The Meaning of Deuteronomy 34:7 Explained

Deuteronomy 34:7

KJV: And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

YLT: And Moses is a son of a hundred and twenty years when he dieth; his eye hath not become dim, nor hath his moisture fled.

Darby: And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

ASV: And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  [was] an hundred  and twenty  years  old  when he died:  his eye  was not dim,  nor his natural force  abated. 

What does Deuteronomy 34:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 34:1-12 - The Great Leader's Exodus
What inimitable beauty in this closing scene! The majestic withdrawal of the illustrious Lawgiver in view of the assembled nation! The panorama that greeted his undimmed gaze! The Lord's showing of it to him! The kiss, according to the ancient tradition, in which his spirit passed rapturously to its reward! The burial of his body with proper honor, Judges 1:9! Well might the people weep!
There is dispensational truth here also. Moses represented God's Law, which never shows signs of age; but it cannot lead the soul into the rest of God, nor give victory over our spiritual foes. For the world and each soul Moses must give place to Joshua-that is, Jesus.
Be ours that face to face fellowship, that doing of His will, those divine credentials of the mighty hand, of deeds wrought in God! Psalms 90:16-17 [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 34

1  Moses from mount Nebo views the land
5  He dies there
6  His burial
7  His age
8  Thirty days mourning for him
9  Joshua succeeds him
10  The praise of Moses

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 34:7 mean?

And Moses [was] old a hundred and twenty years when he died not were dim his eyes nor diminished His natural vigor
וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה בֶּן־ מֵאָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּמֹת֑וֹ לֹֽא־ כָהֲתָ֥ה עֵינ֖וֹ וְלֹא־ נָ֥ס לֵחֹֽה

וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה  And  Moses  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בֶּן־  old 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מֵאָ֧ה  a  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים  and  twenty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
שָׁנָ֖ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
בְּמֹת֑וֹ  when  he  died 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
כָהֲתָ֥ה  were  dim 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּהָה 
Sense: to grow weak, grow dim, grow faint, falter, be weak, be dim, be darkened, be restrained, be faint, fail.
עֵינ֖וֹ  his  eyes 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וְלֹא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נָ֥ס  diminished 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
לֵחֹֽה  His  natural  vigor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵחַ  
Sense: moisture, freshness, vigour.