Comentarios bíblicos

A rehearsal of what had befallen Israel in their forty years' march; as, God's command to depart, Deu 1:1-8. Moses's inability to judge alone, Deu 1:9-12. Other judges and officers appointed, Deu 1:13-16. Charge given the judges, Deu 1:17,18. Their passage to Kadesh-barnea, Deu 1:19-21. Spies sent to search the land of the Amorites, Deu 1:22-24. Their return and report, Deu 1:25. The disobedience of the people, Deu 1:26-33. God's wrath, Deu 1:34-40. They smitten by the Amorites, Deu 1:44. Their complaint to God, which the Lord regards not, Deu 1:45.

These are the laws, counsels, and admonitions delivered by Moses from God to Israel, which are here repeated for the instruction and obligation of those who by reason of their tender years were uncapable either of understanding them, or of entering into covenant with God.

Unto all Israel, to wit, by the heads or elders of the several tribes, or others, who were to communicate these discourses to all the people in several assemblies.

In the plain; either.

1. In the vast desert of Arabia. But that is no where called a plain. Or rather,

2. In the plain of Moab, as may appear by comparing this with Deu 1:5 Num 22:1 Deu 34:8.

Object. That was far from the Red Sea here mentioned.

Answ. The word suph here used doth not signify the Red Sea, which is commonly called jam suph, and which was at too great a distance; but some other place now unknown to us, (as also most of the following places are,) so called from the reeds, or flags, or rushes (which that word signifies) that grew in or near it; which reason of the name being common to other places with the Red Sea, it is not strange if they got the same name. Compare Num 21:14. Paran; not that Num 10:12, which there and elsewhere is called the wilderness of Paran, and which was too remote; but some other place called by the same name, than which nothing more usual. Tophel and Laban; places not mentioned elsewhere.

Hazeroth; of which see Num 11:35 33:17,18. And these places seem to be the several bounds and limits not of the whole country of Moab, but of the plain of Moab, where Moses now was, and spoke these words.

This is added to show that the reason why the Israelites in so many years were advanced no further from Horeb than to these plains, was not the great distance of the places or length of the way, which was but a journey of eleven days at most, but because of their rebellions, as is mentioned before and repeated in this book.

Horeb, or

Sinai, the place where the law was given, which is promiscuously called by both those names.

Mount Seir, or Mount Edom, i.e. the mountainous country of Seir, which was first possessed by the Horims, and afterwards by the Edomites, Deu 2:12.

Kadesh-barnea was not far from the borders of Canaan. See Genesis 16:14 Numbers 13:26.

This was but a little before his death.

His palace or mansion-house was at

Astaroth, and he was slain at

Edrei, Numbers 21:33; of both these places, see Genesis 14:5 Joshua 13:31.

No text from Poole on this verse.

Of Horeb, where they continued about a year’s space, Exodus 19:1 Numbers 10:11,12.

To the mount of the Amorite, i.e. to the mountainous country where the Amorites dwelt, which is opposed to the plain here following, where others of them dwelt. And this is the first mentioned, because it was in the borders of the land: see below, Deu 1:19,20. The divers parts or bounds of the land are here mentioned.

Before you, Heb. before your faces; it is open to your view, and to your possession; there is no impediment in the way. See Poole "Genesis 13:9"; See Poole "Genesis 34:10".