Deuteronomy 1:14

_AND I SPAKE UNTO YOU AT THAT TIME, SAYING, I AM NOT ABLE TO BEAR YOU MYSELF ALONE:_ I spake unto you at that time - a little before their arrival in Horeb. Moses addresses that new generation as the representatives of their fathers, in whose sight and hearing all the transactions he recounts took place. A reference is here made to the suggestion of Jethro (Exodus 18:18), and in noticing his practical adoption of a plan by which the administration of justice was committed to a select number of subordinate officers, Moses, by a beautiful allusion to the patriarchal blessing, ascribed the necessity of that memorable change in the government to the vast increase of the population. Verse 10. YE ARE THIS DAY AS THE STARS ... FOR MULTITUDE. This was neither an Oriental hyperbole nor a mere empty boast; because Abraham was told ...

9-18 Moses reminds the people of the happy constitution of their government, which might make them all safe and easy, if it was not their own fault. He owns the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, and prays for the further accomplishment of it. We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God; why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope? Good laws were given to the Israelites, and good men were to see to the execution of them, which showed God's goodness to them, and the care of Moses....

This appointment of the “captains” (compare Exodus 18:21 ff) must not be confounded with that of the elders in Numbers 11:16 ff. The former would number 78,600; the latter were 70 only. A comparison between this passage and that in Exodus makes it obvious that Moses is only touching on certain parts of the whole history, without regard to order of time, but with a special purpose. This important arrangement for the good government of the people took place before they left Horeb to march direct to the promised land. This fact sets more clearly before us the perverseness and ingratitude of the people, to which the orator next passes; and shows, what he was anxious to impress, that the fault of the 40 years’ delay rested only with themselves!...

TITLE AND INTRODUCTION Deuteronomy 1:1. EXPOSITION DEUTERONOMY 1:1 In these verses we have the inscription and general introduction to the book, announcing the contents of the book, the author of it, the parties whom he addressed, and the time and place of his addresses. DEUTERONOMY 1:1 THESE BE THE WORDS. Some would render here "Such are the words," and understand the expression as referring to the preceding books. But it seems more natural to refer it to what follows—to the addresses in this book. The pronoun these (אֵלֶּה) may be used with a prospective reference, as

AND YE ANSWERED ME AND SAID,.... As the speech of Moses to the people is not expressed before, so neither this answer of theirs to him: THE THING WHICH THOU HAST SPOKEN IS GOOD FOR US TO DO; to look out for and present persons to him as before described; this they saw was for their own good and profit, as well as for the ease of Moses, and therefore readily agreed to it....

_2. FROM HOREB TO KADESH_ _ 1. The command to go in and to possess the land (Deuteronomy 1:6)_ 2. The appointment of judges reviewed (Deuteronomy 1:9) 3. The failure to possess the land (Deuteronomy 1:19) 4. The judgment of God (Deuteronomy 1:34) In the beginning of our annotations we must guard once more against the misleading conception, that the book of Deuteronomy is nothing but a rehearsal of previous history. On account of this wrong estimate, the book has not received the close study it deserves and God's people have missed the blessing, which results from such

DEUTERONOMY 1:9_ cf._ Exodus 18:13 * (_E_))_._ The idea of appointing judges to assist Moses is in Exodus 18:17 suggested by Jethro not, as here, by Moses himself. The parallel passage differs also as to the time. See Deuteronomy 16:18 * and Deuteronomy 17:8 *, where further provision is made for the administration of justice. Deuteronomy 1:15. officers:...

TRIBES. Hebrew. _shebet,_ tribe, according to historical or political corporation; always this word in Deut. Where "tribe" is genealogical or geographical elsewhere it is _matteh._...

Duet Deuteronomy 1:6 to Deuteronomy 3:29. Historical Part of the First Introductory Discourse Spoken in the land of Moab (Deuteronomy 1:5) in _the gai_or _glen, over against Beth Pe-or_(Deuteronomy 3:29), a review of Israel's experiences since they left Ḥoreb. In the Plur. form of address except for the following fragments Deuteronomy 1:8; Deuteronomy 1:21;...

2. CIVIL ORGANIZATION UNDER MOSES (Deuteronomy 1:9-18) Deuteronomy 1:9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 Jehovah your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11 Jehovah, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many 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, according to your tribes, and I will make them heads 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 heads of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of h