Why does moses die

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Sign Up. Discover More. We rely on the support of readers like you. Please consider supporting TheTorah. By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. According to other places in the Torah, however, Moses dies because of a sin — his or of the people.

Despite Moses living to the old age of one hundred twenty years, a typological lifespan number cf. This contrasts, e. Instead, Deuteronomy describes Moses as still vigorous, implying his ability to stay alive and to function a few more good years though see By choosing similar wording, McConville conveys his assumption that the statements relate to and presuppose each other.

The NRSV takes a similar approach. These differences must be taken into consideration, as they reveal the diverse intentions of the authors, reflecting the complex process of the growth of the tradition. Let us look at each statement in turn, paying careful attention to what it says in context.

We will start with the latest source, , and peel back the layers till we get to the possibly original and oldest of the three. According to Deut. But what exactly does the latter phrase mean? Most English translations mistranslate this phrase. Why do they err in the case of Deut ? Verses in Deuteronomy 4 seem to be a later insertion in their context, as they interrupt the discussion of the importance of the Israelites not turning to worship heavenly bodies once they enter the land:.

It is plausible that the remark in verses 21—22 was aimed at linking the law-giving account that begins in with the narrative in the previous chapters. But as we will see this reference to Moses in chapter 1 happens to be itself misplaced in the context. According to the narrative of Deuteronomy 1 it was during an early stage of the journey in the wilderness that Moses was condemned to die outside the land , His death was destined to take place together with the demise of the congregation vv.

The wrong attitude of the people is especially noticeable in light of the positive report this account attributes to the spies themselves:. The obscurity of the judgment of Moses is especially noticeable in this context when comparing the narrative with its textual source in the account of the spy story in Numbers 13— The story there not only keeps Moses clear of guilt, but also honors him as the ultimate figure to stay alive in case of a general massacre of the people by God Num The mismatch of these details supports the observation that the verses explaining why Moses must die outside the Cisjordan are not an original part of the passage.

The verses were added to supplement the information about the entrance into the land. Alongside the information about the fate of the current generation and their children vv. This remark reflects familiarity with the third and most original version of this tradition, the dialogue between God and Moses in Deut. In Deuteronomy 3, Moses encourages Joshua by saying that the natives of the Cisjordan will fall to him just as easily as the Transjordan fell to Moses vv.

In eight out of nine instances, it is used in two related ways:. According to this earliest account of chapter 3, why does God refuse to let Moses cross the Jordan and enter the land? Gen :. In other words, YHWH will accompany the Israelites into the land and the next phase of their life as a people, but Moses, the leader of the exodus and the wilderness wandering, will not be accompanying them.

Thus, his death was is actually not premature, it is at the right time and in the right place! Moses was the leader of the exodus and the wilderness wandering. At the end of this period, a new era with new challenges of settling in the land is waiting for the people. Deuteronomy here imagines that a new leader might better facilitate this process, enabling the people to begin a new stage released from their past bonds.

These supplements reflect the development of certain mythical dimensions of Moses, requiring that he did not die as a regular man. Thus chapter 1, followed by ch. While here, in Deuteronomy 1 and 4, this sin was related to the people, alternative traditions such as the one of P attributed the sin to Moses himself.

In contrast to these, the main narrative of Deuteronomy attributed to Moses the experience of death as common to all mortals.

He died in a ripe old age, no longer able or allowed to be active Deut , though he was as fresh as a young man His mission ends at the climax of his life, closing the period of the wilderness wandering.

Please support us. For modern engagements, see, George W. Sotah 13b; Sifre Deuteronomy Mark —8; Luke —36]. Mendenhall eds. Herbert B. Huffmon et al. Following Martin Noth, scholars have noted the strong connection between the book of Deuteronomy and the historical books, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, which he called the Deuteronomistic History.

Moreover, he argued that chapters 1—3 4 in Deuteronomy are not part of the core book — made up of a block of laws chs. Instead, chs. See: Andrew D.