Deuteronomy 31:9-28 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Part of D according to Kuenen, Dillmann, etc. It is this law (D) which is to be read at Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:13-15) and septennially in the year of release (Deuteronomy 15:1 ff.*).

Deuteronomy 31:11. appear before: Deuteronomy 16:16 *.

Deuteronomy 31:12. See Deuteronomy 29:11.

Deuteronomy 31:13. children: Deuteronomy 4:9 *. your: read (with five MSS., Sam., Syr., Vulg.), their.

Deuteronomy 31:14 f., Deuteronomy 31:23 (JE). Cf. Numbers 27:22 f. (P): two accounts of the appointment of Joshua to succeed Moses. See Deuteronomy 1:37; Deuteronomy 32:1 f. for a third version.

Deuteronomy 31:16-30. Introduction to Moses'song. In Deuteronomy 31:16-22 Yahweh tells Moses of what will happen after his death.

Deuteronomy 31:16. sleep with thy fathers: Genesis 47:30. whoring: Exodus 34:16 (cf. Ezekiel 6:9). Temple prostitution (Deuteronomy 23:17 f.*) is hardly meant.

Deuteronomy 31:21. Read (with Sam., LXX, Syr.), sware to their fathers.

Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 31:26. this law: read with Staerk, Steuernagel, Bertholet, this song. The entire section (Deuteronomy 31:16-30) forms the prologue to the song of Deuteronomy 32:1-43. If we retain the Matthew, 24-26 essentially repeats 9.

Deuteronomy 31:25. Levites: Deuteronomy 10:8 *.

Deuteronomy 31:28. these words: i.e. the song (Deuteronomy 32:1 ff.).

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 31:9

Deuteronomy 31:9-28

9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.

10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleepa with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befallb them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?

18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify againstc them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.

24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,

26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.