1 And Moses went 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 unto them as he did 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 Gather 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:
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 went, 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 with them.
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 hide 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, and call heaven and earth to record against them.
29 For 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.
30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.
The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Old Testament and is part of the Pentateuch, which also includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Deuteronomy is a collection of sermons, speeches, and songs delivered by Moses to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. The book is a reminder and renewal of the covenant between God and His people, and it contains instructions for living a life of faithfulness to God.
Chapter 31 of Deuteronomy is the final chapter of Moses’ farewell address to the Israelites. In this chapter, Moses appoints Joshua as his successor and gives a final exhortation to the people before his death. The main themes of this chapter revolve around the importance of obedience to God, the consequences of disobedience, and the faithfulness of God to His people.
The chapter begins with Moses reminding the Israelites that he is now 120 years old and will no longer be their leader. He assures them that, even at his old age, he is still strong and able to continue leading them. However, he acknowledges that it is God’s will for Joshua to take over as their leader. Moses encourages the people to have faith in God and to trust that He will go before them and give them victory over their enemies, just as He did when they defeated the Amorites and Og.
Moses also reminds the people that God will be with them and will not leave or forsake them. This is a recurring theme throughout the book of Deuteronomy, emphasizing the faithfulness and presence of God to His people. Moses’ appointment of Joshua as his successor is a reminder that God is always raising up leaders to continue His work and fulfill His plans.
Moses then commands the Levites to read the Book of the Law to the people every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles. This is to serve as a reminder to the people of the covenant they made with God and the importance of obeying His commandments. This commandment also emphasizes the role of the Levites as the teachers and guardians of God’s law, ensuring that it is passed down from generation to generation.
Furthermore, Moses instructs the people to gather together – men, women, children, and foreigners – to hear the reading of the Law. This is a reminder that the covenant and commandments of God apply to everyone, regardless of their social status or nationality. The inclusion of foreigners also serves as a reminder that God’s covenant extends beyond the Israelites and is open to all who choose to follow Him.
After Moses’ final address and appointment of Joshua, God speaks to Moses and tells him that the Israelites will eventually turn away from Him and break the covenant. God reveals that He will hide His face from them and allow them to suffer the consequences of their disobedience. This is a warning to the Israelites that their actions have consequences, and if they turn away from God and His commandments, they will face His judgment.
God also instructs Moses to teach the people a song that will serve as a witness against them when they turn away from Him. This song, known as the Song of Moses, is recorded in chapter 32 of Deuteronomy. It is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the consequences of disobeying Him.
In the final verses of chapter 31, Moses gives a final exhortation to the people, urging them to be strong and courageous and to not be afraid or discouraged. He reminds them that God is always with them, and He will never forsake them. This is a message of encouragement and hope, assuring the people that even in the midst of trials and challenges, God is with them.
Moses then commissions Joshua in the presence of the priests and the elders, instructing him to be strong and courageous and to lead the people into the Promised Land. This is a reminder that God’s plans and promises will continue to be fulfilled, even after the death of Moses.
The book of Deuteronomy is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the importance of obedience to Him. In chapter 31, we see Moses’ final address to the Israelites, appointing Joshua as his successor and urging the people to have faith in God. The main themes of this chapter highlight the consequences of disobedience, the importance of obedience, and the faithfulness of God to His people.
Through the appointment of Joshua, we see that God is always raising up leaders to continue His work and fulfill His plans. This is a reminder that God’s plans will always be fulfilled, and His covenant will continue to be passed down from generation to generation.
The commandment to read the Book of the Law every seven years emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s commandments. This is a reminder that God’s laws are not to be taken lightly and must be followed by all, regardless of their social status or nationality.
The consequences of disobedience, as revealed by God to Moses, serve as a warning to the Israelites and to us today. It is a reminder that our actions have consequences, and if we turn away from God and His commandments, we will face His judgment.
Finally, Moses’ final exhortation and commissioning of Joshua serve as a message of encouragement and hope. It reminds us that even in the midst of trials and challenges, God is with us, and His plans and promises will continue to be fulfilled.
In summary, chapter 31 of Deuteronomy is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness, the importance of obedience, and the consequences of disobedience. It serves as a call to remain faithful to God and trust in His plans, even in the face of challenges and trials. It is a reminder that God’s covenant with His people will always endure, and His presence will always be with us.
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