Deuteronomy 1:3-5

1:3 However, it was not until ¹  the first day of the eleventh month ²  of the fortieth year ³  that Moses addressed the Israelites just as ⁴  the Lord had instructed him to do. 1:4 This took place after the defeat ⁵  of King Sihon ⁶  of the Amorites, whose capital was ⁷  in Heshbon, ⁸  and King Og of Bashan, whose capital was ⁹  in Ashtaroth, ¹⁰  specifically in Edrei. ¹¹  1:5 So it was in the Transjordan, in Moab, that Moses began to deliver these words: ¹² 

¹ tn Heb “in” or “on.” Here there is a contrast between the ordinary time of eleven days (v. 2) and the actual time of forty years, so “not until” brings out that vast disparity.

² sn The eleventh month is Shebat in the Hebrew calendar, January/February in the modern (Gregorian) calendar.

³ sn The fortieth year would be 1406 b.c. according to the “early” date of the exodus. See E. H. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests, 66-75.

⁴ tn Heb “according to all which.”

⁵ tn Heb “when he struck [or “smote”].”

⁶ sn See Deut 2:26–3:22.

⁷ tn Heb “who lived.”

⁸ sn Heshbon is probably modern Tell Hesban, about 7.5 mi (12 km) south southwest of Amman, Jordan.

⁹ tn Heb “who lived.”

¹⁰ sn Ashtaroth is probably Tell àAshtarah, about 22 mi (35 km) due east of the Sea of Galilee.

¹¹ sn Edrei is probably modern Deràa, 60 mi (95 km) south of Damascus (see Num 21:33; Josh 12:4; 13:12, 31).

⁹ tn Heb “this instruction”; KJV, NIV, NRSV “this law”; TEV “God’s laws and teachings.” The Hebrew noun תוֹרָה (torah) is derived from the verb יָרָה (yarah, “to teach”) and here it refers to the Book of Deuteronomy, not the Pentateuch as a whole.