Chapter commentary
Deuteronomy Chapter 1
서론
Untitled
繁體中文
English original
The first part of Moses's farewell sermon to Israel begins with this chapter, and is continued to the latter end of the fourth chapter. In the first five verses of this chapter we have the date of the sermon, the place where it was preached (De 1:1,2,5), and the time when, De 1:3,4. The narrative in this chapter reminds them, I. Of the promise God made them of the land of Canaan, De 1:6-8. II. Of the provision made of judges for them, De 1:9-18. III. Of their unbelief and murmuring upon the report of the spies, De 1:19-33. IV. Of the sentence passed upon them for it, and the ratification of that sentence, De 1:34-46, etc.
1-8
Israel's History Repeated (1451 BC)
繁體中文
以色列歷史的重述（主前1451年）
¹ 以下所記的，是摩西在約但河東的曠野、疏弗對面的亞拉巴，就是巴蘭、陀弗、拉班、哈洗錄、底撒哈之間，向以色列眾人所說的話。
² 從何烈山經過西珥山到加低斯巴尼亞，有十一天的路程。
³ 出埃及第四十年十一月初一日，摩西照耶和華藉着他所吩咐以色列人的話，都曉諭他們。
⁴ 那時他已經擊殺了住希實本的亞摩利王西宏，和住亞斯他錄、以得來的巴珊王噩。
⁵ 約但河東的摩押地，摩西開始講解這律法，說：
⁶ 耶和華我們的神在何烈山曉諭我們說：你們在這山上住的日子彀了；
⁷ 要起行轉到亞摩利人的山地，和靠近這山地的各處，就是亞拉巴、山地、高原、南地、沿海一帶迦南人的地，並利巴嫩山，又到伯拉大河。
⁸ 如今我將這地擺在你們面前，你們要進去得這地，就是耶和華向你們列祖亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓應許賜給他們和他們後裔為業之地。
此處我們看見：一、摩西向以色列人所傳這篇講章的日期。無疑他聽眾極多，凡能擠在聽得見的範圍內的人都來了，特別是眾長老和官長——百姓的代表；並且很可能他是在安息日向他們傳的。1. 他們如今安營之地是「亞拉巴，在摩押地」（申一1、5），他們正準備進迦南，與迦南人交戰。然而他向他們講論的不是軍事——爭戰的技藝和策略，而是他們對神當盡的本分；因為他們若保守自己在神的敬畏和恩寵中，神必為他們確保那地的征服：他們的宗教就是他們最好的策略。2. 時間臨近他們出埃及第四十年之末。這麼久神「容忍了他們」，他們也「擔當自己的罪孽」（民十四34）；如今一個更新更快樂的階段將要開始，作為施恩的記號，摩西向他們重申律法。照樣，在他們因金牛犢之事受神責罰之後，神與他們和好最早、最確實的記號，就是「重新立定兩塊版」。神把律法放在我們心裏，這是他恩寵最美好的憑據和憑單（詩一四七19–20）。
二、講章本身。總體而言，摩西「照耶和華藉着他所吩咐以色列人的話」都講了（申一3），這表明他不僅如今所傳的內容實質上與從前所吩咐的相同，也是神如今吩咐他重複的。他純粹是奉神的指示，給他們這次重申和勸勉；神指定他把這份遺產留給教會。他從他們離開西奈山開始敘述（申一6），此處記述：1. 神吩咐他們起營、繼續前行（申一6–7）：「你們在這山上住的日子彀了。」這山是「火焰的山」（來十二18），「生子為奴」（加四24）。神把他們領到這裏為要使他們謙卑，並藉律法的威嚴預備他們進入應許之地。在那裏他留了他們約一年，然後告訴他們在那裏住的日子已彀，他們當往前。神雖然把他的百姓帶入患難和困苦——屬靈的、心中的患難和困苦——卻知道他們在其中住得彀了的日子，並必找着最適當的時機，使他們從恐懼的靈進到得兒子名分的靈（羅八15）。2. 他讓他們看見在迦南得着快樂早早定居的指望：「起行轉到迦南人的地」（申一7）；進去得那地為業，全是你的。「如今我將這地擺在你們面前」（申一8）。神吩咐我們在基督徒道路上往前時，也把天上的迦南擺在我們眼前，作為鼓勵。
English original
Israel's History Repeated (1451 BC)
¹ 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.
² (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.)
³ And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;
⁴ After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:
⁵ On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,
⁶ The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:
⁷ Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.
⁸ Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.
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 (De 1:1,5), where they were just ready to enter Canaan, and engage in a war with the Canaanites. Yet he discourses not to them concerning military affairs, the arts and stratagems of war, 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 (Nu 14:34), and now that 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 on account of 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, Ps 147:19,20.
II. The discourse itself. In general, Moses spoke unto them all that the Lord had given him in commandment (De 1:3), which intimates, not only that what he now delivered was for substance the same with what had formerly been commanded, but that it was what 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 (De 1:6), and relates here, 1. The orders which God gave them to decamp, and proceed in their march (De 1:6,7): You have dwelt long enough in this mount. This was the mount that burned with fire (Heb 12:18), and gendered to bondage, Ga 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 brings 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 adoption. See Ro 8:15. 2. The prospect which he gave them of a happy and early settlement in Canaan: Go to the land of the Canaanites (De 1:7); enter and take possession, it is all your own. Behold I have set the land before you, De 1:8. When God commands us to go forward in our Christian course he sets the heavenly Canaan before us for our encouragement.
9-18
The Charge to Magistrates (1451 BC)
繁體中文
對官長的囑咐（主前1451年）
⁹ 「那時我對你們說：『我獨自一人不能擔當你們。
¹⁰ 耶和華—你們的 神使你們多起來；看哪，你們今日像天上的星那樣多。
¹¹ 願耶和華—你們列祖的 神使你們比如今更多千倍，照他所應許你們的話賜福與你們！』
¹² 但你們的麻煩、你們的重擔、你們的爭訟，我獨自一人怎能擔當呢？
¹³ 你們要按著各支派，選舉有智慧、有見識、為眾人所認識的，我就立他們為你們的首領。』
¹⁴ 你們回答我說：『你所說的這事很好。』
¹⁵ 我便將你們各支派的首領，就是有智慧、為眾人所認識的，立為你們的首領：千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長、十夫長，以及各支派的官長，管轄你們。
¹⁶ 「那時我囑咐你們的審判官說：『你們聽訟，無論是弟兄彼此爭訟，還是與同住的外人爭訟，都要按公義判斷。
¹⁷ 審判的時候不可看人的外貌；聽訟不可分尊卑，都要聽；不可懼怕人，因為審判是屬乎 神的。若遇難斷的案件，可以呈到我這裏，我就判斷。』
¹⁸ 那時我將你們所當行的事都吩咐你們了。
摩西在此提醒他們，他們的政體是何等幸福的體制，若不是他們自己的過錯，本可使他們全都安穩無虞。他們既有美善的律法，又有善人受託執行，這既是 神對他們的恩慈的明證，也是摩西對他們關顧的明證；看來他在此提及此事，是要向百姓推薦自己是真心尋求他們福祉的人，從而為他即將要對他們說的話鋪路，因他別無所求，只求他們的益處。在他這段敘述中，他向他們暗示：
一、他大大因他們人數的增添而歡喜。他承認 神對亞伯拉罕應許的應驗（申1:10）：你們今日像天上的星那樣多；並為這應許的進一步應驗禱告（申1:11）：願 神使你們比現在更多千倍。 這禱告以括號插入；謹慎插入的美好禱告，在任何論及屬靈之事的講論中都不會是多餘的，敬虔的呼求也不會打斷思路，反而會加強並美化它。然而當他禱告他們能成為如今的千倍之時，他的心願何等擴大！ 神的大能和恩慈對我們沒有限制，為何我們自己的信心和盼望要受限制呢？信心和盼望當如應許那樣寬廣，但不必更寬。摩西在此正是從應許中量出他禱告的尺度：願耶和華照祂所應許你的賜福與你。 他們如今比約二百五十年前下埃及時多了一萬倍，為何不能盼望他們能成為如今的千倍呢？請注意：當他們在法老治理之下時，他們人數的增添被嫉妒，並被當作禍患來抱怨（出1:9）；但如今在摩西治理之下，這增添被人歡喜，並被當作福分來祈求。思想這一點，可叫他們因自己的愚妄而羞愧—他們曾談論要立一個首領回埃及去。
二、他並不貪圖獨攬政權的尊榮，不願像絕對君主那樣獨自統治他們（申1:9）。雖然他配得這尊榮、勝任這職任，不亞於任何世人，但他仍願意別人加入作他的助手，因而與他同享這尊榮：我獨自一人不能擔當（申1:12）。官長之職是一個重擔。摩西本人雖然格外有恩賜擔任此職，也覺這擔子沉重地壓在肩頭；其實最好的官長最常抱怨這重擔，最渴望幫助，也最怕承擔超過自己所能承當的。
三、他不願意提拔自己的親信，或不願意提拔那些暗中依附他的人；因為他把選擇審判官的事交給百姓，他則授予他們職任，不是durant bene placito（隨他高興就可被罷免），而是quam diu se bene gesserint（只要他們表現忠誠就繼續留任）。你們要按著各支派選舉有智慧的，我就立他們為你們的首領（申1:13）。使徒們也照樣指示眾人選舉管理捐項的人，然後由他們按立（徒6:3、6）。他指引他們選舉有智慧、有見識的人，其個人的品德足以推薦他們。這國家的起源如此晚近，他們當中無人能在血統的古老和出身的尊貴上高過弟兄；並且他們都剛從埃及的奴役中出來，很可能沒有一個家族比別的家族富裕多少；所以他們的選舉當純粹以智慧、經驗和正直的資格為依歸。「要選那些在你們支派中受稱讚的，」摩西說：「我就全心立他們為你們的首領。」我們不可嫉妒 神的工由別人的手來做，只要是好的手在做。
四、他在這件事上非常願意使百姓喜悅；雖然他在凡事上不追求他們的稱讚，但在這種性質的事上他不願未經他們同意而行事。他們也同意這提議：你所說的這事很好（申1:14）。他提及此事，是要加重他們後來叛亂和不滿的罪—他們所反對的政體，正是他們自己曾同意的；摩西本要使他們喜悅，只要他們肯喜悅。
五、他的目標是要建立他們，也要使他們滿足；因為：
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他任命了有好名聲的人（申1:15），有智慧、有名望的人，對所受的託付和公共利益都忠心的人。
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他給他們美好的囑咐（申1:16-17）。那些被升高位的人當知道，他們肩負著事務，日後要為自己的職任交賬。（1）他囑咐他們要勤勉忍耐：聽訟。 要聽雙方，要聽得完全，要聽得仔細；因為自然為我們預備了兩隻耳朵，而未曾聽完先回答的，便是他的愚妄和羞辱。 學習者的耳朵對學習者的舌頭是必需的（賽50:4）。（2）要公正不偏：按公義判斷。 判斷當按案件的是非而定，不顧及當事人的身份。不可容本地人欺壓外人，正如不可容外人侮辱本地人或侵犯他們一樣；不可容大人物欺壓小人物或碾碎他們，正如不可容小人物搶奪大人物或冒犯他們一樣。判斷時不可認人的面貌，當以不受賄賂、不偏不倚的公正來宣判。（3）要堅決勇敢：不可懼怕人的面貌；不可因群眾的喧嚷或掌權者的威嚇而被迫行惡。他給他們一個好理由來強化這囑咐：因為審判是屬乎 神的。 你們是 神的代理人，你們是為祂行事，所以當像祂那樣行事；你們是祂的代表，但你們若不按公義判斷，就是誤表祂。判斷是屬祂的，所以祂必保護你們行善，也必因你們行惡而向你們追討。
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他允許他們把一切難斷的案件帶到他這裏，他必隨時準備聽審判斷，使審判官和百姓都安穩。以色列啊，你是有福的！ 像摩西這樣的人治理你們。
English original
The Charge to Magistrates (1451 BC)
⁹ And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:
¹⁰ The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.
¹¹ (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)
¹² How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?
¹³ Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.
¹⁴ And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.
¹⁵ So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
¹⁶ And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
¹⁷ Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
¹⁸ And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.
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 to say to them, wherein he aimed at nothing but their good. In this part of his narrative he insinuates to them,
I. That he greatly rejoiced in the increase of their numbers. He owns the accomplishment of God's promise to Abraham (De 1:10): You are as the stars of heaven for multitude; and prays for the further accomplishment of it (De 1:11): God make you a thousand times more. This prayer comes in in a parenthesis, and a good prayer prudently put in cannot be impertinent in any discourse of divine things, nor will a pious ejaculation break the coherence, but rather strengthen and adorn it. But how greatly are his desires enlarged when he prays that they might be made a thousand times more than they were! We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God, why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope, which ought to be as large as the promise? larger they need not be. It is from the promise that Moses here takes the measures of his prayer: The Lord bless you as he hath promised you. And why might he not hope that they might become a thousand times more than they were now when they were now ten thousand times more than they were when they went down into Egypt, about 250 years ago? Observe, When they were under the government of Pharaoh the increase of their numbers was envied, and complained of as a grievance (Ex 1:9); but now, under the government of Moses, it was rejoiced in, and prayed for as a blessing. The consideration of this might give them occasion to reflect with shame upon their own folly when they had talked of making a captain and returning to Egypt.
II. That he was not ambitious of monopolizing the honour of the government, and ruling them himself alone, as an absolute monarch, De 1:9. Though he was a man as well worthy of that honour, and as well qualified for the business, as ever any man was, yet he was desirous that others might be taken in as assistants to him in the business and consequently sharers with him in the honour: I cannot myself alone bear the burden, De 1:12. Magistracy is a burden. Moses himself, though eminently gifted for it, found it lay heavily on his shoulders; nay, the best magistrates complain most of the burden, and are most desirous of help, and most afraid of undertaking more than they can perform.
III. That he was not desirous to prefer his own creatures, or such as should underhand have a dependence upon him; for he leaves it to the people to choose their own judges, to whom he would grant commissions, not durant bene placito—to be turned out when he pleased; but quam diu se bene gesserint—to continue so long as they approved themselves faithful. Take you wise men, that are known to be so among your tribes, and I will make them rulers, De 1:13. Thus the apostles directed the multitude to choose overseers of the poor, and then they ordained them,. Ac 6:3,6. He directs them to take wise men and understanding, whose personal merit would recommend them. The rise and origin of this nation were so late that none of them could pretend to antiquity of race, and nobility of birth, above their brethren; and, having all lately come out of slavery in Egypt, it is probable that one family was not much richer than another; so that their choice must be directed purely by the qualifications of wisdom, experience, and integrity. "Choose those," says Moses, "whose praise is in your tribes, and with all my heart I will make them rulers." We must not grudge that God's work be done by other hands than ours, provided it be done by good hands.
IV. That he was in this matter very willing to please the people; and, though he did not in any thing aim at their applause, yet in a thing of this nature he would not act without their approbation. And they agreed to the proposal: The thing which thou hast spoken is good, De 1:14. This he mentions to aggravate the sin of their mutinies and discontents after this, that the government they quarrelled with was what they themselves had consented to; Moses would have pleased them if they would have been pleased.
V. That he aimed to edify them as well as to gratify them; for,
1. He appointed men of good characters (De 1:15), wise men and men known, men that would be faithful to their trust and to the public interest.
2. He gave them a good charge, De 1:16,17. Those that are advanced to honour must know that they are charged with business, and must give account another day of their charge. (1.) He charges them to be diligent and patient: Hear the causes. Hear both sides, hear them fully, hear them carefully; for nature has provided us with two ears, and he that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame to him. The ear of the learner is necessary to the tongue of the learned, Isa 50:4. (2.) To be just and impartial: Judge righteously. Judgment must be given according to the merits of the cause, without regard to the quality of the parties. The natives must not be suffered to abuse the strangers any more that the strangers to insult the natives or to encroach upon them; the great must not be suffered to oppress the small, nor to crush them, any more than the small, to rob the great, or to affront them. No faces must be known in judgment, but unbribed unbiased equity must always pass sentence. (3.) To be resolute and courageous: "You shall not be afraid of the face of man; be not overawed to do an ill thing, either by the clamours of the crowd or by the menaces of those that have power in their hands." And he gave them a good reason to enforce this charge: "For the judgment is God's. You are God's vicegerents, you act for him, and therefore must act like him; you are his representatives, but if you judge unrighteously, you misrepresent him. The judgment is his, and therefore he will protect you in doing right, and will certainly call you to account if you do wrong."
3. He allowed them to bring all difficult cases to him, and he would always be ready to hear and determine, and to make both the judges and the people easy. Happy art thou. O Israel! in such praise as Moses was.
19-46
Israel's Sin at Kadesh (1451 BC)
繁體中文
以色列在加低斯的罪（主前1451年）
¹⁹ 我們離了何烈山，經過你們所看見那大而可怕的曠野，照耶和華我們神所吩咐的，往亞摩利人的山地去，到了加低斯巴尼亞。
²⁰ 我對你們說：你們已經到了耶和華我們神所賜的亞摩利人之山地。
²¹ 看哪，耶和華你的神已將那地擺在你面前，你要上去得那地為業；正如耶和華你列祖的神所應許你的；不要懼怕，也不要驚惶。
²² 你們各支派的官長都就近我來，說：我們要先打發人去，為我們窺探那地，又將我們該走哪條路、該進哪些城，回報我們。
²³ 這話我以為美，就從你們中間揀選了十二個人，每支派一人。
²⁴ 於是他們轉身上山地去，到了以實各谷，窺探了那地。
²⁵ 他們手裏拿著那地的果子下來，到我們那裏，回報說：耶和華我們的神所賜給我們的是美地。
²⁶ 你們卻不肯上去，竟違背耶和華你們神的命令，
²⁷ 在帳棚內發怨言說：耶和華因為恨我們，所以將我們從埃及地領出來，要交在亞摩利人手中，除滅我們。
²⁸ 我們上哪裏去呢？我們的弟兄使我們的心消化，說：那地的民比我們又大又高，城邑又廣大又堅固，高達於天，並且我們在那裏看見亞衲族的人。
²⁹ 我就對你們說：不要驚恐，也不要怕他們。
³⁰ 在你們前面行的耶和華你們的神必為你們爭戰，正如他在埃及、在你們眼前為你們所行的一樣。
³¹ 並且在曠野，是你所看見的，耶和華你的神撫養你，如同人撫養兒子一般，直等到你們來到這地方。
³² 你們雖然看見這些事，在這事上卻不信耶和華你們的神。
³³ 他在路上走在你們前面，為你們尋找安營的地方。夜間在火柱裏，日間在雲柱裏，指示你們所當走的路。
³⁴ 耶和華聽見你們說話的聲音，就發怒，起誓說：
³⁵ 這惡世代的人，連一個也不得見我起誓應許賜給你們列祖的那美地；
³⁶ 惟有耶孚尼的兒子迦勒必得看見；我要將他所踏過的地賜給他和他的子孫，因為他專心跟從我。
³⁷ 耶和華為你們的緣故也向我發怒，說：你必不得進入那地。
³⁸ 伺候你的嫩的兒子約書亞，他也必得進入那地；你要勉勵他，因為他要使以色列人承受那地為業。
³⁹ 並且你們所說必被擄掠的婦人孩子，就是那日不知善惡的兒女，必進入那地。我要將那地賜給他們，他們必得為業。
⁴⁰ 至於你們，要轉回，從紅海的路往曠野去。
⁴¹ 那時，你們回答我說：我們得罪了耶和華，我們要照耶和華我們神所吩咐我們的，上去爭戰。於是你們各人帶著兵器，豫備上山地去了。
⁴² 耶和華對我說：你告訴他們說：不要上去，也不要爭戰；因我不在你們中間，恐怕你們被仇敵殺敗了。
⁴³ 我就告訴了你們，你們卻不聽從，竟違背耶和華的命令，擅自上山地去。
⁴⁴ 住那山地的亞摩利人就出來攻擊你們，追趕你們如蜂擁一般，在西珥殺退你們，直到何珥瑪。
⁴⁵ 你們便回來，在耶和華面前哭號；耶和華卻不聽你們的聲音，也不向你們側耳。
⁴⁶ 於是你們在加低斯住了許多日子，正如住在我們那裏的日子一樣。
摩西在此詳細重述了他們的罪行和神的怒氣如何使他們的事業遭受致命的轉折——正當他們到了迦南的邊境，正當征服迦南的榮耀和得著迦南的喜樂擺在他們面前，整個世代卻被趕回曠野，他們的屍首倒在那裏。這是一段值得記念的歷史；我們在 Nu 13:1-14:45 已讀過，但此處有一些在那裏沒有記載的細節。
I. 他提醒他們從何烈山行軍到加低斯巴尼亞（De 1:19），經過那大而可怕的曠野。他注意這一點，第一，是為了使他們感受到神向他們所施的大恩——在如此大的曠野中引導他們，在如此可怕的曠野中保護他們免受四圍各樣的災害。記念我們曾經歷的危險，當使我們為所得的拯救感恩。第二，是為了加重那些在不滿中竟要經由曠野返回埃及之人的愚妄——他們既已喪失了資格，也沒有理由期望在這樣倒退的路途上得到神的引導。
II. 他向他們指出當時他們距離迦南何等臨近（De 1:20,21）。他以得勝的口吻告訴他們，那地已擺在你面前，上去得那地為業。他讓他們看見自己離幸福的定居何等接近，正是他們自己攔阻了自己的道路，好使他們的罪顯得格外邪惡。假冒為善之人永遠的滅亡將更加可悲——他們曾離神的國不遠，卻未能進入（Mk 12:34）。
III. 他將差遣探子的責任歸在他們身上，這一點在民數記中並未顯明；在那裏（Nu 13:1,2）說是主指示差遣探子，但此處我們發現是百姓先有此意，而神在允許這事時，任憑他們隨自己的計謀而行：你們說，我們要先打發人去（De 1:22）。摩西已將神的話傳給他們（De 1:20,21），他們卻無法安心倚靠：人的計謀對他們比神的智慧更有分量，他們非要給太陽點上一支蠟燭。好像有神在他們前面尚且不夠，他們還要差遣人在他們前面。
IV. 他重複探子對他們所窺探之地的美好所作的報告（De 1:24,25）。神所應許的福分確實寶貴而令人羨慕，連不信的人自己也不能不承認；凡是看過聖地的人，無不承認這是一塊美地。然而他們卻把征服那地的困難說成無法克服（De 1:28）；好像要攻擊他們是徒然的——若要交戰，"因為那民比我們高大"；若要圍攻，"因為城邑堅固高達於天"——這是他們為達到惡意目的而使用的誇張之詞，目的是要使百姓喪膽，也許他們還有意暗指天上的神自己，好像他們能向他挑釁，如同那些巴別塔的建造者，他們的塔頂要通天（Ge 11:4）。唯有那些被神的恩惠如盾牌四面圍繞的地方，才是真正高達於天的。
V. 他告訴他們，當他們的弟兄說了那麼多使人喪膽的話時，他花了多少心血來鼓勵他們（De 1:29）：那時我對你們說，不要驚恐。摩西所說的足以平息騷動，使他們面向迦南。他向他們保證神與他們同在，在他們中間為首，並且必為他們爭戰（De 1:30）。為了證明他有能力勝過他們的仇敵，他叫他們回想他們在埃及所看見的——在那裏他們的仇敵佔盡了一切優勢，卻仍被降卑，被迫屈服（De 1:30）。為了證明神對他們的好意和他真心要向他們施的恩慈，他叫他們回想他們在曠野所看見的（De 1:31,33）——在那裏他們被神智慧的眼目所引導，有雲柱火柱引導他們的行止，又被神恩典的膀臂所懷抱，如同奶孩子的父親懷抱孩子一般，充滿了細心和溫柔。難道還有甚麼理由不信這位神嗎？他們豈不是世上最忘恩負義的百姓嗎？在經歷了神恩慈如此明顯的證據之後，竟然在試探的日子硬著心？摩西曾經抱怨過一次，說神命他像奶父懷抱吃奶的孩子一樣懷抱這百姓（Nu 11:12）；但在此他承認是神如此懷抱了他們，也許 Ac 13:18 所說的容忍他們或撫養他們正是暗指這事。
VI. 他指控他們在這件事上所犯的罪。雖然如今他所面對的是一個新的世代，他卻將這罪歸在他們身上：你們背叛了，你們發怨言了；因為他們中間有許多當時已經存在，雖然不滿二十歲，也許還參與了那場騷動；其餘的人則繼承了他們父親的罪惡，並為此受苦。請注意他指控他們的是甚麼。第一，對神律法的悖逆和背叛：你們不肯上去，竟背叛了（De 1:26）。拒絕神的恩惠實際上就是背叛他的權柄。第二，對神恩慈的惡意中傷。他們卑鄙地暗示：因為耶和華恨我們，所以他將我們從埃及領出來（De 1:27）。還有甚麼比這更荒謬、更不誠實、更羞辱神的呢？第三，在這一切背後的不信之心：你們不信耶和華你們的神（De 1:32）。你們對神律法的一切不順服，對他權能和恩慈的一切不信，都源於對他話語的不信。當那位永遠信實的神不能被人相信時，我們的光景已經到了何等可悲的地步。
VII. 他重複因這罪而對他們所宣布的判決——這判決如今他們已看到其執行。第一，他們全部被定罪在曠野中死去，除迦勒和約書亞之外，沒有一人可以進入迦南（De 1:34-38）。他們要在曠野中飄流如此之久，以至於大多數人會自然凋零，連最年幼的也要被剪除。這樣，*他們因不信就不能進入。*使他們被關在迦南門外的，不是違犯了律法中任何一條誡命——不，連金牛犢那樣的大罪也不是——而是他們對那預表福音恩典之應許的不信，為要表明：除了不信之外，沒有別的罪能使我們滅亡，因為不信是抵擋救法的罪。第二，摩西自己後來也因他們所激怒他說出的一句急躁的話而惹了神的不悅：耶和華為你們的緣故也向我發怒（De 1:37）。因為舊的一代都要過去，摩西自己也不能留下。他們的不信使死亡進入了營中，而死亡既已進入，連摩西也在其權下。第三，然而此處恩典與震怒攙雜。（1）雖然摩西不能帶他們進迦南，約書亞卻能（De 1:38）：你要勉勵他；因為他看見摩西自己也承受不住這重擔，必會對承擔這治理之職感到膽怯；但當讓他知道，他必完成他被興起所要成就的事：他要使以色列人承受那地為業。這樣，律法因肉體軟弱所不能作的，我們的約書亞——耶穌——藉著帶來更美的盼望就成就了。（2）雖然這世代不能進入迦南，下一世代卻能（De 1:39）。正如他們因列祖的緣故被揀選，他們的兒女也理當因他們的緣故被棄絕。但憐憫向審判誇勝。
VIII. 他提醒他們在為時已晚之時想要推翻這判決的愚蠢而無果的嘗試。第一，他們試圖藉著在這特定的事上悔改來改變判決；既然他們先前拒絕上去攻擊迦南人，如今他們要上去——是的，他們要急忙上去，並且各人佩帶了兵器（De 1:41）。這樣，當門已關上、恩典之日已過，必有人站在外面叩門。但這看來像是悔改的舉動，卻證明只是進一步的背叛。神藉著摩西禁止這嘗試（De 1:42）：他們卻擅自上山地去了（De 1:43），如今藐視威脅，正如先前藐視應許，好像受了一種矛盾之靈的支配；結果正如所料（De 1:44）：他們被追趕和殺敗；藉著這次因他們激怒神離棄他們而遭受的挫敗，他們受教明白：他們若保守自己常在神的愛中，本可有怎樣的勝利。第二，他們試圖藉著禱告和眼淚來改變判決：他們回來，在耶和華面前哭號（De 1:45）。當他們在憤怒和爭吵時，經上說（Nu 14:1）：那夜百姓都哭號；那些是背叛神的眼淚，而這些是在神面前悔改和謙卑的眼淚。請注意，不滿的眼淚必須重新再哭；世俗的憂愁使人死，是必須悔改的；但敬虔的憂愁不是如此，那必以喜樂結束。然而他們的哭泣全歸徒然。耶和華不聽你們的聲音，因為你們不聽從他的；判令已經發出，他們如同以掃一樣，雖然流淚苦求，卻找不到悔改的餘地。
English original
Israel's Sin at Kadesh (1451 BC)
¹⁹ And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea.
²⁰ And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.
²¹ Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
²² And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.
²³ And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:
²⁴ And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.
²⁵ And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.
²⁶ Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God:
²⁷ And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
²⁸ Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.
²⁹ Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.
³⁰ The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;
³¹ And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
³² Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God,
³³ Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to show you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.
³⁴ And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying,
³⁵ Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,
³⁶ Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.
³⁷ Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.
³⁸ But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
³⁹ Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
⁴⁰ But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
⁴¹ Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.
⁴² And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.
⁴³ So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill.
⁴⁴ And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
⁴⁵ And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.
⁴⁶ So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.
Moses here makes a large rehearsal of the fatal turn which was given to their affairs by their own sins, and God's wrath, when, from the very borders of Canaan, the honour of conquering it, and the pleasure of possessing it, the whole generation was hurried back into the wilderness, and their carcases fell there. It was a memorable story; we read it Nu 13:1-14:45, but divers circumstances are found here which are not related there.
I. He reminds them of their march from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea (De 1:19), through that great and terrible wilderness. This he takes notice of, 1. To make them sensible of the great goodness of God to them, in guiding them through so great a wilderness, and protecting them from the mischiefs they were surrounded with in such a terrible wilderness. The remembrance of our dangers should make us thankful for our deliverances. 2. To aggravate the folly of those who, in their discontent, would have gone back to Egypt through the wilderness, though they had forfeited, and had no reason to expect, the divine guidance, in such a retrograde motion.
II. He shows them how fair they stood for Canaan at that time, De 1:20,21. He told them with triumph, the land is set before you, go up and possess it. He lets them see how near they were to a happy settlement when they put a bar in their own door, that their sin might appear the more exceedingly sinful. It will aggravate the eternal ruin of hypocrites that they were not far from the kingdom of God and yet came short, Mk 12:34.
III. He lays the blame of sending the spies upon them, which did not appear in Numbers, there it is said (De 13:1,2) that the Lord directed the sending of them, but here we find that the people first desired it, and God, in permitting it, gave them up to their counsels: You said, We will send men before us, De 1:22. Moses had given them God's word (De 1:20,21), but they could not find in their hearts to rely upon that: human policy goes further with them than divine wisdom, and they will needs light a candle to the sun. As if it were not enough that they were sure of a God before them, they must send men before them.
IV. He repeats the report which the spies brought of the goodness of the land which they were sent to survey, De 1:24,25. The blessings which God has promised are truly valuable and desirable, even the unbelievers themselves being judges: never any looked into the holy land, but they must own it a good land. Yet they represented the difficulties of conquering it as insuperable (De 1:28); as if it were in vain to think of attacking them either by battle, "for the people are taller than we," or by siege, "for the cities are walled up to heaven," an hyperbole which they made use of to serve their ill purpose, which was to dishearten the people, and perhaps they intended to reflect on the God of heaven himself, as if they were able to defy him, like the Babel-builders, the top of whose tower must reach to heaven, Ge 11:4. Those places only are walled up to heaven that are compassed with God's favour as with a shield.
V. He tells them what pains he took with them to encourage them, when their brethren had said so much to discourage them (De 1:29): Then I said unto you, Dread not. Moses suggested enough to have stilled the tumult, and to have kept them with their faces towards Canaan. He assured them that God was present with them, and president among them, and would certainly fight for them, De 1:30. And for proof of his power over their enemies he refers them to what they had seen done in Egypt, where their enemies had all possible advantages against them and yet were humbled and forced to yield, De 1:30. And for proof of God's goodwill to them, and the real kindness which he intended them, he refers them to what they had seen in the wilderness (De 1:31,33), through which they had been guided by the eye of divine wisdom in a pillar of cloud and fire (which guided both their motions and their rests), and had been carried in the arms of divine grace with as much care and tenderness as were ever shown to any child borne in the arms of a nursing father. And was there any room left to distrust this God? Or were they not the most ungrateful people in the world, who, after such sensible proofs of the divine goodness, hardened their hearts in the day of temptation? Moses had complained once that God had charged him to carry this people as a nursing father doth the sucking child (Nu 11:12); but here he owns that it was God that so carried them, and perhaps this is alluded to (Ac 13:18), where he is said to bear them, or to suffer their manners.
VI. He charges them with the sin which they were guilty of upon this occasion. Though those to whom he was now speaking were a new generation, yet he lays it upon them: You rebelled, and you murmured; for many of these were then in being, though under twenty years old, and perhaps were engaged in the riot; and the rest inherited their fathers' vices, and smarted for them. Observe what he lays to their charge. 1. Disobedience and rebellion against God's law: You would not go up, but rebelled, De 1:26. The rejecting of God's favours is really a rebelling against his authority. 2. Invidious reflections upon God's goodness. They basely suggested: Because the Lord hated us, he brought us out of Egypt, De 1:27. What could have been more absurd, more disingenuous, and more reproachful to God? 3. An unbelieving heart at the bottom of all this: You did not believe the Lord your God, De 1:32. All your disobedience to God's laws, and distrust of his power and goodness, flow from a disbelief of his word. A sad pass it has come to with us when the God of eternal truth cannot be believed.
VII. He repeats the sentence passed upon them for this sin, which now they had seen the execution of. 1. They were all condemned to die in the wilderness, and none of them must be suffered to enter Canaan except Caleb and Joshua, De 1:34-38. So long they must continue in their wanderings in the wilderness that most of them would drop off of course, and the youngest of them should be cut off. Thus they could not enter in because of unbelief. It was not the breach of any of the commands of the law that shut them out of Canaan, no, not the golden calf, but their disbelief of that promise which was typical of gospel grace, to signify that no sin will ruin us but unbelief, which is a sin against the remedy. 2. Moses himself afterwards fell under God's displeasure for a hasty word which they provoked him to speak: The Lord was angry with me for your sakes, De 1:37. Because all the old stock must go off, Moses himself must not stay behind. Their unbelief let death into the camp, and, having entered, even Moses falls within his commission. 3. Yet here is mercy mixed with wrath. (1.) That, though Moses might not bring them into Canaan, Joshua should (De 1:38): Encourage him; for he would be discouraged from taking up a government which he saw Moses himself fall under the weight of; but let him be assured that he shall accomplish that for which he is raised up: He shall cause Israel to inherit it. Thus what the law could not do, in that it was weak, Jesus, our Joshua, does by bringing in the better hope. (2.) That, though this generation should not enter into Canaan, the next should, De 1:39. As they had been chosen for their fathers' sakes, so their children might justly have been rejected for their sakes. But mercy rejoiceth against judgement.
VIII. He reminds them of their foolish and fruitless attempt to get this sentence reversed when it was too late. 1. They tried it by their reformation in this particular; whereas they had refused to go up against the Canaanites, now they would go up, aye, that they would, in all haste, and they girded on their weapons of war for that purpose, De 1:41. Thus, when the door is shut, and the day of grace is over, there will be found those that stand without and knock. But this, which looked like a reformation, proved but a further rebellion. God, by Moses, prohibited the attempt (De 1:42): yet they went presumptuously up to the hill (De 1:43), acting now in contempt of the threatening, as before in contempt of the promise, as if they were governed by a spirit of contradiction; and it sped accordingly (De 1:44): they were chased and destroyed; and, by this defeat which they suffered when they provoked God to leave them, they were taught what success they might have had if they had kept themselves in his love. 2. They tried by their prayers and tears to get the sentence reversed: They returned and wept before the Lord, De 1:45. While they were fretting and quarrelling, it is said (Nu 14:1): They wept that night; those were tears of rebellion against God, these were tears of repentance and humiliation before God. Note, Tears of discontent must be wept over again; the sorrow of the world worketh death, and is to be repented of; it is not so with godly sorrow, that will end in joy. But their weeping was all to no purpose. The Lord would not harken to your voice, because you would not harken to his; the decree had gone forth, and, like Esau, they found no place of repentance, though they sought it carefully with tears.
摩西對以色列的告別講章，第一部分從本章開始，延續到第四章末了。本章前五節記有講章的日期、宣講的地點（申一1–2、5）和時間（申一3–4）。本章的敘事提醒他們：一、神對他們應許迦南地（申一6–8）。二、為他們設立審判官（申一9–18）。三、他們因探子回報而生的不信和怨言（申一19–33）。四、神因此對他們所下的判決，以及判決的執行（申一34–46等）。