Deuteronomy 31:24

And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

Deuteronomy 31:24-28. DELIVERY OF THE BOOKS OF MOSES TO THE LEVITES.

(24) When Moses had made an end of writing.—This means the completion of the books of Moses as he delivered them to Israel; not merely Deuteronomy, as above, in Deuteronomy 31:9, but the whole, including the song mentioned in Deuteronomy 31:22. The song was probably the end of the book as delivered to them by Moses.

In a book.—’Al-sêpher; upon a roll. The Pentateuch is written upon a single roll to this day.

(25) The Levites, which bare the ark.—Observe this, and comp. Deuteronomy 31:9, above.

(26) In the side of the ark.—More literally, beside, Rashi says, “The wise men of Israel differ about this in the treatise Baba Bathra (in the Talmud). Some of them say there was a leaf or slab projecting from the ark outside, and there the book was placed. Others say that it was placed beside the tables of the covenant in the ark itself.”

(28) Gather unto me all the elders.—In like manner Joshua gave a special charge to the elders at the close of his life (Joshua 23).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

31:23-30 The solemn delivery of the book of the law to the Levites, to be deposited in, or rather by the side, of the ark, is again related. The song which follows in the next chapter is delivered to Moses, and by him to the people. He wrote it first, as the Holy Spirit taught him; and then spake it in the hearing of all the people. Moses tells them plainly, I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves. Many a sad thought, no doubt, it occasioned to this good man; but his comfort was, that he had done his duty, and that God would be glorified in their dispersion, if not in their settlement, for the foundation of God stands sure.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Moses completes the writing out of the book of the Law, and directs it to be placed by the ark of the covenant.

Deuteronomy 31:24

The "book" here spoken of would contain the whole Pentateuch up to this verse, and be "the Book of Moses," called generally by the Jews "the Law" (compare Matthew 22:40; Galatians 4:21).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. Now therefore write ye this song—National songs take deep hold of the memories and have a powerful influence in stirring the deepest feelings of a people. In accordance with this principle in human nature, a song was ordered to be composed by Moses, doubtless under divine inspiration, which was to be learnt by the Israelites themselves and to be taught to their children in every age, embodying the substance of the preceding addresses, and of a strain well suited to inspire the popular mind with a strong sense of God's favor to their nation.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book,.... In this book of Deuteronomy, and which concluded the Pentateuch:

until they were finished; all the words of the law, and the whole five books of Moses, excepting some few verses, Deuteronomy 34:1, which were added by another hand, Joshua or Ezra.

Geneva Study Bible

And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24. had made an end of writing the words of this law] If Law be the original reading, Deuteronomy 31:24-26 are not the sequel, but a parallel to Deuteronomy 31:9-13, for 9 also implies the completion of the writing of the Law in recording its delivery to the priests, the sons of Levi. But, as already said, it has been conjectured that for Law = Tôrah we should read Song = Shîrah.

until they were finished] Deuteronomy 31:30, Deuteronomy 2:15; cp. Joshua 4:10; Joshua 5:6; Joshua 8:24; Joshua 10:20.

24–30. Again the Law-Book (?) and the Song

A less vague description of these vv. is not possible. The text says that Moses having written the Law in a book charged the Levites to put it beside the Ark as a witness against thee (Deuteronomy 31:24-26). For Israel, which has been rebellious in his life—here the address changes from Sg. to Pl.—will be more so after his death (Deuteronomy 31:27). They shall assemble the elders of their tribes and officers that he may recite to them these words and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For after his death they will corrupt themselves and evil will befall them in the latter days (Deuteronomy 31:28-30).—These words can hardly refer to the Law, already recited to the people; they must be the words of this Song (Deuteronomy 31:30) which follows in 32. If the text be original which reads Tôrah = Law in Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 31:26, then Deuteronomy 31:24-26 are parallel (not consecutive) to Deuteronomy 31:9-13, and we cannot conjecture a reason for separating the two passages by Deuteronomy 31:14-23, on Joshua and the Song.

Staerk (followed by Steuern. and Berth.) holds that Tôrah was originally Shîrah = Song. This conjecture is attractive. It restores unity to Deuteronomy 31:24-30 and their natural connection with Deuteronomy 31:16-22, and gets rid of the improbable fact that both Law and Song are described as witness against Israel; note too that this book (Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 31:26) is not to be put in, but beside, the Ark. At the same time there is no other evidence (in the versions or elsewhere) that Shîrah may have stood in place of Tôrah, the Law may equally well with the Song be described as a witness against Israel, and the phrase these words more usually refers to what precedes than to what follows it. Notice a symptom of compilation, in that while the Levites are addressed in Deuteronomy 31:25 it is all Israel, against thee, which is addressed in Deuteronomy 31:26. The whole passage is therefore editorial, and the questions it raises are insoluble by us.

Staerk distinguishes two introductions to the Song, Deuteronomy 31:16-22; Deuteronomy 31:24-30, and so independently Driver; note the difference in their styles. Cullen (p. 181) retains the reading Tôrah = Law, and takes Deuteronomy 31:24-29 as a later addition to Deuteronomy 31:9-13, the original conclusion of the epilogue to the Code of D composed when Israel’s attitude to this was still satisfactory, and added when the nation fell away. For another view see the Oxf. Hex.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 24-29. - After the installation of Joshua, only one thing remained for Moses to do that all things might be set in order before his departure. This was the finishing of the writing of the Book of the Law, and the committing it finally to the priests, to be by them placed by the ark of the covenant, that it might be kept for all future generations as a witness against the people, whose apostasy and rebellion were foreseen. Whether this section is to be regarded as wholly written by Moses himself, or as an appendix to his writing added by some other writer, has been made matter of question. It is quite possible, however, that Moses himself, ere he laid down the pen, may have recorded what he said when delivering the Book of the Law to the priests, and there is nothing in the manner or style of the record to render it probable that it was added by another. What follows from ver. 30 to the end of the book was probably added to the writing of Moses by some one after his death, though, of course, both the song in Deuteronomy 32, and the blessing in Deuteronomy 33, are the composition of Moses (see Introduction, § 6). Deuteronomy 31:24

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

With the installation of Joshua on the part of God, the official life of Moses was brought to a close. Having returned from the tabernacle, he finished the writing out of the laws, and then gave the book of the law to the Levites, with a command to put it by the side of the ark of the covenant, that it might be there for a witness against the people, as He knew its rebellion and stiffneckedness (Deuteronomy 31:24-27). על־ספר כּתב, to write upon a book, equivalent to write down, commit to writing. תּמּם עד, till their being finished, i.e., complete. By the "Levites who bare the ark of the covenant" we are not to understand ordinary Levites, but the Levitical priests, who were entrusted with the ark. "The Levites" is simply a contraction for the full expression, "the priests the sons of Levi" (Deuteronomy 31:9). It is true that, according to Numbers 4:4., the Kohathites were appointed to carry the holy vessels, which included the ark of the covenant, on the journey through the desert; but it was the priests, and not they, who were the true bearers and guardians of the holy things, as we may see from the fact that the priests had first of all to wrap up these holy things in a careful manner, before they handed them over to the Kohathites, that they might not touch the holy things and die (Numbers 4:15). Hence we find that on solemn occasions, when the ark was to be brought out in all its full significance and glory, - as, for example, in the crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3:3., Deuteronomy 4:9-10), when encompassing Jericho (Joshua 6:6, Joshua 6:12), at the setting up of the law on Ebal and Gerizim (Joshua 8:33), and at the consecration of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:3), - it was not by the Levites, but by the priests, that the ark of the covenant was borne. In fact the Levites were, strictly speaking, only their (the priests') servants, who relieved them of this and the other labour, so that what they did was done in a certain sense through them. If the (non-priestly) Levites were not to touch the ark of the covenant, and not even to put in the poles (Numbers 4:6), Moses would not have handed over the law-book, to be kept by the ark of the covenant to them, but to the priests. ארון מצּד, at the side of the ark, or, according to the paraphrase of Jonathan, "in a case on the right side of the ark of the covenant," which may be correct, although we must not think of this case, as many of the early theologians do, as a secondary ark attached to the ark of the covenant (see Lundius, Jd. Heiligth. pp. 73, 74). The tables of the law were deposited in the ark (Exodus 25:16; Exodus 40:20), and the book of the law was to be kept by its side. As it formed, from its very nature, simply an elaborate commentary upon the decalogue, it was also to have its place outwardly as an accompaniment to the tables of the law, for a witness against the people, in the same manner as the song in the mouth of the people (Deuteronomy 31:21). For, as Moses adds in Deuteronomy 31:27, in explanation of his instructions, "I know thy rebelliousness, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord (vid., Deuteronomy 9:7); and how much more after my death."

With these words Moses handed over the complete book of the law to the Levitical priests. For although the handing over is not expressly mentioned, it is unquestionably implied in the words, "Take this book, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant," as the finishing of the writing of the laws is mentioned immediately before. But if Moses finished the writing of the law after he had received instructions from the Lord to compose the ode, what he wrote will reach to Deuteronomy 31:23; and what follows from Deuteronomy 31:24 onwards will form the appendix to his work by a different hand.

(Note: The objection brought against this view by Riehm, namely, that "it founders on the fact that the style and language in Deuteronomy 31:24-30 and Deuteronomy 32:44-47 are just the same as in the earlier portion of the book," simply shows that he has not taken into consideration that, with the simple style adopted in Hebrew narrative, we could hardly expect in eleven verses, which contain for the most part simply words and sayings of Moses, to find any very striking difference of language or of style. This objection, therefore, merely proves that no valid arguments can be adduced against the view in question.)

The supposition that Moses himself inserted his instructions concerning the preservation of the book of the law, and the ode which follows, is certainly possible, but not probable. The decision as to the place where it should be kept was not of such importance as to need insertion in the book of the law, since sufficient provision for its safe keeping had been made by the directions in Deuteronomy 31:9.; and although God had commanded him to write the ode, it was not for the purpose of inserting it on the Thorah as an essential portion of it, but to let the people learn it, to put it in the mouth of the people. The allusion to this ode in Deuteronomy 31:19. furnishes no conclusive evidence, either that Moses himself included it in the law-book which he had written with the account of his oration in Deuteronomy 31:28-30 and Deuteronomy 32:1-43, or that the appendix which Moses did not write commences at Deuteronomy 31:14 of this chapter. For all that follows with certainty from the expression "this song" (Deuteronomy 31:19 and Deuteronomy 31:22), which certainly points to the song in ch. 32, is that Moses himself handed over the ode to the priests with the complete book of the law, as a supplement to the law, and that this ode was then inserted by the writer of the appendix in the appendix itself.