Deuteronomy Chapter 31 — The Commissioning of Joshua
Moses passes leadership to Joshua, delivers the written law to the priests, and receives a warning from God about Israel's future disobedience.
1Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
2He said to them, “I am one hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’
3The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua will go over before you, as the LORD has spoken.
4The LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them.
5The LORD will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you.
6Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them, for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
7Moses called to 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 which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it.
8The LORD himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.”
9Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and to all the elders of Israel.
10Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of booths,
11when all Israel has come to appear before the LORD your God in the place which he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
12Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,
13and that their children, who have not known, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land where you go over the Jordan to possess it.”
14The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, your days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, that I may commission him.”
15The LORD appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the Tent’s door.
16The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land where they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them.
17Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Haven’t these evils come on us because our God is not among us?’
18I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.
19“Now therefore write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
20For when I have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.
21It will happen, when many evils and troubles have come on them, that this song will testify before them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their descendants; for I know their ways and what they are doing today, before I have brought them into the land which I promised them.”
22So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.
23He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them. I will be with you.”
24When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
25Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant, saying,
26“Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the LORD your God’s covenant, that it may be there for a witness against you.
27For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death?
28Assemble 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.
29For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn away from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will happen to you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.”
30Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were finished.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them, for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
This verse provides foundational encouragement for Israel as they prepare for the conquest of Canaan.
Deuteronomy 31:8
“The LORD himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.”
Moses repeats this specific assurance to Joshua, highlighting God's continuous presence through the transition of power.
Deuteronomy 31:12
“Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,”
It emphasizes the importance of communal religious education and the inclusion of all people, including children and foreigners.
Chapter Summary
In Deuteronomy 31, Moses, now 120 years old, informs Israel that he will not cross the Jordan River. He encourages the nation and his successor, Joshua, to be strong and courageous, promising that God will go before them to defeat their enemies. Moses writes down the Law and commands that it be read publicly every seven years during the Feast of Booths to ensure future generations learn to fear God. God then calls Moses and Joshua to the Tent of Meeting, where He commissions Joshua and reveals to Moses that the people will eventually forsake the covenant. To serve as a witness against their future rebellion, Moses is instructed to write a song and teach it to the Israelites. The chapter concludes with Moses placing the Book of the Law beside the Ark of the Covenant as a permanent witness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moses states that the Lord explicitly told him he would not go over the Jordan River. At 120 years old, he explains that he can no longer lead the people's military campaigns, and leadership must pass to Joshua.
Joshua, the son of Nun, was chosen by God to succeed Moses. Moses publicly commissioned him and told him to be strong and courageous as he led the people to inherit the land.
Moses commanded that the Law be read every seven years during the Year of Release at the Feast of Booths. This practice was intended to ensure that everyone, including children and foreigners, would hear and learn to fear the Lord.
God revealed to Moses that after his death, the people would forsake the covenant and turn to other gods. Because of this rebellion, God warned that He would hide His face and allow many troubles to come upon the nation.
Study Note
The command to read the Law every seven years during the 'year of release' (shmitah) aligns Israel's spiritual education with their existing socio-economic and agricultural cycles.
Related Chapters
Joshua Chapter 1
Joshua receives a direct command from God to be strong and courageous immediately following the death of Moses.
Numbers Chapter 27
This chapter records the initial public appointment of Joshua as the successor to Moses.
Nehemiah Chapter 8
This passage shows a historical fulfillment of the command to read the Law publicly to the assembled nation.
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