Deuteronomy 34:11

Deu 34:11 In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,

Ver. 11. In all the signs.] Here endeth the Pentateuch, which comprehendeth the history of 2552 years and a half, from the beginning of the world; and is all (as some hold) that was translated by the Septuagint. {a}

{a} Schickard.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 34:11-12. In all the signs, &c. — In these also Moses excelled all the prophets, doing more miracles than any, yea, than all that succeeded him. But the prophet whom God raised up like unto Moses in the latter days, not only equalled, but exceeded him in this, as well as in every other respect. Which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel — Moses wrought all his miracles publicly, the whole congregation being witnesses of them. But Moses was greater than any of the prophets of the Old Testament in another most important respect. By him God gave the law, and moulded and formed the Jewish Church; whereas, by the other prophets he only sent particular reproofs, directions, and predictions. But as far as the other prophets came short of him, our Lord Jesus went beyond him. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Christ as a son: Christ’s miracles were more illustrious, his communion with the Father more intimate: for he was in his bosom from eternity. Moses lies buried: but Christ is “sitting at the right hand of God.” and “of the increase of his government there shall be no end.” And thus, with the death of this eminent prophet and lawgiver, endeth the Pentateuch, containing the sacred history of the world, and of the Abrahamic family in particular, for the first two thousand five hundred and fifty-three years, namely, from the creation to the arrival of the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

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

11, 12. These vv. are irrelevant to the more spiritual estimate of Moses’ prophetic rank in Deu_34:10, and therefore may be due to a later hand. On the deuteronomic phrases signs and wonders, mighty hand, great terror, see Deu_4:34, and on all Israel (not P’s children of Israel), see Deu_4:44, Deu_31:23. Thus the Book closes in characteristically deuteronomic style.

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.

In all the signs and the wonders which the Lord sent him to do,.... The same Targums also paraphrase here,"which the Word of the Lord sent him to do;''for he it was that appeared to him in the bush, and sent him to Egypt to work miracles, which he did by him:

in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land; to whom they were visible, and who were all affected by them more or less: this respects chiefly the ten plagues inflicted on the Egyptians: the Jews observe that the superior excellency of Moses to the rest of the prophets lay chiefly in his superior degree of prophecy rather than in miracles, and not so much in the nature or the quality of the miracles; the stopping of the sun by Joshua, and the raising of the dead to life by Elijah and Elisha, being greater than his; but either in the duration of them, as the manna which continued near forty years; or especially in the quantity of them, he working more than all the rest put together: Manasseh Ben Israel (u) has collected all that the prophets wrought or were wrought for their sakes, and they came to seventy four; but those that were wrought by Moses or on his account make seventy six; but whether this is a just account I will not say.

(u) Conciliator in Deut. Qu. 11. sect. 4. p. 238, 239, 240.

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

In all the signs: this is to be joined, either,

1. With the words immediately foregoing, as an eminent instance wherein God did know or acknowledge and own or converse so familiarly with Moses, namely, in the working of all his signs and wonders in Egypt, where God spake to him so oft, and sometimes even in Pharaoh’s presence, and answered his requests so particularly and punctually, whether he called for vengeance or for deliverance. Or,

2. With the more remote words, there was none like unto Moses in regard of all the signs, &c., the words, whom the Lord knew face to face, coming in by way of parenthesis.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

IN ALL THE SIGNS. This is connected with the [preceding] verse, And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel — in all the signs etc. Or the verse may be stating that the Eternal knew Moses face to face through the signs and wonders as they were all done with His Great Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton], just as he said, and He brought thee out with His Presence, with His great power. Now, I have already explained, 4:32 and 13:2. that signs are the matters about which Moses warned [the Egyptians] before they took place, such as, by tomorrow shall this sign be, and the term is used for any phenomenon which the prophet forecasts saying, “Thus will it come and happen in the future.” Wonders imply a change in the natural order, such as the rod which was turned to a serpent., 7:15. Now, signs and wonders were also performed for the rest of the prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha who brought about many wonders [why is then the special significance attached to the signs and wonders of Moses]! However, the distinction of those [signs and wonders] of Moses our teacher is explained by the Rabbis in the Midrash: “All the prophets wrought miracles through prayer, such as the [halting of the] sun for Joshua, etc. (Joshua 10:12), which R’dak interprets as “prayed.” and [the revival of] the Zarephathite woman’s son, and the withholding of the rain by Elijah, Verse 1. and the [revival of the] Shunammite woman’s son by Elisha. But Moses performed [signs and miracles] immediately [without prayer].” Yet this Midrash is not clear.And the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] stated in Moreh Nebuchim that “the distinction of Moses our teacher was that he spoke [publicly] to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in the sight of all Israel, for they [his signs and wonders] were in full view of his opponents and his followers. The rest of the prophets, however, performed them [the signs and wonders] in the presence of a few individuals, as it is said, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha had done.” indicates that they were not performed publicly in the presence of friend and enemy. But this does not appear to me to be correct [for the following reasons]: The withholding of the rain by Elijah — both the cessation and the coming — were very much publicized. It [the cessation of rain] was by his [Elijah’s] decree [rather than through prayer] as it is said, As the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word., Verse 1. And during its three year duration, the matter became very well known, and heard among the nations for it is written, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord [Ahab] hath not sent to seek thee etc., 18:10. And the climax of the affair occurred publicly in the presence of his opponents and his followers at one assembly, as it is written, Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty etc., Verse 19. So, too, the halting of the sun for Joshua was certainly in view of all Israel, (Joshua 10:12) and it does not specify “in the sight of ‘all’ Israel” as in the case of Moses — nevertheless Ramban points out that the very nature of the miracle dictates that it occurred “in view of all Israel,” etc. and all the kings of Canaan saw it — those who fought against him [on that day] as well as the remaining ones. Our Rabbis also mention that people saw it from one end of the earth to the other. Scripture also lauds it exceedingly, saying, And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Eternal hearkened to the voice of a man. The splitting of the Jordan, like the splitting of the Red Sea, was not done for individuals, but for all Israel, and furthermore it is written, And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, that were by the sea, heard that the Eternal had dried up the waters of the Jordan., 5:1.But in line with the simple meaning of Scripture it is all tied and connected [with the preceding verse, And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses etc.], Scripture stating that no prophet has ever appeared in Israel like Moses whom the Eternal knew face to face and to perform signs and wonders with a mighty hand and great terror like Moses. If they brought about some of them [the signs and the wonders], they did not approach the number or great distinction of those [performed by Moses], for there was never a day like Sinai, before it or after it. So, also, the signs of the prophets did not extend for as long a period as did those of Moses, peace be upon him — for the sign of the manna continued steadily for forty years, as did the pillar of fire and the cloud, 13:21. and, in the opinion of our Rabbis, so did the well, and the quail. And their walking through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water, and yet they lacked nothing., 2:7.By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse is stating that the signs and wonders of Moses were done face to face, as I have explained.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.