Deuteronomy 31 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Deuteronomy 31

Joshua to Succeed Moses

31:1 So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ 3 The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head, as the LORD has spoken. 4 And the LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. 5 And the LORD will give them over to you, and you shall do to them according to the whole commandment that I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

The Reading of the Law

9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Joshua Commissioned to Lead Israel

14 And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting. 15 And 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, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 17 Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and 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, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because 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 they have turned to other gods.

19 “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. 20 For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. 21 And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For 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 And the LORD¹ commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, 25 Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, 26 “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. 27 For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, 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 these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

The Song of Moses

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

Footnotes

[1] 31:23 Hebrew he

Commentary

Learning to depend on God.

v1-3: Although Moses was a great man, and had been respected as such, it was more important that the people trust God, and know that He would cross the Jordan with them. The new leader, taking over from Moses, was to be Joshua. And although human leaders change, our divine leader cannot change, and always remains.

v4-5: Just as God had given victory against Sihon and Og, Kings of the Amorites, so He would give victory against the Canaanite peoples.

v6: The people had simply to trust in God. God would remain faithful to His people.

v7-8: Having addressed the people, Moses spoke also to Joshua, that he might be strong, and trust in God, knowing God's presence; compare Josh 1.6-9. Leaders and people (v6) must be equally courageous.

Joshua had the extra responsibility to "go with this people", for through him they would inherit the land of Canaan. The leader cannot be apart from his people; he must be among them.

v9: Moses had the law written down. See 2 Chr 34.14-15, where the priests found the Book of the Law.

v10-13: The priests and elders had to ensure that the law of God was taught to the people. Every seven years time had to be set aside for the reading of the law. This was not the only time when the law was read and explained, since each household had the same responsibility, Ex 13.8,14.

Thus, obedience and commitment was not just for leaders, but for all.

v14-15: The choice of Joshua as the next leader was God's choice.

v16: Future rebellion was predicted, but not excused. Moses knew that the people still did not have a heart to love God.

v17-18: Their rebellion would be serious, and God would punish them.

v19: The song of Moses (ch 32) was to be taught to the people, as a witness against them, also v22.

v20: Once the people were settled in the land, and beginning to prosper, then they would depart from the true God; see 32.15.

v21: The Lord knew their hearts (29.4), and that they were not truly devoted to Him. He knew their secret rebellion.

v23: The Lord gave encouragement to Joshua. There is little detail as to how he was inaugurated as leader. Part of the process was the preparation of the people, as well as Joshua himself.

v26-27: The law of God itself was another testimony of the people's rebellion. Like the manna, the tablets of stone, and Aaron's rod, each speak of their rebellion against God.

v29: After Moses' death, he predicted, they would depart from the Lord, and would suffer the consequences, see v17, 21.

v30: The song of Moses was recited and taught to the whole people.