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Joshua Becomes Israel’s Leader

31 When Moses had finished giving these instructions[a] to all the people of Israel, he said, “I am now 120 years old, and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan River.’ But the Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy the nations living there, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua will lead you across the river, just as the Lord promised.

“The Lord will destroy the nations living in the land, just as he destroyed Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites. The Lord will hand over to you the people who live there, and you must deal with them as I have commanded you. So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Public Reading of the Book of Instruction

So Moses wrote this entire body of instruction in a book and gave it to the priests, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and to the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses gave them this command: “At the end of every seventh year, the Year of Release, during the Festival of Shelters, 11 you must read this Book of Instruction to all the people of Israel when they assemble before the Lord your God at the place he chooses. 12 Call them all together—men, women, children, and the foreigners living in your towns—so they may hear this Book of Instruction and learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the terms of these instructions. 13 Do this so that your children who have not known these instructions will hear them and will learn to fear the Lord your God. Do this as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.”

Israel’s Disobedience Predicted

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tabernacle,[b] so that I may commission him there.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the Tabernacle. 15 And the Lord appeared to them in a pillar of cloud that stood at the entrance to the sacred tent.

16 The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 17 Then my anger will blaze forth against them. I will abandon them, hiding my face from them, and they will be devoured. Terrible trouble will come down on them, and on that day they will say, ‘These disasters have come down on us because God is no longer among us!’ 18 At that time I will hide my face from them on account of all the evil they commit by worshiping other gods.

19 “So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for me against them. 20 For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant. 21 And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them.”

22 So that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the Israelites.

23 Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words: “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had finished writing this entire body of instruction in a book, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant: 26 “Take this Book of Instruction and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, so it may remain there as a witness against the people of Israel. 27 For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still alive and am here with you, you have rebelled against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after my death!

28 “Now summon all the elders and officials of your tribes, so that I can speak to them directly and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29 I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and will turn from the way I have commanded you to follow. In the days to come, disaster will come down on you, for you will do what is evil in the Lord’s sight, making him very angry with your actions.”

The Song of Moses

30 So Moses recited this entire song publicly to the assembly of Israel:

32 “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!
    Hear, O earth, the words that I say!
Let my teaching fall on you like rain;
    let my speech settle like dew.
Let my words fall like rain on tender grass,
    like gentle showers on young plants.
I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
    how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
    Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
    how just and upright he is!

“But they have acted corruptly toward him;
    when they act so perversely,
are they really his children?[c]
    They are a deceitful and twisted generation.
Is this the way you repay the Lord,
    you foolish and senseless people?
Isn’t he your Father who created you?
    Has he not made you and established you?
Remember the days of long ago;
    think about the generations past.
Ask your father, and he will inform you.
    Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
    when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
    according to the number in his heavenly court.[d]

“For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
    Jacob is his special possession.
10 He found them in a desert land,
    in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
    he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.[e]
11 Like an eagle that rouses her chicks
    and hovers over her young,
so he spread his wings to take them up
    and carried them safely on his pinions.
12 The Lord alone guided them;
    they followed no foreign gods.
13 He let them ride over the highlands
    and feast on the crops of the fields.
He nourished them with honey from the rock
    and olive oil from the stony ground.
14 He fed them yogurt from the herd
    and milk from the flock,
    together with the fat of lambs.
He gave them choice rams from Bashan, and goats,
    together with the choicest wheat.
You drank the finest wine,
    made from the juice of grapes.

15 “But Israel[f] soon became fat and unruly;
    the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed!
Then they abandoned the God who had made them;
    they made light of the Rock of their salvation.
16 They stirred up his jealousy by worshiping foreign gods;
    they provoked his fury with detestable deeds.
17 They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God,
    to gods they had not known before,
to new gods only recently arrived,
    to gods their ancestors had never feared.
18 You neglected the Rock who had fathered you;
    you forgot the God who had given you birth.

19 “The Lord saw this and drew back,
    provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.
20 He said, ‘I will abandon them;
    then see what becomes of them.
For they are a twisted generation,
    children without integrity.
21 They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not God;
    they have provoked my anger with their useless idols.
Now I will rouse their jealousy through people who are not even a people;
    I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles.
22 For my anger blazes forth like fire
    and burns to the depths of the grave.[g]
It devours the earth and all its crops
    and ignites the foundations of the mountains.
23 I will heap disasters upon them
    and shoot them down with my arrows.
24 I will weaken them with famine,
    burning fever, and deadly disease.
I will send the fangs of wild beasts
    and poisonous snakes that glide in the dust.
25 Outside, the sword will bring death,
    and inside, terror will strike
both young men and young women,
    both infants and the aged.
26 I would have annihilated them,
    wiping out even the memory of them.
27 But I feared the taunt of Israel’s enemy,
    who might misunderstand and say,
“Our own power has triumphed!
    The Lord had nothing to do with this!”’

28 “But Israel is a senseless nation;
    the people are foolish, without understanding.
29 Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
    Oh, that they might know their fate!
30 How could one person chase a thousand of them,
    and two people put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
    unless the Lord had given them up?
31 But the rock of our enemies is not like our Rock,
    as even they recognize.[h]
32 Their vine grows from the vine of Sodom,
    from the vineyards of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are poison,
    and their clusters are bitter.
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
    the deadly poison of cobras.

34 “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things,
    sealing them away in my treasury?
35 I will take revenge; I will pay them back.
    In due time their feet will slip.
Their day of disaster will arrive,
    and their destiny will overtake them.’

36 “Indeed, the Lord will give justice to his people,
    and he will change his mind about[i] his servants,
when he sees their strength is gone
    and no one is left, slave or free.
37 Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods,
    the rocks they fled to for refuge?
38 Where now are those gods,
    who ate the fat of their sacrifices
    and drank the wine of their offerings?
Let those gods arise and help you!
    Let them provide you with shelter!
39 Look now; I myself am he!
    There is no other god but me!
I am the one who kills and gives life;
    I am the one who wounds and heals;
    no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!
40 Now I raise my hand to heaven
    and declare, “As surely as I live,
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword
    and begin to carry out justice,
I will take revenge on my enemies
    and repay those who reject me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
    and my sword will devour flesh—
the blood of the slaughtered and the captives,
    and the heads of the enemy leaders.”’

43 “Rejoice with him, you heavens,
    and let all of God’s angels worship him.[j]
Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles,
    and let all the angels be strengthened in him.[k]
For he will avenge the blood of his children[l];
    he will take revenge against his enemies.
He will repay those who hate him[m]
    and cleanse his people’s land.”

44 So Moses came with Joshua[n] son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.

45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to the people of Israel, 46 he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. 47 These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”

Moses’ Death Foretold

48 That same day the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river,[o] and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession. 50 Then you will die there on the mountain. You will join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. 51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[p] in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. 52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

Moses Blesses the People

33 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the people of Israel before his death:

“The Lord came from Mount Sinai
    and dawned upon us[q] from Mount Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran
    and came from Meribah-kadesh
    with flaming fire at his right hand.[r]
Indeed, he loves his people;[s]
    all his holy ones are in his hands.
They follow in his steps
    and accept his teaching.
Moses gave us the Lord’s instruction,
    the special possession of the people of Israel.[t]
The Lord became king in Israel[u]
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    when the tribes of Israel gathered as one.”

Moses said this about the tribe of Reuben:[v]

“Let the tribe of Reuben live and not die out,
    though they are few in number.”

Moses said this about the tribe of Judah:

“O Lord, hear the cry of Judah
    and bring them together as a people.
Give them strength to defend their cause;
    help them against their enemies!”

Moses said this about the tribe of Levi:

“O Lord, you have given your Thummim and Urim—the sacred lots—
    to your faithful servants the Levites.[w]
You put them to the test at Massah
    and struggled with them at the waters of Meribah.
The Levites obeyed your word
    and guarded your covenant.
They were more loyal to you
    than to their own parents.
They ignored their relatives
    and did not acknowledge their own children.
10 They teach your regulations to Jacob;
    they give your instructions to Israel.
They present incense before you
    and offer whole burnt offerings on the altar.
11 Bless the ministry of the Levites, O Lord,
    and accept all the work of their hands.
Hit their enemies where it hurts the most;
    strike down their foes so they never rise again.”

12 Moses said this about the tribe of Benjamin:

“The people of Benjamin are loved by the Lord
    and live in safety beside him.
He surrounds them continuously
    and preserves them from every harm.”

13 Moses said this about the tribes of Joseph:

“May their land be blessed by the Lord
    with the precious gift of dew from the heavens
    and water from beneath the earth;
14 with the rich fruit that grows in the sun,
    and the rich harvest produced each month;
15 with the finest crops of the ancient mountains,
    and the abundance from the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its bounty,
    and the favor of the one who appeared in the burning bush.
May these blessings rest on Joseph’s head,
    crowning the brow of the prince among his brothers.
17 Joseph has the majesty of a young bull;
    he has the horns of a wild ox.
He will gore distant nations,
    even to the ends of the earth.
This is my blessing for the multitudes of Ephraim
    and the thousands of Manasseh.”

18 Moses said this about the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar[x]:

“May the people of Zebulun prosper in their travels.
    May the people of Issachar prosper at home in their tents.
19 They summon the people to the mountain
    to offer proper sacrifices there.
They benefit from the riches of the sea
    and the hidden treasures in the sand.”

20 Moses said this about the tribe of Gad:

“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad’s territory!
    Gad is poised there like a lion
    to tear off an arm or a head.
21 The people of Gad took the best land for themselves;
    a leader’s share was assigned to them.
When the leaders of the people were assembled,
    they carried out the Lord’s justice
    and obeyed his regulations for Israel.”

22 Moses said this about the tribe of Dan:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
    leaping out from Bashan.”

23 Moses said this about the tribe of Naphtali:

“O Naphtali, you are rich in favor
    and full of the Lord’s blessings;
    may you possess the west and the south.”

24 Moses said this about the tribe of Asher:

“May Asher be blessed above other sons;
    may he be esteemed by his brothers;
    may he bathe his feet in olive oil.
25 May the bolts of your gates be of iron and bronze;
    may you be secure all your days.”

26 “There is no one like the God of Israel.[y]
    He rides across the heavens to help you,
    across the skies in majestic splendor.
27 The eternal God is your refuge,
    and his everlasting arms are under you.
He drives out the enemy before you;
    he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel will live in safety,
    prosperous Jacob in security,
in a land of grain and new wine,
    while the heavens drop down dew.
29 How blessed you are, O Israel!
    Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?
He is your protecting shield
    and your triumphant sword!
Your enemies will cringe before you,
    and you will stomp on their backs!”

The Death of Moses

34 Then Moses went up to Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab and climbed Pisgah Peak, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him the whole land, from Gilead as far as Dan; all the land of Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; all the land of Judah, extending to the Mediterranean Sea[z]; the Negev; the Jordan Valley with Jericho—the city of palms—as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have now allowed you to see it with your own eyes, but you will not enter the land.”

So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. The Lord buried him[aa] in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over.

Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

10 There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. 11 The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and his entire land. 12 With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 31:1 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads Moses went and spoke.
  2. 31:14 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 31:14b.
  3. 32:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. 32:8 As in Dead Sea Scrolls, which read the number of the sons of God, and Greek version, which reads the number of the angels of God; Masoretic Text reads the number of the sons of Israel.
  5. 32:10 Hebrew as the pupil of his eye.
  6. 32:15 Hebrew Jeshurun, a term of endearment for Israel.
  7. 32:22 Hebrew of Sheol.
  8. 32:31 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Greek version reads our enemies are fools.
  9. 32:36 Or will take revenge for.
  10. 32:43a As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks the first two lines. Compare Heb 1:6.
  11. 32:43b As in Greek version; Hebrew text lacks this sentence. Compare Rom 15:10.
  12. 32:43c As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads his servants.
  13. 32:43d As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks this line.
  14. 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant name for Joshua.
  15. 32:49 Hebrew the mountains of Abarim.
  16. 32:51 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
  17. 33:2a As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads upon them.
  18. 33:2b Or came from myriads of holy ones, from the south, from his mountain slopes. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  19. 33:3 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Indeed, lover of the peoples.
  20. 33:4 Hebrew of Jacob. The names “Jacob” and “Israel” are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation.
  21. 33:5 Hebrew in Jeshurun, a term of endearment for Israel.
  22. 33:6 Hebrew lacks Moses said this about the tribe of Reuben.
  23. 33:8 As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks the Levites.
  24. 33:18 Hebrew lacks and Issachar.
  25. 33:26 Hebrew of Jeshurun, a term of endearment for Israel.
  26. 34:2 Hebrew the western sea.
  27. 34:6 Hebrew He buried him; Samaritan Pentateuch and some Greek manuscripts read They buried him.

Joshua Becomes Israel’s Leader to Replace Moses

31 Moses continued to speak to all the Israelites:

“I’m 120 years old now, and I’m not able to lead you anymore. Besides, the Lord has told me that I cannot cross the Jordan River. The Lord your God is the one who will cross the river ahead of you. He will destroy those nations as you arrive, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua will also cross the river ahead of you, as the Lord told you. The Lord will do to those nations what he did to King Sihon and King Og of the Amorites and to their lands when he destroyed them. The Lord will hand them over to you, and you must do to them everything that I commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Don’t tremble! Don’t be afraid of them! The Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He won’t abandon you or leave you.”

Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous. You will go with these people into the land that the Lord will give them, as he swore to their ancestors. You will help them take possession of the land.[a] The Lord is the one who is going ahead of you. He will be with you. He won’t abandon you or leave you. So don’t be afraid or terrified.”

Moses wrote down these teachings and gave them to the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise and to all the leaders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seventh year you must cancel debts. At that time, during the Festival of Booths, 11 all the Israelites will come into the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Read these teachings so that they can hear them. 12 Assemble the men, women, and children, as well as the foreigners who live in your cities. Have them listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and faithfully obey every word of these teachings. 13 Their children, who don’t know these teachings, must hear them and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land that you are going to take possession of when you cross the Jordan River.”

14 The Lord said to Moses, “The time of your death is coming soon. Call for Joshua. Both of you come to the tent of meeting, and I will give him his instructions.” Moses and Joshua came to the tent of meeting. 15 Then the Lord appeared in a column of smoke at the entrance to the tent.

16 The Lord said to Moses, “Soon you are going to lie down in death with your ancestors. When these people enter the land and are living among the foreigners there, they will chase after foreign gods as though they were prostitutes. They will abandon me and reject the promise [b] I made to them. 17 On that day I will become angry with them. I will abandon them and turn away from them. They will be destroyed, and many terrible disasters will happen to them. On that day they will ask, ‘Haven’t these disasters happened to us because our God isn’t with us?’ 18 On that day I will certainly turn away from them because of all the evil they’ve done in turning to other gods.

19 “Write down this song, teach it to the Israelites, and have them sing it. This song will be a witness for me against the Israelites. 20 I will bring them into the land that I swore to give to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. When they have eaten all they want and have become fat,[c] they will turn to other gods and worship them. They will despise me and reject my promise. 21 When many terrible disasters happen to them, this song will testify against them, because it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know what their hearts are set on doing, even now before I bring them into the land that I swore to give them.” 22 That day Moses wrote down this song and taught it to the Israelites.

23 The Lord gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, because you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”

24 Finally, Moses finished writing all the words of these teachings in a book. 25 He gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise: 26 “Take this Book of Teachings, and put it next to the ark of the promise of the Lord your God, where it will be a witness against you. 27 I know how rebellious you are. You are impossible to deal with. While I am alive and still with you, you are rebelling against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after I die? 28 Assemble all the leaders of your tribes and your officers in front of me. As they listen, I will speak these words and call on heaven and earth to testify against them. 29 I know that after I die you will become thoroughly corrupt and turn from the way I have commanded you to live. In the days to come disasters will happen to you because you will make the Lord furious by doing what he considers evil.”

The Song of Moses

30 Then, as the whole congregation of Israel listened, Moses recited all the words of this song:

32 Listen, heaven, and I will speak.

Earth, hear the words from my mouth.

Let my teachings come down like raindrops.
Let my words drip like dew,
like gentle rain on grass,
like showers on green plants.
I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Give our God the greatness he deserves!
He is a rock.
What he does is perfect.
All his ways are fair.
He is a faithful God, who does no wrong.
He is honorable and reliable.

He recognizes that his people are corrupt.
To their shame they are no longer his children.
They are devious and scheming.
Is this how you repay the Lord,
you foolish and silly people?
Isn’t he your Father and Owner,
who made you and formed you?

Remember a time long ago.
Think about all the past generations.
Ask your fathers to remind you,
and your leaders to tell you.
When the Most High gave nations their land,
when he divided the descendants of Adam,
he set up borders for the tribes
corresponding to the number of the sons of Israel.

But the Lord’s people were his property.
Jacob was his own possession.
10 He found his people in a desert land,
in a barren place where animals howl.
He guarded them, took care of them,
and protected them because they were helpless.
11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
hovers over its young,
spreads its wings to catch them,
and carries them on its feathers,
12 so the Lord alone led his people.
No foreign god was with him.
13 He made them ride on the heights of the earth
and fed them with the produce of the fields.
He gave them honey from rocks
and olive oil from solid rock.
14 They ate cheese from cows
and drank milk from sheep and goats.
He gave them fat from lambs,
rams from the stock of Bashan,
male goats, and the best wheat.
They drank the blood-red wine of grapes.

15 Jeshurun [d] got fat and disrespectful.
(You got fat! You were stuffed! You were gorged!)
They abandoned the God who made them
and treated the rock of their salvation like a fool.
16 They made him furious because they worshiped foreign gods
and angered him because they worshiped worthless idols.
17 They sacrificed to demons that are not God,
to gods they never heard of.
These were new gods, who came from nearby,
gods your ancestors never worshiped.
18 (You ignored the rock who fathered you
and forgot the God who gave you life.)

19 The Lord saw this and rejected them,
because his own sons and daughters had made him angry.
20 He said, “I will turn away from them
and find out what will happen to them.
They are devious people,
children who can’t be trusted.
21 They made him furious because they worshiped foreign gods
and angered him because they worshiped worthless idols.
So I will use those who are not my people to make them jealous
and a nation of godless fools to make them angry.
22 My anger has started a fire
that will burn to the depths of hell.
It will consume the earth and its crops
and set the foundations of the mountains on fire.
23 I will bring one disaster after another on them.
I will use up all my arrows on them.
24 They will be starved by famines
and ravaged by pestilence and deadly epidemics.
I will send vicious animals against them
along with poisonous animals that crawl on the ground.
25 Foreign wars will kill off their children,
and even at home there will be horrors.
Young men and young women alike will die
as well as nursing babies and gray-haired men.
26 I said that I would cut them in pieces
and erase everyone’s memory of them.
27 But I didn’t want their enemies to make me angry.
I didn’t want their opponents to misunderstand and say,
‘We won this victory!
It wasn’t the Lord who did all this!’ ”

28 My people have lost their good sense.
They are not able to understand.
29 If only they were wise enough to understand this
and realize what will happen to them!
30 How could one person chase a thousand
or two people make ten thousand flee?
Their rock used these people to defeat them
and the Lord gave them no help.
31 Their rock isn’t like our rock.
Even our enemies will agree with this.
32 Their grapevines come from the vineyards of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are poisonous,
and their clusters are bitter.
33 Their wine is snake venom,
the deadly poison of cobras.

34 Isn’t this what I’ve stored
under lock and key in my storehouses?
35 I will take revenge and be satisfied.
In due time their foot will slip,
because their day of disaster is near.
Their doom is coming quickly.
36 The Lord will judge his people
and have compassion on his servants
when he sees that their strength is gone
and that no one is left, neither slaves nor free people.
37 Then he will ask, “Where are their gods?
Where is the rock they took refuge in?
38 Where are the gods who ate the fat from their sacrifices
and drank the wine from their wine offerings?
Let them come to help you!
Let them be your refuge!”

39 See, I am the only God.
There are no others.
I kill, and I make alive.
I wound, and I heal,
and no one can rescue you from my power.
40 I raise my hand toward heaven and solemnly swear:
As surely as I live forever,
41 I will sharpen my flashing sword
and take justice into my own hands.
Then I will take revenge on my enemies
and pay back those who hate me.
42 My arrows will drip with blood
from those who were killed and taken captive.
My sword will cut off the heads
of the enemy who vowed to fight.

43 Joyfully sing with the Lord’s people, you nations,
because he will take revenge for the death of his servants.
He will get even with his enemies
and make peace for his people’s land.[e]

Moses Is Allowed to See Canaan

44 Moses came with Hoshea,[f] son of Nun, and recited all the words of this song as the people listened. 45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to Israel, 46 he said to them, “Pay attention to all these warnings I’ve given you today. Then you will command your children to faithfully obey every word of these teachings. 47 Don’t think these words are idle talk. They are your life! By these words you will be able to live for a long time in the land that you are going to take possession of when you cross the Jordan River.”

48 That same day the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Go into the Abarim Mountains, to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho. Take a look at the land of Canaan that I’m giving the Israelites as their own property. 50 On this mountain where you’re going, you will die and join your ancestors in death, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor. 51 This is because both of you were unfaithful to me at the oasis of Meribah at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin. You didn’t show the Israelites how holy I am. 52 You may see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I’m giving the Israelites.”

Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes

33 Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites with this blessing before he died. He said,

“The Lord came from Sinai.
For his people he rose from Seir ⌞like the sun⌟.
He appeared like sunshine from Mount Paran.
He came with tens of thousands of holy ones.
On his right was a raging fire for them.
You certainly love your people.
All your holy ones are in your hands.
They bow at your feet
to receive your instructions.
Moses gave us these teachings.
They belong to the assembly of Jacob.
The Lord was king of Jeshurun [g]
when the leaders of the people assembled
together with all the tribes of Israel.

“May the tribe of Reuben live and not die out,
though their people are few in number.”

This is what he said about the tribe of Judah:

“Hear the cry of Judah, O Lord,
and bring them to their people.
They must defend themselves.
Help them against their enemies.”

About the tribe of Levi he said,

“Your Thummim and Urim [h] belong to your faithful people.
You tested your people at Massah.
You quarreled with them at the oasis of Meribah.
They said that they didn’t know their father and mother.
They didn’t recognize their own brothers.
They didn’t acknowledge their own children.
But they obeyed your word
and were faithful to the terms of your promise.[i]
10 They teach Jacob your rules
and give Israel your teachings.
They burn incense for you to smell
and sacrifice burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Lord, bless them with strength
and be pleased with the work they do.
Break the backs of those who attack them and hate them
so that they can never get up again.”

12 About the tribe of Benjamin he said,

“The Lord’s beloved people will live securely with him.
The Lord will shelter them all day long,
since he, too, lives on the mountain slopes.”

13 About the tribes of Joseph he said,

“May the Lord bless their land with ⌞water,⌟
the best gift heaven can send,
with dew and deep springs below the ground.
14 May the Lord bless their land with crops,
the best gift the sun can give,
the best produce of each month,
15 the finest fruits from the oldest mountains,
the best from the ancient hills,
16 and the most plentiful crops of the earth.
May the Lord bless their land with the favor
of the one who was in the burning bush.
May these blessings come to the tribes of Joseph.
May they crown the people who are like princes in Israel.
17 They will be as majestic as a firstborn bull.
Their horns will be like the horns of a wild ox.
They will use them to push away nations
including those at the ends of the earth.
The tens of thousands from the tribe of Ephraim
and the thousands from the tribe of Manasseh will be like this.”

18 About the tribe of Zebulun he said,

“People of Zebulun, enjoy yourselves when you go to war,
and you people of Issachar, enjoy yourselves when you stay at home.
19 They will invite nations to their mountain,
and there they will offer the proper sacrifices.
They will be nourished by the abundance from the seas
and the treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 About the tribe of Gad he said,

“Blessed is the one who gives the people of Gad more land.
They wait there like a lion.
They can tear off an arm or a head.
21 They chose the best land for themselves.
Indeed, a commander’s piece of land was reserved for them.
They were leaders of the people
and did for Israel what the Lord considers fair and honorable.”

22 About the tribe of Dan he said,

“The people of Dan are a lion cub.
Out of Bashan they pounce ⌞on their enemies⌟.”

23 About the tribe of Naphtali he said,

“The people of Naphtali enjoy the Lord’s favor
and are filled with the Lord’s blessings.
They will take possession of the lake and the land south of it.”

24 About the tribe of Asher he said,

“The people of Asher are the most blessed of the sons of Israel.
May they be the Israelites’ favorite tribe
and wash their feet in olive oil.
25 May the locks and bolts of your gates be made of iron and copper.
May your strength last as long as you live.

26 “There’s no one like your God, Jeshurun!

He rides through the heavens to help you.
In majesty he rides through the clouds.
27 The eternal God is your shelter,
and his everlasting arms support you.
He will force your enemies out of your way
and tell you to destroy them.

28 So Israel will live securely.

Jacob’s spring will be ⌞left⌟ alone
in a land of grain and new wine.
Dew will drip from Israel’s skies.
29 You are blessed, Israel!
Who is like you,
a nation saved by the Lord?
He is a shield that helps you
and a sword that wins your victories.
Your enemies will come crawling to you,
and you will stomp on their backs.”

Moses’ Death and Burial

34 Then Moses went up on Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab. He went to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. The Lord showed him the whole land. He could see Gilead as far as Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the territory of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev, and the Jordan Plain—the valley of Jericho (the City of Palms)—as far as Zoar.

Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised with an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I said I would give it to their descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you may not go there.”

As the Lord had predicted, the Lord’s servant Moses died in Moab. He was buried in a valley in Moab, near Beth Peor. Even today no one knows where his grave is.

Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight never became poor, and he never lost his physical strength. The Israelites mourned for Moses in the plains of Moab for 30 days. Then the time of mourning for him was over.

Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the Spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him. The Israelites obeyed him and did what the Lord had commanded through Moses.

10 There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord dealt with face to face. 11 He was the one the Lord sent to do all the miraculous signs and amazing things in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his whole country. 12 Moses used his mighty hand to do all the spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds that were seen by all the Israelites.

Footnotes

  1. 31:7 Or “And you will distribute the land to them.”
  2. 31:16 Or “covenant.”
  3. 31:20 Or “prosperous.”
  4. 32:15 “Jeshurun” is another name for Israel.
  5. 32:43 Dead Sea Scrolls, Samaritan Pentateuch, Greek, Latin; Masoretic Text “his land ⌞and⌟ his people.”
  6. 32:44 Hoshea   ” is another name for Joshua.
  7. 33:5 Jeshurun   ” is another name for Israel.
  8. 33:8 The Urim   and Thummim   were used by the chief priest to determine God’s answer to questions.
  9. 33:9 Or “covenant.”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

31 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: “I am now a hundred and twenty years old(A) and I am no longer able to lead you.(B) The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’(C) The Lord your God himself will cross(D) over ahead of you.(E) He will destroy these nations(F) before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross(G) over ahead of you, as the Lord said. And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og,(H) the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. The Lord will deliver(I) them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous.(J) Do not be afraid or terrified(K) because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you;(L) he will never leave you(M) nor forsake(N) you.”

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said(O) 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 ancestors to give them,(P) and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you;(Q) he will never leave you nor forsake you.(R) Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Public Reading of the Law

So Moses wrote(S) down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried(T) 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,(U) during the Festival of Tabernacles,(V) 11 when all Israel comes to appear(W) before the Lord your God at the place he will choose,(X) you shall read this law(Y) before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn(Z) to fear(AA) the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children,(AB) 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(AC) is near. Call Joshua(AD) and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.(AE)” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.(AF)

15 Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent.(AG) 16 And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors,(AH) and these people will soon prostitute(AI) themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake(AJ) me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 And in that day I will become angry(AK) with them and forsake(AL) them; I will hide(AM) my face(AN) from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters(AO) and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’(AP) 18 And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

19 “Now write(AQ) down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness(AR) 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 ancestors,(AS) and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods(AT) and worship them,(AU) rejecting me and breaking my covenant.(AV) 21 And when many disasters and calamities come on them,(AW) this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do,(AX) even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” 22 So Moses wrote(AY) down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

23 The Lord gave this command(AZ) to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous,(BA) 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(BB) in a book the words of this law(BC) from beginning to end, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried(BD) 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.(BE) 27 For I know how rebellious(BF) and stiff-necked(BG) 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 the heavens and the earth to testify against them.(BH) 29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt(BI) and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster(BJ) will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his 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:

32 Listen,(BK) you heavens,(BL) and I will speak;
    hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.(BM)
Let my teaching fall like rain(BN)
    and my words descend like dew,(BO)
like showers(BP) on new grass,
    like abundant rain on tender plants.

I will proclaim(BQ) the name of the Lord.(BR)
    Oh, praise the greatness(BS) of our God!
He is the Rock,(BT) his works are perfect,(BU)
    and all his ways are just.
A faithful God(BV) who does no wrong,
    upright(BW) and just is he.(BX)

They are corrupt and not his children;
    to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.(BY)
Is this the way you repay(BZ) the Lord,
    you foolish(CA) and unwise people?(CB)
Is he not your Father,(CC) your Creator,[a]
    who made you and formed you?(CD)

Remember the days of old;(CE)
    consider the generations long past.(CF)
Ask your father and he will tell you,
    your elders, and they will explain to you.(CG)
When the Most High(CH) gave the nations their inheritance,
    when he divided all mankind,(CI)
he set up boundaries(CJ) for the peoples
    according to the number of the sons of Israel.[b](CK)
For the Lord’s portion(CL) is his people,
    Jacob his allotted inheritance.(CM)

10 In a desert(CN) land he found him,
    in a barren and howling waste.(CO)
He shielded(CP) him and cared for him;
    he guarded him as the apple of his eye,(CQ)
11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest
    and hovers over its young,(CR)
that spreads its wings to catch them
    and carries them aloft.(CS)
12 The Lord alone led(CT) him;(CU)
    no foreign god was with him.(CV)

13 He made him ride on the heights(CW) of the land
    and fed him with the fruit of the fields.
He nourished him with honey from the rock,(CX)
    and with oil(CY) from the flinty crag,
14 with curds and milk from herd and flock
    and with fattened lambs and goats,
with choice rams of Bashan(CZ)
    and the finest kernels of wheat.(DA)
You drank the foaming blood of the grape.(DB)

15 Jeshurun[c](DC) grew fat(DD) and kicked;
    filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.
They abandoned(DE) the God who made them
    and rejected the Rock(DF) their Savior.
16 They made him jealous(DG) with their foreign gods
    and angered(DH) him with their detestable idols.
17 They sacrificed(DI) to false gods,(DJ) which are not God—
    gods they had not known,(DK)
    gods that recently appeared,(DL)
    gods your ancestors did not fear.
18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
    you forgot(DM) the God who gave you birth.

19 The Lord saw this and rejected them(DN)
    because he was angered by his sons and daughters.(DO)
20 “I will hide my face(DP) from them,” he said,
    “and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,(DQ)
    children who are unfaithful.(DR)
21 They made me jealous(DS) by what is no god
    and angered me with their worthless idols.(DT)
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
    I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.(DU)
22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,(DV)
    one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.(DW)
It will devour(DX) the earth and its harvests(DY)
    and set afire the foundations of the mountains.(DZ)

23 “I will heap calamities(EA) on them
    and spend my arrows(EB) against them.
24 I will send wasting famine(EC) against them,
    consuming pestilence(ED) and deadly plague;(EE)
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,(EF)
    the venom of vipers(EG) that glide in the dust.(EH)
25 In the street the sword will make them childless;
    in their homes terror(EI) will reign.(EJ)
The young men and young women will perish,
    the infants and those with gray hair.(EK)
26 I said I would scatter(EL) them
    and erase their name from human memory,(EM)
27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
    lest the adversary misunderstand(EN)
and say, ‘Our hand has triumphed;
    the Lord has not done all this.’”(EO)

28 They are a nation without sense,
    there is no discernment(EP) in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this(EQ)
    and discern what their end will be!(ER)
30 How could one man chase a thousand,
    or two put ten thousand to flight,(ES)
unless their Rock had sold them,(ET)
    unless the Lord had given them up?(EU)
31 For their rock is not like our Rock,(EV)
    as even our enemies concede.(EW)
32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom(EX)
    and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,(EY)
    and their clusters with bitterness.(EZ)
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
    the deadly poison of cobras.(FA)

34 “Have I not kept this in reserve
    and sealed it in my vaults?(FB)
35 It is mine to avenge;(FC) I will repay.(FD)
    In due time their foot will slip;(FE)
their day of disaster is near
    and their doom rushes upon them.(FF)

36 The Lord will vindicate his people(FG)
    and relent(FH) concerning his servants(FI)
when he sees their strength is gone
    and no one is left, slave(FJ) or free.[d]
37 He will say: “Now where are their gods,
    the rock they took refuge in,(FK)
38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
    and drank the wine of their drink offerings?(FL)
Let them rise up to help you!
    Let them give you shelter!

39 “See now that I myself am he!(FM)
    There is no god besides me.(FN)
I put to death(FO) and I bring to life,(FP)
    I have wounded and I will heal,(FQ)
    and no one can deliver out of my hand.(FR)
40 I lift my hand(FS) to heaven and solemnly swear:
    As surely as I live forever,(FT)
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword(FU)
    and my hand grasps it in judgment,
I will take vengeance(FV) on my adversaries
    and repay those who hate me.(FW)
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,(FX)
    while my sword devours flesh:(FY)
the blood of the slain and the captives,
    the heads of the enemy leaders.”

43 Rejoice,(FZ) you nations, with his people,[e][f]
    for he will avenge the blood of his servants;(GA)
he will take vengeance on his enemies(GB)
    and make atonement for his land and people.(GC)

44 Moses came with Joshua[g](GD) son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day,(GE) so that you may command(GF) your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life.(GG) By them you will live long(GH) in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Moses to Die on Mount Nebo

48 On that same day the Lord told Moses,(GI) 49 “Go up into the Abarim(GJ) Range to Mount Nebo(GK) in Moab, across from Jericho,(GL) and view Canaan,(GM) the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die(GN) and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died(GO) on Mount Hor(GP) and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh(GQ) in the Desert of Zin(GR) and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.(GS) 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance;(GT) you will not enter(GU) the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

Moses Blesses the Tribes(GV)

33 This is the blessing(GW) that Moses the man of God(GX) pronounced on the Israelites before his death. He said:

“The Lord came from Sinai(GY)
    and dawned over them from Seir;(GZ)
    he shone forth(HA) from Mount Paran.(HB)
He came with[h] myriads of holy ones(HC)
    from the south, from his mountain slopes.[i]
Surely it is you who love(HD) the people;
    all the holy ones are in your hand.(HE)
At your feet they all bow down,(HF)
    and from you receive instruction,
the law that Moses gave us,(HG)
    the possession of the assembly of Jacob.(HH)
He was king(HI) over Jeshurun[j](HJ)
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    along with the tribes of Israel.

“Let Reuben live and not die,
    nor[k] his people be few.”(HK)

And this he said about Judah:(HL)

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
    bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
    Oh, be his help against his foes!”

About Levi(HM) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim(HN) belong
    to your faithful servant.(HO)
You tested(HP) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(HQ)
He said of his father and mother,(HR)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.(HS)
10 He teaches(HT) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.(HU)
He offers incense before you(HV)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(HW)
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.(HX)
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

12 About Benjamin(HY) he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,(HZ)
    for he shields him all day long,(IA)
    and the one the Lord loves(IB) rests between his shoulders.(IC)

13 About Joseph(ID) he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;(IE)
14 with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains(IF)
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.(IG)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among[l] his brothers.(IH)
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns(II) are the horns of a wild ox.(IJ)
With them he will gore(IK) the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;(IL)
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.(IM)

18 About Zebulun(IN) he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar,(IO) in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain(IP)
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;(IQ)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,(IR)
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 About Gad(IS) he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!(IT)
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;(IU)
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.(IV)
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,(IW)
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

22 About Dan(IX) he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
    springing out of Bashan.”

23 About Naphtali(IY) he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
    and is full of his blessing;
    he will inherit southward to the lake.”

24 About Asher(IZ) he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.(JA)
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,(JB)
    and your strength will equal your days.(JC)

26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,(JD)
    who rides(JE) across the heavens to help you(JF)
    and on the clouds(JG) in his majesty.(JH)
27 The eternal(JI) God is your refuge,(JJ)
    and underneath are the everlasting(JK) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,(JL)
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’(JM)
28 So Israel will live in safety;(JN)
    Jacob will dwell[m] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.(JO)
29 Blessed are you, Israel!(JP)
    Who is like you,(JQ)
    a people saved by the Lord?(JR)
He is your shield and helper(JS)
    and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
    and you will tread on their heights.(JT)

The Death of Moses

34 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo(JU) from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah,(JV) across from Jericho.(JW) There the Lord showed(JX) him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan,(JY) all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea,(JZ) the Negev(KA) and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms,(KB) as far as Zoar.(KC) Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath(KD) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(KE) when I said, ‘I will give it(KF) to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross(KG) over into it.”

And Moses the servant of the Lord(KH) died(KI) there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him[n] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor,(KJ) but to this day no one knows where his grave is.(KK) Moses was a hundred and twenty years old(KL) when he died, yet his eyes were not weak(KM) nor his strength gone.(KN) The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab(KO) thirty days,(KP) until the time of weeping and mourning(KQ) was over.

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit[o] of wisdom(KR) because Moses had laid his hands on him.(KS) So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.

10 Since then, no prophet(KT) has risen in Israel like Moses,(KU) whom the Lord knew face to face,(KV) 11 who did all those signs and wonders(KW) the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials(KX) and to his whole land. 12 For no one has(KY) ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds(KZ) that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 32:6 Or Father, who bought you
  2. Deuteronomy 32:8 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) sons of God
  3. Deuteronomy 32:15 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.
  4. Deuteronomy 32:36 Or and they are without a ruler or leader
  5. Deuteronomy 32:43 Or Make his people rejoice, you nations
  6. Deuteronomy 32:43 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) people, / and let all the angels worship him, /
  7. Deuteronomy 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant of Joshua
  8. Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
  9. Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  10. Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
  11. Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
  12. Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
  13. Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is
  14. Deuteronomy 34:6 Or He was buried
  15. Deuteronomy 34:9 Or Spirit