King James Version
Deuteronomy 1
46 verses with commentary
Moses' Introduction
These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. the Red: or, Zuph
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KJV Study Commentary
The opening verse establishes Deuteronomy as Moses' farewell addresses to Israel. The Hebrew 'eleh ha-devarim' (these are the words) parallels ancient Near Eastern treaty preambles. Moses speaks 'unto all Israel'—emphasizing covenant unity and collective responsibility. The geographical markers (wilderness, plain, between Paran and various locations) authenticate the historical setting and demonst...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5-1) **INTRODUCTION.**
(1) **These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel.**—The first two verses and the three that follow form a kind of double introduction to the book, and perhaps more especially to the first portion of it, which ends with Deuteronomy 4:40.
**On this side Jordan.**—Literally, *on the other side Jordan *from the writer’s or reader’s point of view.
**In the wilderness.*...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →( There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)
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KJV Study Commentary
The eleven-day journey from Horeb (Sinai) to Kadesh-barnea highlights the tragic consequence of Israel's unbelief. What should have been an eleven-day journey became a forty-year wandering due to their refusal to enter Canaan after the spies' negative report (Numbers 13-14). The specific temporal and geographical detail emphasizes how disobedience transforms blessing into discipline, proximity int...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **Eleven days’ journey from Horeb . . .**—In our English Version this verse forms a separate sentence; but there seems nothing to prevent our taking it as completing the first verse. The route between Paran on the one side and the line from Tophel to Hazeroth on the other is still further defined as “a distance of eleven days’ journey from Horeb in the direction of Mount Seir, reaching to Kade...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;
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KJV Study Commentary
The fortieth year marks the completion of judgment on the exodus generation who refused to trust God at Kadesh-barnea. The eleventh month (Shebat, January-February) sets the time just weeks before Israel would cross the Jordan into Canaan. Moses speaks 'according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment'—he is not innovating but faithfully transmitting divine revelation. This establishe...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month.**—The “and” is the real beginning of Deuteronomy, and connects it with the previous books. The moral of these words has been well pointed out by Jewish writers. It was but eleven days’ journey from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea—the place from whence Israel should have begun the conquest of the promised land; but not only eleven days o...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:
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KJV Study Commentary
This verse sets the historical context for Moses' farewell address, occurring after Israel's victories over Sihon and Og, two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. These conquests demonstrated God's power and faithfulness, providing tangible evidence that the Lord would fulfill His promises regarding Canaan. The mention of specific names and places grounds the narrative in real history, showing that G...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,</strong><br><br>The Hebrew <em>be'eber haYarden</em> ("on this side Jordan") indicates the east bank, in the plains of Moab opposite Jericho. <em>Be'ar</em> ("declare") means to make clear, explain, or expound - not merely recite but interpret and apply. <em>Torah</em> ("law") encompasses instruction, teachi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab.**—This would be *on the other side of Jordan *from the stand-point of the writer, or of the readers for whom the book was intended, which is Palestine.
**Began Moses.**—“Began,” i.e., “determined” or “assayed.”
**To declare.**—The emphatic reiteration of what had been already received from God and delivered to Israel may be intended. But the Hebrew w...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses recounts God's directive to depart from Horeb, emphasizing that it was time to move from receiving the law to acting on it. The command to 'go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto' specifies the land's boundaries—from the Arabah to the mountain region, from the lowland to the Negev, from the seacoast to Lebanon and the Euphrates. This comprehensive geographica...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb.**—The “Lord our God,” “Jehovah our Elohim,” is the watchword of the whole book.
**Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount.**—From the beginning of the second month of the first year of the exodus (Exodus 19:1) to the twentieth day of the second month of the second year (Numbers 10:11). This was the *period of organisation, *in which the people receive...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. all: Heb. all his neighbours
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KJV Study Commentary
God's command to 'turn and take your journey' marks the end of Israel's extended stay at Horeb (Sinai) and initiates the movement toward the Promised Land. The comprehensive geographical description—from the Arabah to Lebanon, from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean—outlines the full extent of God's covenantal promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21). This reveals God's sovereign plan and generous pr...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Enter the mount of the Amorites**—*i.e., *the southern part of Judah, from which the five kings of the Amorites, the southern confederacy of Joshua 10 (which see), arose to attack Gibeon. Israel would have marched into the heart of this territory had they entered from Kadesh, “by the way of the spies.”
**And unto all the places nigh thereunto.**—The rest of the promised land is thus describe...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. set: Heb. given
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KJV Study Commentary
The phrase 'Behold, I have set the land before you' emphasizes God's sovereign initiative in giving the land. The Hebrew 'nathan' (set/given) indicates an irrevocable gift already determined by God. Moses reminds Israel that their inheritance flows from God's covenant faithfulness to the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—not from their own merit. This underscores the principle that salvation an...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **To give unto them.**—Note that the land is promised *to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, *not only to their seed. The promise is not forgotten, though the three patriarchs are in another world. (Comp. Acts 7:5, and Hebrews 11:16. See also Note. on Deuteronomy 11:21.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →Leaders Appointed
And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' acknowledgment of being unable to bear the burden alone demonstrates humble leadership and the principle of delegation. The Hebrew 'nasa' (bear/carry) suggests the weight of judicial and administrative responsibility exceeded one person's capacity. This recognition led to the establishment of a judicial system (Exodus 18), showing that God provides wisdom and structure for effective leaders...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9-18) In these words Moses appears to combine the recollection of two distinct things: (1) the advice of Jethro (Exodus 18), by following which he would be relieved from the ordinary pressure of litigation; (2) the still further relief afforded him by the appointment of the seventy elders. These last received the gift of prophecy, and were thus enabled to relieve Moses from some of the higher res...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.
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KJV Study Commentary
God's multiplication of Israel 'as the stars of heaven' fulfills His specific promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:5; 22:17). From 70 persons entering Egypt (Genesis 46:27) to potentially 2+ million at the Exodus, this dramatic growth demonstrates God's faithfulness and blessing. The astronomical metaphor emphasizes both the vastness of God's provision and the certainty of His promises—what God declares...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →(The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' prayer for continued multiplication 'a thousand times' and blessing reveals the heart of intercessory leadership. Despite knowing he wouldn't enter Canaan himself, Moses earnestly desired God's continued favor on the next generation. The phrase 'as he hath promised you' anchors the request in God's character—not presumption but faith in God's revealed will. This models selfless prayer that ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **The Lord God of your fathers . . . bless you.**—This appears to belong distinctly to the Book of Deuteronomy. It can hardly be a record of what was spoken long before. It brings the living speaker before us in a way that precludes imitation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?
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KJV Study Commentary
The rhetorical question 'How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance?' emphasizes the impossibility of solo leadership over a vast nation. The three-fold description—'cumbrance' (burden), 'burden' (load), and 'strife' (disputes)—captures the comprehensive weight of leading Israel: administrative, judicial, and interpersonal challenges. This honest assessment validates the need for shared ministry a...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **Your cumbrance.**—The original word is found only here and in Isaiah 1:14 : “They are a *trouble *unto me, I am weary to bear them.”
Deuteronomy 1:13-15 recall very exactly what is said in Exodus 18
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you. Take: Heb. Give
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' instruction to choose leaders 'wise and understanding, and known among your tribes' establishes three essential leadership qualifications: wisdom (practical discernment), understanding (intellectual capability), and reputation (proven character). The participatory element—'Take you'—shows that leadership selection involved communal discernment, not autocratic appointment. God values both co...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.
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KJV Study Commentary
The people's response—'The thing which thou hast spoken is good to do'—demonstrates proper submission to wise counsel. Their agreement wasn't blind obedience but recognition of sound wisdom. This collaborative approach to governance shows the ideal relationship between leaders and people: leaders propose wisdom, people affirm and support it. Unity in purpose and method enables effective ministry a...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-33. Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing--**with sincerity and zeal.
**go before the Lord to war--**The phrase was used in allusion to the order of march in which the tribes of Reuben and Gad immediately preceded the ark (see on Nu 2:10-31), or to the passage over the Jordan, in which the ark stood in mid-channel, while all the tribes marched by in succession (Jos 3:4), of course ...
Read full commentary →So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. made: Heb. gave
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' appointment of leaders 'over you' according to military divisions (thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens) created a clear hierarchy and manageable span of control. This organizational structure ensured accessibility (leaders close to the people) and accountability (clear reporting lines). The military structure suggests both order and readiness—God's people needed both pastoral care and strate...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-36. And the children of Gad built--**(See on Nu 32:16).
**Dibon--**identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the Arnon (Mojeb).
**Ataroth (Hebrew, "crowns")--**There are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been identified.
**Aroer--**now Arair, standing on a precipice on the north bank of the Arnon.
And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses recalls his establishment of a judicial system based on Jethro's advice (Exodus 18:13-26). The appointment of 'captains over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens' created an efficient hierarchical structure for adjudicating disputes. This wasn't merely administrative convenience but theological necessity—Moses as sole judge couldn't bear the burden alone, and the people needed accessible j...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(16) **And I charged your judges . . . saying.**—These instructions given by Moses are an admirable expansion, but only an expansion, of those of Jethro(Exodus 18:21), that the judges must be “able men, such as fear God, *men of truth, hating covetousness*”—a sentence older than the Decalogue itself.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-36. And the children of Gad built--**(See on Nu 32:16).
**Dibon--**identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the Arnon (Mojeb).
**Ataroth (Hebrew, "crowns")--**There are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been identified.
**Aroer--**now Arair, standing on a precipice on the north bank of the Arnon.
Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. respect: Heb. acknowledge faces
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' charge to the judges establishes principles of righteous judgment: hear cases impartially ('between every man and his brother'), extend justice to foreigners ('the stranger'), avoid partiality regardless of social status ('not respect persons'), and fear God alone. The command 'ye shall not be afraid of the face of man' addresses the temptation to pervert justice due to intimidation or favo...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(17) **The judgment is God’s.**—Comp. St. Paul in Romans 13:1-4, which is, again, only an expansion of this sentence. For the latter part of this verse comp. Exodus 18:22-26.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-36. And the children of Gad built--**(See on Nu 32:16).
**Dibon--**identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the Arnon (Mojeb).
**Ataroth (Hebrew, "crowns")--**There are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been identified.
**Aroer--**now Arair, standing on a precipice on the north bank of the Arnon.
And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' charge to the judges—'Hear the causes between your brethren'—establishes the foundational principle of impartial justice. The command to judge 'righteously' (Hebrew 'tsedeq') requires verdicts aligned with God's character and law, not personal preference or societal pressure. Justice must be both heard (thorough investigation) and executed (righteous verdict), reflecting God's own nature as...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.**—“At that time,” *i.e., *after your departure from Horeb. This is as much as to say that the exhortations given in Deuteronomy had already been given on the way from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea. (Comp. what has been said above on the two first verses of this chapter.) This verse goes far to justify the view taken there.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-36. And the children of Gad built--**(See on Nu 32:16).
**Dibon--**identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the Arnon (Mojeb).
**Ataroth (Hebrew, "crowns")--**There are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been identified.
**Aroer--**now Arair, standing on a precipice on the north bank of the Arnon.
The Twelve Spies and Israel's Rebellion
And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.
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KJV Study Commentary
The comprehensive scope—'between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him'—extends justice beyond blood relations to include foreigners residing among Israel. This reflects God's concern for the vulnerable and marginalized, as strangers lacked family protection and tribal advocacy. True righteousness transcends ethnic and social boundaries, treating all image-bearers with equal...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(19) **By the way of the mountain of the Amorites.**—Rather, *in the direction of the mount. *They did not *pass *the Mount of the Amorites, but went through the “great and terrible wilderness” from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea. So Moses says in Deuteronomy 1:20, “Ye *are come *unto the mount of the Amorites.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-36. And the children of Gad built--**(See on Nu 32:16).
**Dibon--**identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the Arnon (Mojeb).
**Ataroth (Hebrew, "crowns")--**There are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been identified.
**Aroer--**now Arair, standing on a precipice on the north bank of the Arnon.
And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.
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KJV Study Commentary
The command to 'go in and possess the land' couples divine gift with human action. God promises to give the land, but Israel must actively claim it through faith and obedience. The verb 'yarash' (possess/inherit) implies both receiving and occupying—a pattern throughout Scripture where God's sovereignty partners with human responsibility. Faith isn't passive but actively appropriates what God has ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**39. Gilead--**now Jelud.
Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
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KJV Study Commentary
God's direct speech—'Behold, I have set the land before you'—personalizes the promise and emphasizes divine initiative. The imperative 'go up and possess it' removes all excuse for delay or disobedience. The concluding phrase 'fear not, neither be discouraged' addresses the dual enemies of faith: fear (emotional paralysis) and discouragement (mental defeat). God's command includes both mission and...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(21) **Fear not, neither be discouraged.**—The last clause of this verse reappears in St. John 14:27, “Let not your heart be troubled, *neither let it be afraid.”*
And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's suggestion to send spies 'to search us out the land' appears prudent but reveals the seeds of unbelief. While reconnaissance is wise, their request implies uncertainty about God's promise and provision. The phrase 'bring us word again' shows dependence on human assessment rather than divine declaration. This illustrates how reasonable planning can mask faithlessness when it supplants trus...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(22) **And ye came near . . . and said, We will send.**—A new aspect is here given to the sending of the twelve spies. In Numbers 13:1 the incident is introduced thus: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men.” We learn here that the proposal in the first instance came from the people. Moses would naturally refer it to Jehovah; and, when approved, the scheme was carried out.
**They sh...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**41. Havoth-jair--**that is, "tent-villages." Jair, who captured them, was a descendant of Manasseh on his mother's side (1Ch 1:21, 22).
And the saying pleased me well : and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe :
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' statement 'the saying pleased me well' shows his approval of the reconnaissance plan, yet this approval didn't guarantee God's blessing on the outcome. Even good leaders can endorse plans that God permits but doesn't prefer. The selection of 'twelve men, one of a tribe' demonstrates fair representation but couldn't compensate for lack of faith—structure without trust is inadequate.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**42. Nobah--**also a distinguished person connected with the eastern branch of the tribe of Manasseh.
And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.
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KJV Study Commentary
The spies' journey 'unto the valley of Eshcol' brought them to exceptionally fertile land, evidenced by the huge cluster of grapes requiring two men to carry (Numbers 13:23). The name 'Eshcol' (cluster) commemorates this abundance. God provided tangible evidence of the land's goodness, yet even seeing didn't guarantee believing—the same evidence that encouraged Joshua and Caleb terrified the other...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(24) **The valley of Eshcol.**—See Numbers 13:24.
And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.
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KJV Study Commentary
The spies' return with fruit demonstrated the land's literal fruitfulness, yet their report would focus on obstacles rather than opportunities. 'They took of the fruit of the land in their hands' shows they possessed physical evidence but lacked spiritual vision. Material proof without faith perspective leads to fear rather than confidence—what we hold in our hands matters less than what we hold i...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(25) **It is a good land.**—In Numbers 13:27 they all say, “Surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it.” In Numbers 14:7 Joshua and Caleb describe it as an “exceeding good land.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 33 Nu 33:1-15. Two and Forty Journeys of the Israelites--from Egypt to Sinai.
**1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel--**This chapter may be said to form the winding up of the history of the travels of the Israelites through the wilderness; for the three following chapters relate to matters connected with the occupation and division of the promised land. As several apparent ...
Read full commentary →Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God:
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's refusal to 'go up' directly contradicted God's clear command (verse 21). The verb 'ma'an' (rebel) indicates willful disobedience, not mere hesitation. Their rebellion was against 'the commandment of the LORD,' making it fundamentally a spiritual issue of faith, not a tactical decision about military readiness. Disobedience to clear commands, regardless of circumstances, constitutes rebell...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord--**The wisdom of this divine order is seen in the importance of the end to which it was subservient--namely, partly to establish the truth of the history, partly to preserve a memorial of God's marvellous interpositions on behalf of Israel, and partly to confirm their faith in the prospect of the difficult...
Read full commentary →And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's murmuring 'in their tents' reveals private complaint that fostered public rebellion. Their accusation—'because the LORD hated us'—completely misread God's character and intent, interpreting discipline as hatred and promise as punishment. This twisted theology projected their own fears onto God, imagining malicious intent rather than loving purpose. Unbelief doesn't just doubt God's power ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(27) **Because the Lord hated us.**—A most astounding commentary on the events of the exodus up to that date. It is a stronger expression than any recorded, even in Numbers 14:3.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. Rameses--**generally identified with Heroopoils, now the modern Abu-Keisheid (see on Ex 12:37), which was probably the capital of Goshen, and, by direction of Moses, the place of general rendezvous previous to their departure.
Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. discouraged: Heb. melted
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KJV Study Commentary
The rhetorical questions—'Whither shall we go up?'—express hopeless despair. The spies' report emphasized obstacles: strong people, fortified cities, giants ('Anakim'). The phrase 'our brethren have discouraged our heart' shows how faithlessness spreads, as fear is contagious. Yet the same facts that paralyzed ten spies energized Joshua and Caleb—the difference wasn't information but faith. What w...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(28) **Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart.**—So Caleb says in Joshua 14:8, “My brethren made the heart of the people melt.” For the rest of the verse see Numbers 13:28.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**4. upon their gods--**used either according to Scripture phraseology to denote their rulers (the first-born of the king and his princes) or the idolatrous objects of Egyptian worship.
Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' exhortation 'Dread not, neither be afraid of them' addresses both emotional (dread) and rational (fear) responses to overwhelming circumstances. The command not to fear isn't denial of danger but trust in a greater reality—God's presence and power. This principle recurs throughout Scripture: God's 'fear not' always grounds in His character and promises, not in minimizing difficulties.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(29) **Dread not, neither be afraid of them . . .**—The reminder that “Jehovah went before them” did not avail, for they had already chosen *men *to go before them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5. pitched in Succoth--**that is, "booths"--a place of no note except as a temporary halting place, at Birketel-Hadji, the Pilgrim's Pool [Calmet].
The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;
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KJV Study Commentary
The promise 'The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you' shifts the burden from Israel's strength to God's power. The phrase 'goeth before' emphasizes divine initiative and leadership—God doesn't send His people where He hasn't already gone. 'He shall fight' makes God the active warrior, with Israel's role being faith and obedience rather than military prowess. Victory belong...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. Etham--**edge, or border of all that part of Arabia-Petræa which lay contiguous to Egypt and was known by the general name of Shur.
And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
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KJV Study Commentary
The image of God bearing Israel 'as a man doth bear his son' reveals divine paternal care and sovereign providence. The Hebrew 'nasa' (carried/bore) conveys sustained support through trial. This metaphor anticipates the New Covenant reality where believers are adopted as sons (Galatians 4:5-7). God's fatherhood is not merely benevolent but covenantal—He commits to preserve His people through the w...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(31) **The Lord . . . bare thee, as a man doth bear his son.**—From this comes the expression in Acts 13:18, “He bare them as a nursing father in the wilderness.”—Rev. N. T., *margin.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7. Pi-hahiroth, Baal-zephon ... Migdol--**(See on Ex 14:2).
Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God,
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KJV Study Commentary
Despite witnessing God's paternal care (v. 31), Israel 'did not believe the LORD your God.' The Hebrew 'lo-he'emintem' emphasizes willful unbelief despite overwhelming evidence. This verse exposes the depth of human depravity—even miraculous provision cannot overcome the sinful heart's resistance to trust. Only sovereign regeneration can produce saving faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). The tragedy is not l...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8. Marah--**thought to be Ain Howarah, both from its position and the time (three days) it would take them with their children and flocks to march from the water of Ayun Musa to that spot.
Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.
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KJV Study Commentary
God 'went in the way before you' as both pathfinder and protector—'in fire by night, and in a cloud by day.' The pillar imagery signifies the Shekinah glory, God's manifest presence guiding His covenant people. This theophanic appearance demonstrates divine immanence—God doesn't merely give directions but personally accompanies His people. The Reformed doctrine of divine providence is beautifully ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(33) **Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place.**—Comp. Numbers 10:33, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them . . . to search out a resting place for them;” and St. John 14:2, “I go to prepare a place for you;” and Hebrews 6:20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.” On the whole manner of this cloud-guidance, see Numbers 9:15-23.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9. Elim--**supposed to be Wady Ghurundel (see on Ex 15:27).
And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
God's anger ('wrath') at Israel's unbelief demonstrates His holiness and justice. The Hebrew 'qatsaph' denotes righteous indignation at covenant violation. God swore in His wrath—divine oaths are immutable (Hebrews 6:17-18). This verse reveals that God's wrath is not capricious but covenantal response to faithlessness. The exclusion of the wilderness generation from Canaan rest typifies the eterna...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(34) **Was wroth, and sware.**—See Psalm 95:11, “I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**10. encamped by the Red Sea--**The road from Wady Ghurundel leads into the interior, in consequence of a high continuous ridge which excludes all view of the sea. At the mouth of Wady-et-Tayibeh, after about three days' march, it opens again on a plain along the margin of the Red Sea. The minute accuracy of the Scripture narrative, in corresponding so exactly with the geographical features of th...
Read full commentary →Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,
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KJV Study Commentary
The emphatic oath formula 'Surely there shall not one of these men' underscores divine determination. The contrast between 'this evil generation' and 'that good land' highlights the incompatibility between persistent unbelief and covenant blessing. God's promise to give the land 'which I sware unto their fathers' reveals covenantal faithfulness—though this generation forfeits inheritance, God's pr...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(35) **Surely . . .** Comp. St. Luke 14:24, “None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. wholly: Heb. fulfilled to go after
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KJV Study Commentary
Caleb stands as the exception—'unto him will I give the land' and 'to his children.' The phrase 'he hath wholly followed the LORD' translates Hebrew 'male acharei' (fully filled after), indicating complete devotion and perseverance. Caleb's faith distinguished him from the faithless generation. This verse illustrates the Reformed doctrine of perseverance—true faith endures to the end (1 John 2:19)...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(36) **Save Caleb.**—Caleb is here placed by himself, as the one exception *among the people. *Joshua, as Moses’ substitute, the exception among the recognised leaders, is named separately.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-14. Dophkah ... Alush ... Rephidim--**These three stations, in the great valleys of El Sheikh and Feiran, would be equivalent to four days' journey for such a host. Rephidim (Ex 17:6) was in Horeb, the burnt region--a generic name for a hot, mountainous country. [See on Ex 17:1.]
Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.
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KJV Study Commentary
Even Moses, despite his faithfulness, bears consequences for the people's sin—'the LORD was angry with me for your sakes.' The Hebrew 'hit'anaph' indicates God's wrath extending even to His chosen mediator. Moses' exclusion from Canaan (Numbers 20:12) demonstrates that covenant privileges don't exempt leaders from accountability. Yet this suffering also prefigures Christ, who bore the ultimate con...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(37) **Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes.**—Here, again, Moses combines his own rejection. an event of the fortieth year of the exodus, with the rejection of the people in the second year. The reason was the same—*unbelief. *“Because ye believed me not” was the reason given to Moses in Numbers 20:12. “Ye did not believe the Lord your God” is the reason for the rejection of the people,...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-14. Dophkah ... Alush ... Rephidim--**These three stations, in the great valleys of El Sheikh and Feiran, would be equivalent to four days' journey for such a host. Rephidim (Ex 17:6) was in Horeb, the burnt region--a generic name for a hot, mountainous country. [See on Ex 17:1.]
But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
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KJV Study Commentary
Joshua's appointment as Moses' successor demonstrates God's sovereign preparation of leadership. The command 'encourage him' (Hebrew 'chazaq'—strengthen, make firm) reveals that even chosen leaders require support from the covenant community. Joshua would 'cause Israel to inherit' the land—not by his own strength but as God's ordained instrument. This illustrates the Reformed understanding that Go...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-14. Dophkah ... Alush ... Rephidim--**These three stations, in the great valleys of El Sheikh and Feiran, would be equivalent to four days' journey for such a host. Rephidim (Ex 17:6) was in Horeb, the burnt region--a generic name for a hot, mountainous country. [See on Ex 17:1.]
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
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KJV Study Commentary
The children, originally cited as potential captives (Numbers 14:3), become the covenant heirs who 'shall go in thither.' Their innocence—'had no knowledge between good and evil'—doesn't imply sinlessness but rather lack of covenant accountability at Kadesh-barnea. God's promise to give them the land demonstrates that His purposes span generations. The Reformed doctrine of covenant succession appe...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(39) **Moreover your little ones.**—This continues the sentence of Jehovah from Deuteronomy 1:36.
Which ye said should be a prey.—In Numbers 14:3, “that our wives and children should be a prey.” (See also Deuteronomy 1:31.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**15. wilderness of Sinai--**the Wady Er-Raheh.
But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
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KJV Study Commentary
God's command to 'turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness' represents judicial hardening following unbelief. The Red Sea route signifies regression from promise—instead of advancing to Canaan, Israel must retreat. This divine decree demonstrates that persistent unbelief brings disciplinary judgment. Yet even in judgment, God's providence directs—the wilderness becomes a classroom where...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(40) **But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way (in the direction) of the Red Sea.**—In Numbers 14:32 the parallel sentence is, “As for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
Read full commentary →Defeat at Hormah
Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's presumptuous response—'We have sinned...we will go up and fight'—reveals superficial repentance and self-sufficiency. True repentance submits to God's declared will; false repentance tries to earn restoration through religious activity. The phrase 'ye were ready to go up' (Hebrew 'tahinnu') suggests reckless presumption. They had refused to advance in faith when God commanded; now they pr...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(41) **We have sinned . . . we will go up and fight.**—The emphatic *we *of this verse may be compared with the “we” of Deuteronomy 1:28. In both instances it was *we, *without *Jehovah. *It was a change from cowardice to presumption, not from unbelief to faith.
**Ye were ready to go up into the hill.**—Some render, Ye *made light of *going up.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
Read full commentary →And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.
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KJV Study Commentary
God's explicit command 'Go not up, neither fight' followed by the warning 'for I am not among you' reveals the futility of religious activity divorced from divine presence. The promise that 'ye shall be smitten' demonstrates God's sovereign control over outcomes—human zeal cannot substitute for divine authorization. This verse illustrates the Reformed principle that God's blessing depends on His p...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
Read full commentary →So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill. went: Heb. ye were presumptuous, and went up
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's persistent rebellion—'ye would not hear, but rebelled'—demonstrates the pattern of covenant violation. The Hebrew 'tamaradu' (rebelled) indicates willful defiance of divine authority. Having rejected God's command to advance in faith, they now reject His command to refrain. This double rebellion reveals the human heart's natural enmity against God (Romans 8:7). Their presumption in going ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(43) The last clause comes from Numbers 14:44.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
Read full commentary →And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
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KJV Study Commentary
The Amorites' pursuit 'as bees do' creates a powerful image of coordinated, relentless judgment. Bees, once provoked, attack with overwhelming numbers and persistence (cf. Psalm 118:12). God's sovereign control extends even over Israel's enemies—He uses the Amorites as instruments of covenant discipline. The defeat from Seir unto Hormah demonstrates comprehensive judgment. This verse illustrates t...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(44) **As bees do.**—This should be observed as illustrating what is said of the hornet in Exodus 23:28-30, and further on in Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12. The incidental mention of the bees in this place shows that the writer of Deuteronomy was familiar with the spectacle of a company of men pursued by bees.
**In Seir, even unto Hormah.**—Conder (*Bible Handbook, *p. 250) understands this Seir ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
Read full commentary →And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's weeping before the LORD appears as genuine remorse, yet God's refusal to hear reveals it as worldly sorrow, not godly repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). The Hebrew 'lo-shama' (would not hearken) demonstrates that God sovereignly determines when to extend mercy. This verse illustrates the Reformed doctrine of divine sovereignty in salvation—God is not obligated to respond favorably to human ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(45) **And ye returned and wept before the Lord.**—This fact is not related in Numbers 14. It shows the personal knowledge of the writer, and that the narrative is not simply drawn from the earlier books.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
Read full commentary →So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.
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KJV Study Commentary
The extended stay at Kadesh—'many days'—represents wasted time and lost opportunity due to unbelief. This prolonged encampment, intended as the launching point for Canaan conquest, became instead a monument to failure. The phrase emphasizes Israel's stagnation, contrasting sharply with God's promise of advancement and inheritance. From a Reformed perspective, this illustrates how unbelief and diso...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(46) **So ye abode in Kadesh many days.**—Better, *and. *In Numbers 14:25 the command was, *“Tomorrow *turn you, and get you into the wilderness.” This command was broken by the attack on the Canaanites, made on the morrow after the command. We cannot be certain that the many days spent in Kadesh were spent after the defeat. It may be merely a note of the fact that the time spent in Kadesh was con...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.
**16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--**The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("u...
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