A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Deuteronomy · Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
Verſ. 1. ANd Moſes went and ſpake theſe words unto all Iſrael.]
That is, having cauſed the people to be aſſembled together according to the uſuall manner, he then went unto the aſſembly, and ſpake unto them that which here followeth.
Verſ. 2. And he ſaid unto them, I am a hundred and twentie years old this day, I can no more go out and come in.]
One main reaſon of calling this aſſembly was that Moſes might in a ſolemn manner ſubſtitute Joſhua to ſucceed in his room: and accordingly in the firſt place he addreſſeth his ſpeech to perſwade the people not to be troubled at this change; for though the people had often murmured and rebelled againſt Moſes, yet being at length brought by him to the borders of the land of Canaan, and having had ſuch good experience of his faithfulneſſe in governing, it could not but be an occaſion of much grief and fear to be deprived now of him, to loſe him juſt now when they were entring the land; and therefore he ſeeks now to comfort them and to prevent their exceſſive ſorrow, and that firſt by putting them in mind of his years, not that he was already by reaſon of his years unfit for this weightie office, Deut. 34. 7. but that by the courſe of nature they might well expect he muſt now grow weak, and decay, and wax unfit for ſuch great labours, though God had hitherto miraculouſly preſerved him. As for that phraſe, I can no more go out and come in, ſee Numb. 27. 17.
Alſo the Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou ſhalt not go over this Jordan.]
This is a ſecond argument whereby he perſwades them to be content to part with him, Alſo the Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou ſhalt not go over this Jordan: as if he ſhould have ſaid, Had I been never ſo young, never ſo able to go in and out before you, ſince God hath determined that I muſt not c…ry you over Jordan, but muſt here end my dayes, it is fit that we ſhould all yield to his good pleaſure.
Verſ. 3. The Lord thy God he will go over before thee, &c.]
As if he had ſaid, It was God before by whom ye prevailed againſt your enemies, even when I was with you, and he will not leave you but deſtroy your enemies as formerly, and therefore you ſhall have no cauſe to be dejected becauſe I am taken away, for your God will ſtill be with you.
Verſ. 7. And Moſes called unto Joſhua and ſaid unto him in the ſight of all Iſrael, Be ſtrong, and of a good courage, &c.]
That is, be not diſ…aid either at the ſtrength of the enemies, againſt whom thou muſt lead this people; or at any other troubles that ſhall befall thee in executing this place of Magiſtracy whereto thou art called: and indeed Captains and Magiſtrates have of all other moſt need of courage and faith in Gods providence and aſſiſtance.
Verſ. 9. And Moſes wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests, &c.]
That is, when Moſes had written this book of the law, the book of Deuteronomie, he delivered it ſolemnly in the ſight of the people, unto the priests, and unto all the Elders of Iſrael, even thereby to give them to underſtand that they were the men to whoſe charge it did eſpecially appertain to ſee that this originall book of the law were ſafely kept, and that the laws contained therein were duly obſerved, both by them and by the people. The prieſts were to teach the people the knowledge of this law, and to them it did belong to uphold and maintain his truth and will therein revealed, that it might not be overborn or troden under ſoot by any poſſeſſed with a ſpirit of errour and profaneneſſe; and therefore was the law delivered to them: and the Elders, they were to aſſiſt the prieſts and the Levites, and to ſee that the people regarded them in their places, and withall to ſee that the judiciall laws were executed: and therefore to them alſo the law was delivered. As for the deſcription of the prieſts, the ſonnes of Levi which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, it may alſo be added to imply another reaſon why the book of the law was given to them, namely, becauſe they were to lay up this book in the ſide of the ark, verſ. 26. And though the Levites did uſually bear the ark, Numb. 3. 31. and 4. 15. yet ſometimes, eſpecially upon extraordinary occaſions, the prieſts alſo carried it, as when they paſſed over Jordan, Joſh. 3. 16, 17. and when they compaſſed Jericho, Joſh. 6. 12. and they had alwayes the chief charge to look to the ark and the other holy things.
And Moſes commanded them, ſaying. At the end of every ſeven years, &c.]
The ſumme of this paſſage is briefly this, that Moſes commanded the prieſts to read this book of the law every ſeventh year, which was the year of releaſe, amongſt the people, and that upon the feaſt of tabernacles that year. Concerning the year of releaſe, and the phraſe here uſed, At the end of every ſeven years, ſee the note upon chap. 15. 1. But beſides for the fuller underſtanding of this paſſage we muſt note, firſt, That the law, which the prieſts were here enjoyned to reade amongſt the people every ſeventh year on the feaſt of tabernacles, was the originall copie of this book of the law which Moſes wrote, and which he now delivered to the prieſts to be kept by them. Doubtleſſe ſome part of the book of the law was read amongſt them by the Levites every Sabbath day, Acts 15. 21. For Moſes of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day; nor can it be queſtioned but that the people had books of the law, in the reading whereo… they did dayly in private exerciſe themſelves: if this were required of their kings, chap. 17. 18, 19. much more may we think it was required of them that were of inforiour rank. But yet once in ſeven years God would have this book to be read by the prieſts, from the beginning to the end, amongſt the people, both that being read in ſuch a ſolemn manner it might take the deeper impreſſion in them, and ſo cauſe them to fear the Lord their God, and to obſerve to do all the words of this law, as it follows, verſ. 12. and perhaps alſo that it might be made manifeſt to all Iſrael that thoſe copies of the law which they had, and which were read and expounded to them every Sabbath day, did agree with this originall which Moſes wrote: and ſecondly, that the reaſon why God appointed this to be done on the year of releaſe, was not onelyonly becauſe that year they had moſt liberty of mind to intend that ſervice, the l…nd lying that year at reſt, and themſelves being freed from the danger of having their debts exacted of them; but alſo becauſe it was a holy year, the Sabbath of years, and ſo the fitter for this extraordinary duty: and thirdly, that this was appointed to be done at the feaſt of tabernacles that year, becauſe then all Iſrael came to appear before the Lord, as it is ſaid, verſ. 11. for though the males onelyonly were bound to come up at the feaſt, Exod. 23. 17. yet they did uſually carry with them their women alſo, and therefore it is ſaid, verſ. 12. Gather the people together, men and women and children, &c. that they may hear, and that they may learn, &c.
Verſ. 14. Call Joſhua, and preſent your ſelves in the tabernacle of the congregation, &c.]
This was thus done, that the people might be fully ſatisfied that he was called of God to this place, and that Joſhua himſelf might be put in mind that he was but Gods deputy, and ſo might ſtill acknowledge Gods ſovereignty over him, and be the more faithfull in diſcharging the truſt which God had put into his hands.
Verſ. 16. This people will riſe up, and go a whoring after the gods of the ſtrangers of the land whither they go to be amongst them.]
The gods whom they have vanquiſhed, as it were, that could neither preſerve themſelves, nor the people that ſerved them, for the worſhipping whereof the land had ſpewed out theſe her inhabitants.
Verſ. 17. I will forſake them, and I will hide my face from them, &c.]
That is, I will caſt them off, and take no more charge of them as my people: and ſo when all kind of miſeries do then come upon them, though they ſeek for me to help, yet I will hide my face from them, a…d will not regard them.
Verſ. 19. Now therefore write ye this ſong for you, and teach it the children of Iſrael, &c.]
To wit, that which followeth in the following chapter, containing a prophecy of their falling away from God, and Gods juſt judgement upon them for this their apoſtacy. It was given in a ſong, that it might be the better remembred, and might the more work upon their affections: and the Iſraelites were to learn and ſing it, that in time to come, when they ſhould ſo provoke God by their ſinnes, as is there ſet forth, and God ſhould thereupon puniſh them with thoſe very evils which are there foretold, this ſong as out of their own mouths might be a witneſſe for God againſt them, to wit, that the evils they ſuffered were of Gods ſending, as being the very judgements which God had long ſince threatned; and that God had in that ſong given them warning enough, and they were therefore inexcuſable, becauſe notwithſtanding this warning they had brought theſe miſeries upon themſelves.
Verſ. 21. For I know their imaginations which they go about, even now.]
That is, what they will do hereafter I know now, yea I ſee the falſe hypocriſie of their hearts and their proneneſſe to idolatrie even at this preſent. This I conceive is the drift of theſe words: yet it might be alſo intended to intimate that there were ſome amongſt them that had baſe apoſtatizing tho…ghts already in their hearts.
Verſ. 26. Take this book of the law, and put it in the ſide of the ark of the covenant, &c.]
That is, not the ark (for there was nothing in the ark ſave the two tables of ſtone which Moſes put there in Horeb, 1. Kings 8. 9.) but on the outſide of the ark, where was the pot of Manna, and Aarons rod. And this was appointed, to ſignifie that it was the law of God, though written by Moſes, and ſo the people might heare it with the more reverence and attention when it was brought forth thence and read amongſt them; and withall, that God would keep and preſerve it, and take vengeance on thoſe that ſhould diſregard and diſpiſe it. Indeed this was that very book which was found in the treaſurie of the temple in Joſiahs time, 2. Chron. 34. 14. and therefore it ſeems it was removed from the ark in after-ages, and kept in ſome other place of the temple, wherein ſeeing they tranſgreſſed the directions which God here gave to the prieſts, no marvell though this precious treaſure was for ſome years loſt and not looked after.
Verſ. 28. That I may ſpeak theſe words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record againſt them.]
See the note, chap. 4. 26.