Deuteronomy31
New American Standard
1So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
2And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today; I am no longer able to go out and come in, and the Lord has told me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’
3It 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. Joshua is the one who is going to cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken.
4And 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.
5The Lord will turn them over to you, and you will do to them in accordance with all the commandments which I have commanded you.
6Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or in dread of them, for the Lord your God is the One who is going with you. He will not desert you or abandon you.”
7Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “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.
8And the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.”
9So Moses wrote 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.
10Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of the release of debts, at the Feast of Booths,
11when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this Law before all Israel so that they hear it.
12Assemble the people, the men, the women, the children, and the stranger who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to follow all the words of this Law.
13And their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
14Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the time for you to die is near; call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, and I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
15And the Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance of the tent.
16The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the prostitute with the foreign gods of the land into the midst of which they are going, and they will abandon Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.
17Then My anger will be kindled against them on that day, and I will abandon them and 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, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have found us?’
18But 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, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.
20For 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 become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant.
21Then it will come about, 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 descendants); for I know their inclination which they are developing today, before I bring them into the land which I swore.”
22So Moses wrote down this song on the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel.
23Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”
24It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this Law in a book until they were complete,
25that Moses commanded the Levites 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 remain there as a witness against you.
27For I know your rebellion and your 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?
28Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against them.
29For I know that after my death you will 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.”
30Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete:
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 31.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Moses encourages the people, and Joshua. (1–8). The law to be read every seventh year. (9–13). The Israelites' apostacy foretold, A song given to be witness against them. (14–22). The law delivered to the Levites. (22–30).
vv1-8
Moses assures Israel of the constant presence of God with them. This is applied by the apostle to all God's spiritual Israel, to encourage their faith and hope; unto us is this gospel preached, as well as unto them; he will never fail thee, nor forsake thee, Heb 13:5. Moses commends Joshua to them for a leader; one whose wisdom, and courage, and affection they had long known; one whom God had appointed to be their leader; and therefore would own and bless. Joshua is well pleased to be admonished by Moses to be strong and of good courage. Those shall speed well, who have God with them; therefore they ought to be of good courage. Through God let us do valiantly, for through him we shall do victoriously; if we resist the devil, he will flee from us.
vv9-13
Though we read the word in private, we must not think it needless to hear it read in public. This solemn reading of the law must be done in the year of release. The year of release was typical of gospel grace, which is called the acceptable year of the Lord; for our pardon and liberty by Christ, engage us to keep his commandments. It must be read to all Israel, men, women, children, and to the strangers. It is the will of God that all people should acquaint themselves with his word. It is a rule to all, therefore should be read to all. Whoever has read of the pains taken by many persons to get scraps of the Scriptures, when a whole copy could not be obtained, or safely possessed, will see how thankful we should be for the thousands of copies amongst us. They will also understand the very different situation in which the Israelites were placed for many ages. But the heart of man is so careless, that all will be found too little, to keep up a knowledge of the truths, precepts, and worship of God.
vv14-22
Moses and Joshua attended the Divine Majesty at the door of the tabernacle. Moses is told again that he must shortly die; even those who are most ready and willing to die, need to be often reminded of its coming. The Lord tells Moses, that, after his death, the covenant he had taken so much pains to make between Israel and their God, would certainly be broken. Israel would forsake Him; then God would forsake Israel. Justly does he cast those off who so unjustly cast him off. Moses is directed to deliver them a song, which should remain a standing testimony for God, as faithful to them in giving them warning, and against them, as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning. The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men's hearts, and meets them by reproofs and correction. Ministers who preach the word, know not the imaginations of men; but God, whose word it is, knows perfectly.
Key Words
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
יָלַךְ: to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אֵלֶּה: these or those
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 31New Testament quotation of 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee' applying it to all believers.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct repetition of God's promise to not fail nor forsake Joshua as he succeeds Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts Moses' spiritual/physical vigor at death with his inability to continue as administrative leader.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Joshua's leading Israel into the land typifies Jesus bringing His people into eternal spiritual rest.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Confirms the ongoing public reading of Moses' law in synagogues every Sabbath day.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Literal execution of gathering men, women, and children to hear the law read under Ezra.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Records the specific, extraordinary occasions when the priests bore the ark of the covenant.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Establishes the timing of the public reading in the Sabbatical year of release.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Echoes God's warning in the song that He will hide His face due to their apostasy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The direct realization in the song of Israel waxing fat, kicking, and forsaking God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms the placement of the tables of the law beside or in the ark.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
God's prior announcement to Moses that his days are short and he must die.
Supported by JFB
The immediate context of Moses writing down the song as commanded in verse 19.
Supported by Matthew Henry