Deuteronomy31
New King James Version
1Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
2And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’
3The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said.
4And the Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them.
5The Lord will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you.
6Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
7Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.
8And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
9So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.
10And Moses commanded them, saying: “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles,
11when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
12Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law,
13and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.”
14Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting.
15Now the Lord appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle.
16And the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.
17Then My anger shall be aroused 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, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’
18And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.
19“Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.
20When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant.
21Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.”
22Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.
23Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”
24So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished,
25that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying:
26“Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you;
27for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord, then how much more after my death?
28Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.
29For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through 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 ended:
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