Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 1

1 THese be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel , on this side Jordan, in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red-sea, between Paran , and Tophel, and Laban , and Hazeroth , and Dizahab.

These are the Laws, Counsels and Admonitions delivered by Moses from God to Israel, which are here repeated for the instruction and obligation of those who by reason of their tender years were uncapable either of understanding them, or of entring into Covenant with God.

To wit, by the Heads or Elders of the several Tribes or others, who were to communicate these discourses to all the people in several Assemblies.

Either 1. In the vast desert of Arabia. But that is no where called a plain. Or rather 2. In the plain of Moab, as may appear by comparing this with v. 5. and Numb. 22. 1. and Deut. 34. 8. Obj. That was far from the Red-Sea here mentioned. Answ. The word Suph here used doth not signifie the Red-Sea, which is commonly called jam-suph, and which was at too great a distance▪ but some other place now unknown to us (as also most of the following places are) so called from the Reeds or Flags, or R[illegible: 1+ letters]hes (which that word signifies) that grew in or near it, which reason of the name being common to other places with the Red-Sea▪ it is not strange if they got the same name. Compare Numb. 21 14.

Not that Numb. 10. 12. Which there and elsewhere is called the Wilderness of Paran, and which was too remote, but some other place called by the same name, than which nothing more usual.

Places not mentioned elsewhere.

Of which see Numb. 11. 35 and 33. 17, 18. And these places seem to be the several bounds and limits not of the whole Country of Moab, but of the plain of Moab, where Moses now was, and spake these words.

Marginal references: O[illegible: 1+ letters], Zuph.

2 (There are eleven days journey from Horeb , by the way of mount Seir , unto Kadesh▪ barnea .)

This is added to shew that the reason why the Israelites in so many years were advanced no further from Horeb, than to these plains, was not the great distance of the places or length of the way, which was but a journey of eleven days at most, but because of their rebellions, as is mentioned before and repeated in this book.

Or Sinai, the place where the Law was given which is promiscuously called by both those names.

Or Mount Edom, i. e. the mountainous Country of Seir, which was first possessed by the Horims, and afterwards by the Edomites, Deut. 2. 12.

Which was not far from the borders of Canaan. See Gen. 16. 14. Numb. 13. 26.

3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month , on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

Which was but a little before his death.

4 After he had slain Sihon the King of the Amorite, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the King of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth, in Edrei :

His palace or Mansion-house was at Astharoth, and he was slain at Edrei, Numb. 21. 33. of both these places see Gen. 14. 5. Jos. 13. 31.

Marginal references: Numb▪ 21. 24, 33.; Josh. 13. 31.

6 The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, ye have dwelt long enough in this mount .

Of Horeb, where they continued about a years space, Exod. 19. 1. Numb. 10. 11, 12.

7 Turn ye, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorite , and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea-side, to the land of the Canaanite, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river the river Euphrates.

i. e. To the mountainous Country where the Amorites dwelt, which is opposed to the plain here following, where others of them dwelt. And this is first mentioned, because it was in the borders of the land; See below v. 19, 20. The divers p[illegible: 1+ letters] or bounds of the land are here mentioned.

Marginal references: Heb. All his Neighbours.; Heb. Of Euphrates.

8 Behold, I have set the land before you : go in, and possess the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give unto them, and to their seed after them.

Heb. before your faces, it is open to your view, and to your possession, there is no impediment in the way. See of this phrase, Gen. 13. 9. and 34. 10.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. given.; [illegible: 1 word] 12. 7. & [illegible: 1 word]. & 17▪ 7▪ [illegible: 1 word] 18. & 26. [illegible: 1 word] & 28. 13.

9 And I spake unto you at that time , saying, I am not able to bear you my self alone:

i. e. About that time, to wit, a little before their coming to Horeb. Exod. 18. 18.

12 How can I my self alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden , and your strife ?

The trouble of ruling and managing so perverse a people.

Either your quarrellings with God: or rather your coatentions amoung your selves, for the determination whereof the Elders were appointed.

13 Take ye wise men, and understanding , and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

Persons of Knowledge, Wisdom and Experience.

Men Famous, and had in reputation, for ability and integrity: for to such they would more readily submit.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them heads over you; captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

Not in Authority, which yet they had not, but in endowments for good government.

Inferiour Officers, that were to attend upon the Superiour Magistrates, and to execute their decrees.

Marginal references: Heb. gave

16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him .

That converseth or dealeth with him. To such God would have justice equally administred as to his own people, partly for the honour of Religion, and partly for the interest which every man hath in matters of common right.

Marginal references: Joh. 7. 24.; Lev. 24. 22.

17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great, ye shall not be afraid of the face of man: for the judgment is Gods : and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Heb. Not know, or acknowledge Faces, i. e. Not give sentence according to the outward qualities of the person, as he is poor or rich, your Friend or Enemy, but purely according to the merits of the cause. For which reason some of the Grecian Law-givers ordered that the Judges should give sentence in the dark wherethey could not see mens faces. See the same or like phrase. Deut. 10. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6, 7. Iob 13. 8. Iam. 2 1, 9.

Persons of the meanest rank.

i. e. It is passed in the name of God, and by commission from him, by you as representing his person, and doing his work, who therefore will own and defend you therein against all your Enemies, and to whom you must give an exact account.

Marginal references: Lev. 19. 15. chap 16. 19. 1 Sam. 16. [illegible: 1+ letters]. Prov. 24. 23.; Heb. acknowledge faces.

18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do .

I delivered unto you, and especially unto your Judges, all the Laws, Statutes, and Judgments revealed unto me by the Lord in Horeb.

23 And the saying pleased me well : and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe.

For there seemed to be some prudence and good policy in it: but Moses could not see into their hearts, nor from what root this desire grew: but God saw it, and therefore in just judgment complyed with their desire, and permitted them to do so for their tryal and exercise, Numb. 13. 1, 2, 3.

Marginal references: Numb. 13. 3.

24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eschol , and searched it out.

Or, the brook: the word signifies both, for Brooks commonly run in Valleys.

i. e. of grapes, so called from the goodly cluster of grapes which they brought from thence, Numb. 13. 23.

Marginal references: Num. 13. 24.

25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hand, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give unto us.

Grapes, Pomegranates and Figs, Numb. 13. 23.

Which acknowledgment coming from its Enemies, should have prevailed with you to go in more than their discouraging words should have beat you off, because the Lord who had given you this land, was unquestionably able to settle you in it in spight of all opposition.

27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us , he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite, to destroy us.

And therefore designed to destroy us.

28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we, the cities are great, and walled up to Heaven ; and moreover, we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

In number and strength and valour.

i. e. To a great height. A common Hyperbole, as Gen. 11. 4 Psal. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]7. 26.

The Children of Anak. or Enak. See Iudg. 1. 10, 20.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word]; Num. 1▪ [illegible: 1 word] 29. [illegible: 1+ letters], 3[illegible: 1+ letters]; Num. 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1 word]

30 The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

Where you were weak, dispirited, divided, raw and unexperienced and in a great measure unarmed, and able to do nothing against your numerous potent, united Enemies, but to stand still and see the salvation of God. And therefore now your distrust is highly unreasonable, when you have been hardned and fitted for military service by your travels, disciplined and experienced in some degree as to Martial Affairs, encouraged by frequent and glorious Miracles for 40 years together, and you are going into a Country divided into several Nations and Kingdoms.

31 And in the wilderness where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee , as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.

Or, carried thee, as a father carries his weak and tender child in his arms, as Isa. 49. 22. or as upon Eagles wings, as i[illegible: 1+ letters] is▪ Exod. 19. 4. through difficulties and dangers, gently leading you according as you were able to go, and sustaining you by his power and goodness. See of this or the like phrase, Numb. 11. 12. Deut. 32. 10, 11. Psal. 91. 12. Isa. 46. 3, 4.

Marginal references: Isa. 63. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ Hos. 11. 3.

32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God;

In this matter which God commanded and encouraged you to do, to wit, in going in confidently to possess the land. Or, in this word, whereby God promised to fight for you, and assured you of good success.

34 And the LORD heard the voice of your words , and was wroth and sware, saying,

To wit, your murmurings, your unthankful, impatient, distrustful and rebellious speeches and carriages.

36 Save Caleb the sun of Jephunneh, he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath troden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.

Under whom Ioshua is comprehended, as is manifest from v. 38. and Numb. 14. 30. though not here expressed, because he was not now to be one of the people, but to be set over them as chief Governour.

That particular part of the Land. Compare Ios. 14. 9.

Marginal references: Heb. fulfilled [illegible: 1+ letters]go after.

37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes , saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

Upon occasion of your wickedness and perverseness, by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly, Psal. 106. 32, 33.

Marginal references: Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. Chap. 3. 26. and 4. 21. and 34. 4.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee , he shall go in thither, Encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

i. e. Who is now thy Minister and Servant, for such are oft described by this phrase, as 1 King. 1. 2. Dan. 1. 5, 19.

39 Moreover, your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children; which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil , they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

A common description of the state of childhood, as Ionah. 4. 11.

41 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and sight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.

Or, ye offered your selves, or, you began, or you earnestly resolved and attempted.

Marginal references: Num. 14. 40.

42 And the LORD said unto me, say unto them, Go not up, neither fight, for I am not among you : lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

With my powerful presence and assistance.

44 And the Amorite which dwelt in that mountain came out against you, and chased you, as bees do , and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

As Bees which being provoked come out of their Hives in great numbers, and with great fury pursue and sting their Adversary and Disturber, Psal. 118. 12.

46 So ye abode in Kadesh many dayes, according unto the dayes that ye abode there .

i. e. As you abode in Kadeh many, even 40 days, until the spies which you sent returned to give you an account, so you also abode there many days, or a long time after, and were not now permitted to make any further progress towards Canaan.