Deuteronomy 34

Deuteronomy 34 is the final chapter of Deuteronomy and the closing chapter of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). In chapter 33 Moses blessed the tribes of Israel. In this chapter he ascends the mountain and dies there, as commanded in Deuteronomy 32:48-52.

Outline

• Verses 1-4 Moses goes up from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah on Mount Nebo. The LORD shows him the land from Gilead to Dan; the land of Naphtali, Ephraim, and Manasseh; the land of Judah as far as the western sea; and the south and the valley of Jericho as far as Zoar. He then tells Moses that although this is the land He swore to the patriarchs, Moses will not cross over into it.
• Verses 5-8 Moses dies in the land of Moab and is buried in a valley opposite Beth-peor. No one knows the location of his grave. He was 120 years old when he died, yet his eye was not dim, and Israel mourns for him thirty days.
• Verse 9 Joshua, upon whom Moses had laid his hands (laying on of hands), is full of the spirit of wisdom, and the people obey him.
• Verses 10-12 No prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, ever arose again in Israel. Moses had performed great signs and mighty works in Egypt.

Key Verses

• Deuteronomy 34:4 "Thou shalt not go over thither": This verse marks the conclusion of Moses' story, in which he does not enter the Promised Land. The reason is tied to the incident at Meribah in Numbers 20.
• Deuteronomy 34:9 "For Moses had laid his hands upon him": This verse depicts the transfer of leadership to the next generation.
• Deuteronomy 34:10 "There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses": This verse offers a summary assessment of Moses' unique standing.

People and Places

• Moses, Joshua, and Pharaoh appear in the chapter. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are mentioned as the patriarchs who received the promise of the land.
• Pisgah: a peak or ridge in the area of Mount Nebo.
• Gilead: a highland region east of the Jordan River.
• Zoar: a town at the southern end of the Dead Sea, where Lot took refuge.
• Beth-peor: a place in the land of Moab.
• Other places mentioned include Moab, Jericho (the city of palm trees), and Egypt. Naphtali, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Judah refer to territories of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Points for Reflection

• The question of authorship: Opinions differ as to who wrote this chapter, since it records Moses' death.
• Jewish tradition (the Talmud) preserves the view that Joshua wrote the final eight verses.
• Another view holds that Moses wrote them prophetically.
• Many scholars hold that the chapter passed through the hands of a later editor.
• The body of Moses: The statement in Jude 1:9 that Michael the archangel, "when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses," does not appear in this chapter. The story is generally understood to derive from Jewish apocryphal tradition.
• "A prophet like Moses": This expression corresponds to the promise in Deuteronomy 18:15. In the New Testament, Acts 3 and Acts 7 apply this promise to Jesus.
• Connections to the New Testament: Moses also appears at the Transfiguration. Hebrews 3 presents Moses as a servant who was faithful in God's house.

In the Korean Church

Verse 7 is frequently cited in sermons on faith in old age, and verse 9 in sermons on leadership transition and succession.