Deuteronomy 1:3 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 1:3 mean?

Deuteronomy 1:3 marks a specific moment when Moses spoke to the Israelites, relaying everything God had commanded him to say, on the first day of the eleventh month in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt. This verse sets the timing and authority for the speeches that follow in Deuteronomy, showing that Moses is passing on God’s instructions just before the people enter the Promised Land.

Moses is the speaker, addressing the children of Israel as they camp on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River. The verse highlights that these words come at the end of forty years of wandering, emphasizing a transition point: the old generation has passed, and the new generation is about to enter Canaan. The careful mention of the exact date and Moses’ obedience to God’s command underlines the seriousness and reliability of what is about to be said.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 1:3

• "Fortieth" (אַרְבָּעִים, 'arbaʿîm, H705) and "year" (שָׁנָה, shanah, H8141): The text is precise about the timing, marking the end of a full generation since the Exodus, which underscores the fulfillment of God’s earlier words about wandering forty years.
• "Commandment" (צָוָה, tsavah, H6680): This word points to the idea that Moses is not giving his own advice but is faithfully delivering what God has specifically instructed him to say, reinforcing Moses’ role as a mediator.

Why Deuteronomy 1:3 matters

• The verse clears up any confusion about the timing of Moses’ speech, showing it happens just before the Israelites cross into the Promised Land, after forty years of wandering.
• By stating that Moses spoke “according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment,” the verse emphasizes that these are not Moses’ personal opinions but God’s authoritative instructions.
• This verse serves as a formal introduction to the rest of Deuteronomy, framing the entire book as a record of Moses’ final words to Israel, given at a crucial turning point in their history.