Joshua Commissioned to Lead Israel

14 And the Lord said to Moses, (A)“Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that (B)I may commission him.” And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting. 15 And (C)the Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud. And the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance of the tent.

16 And the Lord said to Moses, (D)“Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and (E)whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will (F)forsake me and (G)break my covenant that I have made with them. 17 Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and (H)I will forsake them and (I)hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, (J)‘Have not these evils come upon us because (K)our God is not among us?’ 18 And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because (L)they have turned to other gods.

19 “Now therefore write (M)this song and (N)teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be (O)a witness for me against the people of Israel. 20 For when I have brought them into the land (P)flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and (Q)grown fat, (R)they will turn to other gods and serve them, and (S)despise me and (T)break my covenant. 21 And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as (U)a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For (V)I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.” 22 So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.

23 (W)And the Lord[a] commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, (X)“Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. (Y)I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had finished (Z)writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, 25 Moses commanded (AA)the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, 26 “Take this Book of the Law (AB)and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for (AC)a witness against you. 27 For I know how rebellious and (AD)stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, (AE)you have been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death! 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak (AF)these words in their ears and (AG)call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death (AH)you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And (AI)in the days to come (AJ)evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, (AK)provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 31:23 Hebrew he

Israel’s Rebellion Predicted

14 The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death(A) is near. Call Joshua(B) and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.(C)” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.(D)

15 Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent.(E) 16 And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors,(F) and these people will soon prostitute(G) themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake(H) me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 And in that day I will become angry(I) with them and forsake(J) them; I will hide(K) my face(L) from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters(M) 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?’(N) 18 And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

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

23 The Lord gave this command(X) to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous,(Y) 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(Z) in a book the words of this law(AA) from beginning to end, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried(AB) 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.(AC) 27 For I know how rebellious(AD) and stiff-necked(AE) 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.(AF) 29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt(AG) and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster(AH) 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.”

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