshipped.

‘Foreign gods of the land.’ The point here was that although they were worshipped in the land they were foreign to it and should not be there. For this was Yahweh’s land, separated to Him and holy.

‘Break my covenant.’ Compare Genesis 17.14; Leviticus 26.15, 44).

31.17 “Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they will be devoured, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ ”

The result will be that His anger will be kindled against them, and He will forsake them too. He will hide His face from them and the result will be that they will be at the mercy of the nations and will be ‘devoured’. Many evils and troubles will come on them through invasion and servitude because they have deserted Him. And this will eventually waken them up and will turn their thoughts back to God. The cursings would continue to apply until they awoke a gradual stirring in their hearts.

31.18 “And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they will have wrought, in that they are turned to other gods.”

For in that day He would continue to hide His face from them because of all their evil doings and their unfaithfulness. Awareness of Him was not in itself enough. There must be a turning away from other gods. There must be true repentance.

31.19 “Now therefore write you (ye) this song for you (ye), and teach you (thou) it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.”

The purpose in bringing all this out is now stated. Moses as a prophet, together with Joshua (this serves to confirm that Joshua was involved in much of what Moses ‘wrote’), had to prepare a prophetic message that Israel would be able to turn to at that time, which would speak to their situation. Moses had written God’s Instruction for Israel. That was to be taught to the children that they may be a part of the covenant and know Yahweh’s will. But now, along with Joshua, he was to write a song. This song was also to be taught to the children, but it was to be of a different nature. It was in fact very much a Complaint Document, a complaint similar to a typical complaint against a vassal written by his overlord in response to a breach of treaty, examples of which are known. It is a call for their restoration having breached the treaty. Such ‘Complaint’ documents would be something that would have been well known to Moses from Egypt.

With the knowledge that Moses had of what the future held as revealed in 4.23-31; 28 all; 29.22-29; 30.1, we should not be surprised that he would consider the need to prepare for it. And the song format would be a means of doing so without being itself a disillusionment to the people.

31.20 “For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.”

To Moses God outlined what He knew would eventually happen. Whether this was private communication to Moses, or whether Joshua was included, we are not told. Perhaps it was better for Joshua not to know to the fullest extent what was to happen. His part may simply have been to again later record the words of Moses. (He was mainly there for a different purpose).

The news was not good. Having been brought into the land in accordance with Yahweh’s oath to their fathers (it was because of this oath that He was bringing them in at all), into the land flowing with milk and honey, instead of being grateful and remaining faithful to Him for ever, they will lapse. When they have ‘eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.’ Note the sequence. They would first fill themselves with all the good things that He had given them, and then they would turn to other gods and serve them. Having ‘milked’ Yahweh, they would then desert Him. And yet such was His goodness that He would still persevere with them.

Note the contrast here. Yahweh had sworn the oath to their forefathers, and was faithful to His promises. They had sworn to obey the covenant, but would be unfaithful to it.

31.21 “And it shall come about, when many evils and troubles are come on them, that this song will testify before them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.”

As a result of their desertion many evils and troubles would come on them, and it was then that they would turn to the Song that Moses must now write, for it would be a witness to them, both of their infidelity and of God’s continual mercy. Moses need not worry. It would not be forgotten by them. Their seed would sing it continually until one day its significance dawned on them. Meanwhile Yahweh wanted Moses to know that He was perfectly aware of how these people were thinking even before He has brought them into the land. Note again the stress on ‘which I swore’. That is in fact the reason why He was still going to bring them into the land.

31.22 ‘So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.’

And so Moses did what Yahweh had said, and wrote the song that Yahweh had commanded, and taught it to the children of Israel. This verse is a summary verse simply put in to let us know that Moses will be obedient. Then the passage goes on with the present circumstances. It is typical of ancient literature.

The Charge to Joshua (31.23).

Having communicated with Moses Yahweh now spoke to Joshua, who may not have been aware of what God had said to Moses. For what God said to Joshua was no different from what Moses had said to him previously (7-8). He gave him the ‘charge’ which was the purpose of him being there (verse 14).

31.23 ‘And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you will bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them: and I will be with you.”

He now promised Joshua that He would be with him, and that as a result he would accomplish the task of bringing them into the land. Thus he could be strong and of good courage.

Moses Charge To The Levites (31.24-29).

Here we have repeated that Moses wrote all the words of the covenant down in a book. Twofold repetition in Scripture is always for emphasis. But he then censured them harshly. It may well be that we are to see verse 9 as referring to the writing of the first papyrus scroll or tablet, which was then handed over as described, and that then his meeting with Yahweh intervened, for it is quite clear that writing the full Instruction down would take some considerable time, especially if two copies were required, one for the Overlord and one for the subjects. That would explain why when he handed over the remainder, or possibly the second copy, having written it, his approach was so different. What Yahweh had revealed to him had clearly affected him deeply.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And it came about, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, that bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying (24-25).
• b “Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, that it may be there for a witness against you” (26).
• c “For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck (27a).
• c Behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against Yahweh, and how much more after my death?” (27b).
• b “Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them” (28).
• a “For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you, and evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands” (29).

Note that in ‘a’ the book of Instruction was written and finished and preparation made to put it beside the Ark, as a seal and guarantee of the covenant together with its blessings and cursings, and in the parallel he is aware that they will behave in such a way that they will bring on them the cursings in that book. In ‘b’ they are to take the book of Instruction and put it beside the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh that it might be a witness against them, and in the parallel heaven and earth is to be a witness against them also. In ‘c’ he knows their rebellion and obstinacy, and in the parallel he points out that he has already witnessed their rebellion and expects them to be even more rebellious when he has gone.

31.24-25 ‘And it came about, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, that bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying,

When Moses had made an end of writing of ‘the words of this Instruction in a book’ so that it was completely finished, he now gave his command to ‘the Levites who bore the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh’. This may indicate the priests, for they alone could bear the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh when it was uncovered. But as the command is only to put it down beside the Ark, it may be that he was speaking to the Levites who normally bore the Ark when it was covered (Numbers 4.15), so that next time they put the Ark down they placed the book beside it before the Tent was erected around it and it was uncovered by the priests.

31.26 “Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your (of ye) God, that it may be there for a witness against you (thee).”

His strong words bring home the impact of what he had heard in the Tent. While it was not the first time he had heard such things, hearing it in the light of his approaching death and with such solemn certainty, had brought it home to him anew. So he charges them to take the book of Yahweh’s Instruction, and put it beside the Ark. Inside the Ark were the tablets containing the original covenant. This book was to take its place beside it, possibly in the Holy of Holies, or possibly in the Holy Place next to the veil behind which would be the Ark in close proximity.

But it is his words which reveal his thoughts, ‘as a witness against you’. It may well be that they wondered what had happened to bring about this change in him in comparison to the last time (verse 9). But the import was clear. It would be a testimony against any in Israel who sinned, and against all Israel when all Israel sinned, and against them when they sinned.

31.27 “For I know your (thy) rebellion, and your (thy) stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you (ye) have been rebellious against Yahweh, and how much more after my death?”

He then told them quite bluntly that Israel whom they represented were rebellious and stiffnecked, and that his experience of them while he was still alive had convinced him that they would be even worse after his death. They were probably used to his speaking like this, possibly too used to it. They may even have agreed with him wholeheartedly, convinced that while it was not true of them it was certainly true of the others, for such is our ability to take the worst of accusations and apply it to other than ourselves.

31.28 “Assemble to me all the elders of your (of ye) tribes, and your (of ye) officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them.”

He then commanded them to gather all the elders and administrative assistants of Israel so that he could tell them the same, and so that he could call heaven and earth to witness against them. He had previously called on heaven and earth to witness his offer to Israel of life and good or death and evil (30.19). Now it was to witness as to which they would choose.

Both he and the elders were aware that he was not necessarily speaking about them. He was speaking about them as the present representatives of the people who would do this. It was a public announcement about the future. He was warning about the consequences of unfaithfulness. The elders who were under Joshua, and those of them who outlived him would in fact prove faithful. It would be after that that the rot set in (Judges 2.7)

31.29 “For I know that after my death you (ye) will utterly corrupt yourselves (ye), and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you (ye) in the latter days, because you (ye) will do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger through the work of your (of ye) hands.”

For as a result of being with Yahweh in the Tent he now knew afresh what Israel would prove to be like. That after his death they would corrupt themselves totally by turning aside from the way which he had commanded them to take. And he warned them that in later days evil would befall them because of the evil that they would do in the sight of Yahweh, provoking Him to anger by the work of their hands, including the idols that they made. And this is the context in which he now gave out the great song that he had written under Yahweh’s guidance.

This command to Moses to write a song with the future in view is quite significant. It makes quite clear that it was God’s intention ever to meet the people’s need before it arose by raising up those who could ‘prophesy’. It makes us aware that we should therefore expect to see such continuing activity in the history of Israel.

Chapter 32 The Song of Moses.

Having written the Complaint Document as a song to be sung by the children of Israel until its words were fulfilled and it could be called on as a witness against them, and also be seen as a promise of hope, Moses read out the song to the people.

Analysis.

• a And Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were finished (31.30).
• b The Song of Complaint and Promise (32.1-43).
• a And Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun, and Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel (32.44-45).

The Song of Complaint and Promise (32.1-43).

31.30 ‘And Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were finished.’

As we have just previously been informed, this song was written for when Israel saw worse days, but it was read out (not sung) by Moses before all Israel so that they might begin to learn its contents. All would know that in the end they had to memorise it by heart. That was the way in which such things were done.

But the fact that it is called a song indicates that it was intended to be sung in future worship, and we have certainly no reason to doubt that that happened.

While there is material in it that could be described as ‘wisdom material’, or ‘prophetic material’, it is not of such a kind as to demand a late date. Wisdom literature was known in Egypt long before this time, and would have been known to Moses, and he was certainly a prophet. Nor is there reference to particular events, apart from what would have been in the past for Moses. There is no good reason for doubting that it is an ancient song, and in fact no good reason for doubting that Moses was its author under God.

It seems to follow to some extent the pattern of an ancient ‘lawsuit (Hebrew - rib) pattern’, a pattern which appears to date back at least to 18th century BC. This was a pattern followed by overlords when taking up a controversy against their subjects who had broken a treaty. First witnesses were called on to bear witness to his words, then the character of the Overlord was described, then the charge was made against the covenant breakers, then a series of questions were put to them, then the beneficence towards them of their Overlord was outlined, then the treacherous nature of their behaviour was described, and then finally the Overlord’s verdict was pronounced.

That is the pattern found here. Throughout the poem Yahweh as Israel’s great Overlord is seen to be the offended party. He is blameless and righteous in all His ways, while Israel are disobedient and rebellious. Their folly in rebelling against Yahweh is revealed, the judgment that will follow, in which Yahweh will make use of their enemies, is declared, but then, unlike the usual Complaint document, it finalises with a description of their vindication, not because of what they are but because of Yahweh’s gracious action. Yahweh will not allow His purposes to fail.

Witnesses Are Called On To Bear Witness To His Words (32.1-3).

32.1-3

First heaven and earth are called on to witness to what Moses will speak (compare 30.19; 31.28), such is the solemnity of his words. These are world fashioning events. Heaven and earth were in fact regular treaty witnesses among other nations (compare 4.26; 30.19).

Then the nature of his teaching is described. It is like the rain and the dew falling and bringing forth lush vegetation, bringing life and fruitfulness. His words should come as words of refreshing to their hearts. And the reason that it is like this is because He is proclaiming the name of Yahweh. They are therefore to ascribe greatness to ‘our God’.

In this teaching we have the germ of the later teaching about God’s word bringing forth new life and about the Holy Spirit as being like rain (Isaiah 55.10-11; 44.3-5 compare 45.8), and the basis of the teaching of John the Baptiser where he spoke of fruitfulness, and of the new birth of water and Spirit in the teaching of Jesus Himself. Here it is connected with ‘the name’, that is with the nature of, Yahweh. Yahweh is the living God, the life-giver.

This last is the teaching that is available to us. But we must ask ourselves the question, are we open to His divine influence on us?

‘Proclaim the name of Yahweh.’ This may have in mind 6.4-5, ‘Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one’ and ‘Yahweh our God’, His name as the covenant God.

‘Ascribe you greatness to our God.’ Compare 3.24; 5.21; 9.26; 11.2; Numbers 14.19; Psalms 79.11; 150.2). This word for God’s ‘greatness’ is mainly limited to the Pentateuch.

The Character of the Overlord Is Described (32.4).

32.4

The reason that God can be ascribed as great is now expanded on. It is because He is the Rock, He is what alone is firm and sure in the midst of uncertainty (Psalm 31.2-3; 40.2; 62.2, 6-7; 94.22), He alone provides shelter from the burning heat (Isaiah 32.2), and water for the thirsty (8.15 compare 32.13; Psalm 78.20; 105.41; 114.8; Isaiah 48.21). For His work is perfect and without fault or failure, His ways are totally just and right, and He is totally faithful and without any trace within of bentness or wrongdoing or inbred sin. The fact that false gods can also later be likened to a rock (32.31) suggests that the first picture is what is mainly in mind.

The Charge Is Made Against the Covenant Breakers (32.5).

32.5

In contrast with Yahweh’s faithfulness and reliability are His people. They have dealt corruptly with him, being deceitful, unreliable and untrustworthy. They are ‘not His children’ (compare Hosea 1.10; 2.23), that is, not behaving like Him or revealing Him in their lives. As a result of their blemish, which is in contrast with His perfection, they are a perverse and crooked generation, unreliable and twisted, not fit to be seen as His children. For ‘blemish’ (disfiguring spot) compare Job 11.15; 31.7; Proverbs 9.7.

A Series of Questions Is Then Put To Them (32.6).

32.6

He then faces the people up with their folly and lack of wisdom. Is this really the way that they repay Yahweh for all He has done for them? Do they not recognise that He is their Father (14.1 compare Exodus 4.22) Who has redeemed them (from bondage in Egypt - 7.8; 9.26; 13.5; 15.15; 24.18), and has brought them through the wilderness (1.31), and has made them into a fruitful and abundant nation, and has shaped them and established them so that they are there ready to possess God’s land and live in it securely?

These are questions that we should put to ourselves. So often we forget that He is our Father, and that what He does is for our good. That is why we so often take little notice of Him and what He requires from our lives.

The Beneficence Towards Them of Their Overlord Is Outlined (32.7-14).

32.7-9

So he now tells them to consider what Yahweh has done for them. Let them look back over the generations and remember what Yahweh did from the beginning. They only have to ask their fathers, or their elders to discover it. Because they were Yahweh’s inheritance and His people, when He divided up the world He remembered them, and how many of them there would be, so that he allocated portions to other nations accordingly. He ensured that a broad and wide land was available for them which would be more than sufficient to accommodate their numbers. Other nations were thus restricted accordingly.

‘The Most High.’ (Elyon). Compare Genesis 14.18; Numbers 24.16, both cases where connection with Gentile nations is emphasised. Israel appear to have taken the title over, assimilating it to Yahweh as Abraham had himself done (Genesis 14.22) for use when speaking of His dealings with Gentile nations.

‘According to the number of the sons of Israel.’ Some have seen here a connection between the seventy members of Jacob’s household who went down into Egypt and the seventy nations in Genesis 10, but in view of the lack of mention of seventy here and in Genesis 10 that seems a little far fetched. LXX and a Hebrew fragment at Qumran have ‘sons of God’ instead of ‘sons of Israel’. That might signify that the numbers of the nations were determined by the number of angelic powers who could have charge of them, but that seems to be irrelevant to the context. But it would appear to have arisen from the belief in guardian angels for different nations. As MT makes excellent sense in context we would suggest its retention. It simply mans that when allocating land to the nations He remembered how many Israelites there would be and allocated accordingly.

32.10

He had found Israel in the desert land, in the waste land, in the howling wilderness, (the threefoldness emphasising its wild nature). The idea is of someone who has been found wandering in the desert almost near death, helpless and hopeless, saved by the skin of their teeth. We can compare for this picture of being ‘found’ Hosea 9.10, where we have the same picture indicating that they were ‘found’. Hosea makes it clear that this was after they left Egypt following God’s call (Hosea 2.15; 11.1). Israel had left Egypt but had then turned away from Him (e.g. Exodus 16.3). They were thus helpless until He found them again. Then Yahweh had surrounded them with His love, caring for them and protecting them as His babes over whom He kept watch.

The purpose of this picture is to bring out their helplessness. The point here is that they were not then to be seen as the people of the covenant, safe in their Overlord’s hand, for they had forfeited that (Exodus 32.10, 30-35; Numbers 14.11-12, 35), and had become ‘lost’, a whole generation dying in the wilderness (Numbers 14.35). They had become like a party of people who had wandered in the desert and were lost and thirsty, and terrified of the howling creatures around. But Yahweh had found them and taken them under His protection.

In view of the redemption mentioned in verse 6, and this mention of being preserved in the wilderness, there is a clear connection with the Exodus, confirmed by the references in Hosea, but with a recognising of how much they had forfeited of Yahweh’s favour. They had been finally delivered as an undeserving people lost in the wilderness.

All of us without exception have at some time or other to travel ‘in the wilderness’. But the value of that experience will be determined by how we respond. If we look off to Him in confidence and trust it will be the making of us. But if we murmur and grumble and complain it will do us no good.

32.11-12 ‘ As an eagle which stirs up her nest,

Like the mother eagle He alone cared for them. None other was with Him. Like her he took them on his wings and bore them safely. The picture is that of an eagle teaching her eaglets to fly and ensuring their safety. In the same way Yahweh alone led His people. No foreign god was concerned. There was little competition to Yahweh in the wilderness.

This illustration aptly pictures the children of those who had failed and been doomed to die in the wilderness, being taken up by a gracious God so that he could teach them to ‘fly’. He did not forsake them but tenderly took note of their needs (compare Isaiah 40.11).

32.13

The poem now moves on into the future. He will make them ride on the high places of the earth (having taught them to fly like the eagle), like some great all-conquering potentate (compare Isaiah 58.14). The one who conquers the heights, conquers the land. Or the thought may be of their settlement on the mountains of Canaan having conquered all enemies, something now seen in the poem as accomplished. They will eat the ample increase of the fields, they will suck honey from a rock, they will even obtain oil from a flinty rock. Honey and oil were symbols of luxury and plenty. Obtaining honey and oil from a flinty rock is a considerable step up from obtaining water. The wild bees would nest in the rocks producing their honey, and their olive trees would flourish in rocky soil, seeming to come from the flinty rock. Even the barren places would be fruitful.

32.14 ‘Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock,

They would have the best of everything, butter from the herd and milk from the flock, fat and strong rams from Bashan (compare Amos 4.1), similarly fat he-goats, the finest of the wheat and abundance of wine from the red grape juice which flows like blood. They would never have had it so good before.

The Treacherous Nature of Their Behaviour Is Described (32.15-18).

32.15-16 ‘But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked,

But His ‘righteous one’ (Jeshurun) grew fat, and kicked out, they got fatter and fatter and grew sleek and well groomed and untrustworthy. Thus they forgot the One to Whom they owed it all. They ceased to be His righteous one. They forsook the God Who made them, they esteemed lightly the Rock on Whom their deliverance was built, the Rock which was their security. They made Him jealous (compare 4.24; 6.15; Exodus 20.5; 34.14) with what was foreign, seeking to false gods and false religion, they provoked Him to anger with their idolatrous ways and behaviour.

For ‘abominations’ see 7.25; 27.15; 2 Kings 23.13.

It is a sad fact that when God prospers men they soon forget Him. It only takes a little wealth and the opportunity for pleasure for our consecration to go out of the window.

32.17-18

In preference to God they turned to demons (compare Psalm 106.37; 1 Corinthians 10.20) which were no god, they sacrificed to them, and to gods that they had never had anything to do with, to new fangled gods who were not even ancient, gods that their fathers had never feared, and they forgot their God from of old Who had brought them into being, Who had begotten them and Who had borne them in pain (He had been both father and mother). They dallied with novelties and with the occult. The begetting and bringing forth in pain may refer to the deliverance from Egypt.

We may not dally with these. But we dally with our idols in music and sport, in travel and entertainment, and we forget our responsibility towards the One Who was crucified for us.

The Overlord’s Verdict Is Pronounced (32.19-25).

32.19-20 ‘And Yahweh saw, and abhorred,

Yahweh’s response was horror at what they were doing and hatred of what they were doing it with. His very children were provoking Him with their behaviour, and He declared His determination to hide His face from them and watch over them no more. Then He would see what their end would be (compare Psalm 73.17). They were like unruly children who were perverse and totally lacking in loyalty.

There is nothing more sad than a people forsaken because of their own folly. Can we not remember our first love when all that we desired was to please Him? But now like the Laodiceans many of us have grown lukewarm. And thus God has become very distant.

32.21

Indeed with their ‘no gods’ they had made Him intolerant of their disloyalty, and they had provoked Him to anger with the vain things that they had to do with. Thus He will bring against them another people, an unchosen people, a no-people, and He will favour those people and make His people jealous of them and angry in their hearts. There are probably no particular people in mind here. The point is simply that for a while He will favour their enemies, who are not a chosen people.

But in the end it would result in the responsive among the no-people, the Gentiles, being united with the faithful in Israel in forming the new Israel, the true church of God, which would indeed make unfaithful Israel jealous (compare 1 Peter 2.10).

For the provocation see 29.22-28. For the contrast between no-gods and no-people compare Hosea 1.9; 2.23.

32.22

Few will escape. This introduction of a ‘favoured’ enemy will be like a fire kindled by Yahweh (compare 4.24) which will even burn their dead, (for even they will not escape), will destroy their crops and trees and the land (compare Judges 6.4-5), and set on fire the lower parts of the mountains. The picture is one of ultimate devastation.

32.23-24

So will He heap evil circumstances on His people and strike them with His arrows, wasting them with hunger, striking them with plague and pestilence (‘burning heat’, compare 28.22), letting them endure the burning and destruction of their land, its devastation by wild beasts and its being overcome with poisonous crawling things. All the curses of chapter 28 will come on them.

When we have backslidden we too experience the awfulness of His seeming abandonment. And then what is important is that we respond immediately, otherwise it will only get worse. For whom God loves, He chastens.

32.25

When they dare to go outside the sword will slay them and bereave their families, and if they hide within their dwellings terror will enter both for young men and maidens, for grandfathers and grandchildren. None will be safe.

The verdict having been given at this point, the likeness to the treaty indictment ceases, for having obtained his vengeance the ordinary overlord would pass on having destroyed his enemies, while Yahweh cannot do so. For He is faithful even to those who are unfaithful.

His Verdict Is Withdrawn For The Sake of His Name (32.26-27).

Yahweh is now seen as hesitating at the thought of destroying His people completely. Not because they do not deserve it but lest their enemies think that they have defeated them rather than it being due to His activity.

32.26-27

He had determined to destroy them, to cut them in pieces, to so deal with them that they vanished for ever from people’s memories. The only thing that prevented Him was that their enemies would take the credit for themselves. Instead of recognising that it was Yahweh’s work they would claim that they had done it themselves, and would preen themselves (compare 9.28). They would put it down to their own doing.

He Declares Their Hopeless State Without Him (32.28-30).

32.28-29

He declares Israel’s folly. They lack wise guidance, and are lacking in understanding. They are ignoring the lessons of history which might turn them back to Him, and they were forgetting His Instruction (contrast 4.6). He longs that they might just be sensible and consider where what they were doing would take them in the end (compare 4.6 where such wisdom would come from considering his God-given words).

Of how many of us can it be said that we are without understanding? If we had even a glimmer of the truth about life and about eternity what different people we would be.

32.30

How was it that they could not even stand up against the weakest of their enemies? How was it that a single soldier of their enemies could put a whole regiment of them to flight, and two could put a brigade to flight (contrast Leviticus 26.8; Isaiah 30.17). It was because they had become weak and unable to defend themselves. This could only be because He, their Rock, had sold them (contrast verse 6, where their Father had bought them, and verse 18 where their Rock had begotten them), because He, Yahweh, had delivered them up. It was because He no longer treated them as His redeemed people.

How often we have to look around and see that all that is spiritual is dying around us. We have no impact because we have gone so far from God. Our only hope too is to return to Him with strong crying and tears, but we do not do so because we have grown complacent.

Judgment Is Passed By Moses And Faithful Israel On Faithless Israel (32.31-33).

32.31-33

Here there is a brief interlude where the singer, and the author Moses, have their word. The enemy who are being so successful do not have a Rock like Yahweh. Their rock cannot even compare. Yet they trust in it. Thereby do they act as judges of Israel who have turned away from their so great a Rock (compare 29.24-27).

How ashamed we should be that other people whose hopes are in something transient and passing will often reveal more dedication to it than we do to God. Many a football supporter shows more dedication to his team, than Christians do to Christ.

For Israel’s vines and fields have also been destroyed just like those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Their grapes have become wild grapes and taste bitter, their clusters of grapes are inedible. Their very wine, that which should make glad the heart of man, is like poison and venom. And it is because they have forsaken God.

Alternately, and possibly more likely, the thought may more be moral, that these products are the product of sin and corruption like that of Sodom and Gomorrah producing its bitter fruit in them. The picture of a degenerate vine became a regular one among the prophets (e.g. Isaiah 5.2; Jeremiah 2.21; Hosea 10.1; Psalm 80.9).

It should be noted in this regard that throughout the Old Testament it is the moral corruption and ungodliness of the Israelites, and never the vices of the nations, which are compared with the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Israelites who were forsaken by Yahweh, were designated by Isaiah as a people of Gomorrah (Isaiah 1.10), and their rulers as rulers of Sodom (compare Isaiah 3.9); the inhabitants of Jerusalem were all of them like Sodom and Gomorrah (Jeremiah 23.14); and the sin of Jerusalem was greater than that of Sodom (Ezekiel 16,46).

Some relate the ideas in verses 32-33 to the enemies, seeing the mention of Sodom and Gomorrah as signifying that they are the product of corruption, and what follows as a description either of the fact that in spite of their success the fruits of it are bitter and poisonous to them, or refer to their poisonous effect on Israel.

Rather Than Seeking Vengeance Yahweh Will Have Mercy On Them (32.34-36).

32.34-35

Yahweh again takes up the narrative. The wicked will not finally triumph, whether they be the unfaithful in Israel or their adversaries. Within His treasure house Yahweh has stored up what the wicked are and what they have done, and will take vengeance on His enemies (compare verses 42, 43). For ‘Vengeance is His’, and He will recompense. This is a general statement applied to this particular situation. One day their foot will slip and calamity will come on them, and what is to come on them will come on them speedily. While He may for a time make use of peoples who are equally sinful, yet in the end they too must face judgment (compare Isaiah 10.5-12). Note that vengeance is connected with recompense. It is not arbitrary vengeance, but vengeance on those deserving of it.

Paul reminds us that God is not mocked. He may nor reveal His anger immediately but we can be sure that those who sow to the flesh will reap corruption Galatians 6.7-8). What we set our hearts on will determine our future.

32.36 ‘For Yahweh will judge (or ‘vindicate’) his people,

Once again the narrative is taken up by the singer. The parallel shows that the judging here is positive, as with the judges in Judges. It signifies ruling over them as righteous Overlord. Because Yahweh sees that the strength of His people has gone, and that all whether prisoner or free are weak and helpless, He will step in on their behalf and act as their vindicator. He will pass a right judgment concerning them, having a change of mind on their behalf. He will again be their Overlord.

What a good thing it is for us that God is so merciful. For even when we have failed Him so badly He comes to seek to restore us to what we should be.

Yahweh Compares Himself With The Gods That They Have Worshipped (32.37-40).

32.37-38

But first He will face them up to what these gods in whom they had trusted were like. He asks them, where are they now? They had taken refuge in them, and these gods had been given the fat of their sacrifices as food, and had drunk their drink offerings. Why then did these gods not rise up and help them? Why were they therefore not their protection? If they were able, let them see to their situation, and help them and protect them. So Israel must see that unless they turned from these gods there was no help for them. Deliverance could only be for those who truly sought Him.

Note the sarcastic description. These gods could supposedly eat the fat of the sacrifices and drink the wine of drink offerings. Was it not strange that they could do nothing else?

The point for us is that anything that we trust in other than Christ will finally let us down. There is no one and nothing else which is totally dependable.

32.39-40

Yahweh provides His own answer to His question about these gods. It is because they are powerless. He alone can do these things. He alone can protect His people. He is the great ‘I am’, the One Who is, besides Whom no other can compare. He alone has the power of life and death. He alone performs His own will, wounding and healing as He will, with none being able to deliver from His hand. For He raises His hand to heaven with the purpose of making an oath, and can only swear by Himself, for there is none other. Thus He declares, ‘As I live for ever’.

The greeting to great kings was, ‘may the king live for ever’. But Yahweh declares this of Himself, for He, and He alone, is truly the Everlasting One. In the same vein a common oath was, ‘As Yahweh lives’, and we may see here Yahweh taking the idea to Himself because there is no other to swear by.

In these verses the greatness of Yahweh is emphasised. He is ‘the One Who is’, the only One, with power of life and death, and sickness and health, the One so supreme that there is none greater to swear by than Himself as the living God (compare Isaiah 45.23; Jeremiah 22.5; Hebrews 6.17).

He Threatens Judgment On His Enemies (32.41-42).

32.41-42

When He wills He can take vengeance on His enemies. He has but to sharpen His sword which is like lightning, and take in His hand the means of judgment, and then He can render vengeance on all of them, whether the unfaithful of Israel or their enemies. He can recompense all of them for their hatred of Him. His arrows will slay innumerable foes, and His sword will devour their flesh. It will be covered with the blood of the slain and the blood of captives, and blood will flow from the long haired ones of the enemy. The long haired ones were probably the elite troops who let their hair grow long in order to give them extra power in battle (compare Judges 5.2 in a literal rendering)

Yahweh is here pictured as a mighty Conqueror and Judge whom none can resist, for He is invincible and can do whatever He will, and brings His judgment on all alike Who resist His will.

Yahweh Will Deliver His People And Restore Them (32.43).

32.43

For in the end He will deliver His people. And the nations, who had previously looked on His people with scant respect, were now called on to praise them for what they have now become, for He will have avenged the blood of His servants, and rendered vengeance on His enemies, and provided a ‘covering for sin’ (making atonement) for His land and people. Thus in the end will Yahweh triumph. Justice will have been exacted and the sins of His people atoned for.

The cry of triumph and praise is echoed throughout Scripture by the true people of God. For He is always faithful to His people, and in the end sees them through all their troubles.

Note: It will be noted that there is no mention in the song of exile or of a king. It was clearly written before either came to prominence. Its unspecific content is precisely what we would expect before any particular enemies came into prospect. End of note.

The Song Is Finished (32.44-45).

32.44 ‘And Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.’

Compare 31.30. That is repeated here with the addition of the presence of Joshua. Joshua is now no longer Moses servant but the Leader-elect, and his connection with the song is again emphasised (compare 31.19), although Moses is its prime source (31.22). And the song was given to the people that they might take it to their hearts ready for the time when it was needed.

32.45 ‘And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel.’

This is probably to be seen as referring to all his words in the song (see analysis), but some see it as referring to all his words in Deuteronomy. Now his final great task of preparing the people for his death and for the entry into the land was accomplished. It was all over. There remained but the final exhortation.

A Summary Of Moses’ Final Activity (32.46-47).

A summary is now given of what was in fact Moses’ final activity before his death. The song being completed Moses, together with Joshua (Hoshea is Joshua with the Yah element removed), having proclaimed the words of the song to the people, followed it up with an exhortation to keep the whole Instruction that he had given to them.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a ‘And he said to them, Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you this day (46a).
• b Which you shall command your children to observe to do, even all the words of this law (46b).
• b For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life (47a).
• a And through this thing you will prolong your days in the land, to which you go over the Jordan to possess it (47b).

Note in ‘a’ that they are to set their hearts to the words he has spoken that day, for in the parallel it is through those words that they will prolong their days in the land which they are going over Jordan to possess (Moses thoughts are fixed firmly on this triumph which he will never see. All his thoughts are for his people). In ‘b’ they are to command their children to observe them, for they are no vain thing for them, they are life itself,

32.46-47 ‘And he said to them, Set your (of ye) heart to all the words which I testify to you this day, which you (ye) shall command your children to observe to do, even all the words of this law. For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life, and through this thing you (ye) will prolong your days in the land, to which you (ye) go over the Jordan to possess it.’

In his final moments with them he calls on them to set their hearts on all the words which he has testified to them ‘this yom’. This probably means ‘at this time’ rather than literally ‘this very day’ (‘yom’ is a time word which can refer to a period of time rather than always signifying ‘a day’). While it is possible that all this from 5.1 onwards, including his speech, his secret meeting with Yahweh, and the writing of the song, had all taken place in one day, a very crowded day, especially for an old man, it is improbable. The point is rather that it was all part of his final time connected with preparing for his departure.

He stresses that they must teach these words to their children with the command that they obey them, for it is through observing these words that both they and their children will have true life, and a life that is prolonged in the land which they will shortly be crossing Jordan to possess. Compare for these words 30.19-20. His final thought is that they face up to the issues of life.

Yahweh’s Final Words to Moses (32.48-52).

• a And Yahweh spoke to Moses that selfsame day, saying, “Get you up into this mountain of Abarim, to mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho, and behold the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession” (48-49).
• b “And die in the mount to which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered to his people” (50).
• b “Because you trespassed against me in the midst of the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not sanctify me in the midst of the children of Israel” (51).
• a “For you will see the land before you, but you will not go there into the land which I give the children of Israel” (52).

Note that in ‘a’ he is to see the land of Canaan which Yahweh is giving to the children of Israel for a possession. and in the parallel he will see the land before him, but he will not enter it. In ‘b’ he will die there and be gathered to his people, and in the parallel it is because of his trespass at the waters of Meribah when he failed to set apart Yahweh as holy in the eyes of His people.

32.48 ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses that selfsame day, saying,’

Moses having given his final exhortation to the people, on that very same day Yahweh calls him up to a mountain to have one last look at the land to which he has safely brought his people before he dies, explaining that he will then die on that mountain. Although his punishment must be carried out he is given special treatment as the favoured servant of Yahweh.

32.49 ‘Get you up into this mountain of Abarim, to mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho, and behold the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession,’

He is to climb Mount Nebo, in the mountains at Abarim, in the land of Moab, which is over against Jericho, and there behold the land of Canaan which Yahweh is giving to the children of Israel for a possession. Thus His final assurance to His servant is as to the success of his venture. They will go over and possess it.

This would be one of the mountain peaks to the north end of the Dead Sea. It may or may not be the peak called Mount Nebo today, but if it was it provides a wonderful view of the Jordan Valley. Jericho was regularly used as an indicator of the area in the final chapter of Numbers. It was probably the one walled city in the area, and would already have attracted attention, on its mound. It was the first obstacle to entry into the land, for it guarded the pass through the hills.

32.50-51 ‘And die in the mount to which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered to his people, because you (ye) trespassed against me in the midst of the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you (ye) did not sanctify me in the midst of the children of Israel.’

Once he has had this one last look Moses will die in the mountain to which he has climbed. Just as Aaron died on Mount Hor (Numbers 20.22-29; 33.37-39) and was gathered to his people, so will Moses die on Mount Nebo and be gathered to his people. And he too was dying because of the trespass at Meribah when both of them were involved in defaming Yahweh in the eyes of the people. They had failed to ‘sanctify Him’, set Him apart in His uniqueness and compassion and power, among the people (see 1.37; 3.26; 4.21; Numbers 20.10-12; 27.14) because of their own perverseness.

Dying in a mountain to which he was called by God appears to indicate a glorious death, a death near to heaven. He had to be punished but God still cherished His faithful servant, as He had Aaron.

32.52 ‘For you will see the land before you, but you will not go there into the land which I give the children of Israel.’

Yahweh’s concession was for him to see the land, but he was not to have any false hopes of entering it. This embargo was not only to be seen as a lesson for him, but as a lesson for the whole of Israel. That is why it was publicised by the one to whom Moses communicated what he had been told before he went up into the mountain. It could have been Eliezar, as High Priest, but Joshua seems the likely contender.

Chapter 33 The Final Blessing of Moses On His People.

The dying words of a righteous man were in those days seen as having special significance. It was recognised that at such a time a man might receive unusual insights, and his words were indeed seen as actually affecting that future in some way. We are given no context for the blessing which is simply slipped in here as the final words of Moses.

33.1 ‘And this is the blessing, with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.’

This poem is stated to be a blessing given by Moses, ‘the man of God’ (compare for ‘man of God’ Joshua 14.6; 1 Samuel 9.6, 10;1 Kings 13.1, 8; 17.18, etc.), the great prophet, as a blessing on the children of Israel with his death in view (compare Jacob in Genesis 49 for a similar blessing on which in fact this one draws). A man's dying words were seen to be imbued with great power, and as being formative for the future, especially when that man was a prophet. And this blessing was especially significant in view of the fact that Moses knew that his death would mark a new beginning for Israel as they entered the promised land.

The basic message in his words is the revelation of the God of Sinai and the greatness of His power, ideas which both begin and end the poem, something very relevant to what Israel were about to face. Their future is caught up in the greatness of Yahweh. The mention of Sinai suggests that the poem was originally written down separately and later incorporated into Deuteronomy by Moses or his scribe as part of his benediction. Elsewhere in Deuteronomy Sinai is never mentioned, Moses always referring to Horeb, which probably indicated the wider area in which Mount Sinai was situated to include the place where the people gathered (this would be similar to his use of ‘the place’ which Yahweh would choose, rather than mentioning the actual Sanctuary). But this was poetry and required vividness and directness, and therefore Sinai is distinctly mentioned, and in the poem it is important that it is the Mountain of God.

Between these revelations of Yahweh’s glory and power at beginning and end are detailed blessings on the tribes. The detail concerning the tribes has Jacob’s last words in Genesis 49 very much in mind, but is varied as a result of Moses' own experiences with the tribes. As the years had gone by he had seen them for what they were, their weaknesses and their strengths, and he had in his prophetic instinct some understanding of what their future could be if they were obedient to Yahweh.

It will be clear that he had outwardly more enthusiasm for some than for others. He had observed them all over the years and knew them intimately, but he only waxes eloquent over two, Levi which is exalted because of its vital place in God's work on behalf of His people, and Joseph. But the latter is partly as a result of Genesis 49, where Joseph is also dealt with extensively and from which he extracts some material. However, it may also partly be because he has great hopes for them in view of their size and what Jacob promised for them.

It will be noted immediately that there is no mention of Simeon among the twelve tribes. For us that is but a technicality requiring explanation, but for the tribe of Simeon it must have been devastating. To be left out of such a blessing would have been seen as very significant. Why then were they omitted?

Note: The Non-mention of Simeon.

There can only be one of two possible explanations for the non-mention of Simeon, for it could not have been by inadvertence. The first is that there was some special reason for its omission, probably of a disciplinary kind, and the second that the tribe of Simeon had by the time the poem was written faded into insignificance.

The evidence stands firmly against the second. The evidence demonstrates that Simeon continued to appear throughout the centuries as alive and well. See for example 1 Chronicles 12.25; 27.16; 2 Chronicles 15.9; 34.6. It is clear that in the tradition Simeon were seen as able to provide numerous fighting men at various times, and were seen as having numerous cities in the time of Josiah. We may choose to ignore the evidence, but it is there, and there is little actual evidence the other way. For even though in Judges 1 they played second fiddle to Judah, there was no suggestion that they were absorbed by them. Their separate existence was still seen as continuing.

So if the fact that Simeon is not mentioned in the blessing is not due to Simeon disappearing from history, something which in fact on the evidence did not happen, to what can it be ascribed?

One reason was undoubtedly because one tribe had to drop out in the poem in order to maintain the sacred number twelve if both Ephraim and Manasseh were to be mentioned. We note that the tribes of Israel are listed a number of times throughout Scripture and always maintained at twelve, with the result that when Ephraim and Manasseh were seen as separate tribes another had always to be omitted. In the list in Genesis 49 the actual twelve sons were listed, as we would expect. Here in this list Simeon is omitted. In 1 Chronicles 27.16 Asher and Gad were omitted while Simeon was reintroduced, the twelfth tribe then being the half tribe of Manasseh. In Revelation 7 the names of Ephraim and Dan were omitted, although Ephraim comes in as Joseph. But why should Moses select Simeon to be omitted at this time?

The probable reason is to be found in the recent behaviour of the tribe of Simeon. For the fact was that they had recently, and very severely, blotted their reputation, so much so that the omission of their name was probably intended to be an indicator to them of God’s disapproval, a warning that if they did not reform their name might be blotted out of Israel completely. It demonstrated that at this time Yahweh was not pleased with them and that nothing was expected of them, nor could they expect anything of Him, because they had openly defied Him (Numbers 25.14). The indication is thus that they were to see themselves as still under probation for that incident and that they were therefore being passed over in silence. They were being called on to purge their contempt.

Even prior to this incident Simeon had previously had a bad reputation. Like Reuben because of his behaviour with his father’s concubine, Simeon too had originally come under wrath for their behaviour, along with Levi, in the affair at Shechem which Jacob never forgot (Genesis 49.5 compare Genesis 34). But unlike Levi they had not done anything to redeem themselves. Rather they had made their situation worse. For at the first great test following the movement towards the promised land after the years of waiting, they were prominent in their disobedience to Yahweh. This occurred at Baal-peor (Numbers 25). Here Israel demonstrated something of what the future would hold by failing the first time that they came in close touch with local idolatry. As they abode in Shittim some of them began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab and ‘joined themselves with Baal-peor’ (Numbers 25.1). They became involved with the local Moabite religion and its sexual misbehaviour. The result was that all those involved, especially the chiefs, were sentenced to be put to death (verses 4-5).

And there it might have ended. But worse was to follow. A prince/chieftain of the tribe of Simeon deliberately defied Yahweh and Moses, and even while the children of Israel were coming to Yahweh in mourning for their sin (verse 6), he blatantly brought into the camp a Midianitish woman, seemingly with the support and encouragement of his fellow-tribesmen (‘brought to his brothers’ - verse 14), and this clearly in connection with participation in idolatrous worship. It was an open act of defiance against Yahweh and against Moses in the very thing which had been condemned, and it was carried out in the very camp of Israel itself and in the sight of Yahweh.

And it was then, as before in the molten calf incident, that Levi stepped in to support Yahweh’s name, this time through the action of Phinehas, son of Eliezer, son of Aaron, who seizing a spear, followed the Simeonite prince into his tent and slew both him and the woman. Thus were Simeon and Levi divided before Yahweh, with Phinehas being praised by Yahweh for his righteous act and the prince of Simeon being dead in shame, having died for disgracing Israel. Levi were prominent in righteousness and Simeon were in deep disgrace. Levi indeed had averted the plague that Simeon had brought on Israel. This then almost certainly explains why Simeon were dropped here, in contrast with the blessing of ‘Simeon and Levi’ in Genesis 49.5, with the blessing going to Levi alone. The blackened name of Simeon could not be mentioned along with Levi’s (as it had been in Jacob’s blessing).

But that was not to say that Simeon were excluded from the confederacy altogether. We may still see the blessing of ‘the twelve tribes’ as a whole as confirmation that the whole of Israel were to receive the blessings in an overall way, and that would therefore include Simeon, but not as a separate identity. For the point was that Simeon were excluded from the distinctive features that belonged to the others. They were not named. There was nothing to say about them. One twin was exalted, the other unmentioned. It was a clear warning to both Simeon and all Israel of what their rebellion had meant and what such rebellion could mean in the future. It was a warning ‘shot across the bows’. It was a firm reminder that those who rebelled were in danger of being blotted out.

Simeon were not to see from it that they were totally rejected, that they were blotted out of Israel, but rather that they were out of favour and in need of repentance and contrition. It was a warning of what they had lost and that they needed to be careful in the future if they were to be restored to favour. It was a warning of the danger of being blotted out. They had to recognise that in order to be named in Israel they must prove themselves worthy. And the same message would go over to the whole congregation of Israel every time the song was sung. The warning would rank along with that of the death of Moses.

But the dropping out of their name then meant (and this was also possibly partly a cause as well) that a way had to be found to maintain the covenant ‘twelve’. This was achieved by including both Ephraim and Manasseh. Twelve was a number to be maintained at all costs because the number was seen as significant and sacred for the binding together of the tribes, Having twelve (or elsewhere six) in such a confederation seems to have been seen as a sacred requirement for such an alliance among the Terah and Abrahamic tribes, compare Genesis 22.20-24; 25.13-16.

Simeon and Levi were seemingly twins, and had clearly regularly worked together in mutuality in the past, and in the past when they had been blessed, they had been blessed together (Genesis 49.5). Now the deliberate dropping of Simeon’s name spoke loudly of how Levi had been restored to favour so that they were the blessed of Yahweh, while the non-mention of Simeon declared the very opposite about them. Like Moses they were not totally excluded from Yahweh’s favour, but nevertheless had to be punished for their failure at Baal-peor.

There was something else stark that stood out from the omission of their name. It was that their tie with Levi no longer stood. The incident of the molten calf, with its consequent result for Levi, may well be seen as having have broken this mutuality, with the incident of the Midianite woman confirming it. Levi could now show Simeon no special favours. They had a responsibility to Yahweh, and Simeon dropped out of the reckoning.

Thus Simeon would as a result of events recognise that they would have to seek another partner among the Leah tribes. They were no longer in close standing with Levi. Levi were, after all, no longer an ordinary tribe and working together with them would be difficult. They were now Yahweh’s possession. So Simeon may well even at this time, and possibly even earlier, have turned to their brother tribe of Judah. For the fact is that Simeon would later (Judges 1) very much come to be seen as working closely with Judah, possibly even developing a joint leadership of elders from both tribes, in such a way that they would both see themselves, while maintaining their distinctive identities, as coming under the same umbrella. Indeed it may be that the disgracing of the Simeonite chieftain in such a severe manner had resulted in Simeon coming under the leadership of Judah and thus not being at this time distinguished as a separate tribe for the purpose of the blessing (they had lost a good number of their top leadership - Numbers 25.4). This would explain why Simeonite cities are also listed as cities of Judah in Joshua 15.

However, such relationships between neighbourly elements take long periods of mutuality to build up. It would only be after Levi had been given their unique position that Simeon, feeling bereft, may well have looked for another mutual partner in the Leah sub-confederacy, during the long stay around Kadesh, and in the wilderness, finding one in Judah. It is also interesting to note that in Judges also the mention of Simeon is quietly dropped once they have been initially introduced. They appear to have in some way become seen as secondary. Their shame still hung over them.

This would then further explain why, in the book of Joshua, Judah and Simeon were seen as given a joint lot, then divided between them, as is suggested from the lists of towns allocated to each (see Joshua 19.9). This being so it may be that in this blessing Simeon could see themselves as blessed in Judah. However the Chronicler clearly demonstrates that Simeon retained their separate identity within the alliance (1 Chronicles 12.25; 27.16; 2 Chronicles 15.9; 34.6). They were never totally merged into Judah, as the narrative in Judges 1 also makes clear. Thus their non-mention would still have been seen as a blow. It was an indication of the way their actions at Baal-peor were seen as having diminished them.

(But we are not because of this to see Simeon and Judah as separate from the general invasion. Their campaign in fact progressed from north to south, not from south to north. While acting separately they did so as part of the general movement out of Jericho and Gilgal. Judah had been a leader among his brothers, taking over from Reuben (Genesis 43.3, 8) and this sense of possibly unconscious superiority had no doubt passed down as the tribe had grown. With Joseph’s obvious superiority in Egypt it was natural that Judah would for this reason tend to isolate itself and stand aloof, even while remaining a part of the loose family confederacy. They could not take kindly to being subservient. But over the years, as the position of ‘Joseph’ weakened with the change of Pharaohs, the position would become ameliorated but it would remain nevertheless, and Moses was no doubt fully aware of the tensions it produced).

End of note.

The poem was probably written down by Moses with a view to recitation at the annual festivals, as a reminder and assurance of Yahweh’s promises for the future. As a competent leader he would want to ensure the future for his people and give them permanent assurance of God’s coming blessings. It is possible that in the original oral ceremony held by the dying leader some indication of Simeon’s inclusion may have been given, even though they were in disgrace. But the ‘covenant blessing’ required that there be only twelve names and Simeon’s error was too recent. Thus they were deliberately omitted. But the maintenance of the number ‘twelve’ was seen as sacred and ever later maintained, and included within its umbrella all Israel. For Israel was later see as splitting into ‘ten’ and ‘two’ (1 Kings 11.31, 35; 12.21). We are not told how Simeon fitted in to that, but their existence was clearly seen as continuing.

33.2-3a ‘And he said,

This is a vivid description of Yahweh in His glory coming to His people on Mount Sinai. Seir is Edom in which Mount Sinai is found, Paran the rough area in which it is, so that it, or a related mountain, could be called Mount Paran (compare Habakkuk 3.3). The writer is looking back to that glorious day and giving rough directions of its whereabouts which will have been known to the people. These areas were not strictly defined. There were no maps that showed their boundaries, and place names for the same sites were many and varied as used by different peoples. But all knew that Seir and Paran referred to the wilderness to the South.

He came to His people from the multitudes of angels who formed His court, ‘ten thousands of holiness’, an indefinitely large number. And at His right hand He had a law written in fire, a heavenly Law, the law of the One Who appeared in fire, Who was like a flaming fire. And He came because of His love for His people, who were at that stage ‘peoples’ including a mixed multitude from many nations (Exodus 12.38).

For a similar description of Yahweh’s coming from Mount Seir see Judges 5.4-5; compare also Psalm 68.7-8; Habakkuk 3.3-7.

33.3b

Here the ‘holy ones’ may well in this case represent His people, which He had previously called ‘a holy nation’ (Exodus 19.6), who are also the holy servants of Yahweh. The change from ‘His’ to ‘your’ suggests that it is spoken to Moses. Thus Yahweh’s holy people are described as in Moses’ hand and sitting at His feet. He is their supreme authority and teacher. They would all receive his words, the words of that fiery Law that he had received from Yahweh. Moses was establishing his authority as the giver of the blessing to generations yet unborn.

Others see this as referring to the angels receiving Yahweh’s words that they might pass them on to Moses. For the Law was conveyed to him ordained of angels at the hand of a mediator (Acts 7.53; Galatians 3.19). ‘All His holy ones’ would then be a technical term for His angelic hosts. And the second person verbs would then be seen as addressed to either Yahweh or Moses depending on viewpoint.

33.4-5

‘Moses.’ There is no reason for doubting that in the light of his coming death Moses could in such a solemn writing speak of himself in the third person. This was intended to be a solemn record and he intended its happenings to be recorded and passed on down the generations in a way that they would understand clearly.

‘He was king in Jeshurun.’ Some see this as Moses declaring his status. He was ‘king’ in Jeshurun, and commanded them a law. This law was the inheritance of ‘the assembly of Jacob’, it was what was passed on to them from Yahweh through Moses. ‘Assembly of Jacob’ indicates either the gathered Israelite leadership, the men of Israel as a whole, or the whole people.

Jeshurun (‘the upright one’ - some say in the diminutive, although that is questionable) refers to the people of Israel in 32.15; Isaiah 44.2. They were gathered together with their leaders as an upright nation responding to Yahweh’s covenant, with Moses as ‘king’ over them. In this view Moses wanted future generations to recognise the full authority that he had.

Others see ‘He was king in Jeshurun’ as referring to Yahweh as King over His people, with His throne as the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh. Compare Exodus 15.18; the suzerainty treaty - Exodus 20.1-17; Numbers 23.21; Judges 8.23. The people saw themselves as a theocratic people with Yahweh ruling over them. This is possibly the preferable way of looking at it, and we would expect the idea of Yahweh as ‘coming from Sinai’ with His law, to be taken up again prior to the blessings on the tribes. It would be a way by which Moses could assure them that their future was secure. Yahweh was their everlasting King.

(There were dangers in using the title of ‘king’ (melek) of Yahweh, for the god of Ammon was called Melek (becoming with the addition of the vowels from bosheth (‘shame’) Molech) and there could have been confusion. This would explain why, although the covenant format revealed Yahweh as His people’s Overlord, the term King was generally avoided except in a context like this).

It is possible that in the reciting of the poem at covenant festivals this section was intended to be a response of the people to the narrator, which would further explain the reference to Moses in the third person. But such a theory is not necessary.

Moses then, with the prophetic instinct of a dying prophet, spoke of the future of God’s people. Something of which he said of each tribe applied to all the tribes of Israel (we can compare with this the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 1-3 which were written to seven specific churches, but were intended for all the church of Christ). Because it was necessary to maintain the number twelve, and because he intended to mention both Ephraim and Manasseh, he had to omit one tribe and he chose to omit Simeon, probably with mutual agreement as they humbly and repentantly recognised how they had failed at Baal Peor and over the Midianitish woman. But they were still included in his overall words. This omission was possibly partly because in the blessing of Jacob Simeon and Levi were included as one (they were probably twins and did everything together - compare Genesis 34.25). Here his words to Levi would not have suited Simeon apart from verse 11. Or it may have been because of a developed closeness with Judah.

The suggestion that Simeon is omitted because this was written after Simeon had disappeared as a tribe is lacking in evidence and contradicts the evidence of 1 Chronicles 12.25; 27.16; 2 Chronicles 15.9; 34.6. At the division of the kingdoms there were still recognised to be twelve tribes excluding the Levites, and that puts Simeon among the ten, although not all in the ten seceded (2 Chronicles 15.9). The position was necessarily very complicated, and loyalties were tested. But it is clear that Simeon were still able to contribute soldiers at different periods, and that there were Simeonite cities in the time of Josiah

33.6

The first to be dealt with is the firstborn Reuben. Reuben’s future was destined to be that they would wither as a nation, but would survive. As Jacob had said in his dying blessing, unstable as water he would not excel (Genesis 49.4). As Reuben had not been executed for his misdeed, the tribe were not doomed to final execution because of his having taken his father’s concubine - Genesis 35.22, (as the law now required - Leviticus 20.11), but nevertheless they would suffer a lesser penalty in that they would not be fruitful (compare Leviticus 20.20-21). They would eventually become a depleted tribe. Moses recognised the inevitable divine consequence of Reuben’s behaviour, and that the mills of God grind slowly. He may also have seen as significant that they settled by request in land which Moab and Ammon still claimed as their own (Judges 11.13), and were therefore especially vulnerable once those nations grew strong.

‘May his men be a number.’ This is usually seen as indicating that they would be few in number. Compare ‘men of number’ in Genesis 34.30, that is, easily counted. But it might mean ‘may they be numerous’, although the use in Genesis 34 is against it.

33.7

Judah would tend to be a loner but must be welcomed as part of the greater confederacy. Moses was aware of the trend for them to keep separate apart from their special relationship with Simeon, a trend already evident, and prayed that Yahweh would continue to ‘bring him in to his people’ so that they did not break away completely. As a proud tribe they did later stand almost alone, which they could do because of their great size and power, which would already have been evident at this stage. This was seemingly apparent to Moses from the beginning, for he set them in the vanguard of the advance (Numbers 2.9). They will tend to stand on their own, he declares, and will triumph with God’s help. But they would still need Yahweh’s help against their adversaries.

Jacob had already declared that Judah would bear the sceptre, (Genesis 49.10 - see Genesis 43-44 where he had already established his leadership among the sons of Jacob) and would thus be a royal tribe. But Moses says nothing of this, which is evidence of the early date of the poem. There was no kingship other than Yahweh’s on the horizon at this point in time.

The shortness of the blessing comes as something of a surprise in comparison with Genesis 49. This may partly be because Simeon was seen as coming under their umbrella because Simeon’s own chieftainship had been shamed at Baal-peor, with the thought that the least mentioned the better.

33.8-11

When he comes to Simeon and Levi (compare Genesis 49.5), what he has to say specifically concerns Levi predominantly and so Simeon’s name is quietly, and in view of their error, firmly dropped. This was almost certainly deliberate in order to retain the mention of twelve tribes. When listing the tribes of Israel they were always listed as twelve and one was always dropped (because Joseph had divided into Ephraim and Manasseh), for ‘twelve’ was the essential number of the confederacy.

‘Your Thummim and your Urim are with your godly one.’ Central to the ministry of the Levites to the people of Israel was that their leader, ‘the Priest’ (the High Priest), dispensed Yahweh’s will through the Urim and Thummim. We could describe these as ‘holy lots’ through which the divine will could be discovered (see Exodus 28.30; Leviticus 8.8; Numbers 27.21; 1 Samuel 28.6 and so on). ‘Your godly one’ probably refers to Aaron, although it may signify Moses. Both were of the tribe of Levi. Moses may well have been the first to use Urim and Thummim before they were passed over to Aaron on the establishment of the High Priesthood, although his intimacy with Yahweh had become such (Numbers 7.89) that there would for him be little necessity for them, except perhaps in smaller matters of judgment.

‘Whom you proved at Massah, with whom you strove at the waters of Meribah.’ Outwardly this would make ‘your godly one’ Moses for it was with him that they, along with the whole of Israel, strove at Massah and Meribah (Exodus 17.1-7), but Aaron was already identified with Moses in the leadership as against the grumbling people (Exodus 16.2). Thus ‘your godly one’ could equally be Aaron. And in the light of the fact that the Urim and Thummim are said to be ‘with him’ (that is, with his designated successor) Aaron is probably intended.

The purpose of this description is to bring out why Aaron was separated off as ‘the Priest’ along with his sons. He alone (and presumably his family) had not been involved in rebelling against Yahweh.

33.9

As Yahweh’s holy ‘Priest’ Aaron was forbidden to enjoy the usual family relationships. He was in some ways separated off from his family. When any of his family died, whether father, mother, brother, sister, son, or whoever, he was not to touch their dead bodies nor even leave the tabernacle while serving there, in the event that they were to die suddenly (Leviticus 21.11). As God’s supreme representative on behalf of Israel he had to be impervious to all family loyalty. This was proof of Aaron’s dedication and his especially holy position.

Or the picture may have been of Moses whose position meant that he had to keep separate from family loyalties.

33.10

The ministry of all the sons of Levi, the Levites and the priests, is now described. They were to observe His word and guard His covenant, as they had already done when rallying round Moses in the case of the molten calves (Exodus 32.26-29), and as they did now by their tents surrounding the Sanctuary. They were to teach ‘Jacob’ God’s ordinances, and ‘Israel’ His law. They were to offer incense before Yahweh (a right limited of course to the unblemished priests) and whole burnt offerings on His altar. They were to be ‘divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel’ in a way that Jacob did not probably expect when he gave his blessing (Genesis 49.7)). The priests and Levites were to be very influential throughout the land in the Judges period, and while some overstepped the mark, in general they held Israel to the faith (Judges 17.11; 19.1).

As far as the sanctuary was concerned the Levites as a whole were in the beginning merely transporters of the holy things, with only the priests being actually able to enter the Holy Place and pack up the holy things. So the Levites who were not of the priestly family were very much ‘carriers’. However, it seems that levitical duties did include the passing on of the law and the ordinances of Israel, and the external guardianship and general maintenance of the Sanctuary.

There is regularly in fact a problem of terminology when speaking of ‘the Levites’ as to who exactly are in mind, as the term often referred to ancestry, but also referred to special privilege. Aaron was originally ‘the Levite’ (Exodus 4.14) who would be capable of assisting Moses with his oratory. It would seem that possibly even then ‘the Levites’ were seen as having a position, even at that time, where they were noted for oratory and possibly for teaching the pre-Sinai laws and statutes of Israel. As Aaron was of the family of Levi there is no justification for seeing this privilege as going outside that family, but it would explain why they were so suitable later to be teachers of the Law. Alternatively ‘the Levite’ may in his case simply bring out that he was the tribal head.

Thus we have the possibility that when ‘the Levite’ is spoken of later the term is seen as having in mind the priestly family of Aaron the Levite. In Deuteronomy itself distinction is made between ‘the priests, the Levites’ and the other Levites in chapter 18, although it mainly deals with the levitical priests. In the light of the previous records he did not see it as necessary to explain the difference, nor limit the term.

33.11

In the light of this Moses calls for Yahweh’s protection on them. He asks Him to bless the substance of the tribe of Levi, their cities, their fields, and all the tithes and their part in the sacrifices, and to accept from their hands the work that they will do. For if Yahweh does not accept their work, of what use will it be? He also asks that all who rise up against them, and also those who hate them, will be smitten where it most hinders them so that they do not rise again. The Levites were to be under His special protection. This was what made sin against them so heinous. The prayer is that any who opposed them be dealt with by Yahweh, because they could not protect themselves..

33.12

As Benjamin had been the beloved son of Jacob (Genesis 42.4), his tribe were likewise the beloved of Yahweh. He would dwell in safety near God. God would cover him all day long and sit him on His shoulders (compare 1.31 where Israel are borne like a man bears his son). Like the young Benjamin in Jacob’s family he would be a great favourite.

Even indeed when Benjamin sinned deeply God caused them to be preserved in Israel (Judges 19-21) but that was not anticipated here.

So Benjamin is loved by Yahweh and safe under His protection. Dwelling between the shoulders probably means God is, as it were, carrying him on His shoulders. There is no seeming direct connection with Genesis 49.27 where their strength and durability is prominent, except in that those who are covered by Yahweh and carried on His back would certainly be strong and durable.

‘Shoulders (katheph).’ At Ugarit ktp is probably used signifying weapons. Thus the idea here could be of Yahweh strengthening them in battle, making them mighty men.

33.13-17 And of Joseph he said,

When he comes to Joseph, Moses waxes lyrical. As in the case of Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49 Joseph is given an extended blessing, and some of the ideas are borrowed from there. But we may see that it was Jacob’s blessing which clearly inspired Moses in his prophetic utterance. See Genesis 49.25, 26 for the blessings of Heaven above, the deep that couches beneath, the everlasting hills, and the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brethren. The blessing is then extended to cover Ephraim and Manasseh in order to make up the twelve tribes now that Simeon’s name is unmentionable (see introduction to this passage).

The heavy dews that fell from Heaven in the summer were a vital part of Israel’s prosperity, together with the former and latter rains, and the waters that came up from below in springs were used for drinking, for satisfying the thirst of the cattle, and for irrigation. While they were not aware of the significance of the water table as such, they knew that below the ground was plentiful water. It came up in springs, and they could dig for it and find it. These were to be the blessings of Yahweh on Joseph’s lands (as on all Israel’s lands).

They were also aware how the sun brought out both the grain and especially the fruits, and how over the periods of the moons things grew, they knew not how, for harvests were related to the different moon periods as was the whole agricultural calendar.

‘The chief things of the ancient mountains.’ This may have reference to the forests which grew on the mountains and provided timber for various purposes, and/or the olive trees which provided oil, or similar.

‘And for the precious things of the everlasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and its fullness.’ In Genesis 49.26 the blessings ‘to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills’ had in mind Joseph’s great prosperity under God’s hand in contrast with his brothers, seen as God’s generous bestowal on him. Thus it refers to divine provision. Jacob saw his own previous blessing of Joseph as his son as having resulted in the bestowal of it all on him. Indeed ‘Joseph’ would naturally be blessed because of Joseph’s own supremacy. They would have been a wealthier and very influential tribe due to their descent. So Moses prays that such blessings will continue to fall on Joseph, although here he may well have in mind the spiritual side of Joseph’s blessings. The ‘eternal hills’ were regularly seen as a source of such divine blessing, for mountains were considered to be connected with divine things. The precious things of the earth would include cattle and agriculture, but may also have had in mind what could be dug from the earth.

‘And the good will of him who dwelt in the bush, let it come on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brethren.’ The good will of the One who dwelt in the bush (Exodus 3.4. The particular word for bush is used only here and in Exodus 3), the God of Sinai, was the explanation for all the blessing on Joseph, and Moses prays that it will continue to fall on them and on the crown of their head, for they were descended from one uniquely set apart and used by God in a way that his brothers were not. In Egypt he had been a prince among his brothers.

So this is a prayer for prosperity to come on Joseph, water from above and below, fruit produced by the sun, and the harvests moon by moon, productivity and blessing in the hills and in all the land, and above all the goodwill of the One of the Bush (Exodus 3.4). They are to be a fruitful bough (Genesis 49.22). Joseph’s separation from his brothers is a reminder of Joseph’s distinctive career.

‘The firstling of his herd, majesty is his, and his horns are the horns of the wild-ox, with them he will push the peoples all of them, even the ends of the earth, and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.’ The firstling of the herd had the pre-eminence, the prospective place of authority, at least until defeated by another, and Joseph were like the firstling of a herd, strong and powerful. Their horns of power were like those of the wild ox. They will thus be like a triumphant wild-ox pushing back all their enemies, even as far as was necessary, for they were numerous, being made up of the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh. The source of their strength was the Mighty One of Jacob (Genesis 49.24). The greatness of Ephraim and Manasseh was already apparent.

The order is significant. We would normally in poetic parallelism expect the ‘thousands’ to come first followed by the ‘ten thousands’. But Moses accepts God’s verdict that Ephraim the younger son should come first (Genesis 48.19-20), and Ephraim was the largest. Ephraim grew so powerful that their name was often used as a synonym for Israel. But there was no hint here again of kingship or of royal power, again stressing the early date of the poem.

33.18-19 And of Zebulun he said,

Zebulun and Issachar could rejoice in their expansion (their going out) and in their oneness in alliance and brotherhood (‘in your tents’, compare Genesis 9.27). They would be a godly people and encourage their brethren to worship Yahweh. Or ‘the peoples’ may signify visiting traders. The mountain on which they would at this stage offer sacrifices of righteousness (and therefore sacrifices offered in the way that Yahweh had laid down) would be the mountain on which the Central Sanctuary would be based and where Yahweh would be worshipped. It was assumed that its establishment would be connected with a mountain, as it was in chapter 27. Or ‘the mountain’ may signify “the mountain of Yahweh’s inheritance” (Exodus 15.17), that is, the whole of Israel’s possession. And they would rejoice in this way because of their abounding prosperity, through trade by both sea (the abundance of the seas) and land (the hidden treasures of the sand, trade through the desert or the hidden harvests of the seashore), which would explain the multitude of their thanksgiving and freewill offerings. (Compare here Genesis 49.13).

Zebulun was closely connected with ships in Genesis 49.13. It seems probable that in Egypt they had taken great interest in maritime affairs, and Moses knows of their interest and confirms that it will continue. In the event their portion was not on the coast, but their interest may well have continued through trade, and an interest in seafaring. The hidden treasures of the sand may refer to the ‘harvests’ that could be reaped on the seashore of sand, shellfish, and so on, which others may have taken no interest in but which Zebulun were prepared to harvest. (A people can be landlocked and yet be interested in the sea).

Zebulun and Issachar would later be connected with Galilee (Nazareth was in Zebulun) from whence would come the Saviour of the world who would offer the greatest sacrifice of righteousness of all time. He especially, with His followers who were mainly from that area, would call men to the mountain of God as described in Isaiah 2.1-4.

33.20

God will enlarge Gad and prosper them. They will be a triumphant predator, seizing the arms of the enemy, and tearing their heads, as a lion seizes its prey. By their prominence in leadership they will be looking first after their own interests, and then after the interests of all the tribes, and will be prominent in the confederacy. They will always be among the leaders, and will have a concern for the carrying out of the righteousness of Yahweh, and the bringing about of His ordinances. Compare Genesis 49.19 where Gad also reveals his strength.

It is clear that by this time these traits were especially noticeable in the tribe of Gad. All the tribes would have altered through the years, years firstly of prosperity and then of oppression. Some would have made more use of the first, and may have responded better to the second. Some would even be in parts of the Delta possibly not so much affected by the oppression. Moses would by this time have gathered much about the futures of these tribes from what he had observed about them and their leadership.

There may also be reference to Gad’s part in the future conquest, ‘coming at the heads of the peoples’ as befitted a warrior tribe, having themselves already first settled in Transjordan with Moses’ blessing. Gad was chosen to replace Levi, combining with the Leah tribes in having a major protective position in the advance through the wilderness (Numbers 1.24; 2.14-15).

The historical presence of Gad in Transjordan is confirmed on the Moabite Stone where Gad is mentioned by Mesha, the king of Moab.

33.22 And of Dan he said,

Moses finds little inspiration in some of the tribes and cannot arouse any prophetic enthusiasm about them. In Jacob’s blessing Dan was the snake. Here he is to leap forth from the snake like a young lion. This may mean that the Danites will develop more strength, transforming from snake to young lion, or it may suggest that while having some strength like a young lion, they will shy away from ‘snakes’.

The ancient word bashan may well be parallel with the word btn at Ugarit where it meant a snake. Or the thought may simply be that the lions of Bashan were seen as particularly dangerous (these being the only ones they had encountered since reaching the land). Compare Song of Solomon 4.8 for abundance of lion’s dens there.

Dan did not leap forth from Bashan against Laish, they went from the lowlands under the Philistines. Dan is never connected with Bashan in any way. It is just possible that they may have travelled through parts connected with Bashan to reach Laish but they may equally have gone through Naphtali if they wanted to surprise Laish. Compare Genesis 49.17 where Dan will ever be tricky but fearful.

33.23

Naphtali is to be blessed, satiated with Yahweh’s favour and blessing. Naphtali would later be famous for its olives. They are to possess ‘the west and the south’, or equally possibly ‘the sea and the south wind’ (the same words covered both). Naphtali would in fact be situated in the extreme North of Israel. But we would not expect Moses to refer to specific areas, for he has not done so previously. We should therefore read as ‘the sea and the south wind’. ‘The sea’ would naturally bring to mind at this stage the Mediterranean. The thought is probably of two sources of trouble and distress, the troubled sea (Isaiah 57.20) and the tempestuous south wind (Isaiah 21.1). Naphtali would rise above them both.

‘The sea (yam).’ The sea was mainly looked on in Israel as an enemy, as ‘Yam’ was the enemy of Baal. Thus it could represent trouble and distress. The ‘south wind’ was seen as tempestuous (Isaiah 21.1; Zechariah 9.14), especially from the viewpoint of where Moses would be at this time. To possess them would indicate rising above trouble and conquering it.

As it happened Naphtali settled around the lake of Galilee, but that is probably a coincidence. They would then, of course, be able to harvest ‘the sea’.

So Naphtali will prosper through God’s help and will have their share in the possessions to come. The directions are general rather than specific, and may simply indicate prosperity in agriculture and trade, or by tribal expansion. Their expansion may result from their diplomacy, their ‘goodly words’ (Genesis 49.21).

33.24-25

Asher is the last to be mentioned. Asher means ‘blessed’. The Hebrew may be a request that he be blessed above his brethren, that is mightily blessed in accordance with his name. Then ‘the favoured among his brethren’ would imply the same thing.

‘Dipping his foot in oil’ would indicate great blessing in olive oil production, and ‘bars of iron and bronze’ would indicate the strength of his fortifications.

Others see it as meaning that Moses prays that they will be blessed with children, blessed with the support of their brethren, blessed in olive growing (dipping their feet in oil), blessed in security (bars of iron and bronze), and blessed with good health. Their prosperity is similar to that described in Genesis 49.20.

Except when manipulated to fit a theory all the blessings, apart from that of Levi, are general, even more so than in Genesis 49, and some, (and Joseph’s very much so), have Genesis 49 in mind. We must in fact remember that the promises were dependent on obedience, and that that was mainly lacking. But the overall idea is of the blessing that His people would receive in the land of promise, and the spread of blessings would in the end belong to all. It is significant that there is no suggestion of a Canaanite presence. The assumption is of a land completely possessed and at rest.

33.26

Israel is now assured that that what Moses has spoken of will be theirs, for there is no god like their God. He is king in Jeshurun (verse 5), and now He is their God. He is supreme and alone in majesty. He rules them from above and can come to their help from there at any time. For this compare Psalm 68.33-34 where a similar idea is expressed. See also Psalm 104.3; Isaiah 19.1; 2 Samuel 22.10-11; Psalm 18.9-10. He rides the Heavens in order to come to their aid, and is supreme in the skies.

Baal, a prominent god both in Canaan and in Baal worship in Egypt, was described as ‘the rider of the clouds’, and Moses wants it to be quite clear that the clouds are in fact part of Yahweh’s sphere. It is rather He Who rides the clouds.

33.27

But He does not just ride above them as their Deliverer, as the eternal God He is also a dwelling place for them, and His everlasting arms are upholding them. Thus, as He has for them in the past, He will thrust forth the enemy from them and then say to them, ‘Destroy’, because their enemies are in flight. God will defeat their enemies but Israel have to play their part, and thus recognise the judgment of God on sin. Notice the stress on eternal and everlasting, compare verse 15. Their God has no limits.

33.28

Because of this Israel, once they had driven out their enemies and are alone in the land, will dwell in safety and prosperity, having reached the land of grain and new wine, whose heavens drop down dew (which helps to produce the grain and new wine). Note the assumption of aloneness. Moses indicates his expectation that they will be obedient and thus will have turned out the Canaanites (possibly with his tongue in his cheek).

‘The fountain of Jacob.’ That which springs forth from Jacob.

33.29

He finishes his poem in confidence. What a happy position Israel are in, for they are unique among nations, they have been delivered by Yahweh. He is to them a shield and a sword, a shield to help and protect them and with which to thrust back the enemy, and a sword to fight on their behalf so that they might be triumphant. Thus will their enemies submit to them and their high places be trodden down.

‘High places.’ These were the places on which the Canaanites worshipped their gods and called for help against the invaders, known to Israel from their knowledge of Baalism in Egypt. They were the evidence that the land belonged to Baal and Asherah. Their treading down will demonstrate that those ‘nothings’ have been defeated, and will expel them, destroy them and render them inoperative.

But ‘high places’ (bamoth) may possibly be translated ‘backs’ based on Ugaritic ‘bmt’, and would then signify complete victory.

Note. We have not tried to demonstrate the blessing in a chiastic pattern but there are reasons for thinking that it is so. Thus both near the beginning and towards the end are mentions of Jeshurun (5 and 26). The blessing begins with Yahweh on Mount Sinai and closes with mention of ‘high places’ (29b). Yahweh comes forth as a deliverer and at the end his people delight in their deliverance (29a). The first five verses indicate that Yahweh has come to bless His people and the last four verses indicate that He will do so. And in between are given the blessings on the individual tribes. End of note.

Chapter 34 The Death of Moses.

The book closes with a record of the death of its main source. As has been mentioned previously Moses is unlikely to have recorded it himself. That would have been put into the hand of an experienced scribe. In so far as it is there the impression gathered throughout the Pentateuch is that that was probably Joshua. But what we do have are the words of Moses, with occasional background material put in by the scribe. Here in this final chapter the scribe completes his work.

Analysis using the words of the scribe:

• a And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to mount Nebo, to the top of the Pisgah, that is over against Jericho, and Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilead, to Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the hinder sea, and the South, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees, to Zoar (1-3).
• b And Yahweh said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your seed.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there” (4).
• c So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahweh, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor (5-6a).
• c But no man knows of his sepulchre to this day (6b).
• b And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated (7).
• a And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. So the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended (8).

Note that in ‘a’ that Moses goes up and sees the whole land. How his faithful heart must have exalted. He had brought his people to the very verge of this glorious land which he now saw before him. And in the parallel Israel mourn for his loss, as well they might. In ‘b’ he sees the promised land, promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (they had not taken possession of it either, but they had fulfilled their part just as Moses had) and he could die content. And in the parallel Moses died, his task complete, and he was one hundred and twenty years old (he had lived a long life through three generations). And he could see the land clearly for his eyes were not dimmed. And Yahweh had rewarded his faithfulness by allowing him to retain his strength. In ‘c’ Yahweh buried him, and in the parallel no one knew where.

34.1-3 ‘And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to mount Nebo, to the top of the Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilead, to Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the hinder sea, and the South, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees, to Zoar.’

Having fulfilled his final responsibilities Moses went up to the high cliffs overlooking the Dead Sea (the Pisgah), to Mount Nebo, a high point in the Pisgah. And from there he surveyed the land on the other side of Jordan as far as the eye could see. We must not take the descriptions too literally. The point is to bring out that he surveyed ‘the whole land’, north towards Gilead, north west towards Dan and Naphtali, west towards Ephraim, Manasseh and Judah, and south towards ‘the South’ and Zoar. The reference to Dan may represent an updating by a later scribe. Dan became the northernmost point of Israel as in ‘from Dan to Beersheba’. But it may be another Dan as in Genesis 14.14.

34.4 ‘And Yahweh said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your (thy) seed.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” ’

The surveying of the land was probably intended to represent ownership. On behalf of his people Moses was permitted this first indication of ownership. It was the land which Yahweh had sworn to the patriarchs that He would give them, now it will be possessed, but not by Moses except by faith (3.27; 4.21-22; 32.52). It was for the children of the patriarchs, for Israel.

34.5 ‘So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahweh.’

And there in that mountain Moses died, just as Yahweh had stated must happen, for he was never seen again. ‘The Servant of Yahweh’ was a title of great honour. It represented one who was directly associated with Yahweh in His purposes, and through whom Yahweh carried out His will on earth, and who was faithful to the end. Joshua would later also be called the Servant of Yahweh at his death (Joshua 24.29; Judges 2.8).

34.6 ‘And he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor. But no man knows of his sepulchre to this day.’

This probably simply means that although they went up and searched everywhere they never found his body. ‘Yahweh had buried him’. Thus no one knew where he was buried. Just as he had mysteriously appeared from God, from the wilderness, so he had equally mysteriously returned to God, and no one knew how. He had come from God and now he was in God’s hands. It may be that God did not want any attempt to be made to take Moses’ body with them into the land along with Joseph’s bones. His exclusion would ever be a warning against presumption.

34.7 ‘And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.’

He died in full health. The very fact that he had been able to climb the mountain alone and look across the Jordan was proof enough of this. He could still see well and move about with confidence. There may also be the suggestion that he was still sexually active. Today he would have been described as ‘a wonderful man for his age’. And that he certainly was, in more ways than one. The one hundred and twenty years covers three generations, which was the main intent of the number (compare 31.2).

34.8 ‘And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. So the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.’

The thirty days appears to have been the prescribed period of mourning for a leader in Israel (Numbers 20.29). There can be little doubt that the mourning was genuine. They had not always loved him in life, but he had been their mainstay and their inspiration, their great deliverer, and their constant contact with Yahweh. However, they knew that once the mourning was over they had to move on. Death was no stranger to them and they had been warned in advance that this one was coming.

Moses’ Final Accolade (34.9-12).

Analysis using the words of the scribe:

• a And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom. For Moses had laid his hands on him. And the children of Israel listened to him, and did as Yahweh commanded Moses (9).
• b And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like to Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face (10).
• b In all the signs and the wonders, which Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land (11).
• a And in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel (12).

Note in ‘a’ that Moses’ first great act was the passing on of the Spirit of Yahweh to Joshua by laying his ‘hands’ on him so that the people would listen to him and do as Yahweh commanded Moses (it was wrought in the sight of all Israel), and in the parallel he used his mighty ‘hand’ and produced great terror in all that he wrought in the sight of all Israel. In ‘b’ his second greatness lay in the fact that he was a prophet of unusual ability and inspiration, and in the parallel he had revealed signs and wonders which Yahweh had sent him to do to Pharaoh, his executive ministers and his land.

34.9 ‘And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom. For Moses had laid his hands on him. And the children of Israel listened to him, and did as Yahweh commanded Moses.’

And for the moving on there was only one man, Joshua the son of Nun, for Moses had appointed him and laid his hands on him. At this time of bereavement that would have carried much force. He was Yahweh’s and Moses’ choice. And as a result he was filled with the Spirit of wisdom. Compare Numbers 27.18-23 where he is described as ‘a man in whom is the spirit’ (see Numbers 11.16-17). He was a man prepared. Yahweh’s work never loses through the death of even so great a man as Moses. No human being is ever indispensable. Yet note what is said about him. Israel listened to him and did what Moses commanded. Even after Moses’ death he was Moses’ mouthpiece. Thus the might that lay behind Joshua was seen as a might passed on by Moses.

34.10 ‘And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like to Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face,’

Nevertheless no prophet had arisen to replace him who was of his quality, at the time of writing, no prophet who could be seen as strictly fulfilling 18.18 There is no time limit either short or long to this statement. For the point is not that a prophet had not arisen, (in fact Moses designated the men on whom the Spirit came in Numbers 11.26-29 as prophets) but that such a prophet had not spoken face to face with Yahweh like Moses did (compare Exodus 33.11), and had not performed the signs and wonders that Moses had (verse 11). Moses was unique.

Certainly we get the impression that Joshua so spoke with Yahweh, but clearly it was to a lesser degree than Moses. Possibly what the writer means is that no one was God’s close friend like Moses was.

34.11-12 ‘In all the signs and the wonders, which Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel.’

And this uniqueness came out in what was accomplished through his life. In the signs and wonders that Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, his servants and his land. Compare for this 4.34 where it was Yahweh Who did the signs and wonders and 29.2 where it was Yahweh who outfaced Pharaoh, his servants and all the land of Egypt. Moses took on the whole of Egypt singlehanded in Yahweh’s name, and won. And then it was revealed again in God’s mighty hand revealed throughout the wilderness journey, including all the terrible judgments that took place through his ministrations, producing within Israel the fear of Yahweh, so that all Israel feared Him. It was through such that they were now here waiting to cross the Jordan, confident in Yahweh.

IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE BIBLE THAT PUZZLES YOU?