Deuteronomy 31

Joshua to Succeed Moses

1 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them: "I a am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer b go out and come in. Also the LORD has said to me, c 'You shall not cross over this Jordan.' 3 "The LORD your God d Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. e Joshua himself crosses over before you, just f as the LORD has said. 4 g "And the LORD will do to them h as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them. 5 i "The LORD will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you. 6 j "Be strong and of good courage, k do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, l He is the One who goes with you. m He will not leave you nor forsake you."

7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, n "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. 8 "And the LORD, o He is the One who goes before you. p He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

The Reading of the Law

9 So Moses wrote this law q and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, r who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, saying: "At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the s year of release, t at the Feast of Tabernacles, 11 "when all Israel comes to u appear before the LORD your God in the v place which He chooses, w you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 x "Gather 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, 13 "and that their children, y who have not known it, z 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."

Joshua Commissioned to Lead Israel

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, a "Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that b I may 1 inaugurate him." So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting. 15 Now c the LORD appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle.

16 And the LORD said to Moses: "Behold, you will 2 rest with your fathers; and this people will d rise and e play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will f forsake Me and g break My covenant which I have made with them. 17 "Then My anger shall be h aroused against them in that day, and i I will forsake them, and I will j hide My face from them, and they shall be 3 devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, k 'Have not these evils come upon us because our God is l not among us?' 18 "And m 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 n a witness for Me against the children of Israel. 20 "When 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 o and grown fat, p then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. 21 "Then it shall be, q 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 r I know the inclination s of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them." 22 Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.

23 t Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, u "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."

24 So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying: 26 "Take this Book of the Law, v and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there w as a witness against you; 27 x "for I know your rebellion and your y 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? 28 "Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing z and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29 "For I know that after my death you will a become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And b evil will befall you c 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."

The Song of Moses

30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were ended:

  1. Cross References
    Exodus 7:7
    And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
    Deuteronomy 34:7
    Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.
  2. Cross References
    Numbers 27:17
    "who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."
    1 Kings 3:7
    Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
  3. Cross References
    Numbers 20:12
    Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 9:3
    Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.
    Joshua 11:23
    So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war.
  5. Cross References
    Numbers 27:18
    And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
  6. Cross References
    Numbers 27:21
    "He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the LORD for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him - all the congregation."
  7. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 3:21
    And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, 'Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so will the LORD do to all the kingdoms through which you pass.
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 21:24
    Then Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the people of Ammon; for the border of the people of Ammon was fortified.
    Numbers 21:33
    And they turned and went up by the way to Bashan. So Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
  9. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 7:2
    And when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.
    Deuteronomy 20:10 - 20
    When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.
  10. Cross References
    Joshua 10:25
    Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.
    1 Chronicles 22:13
    Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the LORD charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 1:29
    Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them.
  12. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:4
    'for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'
  13. Cross References
    Joshua 1:5
    No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
    Hebrews 13:5
    Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.
  14. Cross References
    Numbers 27:19
    Set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.
    Deuteronomy 31:23
    Then 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.
    Joshua 1:6
    Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
  15. Cross References
    Exodus 13:21
    And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
  16. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:6
    "Be 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."
    Joshua 1:5
    No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
    1 Chronicles 28:20
    And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
    Hebrews 13:5
    Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 17:18
    Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites.
    Deuteronomy 31:25
    That Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying:
    Deuteronomy 31:26
    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.
  18. Cross References
    Numbers 4:5
    When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and hi...
    Numbers 4:6
    Then they shall put on it a covering of badger ...
    Numbers 4:15
    And when Aaron and his sons have finished cover...
    Deuteronomy 10:8
    At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Le...
    Deuteronomy 31:25
    That Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ...
    Deuteronomy 31:26
    Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside th...
    Joshua 3:3
    And they commanded the people, saying, "When yo...
  19. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 15:1
    At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts.
    Deuteronomy 15:2
    And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD's release.
  20. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:34
    Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.
    Deuteronomy 16:13
    You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress.
  21. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 16:16
    Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.
  22. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:5
    But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.
  23. Cross References
    Joshua 8:34
    And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
    2 Kings 23:2
    The king went up to the house of the LORD with all the men of Judah, and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem - the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD.
  24. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:10
    " especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.'
  25. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:2
    Know today that I do not speak with your children, who have not known and who have not seen the chastening of the LORD your God, His greatness and His mighty hand and His outstretched arm -
  26. Cross References
    Psalms 78:6
    That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children.
    Psalms 78:7
    That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments.
  27. Cross References
    Numbers 27:13
    And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered.
  28. Cross References
    Numbers 27:19
    Set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.
    Deuteronomy 3:28
    'But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.'
  29. Cross References
    Exodus 33:9
    And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
  30. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 29:22
    So that the coming generation of your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, would say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses which the LORD has laid on it:
  31. Cross References
    Exodus 34:15
    Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice.
    Deuteronomy 4:25 - 28
    When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger.
    Judges 2:11
    Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals.
    Judges 2:12
    And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger.
    Judges 2:17
    Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so.
  32. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:15
    But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
  33. Cross References
    Judges 2:20
    Then the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice.
  34. Cross References
    Judges 2:14
    And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
    Judges 6:13
    Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
  35. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 15:2
    And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
  36. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:20
    And He said: 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith.
  37. Cross References
    Judges 6:13
    Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
  38. Cross References
    Numbers 14:42
    Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.
  39. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:17
    "Then 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?'
    Isaiah 1:15
    When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
    Isaiah 1:16
    Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil.
  40. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:22
    Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.
    Deuteronomy 31:26
    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.
  41. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:15 - 17
    But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
  42. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:16
    And 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.
  43. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:17
    "Then 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?'
  44. Cross References
    Hosea 5:3
    I know Ephraim, And Israel is not hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled.
  45. Cross References
    Amos 5:25
    Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
    Amos 5:26
    You also carried Sikkuth your king And Chiun, your idols, The star of your gods, Which you made for yourselves.
  46. Cross References
    Numbers 27:23
    And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
    Deuteronomy 31:14
    Then 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.
  47. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:7
    Then 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.
  48. Cross References
    2 Kings 22:8
    Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
  49. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:19
    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.
  50. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 9:7
    Remember! Do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.
    Deuteronomy 9:24
    You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.
  51. Cross References
    Exodus 32:9
    And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!
    Deuteronomy 9:6
    Therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.
    Deuteronomy 9:13
    Furthermore the LORD spoke to me, saying, 'I have seen this people, and indeed they are a stiff-necked people.
  52. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 30:19
    I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.
  53. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:5
    They have corrupted themselves; They are not His children, Because of their blemish: A perverse and crooked generation.
    Judges 2:19
    And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
    Acts 20:29
    For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
    Acts 20:30
    Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
  54. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:15
    But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
  55. Cross References
    Genesis 49:1
    And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:
    Deuteronomy 4:30
    When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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