Deuteronomy 31:1-29

Deuteronomy 31:1-29

[1] And Moses  and spake  these words  unto all Israel.  [2] And he said  unto them, I am an hundred  and twenty  years  old  this day;  I can  no more go out  and come in:  also the LORD  hath said  unto me, Thou shalt not go over  this Jordan.  [3] The LORD  thy God,  he will go over  before  thee, and he will destroy  these nations  from before  thee, and thou shalt possess  them: and Joshua,  he shall go over  before  thee, as the LORD  hath said.  [4] And the LORD  shall do  to Sihon  and to Og,  kings  of the Amorites,  and unto the land  of them, whom he destroyed.  [5] And the LORD  shall give them up  before your face,  that ye may do  unto them according unto all the commandments  which I have commanded  you. [6] Be strong  and of a good courage,  fear  not, nor be afraid  of them:  for the LORD  thy God,  he it is that doth go  with thee; he will not fail  thee, nor forsake  thee. [7] And Moses  called  unto Joshua,  and said  unto him in the sight  of all Israel,  Be strong  and of a good courage:  for thou must go  with this people  unto the land  which the LORD  hath sworn  unto their fathers  to give  them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit  it. [8] And the LORD,  he it is that doth go  before  thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail  thee, neither forsake  thee: fear  not, neither be dismayed.  [9] And Moses  wrote  this law,  and delivered  it unto the priests  the sons  of Levi,  which bare  the ark  of the covenant  of the LORD,  and unto all the elders  of Israel.  [10] And Moses  commanded  them, saying,  At the end  of every seven  years,  in the solemnity  of the year  of release,  in the feast  of tabernacles,  [11] When all Israel  is come  to appear  before  the LORD  thy God  in the place  which he shall choose,  thou shalt read  this law  before all Israel  in their hearing.  [12] the people  together,  and women,  and children,  and thy stranger  that is within thy gates,  that they may hear,  and that they may learn,  and fear  the LORD  your God,  and observe  to do  all the words  of this law:  [13] And that their children,  which have not known  any thing, may hear,  and learn  to fear  the LORD  your God,  as long as  ye live  in the land  whither ye go over  Jordan  to possess  it. [14] And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Behold, thy days  approach  that thou must die:  call  Joshua,  and present  yourselves in the tabernacle  of the congregation,  that I may give him a charge.  And Moses  and Joshua  and presented  themselves in the tabernacle  of the congregation.  [15] And the LORD  appeared  in the tabernacle  in a pillar  of a cloud:  and the pillar  of the cloud  stood  over the door  of the tabernacle.  [16] And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Behold, thou shalt sleep  with thy fathers;  and this people  will rise up,  and go a whoring  after  the gods  of the strangers  of the land,  whither they go  to be among  them, and will forsake  me, and break  my covenant  which I have made  [17] Then my anger  shall be kindled  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,  Are not these evils  come  upon us, because our God  is not among  us? [18] And I will surely  my face  in that day  for all the evils  which they shall have wrought,  in that  they are turned  unto other  gods.  [19] Now therefore write  ye this song  for you, and teach  it the children  of Israel:  put  it in their mouths,  that this song  may be a witness  for me against the children  of Israel.  [20] For when I shall have brought  them into the land  which I sware  unto their fathers,  that floweth  with milk  and honey;  and they shall have eaten  and filled  themselves, and waxen fat;  then will they turn  unto other  gods,  and serve  them, and provoke  me, and break  my covenant.  [21] And it shall come to pass, when many  evils  and troubles  are befallen  them, that this song  shall testify  against  them as a witness;  for it shall not be forgotten  out of the mouths  of their seed:  for I know  their imagination  which they go about,  even now,  before I have brought  them into the land  which I sware.  [22] Moses  therefore wrote  this song  the same day,  and taught  it the children  of Israel.  [23] And he gave Joshua  the son  of Nun  a charge,  and said,  Be strong  and of a good courage:  for thou shalt bring  the children  of Israel  into the land  which I sware  unto them: and I will be with thee. [24] And it came to pass, when Moses  had made an end  of writing  the words  of this law  in a book,  until they were finished,  [25] That Moses  commanded  the Levites,  which bare  the ark  of the covenant  of the LORD,  saying,  [26] Take  this book  of the law,  and put  it in the side  of the ark  of the covenant  of the LORD  your God,  that it may be there for a witness  against thee. [27] For I know  thy rebellion,  and thy stiff  neck:  behold, while I am yet alive  with you this day,  ye have been rebellious  against the LORD;  and how much more after  my death?  [28] Gather  unto me all the elders  of your tribes,  and your officers,  that I may speak  these words  in their ears,  heaven  and earth  to record  against them. [29] For I know  that after  my death  ye will utterly  yourselves, and turn aside  from the way  which I have commanded  you; and evil  will befall  you in the latter  days;  because ye will do  evil  in the sight  of the LORD,  to provoke him to anger  through the work  of your hands. 

What does Deuteronomy 31:1-29 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

"Israel was not to be a nation of anarchists or even of strong human leaders. It was a theocratic community with the Lord as King and with his covenant revelation as fundamental constitution and law. The theme of this section is the enshrinement of that law, the proper role of Mosaic succession, and the ultimate authority of covenant mandate over human institutions." [1]