Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 3:27
Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold [it] with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
27. the top of Pisgah ] Rather, the headland of the Pisgah. See on Deu 3:17, and cp. Deu 32:48 ff., Deu 34:1, and small print on Deu 12:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Pisgah; of which see on Num 27:12. Lift up thine eyes towards the land of Canaan and its several quarters.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Get thee up into the top of Pisgah,…. Which was the highest eminence of Mount Nebo, and so a very proper place to take a prospect from; see De 32:49
and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward; to all the four points of the heaven, and to all the four quarters and borders of the land of Canaan:
and behold it with thine eyes; even the land of Canaan, and particularly Lebanon, though it lay to the north of it, that mountain he had such a desire to see. Moses, though old, his natural sight was very strong, and not in the least dim; and it is not improbable that it might be more than ordinarily increased and assisted at this time:
for thou shall not go over this Jordan; into the land of Canaan; this affair, of not being suffered to enter there, Moses frequently takes notice of, no less than four or five times, it being what lay near his heart.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(27) Northward, and southward.Southward, literally, Teman-ward. The negeb, or south of Palestine, is not named here.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 189
JOSHUA A TYPE OF CHRIST
Deu 3:27-28. Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.
IN reading the records of Gods dealings with the Jews, we are sometimes tempted to bring him to the bar of human reason, and to arraign his character as severe. Such hasty judgment, however, would be impious in the extreme; since we are wholly incompetent to decide upon matters, which are so far beyond our reach. There may be, and doubtless are, ten thousand reasons to justify his conduct, where our slender capacities cannot find any: and such light has been cast upon his procedure, in many instances, by the Gospel, as may fully evince the necessity of shutting our mouths, and of giving him credit for perfect equity, even where his dispensations most oppose our natural feelings. We may instance this in the exclusion of Moses from the promised land. He had brought the people out of Egypt, and, with most unparalleled meekness, had endured their perverseness forty years in the wilderness: yet, when he had led them to the very borders of Canaan, he was not suffered to go in with them; but, on account of one single offence, was obliged to devolve on Joshua his office, his authority, his honours; yea, he was forbidden even to pray for an admission into that good land [Note: ver. 2327.]. Dark as this dispensation must have appeared at the time, we are enabled to discern a propriety and excellency in it. It was altogether of a typical nature: for while he represented the law, Joshua, his successor, was a very eminent type of Christ. The text naturally leads us to shew this: and we shall,
I.
Trace the resemblance which exists between Joshua and the Lord Jesus Christ
Joshua resembles Christ
1.
In his name
[The name of Joshua was intended to designate his work and office. His name originally was Osea, but was altered by Moses to Joshua [Note: Num 13:16.]. This, doubtless, was of Gods appointment, that he might be thereby rendered a more remarkable type of Jesus. This name imported, that he should be a divine saviour [Note: Jah, which was prefixed to his name, is the name of God.]; and though, in the strictest and fullest sense, it could not properly belong to him; yet, as he was to be such a distinguished representative of Jesus, it was very properly given to him.
The name of Jesus still more fitly characterized the work that was to be performed by him. This name is precisely the same with Joshua in the Greek language; and repeatedly do we, in the New Testament, translate it, Jesus, when it ought rather to have been translated, Joshua [Note: Act 7:45; Heb 4:8.]. It was given to our Lord by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb [Note: Mat 1:21.]: and the express reason of it was assigned, namely, that he should save his people from their sins. To him it is applicable in the fullest extent, because he is God manifest in the flesh, Emmanuel, God with us; and because he is the author, not of a typical and temporary, but of a real and eternal, salvation to all his followers [Note: Heb 5:9.].]
This striking coincidence, with respect to the name, may prepare us for fuller discoveries of a resemblance,
2.
In his office
[Joshua was appointed to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Moses was not permitted to do this. He was destined to represent the law, which was admirably calculated to lead men through the wilderness, but could never bring them into the land of Canaan: one offence against it destroyed all hope of salvation by it [Note: Gal 3:10.]: it made no provision for mercy: its terms were simply, Do this and live [Note: Rom 10:5.]: and, for an example of its inexorable rigour, Moses himself was, for one unadvised word, excluded from the land of promise. The office of saving men must belong to another; and, for this reason, it was transferred to Joshua, who had been both appointed to it, and thoroughly qualified by God for the discharge of it [Note: Deu 34:9.].
Jesus also was commissioned to bring his followers into the Canaan that is above. He, probably in reference to Joshua, is styled the Captain of our salvation [Note: Heb 2:10.]: and he appeared to Joshua himself in this very character, proclaiming himself to be the Captain of the Lords host [Note: Jos 5:13-15.]. What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ came to effect [Note: Rom 8:3.]. He has been divinely qualified for the work; and, like Joshua, was encouraged to it, and strengthened in it, by an assurance of Gods continual presence, and support [Note: Isa 42:1; Isa 42:4; Isa 42:6.]. He leads his people on from grace to grace, from strength to strength, from victory to victory [Note: Psa 84:7; 2Co 3:18; Rev 6:2.]. Nor will he ever desist from his work, till he shall have subdued his enemies, and established his people in their promised inheritance.]
Happily for us the resemblance may be likewise traced,
3.
In his success
[Nothing could oppose any effectual bar to Joshuas progress. Though Jordan had overflowed its banks, its waters were divided, to open him a path on dry land [Note: Jos 3:17.]. The impregnable walls of Jericho, merely at the sound of rams horns, were made to fall [Note: Jos 6:20.]. Confederate kings fled before him [Note: Jos 10:16.]. City after city, kingdom after kingdom, were subjected to his all-conquering arms: and almost the whole accursed race of Canaanites were extirpated, and destroyed [Note: Jos 12:7.]. The promised land was divided by him amongst his followers [Note: Jos 11:23; Jos 18:10.]: and he appealed to them with his dying breath, that not so much as one, of all the promises that God had given them, had ever failed [Note: Jos 23:14.].
And shall less be said respecting our adorable Emmanuel? He triumphed over all the principalities and powers of hell; and causes his followers to trample on the necks of their mightiest foes [Note: Rom 16:20 with Jos 10:24.]. He leads them safely through the swellings of Jordan, when they come to the border of the promised land [Note: Isa 43:2.]; and, having given them the victory, he divides among them the heavenly inheritance [Note: Mat 25:34.]. Thus will all of them be put into possession of that rest, which remained for them [Note: Heb 4:1; Heb 4:9; Heb 4:11.], in the hope and expectation of which they endured the labours of travel, and the fatigues of war.]
Having traced the resemblance between Joshua and Christ, I will,
II.
Take occasion to suggest from it some salutary advice
1.
To those who desire to possess the promised land
[Grieved I am to say, that many desire that good land, yet never attain unto it; first, because they do not seek it with sufficient earnestness; and next, because they do not seek it in Gods appointed way. Respecting the former of these our blessed Lord says, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many shall seek to enter in, and not be able [Note: Luk 13:24.]: and of the latter, the Apostle Paul, speaking of the great mass of the Jewish people, says, that, though they followed after the law of righteousness, they did not attain to the law of righteousness; because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law [Note: Rom 9:30-33.]. He bare them record that they had a zeal of God: but it was not according to knowledge: for, being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. Christ was the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believed. But they, instead of believing in him for salvation, stumbled at him as a stumbling-stone and a rock of offence; and thus they perished, whilst the Gentiles by believing in him were saved [Note: Rom 10:2-4.]. Now, my brethren, I cannot too earnestly impress upon your minds the necessity of abandoning altogether the law of Moses as a ground of hope before God, and of trusting entirely in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. If Moses himself was not suffered to lead his followers into the earthly Canaan, or even to go in thither himself, much less can he lead you into the heavenly Canaan. As a guide through the wilderness, Moses is excellent: but as a Saviour, he will be of no use. Joshua alone can give you the possession of the promised land; that is, Jesus alone can effect your complete salvation. If you read the epistles of St. Paul to the Romans and Galatians, you will find the main scope of both is to establish and enforce this truth. Bear in remembrance then that you must die to the law, and seek salvation by Christ alone: for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.]
2.
To those who are fighting for the possession of it
[Though Canaan was promised to the Israelites, yet they must fight for it. And you must also fight for the promised inheritance of heaven. Remember however, that you are not to fight in your own strength. You must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, if you would gain the victory over your spiritual, enemies. And this is your great encouragement: for through Him the weakest shall be strong, yea, shall prove more than conqueror over all his enemies. What took place in the contest of Israel with the Midianites shall be accomplished in Gods Israel throughout all the world. Against the numerous hosts of Midian only twelve thousand armed Israelites (a thousand from each tribe) were sent to fight: and when the whole Midianitish army was destroyed, it was found, on investigation, that not a single Israelite was slain [Note: Num 31:49.]. So shall it prove with you, my brethren, in your spiritual warfare. Only fight manfully in the Saviours strength; and what he said to his heavenly Father in reference to his disciples while he was yet upon earth, he will repeat before the whole assembled universe in the day of judgment, Of those whom thou hast given me, not one is lost [Note: Joh 17:12.]. True, there are Anakims of gigantic stature to contend with, and cities walled up to heaven to besiege: but greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world: and all your enemies, with Satan at their head, shall be bruised under your feet shortly [Note: Rom 16:20.]. They all are but, as it were, bread for you [Note: Num 14:9.], and not one shall ever be able to stand before you.]
3.
To those who yet retain their hostility to the Lord Jesus
[You have seen what was the issue of the contest between Joshua, and all the kingdoms of Canaan. No less than thirty-one kings fell before him [Note: Jos 12:24.]. And Le sure that you also must perish, if you continue to fight against our adorable Lord and Saviour. I would earnestly recommend to you the example of the Gibeonites. They felt assured, that they could not withstand Joshua; and therefore, feigning themselves to belong to a nation remote from Canaan, they came, and entreated him to make a league with them. There needs no such collusion on your part. You may come to Jesus, and he will enter into covenant with you to spare you [Note: Jos 9:15.]. And, if your submission to him provoke the hostility of the world against you, he will come to your support, and will save you by a great deliverance [Note: Jos 10:4.]; and will make you eternal monuments of his power and grace. Let me also recommend to you the example of Rahab. She cast herself and all her family on the mercy of Joshua; and bound the cord wherewith she had let down the spies from the walls of Jericho, about her window, as the sign of her affiance in the pledge that had been given her. For this faith of hers, and for her works consequent upon it, was she commended both by St. Paul, and St. James [Note: Jos 6:22; Jos 6:25 with Heb 11:31 and Jam 2:25.]. And, if you also with like faith cast yourselves upon the Lord Jesus, and, like her, evince also by your conduct the sincerity of your faith, you shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, and have a portion accorded to you amongst the Israel of God for ever and ever.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“Behold… not go.” Deu 3:27
This was what was to occur in the case of Moses. He was to have a sight of the promised land, but he was not to go into it. This was no exceptional act on the part of God; on the contrary it is what he is always doing as the ages move onwards. There are men who see what they will never personally enjoy; and however much their impatience may wish to turn sight into still closer uses, they are filled with ecstatic joy even by the vision of the good things which are yet to come. In this way we should live in one another and for one another. Moses could return from the mountain and say that he had seen the good land; even that message would be a comfort to those who were weary, and in whom wonder was fast turning into doubt. There must always be men in a progressive age who see further than others. As some see the time when men shall learn war no more. Others see the time when there will be no need for any man to say to his brother, “Know the Lord,” for all shall know him from the least unto the greatest. This method of divine providence is educational, inasmuch as it shows that not to go does not prevent the enjoyment of the soul in the prospect of realised promises. It is something to submit gracefully to a subordination of the individual, and to accept gladly benefits which are intended for the whole commonwealth. There is no tone of impatience in the statement of Moses when he hears the Lord’s proposition. We must accept our place whether we are seers or literal travellers. It is no small pleasure to see even in dream or in assured hope the beautiful summer which is yet to spread its glories over the whole land. The enjoyment is, indeed, intensely spiritual, but not, for that reason, the less real. Moses may have had a fuller realisation of the promised land than the children of Israel; they had to endure the battle and the fatigue, and to win their way inch by inch: Moses saw the land, and knew that every foot of it would be given to the people whom he had led. Aged Christians must take this standpoint. Exhausted ministers must content themselves with the view that is before them, and leave others to secure that view in all its detail and literal value. The oldest man should have the keenest sight into the beautiful future. He uses his old age mischievously who uses it as a period of languor or sleep: the oldest man should have the most cheerful voice in the church.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
westward, &c. The points of the compass here are seaward, darkness-ward, Teman-ward, and sunrise-ward. Teman-ward (i.e. south of Edom) first used for south in Exo 26:18. See Num 27:12.
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, App-6, emphasizing the extent of the view. not go over. Compare Num 27:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thee up: Deu 34:1-4, Num 27:12
Pisgah: or, the hill, Deu 3:17
lift up: Gen 13:14, Gen 13:15
Reciprocal: Gen 50:11 – beyond Jordan Num 21:20 – to the Num 23:14 – Pisgah Deu 4:22 – General Deu 12:10 – But when Deu 31:2 – Thou shalt not Deu 34:4 – I have caused 2Ki 7:2 – thou shalt see it
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and {l} lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold [it] with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
(l) As before he saw by the spirits of prophecy the good mountain which was Zion: so here his eyes were lifted up above the order of nature to behold all the plentiful land of Canaan.