The fortieth year - This was a melancholy year to the Hebrews in different respects; in the first month of this year Miriam died, Numbers 20; on the first day of the fifth month Aaron died, Numbers 33:38 ; and about the conclusion of it, Moses himself died. read more
Began Moses to declare this law - Began, הואיל hoil , willingly undertook; to declare, באר beer , to make bare, clear, etc., fully to explain, this law. See the conclusion of the preface. read more
Ye have dwelt long enough, etc. - They came to Sinai in the third month after their departure from Egypt, Exodus 19:1 , Exodus 19:2 ; and left it the twentieth of the second month of the second year, so it appears they had continued there nearly a whole year. read more
Go to the mount of the Amorites - On the south of the land of Canaan, towards the Dead Sea. Land of the Canaanites - That is, Phoenicia, the country of Sidon, and the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea from the country of the Philistines to Mount Libanus. The Canaanites and Phoenicians are often confounded. The river Euphrates - Thus Moses fixes the bounds of the land, to which on all quarters the territories of the Israelites might be extended, should the land of Canaan, properly so... read more
Verse 1 1.These are the words. These two latter passages properly belong to the supplements, wherein God afterwards more clearly and familiarly illustrated the Law previously given by Him; they comprehend also exhortations, by which He subdued the people’s minds to obedience, and eulogies, by which He commended and confirmed the Law. The sum is, that Moses is appointed the minister and ambassador of God, who by his mouth prescribes to Israel all that is right and just. But when he says, “beside... read more
Verse 6 6.The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb. In this Second Narration, Moses expressly declares that God not only gave them a visible sign, by uplifting the cloud, but that He also verbally commanded the people to leave Mount Sinai, and to set about the performance of the rest of their journey. God says, then, that enough time had been spent in one place; (1) for, before they left it, an entire year had passed away there. Although there were eleven days’ journey before them before they... read more
These be the words. Some would render here "Such are the words," and understand the expression as referring to the preceding books. But it seems more natural to refer it to what follows—to the addresses in this book. The pronoun these ( אֵלֶּה ) may be used with a prospective reference, as well as with a retrospective (cf. e.g. Genesis 2:4 ; Genesis 6:9 ). The author does not by this connect this book with the preceding, but rather distinguishes it. The subscription to Numbers ( ... read more
The Deuteronomic discourses. I. THE SPEAKER . "Moses." Though an hundred and twenty years old, "his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated" ( Deuteronomy 34:7 )—a statement borne out by the sustained eloquence of these addresses. He speaks with the authority of a prophet, the affection of a patriot, and the earnestness of a dying man. II. THE HEARERS . "All Israel." A new generation had sprung up from that which had received the Law at Sinai. 1. All are concerned... read more
TITLE AND INTRODUCTION , Deuteronomy 1:1-5 . In these verses we have the inscription and general introduction to the book, announcing the contents of the book, the author of it, the parties whom he addressed, and the time and place of his addresses. read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 1:2
There are eleven days' journey - The Israelites were eleven days in going from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea, where they were near the verge of the promised land; after which they were thirty-eight years wandering up and down in the vicinity of this place, not being permitted, because of their rebellions, to enter into the promised rest, though they were the whole of that time within a few miles of the land of Canaan! read more