(Deuteronomy 34:1 - 34:12)
From the plains of Moab, Moses climbed Mount Nebo to the summit of Pisgah, across the river from Jericho. Jehovah revealed to him the entire land from Gilead as far as Dan, all the territory of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah extending to the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev, the whole region of the Jordan Valley from Jericho, the city of palms, to Zoar. Jehovah said to him, “This is the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I swore, ‘I will give this to your descendants.’ I have let you see the land with your own eyes, but you won’t go over there.”
And so Moses, the servant of Jehovah, died in the land of Moab, according to the will of Jehovah. Jehovah buried him in Moab in a valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows the exact location. Moses was 120 years old when he died, but neither his eyesight nor his vitality had diminished. The Israelites grieved for Moses on the plains of Moab for 30 days, until the customary period of mourning had ended.
Joshua son of Nun was now instilled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid hands on him. So the Israelites now obeyed him as Jehovah had commanded Moses they should do.
There has not arisen in Israel a prophet to compare with Moses, whom Jehovah knew personally. Jehovah sent him to perform miracles and wonders in Egypt against the Pharaoh, his officials, and the entire country. And with his awesome power Moses wrought these horrific acts of terror before the eyes of all Israel.
Notes
1. Moses was apparently in good health when he died. He needed to be, in order to be able to climb Mount Nebo, which is well over 2000 feet above the Jordan Valley. Of what then did Moses die? Did Jehovah, finished with him, simply put him down like an aged family pet?
2. While the text insists that Moses was 120 years old when he died, we have seen that the Books of Moses consistently give preposterously, if not impossibly long life spans for the Hebrew forefathers. The chronology of events and mere common sense suggest that Moses would have been many decades younger, even granted that the Israelites did wander as much as 40 years in the desert. The time between Moses’ exile from Egypt and his return as Jehovah’s emissary and the Israelites’ spokesman could not have been more than a few years, not the many decades suggested in the biblical text. If Moses had been 120 years old, he would have been 80 years older than any of the people he led (excepting Joshua and Caleb).
3. The view from Mount Nebo remains impressive, south to the Dead Sea, west to Jericho and even the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. However, the entire land can by no means be seen, irrespective of atmospheric conditions. If Moses could see the Mediterranean and the territory of Dan, he must have been granted superhuman vision.
4. Moses is unique among biblical figures in that his burial place was purposely kept secret. Apparently Jehovah buried him himself so that none of the Israelites would know the location of the grave. (Did the Israelite god use a shovel?) The only explanation for this would be to prevent the grave site from becoming a site of idolatrous veneration.
5. Joshua becomes the new leader of the Israelites. He is, after Moses’ death, inspired in some way because Moses put his hands on him. Was this merely ceremonial, or was something real, some power, some wisdom, some aptitude for divine communion conveyed to him by Moses’ touch?
6. Moses would be the last prophet that Jehovah would know personally. Is this due to Jehovah’s unwillingness to have direct relations with any of Moses’ successors or to Jehovah’s physical absence from the earth?
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Moses' Final Blessing
(Deuteronomy 32:48 - 33:29)
On that very day Jehovah told Moses, “Ascend Mount Nebo of the Abarim range in Moab, across from Jericho. There you can look out upon Canaan, which I am giving to people of Israel to occupy. There, on the mountain you have ascended, you will die and join your ancestors, just as your brother died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. Because you broke faith with me in front of the people of Israel at the oasis of Meribah-Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and failed to show the reverence due to me as a god, you will only be able to view from a distance the land I am giving the Israelite people. You will not enter it!”
This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the Israelite people before his death:
“Jehovah came up from Sinai, he dawned over us in Seir and shone upon us from Mount Paran. He arose in the midst of his myriad devotees and his law was a fire in his right hand. Indeed he loved his people and his worshipers were under his protection. They knelt at his feet and listened to his teachings. The law given to us by Moses will always belong to Jacob’s congregation. Jehovah became the king of dear Israel when the tribal leaders assembled and all the tribes gathered together as a single nation.”
“Let the tribe of Reuben prosper and survive, although they are few in number.”
And of Judah, Moses said this, “Hear, O Jehovah, the plea of Judah, and reunite him with his people. Use your power to defend him and to support him against his enemies.”
Of Levi he said, “His Thummim and Urim belong to his faithful god that he tested at Massah and opposed at the oasis of Meribah. To his father and mother, he shows no bias. He gives no preferential treatment to his relatives nor does he do special favors for his children; he upholds your word and preserves your contract. He teaches your instructions to Jacob, your law to Israel. He offers incense to you and makes the burnt sacrifices upon the altar. Bless, O Jehovah, his ministry and receive with acceptance his handiwork. Whack in the groin those that rise against him, his enemies, so that they may threaten him no more.”
Of Benjamin, he said, “The beloved of Jehovah lives in safety by him, for Jehovah protects him all day long and carries him on his shoulders.”
Of Joseph he said, “May Jehovah bless his lands with the precious dew of heaven above and the waters of the deep below, with the bounty of the sun and the harvests of the moon, with the produce of the ancient mountains and the fertility of the eternal hills, with the finest fruits of the earth and its abundance. Let the favor of the one who manifested himself in the burning bush rest upon the head of Joseph; let it be like a crown upon the brow of he who was separated from his brothers. He has the majesty of a firstborn bull with horns like those of a wild ox. He will gore nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Thus are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh.”
Of Zebulun he said, “May you prosper, Zebulun, when you go out to journey and Isacchar, when you remain at home in your tent. They will summon the people to their mountains so that they may make the proper sacrifices. They will nourish themselves with the wealth of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Of Gad he said, “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad, who is crouched like a lion ready to tear off an arm or a head. He took the best land for himself, reserving a captain’s share. When the tribal chieftains were assembled, he carried out Jehovah’s justice and enforced his regulations among the Israelites.”
Of Dan he said, “Dan is like a lion cub that leaps out of Bashan.”
Of Naphtali he said, “Naphtali is highly favored by Jehovah and enjoys his full blessings. He will settle on the land in the south and the west.”
Of Asher he said, “May he be blessed above the other sons. Let him be held in respect by his brothers. May he dip his feet in olive oil. May the latches of his gates be of iron and bronze so that he may be strong all of his days.
“There is no one like the god of dear Israel who comes to your aid from the sky, flying majestically through the clouds. The everlasting god is your refuge. Under you are his everlasting arms supporting you. He expels the enemies before you and cries out, ‘Destroy them!’ So Israel will dwell in safety; Jacob’s abode is his alone, a land of grain and new wine nurtured by the dew that drops from the heavens.
“How blessed are you, Israel. Who else is like you, a people saved by Jehovah. He is your protective shield and conquering sword. Your enemies will kowtow before you, but you will stomp on their backs!”
Notes
1. There are two accounts in the Books of Moses of an incident that occurred in Meribah. In Exodus the people complain to Moses about the lack of water. Moses appeals to Jehovah and at his behest strikes with his rod a rock, out of which water gushes. In Numbers there is a similar story, but in it Moses does not follow Jehovah’s instructions precisely. Instead of addressing the rock, he addresses the Israelites and strikes the rock twice. A rush of fresh water results, but Jehovah is angry and insulted that Moses did not obey him. For his lack of respect to his divinity Moses is denied entry into the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy it is suggested that Moses is being punished not for his own lack of respect, but for that exhibited by the Israelites, the people he is leading. Meribah was likely located near Kadesh-Barnea on what is now the western border of Israel midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The Desert of Zin lies to the east, southwest of the Dead Sea. Mount Paran and the Desert of Paran lies in western Arabia near Mecca. Seir was a mountain range that extended from the Dead Sea to Aqaba. Mount Hor (not the northern Mount Hor that defined the northern boundary of Israel) was the place of Aaron’s death. Located in this mountain range, it is now called Mount Harun. Bashan was a kingdom on the west bank of the Jordan ruled by Og until the Israelites defeated him. What Bashan had to do with the tribe of Dan is not explained. Bashan was given to Manasseh, not Dan, whose portion was along the Mediterranean coast and couldn’t have been farther away from Bashan.
2. Moses blessings of the various tribes of Israel are muddled and disjointed, making little real sense. There are few actual benedictions; some tribes merit only comments. Simeon is left out, perhaps because their land lay within that of Judah. (Still, it does seem an unaccountable slight.) The blessings reflect the relative importance of the tribes from a much later date, which is not surprising since the entire book is highly anachronistic and represents the point of view of later priests, not of Moses. Some of the text is garbled and many verses are generally thought by scholars to be a later additions to the book.
3. The reference to Jehovah flying through the sky supports the theory that Jehovah was an extraterrestrial whose “pillar of cloud” was an aerial vehicle.
4. The blessings, such as they are, never go much beyond having bountiful harvests and being triumphant over enemies. These are still quite primitive times and the thinking of Moses (and Jehovah) never goes beyond the elemental. There seems to be no aspirations to build magnificent cities (like the Egyptians), to develop creature comforts (like the indoor plumbing the Minoans had), to create an efficient government (as the Persians and Romans would do), or to cultivate the civilized disciplines, such as philosophy, science, literature, art, and music (as the Greeks did).
On that very day Jehovah told Moses, “Ascend Mount Nebo of the Abarim range in Moab, across from Jericho. There you can look out upon Canaan, which I am giving to people of Israel to occupy. There, on the mountain you have ascended, you will die and join your ancestors, just as your brother died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. Because you broke faith with me in front of the people of Israel at the oasis of Meribah-Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and failed to show the reverence due to me as a god, you will only be able to view from a distance the land I am giving the Israelite people. You will not enter it!”
This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the Israelite people before his death:
“Jehovah came up from Sinai, he dawned over us in Seir and shone upon us from Mount Paran. He arose in the midst of his myriad devotees and his law was a fire in his right hand. Indeed he loved his people and his worshipers were under his protection. They knelt at his feet and listened to his teachings. The law given to us by Moses will always belong to Jacob’s congregation. Jehovah became the king of dear Israel when the tribal leaders assembled and all the tribes gathered together as a single nation.”
“Let the tribe of Reuben prosper and survive, although they are few in number.”
And of Judah, Moses said this, “Hear, O Jehovah, the plea of Judah, and reunite him with his people. Use your power to defend him and to support him against his enemies.”
Of Levi he said, “His Thummim and Urim belong to his faithful god that he tested at Massah and opposed at the oasis of Meribah. To his father and mother, he shows no bias. He gives no preferential treatment to his relatives nor does he do special favors for his children; he upholds your word and preserves your contract. He teaches your instructions to Jacob, your law to Israel. He offers incense to you and makes the burnt sacrifices upon the altar. Bless, O Jehovah, his ministry and receive with acceptance his handiwork. Whack in the groin those that rise against him, his enemies, so that they may threaten him no more.”
Of Benjamin, he said, “The beloved of Jehovah lives in safety by him, for Jehovah protects him all day long and carries him on his shoulders.”
Of Joseph he said, “May Jehovah bless his lands with the precious dew of heaven above and the waters of the deep below, with the bounty of the sun and the harvests of the moon, with the produce of the ancient mountains and the fertility of the eternal hills, with the finest fruits of the earth and its abundance. Let the favor of the one who manifested himself in the burning bush rest upon the head of Joseph; let it be like a crown upon the brow of he who was separated from his brothers. He has the majesty of a firstborn bull with horns like those of a wild ox. He will gore nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Thus are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh.”
Of Zebulun he said, “May you prosper, Zebulun, when you go out to journey and Isacchar, when you remain at home in your tent. They will summon the people to their mountains so that they may make the proper sacrifices. They will nourish themselves with the wealth of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Of Gad he said, “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad, who is crouched like a lion ready to tear off an arm or a head. He took the best land for himself, reserving a captain’s share. When the tribal chieftains were assembled, he carried out Jehovah’s justice and enforced his regulations among the Israelites.”
Of Dan he said, “Dan is like a lion cub that leaps out of Bashan.”
Of Naphtali he said, “Naphtali is highly favored by Jehovah and enjoys his full blessings. He will settle on the land in the south and the west.”
Of Asher he said, “May he be blessed above the other sons. Let him be held in respect by his brothers. May he dip his feet in olive oil. May the latches of his gates be of iron and bronze so that he may be strong all of his days.
“There is no one like the god of dear Israel who comes to your aid from the sky, flying majestically through the clouds. The everlasting god is your refuge. Under you are his everlasting arms supporting you. He expels the enemies before you and cries out, ‘Destroy them!’ So Israel will dwell in safety; Jacob’s abode is his alone, a land of grain and new wine nurtured by the dew that drops from the heavens.
“How blessed are you, Israel. Who else is like you, a people saved by Jehovah. He is your protective shield and conquering sword. Your enemies will kowtow before you, but you will stomp on their backs!”
Notes
1. There are two accounts in the Books of Moses of an incident that occurred in Meribah. In Exodus the people complain to Moses about the lack of water. Moses appeals to Jehovah and at his behest strikes with his rod a rock, out of which water gushes. In Numbers there is a similar story, but in it Moses does not follow Jehovah’s instructions precisely. Instead of addressing the rock, he addresses the Israelites and strikes the rock twice. A rush of fresh water results, but Jehovah is angry and insulted that Moses did not obey him. For his lack of respect to his divinity Moses is denied entry into the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy it is suggested that Moses is being punished not for his own lack of respect, but for that exhibited by the Israelites, the people he is leading. Meribah was likely located near Kadesh-Barnea on what is now the western border of Israel midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The Desert of Zin lies to the east, southwest of the Dead Sea. Mount Paran and the Desert of Paran lies in western Arabia near Mecca. Seir was a mountain range that extended from the Dead Sea to Aqaba. Mount Hor (not the northern Mount Hor that defined the northern boundary of Israel) was the place of Aaron’s death. Located in this mountain range, it is now called Mount Harun. Bashan was a kingdom on the west bank of the Jordan ruled by Og until the Israelites defeated him. What Bashan had to do with the tribe of Dan is not explained. Bashan was given to Manasseh, not Dan, whose portion was along the Mediterranean coast and couldn’t have been farther away from Bashan.
2. Moses blessings of the various tribes of Israel are muddled and disjointed, making little real sense. There are few actual benedictions; some tribes merit only comments. Simeon is left out, perhaps because their land lay within that of Judah. (Still, it does seem an unaccountable slight.) The blessings reflect the relative importance of the tribes from a much later date, which is not surprising since the entire book is highly anachronistic and represents the point of view of later priests, not of Moses. Some of the text is garbled and many verses are generally thought by scholars to be a later additions to the book.
3. The reference to Jehovah flying through the sky supports the theory that Jehovah was an extraterrestrial whose “pillar of cloud” was an aerial vehicle.
4. The blessings, such as they are, never go much beyond having bountiful harvests and being triumphant over enemies. These are still quite primitive times and the thinking of Moses (and Jehovah) never goes beyond the elemental. There seems to be no aspirations to build magnificent cities (like the Egyptians), to develop creature comforts (like the indoor plumbing the Minoans had), to create an efficient government (as the Persians and Romans would do), or to cultivate the civilized disciplines, such as philosophy, science, literature, art, and music (as the Greeks did).
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