WHO WROTE THE LAST SIX VERSES OF DEUTERONOMY SINCE MOSES WAS DEAD AND BURIED?
(By Pastor Greg Hooker, Question by Chris Howe)
When I first read this question I thought to myself, wow! It’s been probably 40 years since I had last thought of that!
Yet there were some thoughts about it that did enter my mind. I tend to study the Bible ‘logically’ and from a ‘common-sense’ perspective. Why? Because God endowed us with these important qualities. It’s just an art that is rare these days. Just think what the world would be like with good ole ‘common sense’!
We know for sure that Moses was the author of the first five books of the Old Testament called the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 31:9, 24). Even the Lord Jesus spoke of him as the writer which is plenty to convince me (Matthew 19:8; Deuteronomy 25:1-4).
However, when we get to chapter 34 of Deuteronomy, we run into a perplexing question. ‘Who wrote this section since Moses was already dead and buried by the Lord Himself?’
We all know that originally Moses was chosen to lead the children of Israel into the promised land (Deuteronomy 32:51-52). Sadly, God refused Him this privilege because of a prior disobedience (Numbers 20:12). He was however, out of God’s grace, allowed to see the promise land, the land of Canaan, from a high mountain before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1-6). From that point on, Joshua replaced Moses as leader of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 31:7).
But we still haven’t derived an answer to our question, ‘Who wrote the last verses of chapter 32?’
Ok, here are the thoughts that first entered my mind when I read this question.
(1) MOSES, but you say he was dead at the time of the writing. Did the Bible say that? Not to my knowledge. You see the first five books in the OT were indeed penned by Moses UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF GOD. In other words Moses wrote down those holy words that the Lord instructed him to write.
Now keep that thought in mind. If God was telling Moses to write certain things, or events, isn’t it plausible God had him to record his death and burial as well before he died? God is omniscient. He knows the beginning to the end.
Using a little imagination I can just vision the Lord and Moses sitting together one day high on a mountain and the Lord says, ‘Moses, I want you to write something unusual today to finish out my book. I want you to write your obituary! Can you just imagine Moses and the Lord having a good ‘horse laugh’ about that?!
(2) What about this possibility, God wrote it Himself! No doubt the Lord appeared to Moses in a theophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ). This was done many times in the OT. He could have written it just as easily as He did the Ten Commandments. After all, this is God we are talking about.
(3) Another possibility would be the successor of Moses, Joshua. Perhaps he now received revelation to finish Deuteronomy. It seems logical that it would be passed down to him since he had been Moses’ right-hand-man.
(4) Actually there have been many names mentioned down through history on who did finish the last chapter. One is Ezra (Deuteronomy 34). Others included the priests, the seventy elders (Exodus 24:9). There is a long list of men qualified for the job as well.
Conclusion: As far as I know, no one knows for sure who wrote those last verses to Deuteronomy. The Bible is full of mysteries that will not be solved in this world. Just like the exact location of the resting place of Moses. No one but the Lord, not even the Devil, knows the exact burial site, do you?
DEUTERONOMY 34
1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
4 And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
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,
12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.
(By Pastor Greg Hooker, Question by Chris Howe)
When I first read this question I thought to myself, wow! It’s been probably 40 years since I had last thought of that!
Yet there were some thoughts about it that did enter my mind. I tend to study the Bible ‘logically’ and from a ‘common-sense’ perspective. Why? Because God endowed us with these important qualities. It’s just an art that is rare these days. Just think what the world would be like with good ole ‘common sense’!
We know for sure that Moses was the author of the first five books of the Old Testament called the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 31:9, 24). Even the Lord Jesus spoke of him as the writer which is plenty to convince me (Matthew 19:8; Deuteronomy 25:1-4).
However, when we get to chapter 34 of Deuteronomy, we run into a perplexing question. ‘Who wrote this section since Moses was already dead and buried by the Lord Himself?’
We all know that originally Moses was chosen to lead the children of Israel into the promised land (Deuteronomy 32:51-52). Sadly, God refused Him this privilege because of a prior disobedience (Numbers 20:12). He was however, out of God’s grace, allowed to see the promise land, the land of Canaan, from a high mountain before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1-6). From that point on, Joshua replaced Moses as leader of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 31:7).
But we still haven’t derived an answer to our question, ‘Who wrote the last verses of chapter 32?’
Ok, here are the thoughts that first entered my mind when I read this question.
(1) MOSES, but you say he was dead at the time of the writing. Did the Bible say that? Not to my knowledge. You see the first five books in the OT were indeed penned by Moses UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF GOD. In other words Moses wrote down those holy words that the Lord instructed him to write.
Now keep that thought in mind. If God was telling Moses to write certain things, or events, isn’t it plausible God had him to record his death and burial as well before he died? God is omniscient. He knows the beginning to the end.
Using a little imagination I can just vision the Lord and Moses sitting together one day high on a mountain and the Lord says, ‘Moses, I want you to write something unusual today to finish out my book. I want you to write your obituary! Can you just imagine Moses and the Lord having a good ‘horse laugh’ about that?!
(2) What about this possibility, God wrote it Himself! No doubt the Lord appeared to Moses in a theophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ). This was done many times in the OT. He could have written it just as easily as He did the Ten Commandments. After all, this is God we are talking about.
(3) Another possibility would be the successor of Moses, Joshua. Perhaps he now received revelation to finish Deuteronomy. It seems logical that it would be passed down to him since he had been Moses’ right-hand-man.
(4) Actually there have been many names mentioned down through history on who did finish the last chapter. One is Ezra (Deuteronomy 34). Others included the priests, the seventy elders (Exodus 24:9). There is a long list of men qualified for the job as well.
Conclusion: As far as I know, no one knows for sure who wrote those last verses to Deuteronomy. The Bible is full of mysteries that will not be solved in this world. Just like the exact location of the resting place of Moses. No one but the Lord, not even the Devil, knows the exact burial site, do you?
DEUTERONOMY 34
1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
4 And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
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,
12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.