Deu 1:17 | KD | STEP | לכם הבוּ, give here, provide for yourselves. The congregation was to nominate, according to its tribes, wise, intelligent, and well-known men, whom Moses would appoint as heads, i.e., as judges, over the nation. At their installation he gave them the requisite instructions ( ): “ Ye shall hear between your brethren ,” i.e., hear both parties as mediators, “ and judge righteously, without respect of person .” פּנים הכּיר, to look at the face, equivalent to פּנים נשׁא ( ), i.e., to act partially (cf. ). “ The judgment is God's ,” i.e., appointed by God, and to be administered in the name of God, or in accordance with His justice; hence the expression “to bring before God” ( ; , etc.). On the difficult cases which the judges were to bring before Moses, see at Exo 18:26. Everything had been done on the part of God and Moses to bring Israel speedily and safely to Canaan. The reason for their being compelled to remain in the desert for forty years was to be found exclusively in their resistance to the commandments of God. The discontent of the people with the guidance of God was manifested at the very first places of encampment in the desert (Num 11 and 12); but Moses passed over this, and simply reminded them of the rebellion at Kadesh (Num 13 and 14), because it was this which was followed by the condemnation of the rebellious generation to die out in the wilderness.

‏ Deuteronomy 1:17

Deu 1:13-18 לכם הבוּ, give here, provide for yourselves. The congregation was to nominate, according to its tribes, wise, intelligent, and well-known men, whom Moses would appoint as heads, i.e., as judges, over the nation. At their installation he gave them the requisite instructions (Deu 1:16): “Ye shall hear between your brethren,” i.e., hear both parties as mediators, “and judge righteously, without respect of person.” פּנים הכּיר, to look at the face, equivalent to פּנים נשׁא (Lev 19:15), i.e., to act partially (cf. Exo 23:2-3). “The judgment is God's,” i.e., appointed by God, and to be administered in the name of God, or in accordance with His justice; hence the expression “to bring before God” (Exo 21:6; Exo 22:7, etc.). On the difficult cases which the judges were to bring before Moses, see at Exo 18:26.

Everything had been done on the part of God and Moses to bring Israel speedily and safely to Canaan. The reason for their being compelled to remain in the desert for forty years was to be found exclusively in their resistance to the commandments of God. The discontent of the people with the guidance of God was manifested at the very first places of encampment in the desert (Num 11 and 12); but Moses passed over this, and simply reminded them of the rebellion at Kadesh (Num 13 and 14), because it was this which was followed by the condemnation of the rebellious generation to die out in the wilderness.