Deuteronomy 1:6 - Exposition

The Lord our God —Jehovah our God . The use of this epithet implies the covenant union of Israel with Jehovah, and presupposes the existence of that covenant which was entered into at Sinai. In Horeb . This was the starting-point, so to speak, of Israel's being as the special people of God—his segullah ( סְגֻּלָּה , Exodus 19:5 ), his special treasure. There he made himself known to them as Jehovah, the Eternal and Unchangeable, and entered into covenant with them; and there they received that Law, on the keeping of which depended their retention of the privileges to which they had been elected. At Horeb the Israelites had remained for about a year (comp. Exodus 19:1 and Numbers 10:11 , Numbers 10:12 ), and as the purpose for which they had been brought thither was answered, they were enjoined to move, not indeed by express command, but by the rising of the cloud from over the tabernacle, which was the signal of their march ( Numbers 9:15 , etc.; Numbers 10:11-13 ), preceded by the instructions they had received preparatory to their removal (Numbers 50:4-7). Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount. The Israelites remained at Sinai from the third month of the first year to the twentieth day of the second year after they came out of Egypt (cf. Exodus 19:1 and Numbers 10:11 ).