Nitzavim Vayelech 6th Portion
Israel’s Rebellion Predicted
14
The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call
Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission
him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible
The Lord said to Moses—Joshua is now substituted in the place of Moses by a solemn
ceremony, not only that he may be held in greater reverence by men, but also
that he may be presented before God, and thus may acknowledge that he is
dedicated to his service; for his being brought before the door of the
tabernacle was a kind of consecration; and God also declares that he will give
him a charge, which is equivalent to saying that he will instruct him in the
performance of his duties. The appearance also of the glory of God in the
cloud, was not less effectual for encouraging himself personally, than for
giving public distinction to his high office. For he would never have been
recognized as the successor of Moses, unless this visible approbation of God
had fastened the yoke upon the people.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
At the tent—i.e., Before the entrance of it; and this was before the
Lord himself (Deu 31:11).
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on
the Whole Bible
Commission him—Immediately from myself for his greater encouragement, and to gain
him more authority with the people.
Joseph Benson’s Commentary
Where I will commission him—Immediately from myself, for his greater encouragement, and to
gain him more authority with the people.
Matthew Poole’s English Annotations
on the Holy Bible
At the tent—Either properly so called, for though the priests only might
ordinarily enter there, yet others might go in upon a call and command from
God, which here they had; or in the court of the tent, at the entrance of which
God stood in the cloudy pillar, Deu 31:15, the court coming here under the name
of the tent, as elsewhere it comes under the name of the temple.
Where I will commission him—Immediately from myself, for his greater encouragement, and to
gain him more authority with the people.
15 Then
the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud
stood over the entrance to the tent.
E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Bible
Notes
Pillar of cloud—The only reference to it in Deuteronomy.
16 And
the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors,
and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the
land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with
them.
Joseph Benson’s Commentary
You are going to rest with your
ancestors—Sleep is a common word for death, and,
to those who believe a resurrection, has a peculiar propriety, to remind them
that death shall not have dominion over them for ever, but that they shall
awake as certainly as they fall asleep.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy
Bible
You are going to rest with your
ancestors—Rest, says Jameson, is a common
word for death; and, to those who believe a resurrection, has
a peculiar propriety, to put them in mind that death should not have dominion
over them for ever; but that in the morning of the resurrection they shall
awake, as certainly as they fall asleep. Who can believe from such phrases as
these, that Moses, and all Israel with him, imagined their law wholly temporal;
that they looked not for a better Canaan, where God should be their God for
ever and ever? The paraphrast Jonathan, full of these ideas, thus paraphrases
the words: “You are going to lie down in the dust with your ancestors, and your
soul shall be kept as a treasure in the repository of eternal life with those ancestors.”
We may just observe, that the shalls and wills, in
the next verses, are strangely intermixed. The judicious reader, however, will
easily discern how they are to be altered.
17 And
in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face
from them [as if I do not see their suffering], and they will be destroyed.
Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask,
‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’
Joseph Benson’s Commentary
I will hide my face from them—A metaphor borrowed from kings, who will not allow those who have
offended them to come into their presence and see their face. It signifies, I
will withdraw my favour and my help. Whatever outward calamities we are in, if
we have but the light of God’s countenance, we are safe. But if God hide his
face from us, then we are undone.
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on
the Whole Bible
Hide my face—Withdraw my favour and help. Whatever outward calamities we are in
if we have but the light of God's countenance, we are safe. But if God hide his
face from us then we are undone.
Matthew Poole’s English Annotations
on the Holy Bible
Hide my face—i.e. withdraw my favour and help.
18 And
I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in
turning to other gods.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English
Readers
I will certainly hide my face—“As though I did not see (them) in their distress” (Rashi).
19 “Now
write down this song [32:1-43] and teach it to the Israelites and have them
sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on
the Whole Bible
Write this song—Which is contained Deu 32:1-43, and is put into a song that it may
be better learned, and more fixed in their minds and memories.
Matthew Poole’s English Annotations
on the Holy Bible
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