John Gill Commentary Deuteronomy 31:14

John Gill Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:14

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:14

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting." — Deuteronomy 31:14 (ASV)

And the Lord said to Moses
Either at the same time, or quickly after; rather, perhaps, the same day:

behold, your days approach that you must die ;
which does not necessarily imply that he had some days to live, though but few; but that the time of his death drew nigh, his last moments were approaching; the time of his death being, as every man's is, fixed by the Lord, with whom is the number of his years, months, days, and moments, beyond which he cannot pass, (Job 14:5) ;

call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the
congregation, that I may give him a charge ;
this looks as if the people had been dismissed after the above exhortations given; and now Joshua was called, and Moses with him, to have a charge given him:

and Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle
of the congregation ;
before the Lord. Aben Ezra says, Moses went from the camp of Israel where he was, to the camp of the Shechinah; the Jews pretend to know in what form they walked thither. Moses, they say F1 , went on the left hand of Joshua; and they went to the tabernacle, and the pillar of cloud descended and separated between them.


FOOTNOTES:

  • F1: Debarim Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 244. 2.