Deuteronomy 31:11

_AND MOSES COMMANDED THEM, SAYING, AT THE END OF EVERY SEVEN YEARS, IN THE SOLEMNITY OF THE YEAR OF RELEASE, IN THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES,_ At the end of every seven years ... thou shalt read this law. At the return of the Sabbatic year, and during the feast of tabernacles, the law was to be publicly read. This order of Moses was a future and prospective arrangement; for the observance of the Sabbatic year did not commence until the conquest and peaceful occupation of Canaan. Some think that this order for the public rehearsal of the law was addressed to the priests, particularly the high priest, and the prevailing opinion is, that the office was performed by them; while others maintain that it was on the temporal rulers the duty devolved (2 Kings 23:2; Nehemiah 8:1). The passage seems

9-13 Though we read the word in private, we must not think it needless to hear it read in public. This solemn reading of the law must be done in the year of release. The year of release was typical of gospel grace, which is called the acceptable year of the Lord; for our pardon and liberty by Christ, engage us to keep his commandments. It must be read to all Israel, men, women, children, and to the strangers. It is the will of God that all people should acquaint themselves with his word. It is a rule to all, therefore should be read to all. Whoever has read of the pains taken by many persons to get scraps of the Scriptures, when a whole copy could not be obtained, or safely possessed, will see how thankful we should be for the thousands of copies amongst us. They will also understand the very different situation in which the Israelites were placed for many ages. But the heart of man is...

Compare the marginal references. It is not to be supposed that the whole of the Pentateuch was read, nor does the letter of the command require that it should be so. This reading could not be primarily designed for the information and instruction of the people, since it only took place once in seven years; but was evidently a symbolic transaction, intended, as were so many others, to impress on the people the conditions on which they held possession of their privileges and blessings....

PART IV.—FAREWELL ADDRESS OF MOSES, WITH HIS PARTING SONG AND BENEDICTION. CHAPTERS 31-33. EXPOSITION _Moses _had now finished his work as the legislator and ruler and leader of Israel. But ere he finally retired from his place, he had to take order for the carrying forward of the work by the nomination of a successor to himself in the leadership; by committing the keeping of the Law to the priests; and by anew admonishing the people to obedience, encouraging them to go forward to the conquest of Canaan, animating them with the assurance of the Divine favor and blessing, and pronouncing on them his parting benediction. Deuteronomy

WHEN ALL ISRAEL IS COME TO APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD,.... As all the males were obliged to do three times in the year, and one of those times was the feast of tabernacles, and so a proper season for the reading of the law; see Exodus 23:14; IN THE PLACE WHICH THE LORD SHALL CHOOSE; the city of Jerusalem, and the temple there: THOU SHALL READ THIS LAW BEFORE ALL ISRAEL IN THEIR HEARING; the book of Deuteronomy, as Jarchi, or it may be the whole Pentateuch: who were to read it is not expressly said; the speech seems to be directed to the priests and elders, to whom the law written by Moses was delivered, Deuteronomy 31:9; and who were either to read it themselves, or take care that it should be read. Josephus x ascribes this service to the high priest; he says

III. THE FINAL WORDS OF MOSES AND THE VISION OF THE FUTURE 1. Moses' Final Charge, The Written Law Delivered, and Jehovah's Word to Moses CHAPTER 31 _ 1. The final charge of Moses (Deuteronomy 31:1)_ 2. The written law delivered (Deuteronomy 31:9) 3. Jehovah's word to Moses--Moses to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:14) 4. A prophecy (Deuteronomy 31:24) The final words of Moses to the people are full of tenderness and affection. There he stood, an hundred and twenty years old, a witness to the grace of His God. His eye was still the eye of youth, for it knew

Part of D according to Kuenen, Dillmann, etc. It is this law (D) which is to be read at Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:13) and septennially in the year of release (Deuteronomy 15:1 ff.*). Deuteronomy 31:11. appear before: Deuteronomy 16:16 *. Deuteronomy 31:12. See Deuteronomy 29:11. Deuteronomy 31:

TO APPEAR. See note on Exodus 23:15 with Exodus 34:20. READ THIS LAW. Compare Deuteronomy 16:13, and see Nehemiah 8:1....

The Law written and delivered to the Levites, etc. Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the priests and elders, charging them to read it every seventh year at the Feast of Booths to all Israel, women, little ones and _gerim_included, that they and their children might evermore fear God and do its words upon the land. The language is almost purely deuteronomic, and the passage may be original to D (Dillm. Dri., etc.) or from the edition of D, introduced by 1 3 (-not impossible," Berth. Marti). Steuern. takes parts of it as original to his Sg. author, the rest due to later expansion, but his analysis is precarious; Cullen (147, 159) as part of the epilogue to the Torah. The order of the passage, between two others relating the commission to Joshua, is inexplicable, unless we suppose that in place of _the priests, the sons of Levi … and the elders_, to whom Deuteronomy 31:9 descr

2. LAW DELIVERED TO THE PRIESTS; COMMANDED To BE READ BEFORE ALL ISREAL EVERY SEVEN YEARS (Deuteronomy 31:9-13) And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and unto all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of _every_ seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 when all Israel is come to appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and thy sojourner that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Jehovah your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; 13 and that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Jehova