Moses' Farewell Address
31 1 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 He said to them, "Today I am a hundred and twenty years old; I can no longer go out and come in, and our Father has told me, 'You will not cross this Jordan.'" 3 Your Father himself will cross over ahead of you; he will destroy these nations before you, and you will drive them out. Joshua will cross over ahead of you, as our Father has said. 4 Our Father will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and their land, when he destroyed them. 5 Our Father will give them to you, and you must do to them exactly as I commanded you. 6 Be strong and brave. Don't fear or dread them, for your Father goes with you; he will never leave you or abandon you.
7 Moses summoned Joshua and told him before all Israel, 'Be strong and bold — you will go with this people into the land our Father swore to their ancestors to give them, and you will hand it to them as their inheritance.' 8 Our Father himself goes before you; he will be with you. He will never leave or abandon you. Don't fear; don't be discouraged.
The Law Entrusted to Israel
9 Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, sons of Levi, who carried the ark of our Father's covenant, and to all Israel's elders. 10 Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, at the set time of the release year, during the Festival of Booths," a a v10 Festival of Booths: a week-long fall harvest celebration where families built and lived in temporary shelters to recall Israel's wilderness journey. 11 When all Israel comes before your Father in the place he chooses, read this law aloud to all Israel. 12 Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigner living in your towns—to hear, learn, and fear your Father, and keep and do all the words of this law. 13 Then their children, who don't know this law, will hear it and learn to fear your Father all the days you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
Our Father Commissions Joshua
14 Our Father told Moses, "Your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting; I will commission him." So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
15 Then our Father appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the tent's entrance. 16 And our Father said to Moses, "You are about to lie down with your ancestors. This people will then rise and prostitute themselves after the foreign gods of the land they are entering, forsaking me and breaking the covenant I made with them." 17 On that day my anger will burn against them. I will abandon them, hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. Many disasters and troubles will come on them. On that day they will say, 'Haven't these disasters come on us because our God isn't with us?' 18 I will surely hide my face that day, for all the evil they've done, turning to other gods.
19 Now write this song for yourselves, teach it to the Israelites, put it in their mouths, so this song may witness for me against the Israelites. 20 When I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, sworn to their ancestors, they will eat, grow full and fat, turn to other gods and serve them, despise me, and break my covenant. 21 When many disasters and troubles overtake them, this song will confront them as a witness, for it won't be forgotten from their descendants' mouths. For I know what they're forming today, before I bring them into the land I swore to give them.
22 So Moses wrote down this song that same day and taught it to the Israelites.
23 Then our Father commissioned Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous—you will bring the Israelites into the land I swore to give them, and I myself will be with you."
24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book, from beginning to end, 25 he commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of our Father: 26 Take this Book of the Law and put it beside the ark of the covenant of your Father, to remain there as a witness against you. 27 For I know your rebellion and stubbornness. Even now, while I'm alive with you today, you've rebelled against our Father—how much more after my death! 28 Gather to me all your tribal elders and officers, so I may speak these words to them and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn aside from the way I have commanded you. And in the days to come disaster will fall upon you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of our Father, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands."
30 Moses recited the words of this song, start to finish, to Israel's whole assembly.
