Deuteronomy 1:23

1:19-46 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.

The saying pleased me well; for there seemed to be some prudence and good policy in it: but Moses could not see into their hearts, nor from what root this desire grew; but God saw it, and therefore in just judgment complied with their desire, and permitted them to do so for their trial and exercise, Numbers 13:1-3 .

The plan of sending the spies originated with the people; and, as in itself a reasonable one, it approved itself to Moses; it was submitted to God, sanctioned by Him, and carried out under special divine direction. The orator's purpose in this chapter is to bring before the people emphatically their own responsibilites and behavior. It is therefore important to remind them, that the sending of the spies, which led immediately to their complaining and rebellion, was their own suggestion. The following verses to the end of the chapter give a condensed account, the fuller one being in Numbers 13-14, of the occurrences which led to the banishment of the people for 40 years into the wilderness.

22-33. ye came … and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land—The proposal to despatch spies emanated from the people through unbelief; but Moses, believing them sincere, gave his cordial assent to this measure, and God on being consulted permitted them to follow the suggestion (see on [111]Nu 13:1). The issue proved disastrous to them, only through their own sin and folly.

1 . Hear, O Israel ] Deuteronomy 6:4 . thou art to pass over Jordan this day ] Similarly Deuteronomy 30:18 (and cp. Deuteronomy 2:18 ), Sg.; Deuteronomy 4:14 ; Deuteronomy 4:26 ; Deuteronomy 11:31 ; Deuteronomy 31:13 , Pl., but apparently editorial. to possess ] or dispossess . Deuteronomy 2:12 ; Deuteronomy 2:21 f., Deuteronomy 11:23 , Deuteronomy 12:2 ; Deuteronomy 12:29 , Deuteronomy 18:14 , Deuteronomy 19:1 , Deuteronomy 31:3 , with personal object as here. For another form of same vb. see on Deuteronomy 4:38 . nations greater and mightier than thyself ] So Deuteronomy 4:38 also Sg.; Deuteronomy 11:23 , Pl.: cp. Joshua 23:9 . cities … fenced , etc.] See on Deuteronomy 1:28 .

Everything had been done on the part of God and Moses to bring Israel speedily and safely to Canaan. The reason for their being compelled to remain in the desert for forty years was to be found exclusively in their resistance to the commandments of God. The discontent of the people with the guidance of God was manifested at the very first places of encampment in the desert ( Numbers 11 and 12); but Moses passed over this, and simply reminded them of the rebellion at Kadesh ( Numbers 13 and 14), because it was this which was followed by the condemnation of the rebellious generation to die out in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 1:19-25 "When we departed from Horeb, we passed through the great and dreadful wilderness, which ye have seen," i.e., become acquainted with, viz., the desert of et Tih, "of the way to the mountains of the Amorites, and came to Kadesh-Barnea" (see at Numbers 12:16). הלך, with an accusative, to pass through a country (cf. Deuteronomy 2:7; Isaiah 50:10, etc.). Moses had there explained to the Israelites, that they had reached the mountainous country of the Amorites, which Jehovah was about to give them; that the land lay before them, and they might take possession of it without fear (Deuteronomy 1:20, Deuteronomy 1:21). But they proposed to send out men to survey the land, with its towns, and the way into it.

Moses approved of this proposal, and sent out twelve men, one from each tribe, who went through the land, etc. (as is more fully related in Numbers 13, and has been expounded in connection with that passage, Deuteronomy 1:22-25). Moses' summons to them to take the land (Deuteronomy 1:20, Deuteronomy 1:21) is not expressly mentioned there, but it is contained implicite in the fact that spies were sent out; as the only possible reason for doing this must have been, that they might force a way into the land, and take possession of it. In Deuteronomy 1:25, Moses simply mentions so much of the report of the spies as had reference to the nature of the land, viz., that it was good, that he may place in immediate contrast with this the refusal of the people to enter in.

[Reformed Biblical] ## His father’s wife; his mother-in-law. See #Leviticus 18:8 20:11 1 Corinthians 5:1 . ## His father’s skirt, i.e. the skirt of the mother’s garment, i.e. the nakedness, which is here called his father’s skirt , because his father and mother were one flesh, or because his father alone had the right to uncover it. The phrase is taken from the ancient custom or ceremony of the bridegroom’s spreading the skirt of his garment over the bride, to signify his right to her, and authority over her, and his obligation to the marriage duty. See #Ruth 3:9 Ezekiel 16:8 . ## Who are to be excluded from the congregation, #Deuteronomy 23:1-6 . An Edomite and Egyptian not to be abhorred, and why, #Deuteronomy 23:7,8 . No uncleanness to be in the camp, #Deuteronomy 23:9-14 . No filthiness, #Deuteronomy 23:17 . No abominable sacrifice must be, #Deuteronomy 23:18 . No usury, but to strangers, #Deuteronomy 23:19,20 . Vows must be kept, #Deuteronomy 23:21-23 . The liberty that was lawful in their neighbour’s field or vineyard, #Deuteronomy 23:24,25 . ## Ver. 1. Heb. wounded by compression , or attrition , or contusion , to wit, of the stones, which was the course the Gentiles took with infants to make them eunuchs.