Albert Barnes Commentary Deuteronomy 1:1-2

"These are the words which Moses spake unto all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah over against Suph, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Di-zahab. It is eleven days` [journey] from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea." — Deuteronomy 1:1-2 (ASV)

These verses serve as a connecting link between the contents of the preceding books and that of Deuteronomy, which now follows. The meaning of the passage could be stated as follows: “The discourses of Moses to the people up to the eleventh month of the fortieth year have now been recorded.”

The proper names that follow seem to belong to places where “words” of remarkable importance were spoken. Jewish commentators refer them to the spots that witnessed the people's more specific sins, and their mention here is interpreted as a significant rebuke. The Book of Deuteronomy is known among the Jews as “the book of reproofs.”

On this side of Jordan – Rather, “beyond Jordan” (as in Deuteronomy 3:20, Deuteronomy 3:25). The phrase was a standard designation for the district east of Jordan, and at times, when Greek became commonly spoken in the country, it was precisely represented by the proper name Peraea.

In the wilderness, in the plain – The first term generally denotes the Desert of Arabia; the latter was the sterile tract (the ‘Arabah,’ see note on Numbers 21:4) that stretches along the lower Jordan to the Dead Sea and continues from there to the Gulf of Aqaba.

Over against the Red Sea – This should be rendered: “over against Suph.” “Sea” is not in the original text. “Suph” is either the pass Es Sufah near Ain-el-Weibeh (see note on Numbers 13:26), or the name of the alluvial district (see note on Numbers 21:14).

Tophel is identified with Tufileh, the Tafyle of Burckhardt, still a considerable place, located a short distance southeast of the Dead Sea. Paran is probably “Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33:2) or a city of the same name near the mountain .

Laban is generally identified with Libnah (Numbers 33:20), and Hazeroth with Ain Hadherah (see note on Numbers 11:34); but the position of Dizahab is uncertain.

(Deuteronomy 1:2) For Kadesh, see note on Numbers 13:26; and for Horeb, see Exodus 3:1.