Deuteronomy 31

(Numbers 27:18–23)

1When MosesH4872 had finishedH1980 speakingH16961 theseH428 wordsH1697 toH413 allH3605 IsraelH3478, 2he saidH559 to themH413, “IH595 am nowH3117 a hundredH3967 and twentyH6242 years oldH1121H8141; I amH3201 noH3808 longerH5750 able to comeH3318 and goH935, and the LORDH3068 has saidH559 to meH413, ‘You shall notH3808 crossH5674 theH2088 JordanH3383.’

3The LORDH3068 your GodH430 HimselfH1931 will cross overH5674 ahead of youH6440. HeH1931 will destroyH8045 theseH428 nationsH1471 before youH6440, and you will dispossess themH3423. JoshuaH3091H1931 will crossH5674 ahead of youH6440, asH834 the LORDH3068 has saidH1696. 4And the LORDH3068 will doH6213 to them asH834 He didH6213 to SihonH5511 and OgH5747, the kingsH4428 of the AmoritesH567, whenH834 He destroyedH8045 themH853 along with their landH776.

5The LORDH3068 will deliver them overH5414 to youH6440, and you must doH6213 to them exactly asH3605H4687 I have commandedH6680 youH853. 6Be strongH2388 and courageousH553; do notH408 be afraidH3372H408 or terrifiedH6206 of themH6440, forH3588 it is the LORDH3068 your GodH430 whoH1931 goesH1980 with youH5973; He will neverH3808 leave youH7503 nor forsake youH5800.”2

7Then MosesH4872 calledH7121 for JoshuaH3091 and saidH559 to himH413 in the presenceH5869 of allH3605 IsraelH3478, “Be strongH2388 and courageousH553, forH3588 youH859 will goH935 withH854 thisH2088 peopleH5971 intoH413 the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 sworeH7650 to their fathersH1 to giveH5414 them, and youH859 shall give it to them as an inheritanceH5157. 8The LORDH3068 HimselfH1931 goesH1980 before youH6440; HeH1931 will beH1961 with youH5973. He will neverH3808 leave youH7503 norH3808 forsake youH5800. Do notH3808 be afraidH3372 or discouragedH2865.”

The Reading of the Law

(Nehemiah 8:1–8)

9So MosesH4872 wrote downH3789 thisH2063 lawH8451 and gaveH5414 it toH413 the priestsH3548, the sonsH1121 of LeviH3881, who carriedH5375 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068, and toH413 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478.

10Then MosesH4872 commanded themH6680, “At the endH7093 of every sevenH7651 yearsH8141, at the appointed timeH4150 in the yearH8141 of remissionH8059 of debt, during the FeastH2282 of TabernaclesH5521,3 11when allH3605 IsraelH3478H7200H854 comesH935 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 at the placeH4725 He will chooseH977, you are to readH7121 thisH2063 lawH8451 in the hearingH241 ofH5048 allH3605 IsraelH3478.

12AssembleH6950 the peopleH5971—menH582, womenH802, childrenH2945, and the foreignersH1616 within your gatesH8179—so thatH4616 they may listenH8085H4616 and learnH3925 to fearH3372 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and to followH6213 carefullyH8104 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of thisH2063 lawH8451. 13Then their childrenH1121 whoH834 do notH3808 knowH3045 the law will listenH8085 and learnH3925 to fearH3372 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, asH3605H3117 long as youH859 liveH2416 inH5921 the landH127 thatH834 youH859 are crossingH5674 the JordanH3383H8033 to possessH3423.”

God Commissions Joshua

14Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872, “BeholdH2005, the timeH3117 of your deathH4191 is nearH7126. CallH7121 JoshuaH3091 and present yourselvesH3320 at the TentH168 of MeetingH4150, so that I may commission himH6680.”

So MosesH4872 and JoshuaH3091 wentH1980 and presented themselvesH3320 at the TentH168 of MeetingH4150. 15Then the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 at the tentH168 in a pillarH5982 of cloudH6051, and the cloudH6051 stoodH5975H5982 overH5921 the entranceH6607 to the tentH168.

16And the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872, “You will soonH2009 restH7901 withH5973 your fathersH1, and theseH2088 peopleH5971 will rise upH6965 and prostitute themselvesH2181 withH310 the foreignH5236 godsH430 of the landH776 theyH1931 are enteringH935H8033H7130. They will forsake MeH5800 and breakH6565 the covenantH1285 I have madeH3772 with themH854.

17On thatH1931 dayH3117 My angerH639 will burnH2734 against them, and I will abandon themH5800 and hideH5641 My faceH6440 from them, so that they will beH1961 consumedH398, and manyH7227 troublesH7451 and afflictionsH6869 will befall themH4672.

On thatH1931 dayH3117 they will sayH559, ‘Have notH3808 theseH428 disastersH7451 come upon usH4672 becauseH5921H3588 our GodH430 is noH369 longer with usH7130?’

18AndH595 on thatH1931 dayH3117 I will surely hideH5641 My faceH6440 because ofH5921 allH3605 the evilH7451 they have doneH6213H3588 by turningH6437 toH413 otherH312 godsH430.

19Now thereforeH6258, write downH3789 for yourselves thisH2063 songH7892 and teachH3925 it to the IsraelitesH1121H3478; have them reciteH7760 itH6310, so thatH4616 it may beH1961 a witnessH5707 for Me againstH1121H3478 them. 20WhenH3588 I have brought themH935 intoH413 the landH127 thatH834 I sworeH7650 to give their fathersH1, a land flowingH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706, they will eatH398 their fillH7646 and prosperH1878. Then they will turnH6437 toH413 otherH312 godsH430 and worship themH5647, and they will reject MeH5006 and breakH6565 My covenantH1285. 21And whenH3588 manyH7227 troublesH7451 and afflictionsH6869 have come upon themH4672, thisH2063 songH7892 will testifyH6030H5707 against themH6440, becauseH3588 it will not be forgottenH3808H7911 from the lipsH6310 of their descendantsH2233. ForH3588 I knowH3045 their inclinationH3336, even beforeH2962 I bring themH935 intoH413 the landH776 thatH834 I swore to give themH7650.”

22So that veryH1931 dayH3117 MosesH4872 wrote downH3789 thisH2063 songH7892 and taught itH3925 to the IsraelitesH1121H3478.

23Then the LORD commissionedH6680 JoshuaH3091 sonH1121 of NunH5126 and saidH559, “Be strongH2388 and courageousH553, forH3588 youH859 will bringH935 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 intoH413 the landH776 thatH834 I swore to giveH7650 them, and IH595 will beH1961 with youH5973.”

24

The Law Placed in the Ark

When MosesH4872 had finishedH3615 writingH3789 in a bookH5612 the wordsH1697 of thisH2063H5921 lawH8451H5704 from beginning to endH8552, 25he gave this command toH6680H4872 the LevitesH3881 who carriedH5375 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068: 26“TakeH3947 thisH2088 BookH5612 of the LawH8451 and placeH7760 itH853 besideH6654 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430, so that it may remainH1961 thereH8033 as a witnessH5707 against you. 27ForH3588 IH595 knowH3045 how rebelliousH4805 and stiff-necked you areH6203H7186. If you are alreadyH2005H1961H5973 rebellingH4784 againstH5973 the LORDH3068H3117 while I am stillH5750 aliveH2416, how much moreH637H3588 will you rebel afterH310 my deathH4194!

28AssembleH6950 before meH413 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of your tribesH7626 and all your officersH7860 so that I may speakH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 in their hearingH241 and call heavenH8064 and earthH776 to witnessH5749 against them. 29ForH3588 I knowH3045 thatH3588 afterH310 my deathH4194 you will become utterly corruptH7843 and turnH5493 fromH4480 the pathH1870 I have commanded youH6680. And inH319 the days to comeH3117, disasterH7451 will befallH7122 youH853 becauseH3588 you will doH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068 to provoke Him to angerH3707 by the workH4639 of your handsH3027.”

Moses Begins His Song

30Then MosesH4872H241 recited aloudH1696 to the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 of IsraelH3478 the wordsH1697 of thisH2063 songH7892 from beginning to endH8552: