31:1
We have now finished the giving of the Law and are preparing for entering the Promised Land and the handover of the leadership to Joshua. The first three chapters of Deuteronomy dealt with Moses recounting how they had got to where they were, i.e. they are looking backwards. We are now looking forwards to the next phase.
31:2
Moses was one hundred and twenty years old, and his life is divided into three forty year segments: his early years and then time in the palace of Pharaoh, the forty years in exile, and the forty years leading Israel. He was no longer able to lead them. There were two reasons for this, one was his age, the other was that God had told him that he would not cross the Jordan because of his disobedience (Num 20:12). There is earlier reference to this in Deuteronomy, 3:23-29. In earlier mentions of this there seems to be some resentment on Moses’ part against the people, but here we find none of that. Instead Moses is preparing the people and Joshua for the next phase.
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