9 I spoke to you at that time, saying, “I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 Yahweh your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day as the stars of the sky for multitude. 11 Yahweh, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as he has promised you! 12 How can I myself alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 13 Take wise men of understanding and well known according to your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.” 14 You answered me, and said, “The thing which you have spoken is good for us to do.” 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 1:9-15
Commentary on Deuteronomy 1:9-18
(Read Deuteronomy 1:9-18)
Moses reminds the people of the happy constitution of their government, which might make them all safe and easy, if it was not their own fault. He owns the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, and prays for the further accomplishment of it. We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God; why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope? Good laws were given to the Israelites, and good men were to see to the execution of them, which showed God's goodness to them, and the care of Moses.