The Meaning of Deuteronomy 31:14 Explained

Deuteronomy 31:14

KJV: 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 went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Lo, thy days have drawn near to die; call Joshua, and station yourselves in the tent of meeting, and I charge him;' and Moses goeth -- Joshua also -- and they station themselves in the tent of meeting,

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Lo, the days are near for thee to die; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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  went,  and presented  themselves in the tabernacle  of the congregation. 

What does Deuteronomy 31:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 31:14-29 - The Charge To His Successor
Moses had already announced that Joshua would succeed him; but in view of the great difficulties which confronted the new leader, it was expedient that the guiding pillar should give him the symbol and pledge of God's endorsement.
Two other sources of their allegiance were proposed. First, a song. National songs lay hold on memory and have a powerful effect in stirring the deepest emotions. This song, composed under the divine impulse, embodied the substance of the preceding pleadings and exhortations, and was suitable to be taught to the generations that followed. Be sure that nothing more efficiently preserves religion than noble hymns! Learn and teach them! Secondly, the book. See Deuteronomy 31:24, etc. We have already heard of this. See Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:4-7. No doubt it was to this necessity of recording the Law and chronicling the story of the Exodus that we owe the origin of the sacred books which bear the name of Moses. See John 5:46. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 31

1  Moses encourages the people
7  He encourages Joshua
9  He delivers the law unto the priests to be read in the seventh year
14  God gives a charge to Joshua
19  and a song to testify against the people
24  Moses delivers the book of the law to the Levites to keep
28  He makes a protestation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 31:14 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses behold approach the days when you must die call - Joshua and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting that I may inaugurate him So went Moses and Joshua and presented themselves of meeting
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֗ה הֵ֣ן קָרְב֣וּ יָמֶיךָ֮ לָמוּת֒ קְרָ֣א אֶת־ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֛וּ בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וַאֲצַוֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ מֹשֶׁה֙ וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ מוֹעֵֽד

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
הֵ֣ן  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
קָרְב֣וּ  approach 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
יָמֶיךָ֮  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
לָמוּת֒  when  you  must  die 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
קְרָ֣א  call 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֛וּ  and  present  yourselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָצַב 
Sense: to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself.
בְּאֹ֥הֶל  in  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֖ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
וַאֲצַוֶּ֑נּוּ  that  I  may  inaugurate  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ  So  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ  and  Joshua 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ  and  presented  themselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָצַב 
Sense: to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself.
מוֹעֵֽד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.