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Deuteronomy 34

W
The Whosoever Study Bible
Whosoever will, may come.
the fifth book of moses, called deuteronomy
Moses · c. 1406 BC
Chapter the Thirty-fourth
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,
And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.
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Chuck Smith on Deuteronomy 34

Verse by verse, the C2000 series. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
Verse 1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead, clear unto Dan ( Deuteronomy 34:1 ), From Mount Pisgah there he could see clear up to the area of Mount Hermon. Dan is right down near the base of Mount Hermon. Looking clear up to Dan, on a clear day you can get a beautiful view. And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, (clear across the land) And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm tress, even to Zoar, (which is the bottom part of the Dead Sea area) And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I will give it unto your seed: I will cause thee to see it with your eyes, but you will not go over. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD ( Deuteronomy 34:2-5 ). Verses 2-12 And He, that is God, buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-Peor, but no man knows of his sepulchre unto this day. Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eyes were not dim, nor his natural force abated ( Deuteronomy 34:7 ). So, a hundred and twenty-year old man; he died and God buried him. Now we are told in the book of Jude that Satan and Michael had a dispute over the body of Moses. God buried him, but not before there was a dispute over his body. They never did find where God buried him. His sepulchre remains a mystery. But he went up to Pisgah, and there in one of the valleys he died, and God buried him after Michael and Satan had a big roar over the thing, according to Jude. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses. But there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, In all the signs and wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel ( Deuteronomy 34:9-12 ). Now this last part was probably written by Joshua. Surely Moses didn't write the account of his own death. But Joshua no doubt took up and finished the book as he spoke of the prophet Moses in all of the history of Israel never an equal to this man, until of course Jesus who was more than a prophet, the Son of God. Shall we stand? Next week Judges, and we are taking eight chapters. Joshua, eight chapters. Joshua is a very exciting book as they begin to conquer the land that God had given them. We'll take it in eight, going through Joshua. Father, we thank you now for the opportunity of studying Your Word again tonight and may Your Holy Spirit hide now Thy truth within our hearts that we would not sin against You. Lord, help us to learn that You have set before us life and death, blessing and curse and it is ours to choose. And may we choose that life that You have given to us in Jesus Christ, confessing Him now as Lord, believing Lord that you rose Him from the dead. We thank You that we have that life and that salvation tonight. Thank You, Lord for Your everlasting arms. Thank You, Lord for the stirring of the nest when You are trying to teach us to grow. May we learn those lessons and may we grow into that full maturity in Christ Jesus our Lord. In His name we pray. "

Commentary on Deuteronomy 34

Whosoever Will · the Seven Threads Commentary

Deuteronomy 34:1

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:2

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:3

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:4

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:5

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:6

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:7

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:8

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:9

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:10

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:11

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9

Deuteronomy 34:12

The blessing of Moses over the twelve tribes in chapter 33 mirrors Jacob's blessing of his sons in Genesis 49. The two great patriarchs of Israel's history close their lives in the same posture: speaking over the covenant people the future that God has shown them. Tribe by tribe Moses speaks: Reuben's survival, Judah's battle-strength, Levi's priestly calling, Benjamin's protection, Joseph's abundant blessing, Zebulun and Issachar's coastal wealth, Gad's lion-likeness, Dan's leap, Naphtali's fullness, Asher's olive oil. And then the concluding doxology, not tribe-specific but encompassing: there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Me'onah Elohei qedem. Zero'ot olam. The dwelling-refuge and the arms of eternity. Thread 1 is in the zero'ot olam: the everlasting arms. The image is of the arms that are always beneath, always bearing up, always there in the position of support. The reaching God reaches even from below, carrying the weight that the people cannot carry. Moses ends his farewell with this image. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. He goes up to Nebo. He sees the whole land, from Dan to Negeb, from the sea to the Jordan valley, in a panoramic divine vision. He sees what he will not enter. And then: Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him, vayyiqbor oto. The subject is the LORD himself; God buried Moses in a valley whose location no one knows. And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. The Mosaic dispensation closes with this eulogy: no one before, no one since, until the one who was the greater Moses that Deuteronomy 18:15 promised. Thread 5 is the closing of an era. Thread 4 is the face-to-face knowing that Moses's life of genuine response produced.
The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: the closing benediction of Moses over the twelve tribes before his death; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day: Moses dies and is buried by God himself and the grave is hidden; the closing of an era.
מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתַּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם (me'onah Elohei qedem u-mi-tachat zero'ot olam): the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms: me'onah (dwelling, refuge, lair, from the same root as ma'on in Psalm 90:1 where Moses wrote Lord thou hast been our dwelling place; Moses closes Deuteronomy with the same dwelling-language he opened his wilderness psalm with); zero'ot olam (the arms of eternity, zero'ot, arms, the outstretched arms of strength and support; olam, the age, eternity; Thread 1: the reaching arms beneath, always there)
threads t1 · t2 · t4 · see Genesis 49:1-28 · Psalm 90:1 · Jude 9
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