Deuteronomy 1:41-45

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:19-46

Moses here makes a large rehearsal of the fatal turn which was given to their affairs by their own sins, and God's wrath, when, from the very borders of Canaan, the honour of conquering it, and the pleasure of possessing it, the whole generation was hurried back into the wilderness, and their carcases fell there. It was a memorable story; we read it Num. 13:1-14:45; but divers circumstances are found here which are not related there. I. He reminds them of their march from Horeb to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:41

Then ye answered, and said unto me ,.... Not being willing to go into the wilderness again, though they wished they had died in it; nor to go the way of the Red sea, which was their way back again to Egypt, though they had been for appointing a captain, and returning thither; but now they repented of what they had said and done: we have sinned against the Lord ; by murmuring against his servants, and disobeying his commands: we will go up and fight according to all that the Lord our... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:42

And the Lord said unto me ,.... When the people had armed themselves, and were in motion, or ready to set forward to ascend the hill: say unto them, go not up, neither fight ; neither go up the hill, and if they did, contrary to this order, and should meet with enemies, not fight them, but retreat: for I am not among you : the ark of the covenant, the symbol of his presence, was then among them, but it did not go with them, it continued in the camp, Numbers 14:44 nor did the Lord... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:43

So I spake unto you ,.... The words, the orders he had received from the Lord to deliver to them: and ye would not hear ; so as to obey them, and act according to them: but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord : as before, by not going up when he would have had them gone, and now by attempting it when he forbid them: and went presumptuously up into the hill ; that is, of themselves, in their own strength, disregarding the commandment of God, and what they were threatened... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:44

And the Amorites which dwelt in the mountain ,.... Elsewhere called Canaanites, being one, and a principal one of the seven nations of Canaan, and who were joined and assisted in the attack by the Amalekites, Numbers 14:45 . came out against you, and chased you, as bees do ; which being disturbed in their hives come out in great numbers, and with great fury and ardour (for, though a small creature, it has a great deal of spirit); and pursue the aggressor, and leave him not till they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:45

And ye returned and wept before the Lord ,.... Those that remained when the Amorites left pursuing them, returned to the camp at Kadesh, where Moses and the Levites were, and the rest of the people; and here they wept at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and hence said to be "before the Lord"; they wept because of the slaughter that had been made among them, and because of their sin in going contrary to the will of God, and because they were ordered into the wilderness; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 1:44

The Amorites - chased you - See the note on Numbers 14:40 ; : as bees do - by irresistible numbers. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 1:41

Verse 41 41.Then ye answered and said unto me. The repentance was too late, which impelled the Israelites to their unseasonable effort of activity; although, as I have above explained, they did not truly and seriously repent, since, when they ought patiently to have borne the chastening of God, they endeavored to shake it off, and to drive it far away from them by a new act of disobedience. In a word, they did nothing else but kick against the pricks. But such is the energy of men, when their... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 1:45

Verse 45 45.And ye returned and wept before the Lord. He here appeals to the testimony of their own conscience; for they never would have been brought to weeping and prayers, except by the force of their own feelings. Since, then, they were abundantly convinced, that a just punishment was inflicted upon their obstinacy, necessity drove them to seek after God: consequently they had no cause to complain, though God manifested Himself to be implacable. In the last verse there is an ambiguity in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:19-46

Irrecoverableness of wasted opportunity. I. THE CULMINATION OF OPPORTUNITY OFTEN FINDS A MAN UNPREPARED TO OCCUPY IT . The point of time referred to here was the supreme moment in Israel's history. They had relinquished Egypt, endured privation, performed a toilsome journey, for one object, viz. to possess Canaan; yet, when they touched the threshold of the inheritance, they failed to rise to the conception of their privilege. They hesitated, dawdled, feared—and... read more

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