Latest Commentaries

The LORD pronounces judgment on the inhabitants of Edom because they pursued their Israelite brothers with the sword.

The LORD pronounces judgment on the inhabitants of Tyre because they deported an entire population of Israel to Edom and violated the covenant of brotherhood.

The LORD pronounces judgment on the inhabitants of Gaza because they deported an entire population of Israel to Edom.

The LORD pronounces judgment on the inhabitants of Damascus because they slaughtered the people of Gilead.

Amos receives God’s revelation concerning Israel during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah and Jeroboam II, king of Israel.

Moses asked the Israelites to protect the trees when they besiege a city. Non—fruit bearing trees could be cut down and used in building siegeworks, but fruit-bearing trees were to be left intact in order to produce food for the Israelite army.

Moses prescribed regulations concerning how the Israelites are to conduct themselves in war against adversaries that are either far or near.

Moses commanded the Israelites not to fear their adversaries in the event of war because Yahweh, the great warrior, is the one who fights for them.

Moses told the Israelites to set aside three more cities of refuge in the Promised Land, besides the first three, if God enlarges their territory.

Moses addressed the matter of witnesses and testimony in the Israelite community.

Moses warned the Israelites against moving the boundary mark of their neighbors, which their ancestors have set in the Promised Land.

Moses then addressed the issue of someone guilty of premeditated killing (murder) fleeing to one of the cities of refuge. The murderer must be brought before the elders and then executed so that he might be removed from the Israelite community.

Moses explained the purpose of setting aside the three cities of refuge in the Promised Land by providing a case in which one man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood and accidentally kills him.

The LORD, through Moses, commanded the Israelites to set apart three cities in the Promised Land to provide asylum for unintentional homicide.

Moses then told the Israelites that after his death, the LORD would raise up prophets like himself. The people were to turn to these godly prophets for communication with God. God also predicts Jesus will be a prophet like Moses.

Moses discusses religious practices that are prohibited. He then describes the office of prophets who proclaim the word of their LORD. Thus, he forbade the Israelites from following the detestable practices of the surrounding nations in order to live blamelessly before the LORD in the Promised Land.

Having dealt with the principles concerning a king, Moses then turns to another source of authority in the Promised Land when he instructs the Israelites on how the Levitical priests were to be supported. Since the Levitical priests would minister before the LORD at the central sanctuary, they were not supposed to do any secular job. They were to depend upon the dues and offerings of the other tribes.

After listing the things that the Israelite king was to avoid, Moses then described what he was supposed to do—study the law of the LORD and observe all the covenantal laws in order to learn to fear the LORD his God and to serve Him alone

Moses instructs the Israelites concerning kingship once they have settled in the Promised Land. That king should be chosen by God Himself from among the Israelites and should not be self-centric.

Moses advises local judges to appeal to the Levitical priests or to the judge in office at the central sanctuary in order to seek guidance when some cases seem too difficult for them to handle.