Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Leaders Appointed

9 "At that time 1I said to you, 'I am not able to bear you by myself.
10 The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, 2you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven.
11 3May the LORD, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, 4as he has promised you!
12 5How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife?
13 6Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.'
14 And you answered me, 'The thing that you have spoken is good for us to do.'
15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, 7and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes.
16 And I charged your judges at that time, 'Hear the cases between your brothers, and 8judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.
17 9You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for 10the judgment is God's. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall 11bring to me, and I will hear it.'
18 And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.

Deuteronomy 1:9-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY

This book is sometimes called "Elleh hadebarim", from the words with which it begins; and sometimes by the Jews "Mishneh Torah", the repetition of the law; and so in the Syriac version, with which agrees the Arabic title of it; and when the Greeks, and we after them, call it "Deuteronomy", it is not to be understood of a second, a new, or another law, but of the law formerly delivered, but now repeated, and also more largely explained; to which are likewise added several particular laws, instructions, and directions; all which were necessary, on account of the people of Israel, who were now a new generation, that either were not born, or not at an age to hear and understand the law when given on Mount Sinai; the men that heard it there being all dead, excepting a very few; and these people were also now about to enter into the land of Canaan, which they were to enjoy as long as they kept the law of God, and no longer, and therefore it was proper they should be reminded of it; and besides, Moses was now about to leave them, and having an hearty desire after their welfare, spends the little time he had to be with them, by inculcating into them and impressing on them the laws of God, and in opening and explaining them to them, and enforcing them on them, which were to be the rule of their obedience, and on which their civil happiness depended. And sometimes the Jews call this book "the book of reproofs", because there are in it several sharp reproofs of the people of Israel for their rebellion and disobedience; and so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem begin it by calling it the words of reproof which Moses spake That this book was written by Moses there can be no doubt, from De 1:1, 31:4,9,24, only the eight last verses, which give an account of his death, and of his character, were wrote by another hand, equally inspired by God, as either Eleazar the priest, as some, or Samuel the prophet, as others; or, as it is the more commonly received opinion of the Jews, Ezra; though it is highly probable they were wrote by Joshua his successor. This book was written and delivered by Moses, at certain times in the last month of his life, and towards the close of the fortieth year of the children of Israel's coming out of Egypt. And that it is of divine authority need not be questioned, when the several quotations out of it are observed, as made by the apostles of Christ, in Ac 3:22, Ro 12:19 Heb 10:30, Ga 3:10 out of \De 18:15 32:35,36 27:26\ and by our Lord himself, Mt 18:16 from De 19:15. Yea, it is remarkable, that all the passages of Scripture produced by Christ, to repel the temptations of Satan, are all taken out of this book, Mt 4:7,10 compared with De 8:3, 6:10,13, and the voice from heaven, directing the apostles to hearken to him, refers to a prophecy of him in De 18:15.

\\INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 1\\

The time and place when the subject matter of this book was delivered to the Israelites are observed by way of preface, De 1:1-5, and it begins with reminding them of an order to them to depart from Mount Horeb, and pass on to the land of Canaan, which the Lord had given them, De 1:6-8, and with observing the very great increase of their number, which made it necessary for Moses to appoint persons under him to be rulers over them, whom he instructed in the duty of their office, De 1:9-18, and he goes on to observe, that when they were come to the mountain of the Amorites, they were bid to go up and possess the land; but, instead of that, they desired men might be sent to search the land first, which was granted, De 1:19-23, and though these men upon their return brought of the fruits of the land, and a good report of it, particularly two of them; yet being discouraged by the report of the rest, they murmured, distrusted, and were afraid to enter, though encouraged by Moses, De 1:24-33, which caused the Lord to be angry with them, and upon it threatened them that they should die in the wilderness, and only two of them should ever see and enjoy the land, and therefore were bid to turn and take their journey in the wilderness, De 1:34-40, but being convinced of their evil, they proposed to go up the hill, and enter the land, which they attempted against the commandment of the Lord, but being repulsed by the Amorites, they fled with great loss, to their great grief, and abode in Kadesh many days, De 1:41-46.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Numbers 11:14; [Exodus 18:18]
  • 2. [Deuteronomy 10:22; Deuteronomy 28:62]; See Genesis 15:5
  • 3. [2 Samuel 24:3]
  • 4. Genesis 12:2; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:3, 24
  • 5. [1 Kings 3:8, 9]
  • 6. [Exodus 18:21; Numbers 11:16, 17]
  • 7. Exodus 18:25
  • 8. Deuteronomy 16:18; John 7:24
  • 9. Deuteronomy 16:19; Exodus 23:2, 3; Leviticus 19:15; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Proverbs 24:23; Proverbs 28:21; Malachi 2:9; James 2:1, 9
  • 10. 2 Chronicles 19:6; [Exodus 21:6]
  • 11. Exodus 18:22, 26
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.