Joshua to Succeed Moses
1
Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel:
2 "I am now a
hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to
lead you. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not cross
the Jordan.' 3
The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He
will destroy these nations before you, and you will take
possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over
ahead of you, as the LORD said.
4 And the LORD
will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of
the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land.
5 The LORD will
deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I
have commanded you. 6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified
because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he
will never leave you nor forsake you."
7
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence
of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go
with this people into the land that the LORD swore to
their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it
among them as their inheritance.
8 The LORD
himself goes before you and will be with you; he will
never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not
be discouraged."
The Reading of the Law
9
So Moses wrote down 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.
10 Then Moses
commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the
year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles,
11 when all
Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the
place he will choose, you shall read this law before them
in their hearing. 12
Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the
aliens living in your towns—so they can listen and learn
to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the
words of this law. 13
Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and
learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the
land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."
Israel's Rebellion Predicted
14
The LORD said to Moses, "Now the day of your death is
near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of
Meeting, where I will commission him." So Moses and Joshua
came and presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting.
15
Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud,
and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent.
16 And the LORD
said to Moses: "You are going to rest with your fathers,
and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the
foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will
forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.
17 On that day I
will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide
my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many
disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on
that day they will ask, 'Have not these disasters come
upon us because our God is not with us?'
18 And I will
certainly hide my face on that day because of all their
wickedness in turning to other gods.
19
"Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to
the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a
witness for me against them.
20 When I have
brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey,
the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when
they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other
gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my
covenant. 21 And
when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this
song will testify against them, because it will not be
forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are
disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I
promised them on oath."
22 So Moses wrote down this song that day and
taught it to the Israelites.
23
The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be
strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites
into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will
be with you."
24
After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this
law from beginning to end,
25 he gave this
command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant
of the LORD : 26
"Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of
the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as
a witness against you.
27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you
are. If you have been rebellious against the LORD while I
am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel
after I die! 28
Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all
your officials, so that I can speak these words in their
hearing and call heaven and earth to testify against them.
29 For I know
that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt
and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to
come, disaster will fall upon you because you will do evil
in the sight of the LORD and provoke him to anger by what
your hands have made."
The Song of Moses
30
And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to
end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel: