Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
His Commandment Is Something That Can Be Achieved (Deuteronomy 30:11).
Moses again stressed that what he was calling on them to do was not difficult to achieve. It did not demand great expenditure of effort and great daring, a seeking to achieve God's secrets, but it called for a loving response to what was already known. It was not something far off that was unreachable. It was there to hand if they would but seize it.
Analysis using the words of Moses:
a For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off (Deuteronomy 30:11).
b It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” (Deuteronomy 30:12).
b Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” (Deuteronomy 30:13).
a But the word is very nigh to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it. (Deuteronomy 30:14).
Note that in ‘a' his commandment given that day is not too hard nor is it afar off, and in the parallel it is near in their mouths and their hearts so that they may do it, In ‘b' and parallel it is not in any unreachable place, whether it be heaven or the mysterious sea, where they could not reach it.
‘ For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.'
He stressed that the commandment that he had given, which contained the commandments and statutes and ordinances, was neither hard to discover nor distant from them. It may be that he had in mind here myths and stories about men's attempts to consult the gods and to obtain wisdom and understanding, where they sought to ascend into the heavens or travel beyond the seas. These were no doubt fairly common motifs and one or other is found in, for example, the Canaanite legend of King Keret and the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh among others. But this may not necessarily be the case, for he may simply have been thinking of remote, inaccessible places as an example. The sky and the sea would necessarily commend themselves as such. The sky was unreachable and the sea to be feared.
In other nations the mystery of the priesthood and priestly ministrations and knowledge might be kept from the people, but not in Israel. The whole had been laid bare, and was known to all.
“This commandment which I command you this day.” This is typical Mosaic phraseology. Compare Deuteronomy 6:1; Deuteronomy 7:11; Deuteronomy 8:1; Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 15:5; Deuteronomy 19:9; Deuteronomy 26:13; Deuteronomy 27:1; Deuteronomy 31:5. See also Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 6:2; Deuteronomy 6:17; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 10:13; Deuteronomy 11:8; Deuteronomy 11:13; Deuteronomy 11:27; Deuteronomy 13:18; Deuteronomy 27:10; Deuteronomy 28:1; Deuteronomy 28:9; Deuteronomy 28:13; Deuteronomy 28:15; Deuteronomy 28:45; Deuteronomy 30:8 where ‘commandments' is used in the plural in a similar way, often following up the above singular usages.
‘ It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” '
Yahweh had not put His commandment beyond man's reach. It was not in heaven that men might say, ‘who will go and get it for us?' Note his meaningful way of describing it, ‘who will go -- for us?' Even now he knew that they did not want to get too close to God. They had wanted him to go into the Mount to receive God's commandments (Deuteronomy 5:27), and it would be the same if the commandments were in heaven. They would want someone else to go for them. And therein would lie great danger, for that was why they could be manipulated by people who made such claims (consider Balaam). But Yahweh's ways on the contrary were made plain to all. They are to hand in His word.
“Make us to hear it.” What was more he indicates by these words that they were aware of their own weakness. While they did not want God to make them hear it with His terrible voice, for they had heard it once ‘from heaven' (Deuteronomy 4:36) and that was enough, they did want someone to make them hear it, that they may do it.
But they need not fear. He had gone into the Mount to receive God's commandment for them ‘from heaven' (Deuteronomy 4:36) and it was now easily accessible to them, and he was doing his best to make them hear it so they would do it. So they had no excuse.
‘ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” '
Nor would they have to go beyond the sea. No great adventurer (like Gilgamesh) was required who would sail forth to unknown lands to seek to obtain it for them, in order to make them hear it and do it. There was no far off mystery which could bring them wisdom and understanding. God had given it openly there among them.
‘ But the word is very nigh to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.'
For the word was as close to them as it could possibly be. It was in their mouth and in their heart that they might do it. It was there in what he had taught them, and the word from God that he had brought them. They could teach it to their children, they could speak of it with each other, and they could meditate on it in their hearts (Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 6:7; Deuteronomy 11:18). But there was no one who could make them hear it and do it. That was up to their own their final choice.