Deuteronomy 1:1-5 – Deuteronomy 4:44-49

Deuteronomy 1:1-5

Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:1-5

1. These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

1. Haec sunt verba quae loquutus est Moses ad omnem Israelem trans Jordanem in deserto, in planitie, e regione Suph, inter Paran et Thophel, et Laban, et Hazeroth, et Dizahab.

2. (There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb, by the way of mount Seir, unto Kadeshbarnea.)

2. Undecim dies sunt ab Horeb, itineris montis Seir, usque ad Cades Barnea.

3. And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them;

3. Fuit autem quadragesimo anno, undecimo mense, prima mensis, loquutus est Moses ad filios Israel juxta omnia quae praeceperat Jehova ad illos.

4. After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei.

4. Posteaquam percusserat Sehon regem Emorrhaeorum qui habitabat in Hesbon, et Og regem Basan, qui habitabat in Astaroth in Edrei.

5. On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying.

5. Trans Jordanem in terra Moab incepit Moses explanare legem hanc, dicendo.

1. These are the words. These two latter passages properly belong to the supplements, wherein God afterwards more clearly and familiarly illustrated the Law previously given by Him; they comprehend also exhortations, by which He subdued the people’s minds to obedience, and eulogies, by which He commended and confirmed the Law. The sum is, that Moses is appointed the minister and ambassador of God, who by his mouth prescribes to Israel all that is right and just. But when he says, “beside the covenant, which he made with them in Horeb,” (Deuteronomy 29:1,) necessary that the Decalogue should be more fully explained, lest its brevity should render it obscure to an ignorant and slow-hearted people. For God did not, like earthly kings, learn from experience to enrich His law by new precepts, but considered the people’s dull and weak understanding. The particle of exception, “beside,” does not, therefore, designate anything additional, but only signifies that God had again repeated His covenant, that it might be more distinctly and certainly understood. In which respect He gave an extraordinary proof of His indulgence, that previous to their entering the land, He renewed His covenant about forty years after its first promulgation, and added a clear exposition of it, because He had then to do with a new generation. For this reason the place is expressly mentioned, because from thence the lapse of time is made evident.

Deuteronomy 4:44-49

Deuteronomy 4

Deuteronomy 4:44-49

44. And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:

44. Haec est Lex quam proposuit Moses coram filiis Israel.

45. These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt:

45. Haec testimonia et statuta et judicia quae pronuntiavit Moses filiis Israel, quum egressi essent ex Aegypto.

46. On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt:

46. Trans Jordanem in valle e regione Beth-peor in terra Sehon regis Emorrhaeorum, qui habitabat in Esbon: quem percussit Moses et filii Israel, quum egressi essent ex Aegypto.

47. And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan, toward the sun-rising;

47. Et possederunt terram ejus, et terram Og regis Basan, duorum regum Emorrhaeorum, qui erant trans Jordanem ad ortum solis.

48. From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon,

48. Ab Aroer qui erat juxta ripam torrentis Arnon, usque ad montem Sion qui est Hermon.

49. And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.

49. Et universam solitudinem trans Jordanem ad orientem usque ad mare planitiei, sub effusionibus aquarum.

44. And this is the Law. This last passage refers to the same thing, viz., that the Law was promulgated anew when the people had now reached the threshold of the promised land, in order that they might be more disposed to obedience, especially when the two tribes and a half had now, by the conquest of the Amorites, obtained a resting-place and a home; for this is the reason why their habitation is mentioned, because the taste of the favor already received ought to stir up their zeal to proceed more cheerfully. We shall elsewhere remark on the country and names of places. It is sufficient here to recollect, that the memory of the Law was renewed, after their inheritance without the promised land had been obtained by the sons of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, and when their assured possession was before the eyes of the rest. But Moses shews that, although he might explain the Law at fuller length, still nothing had been added to that summary which was originally promulgated; but he rather indicates, that whatever he had taught them during the forty years, had had no other object than that they might more faithfully and exactly keep the Law of God.