Joshua Takes Moses’s Place

31 Then Moses continued to speak these[a] words to all Israel, saying, “I am now 120 years old;(A) I can no longer act as your leader.[b] The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan.’(B) The Lord your God is the one who will cross ahead of you.(C) He will destroy these nations before you, and you will drive them out. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, as the Lord has said.(D) The Lord will deal with them as he did Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and their land when he destroyed them.(E) The Lord will deliver them over to you, and you must do to them exactly as I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous;(F) don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you;(G) he will not leave you or abandon you.”(H)

Moses then summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with[c] this people into the land the Lord swore to give to their ancestors.(I) You will enable them to take possession of it. The Lord is the one who will go before you.(J) He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.(K) Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 31:1 Some Hb mss, DSS, LXX, Syr, Vg read all these
  2. 31:2 Lit no longer go out or come in
  3. 31:7 Some Hb mss, Sam, Syr, Vg read you will bring

Moses’ Last Counsel

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 [a]go out and come in, and the Lord has told me, ‘(C)You shall not cross this Jordan.’ (D)It is the Lord your God who is going to cross ahead of you; He Himself will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. (E)Joshua is the one who is going to cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken. And the Lord 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)The Lord will turn them over to you, and you will do to them in accordance with all the commandments which I have commanded you. (G)Be strong and courageous, (H)do not be afraid or in dread of them, for (I)the Lord your God is the One who is going with you. (J)He will not desert you or abandon you.”

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 31:2 I.e., as Israel’s leader