Deuteronomy 31:1

Joshua to Succeed Moses

1 When Moses had finished speaking ^[a] these words to all Israel, ¹

Deuteronomy 31:1 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:1

And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.
] The following words, even to the whole body of the people summoned together on this occasion. It seems that after Moses had made the covenant with them he was directed to, he dismissed the people to their tents, and went to his own, and now returned, having ordered them to meet him again, very probably at the tabernacle; with which agrees the Targum of Jonathan, he

``went to the tabernacle of the house of doctrine;''

though, according to Aben Ezra, he went to the each tribes separately, as they lay encamped; his words are these,

``he went to every tribe and tribe, to acquaint them that he was about to die, and that they might not be afraid, and to strengthen their hearts;''

he adds,

``in my opinion he then blessed them, though their blessings are afterwards written;''

which is not improbable.

Deuteronomy 31:1 In-Context

1 When Moses had finished speaking these words to all Israel,

2 he said to them, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’

3 The LORD your God Himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua will cross ahead of you, as the LORD has said.

4 And the LORD will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, when He destroyed them along with their land.

5 The LORD will deliver them over to you, and you must do to them exactly as I have commanded you.

Cross References

• 1. (Numbers 27:18–23)

Footnotes

• [a]. DSS and LXX; MT When Moses went out and spoke