Deuteronomy 32:50

Deu 32:50. And died in the mount — Not immediately, but after he had blessed the people, as in the next chapter. Be gathered unto thy people — We seem to be compelled to understand this of the soul of Moses, to be associated in paradise with the souls of the just, here termed his people; in which sense it is taken by some of the Jewish writers. For if it were to be interpreted of his body only, or chiefly, it could hardly be said to be sense, since the people of Moses were not buried in mount Abarim. See on Gen 25:8.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32:50 The location of Mount Hor is uncertain, but the traditional location (Jebel Haroun) is within sight of the Nabatean city of Petra (see Num 20:22-29). • The phrase joined his ancestors is a euphemism for burial.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 50. And die in the mount - as Aaron] Some have supposed that Moses was translated; but if so, then Aaron was translated, for what is said of the death of the one is said of the death of the other.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(50, 51) And die in the mount . . . as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor . . . because ye trespassed against me.—It may be asked why Moses and Aaron should both have been made to ascend a mountain to die. I believe a clue to the reason may be found in the words and act which constituted their transgression. They were bidden to speak to the rock in Kadesh, and they struck it. The words which Moses used on that occasion were, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this cliff (Selagh)?” The last words of the sentence are emphatic; and the rock is described as a cliff, not by the name given to the Rock in Horeb (Tzûr). The emphasis laid upon these words has been much discussed by Jewish commentators, though it escapes English readers. I suspect that the mistake Moses and Aaron made, in thinking it needful to strike the cliff, also led them to think it necessary to ascend it, instead of gathering the congregation together beneath it, and speaking to it from below. This view harmonises with the spiritual significance of the act. The smitten Rock in Horeb was Christ; the Cliff not to be smitten in Kadesh pointed also to Christ, ascended now, needing only the prayer of faith to call down all that He will give. And so Moses himself taught, in some of his latest words. “It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us? . . . But the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth.”

The impatient words of Moses, after toiling up the cliff with his brother Aaron, had to be recompensed by their ascending mount Hor and mount Nebo to die. Moses, as the more responsible of the two, had to ascend on each occasion, for his brother’s death and for his own. The remembrance of his brother’s death in the Lord may well have comforted Moses in the prospect of his own.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

50. unto thy people] Better thy father’s folk, as always in this phrase. The word, ‘am, originally meant this, but in Heb. is usually widened to people, while in Ar. it = ‘father’s brother’ and ‘father’s brother’s children’ (Driver). The whole phrase is frequent in P, Gen_25:8; Gen_35:29, Num_20:24; Num_20:26, etc., and is found nowhere else.

on Hor, the mountain] Always so in P; cp. Num_20:22-29; Num_21:4; Num_33:37-41. Contr. above Deu_10:6 (E).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yet thou shalt see the land before thee,.... Which Jarchi interprets, afar off; and so does Noldius (c); he saw it at a distance, as the Old Testament saints saw the things promised afar off, and were persuaded of them, though they did not enjoy them, Heb 11:13,

but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel; the land of Canaan was a gift of God to Israel, into which they were not to be introduced by Moses, but by Joshua; signifying that eternal life, or the heavenly Canaan, is the gift of God through Christ, the antitype of Joshua, and not to obtained by the works of the law.

(c) Ebr. part. Concord. p. 626. so Ainsworth.

Next: Deuteronomy Chapter 33

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And be thou gathered unto thy people. "To Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This signifies," saith R. Isaac, "that he should be associated and joined to the souls of the just who are called his people. For the people of Moses were not buried in Mount Abarim, and therefore he doth not speak of gathering his body to their bodies, but of his soul to their souls ("Chissute Emuna," L 11)" (Patrick).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Yahweh finishes speaking to Moses.

be gathered to your people

This is a polite way of saying Moses' spirit would join the spirits of his relatives in the world of the dead. AT: "join your ancestors who died before you" (See: Euphemism)

Mount Hor

This is the name of a mountain on the border of Edom. (See: How to Translate Names)

Meribah

This is the name of the place in the desert where Moses disobeyed God. (See: How to Translate Names)

wilderness of Zin

This is the name of a wilderness on the southern border of Judah. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

die

people group

Aaron

Israel

faithful

water

Kadesh

desert

honor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

כאשר מת אהרן אחיך [AND DIE] … AS AARON THY BROTHER DIED — i.e., and die by that death which you witnessed and for which you longed. For Moses stripped Aaron (before the latter’s death) of his first (i.e., the upper) garment, similarly the second, and similarly the third, and attired Elazar with them, and thus he (Aaron) beheld his son in his new dignity. Moses then said to him, “Aaron, my brother, ascend the bier”, and he ascended; — “Stretch out your hand”, and he stretched it out; — “Stretch out your leg”, and he stretched it out; “Close your eyes”, and he closed them; — “Close your mouth”, and he closed it, and thus did he pass away! Thereupon Moses said, “Happy is he who will die a death like this!” (Sifrei Devarim 339:3; cf. Rashi on Numbers 20:26).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.