Deuteronomy 31:16

_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, BEHOLD, THOU SHALT SLEEP WITH THY FATHERS; AND THIS PEOPLE WILL RISE UP, AND GO A WHORING AFTER THE GODS OF THE STRANGERS OF THE LAND, WHITHER THEY GO TO BE AMONG THEM, AND WILL FORSAKE ME, AND BREAK MY COVENANT WHICH I HAVE MADE WITH THEM._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

16._Behold, thou, shalt sleep with thy fathers. _In order that Moses may labor more earnestly to retain the people in obedience to God, he is reminded of their indomitable perverseness. He had already sufficiently, and more than sufficiently, experienced how depraved and stubborn was the disposition of the Israelites, and how disobedient and contumacious they had been; God now declares that they will be no better after his death; nay, that they will indulge themselves in greater license in _consequence _of his _absence _from them. For it appears as if there was an antithesis implied between the words “lie down,” and “rise up;” (242) as if it were said, As soon as you have gone to rest, their insubordination shall break forth, as if they were released from all laws. Not, indeed, that this should take place immediately, for under Joshua they manifested some humility and submissiveness; at...

14-22 Moses and Joshua attended the Divine Majesty at the door of the tabernacle. Moses is told again that he must shortly die; even those who are most ready and willing to die, need to be often reminded of its coming. The Lord tells Moses, that, after his death, the covenant he had taken so much pains to make between Israel and their God, would certainly be broken. Israel would forsake Him; then God would forsake Israel. Justly does he cast those off who so unjustly cast him off. Moses is directed to deliver them a song, which should remain a standing testimony for God, as faithful to them in giving them warning, and against them, as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning. The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men's hearts, and meets them by reproofs and correction. Ministers who preach the word, know not the imaginations of men; but God, whose wor...

Verse Deuteronomy 31:16. _BEHOLD, THOU SHALT SLEEP WITH THY FATHERS_] שכב _shocheb_, thou _shalt lie down_; it signifies to rest, take rest in sleep, and, metaphorically, to _die_. Much stress cannot be safely laid on this expression to prove the immortality of the soul, or that the people in the time of Moses had a distinct notion of its separate existence. It was, however, understood in this sense by Jonathan ben Uzziel, who in his Targum paraphrases the word thus: "Thou shalt lie down in the dust with thy fathers; and thy soul (נשמתך _nishmethach_) shall be laid up in the treasury of the life to come with thy fathers....

The transaction recorded in these verses may be regarded as the solemn inauguration of Joshua to the office to which he had some time before Numbers 27:22 been called, and his recognition in it by God, which were manifested by his being summoned into the tabernacle with Moses while the Lord appeared in the pillar of cloud (compare Numbers 11:25; Numbers 12:5). Deuteronomy 31:16 The future apostasy of the people is announced in the presence of Joshua that the latter might be fully aware of the danger and strive in his day to avert it. This he faithfully did (compar

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

AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES,.... Out of the pillar of cloud: BEHOLD, THOU SHALT SLEEP WITH THY FATHERS; a phrase expressive of death, frequently used both of good and bad men, which serves to render death easy and familiar, and less formidable; and to assure and lead into an expectation of an awaking out of it, or a resurrection from it: AND THIS PEOPLE WILL RISE UP; in their posterity; for not till after Joshua's death, and the death of the elders of Israel, did they revolt to idolatry, Joshua 24:31; AND GO A WHORING AFTER THE GODS OF THE STRANGERS OF THE LAND, WHITHER THEY GO [TO BE] AMONGST THEM; that is, after the gods of the Canaanites, who though at this time the inhabitants of the land, yet when the children of Israel became possessors of it, they were the strangers of it; and being suffered to continue contrary to the direct

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:

SHALT SLEEP WITH THY FATHERS. shalt lie down to sleep.. beautiful _Euphemism_ (App-6) for death. This is the first occurrence. It is used alike of good people and evil: of Ahab as well as David; of all the kings, even Jehoiakim, who had no burial. See 2 Samuel 7:12. 1Ki 1:21. 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Kings 11:21 1 Kings 11:43. 1 Kings 14:20; 1 Kings 14:31. 1Ki 15:8, 1 Kings 15:24