Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 31:24-29

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

24 When Moses had finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end,

25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD:

26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, so that it may remain there as a witness against you.

27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you are already rebelling against the LORD while I am still alive, how much more will you rebel after my death!

28 Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officers so that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

29 For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn from the path I have commanded you. And in the days to come, disaster will befall you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger by the work of your hands.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 24

Cross-references

2 Kings 22:8 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 17:18 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 31:9 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 36:2 Classic cross-references

Original words

- וַיְהִ֣י׀ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular When Moses מֹשֶׁ֗ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular had finished כְּכַלּ֣וֹת H3615 Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct writing לִכְתֹּ֛ב H3789 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker in a book סֵ֑פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular the words דִּבְרֵ֥י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct of this הַזֹּ֖את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition law הַתּוֹרָֽה־ H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . עַ֖ד H5704 Preposition from beginning to end תֻּמָּֽם׃ H8552 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

Joshua 3:3 Classic cross-references Joshua 6:12 Classic cross-references Joshua 8:33 Classic cross-references

Original words

he gave this command to וַיְצַ֤ו H6680 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Levites הַלְוִיִּ֔ם H3881 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural who carried נֹ֥שְׂאֵ֛י H5375 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct the ark אֲר֥וֹן H727 Noun - common singular construct of the covenant בְּרִית־ H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular - לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 26

Cross-references

1 Kings 8:21 Classic cross-references Exodus 25:16 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 31:19 Classic cross-references Genesis 31:44 Classic cross-references Joshua 24:27 Classic cross-references

Original words

Take לָקֹ֗חַ H3947 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute - אֵ֣ת H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular Book סֵ֤פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular construct of the Law הַתּוֹרָה֙ H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular and place וְשַׂמְתֶּ֣ם H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural it אֹת֔וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular beside מִצַּ֛ד H6654 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct the ark אֲר֥וֹן H727 Noun - common singular construct of the covenant בְּרִית־ H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural so that it may remain וְהָֽיָה־ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular there שָׁ֥ם H8033 Adverb as a witness לְעֵֽד׃ H5707 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular against you בְּךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 27

Cross-references

Isaiah 48:4 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 9:24 Classic cross-references Exodus 32:9 Classic cross-references Isaiah 65:2 Classic cross-references Psalms 78:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I אָנֹכִ֤י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular know יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker how rebellious מֶרְיְךָ֔ H4805 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular - וְאֶֽת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and stiff-necked you are עָרְפְּךָ֖ H6203 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular . . . הַקָּשֶׁ֑ה H7186 Article | Adjective - masculine singular vvv הֵ֣ן H2005 Interjection If you are already הֱיִתֶם֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural . . . עִם־ H5973 Preposition rebelling מַמְרִ֤ים H4784 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural against עִמָּכֶ֜ם H5973 Preposition | second person masculine plural the LORD יְהֹוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . הַיּ֗וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular while I am still בְּעוֹדֶנִּי֩ H5750 Preposition-b | Adverb | first person common singular alive חַ֨י H2416 Adjective - masculine singular how much more וְאַ֖ף H637 Conjunction . . . כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction will you rebel after אַחֲרֵ֥י H310 Preposition my death מוֹתִֽי׃ H4194 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 28

Cross-references

Joshua 1:9 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 30:19 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 4:26 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:1 Classic cross-references Psalms 50:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

Assemble הַקְהִ֧ילוּ H6950 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural before me אֵלַ֛י H413 Preposition | first person common singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the elders זִקְנֵ֥י H2205 Adjective - masculine plural construct of your tribes שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֖ם H7626 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and [all] your officers וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶ֑ם H7860 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker so that I may speak וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular - אֵ֚ת H853 Direct object marker these הָאֵ֔לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural words הַדְּבָרִ֣ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural in their hearing בְאָזְנֵיהֶ֗ם H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine plural and call heaven הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and earth הָאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular to witness וְאָעִ֣ידָה H5749 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular against them בָּ֔ם Preposition | third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker

Verse 29

Cross-references

Revelation 9:20 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:5 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 4:30 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 9:12 Classic cross-references Judges 2:19 Classic cross-references

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I know יָדַ֗עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular that כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction after אַחֲרֵ֤י H310 Preposition my death מוֹתִי֙ H4194 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular you will become utterly corrupt הַשְׁחֵ֣ת H7843 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן H7843 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun and turn וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם H5493 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the path הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ H1870 Article | Noun - common singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have commanded you צִוִּ֖יתִי H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular And in בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית H319 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct the days {to come} הַיָּמִ֔ים H3117 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֶתְכֶ֑ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural disaster הָֽרָעָה֙ H7451 Article | Adjective - feminine singular will befall וְקָרָ֨את H7122 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular you אֶתְכֶ֤ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you will do תַעֲשׂ֤וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker evil הָרַע֙ H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular in the sight בְּעֵינֵ֣י H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular to provoke Him to anger לְהַכְעִיס֖וֹ H3707 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular by the work בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה H4639 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of your hands יְדֵיכֶֽם׃ H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine plural

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