Deuteronomy 34:1

34:1-4 Moses seemed unwilling to leave his work; but that being finished, he manifested no unwillingness to die. God had declared that he should not enter Canaan. But the Lord also promised that Moses should have a view of it, and showed him all that good land. Such a sight believers now have, through grace, of the bliss and glory of their future state. Sometimes God reserves the brightest discoveries of his grace to his people to support their dying moments. Those may leave this world with cheerfulness, who die in the faith of Christ, and in the hope of heaven.

Deuteronomy 34:1 . Moses went up — When he knew the place of his death, he cheerfully mounted the hill to come to it. Those who are well acquainted with another world, are not afraid to leave this. When God’s servants are sent for out of the world, the summons runs, “Go up and die!” From the plains of Moab — In which was their last station before they entered into Canaan, Numbers 33:48 . To the top of Pisgah — Which appears to have been the highest top of these mountains. And from hence God enabled him to take a particular view of the several quarters of the land of Canaan. Unto Dan — To that city, which after Moses’s death was called so. The mention of Daniel in this verse, and the account of Moses’s death and burial, and of some particulars after he had left the world, ( Deuteronomy 34:5-9 ,) show that this chapter was not written by Moses; but probably by Samuel, Ezra, or some other of the prophets who succeeded him.

XXXIV. DEATH OF MOSES. (1) Pisgah.—See Numbers 21:20. The word seems to mean a height. (1, 2) The Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naphtali . . . unto the utmost sea—that is, He showed him all the land which was to be given to these several tribes. Whether He then showed it to him under the names which are given here or not is a question we cannot answer. Many deeply interesting queries suggest themselves here. Did Moses go up alone? or did Joshua accompany him? Who wrote these particulars of what was shown to him, and how were the particulars known? I am disposed to believe that as Elijah and Elisha “still went on and talked,” until that chariot of fire appeared which “parted them both asunder,” so it was with Moses and Joshua—that Moses’ minister attended him until Jehovah withdrew him from his sight. But it speaks well for Joshua’s character—in fact, it is altogether characteristic of the man—that in this record of the death of the great lawgiver he should have concealed himself and every other figure from sight except Jehovah and His servant Moses. Rashi, in his comment on this scene, says that the Lord showed Moses not only the land, but what should happen therein, in every part. But of this we know nothing. We know that the spectacle was complete. Probably “the eye that was not dim” was enabled to see farther than human eye ever saw from such a height before. “The utmost sea” is full fifty miles away from that spot.

Verse 1. - Unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah ; rather, unto Mount Nebo , the summit of Pisgah . Gilead unto Dan. Not Dan Laish, near the central source of the Jordan, which was not in Gilead, but another Dan in Northern Perea, the site of which has not yet been discovered (cf. Genesis 14:14 ). Deuteronomy 34:1

CHAPTER 34 De 34:1-12. Moses from Mount Nebo Views the Land. 1. Moses went up from the plains of Moab—This chapter appears from internal evidence to have been written subsequently to the death of Moses, and it probably formed, at one time, an introduction to the Book of Joshua. unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah—literally, the head or summit of the Pisgah; that is, the height (compare Nu 23:14; De 3:17-27; 4:49). The general name given to the whole mountain range east of Jordan, was Abarim (compare De 32:49), and the peak to which Moses ascended was dedicated to the heathen Nebo, as Balaam's standing place had been consecrated to Peor. Some modern travellers have fixed on Jebel Attarus, a high mountain south of the Jabbok (Zurka), as the Nebo of this passage [Burckhardt, Seetzen, &c.]. But it is situated too far north for a height which, being described as "over against Jericho," must be looked for above the last stage of the Jordan. the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead—That pastoral region was discernible at the northern extremity of the mountain line on which he stood, till it ended, far beyond his sight in Dan.

Westward, there were on the horizon, the distant hills of "all Naphtali." Coming nearer, was "the land of Ephraim and Manasseh." Immediately opposite was "all the land of Judah," a title at first restricted to the portion of this tribe, beyond which were "the utmost sea" (the Mediterranean) and the Desert of the "South." These were the four great marks of the future inheritance of his people, on which the narrative fixes our attention. Immediately below him was "the circle" of the plain of Jericho, with its oasis of palm trees; and far away on his left, the last inhabited spot before the great desert "Zoar." The foreground of the picture alone was clearly discernible. There was no miraculous power of vision imparted to Moses. That he should see all that is described is what any man could do, if he attained sufficient elevation. The atmosphere of the climate is so subtle and free from vapor that the sight is carried to a distance of which the beholder, who judges from the more dense air of Europe, can form no idea [Vere Monro]. But between him and that "good land," the deep valley of the Jordan intervened; "he was not to go over thither."Moses from Mount Nebo vieweth the land, Deu 34:1-4. He dieth there, Deu 34:5. His burial, Deu 34:6. His age, Deu 34:7. Thirty days’ mourning for him, Deu 34:8. Joshua succeedeth him, Deu 34:9. The praises of Moses, Deu 34:10-12. Moses went up, in compliance with God’s will, that he should then and there resign up his soul to God.

1 . Moses went up ] As commanded, Deuteronomy 3:27 , Deuteronomy 32:49 . plains of Moab ] Heb. ‘arbôth Mo’ab , the parts of the ‘Arabah (see on Deuteronomy 1:1 ) reckoned as Moabite. The designation is peculiar to P, who gives it as Israel’s last camp before crossing Jordan, Numbers 33:48-50 , cp. Numbers 22:1 ; Numbers 26:3 ; Numbers 26:63 ; Numbers 31:12 ; Numbers 35:1 ; Numbers 36:13 , Joshua 13:32 , which place these ‘steppes’ on Jordan and opposite Jericho . According to Deuteronomy 3:24-29 Moses ascended Nebo from Israel’s immediately previous camp in the glen over against Beth-Pe‘or , which is above the Jordan valley. But ‘arbôth Mo’ab may have been loosely held to cover this higher hollow that debouches on the ‘Arabah . unto mount Nebo , the headland of the Pisgah ] The former is P’s name for the mount ( Deuteronomy 32:49 ), the latter that of E ( Numbers 21:20 ; Numbers 23:14 ) and deuteron. writers, see on Deuteronomy 3:17 . It is the headland which breaks from the plateau of Moab between Heshbon and Medaba under the name en-Nebâ (= ‘mountain-back,’ Dalman MNPDV , 1900, p. 23) or en-Nebâ, and runs out to the S. of the W. ‘Uyûn Musa upon the N. end of the Dead Sea. From the high edge of the Plateau it dips a little, and so loses the view to the E.—Israel’s desert horizons for 40 years—but the bulk of W. Palestine is in sight; only at first the nearer side of the Jordan valley is invisible, and N. and S. the view is hampered by the parallel headlands.

Further W. however it rises somewhat into the Ras Siaghah, a promontory which, though lower than the Ras en-Nebâ, stands freer of the hills to N. and S. The whole of the ‘Arabah is now open from at least Engedi, and if the mist allows from still farther S., to where on the N. the hills of Gilead appear to meet those of Ephraim. The Jordan flows below, with Jericho visible beyond it. Over Gilead Hermon has been seen in fine weather. See further HGHL , 562 ff. over against Jericho ] Lit. against the face of , i.e. (by Semitic orientation) to the E. of. all the Land — Gilead unto Dan , etc.] Not as in EVV. the land of Gilead. Dan itself, either Tell-el-Ḳadi, on one of the sources of Jordan, or more probably on the neighbouring spur of Ḥermon above Banias (see above Deuteronomy 33:22 , and HGHL , 473, 481), is not visible, but Ḥermon above it is sometimes seen; and Dan is mentioned as the N. limit of the land.