“These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab” (Deut. 1:1).
“And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them;” (Deut. 1:3).
“And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11 (The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) 12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 13 Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you. 14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. 15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes” (Deuteronomy 1:9-15).
Questions:
- Who is talking?
- To whom is he talking?
- Where were they?
- Near what river?
- Also, not far from what Sea?
- What cities were close by?
- How many years had it been since they left Egypt?
- What month was it?
- What day?
- Who told Moses to speak these words? See Deuteronomy 1:3.
- How many men were chosen to be judges or overseers?
- How did God bless these men to be able to do the work?
Who is Jethro?
“And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness, which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God” (Exo. 18:9-12).
“And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren (Num. 27:19; Deut. 27:11; Deut. 31:14; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 Tim. 5:21; 1 Tim. 6:17), and judge righteously between every man and his brother (Exo. 23:2-3; Exo. 23:7-8; Lev. 19:15; Deut. 16:18-19; 2 Sam. 23:3; 2 Chr. 19:6-10; Psa. 58:1; John 7:24), and the stranger that is with him” (Deut. 1:16).
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone” (Num. 11:16-17).
“And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him (Moses), and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease” (Num. 11:25-27).
–Beth Johnson