Deuteronomy 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Commentary by Mark Dunagan

DEUTERONOMY Chapters 27-34 Chapter 27 27:1-4 Writing laws on stones or even sides of mountains as the later inscriptions of Darius I on the Behistun Rock attest, was common in the ancient Near East. Whitewashing stones before writing on them was a practice in Egypt. “all the words of this law”, may include the entire book of Deuteronomy.

27:5-8 Concerning the type of altar constructed, compare with Exodus 20:25.

The use of uncut stones could have meant that neither the Law nor the sacrificial system was to suffer any human adornment. “Burnt offerings”-were totally consumed on the altar; “peace offerings”, were eaten by the worshippers, and were to be times of thankfulness and joy. “you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly”-i.e., very clearly. “emphasizes the supreme importance of the role of God’s Word in the new land” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 310). Writing against a white background would make the legislation easy to read.

27:9 “Be silent and listen”-respect is demanded when God’s word is read (Neh. 8:11; Hab. 2:20).

27:12-13 “Mount Gerizim”; “Mount Ebal”-both were located west of the Jordan, about 40 miles north of Jerusalem. An important east-west trade route passed between the two mountains, and toward the eastern end of the pass was nestled the ancient town of Shechem. It was at Shechem that the Lord had appeared to Abraham (Genesis 12:6-7). The choice of this location emphasized God’s faithfulness to His promises to Abraham, and that the fulfillment of the land promise to Abraham was near. The actual ceremony where all of this took place is recorded in Joshua 8:30-35.

27:14 It appears that as the Levites recited the blessings and curses, the people were then to respond, “Amen”. A valley runs between these two mountains and definite tribes were to stand on the slopes of each mountain, while the Levites stood between to recite the blessings and the curses. “Actually, only the Levites who were priests attending the ark stood in the middle (Joshua 8:33) and all the other Levites were near Mount Gerizim (Deut. 27:12)” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 310).

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Specific Curses 27:15 “in secret”-even though such a person might be able to keep such forbidden worship hidden from the eyes of men, the Lord would see it. “If secrecy is the theme, then the curses pronounced here make it clear that the crime is not determined merely by its discovery and punishment; whether or not an illegal act was ever discovered, it was nevertheless a crime against God and therefore deserved the curse of God” (Craigie p. 331). God’s curse rests upon the sinner, regardless of whether he or she is ever caught.

27:16 No tolerance is given to the rebellious child.

27:18-19 God takes note of how we treat the disabled and underprivileged (Lev. 19:14). Although a blind person wouldn’t be able to identify one who took advantage of him, God would know! Note, people haven’t changed, and there have always been people who have preyed upon the helpless.

27:20-23 Forbidden sexual relationships. “Father’s wife”-refers to a wife of one’s father other than one’s mother, i.e., sexual relations or marriage to one’s step mother (Ruth 3:9). Sexual relations with a sister, even if such a sister was a step-sister.

27:24-25 Curses against various forms of murder. Either murder done in secret, or taking a bribe in order to kill someone, i.e., the paid assassin.

27:26 God’s loop-hole plug. God’s curse also rests upon every other violation of His Law (compare with Galatians 5:21 and 2 Timothy 1:10 “whatever else is contrary to sound teaching”).

Chapter 28 The Blessings Of Obedience 28:1 “if”-the people have a choice, free will is stressed. The people aren’t inherently sinful, they can do the right thing, but neither are they predestined for salvation. Diligence and care will be needed (2 Tim. 2:15). “set you high above all the nations of the earth”-Such blessings would place them in the international limelight (Deut. 26:19).

28:2 “overtake you”-they will definitely reap what they have sown. This is an interesting expression, because often the rewards of obedience and disobedience don’t show up suddenly, rather they tend to snowball. Life will start clicking for the obedient, things will start going wrong for the rebellious.

And disobedience or obedience doesn’t just affect one aspect of our lives.

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28:3 “in the city…in the country”-i.e. both the farmer and the merchant, life would be good in the country and in the city.

28:4-6 “when you come in…when you go out”-In every aspect of daily work and life, the Israelites would enjoy God’s blessings. “basket and kneading bowl”plenty of daily bread, no food shortages or famines.

28:7 Military success. Their enemies would be completely routed in battle.

28:8-14 The surrounding nations would see Israel’s blessedness and holiness.

Israel would lend to other nations, but she wouldn’t be borrowing. “to give rain to your land”-But the common belief in Canaan was that the Baals controlled the rain.

Point To Note: Lest someone is skeptical about whether God could really deliver on such promises, be impressed that God has blessed the United States of America in virtually all of these categories. We started out as the “tail” among the nations, and we have become the head! So preach the gospel, speak out against evil, stand up for what is right, because disobedience brings curses, and it is no fun living in a country that is “the tail”! Be impressed that God did bless and curse other nations besides Israel (Jeremiah 18:1ff).

The Curses 28:15-19 Note, disobedience will affect every aspect of our lives. There was no middle ground.

28:20 “confusion…in all you undertake to do”-“confusion” may refer to the type of panic that came upon Israel’s enemies in battle. Nations can get themselves in so much trouble that nobody knows what to do. All attempts to solve their problems tend to result in failure.

28:21 “pestilence”-various epidemics (such still happens in various nations today).

28:22 “consumption”-any kind of disease where a person “wastes” away. “fever”-diseases that produce high fevers or where there is a fiery inflammation. “blight and with mildew”-diseases which strike crops.

28:23 Drought 28:26 Defeat in battle that is so overwhelming that the bodies of the dead are never buried.

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28:28 Diseases of the mind. Disobedience is a first step towards a good number of mental illnesses. If you want to stay sane, then stay godly. “Day after day, with a maddening, inexorable regularity, they would be oppressed and robbed of whatever they labored for; and there would be no one to rescue them from their plight” (Gaebelein p. 172).

28:29 Things can get so bad that nothing works. Even the leaders of such a nation become like blind men.

28:30-36 Blow upon blow continues. Their wives are violated, land devastated, possessions seized by marauding armies, bodies sickened, children sold as slaves, and their sovereignty lost. “Sons and daughters would be taken captive to other nations; and day after day parents helplessly would wear out their eyes watching for the return of those who would never come back” (Gaebelein p. 173).

28:37 “a horror, a proverb, and a taunt”-become an object of ridicule, horror and scorn, always the object of sharp and cutting remarks. We have nations today which have become a proverb for extreme wretchedness and poverty.

28:38-45 Crop failure, slavery, and becoming a servant to the alien in the land.

28:46 “a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever”-The disasters that would fall on Israel if she disobeyed, would serve to illustrate to other nations that rebellion to God will be punished. All future generations would remember what had happened to their rebellious ancestors. If they rebelled against God, they would become the official poster boy for the consequences of rebellion.

28:47 And such consequences would be deserved. Such an ungrateful people needed to be punished. Rebellion would mean that Israel had failed to obey a loving God who had abundantly blessed them with everything they needed.

28:48-57 In graphic detail God describes what the disobedient will suffer when a foreign nation besieges their cities. The distant enemy would strike swiftly and unerringly like an eagle swooping on its prey. Both the Assyrians (Hosea 8:1) and the Babylonians (Jeremiah 48:40) are likened to an eagle.

28:50 “fierce countenance”-without compassion for the aged or young.

28:53 The people would be forced to become cannibals in order to survive. Not only coarse and rough characters will do such things, but the most gentle and sensitive man and woman will descend to such a horrible state. Family members will refuse to share food with their loved ones (54-55). The most refined women will end up eating both their new born babies and the after birth

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(56-57). The actual occurrence of such cannibalism is recorded in 2 Kings 6:24-31 and Lamentations 2:20 and 4:10.

Point To Note: Such threats, besides applying to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., also apply to the Roman destruction in A.D. 70. Such predictions are remarkable. The conclusion is irresistible that this prediction could only have come by supernatural revelation.

28:58-68 After the Roman destruction of A.D. 70, the Jewish historian Josephus notes that 97,000 prisoners were taken, and many of them ended up in Egyptian mines. And following this destruction, so many Jewish slaves did prove to create a glut on the slave market. “Their captors intend to sell them as slaves in Egypt, but what awaits them is the ultimate indignity and misery: no one will think them worth the slave price” (Ridderbos p. 262). ”Instead of the repose and rest of the Promised Land, anxiety, wearisome longing, despair, constant suspense, and fear would be their lot among the nations” (Gaebelein p. 176).

Chapter 29 29:1-5 The covenant made at Sinai some forty years earlier, is being reemphasized to this new generation. “Deuteronomy is an exposition of the covenant of Horeb (Sinai), a revelation of addition stipulations, an application of many of the terms of the new situation they will face in Canaan, and an extensive and repetitive exhortation to adhere wholly to the Lord” (Gaebelein pp.

178-179).

29:4 “the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear”-there were still some hard-hearts in the crowd. Even at this point, Israel doesn’t really appreciate what God has done for them. In order that the audience might be brought to a real understanding…Moses goes back and reviews the past. Here we see how unbelief, worry, anxiety and ingratitude can cloud the human mind and prevent one from seeing the clearest of truths. Israel had spent more time thinking about her stomach than the miracles that God had wrought for their deliverance.

29:5-9 The past is reviewed.

29:14-15 “those who are not with us today”-This covenant also applies to those yet to be born. Each new generation is also accountable to God and His Laws.

29:17-19 “a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood”-If tolerated, idolatry or any apostasy would blossom and poison the entire nation. Note, such apostasy

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could start with just one individual. Compare with Hebrews 12:15 “and by it many be defiled”.

29:19 “I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart”-Not the last man or woman who thought that they were immune against God’s judgments.

Not the last person who thought that the threats in the Bible were meaningless.

Often people who fall away, think that everything will go well, despite their unfaithfulness.

29:20-21 A person who introduces false teaching would never escape the consequences. God will never forgive such a person, because this individual refuses to repent (Hebrews 6:4-8).

29:22-28 But, even God’s wrath can bring others to a knowledge of the truth. If Israel disobeyed, then God would use them as an example of what not to do.

God would teach the other nations a lesson about His holiness and the importance of obeying His laws, through Israel’s punishment.

29:29 It is idle to speculate about what isn’t written, because everything that is necessary was written. What is revealed is clear and understandable, because it was written to be obeyed and practiced. Everything necessary for salvation will be revealed (2 Peter 1:3; John 16:13). Failure to obey is never caused by a revelation from God that is confusing, unclear or incomplete. Instead of concerning ourselves with what isn’t in the Bible, we should spend our time understanding what is in it. Man’s mind is limited and will always be limited.

Man on his own will never find all the answers that he is looking for.

Chapter 30 30:1-10 The promise for a restoration to the land, following both the blessings and the curses. But again, such is conditional (10).

Point To Note: Premillennialists argue that these promises have never been fulfilled and won’t be fulfilled until Jesus comes again and reigns on the earth. But the OT is clear, following her disobedience, Israel was allowed to return to the land (Ezra 2:70).

30:11-14 Verses which should once for all silence all the skeptics. The Law given by God wasn’t overwhelming, incomprehensible or inaccessible. The Law did have a heavenly origin, but God had clearly revealed it to Israel so that there was no need for anyone to ascend into heaven to get it. Nor did Israel need some kind of special interpreter before they could obey it. The Law was already in written form and Israel was already familiar with its demands, they could both speak it and they knew it (it was in their mouth and in their heart).

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Point To Note: But how often are people tempted to say, “If God could just give us a little more information about this particular point or doctrine, the division over it would cease”. The above verse argues that God has already been as clear as He needs to be about any biblical doctrine. And God speaking from heaven wouldn’t settle any religious debate, because the issue isn’t about the truth, rather it is all about one’s attitude towards the truth. “the word is in their mouth (they can repeat it) and in their heart (they can think it, understand and react to it). Obedience is possible!” (Gaebelein p. 189). God has indeed done everything possible for us to obey His Law. The Law that God gave is perfectly suited for the man that God made.

30:15 God had very clearly detailed the consequences of obedience and disobedience (chapters 28-29).

30:18 Reads much like many NT passages which say, “do not be deceived”.

Lest anyone think that they can remain in the land and prosper and yet act rebelliously. There are certain concepts that we just need to reject once and for all. Happiness cannot be found apart from serving God-period.

30:19 “so choose life”-in view of all that has been said, why would anyone choose rebellion?

30:20 Keeping the land promised to the fathers was conditional. So let us reject the idea that the land promise was unconditional. Once again, let us emphasize (because so many people refuse to accept), that loving God inherently includes obeying Him.

Chapter 31 31:1 Moses was 120 when this speech was given. “no longer able to come and go”-no longer able to lead them, not because of lack of strength (34:7), but because he wouldn’t be allowed to enter the promised land. Obviously then, a new leader must be acknowledged 31:5 The Canaanites were to be dealt with just as God had commanded.

31:6 “Be strong and courageous”-such courage should come, not from confidence in their own abilities, but from confidence in God, who had already given them great victories on the eastern side of the Jordan. Courage isn’t just something that comes naturally, rather it is a choice.

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31:7 “in the sight of all Israel”-hence there wasn’t any question concerning who was Moses’ successor. Compare these passages with Joshua 1:6-9.

31:9 At the bare minimum this verse applies to the entire book of Deuteronomy.

31:10-13 Every seventh year, during the feast of Booths (Sept-Oct.) the entire book of Deuteronomy was to be read to the people. At least once if not twice during one’s childhood, every child in Israel had a chance to stand with the entire nation and listen to the Word of God. 31:14-21 Before his death, the Lord informs Moses that the people will fall away in the future. The song, which is written in chapter 32 was to be a witness against Israel. “It would place in proper perspective the promise of blessings made to the fathers” (Thompson p. 294).

31:21 “for I know their intent which they are developing today”-even at this time the seeds of unbelief were present in some of the hearts of those listening. After the time of Joshua there arose a generation who did not know the Lord (Judges 2:10-11). Part of the purpose of the song in chapter 32 is to warn the people of their emerging intentions and turn them back to God before it was too late.

31:24-30 These verses certainly contradict the idea that we are always heading towards a greater faithfulness among those who profess to be believers. God’s professed people never had endured long and apostasy is simply a reality of life (2 Tim. 4:2-4). Scripture testifies against the unfaithful because it records: 1.

God’s love and faithfulness towards man. 2. God’s patience and the abundant blessings given. 3. The clarity and simplicity of what God expects. Scripture points out that people go into apostasy, in spite of God’s love, patience, blessings, and clear and plain divine directives to the contrary.

Chapter 32 32:1-4 God is always right, in view of God’s nature, human rebellion is the height of ingratitude and selfishness. “Let my teaching drop as rain”-“If all the teaching of the song were to penetrate and saturate the hearts and minds of the Israelites, then it could only make them grow in the fear and strength of the Lord” (Craigie pp. 376-377). “the Rock”-stressing the unchanging nature, stability and permanence of God. Unlike the fickle nature found among the Israelites.

32:5 Israel had often proved to be the exact opposite, fickle, undependable, so warped that they bore no “family resemblance” to their God. 32:6 Have we repaid the love and faithfulness of God with unfaithfulness?

Remember who you are dealing with. God is your Father, your Creator, and without Him you wouldn’t exist.

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32:7 Get the right perspective on the past, it can be learned by asking the aged and the wise—the truth hasn’t been lost or forgotten.

32:8 Compare with Acts 17:26. This God also rules all the other nations as well.

32:9-14 Look at the tender care which God had displayed to their father Jacob.

Israel had been given afforded special treatment. A mother eagle will stir up her young to fly, but hovers beneath them to support them in their first faltering attempts at flight. “there was no foreign god with him”-no foreign deity had done anything to assist Israel, therefore, it was all the more shameful, that Israel would turn toward other gods.

32:15 “Jeshurun”-(JESH uh ruhn), a poetic name for Israel, meaning “the upright one”. “Grew fat”-when prosperity came, Israel forgot about God. Often prosperity is a far greater trial than adversity. “and kicked”-resisted God’s love and control. Such a verse really pictures the ingratitude which must happen for a person to fall away from God. 32:16-18 Israel turned to idolatry. “demons” (17): see 1 Cor. 10:20.

Worshipping a false god is really nothing more than devotion given to the devil.

Their ingratitude is heightened by the fact that Israel gave her love to gods which were recent, and which even her fathers hadn’t worshipped. In like manner, how many people today are more concerned with the latest fad rather than timeless truth?

32:21 Hosea 1:9; 2:23 Besides predicting the acceptance of the Gentile believers, this may also include: since Israel turned to false deities, God would punish them with nations who had been insignificant.

32:22 “anger takes precedence over pity; and the divine fire of anger, once kindled, knows no limits in its destructive force, reaching to Sheol (the place of departed spirits)…The anger of God is like the love of God, knowing no limits in the places to which it extends…the anger of God is an awesome and terrible thing exactly because it follows from a rejection of the equally pervasive love of God” (Craigie p. 384).

32:23-27 Consequences of disobedience. “Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy”-Unfaithful Israel does deserve complete destruction, where all memory of her would be lost, but God will refrain, lest the people in the world get the wrong idea. God doesn’t want anyone getting the idea that Israel fell because her God was weak or non-existent.

32:28-30 Were that they were wise enough to realize that future problems would be inherently linked with unfaithfulness. Yet, the people and leaders in our nation are just as dense!

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32:31 “even our enemies themselves judge this”-Even unbelievers could see such truths (Joshua 2:11; Exodus 14:25; 1 Samuel 5:7ff).

32:34-43 The wickedness of Israel’s enemies is deep-rooted (32-33). The bad fruit produced from evil lives is known to God and He has wrath on store for such people and nations (34-35). Verse 35 is quoted in Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30. When Israel had hit rock bottom, God will deliver them and judge their enemies. But part of this deliverance, includes shaming the people, asking them, “where are the gods that you placed your trust in?”. Learn the lesson once and for all that there is only one God (32:39).

32:47 This isn’t just a cute song, it is reality! God means what He says.

32:48-52 Mount Nebo was one of the more prominent peaks in the Abarim ( AB ah rim) range in Moab. It overlooked the north end of the Dead Sea.

Chapter 33 33:2-5 “Moses’ praise of God began with a description of the Lord’s appearance at Sinai when He gave the Law to the people…When God appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai it was as if He had come from Seir (Edom) to the northeast and from Mount Paran (probably in the wilderness of Paran north of Sinai)” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 321).

33:6 The wish for Reuben is that the tribe would continue to exist. “do not let his men become few so that the tribe will slowly dwindle away and can no longer maintain its independent status” (Ridderbos p. 302).

33:7 According to Numbers, Judah was to march at the head of the army. In this position the tribe occupied a very dangerous position in time of battle. The prayer might be that God would bring the men of Judah back in safety after the battle.

33:8-11 First in Moses and Aaron, (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:1-13); and then the entire tribe had stood for the Lord during times of unbelief and rebellion (Exodus 32:26-29). The Levites had demonstrated their faithfulness to God by executing God’s judgment, even upon members of their own tribe and family. In light of this, three principle duties are granted to Levi. 1. They were responsible for the Thummin and Urim, by which the Lord’s will would be made known to the people in matters where decision was difficult to make. 2. They were to teach the Israelites the law of God. 3. They were responsible for the worship of the nation.

33:12 Benjamin rests between (God’s) shoulders, a place of protection and affection. As a child sitting on the shoulder’s of its parent.

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33:13-17 A blessing of material prosperity and military might is given to the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh.

33:18-19 The source of their prosperity would be found in the seas (fishing, maritime commerce) and at the seashores (shellfish, dye, made from shellfish, glass, made from sand).

33:20-21 The idea could be that although Gad was given its territory east of the Jordan, the tribe still fought valiantly in the conquest of Canaan.

33:22 “lion’s whelp”-i.e. a lion’s cub. This may imply potential for great strength.

“The metaphor implies the timidity of youthfulness, but indicates that there would be great strength in the future” (Craigie p. 401).

33:23 Like Ephraim, Manasseh (16) and Asher (24), this tribe would enjoy the favor of God and His blessings. The “sea” in this verse, may refer to the Sea of Galilee, and the fertile area that surrounded it.

33:24-25 “dip his foot in oil”-the territory that Asher possessed may have been rich in olive trees, the words also could be a description of the fertility of the land in general. “your locks”-“Asher stretched along the coast from Acre to Tyre. It was also on the highway by which invaders entered Palestine. Hence it was natural to wish strong fortifications for Asher” (Thompson p. 316).

33:26-29 In these verses we see: 1. God is quick to deliver. 2. God is eternal, therefore He is always present to protect. “underneath are the everlasting arms”-“to keep them from harm, discouragement, and failure. They would not be left to rely on only their own strength” (Gaebelein p. 232). The same arms that protected Israel in the past, would always be around her. 3.

Israel was extremely blessed!

Chapter 34 34:1-3 “the top of Pisgah probably refers to a ridge extending from the summit of Mount Nebo. The places Moses viewed start in the north and follow to the south in a counterclockwise direction” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 322). It also is clear that such a view of the land included supernatural elements.

“What drama! What pathos! What inward pain! What sense of accomplishment mixed with disappointment must have been in Moses’ mind as he looked over the land the Lord had promised to Israel!”(Gaebelein p. 234).

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34:4 God’s mention of the oath to Abraham reminded Moses that even though he was not allowed to lead the people into the Promised Land God would still be faithful to His promise to the patriarchs.

The Death of Moses 34:5-6 “He buried him”-The Lord himself buried Moses, possibly through the agency of His angels (Jude 9). “the servant of the Lord”-the prohibition against entering the land had not separated him from God. Something To Think About: I’m not sure if I believe all of the following or not, but it does make a person think: The actual place of Moses’ grave may have been hidden to prevent the Israelites from superstitiously worshipping at his tomb. “the Lord, by burying Moses Himself, wanted to honor His servant in Israel’s eyes, so that they might continue to value his work more. Part of this was that the grave remained unknown, since it served to emphasize the mysterious and wonderful nature of his death (and thus, by implication, also of his life work). But can we say more?

We know that on the Mount of Transfiguration the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus (Matthew 17:3). This would appear to suggest the view (also held by Jews) that Moses’ body was reunited with his soul after death.

Support for this might also be found in Jude 9, where the archangel Michael disputes with the devil over Moses’ body, which can be understood in the sense that Michael rescued Moses’ body from the power of the devil (Heb. 2:14)” (Ridderbos p. 317).

34:7 At 120, his sight was still good and his physical strength unimpaired.

34:10-12 In many ways, Moses had no equal in the OT. “A final evaluation is now given of the character of Moses. He was the greatest of Israel’s prophets (18:15-22; 12:6-8). He possessed an intimacy of fellowship with God unknown to others…He was unequaled in the performance of the signs and wonders which Yahweh sent him to perform in Egypt” (Thompson p. 320).

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