Israel’s Rebellion Predicted
14 The LORD said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
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Then the LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent.
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And the LORD said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.
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And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’
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And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.
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“Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.
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When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.
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And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.”
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So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.
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The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
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After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end,
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he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD:
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“Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.
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For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the LORD while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die!
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Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them.
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For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”
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And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel: