31 Then Moses went out and he spoke to all the Israelites. 2 He said to them, ‘I am now 120 years old. I can no longer continue to lead you. The Lord has told me that I will not go across the Jordan River. 3 But the Lord your God himself will go across the river in front of you. He will destroy the nations who live in that land. Then you will live there instead of them. Joshua will lead you across the river, as the Lord has said. 4 The Lord will do to those nations the same things that he did to Sihon and to Og, the Amorite kings. He destroyed them and their land. 5 The Lord will give you power over them. Then you must do to them everything that I have told you to do. 6 Be strong and be brave! Do not be afraid of those people, because the Lord your God goes with you. He will always be there to help you. He will never leave you.’
7 Then Moses fetched Joshua. While all the Israelites listened, Moses said this to Joshua:
‘Be strong and very brave! You will go with these people into the land that the Lord promised to give to their ancestors. You will give them the land which will be their new home. 8 The Lord himself goes in front of you. He will always be with you, to help you. He will never leave you. So do not be afraid. Be brave!’
9 Moses wrote down all the rules of God's Law. He gave them to the Levite priests who carry the Lord 's Covenant Box. He also gave them to the leaders of the Israelites. 10-11 Then Moses said to them, ‘You must read this Law to all the Israelites. Read it every seven years at the Feast of Huts, in the year when you forgive people's debts. [ a ] At that time all the Israelites will go to the place that the Lord your God will choose. When they meet there to worship the Lord , they must listen to this Law. 12 Bring all the men, women and children together. Also bring the foreign people who live in your towns. They must all hear God's Law as it is read to them. Then they can learn to respect and obey the Lord your God. They will be careful to obey all the teaching of his Law. 13 Their children will hear this Law for the first time. They will learn to respect and obey the Lord your God. You must do this for as long as you live in the land. You will soon go across the Jordan River to live there.’
14 The Lord said to Moses, ‘You will soon die. Fetch Joshua and come with him to the Tent of Meeting. When you meet with me there, I will give Joshua authority to be the leader of my people.’
So Moses and Joshua went to meet the Lord at his special tent.
15 The Lord appeared in a pillar of cloud. The cloud was above the door of the tent. 16 The Lord said to Moses, ‘You will soon die. After you die, the people will soon go away from me. They will start to worship foreign gods of the land where they are going. They will turn against me. They will not obey the covenant that I made with them. 17 When that happens, I will be very angry with them. I will leave them. I will refuse to help them until they are destroyed. Many bad things will happen to them so that they are in great trouble. Then they will say, “These bad things have happened to us because our God is no longer with us.”
18 But at that time I will certainly refuse to help them. That is because of all the wicked things that they will have done. They will start to worship other gods.
19 Now write down this song that I will give to you. Teach the Israelites to sing it. Its words will show them that they are guilty because they have not obeyed me. 20 I will take them into this land, where there is plenty of food and drink, enough for everyone. It is the land that I promised to give to their ancestors. When they live there, they will eat as much food as they want. They will be fat and healthy. But then they will start to worship other gods. They will turn against me. They will not obey the covenant that I made with them. 21 Many bad things will happen to them so that they are in great trouble. Then this song will show them that they are guilty. Their descendants will never forget it. Even now, I know what they are thinking. I know what they want to do, even before I take them into the land that I have promised to them.’
22 So Moses wrote down this song on that same day. He taught it to the Israelites.
23 Then the Lord made Joshua, the son of Nun, the new leader. He said to Joshua, ‘Be strong and very brave! You will lead the Israelites into the land that I have promised to give them. I will be with you to help you.’
24 Moses finished writing all the words of God's Law in a book. 25 Then he said to the Levites who carried the Lord 's Covenant Box, 26 ‘Take this book of God's Law. Put it next to the Covenant Box of the Lord your God. It must remain there, so that the Israelites will know when they are guilty. 27 I know that they are a proud people who do not want to obey me. All the time that I have been living among them, they have turned against the Lord . After my death, they will turn against him even more! 28 Now bring to me all the leaders and officers of your tribes. I want to tell them about all these things. And I want the sky and the earth to hear what I will say to them. 29 I know that, after my death, you will do more and more wicked things. You will turn away from the good things that I have commanded you to do. In future days, you will do wicked things against the Lord . Because of that, you will have great trouble. You will make the Lord angry because of the things that you do.’
30 Then Moses spoke the words of this song, from the beginning to the end. All the Israelites met together and they listened to him.
31 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all the Israelites. 2 Moses said to them, “I am now 120 years old. I cannot lead you anymore. The Lord said to me, ‘You will not go across the Jordan River.’ 3 But the Lord your God will lead you people into that land. He will destroy these nations for you. You will take their land away from them. The Lord said that Joshua must lead you.
4 “The Lord destroyed Sihon and Og. He destroyed those Amorite kings and he will do the same thing for you again! 5 The Lord will help you defeat these nations. But you must do to them everything I told you to do. 6 Be strong and be brave. Don’t be afraid of those people because the Lord your God is with you. He will not fail you or leave you.”
7 Then Moses called Joshua. All the Israelites watched while Moses said to Joshua, “Be strong and brave. You will lead these people into the land that the Lord promised to give to their ancestors. You will help the Israelites take that land and divide it among them. 8 The Lord will lead you. He himself is with you. He will not fail you or leave you. Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid!”
9 Then Moses wrote this Book of Teachings and gave it to the priests, who are from the tribe of Levi. They have the work of carrying the Lord ’s Box of the Agreement. Moses also gave it to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses spoke to the leaders. He said, “At the end of every seven years, in the Year of Freedom, [ a ] read these teachings at the Festival of Shelters. 11 At that time all the Israelites must come to meet with the Lord your God at the special place he will choose. Then you must read the teachings to the people so that they can hear them. 12 Bring together all the people—the men, the women, the little children, and the foreigners living in your cities. They will hear the teachings, and they will learn to respect the Lord your God. Then they will be able to do everything in this Book of Teachings . 13 If their descendants don’t know the teachings, they will hear them, and they will learn to respect the Lord your God. They will respect him as long as you live in your country. You will soon go across the Jordan River and take that land to be your own.”
14 The Lord said to Moses, “Now the time is near for you to die. Get Joshua and come to the Meeting Tent. I will tell Joshua what he must do.” So Moses and Joshua went to the Meeting Tent.
15 The Lord appeared at the Tent in a tall cloud. The tall cloud stood over the entrance of the Tent. 16 The Lord said to Moses, “You will die soon. And after you have gone to be with your ancestors, these people will not continue to be faithful to me. They will break the agreement I made with them. They will leave me and begin worshiping other gods—the false gods of the land where they are going. 17 At that time I will become very angry with them, and I will leave them. I will refuse to help them, and they will be destroyed. Terrible things will happen to them, and they will have many troubles. Then they will say, ‘These bad things happened to us because our God is not with us.’ 18 And I will refuse to help them, because they have done evil and worshiped other gods.
19 “So write down this song, and teach it to the Israelites. Teach them to sing this song. Then this song will be a witness for me against the Israelites. 20 I will take them into the land that I promised to give to their ancestors—a land filled with many good things. [ b ] And they will have all they want to eat. They will have a rich life. But then they will turn to other gods and serve them. They will turn away from me and break my agreement. 21 Then many terrible things will happen to them. They will have many troubles. At that time their descendants will still know this song, and it will show them how wrong they are. I have not yet taken them into the land I promised to give them. But I already know what they are planning to do there.”
22 So that same day Moses wrote down the song and taught it to the Israelites.
23 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun and said, “Be strong and brave. You will lead the Israelites into the land I promised them, and I will be with you.”
24 Moses carefully wrote all these teachings in a book. When he finished, 25 he gave a command to the Levites. (These men carry the Lord ’s Box of the Agreement.) Moses said, 26 “Take this Book of Teachings and put it by the side of the Box of the Agreement of the Lord your God. Then it will be a witness against you. 27 I know you are very stubborn. I know you want to live your own way. Look, you refused to obey the Lord while I was with you. So I know you will refuse to obey him after I die. 28 Bring together all the officers and leaders of your tribes. I will tell them these things. And I will call heaven and earth to be witnesses against them. 29 I know that after my death you will become evil. You will turn from the way I commanded you to follow. Terrible things will happen to you in the future, because you want to do what the Lord says is wrong. You will make him angry because of the evil things you do.”
30 All the Israelites were gathered together, and Moses sang this whole song for them:
31 And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.
2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
3 The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said.
4 And the Lord shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.
5 And the Lord shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
8 And the Lord , he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord , and unto all the elders of Israel.
10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,
11 When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:
13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.
15 And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.
16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?
18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.
19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.
23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.
24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord , saying,
26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord ; and how much more after my death?
28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.
29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord , to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.
31 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them, “I am ( A ) 120 years old today; ( B ) I am no longer able to [ a ] go out and come in, and the Lord has told me, ‘ ( C ) You shall not cross this Jordan.’ 3 ( D ) It is the Lord your God who is going to cross ahead of you; He Himself will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. ( E ) Joshua is the one who is going to cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken. 4 And the Lord will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. 5 ( F ) The Lord will turn them over to you, and you will do to them in accordance with all the commandments which I have commanded you. 6 ( G ) Be strong and courageous, ( H ) do not be afraid or in dread of them, for ( I ) the Lord your God is the One who is going with you. ( J ) He will not desert you or abandon you.”
7 Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “ ( K ) Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you will give it to them as an inheritance. 8 And ( L ) the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. ( M ) He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.”
9 So Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi ( N ) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord , and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of ( O ) the year of the release of debts, at the ( P ) Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes ( Q ) to appear before the Lord your God at ( R ) the place which He will choose, ( S ) you shall read this Law before all Israel [ b ] so that they hear it . 12 Assemble the people, the men, the women, the children, and the stranger who is in your [ c ] town, so that they may hear and ( T ) learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to [ d ] follow all the words of this Law. 13 And their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land [ e ] which you are about to cross the Jordan to [ f ] possess.”
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, [ g ] ( U ) the time for you to die is near; call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, and I will commission him.” ( V ) So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. 15 ( W ) And the Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance of the tent. 16 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, ( X ) you are about to [ h ] lie down with your fathers; and ( Y ) this people will arise and play the prostitute with the foreign gods of the land into the midst of which they are going, and ( Z ) they will abandon Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. 17 ( AA ) Then My anger will be kindled against them on that day, and ( AB ) I will abandon them and ( AC ) hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will find them; so they will say on that day, ‘ ( AD ) Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have found us?’ 18 But I will assuredly hide My face on that day because of all the evil that they will have done, for they will have turned away to other gods.
19 “Now then, ( AE ) write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it [ i ] on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. 20 ( AF ) For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they eat and are satisfied and ( AG ) become [ j ] prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant. 21 Then it will come about, ( AH ) when many evils and troubles find them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of their [ k ] descendants); for ( AI ) I know their inclination which they are [ l ] developing today, before I bring them into the land which I swore.” 22 ( AJ ) So Moses wrote down this song on the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel.
23 ( AK ) Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “ ( AL ) Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and ( AM ) I will be with you.”
24 It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this Law in a book until they were complete, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites ( AN ) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord , saying, 26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, so that it may [ m ] remain there as a witness against you. 27 For I know ( AO ) your rebellion and ( AP ) your [ n ] stubbornness; behold, as long as I have been alive with you until today, you have been rebellious against the Lord ; how much more, then, after my death? 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and ( AQ ) call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will ( AR ) behave very corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will confront you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord , provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.”
30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete:
31 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 “I am now a hundred and twenty years old ( A ) and I am no longer able to lead you. ( B ) The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’ ( C ) 3 The Lord your God himself will cross ( D ) over ahead of you. ( E ) He will destroy these nations ( F ) before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross ( G ) over ahead of you, as the Lord said. 4 And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, ( H ) the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. 5 The Lord will deliver ( I ) them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous. ( J ) Do not be afraid or terrified ( K ) because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; ( L ) he will never leave you ( M ) nor forsake ( N ) you.”
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said ( O ) to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, ( P ) and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; ( Q ) he will never leave you nor forsake you. ( R ) Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
9 So Moses wrote ( S ) down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried ( T ) the ark of the covenant of the Lord , and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, ( U ) during the Festival of Tabernacles, ( V ) 11 when all Israel comes to appear ( W ) before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, ( X ) you shall read this law ( Y ) before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn ( Z ) to fear ( AA ) the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children, ( AB ) who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
14 The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death ( AC ) is near. Call Joshua ( AD ) and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him. ( AE ) ” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. ( AF )
15 Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. ( AG ) 16 And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, ( AH ) and these people will soon prostitute ( AI ) themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake ( AJ ) me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 And in that day I will become angry ( AK ) with them and forsake ( AL ) them; I will hide ( AM ) my face ( AN ) from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters ( AO ) and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’ ( AP ) 18 And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.
19 “Now write ( AQ ) down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness ( AR ) for me against them. 20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, ( AS ) and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods ( AT ) and worship them, ( AU ) rejecting me and breaking my covenant. ( AV ) 21 And when many disasters and calamities come on them, ( AW ) this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, ( AX ) even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” 22 So Moses wrote ( AY ) down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.
23 The Lord gave this command ( AZ ) to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, ( BA ) for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
24 After Moses finished writing ( BB ) in a book the words of this law ( BC ) from beginning to end, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried ( BD ) the ark of the covenant of the Lord : 26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. ( BE ) 27 For I know how rebellious ( BF ) and stiff-necked ( BG ) you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! 28 Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. ( BH ) 29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt ( BI ) and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster ( BJ ) will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”
30 And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:
