Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 31:16
And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
16. Commences another saying of the Lord to Moses not connected with Joshua or with 14 f. except by reference to the approaching death of Moses.
And the Lord said Behold ] See on 14.
thou art about to sleep with thy fathers ] In J, Gen 47:30, and frequently in Kings.
go a whoring after the strange gods of the land ] Jehovah was Israel’s husband, and her worship of other gods is therefore figured as whoredom (as by Hosea), but the figure is the more forcible that such worship often involved physical unchastity as well. Strange, or foreign, gods, not elsewhere in Deut. (though in the Song, Deu 32:12), is found in E, Gen 35:2; Gen 35:4, Jos 24:20; Jos 24:23, and in some later books. Of the land whither it goeth in is probably a gloss (Klost., Dillm., Dri., etc.), for it renders the construction of the v. very awkward, which R.V. seeks to relieve by inserting the words ‘to be.’ Forsake me, Deu 28:20, and in E, Jos 24:16; Jos 24:20. Break my covenant is found in the Hex. only here, Deu 31:20 and H, Lev 26:15; Lev 26:44 and P, Gen 17:14, but is not uncommon elsewhere.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 16. Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers] shocheb, thou shalt lie down; it signifies to rest, take rest in sleep, and, metaphorically, to die. Much stress cannot be safely laid on this expression to prove the immortality of the soul, or that the people in the time of Moses had a distinct notion of its separate existence. It was, however, understood in this sense by Jonathan ben Uzziel, who in his Targum paraphrases the word thus: “Thou shalt lie down in the dust with thy fathers; and thy soul ( nishmethach) shall be laid up in the treasury of the life to come with thy fathers.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The death of men, both good and bad, is oft called a
sleep, because they shall certainly awake out of it by resurrection. See Psa 76:5; Dan 12:2; 1Th 4:13, &c.; 2Pe 3:4. This people will go a whoring: God certainly foresees all things to come, yea, even those which depend upon the wills of men, or contingencies of the things, as this unquestionably did.
Of the strangers of the land, i.e. of the Canaanites, who now are possessors, but shortly will be turned out of their possessions, and become as strangers in their own land. This aggravates their folly, to worship such gods as could neither preserve their friends, nor annoy their enemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16-22. the Lord said unto Moses, . .. this people will rise upIn this remarkable interview, Moseswas distinctly apprised of the infidelity of Israel, theircorruptions of the true religion through intercourse with theidolatrous inhabitants of Canaan (Am5:26), and their chastisements in consequence of those nationaldefections.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord said unto Moses,…. Out of the pillar of cloud:
behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; a phrase expressive of death, frequently used both of good and bad men, which serves to render death easy and familiar, and less formidable; and to assure and lead into an expectation of an awaking out of it, or a resurrection from it:
and this people will rise up; in their posterity; for not till after Joshua’s death, and the death of the elders of Israel, did they revolt to idolatry, Jos 24:31;
and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] amongst them; that is, after the gods of the Canaanites, who though at this time the inhabitants of the land, yet when the children of Israel became possessors of it, they were the strangers of it; and being suffered to continue contrary to the directions God had given to destroy them, would be a means of drawing them into the worship of their idols, expressed here by going a whoring after them, or committing whoredom with them. Idolatry in Scripture is frequently signified by fornication and adultery; and, as foretold, this was the case; see Ps 106:35;
and will forsake me: their husband, departing from his worship and service:
and break my covenant which I have made with them at Sinai; and now again in the plains of Moab, and which had the nature of a matrimonial contract; see Jer 31:32.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 16-21:
Jehovah predicted that Israel would forsake Him and follow after the gods of the Land to which they were going, compare Exo 34:10-17; Jdg 2:17-19.
Verse 17 does not teach that God would forsake Israel. It means that He would withdraw His favor and help from them, and allow their enemies to invade their land and harass the people. Trouble brought repentance and return to God, but it was not a permanent restoration. When the pressure was off, the people returned to their sinful ways.
The greatest danger of apostasy occurred at times of prosperity (verse 20), see Jer 5:7. This is still true today. God’s people find it easier to be faithful to Him in times of need more than in times of prosperity, see Pro 30:8; Mat 13:22; Mr 4:19.
“This song,” shirah. A common method of teaching was by singing. ‘Moses sang a song of deliverance when Israel safely crossed the Red Sea, Exo 15:1-19. Miriam and the women of Israel also sang on this occasion, Exo 15:20-21. The purpose of these songs was not for entertainment, but for: (1) Praise to Jehovah for His deliverance; and (2) Teaching future generations of the power of Jehovah to deliver His people from the strongest of foes.
It is an established fact that music aids in the learning process. Words and concepts that are sung or chanted with melody, harmony, and rhythm are easier to learn than those merely repeated or read.
The “song” (verse 19) is that one recorded in chapter 32. Israel would call it to mind during their times of distress.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. Behold, thou, shalt sleep with thy fathers. In order that Moses may labor more earnestly to retain the people in obedience to God, he is reminded of their indomitable perverseness. He had already sufficiently, and more than sufficiently, experienced how depraved and stubborn was the disposition of the Israelites, and how disobedient and contumacious they had been; God now declares that they will be no better after his death; nay, that they will indulge themselves in greater license in consequence of his absence from them. For it appears as if there was an antithesis implied between the words “lie down,” and “rise up;” (242) as if it were said, As soon as you have gone to rest, their insubordination shall break forth, as if they were released from all laws. Not, indeed, that this should take place immediately, for under Joshua they manifested some humility and submissiveness; at any rate, the outward form of pure religion was then maintained, but soon afterwards they relapsed into their old habits. And perhaps this admonition was useful as a preventative, so that they should not fall away so soon.
Since now we understand the general object which God had in view, it will be well briefly to consider the words He employs. When it is said to Moses, “Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,” first of all the condition of the human race is stated, that Moses may not think it hard to depart from the world like all others, since he was born to this end. At the same time, the difference is indicated between the death of men and of the brute animals. Hence the best consolation is derived, for, if our death were total annihilation, we should not be said to sleep with our fathers.
Why the Spirit designates idolatry by the name of “whoring,” we have seen elsewhere, as also why he calls all false gods “strange,” or “of the strangers,” viz., because, as God chose to be served alone in Israel, so he had distinguished Himself by this title, that He was “the God of Israel.” It is stated in aggravation of their crime, that they would not only be led away into the superstitions which they had learnt in Egypt, but would also pollute themselves with the defilements of Canaan, from which God had willed that it should be purged by their hand. These words, then, are to be read emphatically, The people shall go a whoring after the gods of the land whither they go, and indeed in the midst of it; for it was far more disgraceful to embrace those false gods, of which they were the conquerors and judges, than to invent for themselves fresh idols.
Another aggravation of their crime is, also added, that they would desert the God by whom they had been adopted as children, and wickedly depart from His covenant. For they could not pretend ignorance, when they had been again and again so clearly and solemnly warned. Meanwhile let us learn from this passage, that whosoever turn away to superstitious worships are covenant breakers, and thus, that all their pretenses are vain, who profess that they worship the supreme God together with idols.
(242) See margin, A. V. “Il semble qu’il ait comparaison des choses opposees entre ces deux mots, que Moyse se couchera, et le peuple se levera;” it seems that there is a comparison of two opposite things in these two expressions, that “Moses shall lie down,” and “the people shall rise up.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
b. MOSES COMMANDED TO WRITE A SONG AS A WITNESS AGAINST ISRAEL (Deu. 31:16-22)
16 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and play the harlot after the strange gods of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. 17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us? 18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. 19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. 20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxed fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant. 21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are come upon them, that this song shall testify before them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed; for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I sware, 22 So Moses write this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 31:1622
544.
Please remember that the constant reference to death as a sleep has no reference to the spirit of man, but only to his body. What comfort is there in the adding of our decayed body to those of our fathers?
545.
God is concerned with the actions and thoughts of His people. Has He changed?
546.
Advertising by song is not new. We can remember more what is sung and what we sing. Who knew this before Madison Avenue?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 31:1622
16 And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers; and this people will rise up, and play the harlot after the strange gods of the land where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me, and break My covenant which I have made with them.
17 Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?
18 And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done in turning to other gods.
19 And now write this song for you, and teach it to the Israelites; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the Israelites.
20 For when I have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, that flows with milk and honey, and they have eaten and filled themselves, and become fat; then they will turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise and scorn Me, and break My covenant.
21 And when many evils and troubles have befallen them, this [sacred] song will confront them as a witness, for it will never be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants; for I know their strong desire and the purposes which they are forming even now, before I have brought them into the land which I swore to give them.
22 Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the Israelites. [See Deu. 32:1-43.]
COMMENT 31:1622
The song of Moses follows in chapter 32. The essence of Deu. 31:16-18 we have seen repeated again and again in Deuteronomy: The forsaking of God and his commandments will have devastating consequences.
THEY SHALL HAVE EATEN AND FILLED THEMSELVES, AND WAXED FAT . . . AND BREAK MY COVENANT (Deu. 31:20)See Deu. 6:10-12, Deu. 8:7-20, Deu. 11:10-16, etc.
THIS SONG SHALL TESTIFY BEFORE THEM AS A WITNESS (Deu. 31:20)The word of God stands as our guide, lamp, and source of life. But if we depart from it, it can only act as a witness and judge against us. The same words condemn or justify, depending on the lives of those who receive them. In the present case, God, in his foreknowledge, knew (as we have seen so many times) that Israel would rebel and disobey: FOR I KNOW THEIR IMAGINATION WHICH THEY FRAME THIS DAY, BEFORE I HAVE BROUGHT THEM INTO THE LAND (Deu. 31:21)As we have attempted to explain elsewhere, the fact that God knows in advance that a person or persons will commit sin does not compel the individual to commit it. In the present case, it should be observed that Israel was already notoriously rebellious against God and his lawand the Lord knew this rebellion would persist. They were already making plans for various wicked practices in which they could participate as soon as they crossed over the Jordan. And nearly the entire book of Judges chronicles the historical accuracy of this prediction.
The above phrase brings to the memory such passages as Gen. 6:5; Gen. 8:21. Baumgartner would define yetser (imagination) in all these passages as form, purposethat is, of the mind. What powers has the mind! Powers to conceive, imagine, visualize, conceptualize, arrange, design. But conceive or design what? That is the greatest question of the ages! And that is why all are in need of a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2, Eph. 4:22-24). Then the mind can imagine and scheme for Christ and the advancement of his kingdom!
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(16) And break my covenant.With this, contrast Jdg. 2:1 : I said, I will never break my covenant with you. The phrases are identical in Hebrew. Comp. 2Ti. 2:13 : If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(16, 19) Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers . . . now therefore write ye this song.This prophecy that the children of Israel would forsake Jehovah and break His covenant is not a little remarkable, when we consider His dealings with them as a nation. It is one of the many proofs in Holy Scripture that our Creator is not like the man in our Lords parable, who intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he hath sufficient to finish it. When He chose Israel to be His people, He knew the risk of doing so, and He provided for it beforehand. Not less when He said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, did He provide the means of forming in us the Divine character by all that Christ has done. The fall is recorded in the third chapter of Genesis. Redemption and restoration are exhibited in type and symbol in the second chapter. God brought Israel into Canaan in full foreknowledge of what the people would become when there.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Ver. 16. Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers Sleep, says Jameson, is a common word for death; and, to those who believe a resurrection, has a peculiar propriety, to put them in mind that death should not have dominion over them for ever; but that in the morning of the resurrection they shall awake, as certainly as they fall asleep. Who can believe from such phrases as these, that Moses, and all Israel with him, imagined their law wholly temporal; that they looked not for a better Canaan, where God should be their God for ever and ever? The paraphrast Jonathan, full of these ideas, thus paraphrases the words: “Thou shalt lie down in the dust with thy fathers, and thy soul shall be kept as a treasure in the repository of eternal life with those fathers.” We may just observe, that the shalls and wills, in the next verses, are strangely intermixed. The judicious reader, however, will easily discern how they are to be altered.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
How gracious is GOD, even in his judgments. Though he foresaw Israel’s backsliding, and in consequence gives Moses a commission to forewarn them of it, yet he provides means also for their recovery. But Reader, let not you and I stop here. Though our GOD foresaw our rebellion and unworthiness, and though he knew we should be backsliders from the womb, yet this did not stop the spring of mercy in JESUS, he sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1Jn 4:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
shalt sleep with thy fathers = shalt lie down to sleep. A beautiful Euphemism (App-6) for death. This is the first occurrence. It is used alike of good people and evil: of Ahab as well as David; of all the kings, even Jehoiakim, who had no burial. See 2Sa 7:12. 1Ki 1:21; 1Ki 2:10; 1Ki 11:21, 1Ki 11:43; 1Ki 14:20, 1Ki 14:31; 1Ki 15:8, 1Ki 15:24; 1Ki 16:6, 1Ki 16:28; 1Ki 22:40, 1Ki 22:50; 2Ki 8:24; 2Ki 10:35; 2Ki 13:9, 2Ki 13:13; 2Ki 14:16, 2Ki 14:22, 2Ki 14:29; 2Ki 15:7, 2Ki 15:22, 2Ki 15:38; 2Ki 16:20; 2Ki 20:21; 2Ki 21:18; 2Ki 24:6. 2Ch 9:31; 2Ch 12:16; 2Ch 14:1; 2Ch 16:13; 2Ch 21:1; 2Ch 26:2, 2Ch 26:23; 2Ch 27:9; 2Ch 28:27; 2Ch 32:33; 2Ch 33:20.
go a whoring. The constant idiom for idolatry.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thou shalt: Gen 25:8, 2Sa 7:12, Isa 57:2, Act 13:36
sleep:Heb. lie down, Shochaiv, “lying down:” it signifies to rest, take rest in sleep, and metaphorically, to die. Though much stress cannot be safely laid upon this expression to prove the immortality of the soul, or that the people, in the time of Moses, had a distinct notion of its separate existence; yet is was understood in this sense by Jonathan, who paraphrases the words thus: “Thou shalt lie down in the dust with thy fathers; and thy soul (nishmatoch) shall be laid up in the treasury of the life to come, with thy fathers.” Job 20:11
and go a: Exo 32:6, Exo 34:15, Lev 20:3-6, Jdg 2:17-20, Psa 73:27, Psa 106:39, Isa 57:3-8, Jer 3:1-3, Eze 16:15, Eze 16:25-36, Eze 23:5-8, Eze 23:9-21, Hos 2:2-5, Rev 17:2-5, Rev 19:2
forsake me: Deu 32:15, Jdg 2:12, Jdg 10:6, Jdg 10:13, Jer 2:11-13
break my: Lev 26:15, Jdg 2:20, Jer 31:32
Reciprocal: Lev 17:7 – gone a whoring Num 14:34 – breach of promise Deu 4:25 – beget Deu 31:18 – General Deu 31:20 – then Jdg 2:10 – General Jdg 10:7 – was hot Jdg 18:30 – set up 1Ki 1:21 – sleep 1Ki 11:43 – slept 1Ki 22:40 – slept 2Ki 17:7 – sinned 2Ki 22:16 – all the words 2Ki 22:20 – I will gather 1Ch 17:11 – go to be 1Ch 28:9 – if thou forsake 2Ch 21:13 – a whoring 2Ch 28:6 – because 2Ch 34:21 – great 2Ch 36:17 – who slew Neh 9:27 – thou deliveredst Psa 78:10 – General Psa 78:56 – General Isa 1:4 – forsaken Isa 2:6 – Therefore Jer 1:16 – who have Jer 9:13 – General Jer 11:10 – the house of Israel Jer 19:4 – they have Jer 26:4 – If Jer 28:8 – prophesied Jer 32:24 – what Lam 1:5 – for Lam 2:17 – done Eze 8:6 – that I Eze 44:7 – broken Hos 1:2 – for Hos 4:12 – gone Hos 7:12 – as their Amo 2:4 – For Joh 11:11 – sleepeth Rom 9:4 – covenants Heb 8:9 – they continued
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 31:16. Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers Sleep is a common word for death, and, to those who believe a resurrection, has a peculiar propriety, to remind them that death shall not have dominion over them for ever, but that they shall awake as certainly as they fall asleep. This people will go after the gods of the strangers That is, the Canaanites, who will be turned out of their possessions, and become as strangers in the land. This aggravates their folly to worship such gods as could neither preserve their friends nor annoy their enemies. What a convincing proof is this that these sacred writings are indeed divine! For what human knowledge could or would have pronounced this at a time when the whole people were undoubtedly actuated with the greatest willingness, and the strongest resolution to keep the commandments of God? Or what mere human legislator would, at the same time that he gave his laws, have left it upon record that his people would certainly forsake and break them?