立约书亚做摩西的接班人

31 摩西继续对以色列人说: “我已经一百二十岁了,无法再继续带领你们,耶和华曾说我不得过约旦河。 你们的上帝耶和华要亲自带领你们过河,在你们面前消灭那里的各族,使你们占领他们的土地。约书亚将做你们的首领,正如耶和华所言。 耶和华要毁灭那里的各族,像毁灭亚摩利二王西宏和噩及其国家一样。 耶和华要把他们交给你们,你们要照我的一切吩咐处置他们。 你们要刚强勇敢,不要怕他们,因为你们的上帝耶和华与你们同在,祂不会撇下你们,也不会离弃你们。”

摩西把约书亚叫来,当着全体以色列人的面对他说:“你要刚强勇敢!因为你要带领百姓进入耶和华起誓赐给他们祖先的土地,把土地分给他们。 耶和华必带领你,与你同在。祂不会撇下你,也不会离弃你。不要害怕,也不要沮丧。”

每七年当众宣读律法一次

摩西把这律法写好,交给抬耶和华约柜的利未祭司和以色列的众长老。 10 摩西吩咐他们说:“每逢免除债务的第七年的住棚节, 11 所有以色列人到你们的上帝耶和华选定的地方朝见祂时,你们要当众大声宣读这律法。 12 要招聚所有男女、孩童以及住在你们中间的外族人,让他们聆听这律法,学习敬畏你们的上帝耶和华,谨遵律法上的一切话。 13 这样,他们那些还不知道这律法的孩子便有机会听到律法,在你们将要占领的约旦河对岸的土地上,学习终生敬畏你们的上帝耶和华。”

上帝对摩西和约书亚的指示

14 耶和华对摩西说:“你快要离世了。叫约书亚与你一起到会幕,我要委派他。”摩西和约书亚就去了会幕。 15 有云柱停在会幕入口的上方,耶和华在云柱中向他们显现。

16 耶和华对摩西说:“你快要与祖先同眠了。这些百姓将很快在要占领的土地上与外族人的神明苟合,背弃我,违背我与他们所立的约。 17 那时,我要向他们发怒,离弃他们,掩面不理他们。他们将被吞灭,遭遇许多祸患和灾难,以致他们会说,‘这些祸患临到我们岂不是因为上帝不在我们中间了吗?’ 18 那时,我必掩面不理他们,因为他们祭拜别的神明,行为邪恶。

19 “现在,你要写一首歌,教导以色列人,让他们背诵,作为我指控他们的证据。 20 因为当我把他们带到我起誓应许他们祖先的奶蜜之乡后,当他们在那里吃饱喝足后,就会嫌弃我,违背我与他们所立的约,去供奉别的神明。 21 当许多祸患和灾难临到他们的时候,这首歌就要成为指控他们的证据,因为这首歌要在他们的子孙中世代流传。虽然我还没有带领他们进入我起誓应许之地,我已经知道他们的心思意念。” 22 当天,摩西就写下这首歌,传授给以色列人。

23 耶和华嘱咐嫩的儿子约书亚:“你要刚强勇敢,因为你要带领以色列人进入我起誓应许他们的土地,我必与你同在。”

24 摩西把这律法都写在书上以后, 25 就吩咐抬耶和华约柜的利未人: 26 “把这律法书放在你们的上帝耶和华的约柜旁,作为指控你们的证据。 27 我知道你们悖逆、顽固不化,我还活在你们中间的时候,你们尚且背叛上帝,何况我死后呢? 28 把你们各支派的长老和首领招聚来,我要把这些话告诉他们,叫天地作证来指控他们。 29 我知道,我死后你们会彻底堕落,偏离我吩咐你们行的道,做耶和华视为恶的事,惹祂发怒,将来祸患必临到你们。”

30 然后,摩西把这首诗歌读给以色列全体会众听。

Be Strong and Courageous

31 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am (A)120 years old today; (B)I am no longer able to come and go, and Yahweh has said to me, ‘(C)You shall not cross this Jordan.’ (D)It is Yahweh your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. (E)Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as Yahweh has spoken. And Yahweh will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. (F)And Yahweh will give them over before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you. (G)Be strong and courageous. (H)Do not be afraid or be in dread of them, for (I)Yahweh your God is the one who goes with you. (J)He will not fail you or forsake you.”

Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “(K)Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. (L)And Yahweh is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. (M)He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi (N)who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of (O)the year of the remission of debts, at the (P)Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes (Q)to appear before Yahweh your God at (R)the place which He will choose, (S)you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and little ones and [a]the sojourner who is within your gates, so that they may hear and so that they may (T)learn and fear Yahweh your God and be careful to do all the words of this law. 13 And their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear Yahweh your God, all the days you live on the land [b]which you are about to cross the Jordan to [c]possess.”

Yahweh Has Moses Write a Song

14 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, [d](U)the time for you to die is near; call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” (V)So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. 15 (W)And Yahweh appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent. 16 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, (X)you are about to lie down with your fathers; and (Y)this people will arise and play the harlot with the foreign gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and they (Z)will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have cut with them. 17 (AA)Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and (AB)I will forsake them and (AC)hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will find them, so that they will say in that day, ‘(AD)Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have found us?’ 18 But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods.

19 “So now, (AE)write this song for yourselves and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. 20 (AF)For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and (AG)become fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them and spurn Me and break My covenant. 21 Then it will be, (AH)when many evils and troubles have found them, that this song will answer them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the mouths of their seed); for (AI)I know their intent which they are [e]developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.” 22 (AJ)So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the sons of Israel.

Joshua Is Commissioned

23 (AK)Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “(AL)Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and (AM)I will be with you.”

24 And it happened, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites (AN)who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying, 26 “Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, that it may be there as a witness against you. 27 For I know (AO)your rebellion and (AP)your [f]stiff-neck; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against Yahweh; how much more, then, after my death? 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and (AQ)call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will (AR)act corruptly and turn away from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the last days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.”

The Song of Moses

30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete:

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 31:12 Lit your sojourner
  2. Deuteronomy 31:13 Lit where
  3. Deuteronomy 31:13 Lit possess it
  4. Deuteronomy 31:14 Lit your days to die are
  5. Deuteronomy 31:21 Lit making
  6. Deuteronomy 31:27 Or stubbornness

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: