Deuteronomy 3:22

3:21-29 Moses encouraged Joshua, who was to succeed him. Thus the aged and experienced in the service of God, should do all they can to strengthen the hands of those who are young, and setting out in religion. Consider what God has done, what God has promised. If God be for us, who can be against us, so as to prevail? We reproach our Leader if we follow him trembling. Moses prayed, that, if it were God's will, he might go before Israel, over Jordan into Canaan. We should never allow any desires in our hearts, which we cannot in faith offer up to God by prayer. God's answer to this prayer had a mixture of mercy and judgment. God sees it good to deny many things we desire. He may accept our prayers, yet not grant us the very things we pray for. It God does not by his providence give us what we desire, yet if by his grace he makes us content without, it comes to much the same. Let it suffice thee to have God for thy Father, and heaven for thy portion, though thou hast not every thing thou wouldst have in the world. God promised Moses a sight of Canaan from the top of Pisgah. Though he should not have the possession of it, he should have the prospect of it. Even great believers, in this present state, see heaven but at a distance. God provided him a successor. It is a comfort to the friends of the church of Christ, to see God's work likely to be carried on by others, when they are silent in the dust.

Ye shall not fear them,.... On account of the numbers, strength, courage, and gigantic stature of the inhabitants, at least some of them; nor on account of their walled towns, and fortified cities: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you; as he did, particularly at Jericho, the walls of which city fell at the sound of rams' horns; and at Gibeon, when he cast down hailstones on their enemies, and more were slain by them than with the sword; and in all their battles it was he that gave them success and victory.

16. from Gilead—that is, not the mountainous region, but the town Ramoth-gilead, even unto the river Arnon half the valley—The word "valley" signifies a wady, either filled with water or dry, as the Arnon is in summer, and thus the proper rendering of the passage will be—"even to the half or middle of the river Arnon" (compare Jos 12:2). This prudent arrangement of the boundaries was evidently made to prevent all disputes between the adjacent tribes about the exclusive right to the water.

22 . Ye shall not fear them ] We may either take this Pl. as intended to comprise all the people with Joshua; or read, with Sam., some codd. of the LXX, and the Syriac, thou shall not fear them . Which was the original it is impossible to say. All the versions have the Pl. in the last clause (LXX, B our God ), but to take it as therefore a late addition borrowed from Deuteronomy 1:30 (Steuern.) is somewhat pedantic; the change from Sg. to Pl. is here very natural.

Of Dishonouring an Unbetrothed Virgin ( Deuteronomy 22:28 f.); while the 6th forbids Marriage with a Father’s Wife (30 [ Deuteronomy 23:1 ]). Of the first five each opens similarly to each of the group Deuteronomy 21:15-23 , i.e. with an if , and differently from those of the group Deuteronomy 22:1-12 , and they share with the former group and with Deuteronomy 19:1-13 , and other laws, these marks:— the elders are the public authority, Deuteronomy 22:15 ff., cp. Deuteronomy 19:12 , Deuteronomy 21:3 ; Deuteronomy 21:19 f.; neighbour (not brother , characteristic of the Sg. passages) is used, Deuteronomy 22:24; Deuteronomy 22:26 , cp. Deuteronomy 19:4 f., Deuteronomy 19:11; Deu 19:14 ; field ( sadeh ) in its wider sense, Deuteronomy 22:25; Deuteronomy 22:27 , cp. Deuteronomy 21:1 ; and sin worthy of death ( ḥeṭ’-maweth ), Deuteronomy 22:26 , cp. Deuteronomy 19:6 , Deuteronomy 21:22 . The direct address to Israel is seldom used, and the form varies. In the closing formulas, Deuteronomy 22:21-22; Deuteronomy 22:24 , it is Sg. and Sg. also in the body of the 4th law, Deuteronomy 22:24 (unless this be editorial), but Sam. LXX have Pl. In the body of the 3rd law, Deuteronomy 22:24 , it is Pl. In considering these plain-spoken laws it is just to remember that with all their imperfections they represent an advance in social ethics; an upward stage in the struggle against debasing practices and the animal passions of men.