The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 23

EXPOSITION.' the mind of the writer, was equivalent to CHAPTER I. "the congregation of Israel" (comp. e.g. Vere. 1-5.-In these verses wehavethein- Exod. xii. 3 with ver. 21; Lev. ix. 1 with ecription nnd genernl introduction to the book, ver. 5). But through whatever medium con- announring the contents of the hook, the veyed, it was to the people that these words were addressed; this is emphatically a book nuthor or it, the parties whom he addressed, for the people. On this side Jordan. This and the time and place of his addresses. should be On the other side or beyond Jordan, Ver. 1.-These be the words. Some would and so also in ver. 5, as in eh. iii. 20, 25. render here "Such are the words," and The word here nsed (i:;iv.) means properly understand the expression as referring to something beyond, over, or across, and in- the preceding books. But it seems more dicates that which, to the spenker, lies on natural to refer it to what follows-to the the other side of some line or limit. When addre~ses in this book. 'rhe pronoun these coupled with "the Jordnn," it nsually indi- (n?t;!) may be used with a prospeotive refer. cates the region to the east of that river; once, ns well as with a retrospectirn (cf. e.g. only in one or two instances, where the Gen. ii. 4; vi. 9). The author does not by speaker takes his standpoint on the east of this connect this book with the preceding, the river, does it designate the regions to but rnther distinguishes it. The subscrip- the west of Jordan (eh. iii. 25; xi. 30). The tion to Numbers (xxxvi. 13) indicates that phrase "beyontl Jord(m" seems to have what precedes is occupied chiefly wilh whnt been the established designation of the God spake to Moses ; the iuscri pt ion here region enst of the Jordan (cf. Ezrn iv. 10, iutimntes that what follows is whnt. Moses 11nd C,mon Rawlinson's note there). It is spnke to the people. This is the cha- this, unquestionably, which is here so de- racteristic of Deuteronomy. Unto all Israel. signated, as what follows expressly shows. It cannot be supposed that Moses spoke to The wildemess. This term is used of any the whole multitude of the people so as to extensive district not occupied by inh,ibi- he heard by them. Hence the Jewish inter- tauts or subjected to culture; hence of vast preters say thnt he spoke to the elders of the pmirics or pasture-lnuds, as well us of pll\ces people, who carried his words to the people p1·operly desert and desolate. It hero de- at largo. This is just; for what was thus notes the grassy plains or downs on the e11.st mediutcly communicated to the people might and south-east of the Jordan, in the laud of be fairly described ns spoken to them; and llloab (ver. 5). In the plain; in the' Ara bah. we find from other passages in thePentateuch This is properly the whole of tha.t remarknble that the phrase, "ihe elders of Isrnel," in depression which etretohes from the aourcll OEUTEllONOMY. 11  2 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [en. 1. 1-18,