Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1 begins with Moses addressing the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. He recounts their journey from Mount Horeb (Sinai) through the wilderness, highlighting their rebellion and its consequences. Moses emphasizes the importance of obedience and faith in God's guidance and judgment. The chapter provides a crucial reminder of how past failures should inform future obedience.

Deuteronomy 1:1-3 (NKJV)
1 These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
2 It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.
3 Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them,

Moses begins his final discourse to the Israelites, reminding them of the places they traveled and how they reached the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan. The journey from Mount Horeb to Kadesh Barnea, where they first approached the Promised Land, should have taken only eleven days. However, because of disobedience and a lack of faith, their journey was extended to forty years. Moses spoke to them in the fortieth year after their departure from Egypt, summarizing God’s instructions and commandments.

Deuteronomy 1:4 (NKJV)
4 after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.

Moses mentions the victories over King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan, two powerful rulers who opposed Israel’s progress. These victories were significant because they demonstrated God's power and faithfulness to give Israel victories even before crossing into the Promised Land. These battles also served as encouragement for the Israelites, showing that God would continue to give them success over their enemies.

Deuteronomy 1:5 (NKJV)
5 On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying,

Moses stands on the eastern side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, and begins to explain God’s law in detail. This is the setting for the Book of Deuteronomy, where Moses reiterates the law before the Israelites enter the Promised Land. It was essential to remind the people of God’s commands before they faced new challenges in the land they were about to possess.

Deuteronomy 1:6-8 (NKJV)
6 “The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.
7 Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.
8 See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them.’”

God instructed the Israelites to leave Mount Horeb, where they had received the law, and to journey toward the land He promised their ancestors. The command was clear: the time had come to take possession of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This was both a command to move forward in faith and a reminder of the covenant that God had made with their forefathers, assuring them that the land was theirs to claim.

Deuteronomy 1:9-12 (NKJV)
9 “And I spoke to you at that time, saying: ‘I alone am not able to bear you.
10 The Lord your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude.
11 May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!
12 How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints?’”

Moses recalls the time when the Israelites had grown so numerous that he found it impossible to govern them alone. He acknowledged God's blessing in multiplying them but recognized that the weight of leadership was too heavy for him to bear alone. His prayer for them to be multiplied even further showed his deep concern for their continued blessing, but it also highlighted the need for additional leaders to assist in managing the people's issues.

Deuteronomy 1:13-15 (NKJV)
13 ‘Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.’
14 And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’
15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

Moses recounts how he delegated leadership to others by appointing wise and capable men to lead smaller groups of the Israelites. These leaders were to help share the burden of governance and judgment. This action not only lightened Moses' load but also ensured that justice and leadership were distributed among the people, making the community more organized and effective in dealing with problems.

Deuteronomy 1:16-18 (NKJV)
16 “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him.
17 You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’
18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.”

Moses gave instructions to the judges, emphasizing fairness and impartiality in their judgments. No one was to be treated differently based on status or wealth, and the judges were to administer justice with the understanding that judgment ultimately belonged to God. Moses also provided a system for handling difficult cases, where more challenging disputes could be brought to him for resolution. This system established an orderly process of justice among the people.

Deuteronomy 1:19-21 (NKJV)
19 “So we departed from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea.
20 And I said to you, ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us.
21 Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’

Moses recalls how the Israelites traveled from Mount Horeb through a challenging wilderness until they reached Kadesh Barnea, on the edge of the Promised Land. At that time, Moses encouraged the people to take possession of the land that God had given them. He reminded them not to be afraid or discouraged, as God had promised them the land and His presence was with them, guiding them toward their inheritance.

Deuteronomy 1:22-23 (NKJV)
22 “And every one of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.’
23 The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe.”

The Israelites requested to send spies into the Promised Land to scout the territory and determine the best route for entering. Moses agreed to this plan, and twelve men, one from each tribe, were chosen for the mission. While the idea seemed wise and practical, it would later lead to doubt and fear when the report from the spies caused many to lose faith in God’s promise.

Deuteronomy 1:24-25 (NKJV)
24 “And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out.
25 They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, ‘It is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us.’”

The twelve spies explored the land, reaching the Valley of Eshcol, where they gathered samples of the produce, particularly the abundant fruit. Upon returning, they confirmed that the land was indeed good and fruitful, as God had promised. This positive report should have encouraged the Israelites, but fear would soon override their faith, leading to rebellion.

Deuteronomy 1:26-28 (NKJV)
26 “Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God;
27 and you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
28 Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’

Despite the positive report, the Israelites rebelled, refusing to trust God’s promise. They let fear of the giants and fortified cities in the land overwhelm them, even accusing God of bringing them out of Egypt only to destroy them. This lack of faith and their unwillingness to move forward showed a deep distrust in God’s ability to fulfill His promises.

Deuteronomy 1:29-31 (NKJV)
29 “Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them.
30 The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,
31 and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’”

Moses reminded the Israelites not to be afraid, assuring them that God would fight for them just as He had done in Egypt and during their journey through the wilderness. God had protected and cared for them, carrying them like a father carries his child. Moses emphasized that they had already seen God’s power and faithfulness firsthand and should trust Him to deliver them once again.

Deuteronomy 1:32-33 (NKJV)
32 “Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God,
33 who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.”

Despite God’s past miracles and His continued guidance through the wilderness, the Israelites still failed to believe in His promises. God had gone ahead of them, preparing their way and leading them with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. However, their hearts were hardened, and they refused to trust in His protection and guidance.

Deuteronomy 1:34-36 (NKJV)
34 “And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying,
35 ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,
36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord.’”

God became angry with the Israelites for their rebellion and lack of faith, swearing that the current generation would not enter the Promised Land, except for Caleb. Caleb had demonstrated unwavering faith and courage, trusting in God’s promise even when others doubted. As a result, he and his descendants were granted the land he had walked on, showing the reward for faithful obedience.

Deuteronomy 1:37-38 (NKJV)
37 “The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there;
38 Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.’”

Moses mentions that he too was forbidden from entering the Promised Land due to his own disobedience. However, Joshua, his faithful assistant, would lead the people into the land. Moses was instructed to encourage and prepare Joshua for this role, knowing that Joshua would be the one to guide the Israelites into their inheritance.

Deuteronomy 1:39-40 (NKJV)
39 “Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.
40 But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.’”

God declared that the children, whom the Israelites feared would be harmed, would inherit the Promised Land instead. This new generation, who had not yet rebelled, would be the ones to possess it. Meanwhile, the current generation would have to turn back into the wilderness and wander, missing the opportunity to enter the land due to their disobedience.

Deuteronomy 1:41-43 (NKJV)
41 “Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And when every one of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain.
42 And the Lord said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.”’
43 So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the Lord, and presumptuously went up into the mountain.”

After realizing their sin, the Israelites attempted to go into battle on their own, hoping to make up for their rebellion. However, God had already pronounced judgment, and without His presence, their efforts were doomed to fail. Despite Moses’ warning, they proceeded with their plan, further disobeying God’s commands and demonstrating the consequences of acting without His blessing.

Deuteronomy 1:44-46 (NKJV)
44 “And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah.
45 Then you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.
46 So you remained in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you spent there.”

The Israelites faced defeat at the hands of the Amorites, who pursued them relentlessly, driving them away. Afterward, they wept before God, but it was too late. Their previous disobedience had sealed their fate, and God did not respond to their cries. They were forced to remain in Kadesh for an extended period, a direct result of their refusal to trust and obey God from the beginning.