Deuteronomy 1:5

_ON THIS SIDE JORDAN, IN THE LAND OF MOAB, BEGAN MOSES TO DECLARE THIS LAW, SAYING,_ Began Moses to declare this law - declare, i:e., explain, this law. He follows the same method here that he elsewhere observes, namely, that of first enumerating the marvelous doings of God in behalf of his people, and reminding them what an unworthy requital they had made for all His kindness; then he rehearses the law and its various precepts....

1-8 Moses spake to the people all the Lord had given him in commandment. Horeb was but eleven days distant from Kadesh-barnea. This was to remind them that their own bad conduct had occasioned their tedious wanderings; that they might the more readily understand the advantages of obedience. They must now go forward. Though God brings his people into trouble and affliction, he knows when they have been tried long enough. When God commands us to go forward in our Christian course, he sets the heavenly Canaan before us for our encouragement....

Verse Deuteronomy 1:5. _BEGAN MOSES TO DECLARE THIS LAW_] Began, הואיל _hoil_, willingly undertook; to declare, באר _beer_, to make _bare, clear_, _ c., fully to explain_, this law. See the conclusion of the preface....

IN THE LAND OF MOAB - This district had formerly been occupied by the Moabites, and retained its name from them: but had been conquered by the Amorites. Compare Numbers 21:25, note; Numbers 22:5, note. DECLARE - Render, explain the Law already declared....

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

ON THIS SIDE JORDAN, IN THE LAND OF MOAB,.... On that side of Jordan in which the land of Moab was, and which with respect to the land of Canaan was beyond Jordan; this the Vulgate Latin version joins to the preceding verse: BEGAN MOSES TO DECLARE THIS LAW: to explain it, make it clear and manifest; namely, the whole system and body of laws, which had been before given him, which he "willed" k, as some render the word, or willingly took upon him to repeat and explain unto them, which their fathers had heard, and had been delivered unto them; but before he entered upon this, he gave them a short history of events which had befallen them, from the time of their departure from Horeb unto the present time, which is contained in this and the two next Chapter s: SAYING; as follows. k הואיל "voluit", Montanus; "placuit", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "statuit", Tigurine version....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE FIRST DISCOURSE OF MOSES AND RETROSPECT _ 1. The Introduction_ CHAPTER 1:1-5 The people were still on this side of Jordan in the wilderness. The second verse, containing a parenthetical statement, gives the story of their unbelief, as recorded in the Book of Numbers. “There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.” They might have reached the place they occupied now, facing Jordan and the land, in eleven days. It took them almost forty years. Unbelief had kept them back. It was towards the end of the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, that Moses began his wonderful addresses. In the first month of that memorable year Miriam had died (Numbers 20:1). His brother Aaron had died in the fifth month (Numbers 33:38

Historical introduction to Deuteronomy 1:6 ff.: a compilation, perhaps intended to introduce the whole book. DEUTERONOMY 1:1. BEYOND JORDAN: therefore the writer dwelt W. of the Jordan; so Deuteronomy 1:5 and often, Deuteronomy 3:8; Deuteronomy 3:20; Deuteronomy 3:25. ARABAN (lit. waste region): the low-lying valley of the Jordan, the Sea of Galilee and Dead Sea, extending from the Sea of Galilee to the Red Sea (Gulf of Akabah

BEGAN. undertook with will. Heb _ya'al._ First occurrence Genesis 18:27; Genesis 18:31. DECLARE. Hebrew. _ba'ar_, make plain, show sense, set forth, especially in writing. Occurs only here and Deuteronomy 27:8, and Habakkuk 2:2. LAW. _torah_. instruction....

A. Duet Deuteronomy 1:5 to Deuteronomy 4:40. First Discourse and Introduction to the Law-Book 5. Special Title to the First Discourse of Mosesay be seen suspended at the altars of Roman Catholic churches in Switzerland and Italy at the present day: but with "a custom which according to the traveller Tavernier has prevailed in India from time immemorial, that when a pilgrim takes a journey to a pagoda to be cureda disease, he offers to the idol a present, either in gold, silver, or copper, according to his ability, of the shape of the diseased or injured member. Such a present passes as a practical acknowledgment that the god has inflicted the suffering or evil." Thus in the present case the Philistines offered "representations of the instruments of their chastisements" as an acknowledgment that the