Deuteronomy 31:9

_AND MOSES WROTE THIS LAW, AND DELIVERED IT UNTO THE PRIESTS THE SONS OF LEVI, WHICH BARE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD, AND UNTO ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL._ Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests. The law thus committed to writing was either the book of Deuteronomy only, as Kurtz and Delitzsch think, or the important part of it contained between Deuteronomy 27:1 and Deuteronomy 30:1 (as Davidson maintains; Horne's 'Introduction,' 3: pp. 616, 618), or the whole Pentateuch, as the phrase, "this law," 'the book of this law,' signifies in the later historical books (Joshua 1:8; Joshua 8:31;...

9._And Moses wrote this law. _It is unquestionable that Moses deposited the Book of the Law in the custody of the Levites, to enjoin upon them the duty of teaching; for although it is only related that they were commanded to recite the book before the people every seventh year, yet it is easy to gather that they were appointed the constant proclaimers of its doctrine. For it would have been absurd that the Law should lie buried for seven whole years, and that not a word should be heard of its instruction; besides, the difficulty of hearing in so great a multitude would be great, and the recollection of it would soon have vanished. In a word, very little would have been the use of the ceremony, if at all other times the Levites had been dumb, and nothing should have been heard throughout the land regarding the worship of God. This then was the object of the solemn promulgation of the Law,...

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...

Verse Deuteronomy 31:9. _MOSES WROTE THIS LAW_] Not the whole Pentateuch, but either the discourses and precepts mentioned in the preceding chapters, or the book of _Deuteronomy_, which is most likely. Some of the rabbins have pretended that Moses wrote _thirteen_ copies of the whole Pentateuch; that he gave one to each of the twelve tribes, and the thirteenth was laid up by the ark. This opinion deserves little credit. Some think that he wrote _two_ copies, one of which he gave to the priests and Levites for general use, according to what is said in this verse, the other to be laid up beside the ark as a standard copy for reference, and to be a witness against the people should they break it or become idolatrous. This second copy is supposed to be intended...

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 MOSES WROTE THIS LAW,.... The book of Deuteronomy, or the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses, which he had now finished, and which all of them together are sometimes called the law, Galatians 4:21; AND DELIVERED IT UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF LEVI; who were the teachers of the law, as Aben Ezra observes; see Malachi 2:7; and therefore it was proper to put it into their hands, to instruct the people in it, and that the people might apply to them in any matter of difficulty, or when they wanted to have any particular law explained to them: WHICH BARE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD; for though they were the Levites, and particularly the Kohathites, who in journeying carried the ark; see...

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:

WROTE. See note on Exodus 17:14. THE PRIESTS, &C.. the Kohathites. Numbers 4:1....

_Moses wrote this law_ Besides Deuteronomy 31:24 the only statement to this effect in Deut. _this law_ Heb. _Tôrah_, see on Deuteronomy 1:5. In Deut. the Code (possibly with hortatory additions, but we cannot tell the exact extent of it here intended, see Deuteronomy 27:3) is called Tôrah only in Deuteronomy 1:5; Deuteronomy 4:8 (parallel to _statutes and judgements_), Deuteronomy 4:44 (a title); twice in the law of the K