Deuteronomy 31

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 31

1¶ And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.

2And 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.

3The 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.

4And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.

5And 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.

6Be 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.

7And 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.

8And 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.

10And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of [every] seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

11When 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.

12Gather the people together, men, 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:

13And [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 went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

15And 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.

16And 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 with them.

17Then 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?

18And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

19Now 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.

20For 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.

21And 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.

23And 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.

24And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

25That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,

26Take 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.

27For 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?

28Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

29For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt [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.

30And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Moses, at 120 years old, announces his impending death and commissions Joshua to lead Israel into Canaan, assuring them of the LORD's presence. He commands the Law to be read publicly every seven years to all Israel. The LORD foretells Israel's future apostasy and instructs Moses to write a song to serve as a witness against their rebellion.

Medium Summary

Deuteronomy 31 opens with Moses, at 120 years, declaring he will not cross the Jordan and formally commissioning Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land. Moses encourages both the people and Joshua to be strong and courageous, assuring them that the LORD will go before them and not forsake them. He then delivers the written Law to the Levites, commanding its public reading every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles, ensuring all generations learn to fear God. Subsequently, the LORD appears in a pillar of cloud, informing Moses of his approaching death and prophesying Israel's future apostasy, where they will forsake God and suffer severe consequences. To serve as a perpetual reminder and witness, the LORD instructs Moses to write a song, which Moses then teaches to the children of Israel. Finally, Moses commands the Law to be placed beside the Ark of the Covenant as a witness against Israel's anticipated rebellion after his death.

Long Summary

Deuteronomy 31 begins with Moses addressing all Israel, declaring his age of 120 years and his inability to continue leading them, as the LORD has forbidden him from crossing the Jordan River. He assures the people that the LORD their God will go before them to destroy the nations, and Joshua will lead them into possession of the land. Moses exhorts Israel to be strong and courageous, reminding them that the LORD will accompany them and never fail or forsake them. He then publicly commissions Joshua, reiterating the same encouragement and the promise of divine presence. Moses proceeds to write down the entire Law and entrusts it to the priests, the Levites who bear the Ark of the Covenant, and to the elders. He commands that this Law be read aloud to all Israel—men, women, children, and strangers—every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles, specifically in the year of release, so that all may hear, learn, fear the LORD, and diligently observe His commandments, ensuring future generations also learn. The narrative then shifts to a divine encounter where the LORD summons Moses and Joshua to the Tabernacle of the Congregation, appearing in a pillar of cloud. The LORD informs Moses of his impending death and, with solemn prophecy, declares that Israel will inevitably turn to idolatry, forsaking Him and breaking His covenant after entering the prosperous land. Consequently, divine anger, abandonment, and manifold troubles will befall them. To provide a lasting testimony against their future apostasy, the LORD instructs Moses to compose a song and teach it to the children of Israel, so it may serve as a witness against them when these predicted evils occur. Moses immediately writes this song and teaches it to the people. He also gives a final charge to Joshua, reaffirming his role in leading Israel. Upon completing the writing of the Law, Moses commands the Levites to place the book beside the Ark of the Covenant, emphasizing its function as a perpetual witness against Israel's known rebellion and stiff-necked nature, which he predicts will worsen after his death. Moses concludes by gathering the elders and officers to speak these words, calling heaven and earth to witness against their future corruption and the evils that will befall them.

Core Concepts

  • Moses' SuccessionMoses, at 120, declares his inability to lead Israel across the Jordan and formally commissions Joshua as his successor, assuring both Joshua and the people of divine support.
  • The Reading of the LawMoses commands that the entire Law be publicly read to all Israel, including women, children, and strangers, every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles, to ensure continuous learning and fear of the LORD.
  • Prophecy of ApostasyThe LORD reveals to Moses that after entering the promised land, Israel will inevitably turn to idolatry, forsake Him, and break His covenant, leading to divine anger and severe troubles.
  • The Song of WitnessGod instructs Moses to write a specific song and teach it to Israel. This song is intended to serve as a perpetual witness against them, testifying to their future rebellion and the consequences thereof.
  • The Law as a WitnessThe written Law is commanded to be placed beside the Ark of the Covenant, signifying its role as a permanent witness against Israel's inherent rebellion and their anticipated deviation from God's commands.
  • Divine Presence and AssuranceThroughout the chapter, Moses and the LORD repeatedly assure Israel and Joshua that God will go before them, be with them, and will not fail or forsake them as they enter and possess the land.