Deuteronomy 1:3-4 - Exposition

Here is intimated the time when the following addresses were delivered to the people. It was on the first day of the eleventh month in the fortieth year; therefore near the end of their wanderings, and towards the close of the lawgiver's own career. He could thus speak to them according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them , i . e . in accordance with the legislative contents of the preceding books (comp. Deuteronomy 4:5 23; Deuteronomy 5:28-33 ; Deuteronomy 6:1 ). It was also after the destruction of Sihon and 'Og ( Numbers 21:21-35 ). This also is significant. By the destruction of these kings, who sought to bar the access of the Israelites to the Promised Land, God had given proof that he would indeed fulfill his promise to his people, and had at once laid them under obligations to obedience, and given them encouragement to go forward on the course to which he had called them. The "he" here is Moses, who, at the command of God, had led the Israelites against Sihon and 'Og. Edrei, hod Draa ( Numbers 21:33 ) was the second capital of 'Og; he "reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei" ( Joshua 13:12 ). Here, however, it denotes the place where he was slain in battle, and the words "in Edrei" are to be referred to the verb "smote" and not to "dwelt" (cf. Deuteronomy 3:1 : Numbers 21:33 ).