Deuteronomy 10:6

Deuteronomy 10:6 . This following history comes in manifestly by way of parenthesis, as appears from Deuteronomy 10:10 , where he returns to his former discourse; and it seems to be here inserted as an evidence of God’s gracious answer to Moses’s prayers, and of his reconciliation to the people, notwithstanding their late and great provocation. For, saith he, after this they proceeded by God’s guidance in their journeys, and though Aaron died in one of them, yet God made up that breach, and Eleazar came in his place, and ministered as a priest, one branch of which office was to intercede for the people.

(6, 7) On these verses, which are among the most difficult in Deuteronomy, see a separate Excursus. The difficulty is two-fold. First, the account of Israel’s marches about the time of Aaron’s death is given in a different form here to that which we have in Numbers 20, 21, 33. Secondly, there is the further question why Aaron’s death should be recorded here. It appears to have taken place before Moses began the delivery of the discourses in Deuteronomy. It is separated by thirty-nine years from the incidents which Moses is recapitulating in this passage. The Jewish commentator Rashi gives a very curious tale to account for the allusion to Aaron’s death in this place. But though his theory is mythical, he seems to hit the main point, which is that Israel re-visited in their journey round the land of Edom four places where they had previously encamped, and among them Mosera, or Moseroth, the district in which Mount Hor, where Aaron died, was situated. There is no impossibility in this; in fact, it is highly probable, and would partly account for the statement in Numbers 21:4 , that “the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.” It was just about this time that the fiery serpents came. If the connection of these verses with the train of thought in Moses’ mind is spiritual, the difficulty may be solved.

The death of the priest of Israel, whose first representative Aaron was, is spiritually identical with the destruction of the first pair of tables, the death of the first Adam and of all mankind in the person of our representative, the Lord Jesus Christ. After that death He “ariseth” as “another priest, made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” Thus the incident is connected with what goes before. The separation of the tribe of Levi “to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord,” i.e., “to bear the burden of the Law,” is the same thing in another form. It deprives them of an earthly inheritance, just as He whose representatives they were gave Himself an offering and sacrifice to God; and “His life is taken from the earth.” Further, the names of the places themselves have in this aspect a spiritual significance. From certain “wells of water”—the wells of the children of Jaakan (crookedness)—the people of God take their journey to the scene of the high priest’s death. From thence to Hor-hagidgad, or Gudgodah, the mount of the “troop,” or “band” (Sinai is the mount of the “congregation” in the Old Testament, Zion in the New), and thence to a land of rivers of water. It is only another way of relating how from the wells of the Law we pass to the rivers of living water opened by the Gospel. But we must pass by way of the cross of Christ. EXCURSUS ON NOTES TO DEUTERONOMY. EXCURSUS ON Deuteronomy 10:6-7.

Verses 6, 7. - Not only did God, of his grace and in response to the intercession of Moses, give to the people, notwithstanding their apostasy, the ark of the covenant with the new tables of the Law, but he followed this up by instituting the high priesthood; and, when Aaron died, caused it to be continued to his son Eleazar. This Moses reminds the people of by referring to a fact in their past history, viz. their arrival at Mosera, where Aaron died, and Eleazar succeeded him in his office. Beeroth of the children of Jaakan ( wells of the sons of Jaakan ); the same place as Bene-jaakan ( Numbers 33:31 ), probably the Horite tribe, called 'Akan ( Genesis 36:27 ), for which, apparently, should be read Jakan, as in 1 Chronicles 1:42 . Mosera ; Moseroth, plu. of Mosera ( Numbers 33:30 ). As Aaron died there, Mosera must have been in the vicinity of Mount Her. Gudgodah , Hor-hagidgad ( Numbers 33:32 ); cave of Gidgad , a place of caves. Jotbath, Jotbathah ( Numbers 33:33 ), a district abounding in streams, whence probably its name, Jot-bathah , pleasantness, from יָטַב , to be good, to please. None of these places have been identified. Robinson mentions a Wady cf. Ghadaghidh, a broad sandy valley diverging from the Wady es Jerafeh, in the desert of Et-Tih, and this has been supposed to indicate the site of Gudgodah; but the difference of the consonants in the two words is such as to render this identification more than doubtful.

In the Arabic of the London Polyglott, גדגדה is represented by ( Judjuda ), which is totally different from Ghadaghidh . All the places, however, must have been in the 'Arabah, and in the region of Mount Her, or not far distant. That the places mentioned here are the same as those in Numbers cannot be doubted. The two passages, however, relate to different journeys; that in Numbers to the journeying of the Israelites from the wilderness of Sinai to Kadesh, that in Deuteronomy to the march in the fortieth year, when they went from Kadesh to Mount Her. Deuteronomy 10:6

This following history comes in manifestly by way of parenthesis, as may appear from Deu 10:10 , where he returns to his former discourse; and it seems to be here inserted, either, 1. Because the priests and Levites here mentioned were the guardians and keepers of the ark and tables here mentioned. Or rather, 2. As an evidence of God’s gracious answer to Moses’s prayers, and of his reconciliation to the people, notwithstanding their late and great provocation. For, saith he, after this they proceeded by God’s guidance in their journeys, some eminent stages whereof he names for all; and though Aaron died in one of them, yet God made up that breach, and Eleazar came in his place, and ministered as priest, one branch of which office was to intercede for the people. Then, saith he, God brought them from the barren parts of the wilderness to a land of rivers of waters, Deu 10:7 , a pleasant and fruitful soil. Then he adds, God separated the Levites, &c., Deu 10:8 . Mosera. Object. This place seems directly contrary to that, Numbers 33:31 , where their journey is quite contrary to this, even from Moseroth to Bene-jaakan. This indeed is a great difficulty, and profane wits take occasion to cavil. And if a satisfactory answer be not yet given to it by interpreters, it ought not therefore to be concluded unanswerable, because many things formerly thought unanswerable have been since fully cleared, and therefore the like may be presumed concerning other doubts yet remaining.