Deuteronomy 5:31
But you stand here with Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and statutes and ordinances you are to teach them to follow in the land that I am giving them to possess."
But you stand here with Me,

Moses remained before the LORD at Horeb after Israel withdrew in fear from the voice of God. He was set apart to receive the covenant instruction that he would faithfully deliver to the nation. The closeness granted to Moses reflects the communion described in Exodus 33:11 and establishes his God-appointed role as Israel’s mediator.

Exo 33:21 The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me”…
Exo 24:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain…
Num 12:8 I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles;…

that I may speak to you

The laws originated with God, not with Moses or Israel’s leaders. Moses received divine revelation so that the people would know the will of the LORD and live under His holy authority.

Exo 25:22 And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat,…
Exo 33:11 Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, …
Exo 19:9 The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you…

all the commandments and statutes and ordinances

God provided a complete pattern for Israel’s life, including moral obligations, worship, justice, family life, and national order. The covenant law revealed God’s holiness and taught His redeemed people how to dwell rightly before Him.

Deu 6:1 These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances…
Deu 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances…
Deu 12:1 These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful…

you are to teach them

Moses was commanded not merely to receive the law but to instruct Israel in it. God’s people were to preserve His words through faithful teaching in each generation, beginning in the home and extending throughout the nation.

Deu 31:12-13 Assemble the people—men, women, children…
Deu 6:7 And you shall teach them diligently to your children…
Deu 11:19 Teach them to your children, speaking about them…

to follow

Knowledge of God’s commands was to lead to obedience. Israel’s covenant relationship required a life shaped by trust in the LORD, reverence for His holiness, and willing submission to His ways.

Lev 18:4-5 You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes…
Jos 1:7-8 Above all, be strong and very courageous.…
Deu 10:12-13 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you…

in the land that I am giving them

The land of Canaan was the promised inheritance pledged to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Its gift displayed God’s faithfulness, while life within it would provide the setting for Israel to bear witness to Him among the nations.

Jos 1:2-3 Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise…
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give…
Gen 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said,…

to possess.”

Israel would enter and occupy the land by God’s power, not by human achievement alone. Continued enjoyment of the land was bound to covenant faithfulness, warning Israel that God’s gifts must never be separated from obedience to the Giver.

Exo 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you,…
Num 33:53 You are to take possession of the land and settle in it…
Jos 1:6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His laws and commandments to the people.

2. God
The divine speaker in this verse, instructing Moses on his role as a mediator and teacher of His laws.

3. Israelites
The people of Israel, who are to receive and follow the commandments, statutes, and ordinances.

4. The Promised Land
The land that God is giving to the Israelites to possess, a central theme in the journey of the Israelites.

5. Mount Sinai
The place where Moses received the commandments from God, although not directly mentioned in this verse, it is the backdrop for the giving of the law.
Teaching Points
The Role of a Mediator
Moses serves as a mediator between God and the Israelites, a role that foreshadows Christ as the ultimate mediator between God and humanity.

The Importance of Obedience
The verse underscores the necessity of obedience to God's commandments as a condition for possessing the land, highlighting the broader biblical theme of obedience leading to blessing.

God's Instruction and Guidance
God’s willingness to instruct Moses personally emphasizes His desire for His people to understand and follow His ways.

The Continuity of God's Law
The commandments given to Moses are part of a continuous revelation that finds its fulfillment in Christ, showing the unity of the Old and New Testaments.

Living in the Promised Land
The physical possession of the land is symbolic of the spiritual inheritance believers have in Christ, encouraging us to live according to God's statutes.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Moses' role as a mediator in Deuteronomy 5:31 point to the work of Christ in the New Testament?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of obedience to God's commandments in our daily lives today?

3. How does the concept of the Promised Land in Deuteronomy relate to the spiritual promises we have in Christ?

4. What can we learn from God's direct communication with Moses about His desire for a relationship with His people?

5. How do the commandments, statutes, and ordinances given to the Israelites reflect God's character and His expectations for His people?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 24:12
This verse parallels Deuteronomy 5:31, where God calls Moses to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone with the law and commandments.

Deuteronomy 4:1
This passage emphasizes the importance of following God's statutes and ordinances as a means to live and possess the land.

Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus speaks about the fulfillment of the law, connecting the Old Testament commandments to His teachings.

Hebrews 3:1-6
This passage highlights Moses' faithfulness in God's house, drawing a parallel to Christ's greater faithfulness.
Reminiscences of HorebJ. Orr Deuteronomy 5:1-33
Character Determines EnvironmentD. Davies Deuteronomy 5:21-33
How Moses Became MediatorR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 5:22-33
People
Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Horeb
Topics
Clear, Command, Commandment, Commandments, Commands, Decisions, Decrees, Follow, Giving, Heritage, Judgments, Laws, Observe, Orders, Ordinances, Possess, Speak, Stand, Statutes, Teach
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 5:31

     5031   knowledge, of sin

Deuteronomy 5:31-33

     8404   commands, in OT

Library
Prayer and Obedience
"An obedience discovered itself in Fletcher of Madeley, which I wish I could describe or imitate. It produced in him a ready mind to embrace every cross with alacrity and pleasure. He had a singular love for the lambs of the flock, and applied himself with the greatest diligence to their instruction, for which he had a peculiar gift. . . . All his intercourse with me was so mingled with prayer and praise, that every employment, and every meal was, as it were, perfumed therewith." -- JOHN WESLEY.
Edward M. Bounds—The Necessity of Prayer

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Everlasting Covenant of the Spirit
"They shall be My people, and l will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."--JER. xxxii. 38, 40. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
Scribes Reproach Him for Disregarding Tradition. (Galilee, Probably Capernaum, Spring a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XV. 1-20; ^B Mark VII. 1-23; ^D John VII. 1. ^d 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at John v. 18.] ^a 1 Then there
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Foundations of Good Citizenship.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.--Ex. 20:1-17. Parallel Readings. Hist. Bible I, 194-198. Prin. of Politics, Chap. II. Lowell, Essay on "Democracy." Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf.
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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