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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:1-8

We have here, I. The date of this sermon which Moses preached to the people of Israel. A great auditory, no question, he had, as many as could crowd within hearing, and particularly all the elders and officers, the representatives of the people; and, probably, it was on the sabbath day that he delivered this to them. 1. The place were they were now encamped was in the plain, in the land of Moab (Deut. 1:1, 5), where they were just ready to enter Canaan, and engage in a war with the Canaanites.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Moses here reminds them of the happy constitution of their government, which was such as might make them all safe and easy if it was not their own fault. When good laws were given them good men were entrusted with the execution of them, which, as it was an instance of God's goodness to them, so it was of the care of Moses concerning them; and, it should seem, he mentions it here to recommend himself to them as a man that sincerely sought their welfare, and so to make way for what he was about... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:6

The Lord our God spoke unto us in Horeb ,.... The same with Sinai, as Aben Ezra observes; while the Israelites lay encamped near this mountain, the Lord spoke unto them: saying, ye have dwelt long enough in this mount : or near it; for hither they came on the first day of the third month from their departure out of Egypt, and they did not remove from thence until the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, Exodus 19:1 so that they were here a year wanting ten days; in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:7

Turn you and take your journey ,.... That is, remove from Horeb, where they were, and proceed on in their journey, in which they had been stopped almost a year: and go to the mount of the Amorites ; where they and the Amalekites dwelt, in the south part of the land of Canaan, and which was the way the spies were sent, Numbers 13:17 , and unto all the places nigh thereunto ; nigh to the mountain. The Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret them of Moab, Ammon, Gebal, or Mount Seir:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:8

Behold, I have set the land before you ,.... Described it to them, and set its bounds, as well as had given them a grant of it: go in and possess the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and their seed after them : and which being thus made sure unto them, they had nothing more to do than to go and take possession of it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:9

And I spake unto you at that time ,.... About that time; for it was after the rock in Horeb was smitten, and before they encamped at Mount Sinai, that Jethro gave the advice which Moses took, and proceeded on it, as here related; see Exodus 18:1 . saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone ; to rule and govern them, judge and determine matters between them. Jethro suggested this to Moses, and he took the hint, and was conscious to himself that it was too much for him, and so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:10

The Lord your God hath multiplied you ,.... Which was the reason why he could not bear them, or the government of them was too heavy for him, because they were so numerous, and the cases brought before him to decide were so many: and, behold, you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude ; whereby it appeared that the promise to Abraham was fulfilled, Genesis 15:5 , they were now 600,000 men fit for war, besides women and children, and those under age, which must make the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:11

The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are ,.... This prayer he made, or this blessing he pronounced on them, to show that he did not envy their increase, nor was any ways uneasy at it, but rejoiced in it, though he gave it as a reason of his not being able to govern them alone: and bless you, as he hath promised you : with all kind of blessings, as he had often promised their fathers. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:12

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? His meaning is, that he could not hear and try all their causes, and determine all their law suits, and decide the strifes and controversies which arose between them; it was too heavy for him, and brought too much trouble and incumbrance upon him. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:13

Take ye wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes ,.... Not only whose persons were well known, but their characters and qualifications, for their probity and integrity, for their wisdom and prudence in the management of affairs, for their skill and knowledge in things divine and human, civil and religious, and for their capacity in judging and determining matters in difference; see Exodus 18:21 . and I will make them rulers over you ; the people were allowed to choose... read more

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