Deuteronomy 31 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Moses' Last Counsel

(Num 27:12–23 )

Deu 31:1So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel.

Deu 31:2And he said to them, "I am a hundred and twenty years old this day; I am no longer able to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not go over this Jordan.'

Deu 31:3

Deu 31:3The LORD your God himself will go over before you; he will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them; and Joshua will go over at your head, as the LORD has spoken.

Deu 31:4

Deu 31:4And the LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them.

Deu 31:5

Deu 31:5And the LORD will give them over to you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you.

Deu 31:6

Deu 31:6Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."

Deu 31:7

Deu 31:7Then Moses summoned Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage; for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall put them in possession of it.

Deu 31:8

Deu 31:8It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you or forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed."

Deu 31:9

Deu 31:9And Moses wrote this law, and gave it to the priests the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

Deu 31:10

Deu 31:10And Moses commanded them, "At the end of every seven years, at the set time of the year of release, at the feast of booths,

Deu 31:11

Deu 31:11when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

Deu 31:12

Deu 31:12Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law,

Deu 31:13

Deu 31:13and 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 are going over the Jordan to possess."

Israel Will Fall Away

Deu 31:14

Deu 31:14And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him." And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.

Deu 31:15

Deu 31:15And the LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud; and the pillar of cloud stood by the door of the tent.

Deu 31:16

Deu 31:16And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, you are about to sleep with your fathers; then this people will rise and play the harlot after the strange gods 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.

Deu 31:17

Deu 31:17Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured; and many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, 'Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?'

Deu 31:18

Deu 31:18And I will surely hide my face in that day on account of all the evil which they have done, because they have turned to other gods.

Deu 31:19

Deu 31:19Now therefore write this song, and teach it to the people of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel.

Deu 31:20

Deu 31:20For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

Deu 31:21

Deu 31:21And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their descendants); for I know the purposes which they are already forming, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give."

Deu 31:22

Deu 31:22So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the people of Israel.

Joshua Is Commissioned

Deu 31:23

Deu 31:23And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, "Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to give them: I will be with you."

Deu 31:24

Deu 31:24When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book, to the very end,

Deu 31:25

Deu 31:25Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD,

Deu 31:26

Deu 31:26"Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you.

Deu 31:27

Deu 31:27For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are; behold, while I am yet alive with you, today you have been rebellious against the LORD; how much more after my death!

Deu 31:28

Deu 31:28Assemble to 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 witness against them.

Deu 31:29

Deu 31:29For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands."

Deu 31:30

Deu 31:30Then Moses spoke the words of this song until they were finished, in the ears of all the assembly of Israel:

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Source: Transcribed from: The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version containing the Old and New Testaments, translated from the original tongues: being the version set forth A.D. 1611, revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901: compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-52. — 2nd ed. of New Testament A.D. 1971. There should be enough in the rest of the description to identify the text.

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Deuteronomy Chapter 31 — Additional Translations: