| Home | Old Testament Studies | Deuteronomy Table of Contents | Previous Section | Next Section |
DEUTERONOMY 34
PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| NKJV | NRSV | TEV | NJB |
| Moses Dies on Mount Nebo | The Death of Moses | The Death of Moses | The Death of Moses |
| 34:1-8 | 34:1-8 | 34:1-8 | 34:1-4 |
| 34:5-9 | |||
| 34:9-12 | 34:9 | 34:9 | |
| 34:10-12 | 34:10-12 | 34:10-12 |
READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 34:1-8
1Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." 5So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. 6And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. 7Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated. 8So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.
34:1 "the plains of Moab" This is the geographical setting of the conclusion of Numbers (cf. Num. 36:13), and the entire book of Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 4:44-49). It is on the eastern side of Jordan, right across from Jericho (cf. Deut. 34:1).
▣ "to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah" This same mountain is mentioned in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 3:17). It is the Hebrew term for "ridge" or "height" (BDB 612 I). It seems that Mount Nebo and Pisgah (BDB 820 "cleft") refer to the very same mountain peak. God uniquely chose this location to be able to fulfill His word to Moses that He would show him the Promised Land even though Moses would not be able to enter into it. Later, in Deut. 34:5, Mount Nebo will be the place of Moses' death. Also, Jewish tradition says that Jeremiah hid the Ark of the covenant on this mountain.
▣ "And the Lord showed him all the land" There are several passages which record Moses' public sin before the people which kept him from entering the promised land (cf. Deut. 3:23-28; 32:48-52 and Num. 27:12-14). Moses made several prayers and requests to God about this, yet he was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land. Although sin always runs its course and has its consequences, the graciousness of God is seen in allowing Moses to see the Promised Land even though he could not enter it.
34:2 "the western Sea" This refers to the Mediterranean Sea (cf. Deut. 11:24). The term "western" is literally "the place behind" (BDB 30).
34:3 "the Negev" This is the Hebrew word for "south country" (BDB 616) and it refers to the uninhabited pasture land which is south of Beersheba.
▣ "the plain" This refers to the depression known as the Rift Valley in which lies the Dead Sea. Jericho is at the northwest and Zoar at the southwest.
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS OF THE PROMISED LAND
▣ "Jericho, the city of palm trees" Jericho is known as the city of palms (cf. Jdg. 1:16) and is one of the oldest cities in this part of the world. It was right across the Jordan River from the place where Israel camped.
▣ "Zoar" The word (BDB 858) means insignificant (cf. Gen. 19:20-22). This city is first mentioned in Gen. 13:10. See Josephus, Jewish Wars 4.8.4.
34:4 "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" This is the fulfillment of God's promise to the Patriarchs recorded in Gen. 12:7; 26:3; 28:13. The promise to Abraham included both land and seed. The OT emphasizes the land and children while the NT emphasizes the special child (cf. Isa. 7-12). This ancient promise is repeated often. Here are some examples: Exod. 33:1; Num. 14:23; 32:11; Deut. 1:8; 6:10; 9:5; 30:20.
SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS
▣ "I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there" Apparently the sin of publicly striking the rock instead of speaking to it (cf. Num. 20:7-12) is the offense for which Moses has been judged. The people witnessed this flagrant disobedient act of Moses.
34:5 "So Moses the servant of the Lord" The term "servant of the Lord" is an honorific title given to Moses. It is given to Joshua only after his death. It was conferred upon King David. It later refers to the coming Messiah (cf. the Servant Songs of Isaiah 40-56). It may be the source of the NT Pauline phrase, "slave of God." The concept of an OT servant is extremely significant. In the OT election or servanthood was to fulfill the purpose of God, not necessarily for salvation. Cyrus is called "God's anointed" (cf. Isa. 45:1) and Assyria is called "the rod of His anger" (cf. Isa. 10:5). This cruel nation and pagan king fit into God's plan but were not spiritually related to Him. The terms "election" and "choice" have a spiritual connotation only in the NT.
▣ "died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord" The literal Hebrew is "by the mouth of the Lord," (BDB 804), which seems to be imagery for the word of God (cf. Gen. 41:40; 45:21; Exod. 17:1; 38:21; Num. 3:16,39).
However, the rabbis say that this is the "kiss of God." They say that God kissed Moses on the mouth and took away his breath. This is very similar to our cultural idiom "the kiss of death." If so, it is a beautiful account of the balance between the justice and mercy of God in the life of Moses.
SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN
34:6 "And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab" The "He" implies God Himself. This is much like Gen. 7:16, where God Himself closed the large door to the ark. One reason for God burying Moses Himself is because God has taken away all of the ancient sites and artifacts that we might worship instead of Him. Notice that Moses was not buried on Mount Nebo itself but down in the valley.
The strange NT passage in Jude 9 is related to this account, but how is not exactly clear. Jude 9 seems to quote an extra-canonical book known as The Assumption of Moses. The exact purpose for the devil wanting the body of Moses is uncertain.
▣ "but no man knows his burial place to this day" This is obviously the work of a later editor. Many assert that Moses could not have written this last chapter which relates to his death. Rashi says that Joshua wrote about Moses' death, while IV Esdras asserts that Moses wrote of his own death. I believe in Mosaic authorship of the Torah, but that does not rule out some editorial comments such as this which appear from time to time. The similarity of the Hebrew between the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua seems to imply that Joshua did have a part in writing Moses' memoirs. However, the significant place of Ezra in rabbinical Judaism as the editor of the entire OT is also a possibility.
SPECIAL TOPIC: EDITORIAL ADDITIONS TO DEUTERONOMY
34:7 "Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died" This one hundred and twenty year span is developed in Stephen's sermon in Acts 7:23ff into a threefold division of forty years each:
D. L. Moody said, "For 40 years Moses thought he was a somebody. For 40 years he thought he was a nobody. For 40 years he found out what God can do with a nobody."
▣ "his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated" This seems to refer to the health of Moses, while Deut. 31:2 seems to be an excuse given by Moses for why he cannot enter the Promised Land (that he was too weak and old). This is not a contradiction, but one more attempt by Moses to try to explain away his sin by either blaming the people or his age or other factors.
34:8 "So the sons of Israel wept for Moses. . .thirty days" This would be one lunar cycle. This same amount of time was given to the mourning of Aaron (cf. Num. 20:29). Everyone of the generation who rebelled in the wilderness died there except for Joshua and Caleb.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 34:9-12
9Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, 12and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
34:9 "Now Joshua the son of Nun" The name Joshua means "YHWH saves" (BDB 221). It is the very same name as "Jesus" (i.e., Palestinian Aramaic, cf. Matt. 1:21). It is made up of the Hebrew word, "Hosea," which means "salvation" and an abbreviation of the Covenant name for God attached to the beginning.
▣ "was filled with the spirit of wisdom" This concept of "filled" (BDB 569, KB 583, Qal PERFECT) should be compared with Num. 27:18 and a similar concept used of the artisans in Exod. 28:3. Obviously the Spirit of God was involved in the lives of people in the OT as well as the NT.
SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE
▣ "wisdom" This seems (BDB 315) to refer to Joshua's ability to guide the people into battle and in administrative justice. Joshua was not from the tribe of Levi and, therefore, could not in any way be a priest, but he was a gifted leader.
▣ "for Moses had laid his hands on him" This concept of laying on of hands is very significant in the OT. We see this very act in Num. 27:22-23; also note Deut. 31:1-8. It is somehow related to the laying on of hands on the sacrificial victim where somehow the sin is transferred. In some way Moses' leadership was transferred to Joshua.
SPECIAL TOPIC: LAYING ON OF HANDS IN THE BIBLE
34:10 "Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses" Verses 10-12 are a comment from Moses' scribe or, more probably, a later editor. This apparently refers to the Messianic prophecy of Deut. 18:15-22. This theme is developed in Heb. 3:1-6, where Jesus and Moses are contrasted.
▣ "whom the Lord knew face to face" The term "knew" (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal PERFECT is a Hebrew idiom for "intimate, close fellowship" (cf. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5). It does not refer to cognitive knowledge. The phrase "face to face" shows the intimacy with which God spoke to Moses (cf. Exod. 33:11; Num. 12:6-8).
SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN
34:11-12 Verse 11 seems to imply that the plagues of Egypt, which took a period of about eighteen months, were meant to judge the gods of Egypt and to try to lead the Egyptians to a place of trust in YHWH. Verse 12 shows us that the miracles that God did against the Egyptian gods were also meant to increase the faith of the Israelites just as Jesus' miracles were to increase the faith of the disciples. It is also possible that Deut. 34:12 relates to the wilderness wandering period.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
| Home | Old Testament Studies | Deuteronomy Table of Contents | Previous Section | Next Section |
Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International