Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 10:6

6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera ; there Aaron died , and there he was buryed, and Eleazar his son ministred in the priests office in his stead.

This following History comes in manifestly by way of parenthesis, as may appear from ver. 10. where he returns to his former discourse; and it seems to be here inserted, Either 1. Because the Priests and Levites here mentioned were the Guardians and Keepers of the Ark and Tables here mentioned. Or rather, 2. As an evidence of Gods gracious answer to Moses his prayers, and of his reconciliation to the people notwithstanding their late and great provocation. For, saith he, after this they proceeded by Gods guidance in their journeys, some eminent stages whereof he names for all: and though Aaron dyed in one of them, yet God made up that breach, and Eleazar came in his place and ministred as Priest, one branch of which office was to intercede for the people. Then, saith he, God brought them from the barren parts of the wilderness to a land of rivers of waters, v. 7. a pleasant and fruitful soil, Then, he adds, God separated the Levites, &c. v. 8.

Obj. This place seems directly contrary to that Numb. 33. 31. where their journey is quite contrary to this, even from Moseroth, to Bene-jaakan. This indeed is a great difficulty, and prophane wits take occasion to cavil. And if a satisfactory answer be not yet given to it by interpreters, it ought not therefore to be concluded unanswerable, because many things formerly thought unanswerable, have been since fully cleared, and therefore the like may be presumed concerning other doubts yet remaining. And it were much more reasonable to acknowledge here a transposition of the words through the Scribes mistake, than upon such a pretence to reject the divine Authority of those sacred books which hath been confirmed by such irresistable Arguments. But there is no need of these general pleas, seeing particular answers are and may be given to this difficulty sufficient to satisfie modest and impartial enquirers. Ans. 1. The places here mentioned are differing from those Numb. 33. it being very frequent in Scripture for divers persons and places to be called by the same names, and yet the names are not wholly the same; for there it is Bene-jaakan, and here Beeroth bene-jaakan, or Beeroth of the children of Iaakan; there Moseroth, here Moserah; there Hor-hagidgad, here, Gudgodah; there Iotbathah, here Iotbath. If the places were the same, it may justly seem strange why Moses should so industriously make a change in every one of the names. And therefore these may be other stations, which being omitted in Numb. 33. are supplyed here, it being usual in sacred Scripture to supply the defects of one place out of another. Answ. 2. Admitting these two places to be the same with those Numb. 33. 31. yet the journeys are divers. They went from Beeroth of the children of Iaacan to Mosera, which is omitted in Numbers, and therefore here supplyed; and then back again from Moserah or Moseroth, to Bene-jaakan, as is there said: for which return there might then be some sufficient reason, though now unknown to us, as the reasons of many such like things are: or God might order it so for his own pleasure, and, it is not impossible he might do it for this reason, that by this seeming contradiction, as well as some others, he might in just judgment do what he threatned to the Iews, Ier. 6. 21. even lay stumbling blocks before prophane and proud wits, and give them that occasion of deceiving and ruining themselves, which they so greedily seek and gladly embrace; which is the reason given by some of the antients why God hath left so many difficulties in Scripture. Ans. 3. The words may be otherwise rendred, from Beeroth of the children of Iaakan, and from Moserah: where the order of the places is not observed, as was noted before of the order of time, v. 1. because it was nothing to the purpose here, and because that might be easily fetched from Numb. 33. where those journeys are more particularly and exactly described. For the conjunction and, that may be here wanting, and to be supplyed, as it is Exod. 6. 23. 1 Sam. 4. 7. Psal. 133. 3. Isa. 63. 11. Hab. 3. 11. And the preposition, from, is easily supplyed from the foregoing words, as is most usual. Nor seems there to be any more reason to render it to Moserah, than, from Moserah, seeing the Hebrew letter He in the end is made a part of the proper name, and therefore is not local.

Qu. How it is true, when Aaron dyed not in Moserah, but in Mount Hor, Numb. 33. 37. Ans. 1. Moserah may be a differing place from Moseroth, and that may be the name of a Town or Region in which Mount Hor was, or to which it belonged. Or, the same mountain in respect of divers parts and opposite sides of it might be called by divers names, here Moserah, and there Hor. And it is possible, they might go several journeys, and pass to divers stations, and by fetching a compass (which they oft did in their Wilderness travels) come to the other side of the same Mountain. Ans. 2. The Hebrew particle, soham, may here note the time, and not the place of Aarons death, and may be rendred then, as it is taken, Gen. 49. 24. Psal. 14. 5. Eccles. 3. 17. Zephan. 1. 14. And then is not to be taken precisely, but with some latitude, as it is oft used in Scripture; that is, about that time, after a few removes more; as the words, at that time, v. 8. must necessarily be understood.

Marginal references: Num. 33. 3[illegible: 1+ letters].; Num. 20. [illegible: 1+ letters].