Deuteronomy 4:48

4:41-49 Here is the introduction to another discourse, or sermon, Moses preached to Israel, which we have in the following chapters. He sets the law before them, as the rule they were to work by, the way they were to walk in. He sets it before them, as the glass in which they were to see their natural face, that, looking into this perfect law of liberty, they might continue therein. These are the laws, given when Israel was newly come out of Egypt; and they were now repeated. Moses gave these laws in charge, while they encamped over against Beth-peor, an idol place of the Moabites. Their present triumphs were a powerful argument for obedience. And we should understand our own situation as sinners, and the nature of that gracious covenant to which we are invited. Therein greater things are shown to us than ever Israel saw from mount Sinai; greater mercies are given to us than they experienced in the wilderness, or in Canaan. One speaks to us, who is of infinitely greater dignity than Moses; who bare our sins upon the cross; and pleads with us by His dying love.

From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon,.... A city of Moab, which was situated on the bank of the river Arnon, that was on the border of Moab, Deuteronomy 2:36 , even unto Mount Sion, which is Hermon; the meaning is, that the lands of these two kings conquered by Israel reached from the city Aroer on the river Arnon to Mount Hermon, the one being the southern, the other the northern boundary of them. Here Hermon has another name Sion, and is to be carefully distinguished from Mount Zion near Jerusalem; it lying in a different country, and being written with a different letter in the Hebrew language. In the Septuagint version it is called Seon, and by the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem the mount of snow; See Gill on Deuteronomy 3:9.

46. Beth-peor—that is, "house" or "temple of Peor." It is probable that a temple of this Moabite idol stood in full view of the Hebrew camp, while Moses was urging the exclusive claims of God to their worship, and this allusion would be very significant if it were the temple where so many of the Israelites had grievously offended.

48 . 49 . from Aroer , etc.] These two vv . are a summary, with one addition, of what has been narrated in Deuteronomy 2:36 , Deuteronomy 3:8 ; Deuteronomy 3:17 , q.v.mount Sion ] Still another name for Ḥermon (see Deuteronomy 3:9 ), confirmed by LXX. The Pesh. Sirion is probably derived from Deuteronomy 3:9 . The Heb. Si’ôn (not to be confounded with the Jerusalem Ṣiyyon, A.V. Zion) means elevation . eastward ] ad orientem , P’s equivalent for D’s towards the sunrising . See Deuteronomy 4:41 . Deuteronomy 4:48

Announcement of the Discourse upon the Law. - First of all, in Deuteronomy 4:44 , we have the general notice in the form of a heading: "This is the Thorah which Moses set before the children of Israel;" and then, in Deuteronomy 4:45 , Deuteronomy 4:46 , a fuller description of the Thorah according to its leading features, "testimonies, statutes, and rights" (see at Deuteronomy 4:1 ), together with a notice of the place and time at which Moses delivered this address. "On their coming out of Egypt," i.e., not "after they had come out," but during the march, before they had reached the goal of their journeyings, viz., ( Deuteronomy 4:46 ) when they were still on the other side of the Jordan. "In the valley," as in Deuteronomy 3:29 . "In the land of Sihon," and therefore already upon ground which the Lord had given them for a possession. The importance of this possession as the first-fruit and pledge of the fulfilment of the further promises of God, led Moses to mention again, though briefly, the defeat of the two kings of the Amorites, together with the conquest of their land, just as he had done before in Deuteronomy 2:32-36 and Deuteronomy 3:1-17 . On Deuteronomy 4:48 , cf. Deuteronomy 3:9 , Deuteronomy 3:12-17 . Sion, for Hermon (see at Deuteronomy 3:9 ).

Announcement of the Discourse upon the Law. - First of all, in Deuteronomy 4:44 , we have the general notice in the form of a heading: "This is the Thorah which Moses set before the children of Israel;" and then, in Deuteronomy 4:45 , Deuteronomy 4:46 , a fuller description of the Thorah according to its leading features, "testimonies, statutes, and rights" (see at Deuteronomy 4:1 ), together with a notice of the place and time at which Moses delivered this address. "On their coming out of Egypt," i.e., not "after they had come out," but during the march, before they had reached the goal of their journeyings, viz., ( Deuteronomy 4:46 ) when they were still on the other side of the Jordan. "In the valley," as in Deuteronomy 3:29 . "In the land of Sihon," and therefore already upon ground which the Lord had given them for a possession. The importance of this possession as the first-fruit and pledge of the fulfilment of the further promises of God, led Moses to mention again, though briefly, the defeat of the two kings of the Amorites, together with the conquest of their land, just as he had done before in Deuteronomy 2:32-36 and Deuteronomy 3:1-17 . On Deuteronomy 4:48 , cf. Deuteronomy 3:9 , Deuteronomy 3:12-17 . Sion, for Hermon (see at Deuteronomy 3:9 ).