31:1 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel:
31:2 “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’
31:3 The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said.
31:4 And the LORD will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land.
31:5 The LORD will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you.
31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
31:7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said 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 forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
31:9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
31:10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles,
31:11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.
31:12 Assemble the people–men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns–so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.
31:13 Their children, 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.”
31:14 The LORD said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting.
31:15 Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent.
31:16 And the LORD said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.
31:17 On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?’
31:18 And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.
31:19 “Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.
31:20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.
31:21 And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.”
31:22 So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.
31:23 The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
31:24 After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end,
31:25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD:
31:26 “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.
31:27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked 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!
31:28 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 heaven and earth to testify against them.
31:29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall upon you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made.”
31:30 And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:
31:1 When Moses finished speaking these words to all Israel,
31:2 He said to them, I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I can no longer go out and come in, and Jehovah has said to me, You shall not cross over this Jordan.
31:3 It is Jehovah your God who is crossing over before you; it is He who will destroy these nations from before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua is the one who is crossing over before you, as Jehovah has spoken.
31:4 And Jehovah will do to them even as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land when He destroyed them.
31:5 And Jehovah will deliver them up before you, and you will do to them according to the whole commandment, which I have commanded you.
31:6 Be strong and take courage; do not fear, neither be terrified of them, for it is Jehovah your God who goes with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you.
31:7 And Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and take courage, for you will go with this people into the land which Jehovah swore to their fathers to give them; and you will cause them to inherit it.
31:8 But it is Jehovah who is going before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear, neither be dismayed.
31:9 And Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and to all the elders of Israel.
31:10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time of the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles,
31:11 When all Israel comes to appear before Jehovah your God in the place which He will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
31:12 Gather the people, the men, the women, and the little ones, and the sojourner with you, who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear Jehovah your God and be certain to do all the words of this law,
31:13 And that their children, who have not known these things, may hear and learn to fear Jehovah your God all the days that you live upon the land into which you are crossing over the Jordan to possess.
31:14 And Jehovah said to Moses, Now your days draw near for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting that I may charge him. So Moses went with Joshua, and they presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting.
31:15 And Jehovah appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud; and the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance of the tent.
31:16 And Jehovah said to Moses, You are now about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will rise up and go as harlots after the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are entering; and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I made with them.
31:17 And My anger will burn against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them; and they will be devoured, and many evils and troubles will befall them, so that they will say in that day, Is it not because our God is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us?
31:18 And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, for they turned to other gods.
31:19 And now write for yourselves this song and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouth that I may have this song as a witness against the children of Israel.
31:20 For I will bring them into the land which I swore to their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey, and they will eat and become satisfied and grow fat, and they will turn to other gods and serve them and despise Me and break My covenant.
31:21 And when many evils and troubles befall them, this song will respond as a witness before them, because it will not be forgotten in the mouth of their seed; for I know their intention, which they are making even today before I bring them into the land which I have sworn to them.
31:22 So Moses wrote this song on that day and taught it to the children of Israel.
31:23 And He charged Joshua the son of Nun and said, Be strong and take courage, for you will bring the children of Israel into the land which I have sworn to them; and I will be with you.
31:24 And when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were completed,
31:25 Moses charged the Levites who bear the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, saying,
31:26 Take this book of the law and place it at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah your God, that it may be there as a witness against you.
31:27 For I know your rebelliousness and your stiff neck: See, while I am yet here alive with you today, you have been rebelling against Jehovah; so how much more after my death!
31:28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak in their hearing these words and that I may call heaven and earth to witness against them;
31:29 For I know that after my death you will utterly spoil yourselves and turn away from the way that I have commanded you; and evil will come upon you in the last days, for you will do what is evil in the sight of Jehovah so as to provoke Him to anger by your undertakings.
31:30 And Moses spoke in the hearing of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song until they were completed.