Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin,^(A) and they stayed at Kadesh.^(B) There Miriam^(C) died and was buried.

² Now there was no water^(D) for the community,^(E) and the people gathered in opposition^(F) to Moses and Aaron. ³ They quarreled^(G) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead^(H) before the Lord!^{(I) 4} Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,^(J) that we and our livestock should die here?^{(K) 5} Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.^(L) And there is no water to drink!^(M)”

⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(N) and fell facedown,^(O) and the glory of the Lord^(P) appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff,^(Q) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.^(R) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff^(S) from the Lord’s presence,^(T) just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together^(U) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”^{(V) 11} Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(W) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy^(X) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”^(Y)

¹³ These were the waters of Meribah,^[a](Z) where the Israelites quarreled^(AA) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.^(AB)

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain^(A) in the Abarim Range^(B) and see the land^(C) I have given the Israelites.^{(D) 13} After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,^(E) as your brother Aaron^(F) was, ¹⁴ for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,^(G) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy^(H) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah^(I) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

¹⁵ Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶ “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(J) appoint someone over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”^(K)

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^[a](L) and lay your hand on him.^{(M) 19} Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him^(N) in their presence.^{(O) 20} Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.^{(P) 21} He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^(Q) of the Urim^(R) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

²² Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. ²³ Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,^(S) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Love the Lord Your God

6 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear^(A) the Lord your God as long as you live^(B) by keeping all his decrees and commands^(C) that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.^{(D) 3} Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey^(E) so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly^(F) in a land flowing with milk and honey,^(G) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised^(H) you.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a](I) 5} Love^(J) the Lord your God with all your heart^(K) and with all your soul and with all your strength.^{(L) 6} These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.^{(M) 7} Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.^{(N) 8} Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.^{(O) 9} Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.^(P)

¹⁰ When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,^{(Q) 11} houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig,^(R) and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,^{(S) 12} be careful that you do not forget^(T) the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

¹³ Fear the Lord^(U) your God, serve him only^(V) and take your oaths^(W) in his name.^{(X) 14} Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; ¹⁵ for the Lord your God^(Y), who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. ¹⁶ Do not put the Lord your God to the test^(Z) as you did at Massah. ¹⁷ Be sure to keep^(AA) the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you.^{(AB) 18} Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight,^(AC) so that it may go well^(AD) with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, ¹⁹ thrusting out all your enemies^(AE) before you, as the Lord said.

²⁰ In the future, when your son asks you,^(AF) “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” ²¹ tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.^{(AG) 22} Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. ²³ But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. ²⁴ The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God,^(AH) so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.^{(AI) 25} And if we are careful to obey all this law^(AJ) before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.^(AK)”

Driving Out the Nations

7 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess^(AL) and drives out before you many nations^(AM)—the Hittites,^(AN) Girgashites,^(AO) Amorites,^(AP) Canaanites, Perizzites,^(AQ) Hivites^(AR) and Jebusites,^(AS) seven nations larger and stronger than you— ² and when the Lord your God has delivered^(AT) them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy^(AU) them totally.^[b](AV) Make no treaty^(AW) with them, and show them no mercy.^{(AX) 3} Do not intermarry with them.^(AY) Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, ⁴ for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods,^(AZ) and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy^(BA) you. ⁵ This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles^[c](BB) and burn their idols in the fire.^{(BC) 6} For you are a people holy^(BD) to the Lord your God.^(BE) The Lord your God has chosen^(BF) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.^(BG)

⁷ The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous^(BH) than other peoples, for you were the fewest^(BI) of all peoples.^{(BJ) 8} But it was because the Lord loved^(BK) you and kept the oath he swore^(BL) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand^(BM) and redeemed^(BN) you from the land of slavery,^(BO) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God is God;^(BP) he is the faithful God,^(BQ) keeping his covenant of love^(BR) to a thousand generations^(BS) of those who love him and keep his commandments.^{(BT) 10} But

¹¹ Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

¹² If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors.^{(BV) 13} He will love you and bless you^(BW) and increase your numbers.^(BX) He will bless the fruit of your womb,^(BY) the crops of your land—your grain, new wine^(BZ) and olive oil^(CA)—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.^{(CB) 14} You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young.^{(CC) 15} The Lord will keep you free from every disease.^(CD) He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt,^(CE) but he will inflict them on all who hate you.^{(CF) 16} You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you.^(CG) Do not look on them with pity^(CH) and do not serve their gods,^(CI) for that will be a snare^(CJ) to you.

¹⁷ You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?^(CK)” ¹⁸ But do not be afraid^(CL) of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.^{(CM) 19} You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand^(CN) and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.^{(CO) 20} Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet^(CP) among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. ²¹ Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you,^(CQ) is a great and awesome God.^{(CR) 22} The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little.^(CS) You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. ²³ But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.^{(CT) 24} He will give their kings^(CU) into your hand,^(CV) and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you;^(CW) you will destroy them.^{(CX) 25} The images of their gods you are to burn^(CY) in the fire. Do not covet^(CZ) the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared^(DA) by it, for it is detestable^(DB) to the Lord your God. ²⁶ Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction.^(DC) Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.

Do Not Forget the Lord

8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live^(DD) and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.^{(DE) 2} Remember how the Lord your God led^(DF) you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test^(DG) you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ³ He humbled^(DH) you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna,^(DI) which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach^(DJ) you that man does not live on bread^(DK) alone but on every word that comes from the mouth^(DL) of the Lord.^{(DM) 4} Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.^{(DN) 5} Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.^(DO)

⁶ Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him^(DP) and revering him.^{(DQ) 7} For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land^(DR)—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;^{(DS) 8} a land with wheat and barley,^(DT) vines^(DU) and fig trees,^(DV) pomegranates, olive oil and honey;^{(DW) 9} a land where bread^(DX) will not be scarce and you will lack nothing;^(DY) a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.^(DZ)

¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied,^(EA) praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget^(EB) the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. ¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,^{(EC) 13} and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget^(ED) the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹⁵ He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness,^(EE) that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes^(EF) and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.^{(EG) 16} He gave you manna^(EH) to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known,^(EI) to humble and test^(EJ) you so that in the end it might go well with you. ¹⁷ You may say to yourself,^(EK) “My power and the strength of my hands^(EL) have produced this wealth for me.” ¹⁸ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,^(EM) and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

¹⁹ If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods^(EN) and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.^{(EO) 20} Like the nations^(EP) the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.^(EQ)

¹⁵ The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.^(A) You must listen to him. ¹⁶ For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”^(B)

¹⁷ The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. ¹⁸ I will raise up for them a prophet^(C) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words^(D) in his mouth.^(E) He will tell them everything I command him.^(F)

Joshua to Succeed Moses

31 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: ² “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) 3} 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. ⁴ 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. ⁵ The Lord will deliver^(I) them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. ⁶ 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.”

⁷ 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. ⁸ 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

⁹ 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:

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. ² He said:

⁷ And this he said about Judah:^(HL)

⁸ About Levi^(HM) he said:

¹² About Benjamin^(HY) he said:

¹³ About Joseph^(ID) he said:

¹⁸ About Zebulun^(IN) he said:

²⁰ About Gad^(IS) he said:

²² About Dan^(IX) he said:

²³ About Naphtali^(IY) he said:

²⁴ About Asher^(IZ) he said:

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) 2} all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea,^{(JZ) 3} the Negev^(KA) and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms,^(KB) as far as Zoar.^{(KC) 4} 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.”

⁵ And Moses the servant of the Lord^(KH) died^(KI) there in Moab, as the Lord had said. ⁶ 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) 7} Moses was a hundred and twenty years old^(KL) when he died, yet his eyes were not weak^(KM) nor his strength gone.^{(KN) 8} The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab^(KO) thirty days,^(KP) until the time of weeping and mourning^(KQ) was over.

⁹ 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.