(KJV) Deuteronomy 112

<< Numbers 36 Deuteronomy 2 >>

⥃The Command to Leave Horeb [ Exodus 33:1–6 ]

[1] These [be] the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this3 side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red [sea4], between Paran5, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth6, and Dizahab. [2] ([There are] eleven days’ [journey] from Horeb by the way7 of mount Seir unto8 Kadesh–barnea.) [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;9 [4] After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:10 [5] On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare11 this law, saying, [6] The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb12, saying, Ye have13 dwelt long enough in this mount: [7] Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount14 of the Amorites, and unto all [the places15] nigh thereunto, in the plain16, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great17 river, the river Euphrates. [8] Behold, I have set18 the land before you: go in and possess the land which19 the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

⥃Moses Appoints Leaders [ Exodus 18:13–27 ]

[9] And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not20 able to bear you myself alone: [10] The Lord your God21 hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye [are] this day22 as the stars of heaven for multitude. [11] (The Lord God of your fathers make you23 a thousand times so many more as ye [are], and bless you24, as he hath promised you!) [12] How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?25 [13] Take26 you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you. [14] And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken [is] good [for us] to do. [15] So I took27 the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made28 them heads over you, captains over thousands29, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. [16] And I charged30 your judges at that time, saying, Hear31 [the causes] between your brethren, and judge righteously between [every] man and his brother, and the stranger32 [that is] with him. [17] Ye shall not33 respect persons34 in judgment; [but] ye shall hear35 the small as well as the great; ye shall not36 be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment37 [is] God’s: and the cause38 that is too hard for you, bring [it] unto me, and I will hear it. [18] And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.39

⥃Twelve Spies Sent Out [ Numbers 13:1–33 ]

[19] And when we departed from Horeb, we went through40 all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us; and we came41 to Kadesh–barnea. [20] And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain42 of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us. [21] Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up [and] possess [it], as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not43, neither be discouraged.

[22] [¶]And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send44 men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. [23] And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:45 [24] And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.46 [25] And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, 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 us.

⥃Israel’s Rebellion [ Numbers 14:1–12 ]

[26] Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God:47 [27] And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us48, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. [28] Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged49 our heart, saying, The people50 [is] greater and taller than we; the cities [are] great and walled51 up to heaven; and moreover we have seen52 the sons of the Anakims there. [29] Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.53 [30] The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall54 fight for you, according55 to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; [31] And in the wilderness56, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee57, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. [32] Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God,58 [33] Who went59 in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents [in], in fire60 by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

⥃Israel’s Penalty [ Numbers 14:20–35 ]

[34] And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware61, saying, [35] Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers, [36] Save Caleb62 the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed63 the Lord. [37] Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.64 [38] [But] Joshua65 the son of Nun, which standeth66 before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him67: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. [39] Moreover your little68 ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in69 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. [40] But [as for] you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.70

⥃The Defeat at Hormah [ Numbers 14:40–45 ]

[41] Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned71 against the Lord, we will go up and fight, 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. [42] And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up72, neither fight; for I [am] not73 among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. [43] So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled74 against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up75 into the hill. [44] And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you76, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, [even] unto Hormah77. [45] And ye returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.78 [46] So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode [there]. 79

<< Numbers 36 Deuteronomy 2 >>

  1. The book of Deuteronomy marks the end of the Pentateuch, commonly called the Law of Moses; a work every way worthy of God its author, and only less than the New Testament, the Law and Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Its antiquity places it at the head of all the writings in the world; and the various subjects it embraces render it of the utmost importance to every part of the civilized world. Its philosophy, history, geography, and chronology entitle it to the respect of the whole human race; while its system of theology and religion demonstrably proves it to be a revelation from God. The Law of Moses is more properly the Law of Jehovah, ιδεδ ( ‎יְהֹוָה‎ ) ϊεψδ ( ‎תּוֹרָה‎ ), torah yehowah , the grand title of the Pentateuch. Could we conceive Moses to have been the author of this system, we must consider him more than mortal - no wisdom of man has ever yet invented such a Code of Laws. His merit, however, has been disputed, and his laws severely criticised, by persons whose interest it was to prove religion a cheat, because they had none themselves. To some, whose mental taste and feeling are strangely perverted, everything in heathenism wears not only the most fascinating aspect, but appears to lay claim to and possess every excellence; and hence they have called up Confucius, Menu, Zoraster, and Mohammed himself, to dispute the palm with Moses! On this subject in general, it may be just necessary to add, that the utmost that can be said of all laws, merely human, is, that they restrain vices, through the terror of punishment. God’s law not only restrains vice, but it infuses virtue. It alone brings man to the footstool of his Maker; and keeps him dependent on the strong for strength, on the wise for wisdom, and on the merciful for grace. It abounds with promises of support, and salvation for the present life, which no false system dared ever to propose. Every where, Moses, in the most confident manner, pledges his God for the fulfilment of all the exceeding great and precious promises, with which his laws are so plentifully interspersed; and while they were obedient they could say, “Not one word hath failed us, of all the good things which the Lord our God spake concerning us.” Who that dispassionately reads the Pentateuch, that considers it in itself and in its reference to that glorious Gospel which it was intended to introduce, can for a moment deny it the palm of infinite superiority over all the systems ever framed or imagined by man? Well might the Israelitish people triumphantly exclaim, “There is none like the God of Jeshurun!” and with what striking propriety does the glorious legislator add, “Happy art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee? O people, saved of the Lord!” Finally, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, which are amassed in these five books, have enriched the whole civilized earth, and, indeed, greatly promoted that very civilization. They have been a kind of text-book to almost every writer on geology, geography, chronology, astronomy, natural history, ethics, jurisprudence, political economy, theology, poetry, and criticism, from the time of Moses to the present day - books to which the choicest writers and philosophers in Pagan antiquity, have been deeply indebted; and which were the text-books to all the prophets - books from which the flimsy writers against Divine Revelation have derived their natural religion, and all their moral excellence - books written in all the energy, and purity, of the incomparable language in which they are composed; and lastly, books, which for importance of matter, variety of information, dignity of sentiment, accuracy of facts, impartiality, simplicity, and sublimity of narration, tending to improve and ennoble the intellect and ameliorate the physical and moral condition of man, have never been equalled, and can only be paralleled by the Gospel of the Son of God! Fountain of endless mercy, justice, truth, and beneficence! How much are thy gifts and bounties neglected by those who do not read this law; and by those who having read it, are not morally improved by it, and made wise unto salvation! ↩

  2. Deut 1:1, Moses’ speech in the end of the fortieth year; Deut 1:6, briefly rehearsing the history of God’s sending them from Horeb; Deut 1:14, of giving them officers; Deut 1:19, of sending the spies to search the land; Deut 1:34, of his anger for their incredulity; Deut 1:41, and disobedience. ↩

  3. Num 32:5, Num 32:19, Num 32:32, Num 34:15, Num 35:14; Josh 9:1, Josh 9:10, Josh 22:4, Josh 22:7 ↩

  4. or, Zuph, Or rather, Suph, This could not have been the Red Sea, not only because the word yam, "sea," is not joined with it as usual, but because they were now east of Jordan, and farther from the Red Sea than ever. It seems to be the same which is called Suphah in Num 21:14; which must necessarily signify some place in or adjoining to the plains of Moab, and not far from the Jordan and Arnon. Ptolemy mentions a people called Sophonites that dwelt in Arabia Petrea, who may have taken their name from this place. ↩

  5. Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab, seem to have been either places or cities not far from the plains of Moab; for it is evident that Paran and Hazeroth could not have been those near the Red sea, and not far from Horeb. Deut 33:2; Gen 21:21; Num 10:12, Num 12:16, Num 13:3, Num 13:26; 1Sam 25:1; Hab 3:3 ↩

  6. Num 11:35, Num 33:17-18 ↩

  7. Deut 1:44, Deut 2:4, Deut 2:8; Num 20:17-21 ↩

  8. Lev 2:14, Lev 9:23; Num 13:26, Num 32:8; Josh 14:6 ↩

  9. Num 20:1, Num 33:38 ↩

  10. Deut 2:26-37, Deut 3:1-11; Num 21:21-35; Josh 12:2-6, Josh 13:10-12; Neh 9:22; Ps 135:11, Ps 136:19-20 ↩

  11. Deut 4:8, Deut 17:18-19, Deut 31:9, Deut 32:46 ↩

  12. Deut 5:2; Exod 3:1, Exod 17:6 ↩

  13. Exod 19:1-2; Num 10:11-13 ↩

  14. Gen 15:16-21; Exod 23:31; Num 34:3-12; Josh 24:15; Amos 2:9 ↩

  15. Heb. all his neighbours ↩

  16. Deut 11:11; Josh 10:40, Josh 11:16-17 ↩

  17. Deut 11:24; Josh 1:4; 2Sam 8:3; 1Chr 5:9, 1Chr 18:3 ↩

  18. Heb. given ↩

  19. Gen 12:7, Gen 13:14-15, Gen 15:16, Gen 15:18, Gen 17:7-8, Gen 22:16-18, Gen 26:3-4, Gen 28:13-14 ↩

  20. Exod 18:18; Num 11:11-14, Num 11:17 ↩

  21. Deut 10:22, Deut 28:62; Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17, Gen 28:14; Exod 12:37, Exod 32:13; Num 1:46; 1Chr 27:23; Neh 9:23 ↩

  22. This was the promise made by God to Abraham (Gen 15:5-6), which Moses considers now as amply fulfilled. Many suppose the expression to be hyperbolical; and others, no friends to revelation, think it a vain, empty boast, because the stars, in their apprehension, amount to innumerable millions. But, as this refers to the number of stars that appear to the naked eye, which only amount to about 3,010 in both hemispheres, the number of the Israelites far exceeded this; for independently of women and children, at the last census, they amounted to more than 600,000. ↩

  23. 2Sam 24:3; 1Chr 21:3; Ps 115:14 ↩

  24. Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17, Gen 26:4, Gen 49:25; Exod 32:13; Num 6:27, Num 22:12 ↩

  25. Deut 1:9; Exod 18:13-16; Num 11:11-15; 1Kgs 3:7-9; Ps 89:19; 2Cor 2:16, 2Cor 3:5 ↩

  26. Heb. Give, Exod 18:21; Num 11:16-17; Acts 1:21-23, Acts 6:2-6 ↩

  27. Deut 16:18; Exod 18:25-26 ↩

  28. Heb. gave, Eph 4:11 ↩

  29. Num 31:14; 1Sam 8:12, 1Sam 17:18, 1Sam 22:7 ↩

  30. Deut 27:11, Deut 31:14; Num 27:19; 1Thess 2:11; 1Tim 5:21, 1Tim 6:17 ↩

  31. Deut 16:18-19; Exod 23:2-3, Exod 23:7-8; Lev 19:15; 2Sam 23:3; 2Chr 19:6-10; Ps 58:1; John 7:24 ↩

  32. Deut 10:18-19, Deut 24:14; Exod 22:21, Exod 23:9; Lev 24:22 ↩

  33. Deut 10:17, Deut 16:19; Lev 19:15; 1Sam 16:7; 2Sam 14:14; Prov 24:23; Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1, Jas 2:3, Jas 2:9; 1Pet 1:17 ↩

  34. Heb. acknowledge faces, That is, let not the bold, daring countenances of the rich or mighty induce you to give an unrighteous decision; and let not the abject look of the poor man induce you either to favour him in an unrighteous cause, or to give judgment against him at the demand of the oppressor. ↩

  35. Exod 23:3, Exod 23:6-7; 1Sam 12:3-4; Job 22:6-9, Job 29:11-17, Job 31:13-16; Ps 82:3-4; Prov 22:22-23; Jer 5:28-29; Amos 5:11-12; Mic 2:1-3, Mic 3:1-4, Mic 7:3-4; Jas 2:2-4, Jas 2:5 ↩

  36. 1Kgs 21:8-14; Job 31:34; Prov 29:25; Jer 1:17; Matt 22:16; Mark 12:14; 1Thess 2:4 ↩

  37. 2Chr 19:6 ↩

  38. Deut 17:8-10; Exod 18:18, Exod 18:22, Exod 18:26 ↩

  39. Deut 4:5, Deut 4:40, Deut 12:28, Deut 12:32; Matt 28:20; Acts 20:20, Acts 20:27 ↩

  40. Deut 8:15, Deut 32:10; Num 10:12; Jer 2:6 ↩

  41. Deut 1:2; Num 13:26 ↩

  42. Deut 1:7-8 ↩

  43. Deut 20:1; Num 13:30, Num 14:8-9; Josh 1:9; Ps 27:1-3, Ps 46:1, Ps 46:7, Ps 46:11; Isa 41:10; Isa 43:1-2; Luke 12:32; Heb 13:6 ↩

  44. The people proposed this measure through unbelief; Moses, mistaking their motive, approved of it; and God, being justly displeased, permitted them to follow their own counsel, which proved injurious to them only through their sin and folly. Num 13:1-20 ↩

  45. Num 13:3-33 ↩

  46. Num 13:21-27; Josh 2:1-2 ↩

  47. Num 14:1-4; Ps 106:24-25; Isa 63:10; Acts 7:51 ↩

  48. Deut 9:28; Exod 16:3, Exod 16:8; Num 14:3, Num 21:5; Matt 25:24; Luke 19:21 ↩

  49. Heb. melted, Deut 20:8 marg. Exod 15:15; Josh 2:9, Josh 2:11, Josh 2:24 marg. Josh 14:8; Isa 13:7; Ezek 21:7 ↩

  50. Deut 9:1-2; Num 13:28-33 ↩

  51. That is, with very high walls, which could not be easily scaled. Harmer says, high walls are still to be seen in Arabia, and are deemed a sufficient defence against the Arabs, who scarcely ever attempt to plunder except on horseback. The monastery on Mount Sinai, and the convent of St. Anthony in Egypt, are surrounded with a very high wall, without gates; the persons and things being taken up and let down through an opening in the upper part, by means of a pulley and a basket. This kind of walling is a sufficient defence. ↩

  52. Deut 9:2; Josh 11:22, Josh 15:14; Judg 1:10, Judg 1:20; 2Sam 21:16-22 ↩

  53. Deut 1:21 ↩

  54. Deut 20:1-4; Exod 14:14, Exod 14:25; Josh 10:42; 1Sam 17:45-46; 2Chr 14:11-12, 2Chr 32:8; Neh 4:20; Ps 46:11; Isa 8:9-10; Rom 8:31, Rom 8:37 ↩

  55. Exod 7:1-25, Exod 15:1-27; Ps 78:11-13, Ps 78:43-51, Ps 105:27-36 ↩

  56. Exod. 16:1-17:16; Neh 9:12-23; Ps 78:14-28, Ps 105:39-41 ↩

  57. Deut 32:11-12; Exod 19:4; Num 11:11-12, Num 11:14; Isa 40:11, Isa 46:3-4, Isa 63:9; Hos 11:3-4; Acts 13:18 *marg. ↩

  58. 2Chr 20:20; Ps 78:22, Ps 106:24; Isa 7:9; Heb 3:12, Heb 3:18-19; Jude 1:5 ↩

  59. Exod 13:21; Num 10:33; Ps 77:20; Ezek 20:6 ↩

  60. Exod 13:21-22, Exod 14:19-20, Exod 14:24, Exod 40:34-38; Num 9:15-22, Num 10:11-12, Num 14:14; Neh 9:12; Ps 78:14, Ps 105:39; Isa 4:5-6; Zech 2:5 ↩

  61. Deut 2:14-15; Num 14:22-30, Num 32:8-13; Ps 95:11; Ezek 20:15; Heb 3:8-11 ↩

  62. Num 13:6, Num 13:30, Num 26:65, Num 32:12, Num 34:19; Josh 14:6-14; Judg 1:12-15 ↩

  63. Heb. fulfilled to go after, Num 14:24 ↩

  64. Deut 3:23-26, Deut 4:21, Deut 34:4; Num 20:12, Num 27:13-14; Ps 106:32-33 ↩

  65. Num 13:8, Num 13:16, Num 14:30, Num 14:38, Num 26:65 ↩

  66. Exod 17:9-14, Exod 24:13, Exod 33:11; 1Sam 16:22; Prov 22:29 ↩

  67. Deut 3:28, Deut 31:7-8, Deut 31:14, Deut 31:23; Num 27:18-23; Josh 1:1, Josh 1:6-9 ↩

  68. Num 14:3, Num 14:31 ↩

  69. Isa 7:15-16; Jonah 4:11; Rom 9:11; Eph 2:3 ↩

  70. Num 14:25 ↩

  71. Num 14:39, Num 14:40-45, Num 22:34; Prov 19:3 ↩

  72. Num 14:41-42 ↩

  73. Lev 26:17; Josh 7:8-13; 1Sam 4:2, 1Sam 4:10; Isa 30:17, Isa 59:1-2; Hos 9:12 ↩

  74. Isa 63:10; Acts 7:51; Rom 8:7-8 ↩

  75. Heb. ye were presumptuous and went up, Num 14:44 ↩

  76. When bees are provoked or disturbed, the whole swarm attack and pursue whatever annoys them, with great courage and fury, and sometimes are a most formidable enemy. They were so troublesome in some districts of Crete, that, according to Pliny, the inhabitants were actually compelled to forsake their homes. Alian reports, that some places in Scythia were formerly inaccessible on account of the numerous swarms of bees with which they were infested. Mr. Park relates, that some of his associates imprudently attempted to rob a numerous hive which they found in their way. The exasperated little animals rushed out to defend their property, and attacked them with so much fury, that they quickly compelled the whole company of men, horses, and asses, to scamper off in all directions. The horses were never recovered, and a number of the asses were so severely stung, that they died the next day. Deut 28:25, Deut 32:30; Ps 118:12; Isa 7:18 ↩

  77. Num 14:45, Num 21:3 ↩

  78. Ps 78:34; Heb 12:17 ↩

  79. Num 14:25, Num 14:34, Num 20:1, Num 20:22; Judg 11:16-17 ↩