Moses' Discourse to Israel
Henry, Matthew Deuteronomy 1:1-8 These be the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea… 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 where they were now encamped was in the plain, in the land of Moab (vers. 1, 5), where they were just ready to enter Canaan, and engage in a war with the Canaanites. Yet he discourseth not to them concerning military affairs, but concerning their duty to God; for if they kept themselves in His fear and favour, He would secure to them the conquest of the land; their religion would be their best policy. 2. The time was near the end of the fortieth year since they came out of Egypt. So long God had borne their manners, and they had borne their own iniquity (Numbers 14:34); and now a new and more pleasant scene was to be introduced, as a token for good, Moses repeats the law to them. Thus, after God's controversy with them for the golden calf, the first and surest sign of God's being reconciled to them was the renewing of the tables. There is no better evidence and earnest of God's favour than His putting His law in our hearts (Psalm 147:19, 20). II. THE DISCOURSE ITSELF. In general, Moses spake unto them "all that the Lord had given him in commandment" (ver. 3), which intimates, not only that what he new delivered was for substance the same with what had formerly been commanded, but it was that God now commanded him to repeat. He gave them this rehearsal and exhortation purely by Divine direction. God appointed him to leave this legacy to the Church. He begins his narrative with their removal from Mount Sinai (ver. 6), and relates here — 1. The orders God gave them to decamp and proceed in their march (ver. 6, 7). "Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount." That was the mount that burned with fire (Hebrews 12:18), and gendered to bondage (Galatians 4:24). Thither God brought them to humble them, and by the terrors of the law to prepare them for the land of promise. There He kept them about a year, and then told them they had dwelt long enough there, they must go forward. Though God bring His people into trouble and affliction, into spiritual trouble and affliction of mind, He knows when they have dwelt long enough in it, and will certainly find a time, the fittest time, to advance them from the terrors of the spirit of bondage to the comforts of the spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15). 2. The prospect He gave them of a happy settlement in Canaan presently: "Go to the land of the Canaanites" (ver. 7). Enter and take possession; it is all your own. "Behold, I have set the land before you" (ver. 8). But when God commands us to go forward in our Christian course, He sets the heavenly Canaan before us for our encouragement. ( Matthew Henry, D. D..) Parallel Verses KJV: These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. WEB: These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah over against Suph, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.