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 F1 Apud Ludolf. Lex. Ethiop. p. 537. , it was the sixteenth of that month, see Deuteronomy 34:5 , saying ; as follows. read more
Verse 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... read more
On the day on which Moses rehearsed this song in the hearing of the people, his death was announced to him by God, and the command was again given to him to ascend Mount Nebo, thence to survey the Promised Land, and there to be gathered to his people. The same in substance, the command as given here differs slightly in form and in some minor particulars from that as recorded by Moses himself ( Numbers 27:12-14 ). read more
Death immediately in view. The utterance of the sublime song which we have just treated on, was the last recorded public act of Moses. His work is all but done. He receives an intimation that the time is nigh at hand for him to "go up and die." The circumstances which gather round that death are most suggestive. The following passages should be compared together:— Numbers 20:12 ; Numbers 27:12-14 ; Deuteronomy 1:37 ; Deuteronomy 3:23-28 ; Deuteronomy 4:21 , Deuteronomy 4:22 ; ... read more
Moses' end (see Deuteronomy 34:1-12 .).—J.O. HOMILIES BY R.M. EDGAR read more
Death a judgment even to the most faithful servants of God. After the solemn address to the people, God gives a personal address to Moses. It is about his approaching death. He is to see the land, but not to enter it, because he sanctified not the Lord at the waters of Meribah. It raises, therefore, the whole question of death as the portion even of the most faithful servants of God. I. IT IS SURELY REMARKABLE THAT , WHEN SAVED THROUGH THE MERCY OF GOD IN ... read more
Obedient unto death. In Moses, Faith had achieved one of her most signal triumphs. From early youth to latest manhood, he had acted and "endured as seeing him who is invisible." No earthly or visible honor had ever enchanted his vision. He had lived very simply "in his Great Taskmaster's eye." Therefore it was that he submitted to be deprived of the earthly Canaan without a murmur, "for he looked for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker was God." To him death was but a... read more
These verses were, no doubt, added by the author of the supplement to Deuteronomy. For the statements contained in them, consult the marginal references. read more
Deuteronomy 32:48-49. That self-same day Now he had finished his work, why should he desire to live a day longer? He had indeed formerly desired and prayed that he might go over Jordan: but now he is entirely satisfied, and saith no more of that matter. Nebo A ridge or top of the mountains of Abarim. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:44-52
Here is, I. The solemn delivery of this song to the children of Israel, Deut. 32:44, 45. Moses spoke it to as many as could hear him, while Joshua, in another assembly, at the same time, delivered it to as many as his voice would reach. Thus coming to them from the mouth of both their governors, Moses who was laying down the government, and Joshua who was taking it up, they would see they were both in the same mind, and that, though they changed their commander, there was no change in the... read more