30.1 ‘And it shall come about, when all these things are come on you (thee), the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you will call them to mind among all the nations, to which Yahweh your God has driven you,’

Aware from long experience of the truth about the people he was dealing with, Moses informed them that he was aware that in the future they would experience both the blessing and the curse, as described in chapter 28. See also verse 19 here. He expected that for a time they would keep covenant and would experience blessing. The blessing would come on them. But then as time went by he was sadly confident that the faithfulness of many of them would lapse, and then they would begin to experience the cursings, until at length God had had to drive them out of the land (compare 4.27-30).

But when that happened they were to call to mind, when they were among ‘all the nations’ to which Yahweh their God had driven them, all that God had said through him related to the blessings and the curses. Note the emphasis on ‘all the nations’. No particular exile was in mind. This is not a prophecy except in the fact that it is a declaration that the cursing was to be taken seriously and would inevitably be carried into effect. This reference to both blessings and cursings takes us back directly to chapter 28.

30.2 ‘And will return to Yahweh your God, and will obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul,’

In that day they (Israel as a community not each individual person) will return to Yahweh their God, and will obey His voice in accordance with the covenant, and will begin again to obey His commandments with all their heart and soul (compare 4.29). They will thrust idolatry from them, and again seek His face. They will set aside all else out of a firm desire to know Him again, and will commit themselves to obey His voice.

He knew that this would happen because of the faithfulness of God, and because of His promises to their forefathers. He knew that nothing could finally frustrate God’s final purposes, just as Israel’s faithlessness in 1.26 had not done so. He had simply turned to others, in that case their sons.

30.3 ‘That then Yahweh your God will turn your captivity (or ‘your fortunes’, literally ‘turn your turning’), and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, to whom Yahweh your God has scattered you.’

And when that time came Yahweh their God would have compassion on them. He would reverse their situation. As He had brought them from Egypt, so would He bring them from all the peoples among whom He had scattered them, and restore them to the land which would now welcome them again because they were from their hearts responding to the covenant. Note here the stress on the fact that He will know exactly where they are. He is not just a local God. He is God of the whole earth.

‘Turn your captivity.’ Most now favour translating as ‘turn your fortunes’. The idea is basically the same, that their lot will be changed because Yahweh intervenes. It would be recognised as normal that some would have been carried away as slaves, while others would have fled for refuge and be relatively free. Some would be captive. And some would simply be struggling to survive.

That there was in the future such a turning back to God which resulted in their returning to the land is clear from Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah. They were then being given their second chance. But there is no reason for seeing in this description the return of the Jews to Palestine in our own time. For that is not a return in faith. As far as the Christian is concerned it is a return in unbelief, and even the Jews themselves recognise that Israel as a whole is a worldly nation. It may be that God has a purpose for bringing them there at the present time, but it is not necessarily so. And it is not strictly in accord with what is described here, for this refers to a change of heart before their return. The present return was not required by the prophecy.

We must remember that the purpose of the land was that within it should be built up the Kingly Rule of God. But once that Kingly Rule was seen as available to all men everywhere because its nature was heavenly, the land became redundant. In the end the land was superseded by its greater spiritual reality, and today that Kingly Rule is centred on another land, the heavenly land. The earthly land is no longer of importance. All must be centred on the Kingly Rule of God and on the King, Jesus Christ, and on our future with Him in the new Heaven and the New Earth (2 Peter 3.13; Revelation 21.1). If some of the Jews are to have a part in it, and they probably are, it can only be by becoming Christians. But the land is no longer the goal.

30.4 ‘If any of your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there will Yahweh your God gather you, and from there will he fetch you,’

However far from the land they may be, He will gather the outcasts from where they are. From whatever place they are He will fetch them. (And so he did, for Palestine was repopulated with Jews from all parts of the world well before the coming of their Messiah, Jesus Christ).

‘Outcasts.’ Literally ‘those driven’, therefore the ones driven out of the land and driven there by God.

30.5 ‘And Yahweh your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers.’

And He will bring them back to the land from which He drove them out, the land which their fathers had possessed, and they will once more possess it. And He will prosper them there. He will ‘do them good’. And He will once more enlarge their numbers (compare verse 16; 7.13; 13.17, contrast 28.63). There is implicit in this that they will not be replaced in His favour by another nation, because the promises to Abraham must be fulfilled.

That this in fact happened the later prophets and history have recorded. Beginning as a trickle the people began to pour back into the land, so that by the time of the coming of Jesus Israel were once more well established in Palestine, and had experienced periods of independence and prosperity, and many of them were seeking God with heart and soul, as the ministries of John the Baptiser and Jesus made clear. But as had happened previously the hearts of many, especially the leaders, grew cold, and His kingdom was never established.

The enlarging of their numbers then went beyond all that they could possibly have dreamed when not only large numbers of Jews around the world, but also even larger numbers of Gentiles, through Christ, became members of the true Israel, and true sons of Abraham (Galatians 3.29; 6.16; Ephesians 2.11-22; Romans 11.17-26) by becoming Christians. For now the vision of the land has become that of a greater land, and of a greater Kingly Rule of God (Hebrews 11.15-16; 12.22-24) based on a better sacrifice and a better hope (Hebrews 9-10). What God offered now was far better than the old land, which had been but its earthly representation at a time when people would have understood nothing better.

It should be noted here that a welcome within the covenant was always available, right from the start, to any who chose to follow Yahweh and come within its terms. Indeed Israel was from the beginning inclusive of many who were not strictly descended from the patriarchs. These included the servants and slaves of the ‘households’, the mixed multitude of Exodus 12.38, and many who subsequently united with Israel in the covenant, witnessed to by names such as that of Uriah the Hittite.

It was added to by proselytes who added themselves to Israel in the post Old Testament days. The establishing of the Christian ‘church’ (in Jesus’ terms the ‘congregation’ of new Israel - Matthew 16.18) as the Israel of God, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, was simply following on the pattern. There can be no other Israel in Biblical terms than the one composed of those who are in Christ, believing ‘Israel’. Unbelieving Israel is no Israel (Romans 9.6; 11.17 with 23). There cannot be two Israels. If rejected Israel are to become Israel it will be by response to Christ and a uniting with His people, now the true Israel.

30.6 ‘And Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.’

This new people would be established because of what God would do, because of His work in men’s hearts (compare Philippians 2.13). The idea behind this way of describing it (circumcising the heart) is taken from 10.16. The thought is of a transformed heart which is turned to righteousness, either by the cutting away of sin and disobedience, as the foreskin is cut away in circumcision, or through the shedding of the blood of the covenant as the blood is spilled in circumcision (compare Genesis 17). But while in 10.16 they were to circumcise their own hearts, (although the thought was always there that it was with Yahweh’s assistance), here it is Yahweh Who is to circumcise their hearts. The idea is therefore of the activity of God working in sovereign power, transforming their lives and putting love for Him in their hearts, so that they may fulfil 6.4-5, loving Him with heart and soul, and may live. This was also what Jeremiah had in mind in Jeremiah 31.31-34; 32.36-44. Compare also Ezekiel 36.26. It certainly took place through the ministry of Jesus and the early church.

As ever the thought behind ‘living’ is not only that of being alive, but of living abundant and fruitful lives, lives of joy and wellbeing and blessing, what Jesus spoke of as eternal life, life under the Kingly Rule of God.

30.7 ‘And Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.’

And the curses, which would no longer be on them, would be put on their enemies, on those who hated them and persecuted them. Strictly speaking the curses of the covenant could only come on those who rejected the covenant, thus this would signify that these enemies had had the opportunity to come within the covenant, but had rejected it. But it may be that the connection is more general.

Of course as a result of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the covenant was offered as a new covenant to the whole world, but it is the irony of sin that in the early days it was the unbelieving Jews, the rejected Jews, who were one of the greatest enemies of the church of Christ, the new Israel. That they endured the curse, and would until they repented, is evident from Luke 21.20-24 compare Matthew 23.37-38.

(As Paul makes clear in Romans 9-11; Ephesians 2.12-22 and elsewhere the true Israel still continued in the church of Jesus Christ, which was solidly based on Him (as the archetypal Jew) and His Apostles (all Jews) and on large multitudes of Jews who had put their faith in Him, to whom were joined the new mixed multitude of all those Gentiles who responded to Jesus Christ. This was now the true Israel, the Israel of God, God’s covenant people. The cast off Jews could only have their part in it by coming to Him and submitting to Him as their Messiah. Until they did they no longer had, or can have, any part in God’s Israel).

30.8 ‘And you will return and obey the voice of Yahweh, and do all his commandments which I command you this day.’

And the result of their return to God would be that they would obey His voice and do all His commandments as commanded through Moses. Through God’s working the covenant would be triumphant in accomplishing its purpose. A faith that does not result in obedience is no living faith, and we are still equally responsible for fulfilling the principles of what Moses taught except in so far as they are superseded by and fulfilled in Christ, or made impossible by the conditions of the times. And we are to do this, not in order to be accepted into His covenant, but because He has brought us into His covenant and we seek to please and obey Him (Hebrews 8.6-10; 10.16).

This picture of joyous obedience is the sign of the true people of God. It was no doubt seen in those who returned from Exile. It was seen in the faithful remnant described in Luke 1-3 who were awaiting the coming of the Messiah. It will be seen in the church too. Outwardly the church may appear grown old and tired, but the true people of God within it will ever be finally vibrant and obedient, even though sometimes they have to undergo trial, because they are His.

30.9 ‘And Yahweh your God will make you plenteous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, for good, for Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers,’

That the remnant of Israel, the ‘few in number’, did return to God is testified to in history and they did eventually prosper and enjoy the covenant blessings, being plenteous in the work of their hands, fruitful in begetting children, and abundant in cattle and agriculture (compare 28.11). And so it mainly continues today for those who are the church, the true Israel. God blesses their births, God blesses their work, God blesses their productivity. Indeed one of the churches’ great problems has always been that those who became Christians tended to prosper, and this then led on to complacency and forgetting God. This is not, however, to doubt that there are many Christians who are poor, especially in countries where they are a small minority. But their tendency will always be to grow richer simply because they work hard, are abstemious and can be fully trusted.

30.10 ‘If you will obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.’

But the promises are all dependent on true response to God. They are fulfilled only for those who obey His voice, and thus keep His commandments and His statutes as written in the book of His Instruction, and if they turn to Him with all their heart and soul. As Jesus would later say, ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me’ (John 10.27). This is the life to which He has called us.

His Commandment Is Something That Can Be Achieved (30.11-14).

Moses again stressed that what he was calling on them to do was not difficult to achieve. It did not demand great expenditure of effort and great daring, a seeking to achieve God’s secrets, but it called for a loving response to what was already known. It was not something far off that was unreachable. It was there to hand if they would but seize it.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off (11).
• b It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” (12).
• b Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” (13).
• a But the word is very nigh to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it. (14).

Note that in ‘a’ his commandment given that day is not too hard nor is it afar off, and in the parallel it is near in their mouths and their hearts so that they may do it, In ‘b’ and parallel it is not in any unreachable place, whether it be heaven or the mysterious sea, where they could not reach it.

30.11 ‘For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.’

He stressed that the commandment that he had given, which contained the commandments and statutes and ordinances, was neither hard to discover nor distant from them. It may be that he had in mind here myths and stories about men’s attempts to consult the gods and to obtain wisdom and understanding, where they sought to ascend into the heavens or travel beyond the seas. These were no doubt fairly common motifs and one or other is found in, for example, the Canaanite legend of King Keret and the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh among others. But this may not necessarily be the case, for he may simply have been thinking of remote, inaccessible places as an example. The sky and the sea would necessarily commend themselves as such. The sky was unreachable and the sea to be feared.

In other nations the mystery of the priesthood and priestly ministrations and knowledge might be kept from the people, but not in Israel. The whole had been laid bare, and was known to all.

‘This commandment which I command you this day.’ This is typical Mosaic phraseology. Compare 6.1; 7.11; 8.1; 11.22; 15.5; 19.9; 26.13; 27.1; 31.5. See also 4.2, 40; 6.2, 17; 8.11; 10.13; 11.8, 13, 27; 13.18; 27.10; 28.1, 9, 13, 15, 45; 30.8 where ‘commandments’ is used in the plural in a similar way, often following up the above singular usages.

30.12 ‘It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” ’

Yahweh had not put His commandment beyond man’s reach. It was not in heaven that men might say, ‘who will go and get it for us?’ Note his meaningful way of describing it, ‘who will go -- for us?’ Even now he knew that they did not want to get too close to God. They had wanted him to go into the Mount to receive God’s commandments (5.27), and it would be the same if the commandments were in heaven. They would want someone else to go for them. And therein would lie great danger, for that was why they could be manipulated by people who made such claims (consider Balaam). But Yahweh’s ways on the contrary were made plain to all. They are to hand in His word.

‘Make us to hear it.’ What was more he indicates by these words that they were aware of their own weakness. While they did not want God to make them hear it with His terrible voice, for they had heard it once ‘from heaven’ (4.36) and that was enough, they did want someone to make them hear it, that they may do it.

But they need not fear. He had gone into the Mount to receive God’s commandment for them ‘from heaven’ (4.36) and it was now easily accessible to them, and he was doing his best to make them hear it so they would do it. So they had no excuse.

30.13 ‘Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” ’

Nor would they have to go beyond the sea. No great adventurer (like Gilgamesh) was required who would sail forth to unknown lands to seek to obtain it for them, in order to make them hear it and do it. There was no far off mystery which could bring them wisdom and understanding. God had given it openly there among them.

30.14 ‘But the word is very nigh to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.’

For the word was as close to them as it could possibly be. It was in their mouth and in their heart that they might do it. It was there in what he had taught them, and the word from God that he had brought them. They could teach it to their children, they could speak of it with each other, and they could meditate on it in their hearts (4.9; 6.7; 11.18-19). But there was no one who could make them hear it and do it. That was up to their own their final choice.

The Choice Is Put To Them Between Life and Death (30.15-20).

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil, in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land to which you are going in to possess it (15-16).
• b But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them, I denounce to you this day, that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land, to which you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it (17-18).
• b I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed (19).
• a To love Yahweh your God, to obey His voice, and to cleave to Him, for He is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them (20).

Note in ‘a’ that the choice between life and death, and good and evil, has been put before them and they are commanded to love Yahweh their God and obey Him so that they might live an multiply, and so that Yahweh their God might bless them in the land which they are going in to possess, and in the parallel they are to love Him and obey Him and cleave to Him so that they might enjoy possession of the land promised to their fathers of old. In ‘b’ if their heart turn away from God and His word then he is the witness that they will surely perish, and in the parallel heaven and earth are called in as witnesses to the fact that he has given them the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing. Thus must they ensure that they choose life by responding fully to Yahweh and obeying Him as His covenant people.

30.15-16 ‘See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil, in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land to which you are going in to possess it.’

And this commandment which he had commanded them set before them ‘life and good, and death and evil’. For they could choose either to love Yahweh and walk in His ways and keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, or not. And if they did choose to follow Yahweh then they would live and multiply, and receive blessing from Yahweh their God in the land which they were about to enter and possess. They would receive all the good and the blessings which He had promised. But if they did not only evil and death awaited.

The choice rests with us too. We also must decide whether we will serve Him and wholly follow Him, or whether we will side with those who ignore Him and refuse to listen to what He has to say to them, living for the things of the moment and forgetting eternity.

In Scripture we have a constant reminder to us that there are two sides to God’s workings. On the one hand He carries out His will and none may deny Him, He carries forward His purposes whatever man may do. It is He Who circumcises our hearts. That is His side of things. And on the other He calls on man to choose Whom he will serve. That is our side of things. We must circumcise out hearts, by submitting to Him and allowing Him to circumcise them. The sheep may hear and follow, and that is what they must seek to do, but it is the Shepherd Who draws them. In the end His will and man’s choosing are but two sides of the same coin, with His side predominant.

30.17-18 ‘But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them, I denounce to you this day, that you (ye) shall surely perish; you (ye) shall not prolong your days in the land, to which you (thou) pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it.’

But there was an alternative to life. The alternative of choosing death and evil happenings as described in the cursings. For if their hearts turned away and they refused to hear, because they were being drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, then he, Moses, could only denounce them. He could only stress that they would surely perish, that their days would not be long in the land that they were passing over Jordan to enter and possess it, that they would endure all the judgments that he has described.

30.19 ‘I call heaven and earth to witness against you (ye) this day, that I have set before you (thee) life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you (thou) may live, you (thou) and your (they) seed.’

Indeed he closed this section by calling on heaven and earth as witnesses. We can compare this with 4.26 where the witness was to the effect of what would follow disobedience described in terms similar to verse 18. But now there was a choice, a choice between life and death, between the blessing and cursing that he had described in chapter 28, and they could choose either. And he called on them to choose life and the gracious activity of God that would go with it (compare Joshua 24.14-24; Jeremiah 8.3; 21.8).

Calling on heave and earth as witnesses was a regular covenant feature in ancient covenants.

30.20 ‘To love Yahweh your (thy) God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him, for he is your (thy) life, and the length of your (thy) days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your (thy) fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.’

And what did choosing life consist of? Of loving Yahweh their God, and obeying His voice, and cleaving to Him, for He was their life and the source of long length of days. And it consisted in living faithfully in the land which He had sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and enjoying its promised blessing. Thus they would find fullness of life in God and in His promises.

For us that life consists in even more. It consists in receiving Christ’s life, His eternal life, and enjoying His presence daily; in cleaving to Him, and in obeying His voice, and in living with Him under His kingly power (Colossians 1.13).

And so in these words ends his appeal. He has brought them God’s covenant, he has pleaded for their response. He can do no more.

Note. It should be noted that in this futuristic picture as depicted by Deuteronomy there is no hint of the rule of a future king, even though it was expected that they would have a king at some point. There is no Messianic expectation, no reference to a temple. The future is depicted very differently from the later prophets. It is depicted solely in terms of returning to the covenant and the land. This confirms the early date of the ‘prophecies’. It would never have been written like this in the days of the kings or after. (End of note).

Chapter 31 Moses’ Final Words.

Having made his great oration Moses was now aware that his death was rapidly approaching, and he spoke even more earnestly in the light of it. And that approaching death could only increase his pessimism about the people.

His first words were to ‘all Israel’, encouraging them to trust Yahweh (1-6), his next to Joshua in order to encourage him in what lay ahead (7-8), and then he spoke to the priests and elders for the preservation of the covenant (9-13). But then he entered into the secret counsels of Yahweh and his message was less encouraging, at least for the medium term (14 onwards). From that point on he was taking the longer view about Israel, and it was not very encouraging at all, so much so that Yahweh commissioned him to write a song in preparation for it, a song of Complaint.

Moses Final Words Of Encouragement To His People And Call To Joshua (31.1-8).

Moses now calls the people together again and addresses then in readiness of his death.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them, ‘I am a hundred and twenty years old this day. I can no more go out and come in, and Yahweh has said to me, “You shall not go over this Jordan” ’ (1-2).
• b Yahweh your God, He will go over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you will dispossess them, and Joshua, he will go over before you, as Yahweh has spoken (3).
• c And Yahweh will do to them as He did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land; whom He destroyed (4).
• d And Yahweh will deliver them up before you
• d And you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you (5).
• c Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid at them, for Yahweh your God, He it is who does go with you); He will not fail you, nor forsake you (6).
• b And Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you will go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you will cause them to inherit it” (7).
• a And Yahweh, He it is who does go before you. He will be with you, He will not fail you, nor forsake you. Fear not, nor be dismayed (8).

Note that in ‘a’ the bad news is that Moses cannot go over Jordan with them because Yahweh has forbidden it, and in the parallel the good news is that Yahweh Himself will go over before them. In ‘b’ Yahweh will go over before them and destroy the nations from before them, and so will Joshua. And in the parallel Joshua must be strong and courageous because Yahweh is going before them and will cause them to inherit the land. In ‘c’ Yahweh will do to the nations what He did to Sihon and Og, and in the parallel they are therefore to be strong and of good courage. In ‘d’ Yahweh will deliver them up before them, then in the parallel they are to ensure that they drive them out or slay them.

Not the two references in the second part of the chiasmus to ‘Be strong and of good courage’. We have already seen earlier that that is typical of the Pentateuch, the repetition of something vital in the second part of a chiasmus (see for example Exodus 18.21b-22a with 18.25b-26a; Numbers 18.4 with 7, 23 with 24; Deuteronomy 2.21 with 22.

31.1 ‘And Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.’

Once again we have it stressed that we have here the words of Moses, and in fact there is really no good reason to doubt it. As we have seen all the signs point in that direction.

‘And Moses went.’ This is a gentle indication that this was at a different point in time to the previous chapter, stressing also deliberate purpose.

31.2 ‘And he said to them, I am a hundred and twenty years old this day. I can no more go out and come in, and Yahweh has said to me, “You shall not go over this Jordan.” ’

He declared his old age (compare 34.7). One hundred and twenty was probably a round number, possibly representing three generations of forty years. He had been ‘eighty’ when he had first approached Pharaoh (Exodus 7.7 - he had had a generation in Egypt and a generation in Midian) and Aaron had been three years older. It may be that each period of his life; his time in Egypt, his time in Moab, and his time leading the people in the wilderness, was seen in terms of ‘three generations’ expressed in terms of three forties of years. This was the way numbers were often used in those days, to convey an idea rather than a mathematical fact. Note how many of the references to age and time in Genesis end in nought or five. Thus he had lived through three generations. He may in fact have been, say, in his eighties or nineties.

‘I can no more go out and come in.’ This did not signify decrepitude. To ‘go out and in’ indicated being busy with the affairs of life. But this was no longer to be possible for him because he was to be displaced. His usefulness was over. This was his constant regret. The phrase is not a contradiction of 34.7. His eye was still keen, he had been able to see across the Jordan. His strength had not abated. He could still walk and move around. But there was nothing further for him to do. His purpose in life was over.

But his greatest disappointment was that he was not to be allowed to cross the Jordan. He was not to be allowed even to step into the land. It was partly because of his failure at Meribah, which had revealed a lack in his full commitment. But we may also see it as indicating that God did not want Israel’s first days and memories in the land to be ones of grief and disappointment at the death of their great leader. He wanted them to be days of encouragement. They would need such encouragement before they were finished. Thus it was far better for them to get over the death of Moses before they entered the land. Moses could only ever be a reminder of the wilderness. Joshua could then be a new beginning who would see them through the first years after their entry into the land.

31.3 ‘Yahweh your (thy) God, he will go over before you (thee); he will destroy these nations from before you (thee), and you (thou) will dispossess them, and Joshua, he will go over before you (thee), as Yahweh has spoken.’

But lest this discourage them he pointed out that while he may die Yahweh would still be alive. He would go over before them and would destroy the nations from before them so that they would dispossess them. Like a true leader his thoughts were for his people and not for himself. And he also pointed out that Yahweh had appointed a new leader for them, even his servant Joshua. He too, like Moses, would be God’s instrument of deliverance. He would be ‘the Servant of Yahweh’ in his stead (Joshua 24.29). He too would go over, in the triumphant train of Yahweh (compare 7-8).

31.4 ‘And Yahweh will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land; whom he destroyed.’

And they need not therefore fear. Yahweh would destroy the nations before them as He had Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites. He had destroyed them and their lands. They had therefore no need to fear Amorites any more (contrast 1.44), for now they had seen what Yahweh could do to them.

31.5 ‘And Yahweh will deliver them up before you (ye), and you (ye) shall do to them according unto all the commandment which I have commanded you (ye).’

For Yahweh would deliver them up before them, and when He did they were to ensure that they did what He had commanded them, slay every last person, so that evil might be rooted out of the land. Had they in fact carried out this command they might have been saved for a much longer period from the cursings. But subsequently they were disobedient once the initial rest and time of blessing was past (Judges 2.7), simply because they were influenced by the people still remaining in the land, as the narrative in Judges makes clear, and that was why the cursings began to reveal themselves. When God calls on us to do something, however unpleasant, we do well to do it (but we must make sure that it is God Who is calling us to do it).

31.6 ‘Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid at them, for Yahweh your (thy) God, he it is who does go with you (thee); he will not fail you (thee), nor forsake you (thee).’

They were therefore to be strong and of good courage. They were to carry no fear in their hearts, and they were not to be afraid of the enemy. For it was Yahweh their God who was going with them, and He would neither fail them nor forsake them. They would be able totally to rely on Him. If God was for them, who could be against them?

Here they were on the verge of the land. Ahead of them lay battle after battle. The thought that Yahweh was with them and that victory was certain in them all if they truly followed Him, would have been a huge encouragement,

We too must ever remember as we go forward in our lives Who it is Who goes with us. The thought should not only keep us from sin, but also be the assurance to us of the certainty of success if we walk with Him. If God be for us who can be against us, no matter how long the trials may go on?

Moses’ Commission to Joshua (31.7-8).

Having encouraged the people Moses then hands over the reins to Joshua ‘in the sight of all the people’.

31.7 ‘And Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you will go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you will cause them to inherit it.’

All the detail had no doubt already been dealt with, but this was the final commissioning ceremony as Joshua took over the reins. In front of all the people he was ‘sworn in’ (see 3.28 and compare Numbers 27.21-28). All the concentration, however, was not on him but on the fact that Yahweh was with him. He could be strong and of good courage for his future victory was certain. He would go in with his people, into the land, and he would possess it, for it was the land that Yahweh had sworn to their fathers to give them. And all because Yahweh was with him.

31.8 ‘And Yahweh, he it is who does go before you. He will be with you, he will not fail you, nor forsake you. Fear not, nor be dismayed.’

And this was because it was Yahweh Who would be going before them. He would be with them. He would not fail or forsake them. Thus he and they had no reason to be afraid or be dismayed, for all was in Yahweh’s hands. When Moses was dead Yahweh would repeat to Joshua precisely the same thing (Joshua 1.5-6), confirming his position as the new God-chosen leader and commander. Joshua was taking on no light responsibility. He was replacing Moses.

He had, however, been groomed for it from when he was a young man. He had been with Moses in the Mount (Exodus 24.13; 32.17). He had commanded the army of Israel in resisting enemy attack (Exodus 17.9). He had watched over the original Tent of Meeting where he had probably had much to do with the recording of the words of Moses (Exodus 33.11). He was constantly Moses’ right hand man (Exodus 24.13; Numbers 11.28). He had been one of the spies who searched out Canaan (Numbers 14.6, 30, 38). He had been demonstrated to be selected out for leadership (Numbers 32.28; 34.17). He had thus received plenty of training before being ‘chosen’. If we would be chosen by God we must first prepare ourselves well.

The Law Is Handed Over In Written Form And It Is Commanded That It Be Read In Its Totality To All Israel Every Seven Years (31.9-13).

Moses’ attention now turned to the priests. They primarily had the responsibility for the maintenance of the whole covenant, especially the ritual element.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel (9).
• b And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh your God in the place which He shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing (10-11).
• b Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and your resident alien who is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law (12).
• a And that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Yahweh your God, as long as you live in the land to which you go over the Jordan to possess it (13).

Note that in ‘a’ Moses wrote the Instruction and handed it over officially to the priests who would teach it to, and enforce it on, the people, and in the parallel it is so that their children might hear it and learn to fear Yahweh. In ‘b’ they were to gather every seven years to hear the reading of the whole Torah at the Feast of Tabernacles, and in the parallel the people were to be assembled to hear, learn and fear Yahweh.

31.9 ‘And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel.’

In the context of the book ‘this law’ would refer to the whole of Deuteronomy up to this point. God’s instruction in Deuteronomy is now firmly placed in the context of the Sanctuary. But the fact that he did this confirms that he would also have done it previously for the remainder of the Law, the whole of the Pentateuch. Deuteronomy in itself was very much incomplete as a source of Law, it had simply given various slants on it, and said very little about the ritual that would be the primary responsibility of the priests. He would have been irresponsible merely to record this popular version, and not the more detailed requirements contained elsewhere. This is confirmed in Nehemiah 8.14-15 when in the reading of the law at the feast of Tabernacles Leviticus was clearly read. Thus Moses had this written in order to put it with the other scrolls/tablets (31.26).

We are not to see the whole Law as all written down for the first time at that stage. It had taken many years to write, and to bring to completion. Moses would have recorded it and built on it. It would already have been placed ‘by the side of the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh’. But now he was about to die and so he had finalised it with this summary in Deuteronomy, and then solemnly handed it over to the religious and secular leadership. It was to be the foundation of their authority. Now that Moses would no longer be with them this would be their Bible.

It was not handed over to Joshua. While Joshua was supreme leader under Yahweh, the oversight of the people was in the joint hands of the priests and the elders, and the Law was therefore held within the Sanctuary, a seal on the covenant between Yahweh and His people.

‘The priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh.’ The priesthood had overall responsibility for the Ark and all its movements. It was under their jurisdiction. This does not mean that they had to actually carry it themselves, except when it was uncovered and going forth to war. Levites had been appointed for the task of being its bearers when it was covered (Numbers 4.4-15). But it was the priests who covered it and had overall responsibility, and who alone could carry it when it was uncovered. To have such an exalted position as this, responsibility for the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh, demonstrated their unique standing with Yahweh. They were the throne-servants who served the Lord of the whole earth.

‘All the elders of Israel.’ These might include in this context the princes of the tribes, the tribal heads, the judge (17.9) and wider judges, the sub-tribal heads, the leading men of the tribes, the commanders of thousands, and the wider-family heads. (Compare 29.10; 2 Chronicles 5.2).

31.10-11 ‘And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh your (thy) God in the place which he shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.’

Provision was now made for the reading of God’s Instruction every seven years during the seventh year ‘Year of Release’ at the Feast of Tabernacles. Then all Israel would appear before Him at the place which He would choose to hear the reading of ‘this law’, the whole Law, ‘before all Israel’ in their hearing. In Nehemiah it is clear that ‘the book of the law’ read at the feast of Tabernacles certainly included Leviticus (Nehemiah 8.14-15, compare Leviticus 23.34-42). This periodic reading out of a treaty was a familiar feature of many treaties as a reminder to those bound by them.

This confirms the importance of the Year of Release to Israel. Only one aspect has been mentioned in Deuteronomy (15.1-11), but it was a year of great import (Exodus 23.10-11; Leviticus 25.2-7), indeed of such importance that, when they failed to keep it, it would be divinely enforced by turning them out of the land (Leviticus 26.34-35, 43). Their failure to observe it was a sign of refusal to recognise His ownership of the land, and of themselves and their time.

Of course this was not the only time when the people would hear God’s Instruction. Some part of it would be communicated at every feast. But this was to be the time when the whole Law was read out.

‘The year of release.’ Compare 15.1, 9 where debt was released, and Exodus 22.11 where the land was ‘released’.

31.12 ‘Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and your (thy) resident alien who is within your (thy) gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,’

For this reading of God’s Instruction all must gather, men, women, children and resident aliens so that all may learn, and fear Yahweh and observe to do all that He had said in His Instruction.

But it may be that some of the women and children could be represented by some who would stand in for them from among their number, and that recitals of the Law were also arranged in cities and towns, for the cattle could not be left for seven days without milking on their farms. ‘All Israel’ in verse 11 could mean all the adult males. They certainly had to gather at the Sanctuary. But some of the remainder could possibly gather in their cities and towns. Compare how unleavened bread had to be throughout the whole of Israel at the feast of unleavened bread (16.4) even though the males had to gather at the Sanctuary.

31.13 ‘And that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Yahweh your (of ye) God, as long as you (ye) live in the land to which you (ye) go over the Jordan to possess it.’

This was to be very much a renewing of the covenant with the latest members of Israel. Each seven years the latest additions to Israel would ‘know and hear and learn to fear’ Yahweh their God. And this was to go on for as long as they lived in the land which they were going over Jordan to possess. They too must learn that the land was Yahweh’s and that they held it from Him.

They would, of course, have been taught the instruction of Yahweh from babyhood. But hearing it solemnly read out at the feast would be the seal on their recognition of it as the word of Yahweh.

For the theoretical purpose for the land was that it would be an everlasting kingdom under Yahweh, a land of purity and light among the nations, a land where Yahweh and His people would be together within the covenant relationship. It was to be like a marriage. The actual practise would in fact turn out to be far different simply because of the disobedience of the people.

But in the final analysis it was preparing for a greater purpose which would be revealed in the coming Messiah, resulting in an everlasting kingdom which was beyond man’s wildest dreams.

Moses’ Final Charge From Yahweh (31.14-23).

God now called Moses and Joshua into the Tent of Meeting, and when they had entered, the cloud stood over the door of the Tent of Meeting in order to demonstrate that they were in conference, and to prevent interruption by the priests. Both Moses and Joshua as servants of Yahweh clearly had a unique right of access.

In a book where the emphasis was on the ‘place’ which Yahweh would choose where the people met, this one and only mention of the Tent of Meeting must be seen as significant. It is bringing out the difference at this point between Moses and Joshua on the one hand, and the priests and the people on the other. At this point Moses and Joshua alone went into the Tent of Meeting itself, and went behind the cloud as they had at Sinai, while the remainder stayed away. The priest could minister in the tent but Yahweh owned it. They could only enter with His permission.

And in this private interview a totally different picture was given of the situation that was being presented. In the first half of the chapter all had been confidence and assurance and certainty and encouragement. But in this second half, while the same general pattern is followed as in 31.1-13, a reference being first made concerning Israel as a whole (16-21, contrast 1-6), then concerning Joshua (23, compare 7-8), then a giving of the Instruction to the priests, which was to include the elders ( 24-26 with 28, compare 9), the emphasis is totally different. It is pessimistic rather than optimistic. The first half was full of confidence and expectancy. This second half is filled with doubt and mystery. We can almost again hear the words of Moses, ‘the secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us (Israel) and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Instruction (29.29).’ While the children of Israel had received what Yahweh had given them, His secrets were only being revealed to Moses and Joshua.

Compare for this sudden switch in mood 28.1-14 with 28.15-68; and 29.1-21 with 29.22-28, the latter leading up into the saying in 29.29.

And the giving of these secrets was then followed by the giving of the book of the law to the priests and a communication to the elders (24-29, contrast 9-13), while stressing to both the untrustworthiness of, and stiffnecked attitude of the people, with regard to the covenant. Among other things it was an attempt to remind them that they should not be complacent.

So in this chapter a message of hope is deliberately combined with a communication of doubt, as previously in the book. Compare 4.23-31; 28 all; 29.1-28; 30.1. Let them go forward confidently but let them beware and recognise what they were in their own hearts.

He begins verses 14-29 by informing Moses that his death is approaching, and called on him to bring Joshua in with him into the Tent of Meeting. And there He informed him prophetically in no uncertain terms of what Israel’s future would be like. His emphasis was on the fact that it was a future that would result in failure. And the purpose for emphasising this was so that he and Joshua (ye) might write a song, which would be available to speak to Israel when that time of failure came. The song was as given in chapter 32. This was a main purpose of this secret meeting, the need to write an inspired song to meet future emergencies.

Yahweh then personally called on Joshua, and repeating Moses’ previous assurance, confirmed his appointment as the new leader, and encouraged him with the certainty of His help. At least that part of their future was secure.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, your days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge.” (14a).
• b And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting, and Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the Tent (14b-15).
• c And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers, and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the foreign gods of the land, to which they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them” (16).
• d “Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them (17a).
• e And I will hide my face from them, and they will be devoured, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ ” (17).
• e And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they will have wrought, in that they are turned to other gods” (18).
• d “Now therefore write you this song for yourselves, and teach you it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel” (19).
• c “For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant” (20).
• b “And it shall come about, when many evils and troubles are come on them, that this song will testify before them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.” So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel (21-22).
• a And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you will bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them: and I will be with you” (23).

Note that in ‘a’ Moses is to call Joshua and they are to present themselves in the Tent of Meeting so that Joshua can be given a charge, and in the parallel he gave Joshua the charge and told him to be strong and of good courage, for he would bring the children of Israel into the land and Yahweh would be with him. In ‘b’ they went and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting and Yahweh appeared in the pillar of cloud and it stood over the door of the Tent. (The cloud is the witness to the covenant and His purpose was twofold, firstly to give Joshua a charge and secondly to tell Moses to write a song which would be a witness against the failure of the people to keep the covenant). And in the parallel when trouble comes on them the song will testify against them as a witness. In ‘c’ the people will rise up and play the prostitute after foreign gods and will forsake Yahweh, and break His covenant which He has made with them, and in the parallel they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise Yahweh, and break His covenant. In ‘d’ then His anger will be kindled against them in that day, and He will forsake them, and in the parallel the song which is a charge that they have forsaken Him is to be written as a witness against the children of Israel. In ‘e’ He ‘will hide His face from them’, and many ‘evils’ and troubles will come on them and they will realise that God is not among them, and in the parallel He ‘will hide His face from them’ because of the ‘evil’ that they have wrought in turning to other gods. Note also the repetition in the first statement and the parallel of ‘in that day’.

We should notice that this is the third charge to ‘be strong and of good courage’. Compare verses 6 and 7 for the other two. It is giving ‘complete’ assurance. Furthermore the song is referred to four times in this passage, once to be written (19), twice to be a twofold witness against them (19, 21), and once in the writing (22). It is central to their purpose in being there, and to the passage.

31.14 ‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, your (thy) days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves (ye both) in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge.” And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.

God first confirmed that Moses must die. He must therefore make preparation. So He called on him to bring Joshua with him into the Tent of Meeting, so that He may ‘give him a charge’. Though he must die for His failure at Meribah, Moses was not rejected. He was still Yahweh’s supreme representative. The Tent was the place of the covenant, and he was safely within the covenant, as Joshua would be as well. And here he must pass on his responsibilities to his successor.

31.15 ‘And Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the Tent.’

And there, alone with them in the Tent, Yahweh appeared in a pillar of cloud, the cloud by which He had led Israel in the way, when also they had not believed (1.33). It was the same cloud that had hidden Yahweh when He proclaimed the covenant (5.22), and into which Moses and Joshua had ascended previously as they went up alone and left the children of Israel behind (Exodus 24.13, 15). Now as then there was again a separating between them and the whole of Israel. To them were to be revealed the secret things.

We should note that the coming of the cloud was in complete contrast to the writing of the song. The cloud was the witness that He was there as the God of the covenant, that Yahweh was with them and with His people. The song would be a witness that at come stage they would break the covenant, and was in order to be ready for that day.

This is the first mention in Deuteronomy of the Tent of Meeting, although there can be little doubt that it was around the Tent that Israel had gathered to hear the words of Moses, in ‘the place’ at that time chosen by Yahweh which the Tent proclaimed. But the people could not enter the Tent. It was unknown territory to them and had thus been ignored in the people’s covenant, being seen rather as ‘the place’. It is mentioned here to confirm its status as the place where Yahweh would be met with, and Yahweh manifested His presence in the Tent, by means of the familiar pillar of cloud which hovered over the door of the Tent (Exodus 13.21-22; 33.9-10; Numbers 12.5; 14.14) preventing access. And there He spoke first with Moses.

31.16 ‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers, and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the foreign gods of the land, to which they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.” ’

Yahweh was under no illusions about Israel. Even though they would be given every opportunity to serve Him faithfully, their future was known to Him. He knew that once Moses ‘slept with his fathers’ they would be unfaithful and turn to the gods of the land, and would forsake Him and be unfaithful to the covenant which He had made with them. It had already happened both at Sinai and at Baal-peor. It would not happen immediately while Joshua was around, but it would certainly happen. And He now made this known to Moses so that he would, with Joshua’s help, write the song that could be a blessing to Israel in the future.

It is here made clear to us that God is sovereign over the whole future. Alone in the Tent He can reveal what that future holds, because from that future He intends to finally establish His purposes. But He makes clear that it will not be achieved easily. Outside the Tent was optimism, and entreaty and encouragement, as they looked forward to the short term, the occupation of Canaan. Inside it was the truth as things would be in the longer term. Outside men were called on to choose freely. Inside the inexorable purposes of God are unfolded, the result of the extremes of man’s sinfulness.

‘Play the prostitute.’ A sign of unfaithfulness and wantonness. Compare Exodus 34.15-16; Leviticus 17.7 20.5; Numbers 15.39; Judges 2.17; 8.27, 33; etc. It indicates reckless unfaithfulness to a marriage covenant, a covenant which was very similar to Yahweh’s covenant of love with Israel. Cult prostitution would have been well known to Israel from connections with Canaanite religion in parts of Egypt, where Baal was clearly worshipped.

‘Foreign gods of the land.’ The point here was that although they were worshipped in the land they were foreign to it and should not be there. For this was Yahweh’s land, separated to Him and holy.

‘Break my covenant.’ Compare Genesis 17.14; Leviticus 26.15, 44).

31.17 “Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they will be devoured, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ ”

The result will be that His anger will be kindled against them, and He will forsake them too. He will hide His face from them and the result will be that they will be at the mercy of the nations and will be ‘devoured’. Many evils and troubles will come on them through invasion and servitude because they have deserted Him. And this will eventually waken them up and will turn their thoughts back to God. The cursings would continue to apply until they awoke a gradual stirring in their hearts.

31.18 “And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they will have wrought, in that they are turned to other gods.”

For in that day He would continue to hide His face from them because of all their evil doings and their unfaithfulness. Awareness of Him was not in itself enough. There must be a turning away from other gods. There must be true repentance.

31.19 “Now therefore write you (ye) this song for you (ye), and teach you (thou) it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.”

The purpose in bringing all this out is now stated. Moses as a prophet, together with Joshua (this serves to confirm that Joshua was involved in much of what Moses ‘wrote’), had to prepare a prophetic message that Israel would be able to turn to at that time, which would speak to their situation. Moses had written God’s Instruction for Israel. That was to be taught to the children that they may be a part of the covenant and know Yahweh’s will. But now, along with Joshua, he was to write a song. This song was also to be taught to the children, but it was to be of a different nature. It was in fact very much a Complaint Document, a complaint similar to a typical complaint against a vassal written by his overlord in response to a breach of treaty, examples of which are known. It is a call for their restoration having breached the treaty. Such ‘Complaint’ documents would be something that would have been well known to Moses from Egypt.

With the knowledge that Moses had of what the future held as revealed in 4.23-31; 28 all; 29.22-29; 30.1, we should not be surprised that he would consider the need to prepare for it. And the song format would be a means of doing so without being itself a disillusionment to the people.

31.20 “For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.”

To Moses God outlined what He knew would eventually happen. Whether this was private communication to Moses, or whether Joshua was included, we are not told. Perhaps it was better for Joshua not to know to the fullest extent what was to happen. His part may simply have been to again later record the words of Moses. (He was mainly there for a different purpose).

The news was not good. Having been brought into the land in accordance with Yahweh’s oath to their fathers (it was because of this oath that He was bringing them in at all), into the land flowing with milk and honey, instead of being grateful and remaining faithful to Him for ever, they will lapse. When they have ‘eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.’ Note the sequence. They would first fill themselves with all the good things that He had given them, and then they would turn to other gods and serve them. Having ‘milked’ Yahweh, they would then desert Him. And yet such was His goodness that He would still persevere with them.

Note the contrast here. Yahweh had sworn the oath to their forefathers, and was faithful to His promises. They had sworn to obey the covenant, but would be unfaithful to it.

31.21 “And it shall come about, when many evils and troubles are come on them, that this song will testify before them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.”

As a result of their desertion many evils and troubles would come on them, and it was then that they would turn to the Song that Moses must now write, for it would be a witness to them, both of their infidelity and of God’s continual mercy. Moses need not worry. It would not be forgotten by them. Their seed would sing it continually until one day its significance dawned on them. Meanwhile Yahweh wanted Moses to know that He was perfectly aware of how these people were thinking even before He has brought them into the land. Note again the stress on ‘which I swore’. That is in fact the reason why He was still going to bring them into the land.

31.22 ‘So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.’

And so Moses did what Yahweh had said, and wrote the song that Yahweh had commanded, and taught it to the children of Israel. This verse is a summary verse simply put in to let us know that Moses will be obedient. Then the passage goes on with the present circumstances. It is typical of ancient literature.

The Charge to Joshua (31.23).

Having communicated with Moses Yahweh now spoke to Joshua, who may not have been aware of what God had said to Moses. For what God said to Joshua was no different from what Moses had said to him previously (7-8). He gave him the ‘charge’ which was the purpose of him being there (verse 14).

31.23 ‘And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you will bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them: and I will be with you.”

He now promised Joshua that He would be with him, and that as a result he would accomplish the task of bringing them into the land. Thus he could be strong and of good courage.

Moses Charge To The Levites (31.24-29).

Here we have repeated that Moses wrote all the words of the covenant down in a book. Twofold repetition in Scripture is always for emphasis. But he then censured them harshly. It may well be that we are to see verse 9 as referring to the writing of the first papyrus scroll or tablet, which was then handed over as described, and that then his meeting with Yahweh intervened, for it is quite clear that writing the full Instruction down would take some considerable time, especially if two copies were required, one for the Overlord and one for the subjects. That would explain why when he handed over the remainder, or possibly the second copy, having written it, his approach was so different. What Yahweh had revealed to him had clearly affected him deeply.

Analysis using the words of Moses:

• a And it came about, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, that bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying (24-25).
• b “Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, that it may be there for a witness against you” (26).
• c “For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck (27a).
• c Behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against Yahweh, and how much more after my death?” (27b).
• b “Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them” (28).
• a “For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you, and evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands” (29).

Note that in ‘a’ the book of Instruction was written and finished and preparation made to put it beside the Ark, as a seal and guarantee of the covenant together with its blessings and cursings, and in the parallel he is aware that they will behave in such a way that they will bring on them the cursings in that book. In ‘b’ they are to take the book of Instruction and put it beside the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh that it might be a witness against them, and in the parallel heaven and earth is to be a witness against them also. In ‘c’ he knows their rebellion and obstinacy, and in the parallel he points out that he has already witnessed their rebellion and expects them to be even more rebellious when he has gone.

31.24-25 ‘And it came about, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, that bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying,

When Moses had made an end of writing of ‘the words of this Instruction in a book’ so that it was completely finished, he now gave his command to ‘the Levites who bore the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh’. This may indicate the priests, for they alone could bear the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh when it was uncovered. But as the command is only to put it down beside the Ark, it may be that he was speaking to the Levites who normally bore the Ark when it was covered (Numbers 4.15), so that next time they put the Ark down they placed the book beside it before the Tent was erected around it and it was uncovered by the priests.

31.26 “Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your (of ye) God, that it may be there for a witness against you (thee).”

His strong words bring home the impact of what he had heard in the Tent. While it was not the first time he had heard such things, hearing it in the light of his approaching death and with such solemn certainty, had brought it home to him anew. So he charges them to take the book of Yahweh’s Instruction, and put it beside the Ark. Inside the Ark were the tablets containing the original covenant. This book was to take its place beside it, possibly in the Holy of Holies, or possibly in the Holy Place next to the veil behind which would be the Ark in close proximity.

But it is his words which reveal his thoughts, ‘as a witness against you’. It may well be that they wondered what had happened to bring about this change in him in comparison to the last time (verse 9). But the import was clear. It would be a testimony against any in Israel who sinned, and against all Israel when all Israel sinned, and against them when they sinned.

31.27 “For I know your (thy) rebellion, and your (thy) stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you (ye) have been rebellious against Yahweh, and how much more after my death?”

He then told them quite bluntly that Israel whom they represented were rebellious and stiffnecked, and that his experience of them while he was still alive had convinced him that they would be even worse after his death. They were probably used to his speaking like this, possibly too used to it. They may even have agreed with him wholeheartedly, convinced that while it was not true of them it was certainly true of the others, for such is our ability to take the worst of accusations and apply it to other than ourselves.

31.28 “Assemble to me all the elders of your (of ye) tribes, and your (of ye) officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them.”

He then commanded them to gather all the elders and administrative assistants of Israel so that he could tell them the same, and so that he could call heaven and earth to witness against them. He had previously called on heaven and earth to witness his offer to Israel of life and good or death and evil (30.19). Now it was to witness as to which they would choose.

Both he and the elders were aware that he was not necessarily speaking about them. He was speaking about them as the present representatives of the people who would do this. It was a public announcement about the future. He was warning about the consequences of unfaithfulness. The elders who were under Joshua, and those of them who outlived him would in fact prove faithful. It would be after that that the rot set in (Judges 2.7)

31.29 “For I know that after my death you (ye) will utterly corrupt yourselves (ye), and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you (ye) in the latter days, because you (ye) will do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger through the work of your (of ye) hands.”

For as a result of being with Yahweh in the Tent he now knew afresh what Israel would prove to be like. That after his death they would corrupt themselves totally by turning aside from the way which he had commanded them to take. And he warned them that in later days evil would befall them because of the evil that they would do in the sight of Yahweh, provoking Him to anger by the work of their hands, including the idols that they made. And this is the context in which he now gave out the great song that he had written under Yahweh’s guidance.

This command to Moses to write a song with the future in view is quite significant. It makes quite clear that it was God’s intention ever to meet the people’s need before it arose by raising up those who could ‘prophesy’. It makes us aware that we should therefore expect to see such continuing activity in the history of Israel.

Chapter 32 The Song of Moses.

Having written the Complaint Document as a song to be sung by the children of Israel until its words were fulfilled and it could be called on as a witness against them, and also be seen as a promise of hope, Moses read out the song to the people.

Analysis.

• a And Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were finished (31.30).
• b The Song of Complaint and Promise (32.1-43).
• a And Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun, and Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel (32.44-45).

The Song of Complaint and Promise (32.1-43).

31.30 ‘And Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were finished.’

As we have just previously been informed, this song was written for when Israel saw worse days, but it was read out (not sung) by Moses before all Israel so that they might begin to learn its contents. All would know that in the end they had to memorise it by heart. That was the way in which such things were done.

But the fact that it is called a song indicates that it was intended to be sung in future worship, and we have certainly no reason to doubt that that happened.

While there is material in it that could be described as ‘wisdom material’, or ‘prophetic material’, it is not of such a kind as to demand a late date. Wisdom literature was known in Egypt long before this time, and would have been known to Moses, and he was certainly a prophet. Nor is there reference to particular events, apart from what would have been in the past for Moses. There is no good reason for doubting that it is an ancient song, and in fact no good reason for doubting that Moses was its author under God.

It seems to follow to some extent the pattern of an ancient ‘lawsuit (Hebrew - rib) pattern’, a pattern which appears to date back at least to 18th century BC. This was a pattern followed by overlords when taking up a controversy against their subjects who had broken a treaty. First witnesses were called on to bear witness to his words, then the character of the Overlord was described, then the charge was made against the covenant breakers, then a series of questions were put to them, then the beneficence towards them of their Overlord was outlined, then the treacherous nature of their behaviour was described, and then finally the Overlord’s verdict was pronounced.

That is the pattern found here. Throughout the poem Yahweh as Israel’s great Overlord is seen to be the offended party. He is blameless and righteous in all His ways, while Israel are disobedient and rebellious. Their folly in rebelling against Yahweh is revealed, the judgment that will follow, in which Yahweh will make use of their enemies, is declared, but then, unlike the usual Complaint document, it finalises with a description of their vindication, not because of what they are but because of Yahweh’s gracious action. Yahweh will not allow His purposes to fail.

Witnesses Are Called On To Bear Witness To His Words (32.1-3).

32.1-3

First heaven and earth are called on to witness to what Moses will speak (compare 30.19; 31.28), such is the solemnity of his words. These are world fashioning events. Heaven and earth were in fact regular treaty witnesses among other nations (compare 4.26; 30.19).

Then the nature of his teaching is described. It is like the rain and the dew falling and bringing forth lush vegetation, bringing life and fruitfulness. His words should come as words of refreshing to their hearts. And the reason that it is like this is because He is proclaiming the name of Yahweh. They are therefore to ascribe greatness to ‘our God’.

In this teaching we have the germ of the later teaching about God’s word bringing forth new life and about the Holy Spirit as being like rain (Isaiah 55.10-11; 44.3-5 compare 45.8), and the basis of the teaching of John the Baptiser where he spoke of fruitfulness, and of the new birth of water and Spirit in the teaching of Jesus Himself. Here it is connected with ‘the name’, that is with the nature of, Yahweh. Yahweh is the living God, the life-giver.

This last is the teaching that is available to us. But we must ask ourselves the question, are we open to His divine influence on us?

‘Proclaim the name of Yahweh.’ This may have in mind 6.4-5, ‘Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one’ and ‘Yahweh our God’, His name as the covenant God.

‘Ascribe you greatness to our God.’ Compare 3.24; 5.21; 9.26; 11.2; Numbers 14.19; Psalms 79.11; 150.2). This word for God’s ‘greatness’ is mainly limited to the Pentateuch.

The Character of the Overlord Is Described (32.4).

32.4

The reason that God can be ascribed as great is now expanded on. It is because He is the Rock, He is what alone is firm and sure in the midst of uncertainty (Psalm 31.2-3; 40.2; 62.2, 6-7; 94.22), He alone provides shelter from the burning heat (Isaiah 32.2), and water for the thirsty (8.15 compare 32.13; Psalm 78.20; 105.41; 114.8; Isaiah 48.21). For His work is perfect and without fault or failure, His ways are totally just and right, and He is totally faithful and without any trace within of bentness or wrongdoing or inbred sin. The fact that false gods can also later be likened to a rock (32.31) suggests that the first picture is what is mainly in mind.

The Charge Is Made Against the Covenant Breakers (32.5).

32.5

In contrast with Yahweh’s faithfulness and reliability are His people. They have dealt corruptly with him, being deceitful, unreliable and untrustworthy. They are ‘not His children’ (compare Hosea 1.10; 2.23), that is, not behaving like Him or revealing Him in their lives. As a result of their blemish, which is in contrast with His perfection, they are a perverse and crooked generation, unreliable and twisted, not fit to be seen as His children. For ‘blemish’ (disfiguring spot) compare Job 11.15; 31.7; Proverbs 9.7.

A Series of Questions Is Then Put To Them (32.6).

32.6

He then faces the people up with their folly and lack of wisdom. Is this really the way that they repay Yahweh for all He has done for them? Do they not recognise that He is their Father (14.1 compare Exodus 4.22) Who has redeemed them (from bondage in Egypt - 7.8; 9.26; 13.5; 15.15; 24.18), and has brought them through the wilderness (1.31), and has made them into a fruitful and abundant nation, and has shaped them and established them so that they are there ready to possess God’s land and live in it securely?

These are questions that we should put to ourselves. So often we forget that He is our Father, and that what He does is for our good. That is why we so often take little notice of Him and what He requires from our lives.

The Beneficence Towards Them of Their Overlord Is Outlined (32.7-14).

32.7-9

So he now tells them to consider what Yahweh has done for them. Let them look back over the generations and remember what Yahweh did from the beginning. They only have to ask their fathers, or their elders to discover it. Because they were Yahweh’s inheritance and His people, when He divided up the world He remembered them, and how many of them there would be, so that he allocated portions to other nations accordingly. He ensured that a broad and wide land was available for them which would be more than sufficient to accommodate their numbers. Other nations were thus restricted accordingly.

‘The Most High.’ (Elyon). Compare Genesis 14.18; Numbers 24.16, both cases where connection with Gentile nations is emphasised. Israel appear to have taken the title over, assimilating it to Yahweh as Abraham had himself done (Genesis 14.22) for use when speaking of His dealings with Gentile nations.

‘According to the number of the sons of Israel.’ Some have seen here a connection between the seventy members of Jacob’s household who went down into Egypt and the seventy nations in Genesis 10, but in view of the lack of mention of seventy here and in Genesis 10 that seems a little far fetched. LXX and a Hebrew fragment at Qumran have ‘sons of God’ instead of ‘sons of Israel’. That might signify that the numbers of the nations were determined by the number of angelic powers who could have charge of them, but that seems to be irrelevant to the context. But it would appear to have arisen from the belief in guardian angels for different nations. As MT makes excellent sense in context we would suggest its retention. It simply mans that when allocating land to the nations He remembered how many Israelites there would be and allocated accordingly.

32.10

He had found Israel in the desert land, in the waste land, in the howling wilderness, (the threefoldness emphasising its wild nature). The idea is of someone who has been found wandering in the desert almost near death, helpless and hopeless, saved by the skin of their teeth. We can compare for this picture of being ‘found’ Hosea 9.10, where we have the same picture indicating that they were ‘found’. Hosea makes it clear that this was after they left Egypt following God’s call (Hosea 2.15; 11.1). Israel had left Egypt but had then turned away from Him (e.g. Exodus 16.3). They were thus helpless until He found them again. Then Yahweh had surrounded them with His love, caring for