Deuteronomy 32:48

48._And the Lord spake unto Moses. _We infer that this is not recorded in its regular order, because it is certain that Moses was warned of his approaching death before the Song was composed; and this the second passage, which I have here appended, expressly confirms; for he says that, before he substituted Joshua for himself, the place was pointed out to him in which he was to die. It is, however, by no means unusual for the order of narration to be inverted. We may here perceive a singular specimen of faith and obedience. All naturally fly from death, so that no one hastens towards it of his own accord. He would never, therefore, have voluntarily entered the tomb, unless relying on the hope of a better life. We have already seen a similar instance in the case of Aaron: although the resurrection was not then so clearly revealed as it now is by the Gospel, nor had Christ appeared, who is...

48-52 Now Moses had done his work, why should he desire to live a day longer? God reminds him of the sin of which he had been guilty, for which he was kept from entering Canaan. It is good for the best of men to die repenting the infirmities of which they are conscious. But those may die with comfort and ease, whenever God calls for them, notwithstanding the sins they remember against themselves, who have a believing prospect, and a well-grounded hope of eternal life beyond death....

These verses were, no doubt, added by the author of the supplement to Deuteronomy. For the statements contained in them, consult the marginal references....

EXPOSITION SONG OF MOSES AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS DEATH. In accordance with the Divine injunction, Moses composed an ode, which he recited in the hearing of the people, and committed to writing, to remain with them as a witness for God against them. With this end in view, the ode is directed principally to a contrasting of the unchanging faithfulness of the Almighty with the anticipated perversity and unfaithfulness of his people. The poem may be divided into six parts. 1. An introduction (Deuteronomy 32:1), in which the importance of the doctrine to be delivered is announced. 2. The blamelessness and excellency of Jehovah are placed in contrast with the corruptness and perversity of

AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES THE SELFSAME DAY,.... On which he finished the reading of the law, and the above song, which was the seventh of Adar or February; according to the Targum of Jonathan, the day he died on; according to the Egyptian Calendar a, it was the sixteenth of that month, see Deuteronomy 34:5; SAYING; as follows. a Apud Ludolf. Lex. Ethiop. p. 537....

3. THE BLESSING OF MOSES Chapter S 32:44-33:29 _ 1. Introduction (Deuteronomy 32:44)_ 2. Jehovah's manifestation (Deuteronomy 33:1) 3. The blessing of Reuben, Judah and Levi (Deuteronomy 33:6) 4. The blessing of Benjamin and Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:12) 5. The blessing of Zebulon and Issachar (Deuteronomy 33:18) 6. The blessing of Gad, Dan, Nephtali and Asher ...

Moses'song is a didactic poem, a theodicy in which Yahweh's ways are vindicated. In its sentiments and artistic form it is unsurpassed in the poetry of the OT. Its dominant theme is Yahweh's justice and lovingkindness to Israel notwithstanding the nation's sinfulness. It is impossible to fix the date of this poem with any confidence. But points of contact with Jer., Isaiah 40-55, Ezek., and the Wisdom literature suggest the closing years of the Exile (say 550 B.C.). Moses is certainly not the author, for to the latter the Exodus belongs to his distant past (Deuteronomy 32:7), and the Israelites are already in Canaan (Deuteronomy 32:13 f.). The words translated doctrine (Deuteronomy 32:2), abominations ...

SPAKE. See note on Deuteronomy 2:1....

_that selfsame day_ A standing phrase of P, e.g. Genesis 7:13; Genesis 17:23; Genesis 17:26; Exodus 12:17. Contr. the deuter. _this day_and the like. The day is that stated in Deuteronomy 1:3, also from P; _q.v._...

_VER._ 48. _AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,_ &C.— Concerning the death of Moses, see chap. 34: REFLECTIONS.—Moses and Joshua, in different congregations of the people, solemnly rehearse the words of this song: as Joshua is shortly to supply Moses's place, they must bear the same word, and witness the same truth. _Note;_ There is but one truth in the Scripture, one faith, one hope, one gospel. Moses, after the delivery of this Song of Song of Solomon 1. Adds his earnest charge to them, to _set their hearts_ to obey all these commands of God, and not only to be themselves exemplary, but seek to transmit their religion to the succeeding generations, by training up their children in the way which they should go; for it is not _a vain thing,_ an inconsiderable matter; their life depended on it, their comfortable life in Canaan, their eternal life in