Deuteronomio 1

1 Estas son las palabras que habló Moisés a todo Israel a este lado del Jordán en el desierto, en el llano delante del mar Bermejo, entre Parán, Tofel, Labán, Hazerot, y Dizahab

2 Once jornadas hay desde Horeb, camino del monte de Seir, hasta Cades-barnea

3 Y fue, que a los cuarenta años, en el mes undécimo, al primero del mes, Moisés habló a los hijos de Israel conforme a todas las cosas que el SEÑOR le había mandado acerca de ellos

4 después que hirió a Sehón rey de los amorreos, que habitaba en Hesbón, y a Og rey de Basán, que habitaba en Astarot en Edrei

5 a este lado del Jordán, en tierra de Moab, resolvió Moisés declarar esta ley, diciendo

6 El SEÑOR nuestro Dios nos habló en Horeb, diciendo: Habéis estado bastante tiempo en este monte

7 volveos, partíos, e id al monte del amorreo, y a todas sus comarcas, en el llano, en el monte, en los valles, al mediodía, y a la costa del mar, a la tierra del cananeo, y al Líbano, hasta el gran río, el río Eufrates

8 Mirad, yo he dado la tierra en vuestra presencia; entrad y poseed la tierra que el SEÑOR juró a vuestros padres Abraham, Isaac, y Jacob, que les daría a ellos y a su simiente después de ellos

9 Y yo os hablé entonces, diciendo: Yo no puedo llevaros solo

10 el SEÑOR vuestro Dios os ha multiplicado, y he aquí sois hoy vosotros como las estrellas del cielo en multitud

11 ¡El SEÑOR Dios de vuestros padres añada sobre vosotros como sois mil veces más, y os bendiga, como os ha prometido

12 ¿Cómo llevaré yo solo vuestras molestias, vuestras cargas, y vuestros pleitos

13 Dadme de entre vosotros, de vuestras tribus, varones sabios, entendidos y expertos, para que yo los ponga por cabeza

14 Y me respondisteis, y dijisteis: Bueno es hacer lo que has dicho

15 Y tomé los principales de vuestras tribus, varones sabios y expertos, y los puse por príncipes sobre vosotros, príncipes de millares, y príncipes de cientos, y príncipes de cincuenta, y príncipes de diez, y gobernadores de vuestras tribus

16 Y entonces mandé a vuestros jueces, diciendo: Oíd entre vuestros hermanos, y juzgad justamente entre el hombre y su hermano, y el que le es extranjero

17 No tengáis respeto de personas en el juicio; así al pequeño como al grande oiréis; no tendréis temor de ninguno, porque el juicio es de Dios; y la causa que os fuere difícil, la traeréis a mí, y yo la oiré

18 Os mandé, pues, en aquel tiempo, todo lo que habíais de hacer

19 Y partidos de Horeb, anduvimos todo este desierto grande y temeroso que habéis visto, por el camino del monte del amorreo, como el SEÑOR nuestro Dios nos lo mandó; y llegamos hasta Cades-barnea

20 Entonces os dije: Habéis llegado al monte del amorreo, el cual el SEÑOR nuestro Dios nos da

21 Mira, el SEÑOR tu Dios ha dado delante de ti la tierra; sube y toma posesión de ella, como el SEÑOR el Dios de tus padres te ha dicho; no temas ni desmayes

22 Y llegasteis a mí todos vosotros, y dijisteis: Enviemos varones delante de nosotros, que nos reconozcan la tierra y nos traigan de vuelta razón del camino por donde hemos de subir, y de las ciudades adonde hemos de llegar

23 Y el dicho me pareció bien; y tomé doce varones de vosotros, un varón por cada tribu

24 Y se encaminaron, y subieron al monte, y llegaron hasta el valle de Escol, y reconocieron la tierra

25 Y tomaron en sus manos del fruto de la tierra, y nos lo trajeron, y nos dieron cuenta, y dijeron: Es buena la tierra que el SEÑOR nuestro Dios nos da

26 Pero no quisisteis subir, antes fuisteis rebeldes al dicho del SEÑOR vuestro Dios

27 y murmurasteis en vuestras tiendas, diciendo: Porque el SEÑOR nos aborrecía, nos ha sacado de tierra de Egipto, para entregarnos en mano del amorreo para destruirnos

28 ¿A dónde subimos? Nuestros hermanos han hecho desfallecer nuestro corazón, diciendo: Este pueblo es mayor y más alto que nosotros, las ciudades grandes y amuralladas hasta el cielo; y también vimos allí hijos de gigantes

29 Entonces os dije: No temáis, ni tengáis miedo de ellos

30 El SEÑOR vuestro Dios, el cual va delante de vosotros, él peleará por vosotros, conforme a todas las cosas que hizo con vosotros en Egipto delante de vuestros ojos

31 y en el desierto has visto que el SEÑOR tu Dios te ha traído, como trae el hombre a su hijo, por todo el camino que habéis andado, hasta que habéis venido a este lugar

32 Y aun con esto no creisteis en el SEÑOR vuestro Dios

33 el cual iba delante de vosotros por el camino, para reconoceros el lugar donde habíais de asentar el campamento, con fuego de noche para mostraros el camino por donde debíais de seguir, y con la nube de día

34 Y oyó el SEÑOR la voz de vuestras palabras, y se enojó, y juró diciendo

35 No verá hombre alguno de éstos de esta mala generación, la buena tierra que juré que había de dar a vuestros padres

36 excepto Caleb hijo de Jefone; él la verá, y a él le daré la tierra que pisó, y a sus hijos; porque fue perfecto con el SEÑOR

37 Y también contra mí se airó el SEÑOR por vosotros, diciendo: Tampoco tú entrarás allá

38 Josué hijo de Nun, que está delante de ti, él entrará allá; anímale; porque él la hará heredar a Israel

39 Y vuestros chiquitos, de los cuales dijisteis: Serán por presa; y vuestros hijos que no saben hoy lo bueno ni lo malo, ellos entrarán allá, y a ellos la daré, y ellos la heredarán

40 Y vosotros volveos, y partíos al desierto camino del mar Bermejo

41 Entonces respondisteis y me dijisteis: Hemos pecado contra el SEÑOR; nosotros subiremos y pelearemos, conforme a todo lo que el SEÑOR nuestro Dios nos ha mandado. Y os armasteis cada uno de sus armas de guerra, y os preparasteis para subir al monte

42 Y el SEÑOR me dijo: Diles: No subáis, ni peleéis, pues no estoy entre vosotros; para que no seáis heridos delante de vuestros enemigos

43 Y os hablé, y no disteis oído; antes fuisteis rebeldes al dicho del SEÑOR, y porfiasteis con soberbia, y subisteis al monte

44 Y salió el amorreo, que habitaba en aquel monte, a vuestro encuentro, y os persiguieron, como hacen las avispas, y os quebrantaron en Seir, persiguiéndoos hasta Horma

45 Y volvisteis, y llorasteis delante del SEÑOR; pero el SEÑOR no escuchó vuestra voz, ni os prestó oído

46 Y estuvisteis en Cades por muchos días, como parece en los días que habéis estado

Deuteronomio 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

This book repeats much of the history and of the laws contained in the three foregoing books: Moses delivered it to Israel a little before his death, both by word of mouth, that it might affect, and by writing, that it might abide. The men of that generation to which the law was first given were all dead, and a new generation was sprung up, to whom God would have it repeated by Moses himself, now they were going to possess the land of Canaan. The wonderful love of God to his church is set forth in this book; how he ever preserved his church for his own mercies sake, and would still have his name called upon among them. Such are the general outlines of this book, the whole of which shows Moses' love for Israel, and marks him an eminent type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us apply the exhortations and persuasions to our own consciences, to excite our minds to a believing, grateful obedience to the commands of God.

The words Moses spake to Israel in the plains of Moab, The promise of Canaan. (1-8) Judges provided for the people. (9-18) Of the sending the spies-God's anger for their unbelief and disobedience. (19-46)

Verses 1-8 Moses spake to the people all the Lord had given him in commandment. Horeb was but eleven days distant from Kadesh-barnea. This was to remind them that their own bad conduct had occasioned their tedious wanderings; that they might the more readily understand the advantages of obedience. They must now go forward. Though God brings his people into trouble and affliction, he knows when they have been tried long enough. When God commands us to go forward in our Christian course, he sets the heavenly Canaan before us for our encouragement.

Verses 9-18 Moses reminds the people of the happy constitution of their government, which might make them all safe and easy, if it was not their own fault. He owns the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, and prays for the further accomplishment of it. We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God; why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope? Good laws were given to the Israelites, and good men were to see to the execution of them, which showed God's goodness to them, and the care of Moses.

Verses 19-46 Moses reminds the Israelites of their march from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea, through that great and terrible wilderness. He shows how near they were to a happy settlement in Canaan. It will aggravate the eternal ruin of hypocrites, that they were not far from the kingdom of God. As if it were not enough that they were sure of their God before them, they would send men before them. Never any looked into the Holy Land, but they must own it to be a good land. And was there any cause to distrust this God? An unbelieving heart was at the bottom of all this. All disobedience to God's laws, and distrust of his power and goodness, flow from disbelief of his word, as all true obedience springs from faith. It is profitable for us to divide our past lives into distinct periods; to give thanks to God for the mercies we have received in each, to confess and seek the forgiveness of all the sins we can remember; and thus to renew our acceptance of God's salvation, and our surrender of ourselves to his service. Our own plans seldom avail to good purpose; while courage in the exercise of faith, and in the path of duty, enables the believer to follow the Lord fully, to disregard all that opposes, to triumph over all opposition, and to take firm hold upon the promised blessings.

Chapter Summary

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.