CHAPTER 31
“I
am now
a hundred
and twenty
years old;
I am
no
longer
able to come
and go,
and the LORD
has said
to me,
‘You shall not
cross
the
Jordan.’
The LORD
your God
Himself
will cross over
ahead of you.
He
will destroy
these
nations
before you,
and you will dispossess them.
Joshua
will cross
ahead of you,
as
the LORD
has said.
And the LORD
will do
to them
as
He did
to Sihon
and Og,
the kings
of the Amorites,
when
He destroyed
them
along with their land.
Be strong
and courageous;
do not
be afraid
or terrified
of them,
for
it is the LORD
your God
who
goes
with you;
He will never
leave you
nor
forsake you.”
Then Moses
called
for Joshua
and said
to him
in the presence
of all
Israel,
“Be strong
and courageous,
for
you
will go
with
this
people
into
the land
the LORD
swore
to their fathers
to give
them,
and you
shall give it to them as an inheritance.
The LORD
Himself
goes
before you;
He
will be
with you.
He will never
leave you
or forsake you.
Do not
be afraid
or discouraged.”
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.
Then Moses
commanded them,
“At the end
of every seven
years,
at the appointed time
in the year
of remission of debt,
during the Feast
of Tabernacles,
when all
Israel
comes
before
of the LORD
your God
at the place
He will choose,
you are to read
this
law
in the hearing
of all
Israel.
Assemble
the people—
men,
women,
children,
and the foreigners
within your gates—
so that
they may listen
and learn
to fear
the LORD
your God
and follow
carefully
all
the words
of this
law.
Then their children
who
do not
know the law
will listen
and learn
to fear
the LORD
your God,
as
long as you
live
in
the land
you
are crossing
the Jordan
to possess.”
Then the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“Behold,
the time
of your death
is near.
Call
Joshua
and present yourselves
at the Tent
of Meeting,
so that I may commission him.”
So Moses
and Joshua
went
and presented themselves
at the Tent
of Meeting.
Then the LORD
appeared
at the tent
in a pillar
of cloud,
and the cloud
stood
over
the entrance
to the tent.
And the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“You will soon
rest
with
your fathers,
and these
people
will rise up
and prostitute themselves
with
the foreign
gods
of the land
they
are entering.
They will forsake
Me and break
the covenant
I have made
with them.
On that
day
My anger
will burn
against them,
and I will abandon them
and hide
My face
from them,
so that they will be
consumed,
and many
troubles
and afflictions
will befall them.
On that
day
they will say,
‘Have not
these
disasters
come upon us
because
our God
is no
longer with us?'
And
on that
day
I will surely
hide
My face
because of
all
the evil
they have done
by turning
to
other
gods.
Now therefore,
write down
for yourselves
this
song
and teach
it to the Israelites;
have them recite
it,
so that
it
may be
a witness
for Me
against them.
When
I have brought them
into
the land
I swore
to give their fathers,
a land flowing
with milk
and honey,
they will eat
their fill
and prosper.
Then they will turn
to
other
gods
and worship them,
and they will reject Me
and break
My covenant.
And when
many
troubles
and afflictions
have come upon them,
this
song
will testify
against them,
because
it will not be forgotten
from the lips
of their descendants.
For
I know
their inclination,
even before
I bring
them into
the land
I swore to give them."
Then the LORD commissioned
Joshua
son
of Nun
and said,
“Be strong
and courageous,
for
you
will bring
the Israelites
into
the land
I swore to give
them,
and I
will be
with you.”
“Take
this
Book
of the Law
and place
it
beside
the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
your God,
so that it may remain
there
as a witness
against you.
For
I
know
how rebellious
and stiff-necked you are.
If you are already
rebelling
against
the LORD
while I am still
alive,
how much more
will you rebel after
my death!
Assemble
before me
all
the elders
of your tribes
and all your officers
so that I may speak
these
words
in their hearing
and call heaven
and earth
to witness
against them.
For
I know
that
after
my death
you will become utterly corrupt
and turn
from
the path
I have commanded you.
And in
the days to come,
disaster
will befall
you
because
you will do
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
to provoke Him to anger
by the work
of your hands."
Then Moses
recited aloud
to the whole
assembly
of Israel
the words
of this
song
from beginning
to end: