Deuteronomy 32
OGCSUMMARY OF CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The prophetical and historical song of Moses, showing forth the nature of God’s doctrine, 1-3. The character of God, 4. The corruption of the people, 5, 6. They are called to remember God’s kindness, 7. and his dealings with them during their travels in the wilderness, 8-14. Their ingratitude and iniquity, 15-18. They are threatened with his judgments, 19-28. A pathetic lamentation over them because of their sins, 29-35. Gracious purposes in their behalf, mixed with reproaches for then manifold idolatries, and threatenings against his enemies, 36-42. A promise of salvation to the Gentiles, 43. Moses, having finished the song, warmly exhorts the people to obedience, 44-47. God calls him up to the mount, that he may see the good land and then die, 48-52.
QUESTIONS, LESSON TWENTY-THREE (Deuteronomy 31:1 to Deuteronomy 32:47)
OVER CHAPTER 31
How old is Moses now?
Who is appointed as his successor, and who appoints him?
List at least three factors (or incidents) in this man’s life that show he possessed the qualities needed as Israel’s leader.
Show that he was a spiritual man, as well as one with good military leadership. (Overlaps with 3.)
Do you remember the words of encouragement Moses gave to Israel (also found in the book of Hebrews)?
To whom was the law delivered?
How often was it to be read before all Israel How often was it actually read?
The tent of meeting is-’ a name for _______, and also for _____________.
What is said about Israel’s imagination? What could and should have been said about it?
Where was the book of the law kept?
OVER CHAPTER 32
What material object, more than any other, is the central figure for God in this chapter?
What traits does it bring to mind?
Do you recall any phrases that show how much God cared for Israel in the wilderness?
Explain: honey out of the rock. oil out of the flinty rock (Deuteronomy 32:13).
How would Israel’s new found prosperity effect them?
Who or what is Jeshurun?
Distinguish between Rock and rock in this chapter.
Who are those that are not a people (Deuteronomy 32:21)?
God’s fire would be kindled because of Israel’s wickedness. How extensively would it destroy?
What (in this chapter) restrained God from completely obliterating Israel from the face of the earth?
Would Israel ever be vindicated and restored?
Whose help did (does) God not need to deliver Israel?
Why should Israel set their hearts to these words?
Deuteronomy 32:1-18
C. THE SONG OF MOSES (Deuteronomy 31:30 to Deuteronomy 32:47)
The song is difficult to outline, but the main contents may be grouped as follows:
INTRODUCTION Deuteronomy 31:30 to Deuteronomy 32:2
The greatness and faithfulness of God, in contrast with the faithlessness of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:3-18)
The chastisement and the need of its infliction by God (Deuteronomy 32:19-33).
God’s compassion upon his people in their low and humbled state (Deuteronomy 32:34-42).
30 And Moses spake in the ears of* all* the assembly ofIsrael the words of this song, until they were finished.
1 Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak; And let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew; As the small rain upon the tender grass, And as the showers upon the herb:
GIVE EAR YE HEAVENS. LET THE EARTH HEAR (Deuteronomy 31:1)another way of appealing to the witness of God. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall utterly perish from off the land. (Deuteronomy 4:26). The whole universe is called to witness the procedure. Let all eyes and ears testify to the reading.
3
For I will proclaim the name of Jehovah;
Ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
4
The Rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are justice:
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is he.
5
They have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish;
They are a perverse and crooked generation.
6
Do ye thus requite Jehovah,
O foolish people and unwise?
Is not he thy father that hath brought thee? He hath made thee, and established thee.
7
Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of many generations: Ask thy father, and he will show thee; Thine elders, and they will tell thee.
8
When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
When he separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.
9
For Jehovah’s portion is his people;
Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
10
He found him in a desert land,
And in the waste howling wilderness; He compassed him about, he cared for him,
He kept him as the apple of his eye.
11
As an eagle that stirreth up her nest,
That fluttereth over her young, He spread abroad his wings, he took them, He bare them on his pinions.
12
Jehovah alone did lead him,
And there was no foreign god with him.
13
He made him ride on the high places of the earth,
And he did eat the increase of the field; And he made him to suck honey out of the rock, And oil out of the flinty rock;
14
Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock,
With fat of lambs, And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the finest of the wheat; And of the blood of the grape thou drankest wine.
15
But Jeshurun waxed far, and kicked:
Thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art become sleek; Then he forsook God who made him, And lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16
They moved him to jealousy with strange gods;
With abominations provoked they him to anger.
17
They sacrificed unto demons, which were no God,
To gods that they knew not,
To new gods that came up of late,
Which your fathers dreaded not.
18
Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful,
And hast forgotten God that gave thee birth.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 31:30-32:18
Who is The Rock of Deu 31:4? Why use this name?
There are some very strong comparisons and contrasts between Jehovah and Israel. List three of them.
Israel has endearing names. List three of them.
There are several figurative descriptions of Israel that will describe the Israel of God today. Mention two.
Sin, Servitude, Sorrow, Salvation; this is the vicious circle of Israel’s history. How can this circle be broken?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 31:30-32:18
30 And Moses spoke in the hearing of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.
CHAPTER 32
Give ear, O heavens, and I [Moses] will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 2 My message shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the light rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb. 3 For I will proclaim the name [and presence] of the Lord. Concede and ascribe greatness to our God. 4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are law and justice, a God of faithfulness, without breach or deviation, just and right is He. 5 They [Israel] have spoiled themselves. They are not sons to Him, that is their blemish. A, perverse and crooked generation! 6 Do you thus repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Is not He your father Who acquired you for His own? Who made and established you [as a nation]? 7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. 8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the Israelites. 9 For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob [Israel] is the lot of His inheritance. 10 He found him in a desert land, in the howling void of the wilderness; He kept circling around him, He scanned him (penetratingly), He kept him as the pupil of His eye.
11 As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, He spread abroad His wings; He took them, He bore them on His pinions. [Luke 13:34.]
12 So the Lord alone led him; there was no foreign god with Him. 13 He made Israel ride on the high places of the earth, and he ate the increase of the field; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock; 14 Butter and curds of the herd and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats, with the finest of the wheat; and you drank wine of the blood of the grape. 15 But Jeshurun [Israel] grew fat and kicked. You became fat, you grew thick, you were gorged and sleek! Then he forsook God Who made him, and forsook and despised the Rock of his salvation. 16 They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to anger. 17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods lately come up, whom your fathers never knew or feared.
18 Of the Rock that bore you you were unmindful; you forgot the God Who travailed in your birth.
COMMENT 31:30-32:18
THE ROCK (Deuteronomy 32:4)A central figure of God in the song (Deuteronomy 32:13; Deuteronomy 32:15; Deuteronomy 32:18; Deuteronomy 32:30-31). And note in Deuteronomy 32:37-38 Israel is rebuked for placing their confidence not in the Rock but in the rock of their own makingan idol. God is the essence of immutable and impregnable strengthtraits this figure of speech depicts. Cf. Genesis 49:24, 1 Samuel 2:2, Psalms 18:2, Matthew 16:18, John 1:42, etc.
THY FATHER THAT BROUGHT THEE (Deuteronomy 31:6)Thus, they were a redeemed people (Exodus 6:6).HE HATH MADE THEE, AND ESTABLISHED THEE (Deuteronomy 31:6)As David could say
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit,
out of the miry clay;
And he set my feet upon a rock,
and established my goings.
JEHOVAH ALONE DID LEAD HIM, AND THERE WAS NO FOREIGN GOD WITH HIM (Deuteronomy 31:12)A verse that at once sets forth the strength and independence of God’s power. HE it was that led Israel, supplied Israel, preserved Israel, protected IsraelHE and no other! It was not a multitude of heathen gods that did it, it was THE ALMIGHTY God! And he depends upon no other source of power. Note Deuteronomy 8:3 and notes, Deuteronomy 4:35-39. Yet there was ever the tendency to attribute God’s power to heathen dieties: These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4, 1 Kings 12:28-29). And throughout much of Israel’s history Jehovah-worship and idolatry were mixed together in a confusing and contradictory hodge-podge! Note, for example, the story of Micah and his house of idols (Judges, Ch. 17). It was not a matter of totally leaving Godor totally leaving Jehovah-worship. Rather, They feared Jehovah, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away (2 Kings 17:33). It should hardly need saying that such luke-warm dedication to God and his word is a stench in the nostrils of the Almighty.
AND HE MADE HIM TO SUCK HONEY OUT OF THE ROCK (Deuteronomy 31:13)This phrase, along with Deuteronomy 31:14, has a parallel in Psalms 81:16, He would feed them also with the finest of the wheat; And with the honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee. Rocks or ledges, of course, are places for bees to construct their honeycombs and deposit honeyespecially under them, or in the crevices between them. And it was this metaphor of prosperity and God’s goodness that led the song writer F. A. Graves to pen the words of his well-known hymn:
Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious? Do you walk in the way that’s new? Have you drunk from the living fountain? There’s Honey in the Rock for you.
Oh, there’s Honey in the Rock, my brother,. There’s Honey in the Rock for you. Leave your sins for the blood to cover, There’s Honey in the Rock for you.
OIL OUT OF THE FLINTY ROCK (Deuteronomy 31:13).That is, olive oil would be plentiful in this new land, and olive trees, because of God’s blessing, would grow even in the most obstinate soil. It would be a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey (Deuteronomy 8:8). Olive oil was (and is) used widely for food in the near east.
BUT JESHURUN WAXED FAT AND KICKED (Deuteronomy 31:15)Jeshurun is a symbolical or poetical name of endearment for Israel. Gesenius says it is a tender and loving appellation of the people of Israel. At the same time, he believes there is an allusion to the idea of rectitude or uprightness. He mentions the possibility of it being a diminutive form of Israel and meaning something like the righteous little people. Whatever its precise meaning, it is always used in place of Israel. It occurs only here, Deuteronomy 33:5; Deuteronomy 33:26, and Isaiah 44:2.
THEN HE FORSOOK GOD (Deuteronomy 31:15)i.e., the prosperity of Israel (though given by God) became their undoing. Cf. the warning of Deu 8:11 ff.
19
And Jehovah saw it, and abhorred them,
Because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
20
And he said, I will hide my face from them,
I will see what their end shall be: For they are a very perverse generation,
Children in whom is no faithfulness.
21
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God;
They have provoked me to anger with their vanities: And I will move them to jealousy with those that are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
22
For a fire is kindled in mine anger,
And burneth unto the lowest Sheol, And devoureth the earth with its increase, And setteth on fire the foundations of the mountains.
23
I will heap evils upon them;
I will spend mine arrows upon them:
24
They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat And bitter destruction;
And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust.
25
Without shall the sword bereave,
And in the chambers terror;
It shall destroy both young man and virgin,
The suckling with the man of gray hairs.
26
I said, I would scatter them afar,
I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men;
27
Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy,
Lest their adversaries should judge amiss, Lest they should say, Our hand is exalted, And Jehovah hath not done all this.
28
For they are a nation void of counsel,
And there is no understanding in them.
29
Oh that they were wise, that they understood this,
That they would consider their latter end!
30
How should one chase a thousand
And two put ten thousand to flight, Except their Rock had sold them, And Jehovah had delivered them up?
31
For their rock is not as our Rock,
Even our enemies themselves being judges.
32
For their vine is of the vine of Sodom,
And of the fields of Gomorrah: Their grapes are grapes of gall, Their clusters are bitter:
33
Their wine is the poison of serpents,
And the cruel venom of asps.
Deuteronomy 32:19-33
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 32:19-33
What is meant by the use of the word provocation?
What foreign people are meant in Deuteronomy 32:21?
Where is Sheol? Explain the use of this term here.
Something will restrain God’s wrath as mentioned in Deuteronomy 32:26-27. What is it?
Itemize what Israel was as contrasted with what they should have been.
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 32:19-33
19 And the Lord saw it, He spurned and rejected them, from indignation with His sons and His daughters. 20 And He said, I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be. For they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness. 21 They have moved Me to jealousy with what is not God; they have angered Me with their idols; so I will move them to jealousy with those not a people; I will anger them with a foolish nation. 22 For a fire is kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol, devours the earth with its increase, and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. 23 And I will heap evils upon them; I will spend My arrows upon them. 24 They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and poisonous pestilence; and the teeth of beasts will I send against them, with the poison of crawling things of the dust. 25 From without the sword shall bereave, and in the chambers shall be terror, destroying both young man and virgin, the sucking child with the man of gray hairs. 26 I said, I would scatter them afar, and I would have made the remembrance of them to cease from among men, 27 Had I not feared the provocation of the foe, lest their enemies misconstrue it, and lest they should say, Our own hand has prevailed; all this was not the work of the Lord. 28 For they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them. 29 O that they were wise, and would see through this [present triumph] to their ultimate fate! 30 How could one have chased 1,000 and two put 10,000 to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had delivered them up? 31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. 32 For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom, and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of (poisonous) gall, their clusters are bitter; 33 Their wine is the (furious) venom of serpents, and the pitiless poison of vipers;
COMMENT 32:19-33
AND I WILL MOVE THEM TO JEALOUSY WITH THOSE THAT ARE NOT A PEOPLE. A FOOLISH NATION (Deuteronomy 32:21)See also Romans 10:16-19. Those not in God’s service are important as eternal souls, but if they are not in fact his children, they are a foolish nationeven as we were no people (1 Peter 2:10) before coming to Christ. They are those having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:12).
What nation is referred to here? It is hard to say which of the many invaders of Israel (if a specific one is indeed being referred to) the Holy Spirit intends. Both Assyria and Babylon attacked while Israel was filled with idolatry (note Deuteronomy 32:16-17).
… FIRE. BURNETH UNTO THE LOWEST SHEOL (Deuteronomy 32:22)The A. V. has unto the lowest hell, but in either case the reader might be mislead. the word sheol literally signifies the unseen state, or the unseen place. Baumgartner defines it here, waste, no-country, underworld. The present passage could be a general description of God as a consuming fire. But it seems better to apply it to the immediate case: God’s wrath would be upon their whole land when they were disobedient: Their crops, fields, houses, grain-storage binsall would be destroyed; Clarke remarks on this phrase, … the very deepest destruction; a total extermination, so that the earththeir land and its increase, and all their property should be seized; and the foundations of their mountains [Deuteronomy 32:22]their strongest fortresses, should be razed to the ground. All this was fulfilled in a most remarkable manner in the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, so that of the fortifications of that city not one stone was left on another.
AND THE TEETH OF BEASTS WILL I SEND UPON THEM (Deuteronomy 32:24)See also Leviticus 26:22. In Deuteronomy 7:22 we saw the strategy of defeating Israel’s enemies was to be little by little lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. But disobedience would also bring them. We do not have a recorded instance of this as far as the Israelites themselves are concerned. But in 2 Kings 17:24-26 we have such an act of God toward the foreign occupants of Samaria brought in by the Assyrians.
I SAID, I WOULD SCATTER THEM AFAR, I WOULD MAKE THE REMEMBRANCE OF THEM TO CEASE (Deuteronomy 32:26)See Exodus 32:9-14, Deuteronomy 9:13-14; Deuteronomy 25-29. The wrath of God was stayed, not because of a deserving Israel, but Lest their adversaries should judge amiss, etc. (Deuteronomy 32:27).. lest their enemies misconstrue it (Amplified).
The translation of The Torah is helpful from Deuteronomy 32:26-30 :
26
I might have reduced them to naught,
Made their memory cease among men,
27
But for fear of the taunts of the foe,
Their enemies who might misjudge And say, Our own hand has prevailed; None of this was wrought by the Lord!
28
For they [the heathen nations] are a folk
void of sense, Lacking in all discernment.
29
Were they wise, they would think upon this,
Gain insight into their future:
30
How could one have routed a thousand,
Or two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their rock had sold them, The Lord had given them up?
Deuteronomy 32:30 shows the weakness of Israel without Jehovah, No foe can stand before him, but enemies can overrun his own people if he has abandoned them,
Oh! how would one have chased a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Were it not that their Rock had sold them, And Yahweh had abandoned them;
(Rotherham)
The idea, of course, is that Israel’s defeat at the hand of their enemies would have been impossible unless God had abandoned his people.
FOR THEIR ROCK IS NOT AS OUR ROCK (Deuteronomy 32:31)a statement equivalent of saying, For their god(s) are not as our God. To foreign nations, whose god (rock) was powerless and dead, his physical presence or non-presence made no actual difference in the outcome of battlesor any other event for that matter. But Israel lost no battles unless their Rock had sold them. The powerless rock of the heathen is not as our Rock, who is omnipotent.
EVEN OUR ENEMIES THEMSELVES BEING JUDGES (Deuteronomy 32:31)i.e., Israel’s enemies can testify to the above truth. The Egyptians, for example, were helpless before Israel’s God, shouting, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for Jehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians (Exodus 14:25). See also Exodus 15:14-16, Deuteronomy 2:25.
VINE OF SODOM. FIELDS OF GOMORRAH (Deuteronomy 32:32)To become like these became (Genesis 19:23-28) would be to become a desolate waste, unproductive and sterile. See Deuteronomy 29:22-28, notes. Whatever would be produced in Israel, as in Deuteronomy 32:32-33 would be of the poorest quality. But it is possible that this picturesque phrase means more. Sodom and Gomorrah are here advanced as types of what is depraved, and to the moral taste nauseous (cf. Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 23:14). (Pulpit)
GRAPES OF GALL (Deuteronomy 32:32)See Deuteronomy 29:18-20, notes. Deuteronomy 32:32-33 could be taken to describe a degenerate people as well as a degenerate land.
34
Is not this laid up in store with me,
Sealed up among my treasures?
35
Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
At the time when their foot shall slide: For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things that are to come upon them shall make haste.
36
For Jehovah will judge his people,
And repent himself for his servants; When he seeth that their power is gone,
And there is none remaining, shut up or left at large.
37
And he will say, Where are their gods,
The rock in which they took refuge;
38
Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices,
And drank the wine of their drink-offering?
Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.
39
See now that I, even I, am he,
And there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal;
And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
40
For I lift up my hand to heaven,
And say, As I live for ever,
41
If I whet my glittering sword,
And my hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine adversaries, And will recompense them that hate me.
52
I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,
And my sword shall devour flesh; With the blood of the slain and the captives,
From the head of the leaders of the enemy.
43
Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people:
For he will avenge the blood of his servants, And will render vengeance to his adversaries, And will make expiation for his land, for his people.
Deuteronomy 32:34-43
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 32:34-43
What does God have laid up in His treasury?
How is it possible to say of God that He repents?
Are we to believe God takes some type of delight in bloodshed? Cf. Deuteronomy 32:32-41.
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 32:34-43
34 Is not this laid up in store with Me, sealed up in My treasuries? 35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slide; for the day of their disaster is at hand, and their doom comes speedily.
36 For the Lord will pass sentence for His people, and relent for His servants-’ sake, when He sees that their power is gone, and none remain, whether bond or free. 37 And He will say, Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge. 38 Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you, let them be your protection. 39 See now that I, I am He, and there is no god beside Me; I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; and there is none who can deliver out of My hand. 40 For I lift up My hand to Heaven, and swear, As I live for ever, 41 If I whet My lightning sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will wreak vengeance on My foes, and recompense those who hate Me. 42 I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the foe. 43 Rejoice with His people, O you nations, for He avenges the blood of His servants, and vengeance He inflicts on His foes, and clears guilt from the land of His people.
COMMENT 32:34-43
MY TREASURES (Deuteronomy 32:34)The Hebrew word otsar, according to Tregelles, means properly, what is laid up, a store, stock. Thus God has reserved in his treasure such items as vengeance (Deuteronomy 32:35) and judgment (Deuteronomy 32:36).
FOR JEHOVAH WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE. AND REPENT HIMSELF (Deuteronomy 32:36)Better, as in the R.S.V. and others, For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, etc.
Ferrar Fenton has,
Then the LORD will redress His
People;
For His servants He deeply grieves, When he sees their power departing, And fail, and fade, and decay. Then He asks, Where now are
their godlings?
The power upon whom they
trust
In Israel’s despair and desperation, they would come to realize the uselessness and worthlessness of their heathen gods. Finally, the living God would rescue his chosen nation (Deuteronomy 32:39-43). Again and again this is Israel’s history, especially in the period of the Judges, between the death of Joshua and the anointing of Saul.
44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and Hoshea the son of Nun. 45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel; 46 and he said unto them, Set your heart unto all the words which I testify unto you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, even all the words of this law. 47 For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.
Deuteronomy 32:44-47
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 32:44-47
Who is Hoshea? Cf. Numbers 13:16.
What is involved in fulfilling the injunction to set your heart?
Hearing, heeding, living, the word of God will give us _________?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 31:44-47
44 And Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and Hoshea (Joshua) son of Nun. 45 And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 He said to them, Set your [minds and] hearts on all the words which I command you this day, that you may command them to your children, that they may be watchful to do all the words of this law. 47 For it is not an empty and worthless trifle for you; it is your very life; by it you shall live long in the land which you are going over the Jordan to possess.
COMMENT 32:44-47
HOSHEA (Deuteronomy 32:44)that is, Joshua. Numbers 13:16
informs us that Moses called Hoshea [-Jehovah is help-’] the son of Nun Joshua [-Jehovah saves-’]. Depending on the version used, Hoshea may be rendered Oshea, and Joshua Jehoshua.
SET YOUR HEART UNTO ALL THE WORDS (Deuteronomy 32:46)Give heed to them and carefully abide by them BECAUSE IT IS YOUR LIFE (Deuteronomy 32:47)a phrase reminiscent of Deu 4:1, Deuteronomy 8:3, Deuteronomy 30:19-20. Heeding God’s word, in whatever dispensation it might be given, has always meant life! See John 6:63; John 6:68. In Israel’s case, as Moses emphasized again and again, this meant not only life eternal, but THROUGH THIS THING YE SHALL PROLONG YOUR DAYS IN THE LAND (Deuteronomy 32:47).
Deuteronomy 32:48-52
LESSON TWENTY-FOUR Deuteronomy 32:48 to Deuteronomy 34:12
D. MOSES COMMANDED TO ASCEND
MOUNT NEBO (Deuteronomy 32:48-52)
48 And Jehovah spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 49 Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession; 50 and die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: 51 because 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 ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. 52 For thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither into the land which I gave the children of Israel.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 32:48-52
What day is meant by the expression that selfsame day?
There are three names used: Abarim, Nebo, and Pisgah, are these all names of the same place?
In death Moses was to be gathered unto thy peoplejust where are his people that death would unite the two?
Please notice carefully the sin of Moses at Kadeshthere is something far more serious than speaking or striking the rockwhat is it?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 32:48-52
48 And the Lord said to Moses that same day, 49 Get up into this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho; and look at the land of Canaan, which I give to the Israelites for a possession; 50 And die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people; 51 Because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you did not set Me apart as holy in the midst of the Israelites. 52 For you shall see the land over opposite you, but you shall not go there, into the land which I give the Israelites.
COMMENT 32:48-52
GET THEE UP INTO THIS MOUNTAIN (Deuteronomy 32:49)See also Deuteronomy 3:23-28, Deuteronomy 34:1 ff. There is no practical purpose for distinguishing between Pisgah and Nebo, the former the name of Nebo in Deuteronomy 3:27.
Because of Moses-’ transgression at the waters of Meribah (Numbers 20:2-13), neither Moses nor Aaron were allowed to enter the Promised Land proper. We find no indication on their part of bitterness or inner rebellion against God because of this prohibitionin fact, all scripture with reference to their death leads us to believe they had long since quietly aquiesced to the will of God in this matter. Yet, what deep and overwhelming emotion must have engulfed Moses-’ soul as he ascended that mountain! Surely from this distance it is impossible to imagine it! See further on this under Deuteronomy 34:1.
AS AARON. DIED IN MOUNT HOR (Deuteronomy 32:50)See Numbers 20:22-29, and note that, as in the case of Moses, Aaron could not enter Canaan because ye rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah (Numbers 20:24. Compare Deuteronomy 32:51 of this chapter). Aaron had died on the first day of the fifth month of this year (Numbers 33:38). Moses-’ death was not too much later, for even after the events of Deuteronomy, Moses-’ death, the thirty days of mourning, and Joshua’s leading of Israel across Jordan, we are only in the tenth day of the first month of the next year (Joshua 4:19).
BECAUSE YE SANCTIFIED ME NOT (Deuteronomy 32:51)See notes under Deuteronomy 1:37. There is much misunderstanding concerning the nature of Moses-’ (and Aaron’S) sinsin so great in God’S eyes to keep this great man of faith from taking part in the final victory and entering Canaan with Israel. It is frequently explained that God condemned him because of his disobedience in striking the rock (an act which had been commanded of him in a previous instance, Exodus 17:6), instead of merely speaking to it as instructed. And though this may be part of Moses-’ violation, it is not mentioned as a reason for preventing his entrance into Canaan. See Numbers 20, especially Deuteronomy 32:12. Moses did not sanctify God in the eyes of the people, Because ye believed not in me. In whom or what, then, did Moses have faith? It seems to have been himself, along with Aaron. And perhaps, too, (though it is hard to believe!) in the powers of his rodthe rod he had previously used to perform such feats as splitting the waters of the Red Sea or bringing forth water at Rephidim. Had Moses come to think of his rod as a magic stick? We do not know. At any rate, as he and Aaron stood before Israel, the shout of Moses was, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? The name of God was not mentioned. The people only saw Moses and Aaron.
If ever there is a reminder of God’s demand for his own glory to be reflected in our words and lives, it is illustrated here. His words must be followed, and the credit for his power (no matter who he works through) must be given to HIM!