Deuteronomy 34:8

8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

Deuteronomy 34:8 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 34:8

And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of
Moab thirty days
According both to Josephus F14 and the Samaritan Chronicle F15, they cried and wept in a very vehement manner, when he signified to them his approaching death, and took his leave of them; and when he was dead they mourned for him, in a public manner, the space of time here mentioned, the time of mourning for his brother Aaron, ( Numbers 20:29 ) ;

so the days of weeping [and] mourning for Moses were ended;
on the eighth of Nisan or March, as says the Targum of Jonathan, and on the "ninth" they prepared their vessels and their cattle for a march, and on the tenth passed over Jordan, and on the "sixteenth" the manna ceased, according to the said paraphrase.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Ut supra. (De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 49.)
F15 Apud Hottinger, p. 456.

Deuteronomy 34:8 In-Context

6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor; but no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day.
7 And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him. And the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.