Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,
Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God. Moses had (Deuteronomy 29:2) convoked an assembly; and though, from the language of this passage, he apparently addressed the whole people of Israel, of all ages and conditions, young as well as old, menials as well as masters, naturalized strangers as well as native Israelites, yet, in reality, the convention was confined to 'the captains of the tribes' х raa'sheeykem (H7218) shibTeeykem (H7626)]; 'your heads, your tribes' (Numbers 5:1; Numbers 17:2; Numbers 36:1) [Septuagint, hoi archifuloi humoon] - the (twelve) princes of tribes (tribes being added merely by way of illustration, as in Deuteronomy 33:5); "your elders" х ziqneeykem (H2205) (Exodus 4:29; Exodus 12:21); the Septuagint has: hee gerousia humoon] - i:e., the 70 and other heads of distinguished families; although "elders," when no distinction is expressed, include the princes also (Deuteronomy 31:28); "and your officers" х wªshotªreeykem (H7860) Septuagint, grammatoeisagoogeis, writers]; and from written documents being much employed in the administration of justice, magistrates, leaders (Deuteronomy 1:15; Deuteronomy 31:28; Numbers 11:16) [the Septuagint adds: kai hoi kritai humoon, and your judges (cf. Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 1:15; Joshua 23:2)] - the three established orders of national representatives (Deuteronomy 31:28) [constituting the `eedaah (H5712), or sometimes the qaahaal (H6951) - i:e., the congregation (Deuteronomy 31:30; Exodus 12:3; Numbers 27:2)] to whom the communication was made in the first instance, and by whom it would be repeated to all the people.