Deuteronomy 31:2-12

2 et dixit ad eos centum viginti annorum sum hodie non possum ultra egredi et ingredi praesertim cum et Dominus dixerit mihi non transibis Iordanem istum

3 Dominus ergo Deus tuus transibit ante te ipse delebit omnes gentes has in conspectu tuo et possidebis eas et Iosue iste transibit ante te sicut locutus est Dominus

4 facietque Dominus eis sicut fecit Seon et Og regibus Amorreorum et terrae eorum delebitque eos

5 cum ergo et hos tradiderit vobis similiter facietis eis sicut praecepi vobis

6 viriliter agite et confortamini nolite timere nec paveatis a conspectu eorum quia Dominus Deus tuus ipse est ductor tuus et non dimittet nec derelinquet te

7 vocavitque Moses Iosue et dixit ei coram omni Israhel confortare et esto robustus tu enim introduces populum istum in terram quam daturum se patribus eorum iuravit Dominus et tu eam sorte divides

8 et Dominus qui ductor vester est ipse erit tecum non dimittet nec derelinquet te noli timere nec paveas

9 scripsit itaque Moses legem hanc et tradidit eam sacerdotibus filiis Levi qui portabant arcam foederis Domini et cunctis senioribus Israhelis

10 praecepitque eis dicens post septem annos anno remissionis in sollemnitate tabernaculorum

11 convenientibus cunctis ex Israhel ut appareant in conspectu Domini Dei tui in loco quem elegerit Dominus leges verba legis huius coram omni Israhel audientibus eis

12 et in unum omni populo congregato tam viris quam mulieribus parvulis et advenis qui sunt intra portas tuas ut audientes discant et timeant Dominum Deum vestrum et custodiant impleantque omnes sermones legis huius

Deuteronomy 31:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 31

Moses being old, and knowing he should quickly die, and must not go over Jordan with the people of Israel, acquaints them with it, and encourages them and Joshua to go over notwithstanding, and not be afraid of their enemies, since the Lord would go with them, and deliver them into their hands, De 31:1-8; and having written the law, he delivered it to the priests, and ordered that it should be read at the end of every seven years before all the people, that they and theirs might learn it, and fear the Lord, De 31:9-13; and whereas the death of Moses was very near, and the Lord foreseeing the people would quickly fall into idolatry, which would bring great calamities upon them, he directed Moses to write a song, which should be a witness for him, and against them, in ages to come; which Moses accordingly did, De 31:14-22; and Moses having given a charge to Joshua, and finished the writing of the law in a book, gave it to the Levites to put it in the side of the ark, De 31:23-27; and then ordered the chief of the tribes to be gathered together, that he might deliver the song, which by the direction and under the inspiration of God he had written, De 31:28-30; which song is recorded in De 32:1-43.