Deuteronomy Chapter 31

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹ Moses went and told all Israel,

² “I’m 120 years old today. I can’t do like I used to, and Yahveh has told me I won’t cross the Jordan. ³ He’ll^Y cross ahead of you and destroy those nations, and you’ll take over their land. Joshua will cross ahead of you like Yahveh said. ⁴ Yahveh will do to them what he did to Sihon, Og, and their lands. ⁵ He’ll deliver them up to you, and you’ll do to them like I’ve commanded you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous; don’t tremble with fear at them. Yahveh’s going with you. He won’t fail you or abandon you.”

⁷ Then Moses called Joshua and told him in the presence of all Israel,

“Be strong and courageous. You’ll^sg go with these people into the land and give it to them to inherit. ⁸ Yahveh will go ahead of you. He won’t fail you or abandon you. Don’t be afraid or intimidated.

Public Reading of the Law

⁹ Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the priests, the Levites who carried the Ark of the Covenant, and to the elders in Israel. ¹⁰ Then he told them,

“At the end of every seven years, at the time of year for forgiving debts, at the Festival of Booths—¹¹ when Israel appears in Yahveh’s presence—read this Law to all Israel. ¹² Gather the people, men and women, children, foreigners in your town so they can hear and learn to respect Yahveh. Be sure to observe everything in this Law. ¹³ The children who haven’t known will hear and learn to respect Yahveh as long as they live on the land they’re about to take over.”         

Deut 31:1-13

Israel’s Rebellion Predicted

¹⁴ Yahveh told Moses,

“It’s time for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting so I can commission him.”

So Moses and Joshua presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁵ Yahveh appeared in a pillar of cloud at the doorway ¹⁶ and told Moses,

“You’re about to lie down with your ancestors. This nation will carry on prostitution with the foreign gods in the land they’re entering. They’ll leave me and break my covenant. ¹⁷ My anger will flare at them, and I’ll leave them and make myself invisible to them. They’ll be consumed, and many troubles will come on them. They’ll say then, ‘Isn’t it because our God is not among us?’ ¹⁸ But I’ll hide from them because of all the sins they’ll do in turning to other gods. ¹⁹ So write this song and teach it to Israel. Have them learn it so it will be evidence for me against them. ²⁰ When I take them to the land flowing with milk and honey, they’ll eat till they’re satisfied and become prosperous. Then they’ll turn to other gods and serve them. They’ll spurn me and break my covenant. ²¹ When many troubles have come on them, this song will confront them. (Their descendants won’t forget it.) I know what they’re already heading for even before I’ve taken them into the land.”                                     

Deut 31:14-21

²² Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to Israel.

²³ Then Yahveh commissioned Joshua Ben-Nun, “Be strong and courageous; you’ll take the people into the land, and I’ll be with you.”

²⁴ When Moses had finished writing the whole Law in a scroll, ²⁵ he told the Levites who carried the Ark of the Covenant,

²⁶ “Put this Law beside the Ark as a witness against you. ²⁷ I know you’re rebellious and stubborn. While I’ve been alive with you up to now, you’ve rebelled against Yahveh. How much more after I die? ²⁸ Gather the elders and officials in your tribes so I can tell them these things and call earth and sky as witness against them. ²⁹ I know that after I die, you’ll turn away from what I’ve commanded you. Disaster will come on you because you’ll do what Yahveh forbids and make him angry.”

Deut 31:22-29

The Song of Moses

³⁰ Then Moses presented this whole song to the assembly: