Deuteronomy. 31:22-30
In those days: Moses therefore wrote the canticle, and taught it to the children of Israel. And the Lord commanded Josue the son of Nun, and said: Take courage, and be valiant: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I have promised, and I will be with thee. Therefore after Moses had wrote the words of this law in a volume, and finished it: he commanded the Levites, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, say-ing: Take this book, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God: that it may be there for a testi-mony against thee. For I know thy obsti-nacy, and thy most stiff neck. While I am yet living, and going in with you, you have always been rebellious against the Lord: how much more when I shall be dead? Gather unto me all the ancients of your tribes, and your doctors, and I will speak these words in their hearing, and will call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that, after my death, you will do wickedly, and will quickly turn aside form the way that I have commanded you: and evils shall come upon you in the latter times, when you shall do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him by the works of your hands. Moses therefore spoke, in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel, the words of this canticle, and finished it even to the end:
Haydock
Verse 23. The Lord. Heb. has not this word, so that it would seem as if Moses had given this charge to Josue; but the context shews (C.) that it was the Lord; (v. 14,) for he swore to give the land of Israel. The Sept. insert the words of Moses and the Lord. “And Moses commanded Josue…the land which the Lord swore.” H. — This is the first time that God addresses Josue, in order to confirm his authority. M.
Verse 26. Side. But not within, (M.) according to the generality of interpreters, whom Calmet follows. Ex. xxv. 10. But here he adopts the contrary opinion of Jonathan and Grotius, and asserts that this writing, containing the 29th, 30th, and 31st chapters, on thin boards, was placed in the ark, beside the tables of the law, in the same manner as the Philistines placed in it a coffer of gold, 1 K. vi. 8. We read (3 K. viii. 9,) that there was nothing in the ark except the two tables, which might be true at the time that book was written; though S. Paul (Heb. ix. 4,) tells us, that the golden pot, and the rod of Aaron, were in the ark. If they were there in the days when the author of the first book of Kings lived, the passage in question must be understood with these exceptions. C. — This difficulty cannot, however, be now easily decided, as the Scripture often uses the word in to denote near to, &c. v. 14. The coffer of the Philistines might also be on the outside of the ark. H. — Thee. This act of ratification of the covenant, which had been made at Horeb 39 years before, (C.) was placed in or near the ark. H. — The three chapters, of which it probably consisted, seem to have been what was discovered in the reign of Josias; as the threats and blessings which they contain, would naturally tend to make a strong impression upon all, 4 K. xxii. 8. C. — Kennicott thinks that Helcias discovered the very MS. which Moses had written with his own hand, and which he deposited neither in, nor fastened to any side of the ark, but only placed by the side (mitsad, juxta, Noldius) of it, or upon the same table; so that it might not be taken by the Philistines, but kept in some suitable place. Dis. ii. It is surprising that Huet cites Jonathan as delivering this sentiment, in capsa ad latus dextrum. H.