Deuteronomy 31
1 Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
2 He said to them, “Today I am a hundred and twenty years old. I can no longer go out and come in, and the LORD has told me, ‘You will not cross this Jordan.’”
3 The LORD your God is the one who will cross ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, as the LORD has said.
4 The LORD will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, which he destroyed.
5 The LORD will hand them over to you, and you are to treat them according to every command I have given you.
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, because the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not let you go or abandon you.”
7 Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, because you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you will enable them to inherit it.
8 The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you. He will be with you; he will not let you go or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
9 Moses wrote down this Law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carry the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and to all the elders of Israel.
10 Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, during the Festival of Shelters.
11 “When all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses, you are to read this Law before all Israel, so they can hear it.
12 Assemble the people—the men, the women, the children, and the foreigner living in your towns—so they can hear and learn to fear the LORD your God and be careful to observe all the words of this Law.
13 Their children, who do not know it, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, all the days you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
14 The LORD said to Moses, “Look, the time of your death is near. Summon Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, so I may give him his instructions.” Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
15 The LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance to the tent.
16 The LORD said to Moses, “Look, you are about to rest with your ancestors. Then this people will rise up and prostitute themselves after the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will abandon me and break my covenant, which I made with them.
17 On that day my anger will burn against them. I will abandon them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. Many troubles and distresses will come upon them, and on that day they will say, ‘Isn’t it because my God is not among me that these troubles have come upon me?’
18 On that day I will surely hide my face because of all the evil they have done, for they have turned to other gods.
19 Now write this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites. Put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for me against the Israelites.
20 When I bring them into the land I swore to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey, they will eat, be satisfied, and grow prosperous. Then they will turn to other gods and serve them; they will despise me and break my covenant.”
21 “When many troubles and distresses come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. For I know the inclination they already show today, even before I bring them into the land I swore to give them.”
22 That day Moses wrote this song and taught it to the Israelites.
23 He gave Joshua son of Nun this command: “Be strong and courageous, because you will bring the Israelites into the land I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”
24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this Law in a book, completing it,
25 he commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the LORD’s covenant:
26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. It will remain there as a witness against you.
27 For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. If you have rebelled against the LORD while I am still alive with you today, how much more will you after my death!
28 Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and your officials, so I can speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth as witnesses against them.
29 For I know that after my death you will surely become corrupt and turn aside from the way I commanded you. In days to come, disaster will come upon you, because you will do what is evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him with the work of your hands.”
30 Moses spoke the words of this song to the ears of the whole assembly of Israel, to the very end.
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