Deuteronomy 34
Commentary from 6 fathers
And Moses went up from Araboth Moab to the mount of Nabau, to the top of Phasga, which is before Jericho; and the Lord shewed him all the mount of Galaad to Dan, and all the land of Nephthali,
ΚΑΙ ἀνέβη Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ ᾿Αραβὼθ Μωὰβ ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος Ναβαῦ, ἐπὶ κορυφὴν Φασγά, ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ προσώπου ᾿Ιεριχώ. καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ Κύριος πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Γαλαὰδ ἕως Δὰν
И҆ взы́де мѡѷсе́й ѿ а҆равѡ́ѳа мѡа́влѧ на го́рꙋ нава́ѵъ, на ве́рхъ фазга̀, ꙗ҆́же є҆́сть прѧ́мѡ і҆ерїхѡ́нꙋ: и҆ показа̀ є҆мꙋ̀ гдⷭ҇ь всю̀ зе́млю галаа́дскꙋ да́же до да́на,
and all the land of Ephraim and Manasse, and all the land of Juda to the farthest sea;
καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Νεφθαλὶ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ᾿Εφραΐμ καὶ Μανασσῆ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ᾿Ιούδα ἕως τῆς θαλάσσης τῆς ἐσχάτης
и҆ всю̀ зе́млю нефѳалі́млю, и҆ всю̀ зе́млю є҆фре́мовꙋ и҆ манассі́инꙋ, и҆ всю̀ зе́млю і҆ꙋ́динꙋ да́же до мо́рѧ послѣ́днѧгѡ,
and the wilderness, and the country round about Jericho, the city of palm-trees, to Segor.
καὶ τὴν ἔρημον καὶ τὰ περίχωρα ῾Ιεριχώ, πόλιν φοινίκων ἕως Σηγώρ.
и҆ пꙋсты́ню и҆ ѡ҆крє́стнаѧ (се́ла) і҆ерїхѡ́на, гра́дъ фі́нїкѡвъ да́же до сигѡ́ра,
So Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab by the word of the Lord.
καὶ ἐτελεύτησε Μωυσῆς ὁ οἰκέτης Κυρίου ἐν γῇ Μωὰβ διὰ ῥήματος Κυρίου.
И҆ сконча́сѧ та́мѡ мѡѷсе́й ра́бъ гдⷭ҇ень въ землѝ мѡа́вли сло́вомъ гдⷭ҇нимъ.
Moses’ death is recorded to have been even more sublime than his life. He died on a mountain peak and left behind neither trace nor memorial of his earthly burden in life. The impress of beauty was not altered by time but remained unchangeable in the changeable nature.
Inscriptions of the Psalms 1.56
And therefore, we do not read about him as we do about others, because he died in a state of deficiency: but he died through the word of God (Deuteronomy 34:5). For God neither experiences defection or diminution, nor does he undergo addition. Hence, the Scripture also adds: 'For no one knows his burial place until this day' (ibid. 6), so that you understand it as a translation rather than his demise. For death is a certain separation of the soul and body. Therefore, he was dead through the word of God, as Scripture says, not according to the flesh; so that you may observe not the message of death, but the gift of grace expressed, who was transferred rather than abandoned, of whom no one knows the burial.
On Cain and Abel, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 8
And they buried him in Gai near the house of Phogor; and no one has seen his sepulchre to this day.
καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἐν Γαῖ ἐγγὺς οἴκου Φογώρ· καὶ οὐκ εἶδεν οὐδεὶς τὴν ταφὴν αὐτοῦ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.
И҆ погребо́ша є҆го̀ въ землѝ мѡа́вли бли́з̾ до́мꙋ фогѡ́рова. И҆ не ᲂу҆вѣ́да никто́же погребе́нїѧ є҆гѡ̀ да́же до днѐ сегѡ̀.
Two godly benefits did his Lord accomplish for Moses in not making known his tomb to the children of Israel. He rejoiced that his adversaries should not know it and cast forth his bones from his tomb; and in the second place, that the children of his people should not know it and make his tomb a place of worship, for he was accounted as God in the eyes of the children of his people.
Demonstration 8.9
God had granted the gift of being buried in secret ground to only one of his friends, for it was right that so great a distinction should be appropriate only for that body which had shone from the close presence and conversation of God. Thus when Moses had performed his duties as man, he could take joy in having God alone as witness of his grave.
Poems 15.213
And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old at his death; his eyes were not dimmed, nor were his natural powers destroyed.
Μωυσῆς δὲ ἦν ἑκατὸν καὶ εἴκοσιν ἐτῶν ἐν τῷ τελευτᾶν αὐτόν· οὐκ ἠμαυρώθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἐφθάρησαν τὰ χελώνια αὐτοῦ.
Мѡѷсе́ю же бѣ̀ сто̀ и҆ два́десѧть лѣ́тъ, є҆гда̀ сконча́сѧ: не ѡ҆темнѣ́стѣ ѻ҆́чи є҆гѡ̀, ни и҆стлѣ́ста ᲂу҆стнѣ̀ є҆гѡ̀.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in Araboth of Moab at Jordan near Jericho thirty days; and the days of the sad mourning for Moses were completed.
καὶ ἔκλαυσαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ Μωυσῆν ἐν ᾿Αραβὼθ Μωὰβ ἐπὶ τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου κατὰ ῾Ιεριχὼ τριάκοντα ἡμέρας· καὶ συνετελέσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι πένθους κλαυθμοῦ Μωυσῆ.
И҆ пла́кашасѧ сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы мѡѷсе́а во а҆равѡ́ѳѣ мѡа́вли ᲂу҆ і҆ѻрда́на бли́з̾ і҆ерїхѡ́на три́десѧть дні́й. И҆ сконча́шасѧ дні́е пла́ча сѣ́тованїѧ ѡ҆ мѡѷсе́и.
And Joshua the son of Naue was filled with the spirit of knowledge, for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened to him; and they did as the Lord commanded Moses.
καὶ ᾿Ιησοῦς υἱὸς Ναυὴ ἐνεπλήσθη πνεύματος συνέσεως, ἐπέθηκε γὰρ Μωυσῆς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν· καὶ εἰσήκουσαν αὐτοῦ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐποίησαν καθότι ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ.
И҆ і҆исꙋ́съ сы́нъ наѵи́нъ напо́лнисѧ дх҃а ра́зꙋма: возложи́ бо мѡѷсе́й рꙋ́цѣ своѝ на него̀. И҆ послꙋ́шаша є҆гѡ̀ сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы, и҆ сотвори́ша ꙗ҆́коже заповѣ́да гдⷭ҇ь мѡѷсе́ю.
It is written, “Now Joshua, the son of Nun, was filled with the Spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him.” Note the same ceremonial everywhere, both in the Old and the New Testament. In Moses’ day the Spirit was given by the imposition of hands; and Peter imparted the Spirit by the imposition of hands. Upon you also, who are to be baptized, the grace will come.
Catechetical Lecture 16.26
And there rose up no more a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστη ἔτι προφήτης ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὡς Μωυσῆς, ὃν ἔγνω Κύριος αὐτὸν πρόσωπον κατὰ πρόσωπον,
И҆ не воста̀ ктомꙋ̀ прⷪ҇ро́къ во і҆и҃ли ꙗ҆́коже мѡѷсе́й, є҆го́же позна̀ гдⷭ҇ь лице́мъ къ лицꙋ̀,
in all the signs and wonders, which the Lord sent him to work in Egypt on Pharao, and his servants, and all his land;
ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς σημείοις καὶ τέρασιν, ὃν ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν Κύριος ποιῆσαι αὐτὰ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ Φαραὼ καὶ τοῖς θεράπουσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ,
во всѣ́хъ зна́менїихъ и҆ чꙋдесѣ́хъ, є҆го́же посла̀ гдⷭ҇ь сотвори́ти ѧ҆̀ въ землѝ є҆гѵ́петстѣй фараѡ́нꙋ и҆ рабѡ́мъ є҆гѡ̀ и҆ все́й землѝ є҆гѡ̀,
the great wonders, and the mighty hand which Moses displayed before all Israel.
τὰ θαυμάσια τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὴν χεῖρα τὴν κραταιάν, ἃ ἐποίησε Μωυσῆς ἔναντι παντὸς ᾿Ισραήλ.
ди̑внаѧ вели̑каѧ, и҆ рꙋ́кꙋ крѣ́пкꙋю (и҆ мы́шцꙋ высо́кꙋю), ꙗ҆̀же сотворѝ мѡѷсе́й пред̾ всѣ́мъ і҆и҃лемъ.
And the Lord said to Moses, This [is] the land of which I sware to Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, saying, To your seed will I give it: and I have shewed it to thine eyes, but thou shalt not go in thither.
καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· αὕτη ἡ γῆ, ἣν ὤμοσα τῷ ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ λέγων· τῷ σπέρματι ὑμῶν δώσω αὐτήν· καὶ ἔδειξα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, καὶ ἐκεῖ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ.
и҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь къ мѡѷсе́ю: сїѧ̀ землѧ̀, є҆́юже клѧ́хсѧ а҆враа́мꙋ и҆ і҆саа́кꙋ и҆ і҆а́кѡвꙋ, гл҃ѧ: сѣ́мени ва́шемꙋ да́мъ ю҆̀: и҆ показа́хъ ю҆̀ ѻ҆чесє́мъ твои̑мъ, и҆ та́мѡ не вни́деши.