Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryDeuteronomy 34

Moses on Mount PisgahThis chapter describes the final moments of Moses’ life. He climbs Mount Pisgah, following God’s command, to see the land of Canaan before he dies. Moses goes up alone, showing his strength and willingness to obey God even at the end of his life. He is not afraid of death, but faces it bravely, trusting in God’s promise of something better beyond this world. God allows Moses to see the Promised Land, even though he cannot enter it. This moment is both a fulfillment of God’s promise and a reminder that sometimes God’s people see blessings from a distance, trusting that others will enjoy them in the future. For Moses, seeing Canaan is also a picture of believers looking forward to heaven, the true promised land.v. 1: Moses climbs to the top of Mount Nebo, to the highest point called Pisgah (Deuteronomy 34:1 ). He does this alone, without help or company, showing that his strength is still good even on his last day. Moses is willing to die and does not avoid the place of his death. He sees death as going upward, like his soul rising to God (Ecclesiastes 3:21 ). When God calls His servants home, it is like saying, Go up and die.From the top of Pisgah, Moses looks down and sees the land of Canaan. God had said Moses would not enter the land, but He promised Moses would see it, and now God keeps that promise. Even though Moses is alone, God is with him, just as Jesus said, I am not alone, for the Father is with me (John 16:32 ). Moses’ eyesight is miraculously strengthened so he can see all the land, because the Lord

The Death of MosesThis section tells the story of Moses’ death, his burial, and how the people responded. Moses, known as the servant of the Lord

v. 6: God Himself buries Moses in a valley near Beth-peor . Some people wrongly think Moses was taken to heaven like Elijah, but the Bible says he died and was buried. God honors Moses with a private but special burial, probably using angels. This shows God cares for the bodies of His servants, not just their souls. The exact place of Moses’ tomb is unknown, probably so the Israelites would not turn it into a place of idol worship. Some believe that the devil wanted people to find Moses’ body for this reason, but God stopped him (Jude 9 ). This teaches us not to focus on relics or burial places, but on serving God.

v. 7: Moses was 120 years old when he died . This was longer than most people lived at that time (Psalm 90:10 ), but not as long as the early patriarchs. His life had three main parts: forty years as an Egyptian prince, forty years as a shepherd in Midian, and forty years as Israel’s leader. Even at the end, Moses’ eyesight was clear and his strength was not weakened, unlike Isaac (Genesis 27:1 ) or Jacob (Genesis 48:10 ). Some Jewish teachers even say his face still shined as it did when he met with God (Exodus 34:30 ). His strong mind and body were rewards for his faithful and humble service. The law Moses gave is still important, even though Christians are not under its condemnation, but are now under the law of Christ (Romans 7:4 ).

v. 8: The Israelites mourn for Moses for thirty days . All the people join in, even those who did not always agree with his leadership. This shows how much they respected and loved him after his death. Mourning for good leaders is right and helps people reflect on their loss and their own actions. However, after a time, the mourning ends, reminding us that grief should not last forever. Just as Moses’ ceremonial law ended with Christ, so our mourning must also give way to hope and new life in God.

The Character of MosesThis passage gives a respectful tribute to both Joshua and Moses. It shows that we should honor the leaders God gives us, both past and present. We should not forget the good done by those who came before, but we must also value those God raises up now. In this way, God is glorified through the faithful service of all His people.v. 9: Joshua is recognized as the new leader of Israel. He is described as being full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses laid his hands on him, following God’s instruction . This act showed that Joshua was chosen by God, prepared for his work, and supported by the prayers of Moses. The people listened to Joshua and followed him, so they were not left without a leader. This was a great blessing for the Israelites. Joshua’s leadership points forward to Jesus, who leads God’s people into true rest (Hebrews 7:19; Romans 8:3 ).

v. 10: Moses is praised as a prophet who knew the Lord

v. 11: Moses showed God’s power through great miracles and signs. In Egypt, he performed miracles of judgment before Pharaoh. In the wilderness, he did miracles of mercy for Israel . These signs proved that Moses was chosen and empowered by God. The people of Israel were protected and guided by these wonders, and their enemies had reason to fear.

v. 12: Moses did all these mighty works with a strong hand and with great awe, especially at Mount Sinai where God made His covenant with Israel (Deuteronomy 34:12 ). All Israel saw these miracles, so no other prophet could compare to Moses. The Old Testament ends by reminding the people to remember the law given through Moses (Malachi 4:4 ). But even Moses pointed ahead to Jesus, who is greater than Moses in His teaching, miracles, and closeness to God. Jesus, God’s Son, sits at the right hand of the Father, and His kingdom will never end. Moses was a faithful servant, but Jesus is the Son. We should listen to Him and follow His example (Hebrews 1:1-3 ).