The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 190

CHAPTER X. interceded, God commanded him to prepare two new tables of stone, and to construct an RENEWED EXHORTATIONS TO OBEDIENCE. ark in which to keep them (cf. Exod. xxxiv. Vers. 1-11.--Mosu' i11UTceasion and it., 1, etc.). Directions bad been given for the ruulu. construction of the 11rk before the npostacy Ver. 1.-At tbat tilno. When Mo11611 th1111 of the people, a11d it Wl\8 11ot P11'de tUl -.rter UJI, X. 1-22,) 'l'llE BOOK OI!' DEUTEP.O~OMY. li9 --------------------- --------- ------- the t.11hcrnnclo hod Leen oroctod, nor were eom to tho priesthoorl (Numb. iii. 1). The tho tubles plitcc<l in it till tho t11bernn.cle service to which the triho of Lc·,i w,i~ ]lfLcl Leon oonsccmtccl (cf. Exocl. xxv. 10, chosen npperto.ined to the tribe "" such cto.; xl. 20). But ns tho things themselves inclurling tho priests ns well as tho nnn~ we, o closely co11ncctecl, Mosos mentions priestly Levites, though prtrt., of it apecialtv them hero together, without rego.rcl to chro- belongecl to the one class rather than the nologico.l or<lor. other. Thus the bee.ring of the ark was Vcrs, 6, 7.-Not only <lid Goel, of his the special cluty of non:pri,·stly Levites, tl,o J?:Taco nn<l in I"esponse to tl,e intercess-ion Kohathites (Numb. iv. 4, etc.; 1 Citron. xv. of l\loses, give to the people, notwithsto.ncling l:\); but was also, on peculiarly s0lem11 their o.posto.cy, tho o.rk of the coveno.nt with occasions, discharged by the priests (Josh. the now tables of tho Lo.w, but he followecl iii. G, etc.; vi. 6; viii. 3:3; 1 Kings viii. ~, this up by instituting the high priesthood; 6, etc.). To stand before the Lord to minister ancl, when Aaron died, co.used it to be con- unto him was the special funrtion of the tiuue<l to his son Eleo.zar. This Moses priests (eh. xvii. 12; xxi. 5; Ezra xl. 4i;: reminds the people of by referring to o. fact xliv. 15, 16); but as the service of the in their "po.st history, viz. their arrival at Levites was also a sacrer! service, they too l\Iosero, where Aarnn died, and Eleaza.r a.re saicl to stRncl to minister before the succc eded him in his office. Beeroth of the Lord (eh, xviii. 7; 1 Cliron. xv. 2; 2 Chron. children of J a.e.kan ( 1oells of the sons of xxiii. 6; xxi.x. 4, 5, 11, 12 ). To bless in Jaalcan); the same plo.ce ns Bene-jRakan his name does not mean, as some pro- (Numb. x.x.xiii. 31), probably the Horite pose, to invoke the Name of God, or to tribe, called 'Ako.n (Gen. xxxvi. 27), for praise his Name, but to pronounce a bene- which, apparently, should be rearl Jakan, diction or invoke e. blessing on the people as in 1 Chron. i. 42. Mosera; l\Ioseroth, in his Name (cf. 2 Sam. vi. 18; 1 Chron. plu. of Mosere. (Numb. xxxiii. 30). As xvi. 2), This was the special duty of tho Aaron died there, Mosera must ho.ve been priests (cf. Numb. vi. 22-27; eh. xxi. 5; in the vicinity of Mount Hor. Gudgode.h, I Chron. xxiii. 13), but might also be clone Hor-hagiclgad (Numb. xxxiii. 32); cave of by others (as by David), and in this benc- Gidgad, a. pie.ea of co.ves. Jotbath, Jotbathah dictiou the Levites might join (2 Chron. (Numb. xxxiii. 33), e. district abounding iu IXV. 27). streams, whence probably its name, Jut- Ver. 9.-(Cf. Numb. xviiL 20-2!.) batliah, pleasantness, from :ii;i;, to be good, to Vere. 10, 11.-Moses here sums up the please.. None of these places have been general result of his intercession. As at identified. Robihson mentions o Wady el the first, he was ou the mount the seconcl Ghe.deghidh, e. broad sandy volley diverging time forty days and forty nights; and in from the We.cly es Jeril.feh, in the desert of response to his pleading, the Lord willecl not Et-Tih, and this has been supposed to indi- to destMy Israel, and comrna.ndecl him to cate the site of Gudgode.h; but the differ- resume his place as leader of the people, ence of the consonauts in the two words is and conduct them to the prom.isecl land. such e.s to rernler this identification more "This commandment and promise was a. than doubtful. In the Arabio of the London testimony that Goel now wo.s reconciled unto them by the intercession of Moses" ( A.ill::1- Polyglott, ;m,l is represented by ~~ worth). (Judjuda), which is totally different from Vera. 12, 13.-God ha.cl showed great Ghadaghidh. All the places, however, must favour to Israel; what return <lid he re- have been in the 'Ara.bah, ancl in the region quire? Only what, without any prescription, of Mount Hor, or not far distant. That they were bound to render- fear, love, a.nu the places mentioned here e.re the same o.s obedience (comp. Micah vi. 8). To fear the those in Number, cannot be doubted. The Lord thy God (cf. eh. vi. 2, 13). To walk in two passages, however, l'elo.te to different a.11 his we.ye; to receive his truth, accept his journeys; that in Numbers to the journey- faw and follow the course of conduct which ing of tho Israelites from the wilderness of he prescribes (cf. Gen. xviii. rn; Ps. xxv. Sinai to Kadesh, that in Deuteronomy to 4, 5; l.xvii. 2; Acts xviii. 25, 26). To love the mo.rch in the fortieth year, when they him (cf. Exod. x.."C. 6). "Feo.r iiritli. love! went from Kadesh to Mount Hor. Love without fear relaxes; fenr w1thont Vera. 8, 9.-Moscs, hero resuming the love enslaves, and leads to despair" (J. form of e.cldress, refers to the separation of Gerhard). '1.'here is e. fear with which love the tribe of Levi to the holy service. cannot coexi:!t-o. fear which ha.th torment, Ver. 8.-At that time; the time when the ancl which love casts out o.s its antagonist covenant \V(IB reshored o.t Sin(li, not the (1 John iv. IS); but the fet1r of Gou which time when Anron diecl. The appointment he requires is that pious revereuca which. of the tribe of Levi for service took place not only can coexist with love to him, but iu oonuection with tlui.t of ;\uron l\Ud his is not where love is not. 4nd to ~erve the  180 THE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [en. :x. 1-22.