Open English Translation DEU Chapter 31

9 Then Mosheh wrote these instructions down and gave the scroll to the Israeli elders and to the priests (Levi’s descendants) who carry the box containing Yahweh’s agreement. 10 Then Mosheh instructed them: Every seven years at the time for cancelling all debts during the Celebration in Huts,[ref] 11 when all Yisrael must go and stand in front of your god Yahweh in the place that he will choose, you must read these instructions aloud to all Yisrael. 12 Assemble the people (men, women, children, and any foreigners that live in your country) so that they can listen and learn, and honour and respect your god Yahweh, and keep following all these instructions. 13 Then their descendants who won’t have heard this yet, can hear them and learn to honour and respect your god Yahweh during all the years that you all live in the land that you are crossing the Yarden river in order to take possession of it.

14 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses), “Listen, you’ll soon die. Call Yehoshua (Joshua) present yourselves in the sacred tent, then I’ll give him his instructions.”

So Mosheh and Yehoshua went to the sacred tent. 15 Yahweh appeared to them there in a pillar of cloud that stood over the tent door.

16 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Listen, you’ll soon go to join your ancestors, and these people will turn and prostitute themselves to the strange gods of the land that they’ll be going to. This nation will abandon me and break the agreement that I’ve made with it. 17 When that happens, my rage will burn against them, and I’ll abandom them and distance myself from them. They’ll be devoured by other kingdoms, and many disasters and troubles will hit them. Then they’ll say at that time, ‘Didn’t these disasters come to us because our God is no longer here amongst us?’ 18 Yes, I’ll definitely stay away on that day because of all the evil that they will have done when they turned to other gods. 19 So now, write down this song and teach it to the Israelis. Make them memorise it so that it can become a witness for me against them. 20 When I bring them to the land that I promised to their ancestors, flowing with milk and honey, and they eat well and become satisfied and fat, then they’ll turn to other gods and they’ll serve them, and they’ll despise me and break our agreement. 21 Then in the future when many evils and troubles hit the country, this song will testify to it as a witness (because it won’t be forgotten by their descendants). Because I know their intent today, even before I’ve taken them into the land that I promised.”

22 So Mosheh wrote down the song that day and taught it to the Israelis.

23 Then he instructed Nun’s son Yehoshua (Joshua), “Be strong and courageous; because you’ll be the one to take the Israelis into the land that I promised them, and I’ll be with you.”[ref]

24 After Mosheh had finished writing all these instructions from beginning to end onto a scroll, 25 he told the Levites who carry the box containing Yahweh’s agreement, 26 “Take this scroll with these instructions on it and place it beside the box containing your god Yahweh’s agreement, and then it’ll be there as a witness against your nation 27 because I know your rebellion and stubbornness. Listen while I’m still alive with you today: you’ve all been rebellious against Yahweh, and it’ll surely be worse after my death. 28 Bring all the elders and officials of your tribes here to me, so that I can speak these words in their ears and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them, 29 because I know that after my death, you’ll certainly corrupt yourselves and turn away from the ways that I have instructed you, and disaster will come to you in the future, because you’ll all do evil in Yahweh’s eyes, provoking him to anger by what you all do.”

30 Then Moses recited this entire song aloud to all the gathered Israelis: