Deuteronomy 31

Deuteronomy 31:1

CHAPTER 31

Moses declares to the people his approaching death, and encourageth them, and Joshua, . He delivereth the law unto the priests to read it every seventh year to the people, . God putteth Joshua into his office; foretelleth to Moses and him the future disobedience and misery of the people; enjoineth Moses a song to testify against the people, . Moses chargeth the Levites to lay up the book of the law beside the ark of the covenant, assembleth all the people to hear his song, .

Went and spake, i.e. proceeded or continued to speak, a usual Hebrew phrase. Or, went to the place where he had assembled the people, that he might speak to them.

Deuteronomy 31:2

Go out and come in, i.e. perform the office of a leader or governor, either because I now find a decay of my mind and body, which seems not well to agree with , or because I foresee the time of my death approaches.

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Which he gave to you to possess.

Deuteronomy 31:5

Before your face, i.e. into your power. See Poole “”.

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This law, largely so called, the whole law or doctrine delivered unto Moses contained in these five books.

Delivered it unto the priests, that they might keep it carefully and religiously, and bring it forth upon occasion, and read it, and instruct the people out of it.

Which bare the ark, to wit, sometimes in great solemnities, as ,17 6:12 ; though the Levites also might bear it, as appears from Numbers 3 Numbers 4 Numbers 10 .

The elders of Israel were assistants to the priests, and overseers to take care that the law should be kept, and read, and observed.

Deuteronomy 31:10

The year of release; when they were freed from debts and troubles, and cares of worldly matters, and thereby fitter to attend upon God and his service.

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Thyself in part, for the Jews tell us that the king was in person to read some part of it; or, at least, thou shalt cause it to be read by the priests or Levites, for he could not read it himself in the hearing of all Israel, but this was to be done by several persons, and to the people met in several congregations. See , &c.

Deuteronomy 31:12

Gather the people together; not into one place, where all could not hear, but into divers assemblies or synagogues.

Women hereby are required to go to Jerusalem at this solemnity, as they were permitted to do in other solemnities, when the males only were enjoined to go, .

Children, to wit, such of them as could understand, as appears from ,3.

Thy stranger, i.e. the proselytes, though others also were admitted.

That they may learn; that they may then certainly and constantly do so, though they had also other opportunities to do so, as upon the sabbath days, , and other solemn feasts, yea, even in their private houses.

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In the tabernacle; either properly so called, for though the priests only might ordinarily enter there, yet others might go in upon a call and command from God, which here they had; or in the court of the tabernacle, at the door of which God stood in the cloudy pillar, , the court coming here under the name of the tabernacle, as elsewhere it comes under the name of the temple.

That I may give him a charge, immediately from myself, for his greater encouragement, and to gain him more authority with the people.

Deuteronomy 31:16

The death of men, both good and bad, is oft called a

sleep, because they shall certainly awake out of it by resurrection. See , &c.; . This people will go a whoring: God certainly foresees all things to come, yea, even those which depend upon the wills of men, or contingencies of the things, as this unquestionably did.

Of the strangers of the land, i.e. of the Canaanites, who now are possessors, but shortly will be turned out of their possessions, and become as strangers in their own land. This aggravates their folly, to worship such gods as could neither preserve their friends, nor annoy their enemies.

Deuteronomy 31:17

Hide my face, i.e. withdraw my favour and help.

Deuteronomy 31:19

This song, which is contained Deuteronomy 32, and is put into a song that it may be better learned, and more fixed in their minds and memories.

Put it in their mouths; cause them to learn it, and sing it one to another, to oblige them to more circumspection and watchfulness.

A witness for me; of my kindness in giving them so many blessings, of my patience in bearing so long with them, of my clemency in giving them such fair and plain warnings, and my justice in punishing such an unthankful, perverse, and incorrigible people.

Deuteronomy 31:21

It shall not be forgotten: this seems not to be a precept that they should remember it, but a prediction, that God would give them sad occasion to remember it, by bringing upon them the dreadful calamities mentioned in it.

Their imagination which they go about, even now; either their inward inclinations to idolatry, which they do not check, as they ought, but rather entertain with delight; and some of them do not only cherish it in their hearts, but as far as they can and dare secretly practise it, as may be gathered from ; or their secret purposes to allow themselves therein, when they are settled in their land, which were clearly known to God, though it may be not fully evident to themselves.

Deuteronomy 31:23

This wickedness of theirs which I now foresee and foretell shall not hinder me from bringing them into Canaan.

Deuteronomy 31:25

The Levites, i.e. the priests, who also were Levites.

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In the side, i.e. in the outside, in a little chest fixed to it, for nothing but the tables of stone were contained in the ark, . Here it was kept for greater security and reverence.

A witness against thee, i.e. against thy people, to whom he turns his speech, that they might be more affected with it.