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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Verse 1
1:1-5 Ancient Near Eastern treaty texts usually began with a brief section introducing the partners in the covenant, their relationship to each other, and their immediate ancestry. This introduction provides information primarily about the social and geographic setting.
1:1 These are the words that Moses spoke: Although Deuteronomy is modeled after a covenant or treaty document, it is essentially a series of addresses delivered by Moses to the assembly of Israel. • the Jordan Valley: Hebrew the Arabah, a common word usually translated “wilderness” or “desert.” It generally refers to the Great Rift Valley that extends from the Sea of Galilee southward to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aqaba). In this context, the Arabah is the wasteland of the lower Jordan River, just north of the Dead Sea.
Verse 2
1:2 The distance from Mount Sinai in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula to Kadesh-barnea (see study note on 1:19) in the north is only 150 miles. Even the massive Hebrew population could easily have covered this distance in eleven days had they proceeded without detour or interruption. Their rebellion against the Lord resulted in a 38-year delay and a circuitous route (2:14; Num 14:34). • Mount Sinai: Hebrew Horeb, the name consistently used in Deuteronomy for the sacred mountain where the covenant was given. Its likely connection to a word meaning “drought” or “devastation” suggests the conditions the people of Israel had to face. • The way of Mount Seir was the route from Mount Sinai to Mount Seir. Seir, another name for Edom, was located east-southeast of the Dead Sea. The ordinary route took travelers through the Arabah north from the Gulf of Aqaba and then west to Kadesh-barnea, sixty miles southwest of the Dead Sea.
Verse 4
1:4 The Amorites were a Semitic people, linguistically related to the Canaanites. They originally lived in what is now north-central Syria, but they had migrated into Canaan to settle on both sides of the Jordan River, primarily in the hill country. At the time of Israel’s conquest, many Amorites lived in Transjordan (east of the Jordan), north of the Arnon River, with their capital at Heshbon (see also study note on Num 21:13). The Israelites had already displaced many of them before this time (Num 22:21-35). • Bashan was also an Amorite area, located north of the Yarmuk River and east of the Sea of Galilee. It was known for its prized livestock (cp. Ps 22:12; Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1 and study note). Its capital was Ashtaroth. • The kings Sihon and Og are not known outside the Bible (see Num 21:21-35).
Verse 6
1:6–4:40 Secular treaties typically included a section detailing the past relations between the treaty partners. The purpose here was to point out Israel’s successes and failures since the Exodus and to remind the people that God had been true to his word regardless of how they had acted toward him. In order to prepare the Israelites for life in Canaan, Moses reminded them of life in Egypt, of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and of their past blunders. He warned them to obey God’s covenant and assured them that God’s grace would follow them as they learned to trust and obey the Lord.
Verse 7
1:7 The hill country consisted of interior areas of Canaan that were also inhabited by the Amorites (see 1:4; Num 13:29; Josh 10:6). The Canaanites apparently once lived throughout Palestine, but with the incursion of the Amorites they were restricted to the valleys and lowlands. • the western foothills: Hebrew the Shephelah, the term still used in modern Israel for the region between the hills of Judah and the coastal plain, an area that specializes in orchards and vineyards. • the Negev: This great desert area lies to the south of Canaan. The Hebrew word could also designate “the south.”
Verse 8
1:8 occupy it (literally acquire it as an inheritance): The land was already Israel’s because God had promised it to the nation’s ancestors centuries earlier (Gen 15:18-21; 26:3; Exod 23:31). Israel was not seizing new territory from its rightful owners but was taking possession of land occupied by squatters.
Verse 9
1:9-18 See Exod 18:13-27.
Verse 10
1:10 as numerous as the stars: This figure of speech deliberately exaggerates for effect. Abraham’s descendants had not approached the actual number of stars in the universe, though they exceeded the number of stars visible to the naked eye. Moses meant that God had begun fulfilling his promises to Abraham (see Gen 15:5; 22:17) by making Israel numerous, bringing them to the Promised Land, and preparing them to conquer it.
Verse 13
1:13 Those who were well-respected had lives and reputations that were above reproach, even on close scrutiny.
Verse 15
1:15 thousand . . . hundred . . . fifty . . . ten: This was standard military organization, so some of these officials were probably military officers (see 1 Sam 8:12; 22:7; 2 Sam 18:1).
Verse 16
1:16-17 Be . . . impartial (literally Do not notice faces): People appearing before the court should be treated as though they were wearing a mask to conceal their identity. Judges were not to be influenced by rich and powerful persons in the community but were to judge on the basis of God’s own impartiality (10:17) and treat all persons equally under the law.
Verse 19
1:19-25 See Num 13.
1:19 Kadesh-barnea, a great oasis with abundant wells and springs, was about fifty miles south of Beersheba, the traditional southern point of Israel (see 2 Sam 3:10; 1 Chr 21:2).
Verse 24
1:24-25 Eshcol means “cluster”; the fruit grown there was grapes (see Num 13:23-27).
Verse 26
1:26-46 See Num 14.
Verse 28
1:28 Anak was a well-known man of gigantic physical stature (2:10, 21; 9:2; Num 13:33). Goliath (1 Sam 17:4) might have been one of the descendants of Anak who migrated to the Philistine coastal plain (Deut 2:23; Josh 11:21-23; 15:14; 1 Chr 20:4-8).
Verse 30
1:30 He will fight for you: This phrase refers to the defeat of the Canaanite nations. The Lord would initiate the battle, lead it, fight it, and bring it to a successful conclusion. The only other use of this phrase refers to God’s activity in the Exodus (Exod 14:14).
Verse 31
1:31 God’s tender care as a father reflected his covenant relationship with Israel (Exod 4:22; Hos 11:1-4; cp. Matt 6:26-33; John 14:21; Acts 13:18; Rom 8:15-17; 1 Pet 1:2-3; 1 Jn 3:1). Israel was God’s child by descent from Abraham and because God had chosen and adopted Israel from among all the nations (Deut 14:2; Exod 19:4-6). The imagery is similar to that found in secular covenant texts in which a great king regarded a vassal with whom he had made a treaty as his son.
Verse 33
1:33 Physical manifestations of God (called theophanies), such as the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud, assured God’s people of his presence and power. As he moved forward by these visible displays, they could also move, knowing that he would faithfully lead them to their final destination (Exod 13:21-22; 14:24; Ps 18:9-10).
Verse 36
1:36 Caleb was one of the twelve spies whom Moses sent to discern the political and military situation in Canaan. Caleb and Joshua alone brought back the report that God would give Israel success in conquering Canaan (Num 13:6, 8, 16, 30). Caleb later became the father-in-law of Othniel, Israel’s first judge (Judg 1:13). For his faithfulness, Caleb was given the vicinity of Hebron as his inheritance, and he expelled the Anakites (see Josh 14:12-15; Judg 1:20).
Verse 37
1:37 God was angry with me because of you: In his frustration against rebellious Israel, Moses had disobeyed God by striking the rock rather than merely speaking to it (Num 20:10-13).