Commentary on Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Our final reading from the book of Deuteronomy is also the whole of the final chapter of the book. It is also our last reading from the Pentateuch.

The death of Moses ends the long saga which began when he first received the call to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt, through the great experiences on Mount Sinai, the tribulations of the 40 years in the desert until the moment when they reach the threshold of the Promised Land.

As the reading opens, we see Moses leaving the plains of Moab and climbing Mount Nebo, described as:

…the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho.

He went in obedience to the Lord’s command (mentioned earlier—see Deut 32:48-52).

On the mountain, Moses has a vision which embraces the whole Promised Land, into which he will not go, but of which he thus takes possession on behalf of the people. While he could not actually see the whole territory with the naked eye from the top of the mountain:

…the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar.

Dan was in the very north of the country (the names of the provinces come from the names of Jacob’s sons).  Naphtali lay immediately to the south and southwest of Dan.  Manasseh and Ephraim occupied the centre of the country, just north of Jerusalem.  Judah stretched southwards from Jerusalem (Jerusalem was in Judah).  South of Judah was the Negeb, lying west of the Dead Sea.  Jericho was on the north end of the Dead Sea and Zoar at the southern end. The “Plain” refers the plain lying between the mountains of Moab, which lie to the east of the Dead Sea, and the River Jordan.

Pointing to the whole territory spread out below, Yahweh says to Moses:

This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob…I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.

Moses life work was now over. He had been shown the goal of all his labours, but not permitted to enjoy it. However, he did take possession of it in the name of the people.

Then we are told:

…Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command.

‘Servant of the Lord’ is a special title used to refer to those whom the Lord, as the Great King, has taken into his service; they serve as members of God’s royal administration. For example, it was used especially of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, the prophets, Israel collectively, and even a foreign king the Lord used to carry out his purposes (Nebuchadrezzar, see Jer 25:9). In Nebuchadrezzar’s case, the king becomes an instrument by which God can reveal his power and glory.

Earlier God told Moses he would actually die on Mount Nebo itself (Deut 32:50). He was buried in the valley below, in the country of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, to the east of the northern shores of the Dead Sea. However, the author says:

…no one knows his burial place to this day.

Moses was “was one hundred twenty years old when he died”, but in full use of his faculties:

his sight was unimpaired, and his vigor had not abated.

This is perhaps a round number, indicating three generations of about 40 years each.

The mourning by the Israelites went on for 30 days. Once this period was over, Joshua, son of Nun, assumed leadership. He was full of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him, and the Israelites accepted him as the successor to Moses.

In a final encomium, the author says:

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.

Finally, we are told Moses:

…was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

That is, no one could compare to Moses until the coming of Jesus (see the Letter to the Hebrews 3:1-6, where Moses the “servant” is contrasted with Christ the “son”).

We Christians also owe a lot to this great man. His story and the story of his people are also part of our story, part of our tradition and heritage. And it has much to teach us.