And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor: but no man knows of his grave unto this day.
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Aphrahat the Persian Sage
AD 345
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.
He buried him, viz., by the ministry of angels, and would have the place of his burial to be unknown, lest the Israelites, who were so prone to idolatry, might worship him with divine honours. (Challoner)
St. Michael therefore contended with satan about his body, Jude 9. Some have maintained that Josue and Eleazar performed these last rites to their deceased lawgiver. (Calmet)
But then some men would have known where he was buried. (Haydock)
Day. It is pretended that Jeremias discovered the place, 2 Machabees ii. 4, 5. He found indeed a hollow cave. And so stopped the door. Yet this does not prove that he found the sepulchre of Moses, (Calmet) who was buried in some valley over-against Phogor, but it is not said in a cave. (Haydock)
Cajetan infers from the body of Moses not being buried in the mountain, that it was conveyed by angels to some vale, where his attendants could not see him.
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.
He buried him: viz. by the ministry of angels, and would have the place of his burial to be unknown, lest the Israelites, who were so prone to idolatry, might worship him with divine honours.
