Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Succession, Written Torah, and the Song as Witness

The chapter moves from Moses' public announcement of his death and Joshua's succession, to the written Torah entrusted for regular public reading, to the LORD's disclosure of future apostasy, the commissioning of Joshua, and the song placed as a covenant witness against Israel.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

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.

6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

7 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.

8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

When Moses מֹשֶׁ֑ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular had finished וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular speaking וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker these הָאֵ֖לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural words הַדְּבָרִ֥ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct Israel יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • DSS and LXX; MT When Moses went out and spoke
Verse 2

Original words

he said וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to them אֲלֵהֶ֗ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural I אָנֹכִי֙ H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am now הַיּ֔וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular a hundred מֵאָה֩ H3967 Number - feminine singular and twenty וְעֶשְׂרִ֨ים H6242 Conjunctive waw | Number - common plural years old בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . שָׁנָ֤ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular I am אוּכַ֥ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle longer ע֖וֹד H5750 Adverb able to come לָצֵ֣את H3318 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct and go וְלָב֑וֹא H935 Conjunctive waw, Preposition | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct and the LORD וַֽיהוָה֙ H3068 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular has said אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to me אֵלַ֔י H413 Preposition | first person common singular You shall not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle cross תַעֲבֹ֖ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the הַזֶּֽה׃ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular Jordan הַיַּרְדֵּ֥ן H3383 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Himself ה֣וּא׀ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will cross over עֹבֵ֣ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular ahead of you לְפָנֶ֗יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular He הֽוּא־ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will destroy יַשְׁמִ֞יד H8045 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker these הָאֵ֛לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural nations הַגּוֹיִ֥ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural before you מִלְּפָנֶ֖יךָ H6440 Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular and you will dispossess them וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑ם H3423 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ H3091 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . ה֚וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will cross עֹבֵ֣ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular ahead of you לְפָנֶ֔יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has said דִּבֶּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will do וְעָשָׂ֤ה H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to them לָהֶ֔ם Preposition | third person masculine plural as כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative He did עָשָׂ֗ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to Sihon לְסִיח֥וֹן H5511 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Og וּלְע֛וֹג H5747 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular the kings מַלְכֵ֥י H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct of the Amorites הָאֱמֹרִ֖י H567 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular when אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative He destroyed הִשְׁמִ֖יד H8045 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular them אֹתָֽם׃ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural along with their land וּלְאַרְצָ֑ם H776 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 5

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will deliver them over וּנְתָנָ֥ם H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural to you לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and you must do וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural to them לָהֶ֔ם Preposition | third person masculine plural exactly as כְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַמִּצְוָ֔ה H4687 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have commanded צִוִּ֖יתִי H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶֽם׃ H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural
Verse 6

Original words

Be strong חִזְק֣וּ H2388 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural and courageous וְאִמְצ֔וּ H553 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural do not אַל־ H408 Adverb be afraid תִּֽירְא֥וּ H3372 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural . . . וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb or terrified תַּעַרְצ֖וּ H6206 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural of them מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural for כִּ֣י׀ H3588 Conjunction it is the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular who ה֚וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular goes הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ H1980 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular with you עִמָּ֔ךְ H5973 Preposition | second person masculine singular He will never לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle leave you יַרְפְּךָ֖ H7503 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular [nor] וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle forsake you יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ׃פ H5800 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Hebrews 13:5; here and in verse 8
Verse 7

Original words

Then Moses מֹשֶׁ֜ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular called וַיִּקְרָ֨א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular for Joshua לִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ H3091 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to him אֵלָ֜יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular in the presence לְעֵינֵ֣י H5869 Preposition-l | Noun - cdc of all כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular Be strong חֲזַ֣ק H2388 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular and courageous וֶאֱמָץ֒ H553 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction you אַתָּ֗ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular will go תָּבוֹא֙ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular with אֶת־ H854 Preposition this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֣ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular into אֶל־ H413 Preposition the land הָאָ֕רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular swore נִשְׁבַּ֧ע H7650 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to their fathers לַאֲבֹתָ֖ם H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural to give לָתֵ֣ת H5414 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct them לָהֶ֑ם Preposition | third person masculine plural and you וְאַתָּ֖ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular shall give it to them as an inheritance תַּנְחִילֶ֥נָּה H5157 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular - אוֹתָֽם׃ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Verse 8

Original words

The LORD וַֽיהוָ֞ה H3068 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular Himself ה֣וּא׀ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular goes הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ H1980 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular before you לְפָנֶ֗יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular He ה֚וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will be יִהְיֶ֣ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular with you עִמָּ֔ךְ H5973 Preposition | second person masculine singular He will never לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle leave you יַרְפְּךָ֖ H7503 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular nor וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle forsake you יַֽעַזְבֶ֑ךָּ H5800 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular Do not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be afraid תִירָ֖א H3372 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular [or] וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle discouraged תֵחָֽת׃ H2865 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.