Deuteronomy 33:4

4 when ¹Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

Deuteronomy 33:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:4

Moses commanded us a law
The law was of God, it came forth from his right hand, ( Deuteronomy 33:2 ) ; it is of his enacting, a declaration of his will, and has his authority stamped upon it, who is the lawgiver, and which lays under obligation to regard it; but it was delivered to Moses, and by him to the children of Israel, on whom he urged obedience to it; and so it is said to come by him, and sometimes is called the law of Moses, see ( John 1:17 ) ( John 7:19 John 7:23 ) ( 8:5 ) ;

[even] the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob;
which either describes the persons who were commanded to keep the law, the tribes of Jacob or congregation of Israel, who were the Lord's people, portion, and inheritance, ( Deuteronomy 32:9 ) ; or the law commanded, which was to be valued, not only as a peculiar treasure, but to be considered a possession, an estate, an inheritance, to be continued among them, and to be transmitted to their posterity, see ( Psalms 119:111 ) ; these are the words of the people of Israel, and therefore are thus prefaced in the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem,

``the children of Israel said, Moses commanded''

they were represented by Moses.

Deuteronomy 33:4 In-Context

2 He said, “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.

3 Yes, he loved his people, all his holy ones were in his hand; so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you,

4 when Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5 Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

6 “Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few. ”

Cross References

• 1. 33:4 John 1:17; 7:19