Bible Commentaries
John Dummelow's Commentary
Deuteronomy 31
Farewell Exhortations of Moses to the People and Joshua. He Delivers the Law to the Priests. The Assembling of the Congregation
1. These words] i.e. the following words.
2. Go out and come in] i.e. perform the office of a leader: see on Numbers 27:17.
3. Jehovah is the real Leader of the hosts of Israel: Joshua is the human instrument: cp. Numbers 23:22.
9. This law] i.e. the Deuteronomio law, especially that contained in Deuteronomy 12-26 : see intro. to Deuteronomy 12.
10. The Feast of Tabernacles was at the beginning of the year of release: see on Leviticus 23:23-43, and cp. Leviticus 25:9. On the reading of the law at this season see e.g. Nehemiah 8.
14. Cp. Numbers 27:12-23 and notes.
16. Go a whoring] see on Exodus 34:15.
19. A witness for me] When the threatened punishment had fallen, the song would remain to testify that God, who foresaw their apostasy, had warned them against it: see Deuteronomy 31:21. The song would also be a means of bringing them to repentance.
26. In the side of] i.e. beside. The tables with the Ten Commandments were kept in the ark: see on Exodus 16:34.
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