Chapter Thirty-One

The final acts of Moses: encouraging the people before their occupation of the land of the Canaanites; instructions to the priests regarding the preservation and public reading of the law he had written; receiving divine revelation together with Joshua (son of Nun) concerning the future destiny of Israel; composing a reproving and edifying song for the people.

Deuteronomy 31:2. and said to them: I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer go out and come in, and the Lord said to me: “you will not cross this Jordan”; The expression “I can no longer go out and come in” does not indicate a decline in Moses’ strength, since he preserved his vigor to the end of his life (Deut 34:7), but rather that he has ceased to be the leader (Num 27:17) of the people, since the Lord said to him: you will not cross the Jordan (Num 20:7-13).

Deuteronomy 31:3. The Lord your God himself will cross over before you; he will destroy these nations before you, and you will dispossess them; Joshua will cross over before you, as the Lord has said; “As the Lord has said.” Cf. Num 27:15-23; Deut 1:38.

Deuteronomy 31:4. and the Lord will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, [who were on this side of the Jordan,] and with their land, whom he destroyed; See Num 21:1; Deut 2:31.

Deuteronomy 31:5. and the Lord will deliver them to you, and you shall deal with them according to all the commandments that I have commanded you; See Num 20:10-20.

Deuteronomy 31:10. And Moses commanded them and said: at the end of every seven years, in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, “In the year of release,” that is, in the sabbatical year. See the note to Deut 15:1-11. On the Feast of Tabernacles see Exod 23:16; Num 29:12-38.

Deuteronomy 31:23. And the Lord commanded Joshua, the son of Nun, and said [to him]: be strong and courageous, for you will bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you. The Lord addresses Joshua (son of Nun) directly for the first time, since the time of his actual entry into the office of leader of the people had drawn near.

Deuteronomy 31:30. And Moses recited in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel the words of this song to the end: See the book Deut 30.