Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 1:3

And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first [day] of the month, [that] Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

3. And it came to pass in the fortieth year, etc.] P alone of the Hex. documents dates by months and days ( I. P. 58, 71); and its division of the year is not that which, beginning with the autumn, prevailed in early Israel, but the Babyl. division which began with the spring. The Babyl. system was first adopted by the Jews, not during the exile (as usually supposed, Marti, Enc. Bibl. ‘Year’), but, as we gather from Baruch’s narratives in the Bk of Jeremiah, during Manasseh’s reign, when the Assyrians imposed on Judah many of their institutions ( Jerusalem, ii. 189 f.). Another mark of P is the term for eleventh used in the Hex. by P alone and elsewhere only by late writers. Wellh. ( Hist. 384 f.) takes the verse as from the editor who incorporated D with P, but Driver, as the introd. to a summary narrative in P, and as followed immediately by Deu 32:48-52; the self-same day there being the day specified here. On the date the 40 th year and the different dating of JE and D see below on Deu 2:1-8.

the children of Israel ] Another designation characteristic of P; D all Israel. See on Deu 1:1, Deu 4:44.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 3. The fortieth year] This was a melancholy year to the Hebrews in different respects; in the first month of this year Miriam died, Nu 20:1; on the first day of the fifth month Aaron died, Nu 33:38; and about the conclusion of it, Moses himself died.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

This was but a little before his death.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

3-8. in the fortieth year . . .Moses spake unto the children of Israel, &c.Thisimpressive discourse, in which Moses reviewed all that God had donefor His people, was delivered about a month before his death, andafter peace and tranquillity had been restored by the completeconquest of Sihon and Og.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And it came to pass in the fortieth year,…. That is, of the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt:

in the eleventh month; the month Shebet, as the Targum of Jonathan, which answers to part of January and part of February:

in the first day of the month, that Moses spoke unto the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them; repeated to them the several commandments, which the Lord had delivered to him at different times.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(3) And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month.The and is the real beginning of Deuteronomy, and connects it with the previous books. The moral of these words has been well pointed out by Jewish writers. It was but eleven days journey from Sinai to Kadesh-barneathe place from whence Israel should have begun the conquest of the promised land; but not only eleven days of the second year of the exodus, but eleven months of the fortieth year found them still in the wilderness. We see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

(3, 4) Moses spake unto the children of Israel . . . after he had slain Sihon . . . and Og.The conquest of these two kings and their territories was one of the exploits of the fortieth year. (See Num. 21:21-35.) Before the eleventh month of that year, not only Sihon and Og, but also the five princes of Midian, who were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country (Jos. 13:21), had also been slain (Numbers 31). This completed the conquest, and was the last exploit of Moses life. In the period of repose that followed he found a suitable time to exhort the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them From Deu. 34:8, we learn that the children of Israel wept for Moses thirty days. These days would seem to be the last month of the fortieth year, for on the tenth day of the first month (probably of the next year, Jos. 4:19) they passed over Jordan. Thus the last delivery of the discourses recorded in Deuteronomy would seem to lie within a single month.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

3-5. The time and place of the delivery of the discourses that constitute this book are now mentioned. In the early part of this fortieth year Miriam had died. Num 20:1. Aaron died on the first day of its fifth month. Num 33:38. Moses is left almost alone; and he is soon to die at the command of Jehovah, (Deu 34:5.) The time is significant, also, from the fact that Moses had conquered the kings Sihon and Og. Num 21:21; Num 21:33. Jehovah is giving assurance of the fulfilling of his promises. The place is full of interest. In the plains of Moab, near the crossing of Jordan, with Jericho in sight, Moses undertook to expound the law.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Charge to Depart Mount Sinai and Go Possess the Promised Land In Deu 1:3-8 Moses rehearses the Lord’s charge for Israel to depart Mount Sinai and go possess the Promised Land.

Deu 1:3  And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

Deu 1:3 Comments – Deu 1:3 tells us that the children of Israel spent forty years in the wilderness. They spent almost one year at Mt. Sinai and sinned at Kadesh Bamea after the first year, then thirty-nine years were counted in the wilderness.

Num 14:34, “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

Deu 1:4  After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:

Deu 1:5  On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,

Deu 1:5 Comments Strong says the Hebrew word (H874) literally “to dig, to engrave,” and figuratively, “to explain.” Duane Christensen says it means, “to expound” in Deu 1:5. [20] This word is used in three times in the Old Testament (Deu 1:5; Deu 27:8, Hab 2:2). In Deu 1:5 the LXX translates the Hebrew word as (to explain) ( BDAG), and in Deu 27:8 and Hab 2:2 the LXX translates the word as (c learly) ( BDAG).

[20] Duane L. Christensen, Deuteronomy 1:1 21:9, in Word Biblical Commentary: 58 Volumes on CD-Rom, vol. 6a, second edition, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas: Word Inc., 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 3.0b [CD-ROM]. Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2004, notes on Deuteronomy 1:5.

Deu 27:8, “And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly .”

Hab 2:2, “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”

Deu 1:6  The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:

Deu 1:6 Comments – The children of Israel camped at Mount Sinai almost one year (Exo 19:1, Num 10:11).

Exo 19:1, “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.”

Num 10:11, “And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.”

Deu 1:7  Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Deu 1:7 Comments – In Deu 1:7 the Lord describes the geography and boundaries of the Promised Land that He was to give Israel.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The First Speech of Moses Deu 1:3 to Deu 4:49 contains the first speech of Moses to the children of Israel in order to prepare them to enter the Promised Land. The purpose of this speech is to exhort Israel to obey the Law that has been delivered to them in order that they prosper in their new land. In this speech Moses gives an historical overview of Israel’s relationship with the Lord since they made a covenant with Him at Mount Sinai. Moses rehearses Israel’s forty-year wilderness journey in order to show them God’s faithfulness in watching over His people.

1. Charge to Depart Mount Sinai & Go Possess the Promised Land Deu 1:3-8

2. Moses Appoints Judges Over the Children of Israel Deu 1:9-18

3. Israel’s Failure to Possess the Promised Land at Kadeshbarnea Deu 1:19-46

4. The Children of Israel Pass Through Edom Deu 2:1-7

5. The Children of Israel Pass Through Moab Deu 2:8-12

6. The Children of Israel Journey Forty Years in the Wilderness Deu 2:13-15

7. The Children of Israel Pass Through the Ammonites Deu 2:16-23

8. Israel Defeats Sihon King of the Amorites Deu 2:24-37

9. The Children of Israel Defeat Og King of Bashan Deu 3:1-7

10. The Lord Gives Israel the Land of the Two Amorite Kings Deu 3:8-22

11. God Raises Up Joshua to Lead Israel into the Promised Land Deu 3:23-29

12. Moses Exhorts Israel to Hearken Unto the Law Deu 4:1-40

13. Moses Appoints Three Cities of Refuge East of Jordan Deu 4:41-43

14. Conclusion to Moses’ First Speech Deu 4:44-49

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

I would beg the Reader yet further to remark, from the great

particularity observed, that it is not a thing of small moment

to notice, where, and when, and how, divine manifestations

are made to us. This memorable spot, this memorable time

and manner, no doubt were sweet to Israel, when Moses

halted in the journey to speak to the people once more in the

name of the LORD. And is it not sweet, very sweet to us, when

JESUS at any time, or in any place, arrests our souls in our

pilgrimage, to speak to us by the way, and to make known to us his loves? Song 1-8.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Deu 1:3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first [day] of the month, [that] Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

Ver. 3. In the eleventh month. ] And in the twelfth month of this same year he died; so that this was his swan song: Sic, ubi fata vocant, &c.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)