1 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
2 He told them, "Today I am a hundred and twenty years old. I am no longer able to go out and come in, and the LORD has told me, 'You will not cross this Jordan.'
3 The LORD your God is the one who will cross ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take their land. Joshua will cross ahead of you, as the LORD has said.
4 The LORD will deal with them as he dealt with Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and with their land, when he destroyed them.
5 The LORD will hand them over to you, and you must do to them exactly as I have commanded you.
6 Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."
7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and brave, for you will go with this people into the land the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you will divide it among them as their inheritance.
8 The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; he will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged."
9 Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
10 Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, at the set time of the year of release, during the Feast of Booths,
11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, read this law aloud before all Israel so they can hear it.
12 Gather the people together, men, women, and children, and the sojourner in your towns, so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully keep all the words of this law.
13 Their children, who do not know it, must also hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."
14 The LORD said to Moses, "The day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, so that I may commission him." So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
15 The LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance of the tent.
16 And the LORD said to Moses, "You are going to rest with your fathers, and this people will rise up and go whoring after the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.
17 On that day my anger will burn against them. I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. Many evils and troubles will come upon them, and on that day they will say, 'Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?'
18 On that day I will certainly hide my face because of all the evil they have done in turning to other gods.
19 So now write down this song and teach it to the children of Israel; have them learn it by heart, so that this song may serve as my witness against the children of Israel.
20 When I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey that I swore to their fathers, and they eat their fill and grow fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, scorning me and breaking my covenant.
21 And when many evils and troubles come upon them, this song will speak against them as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants. For I know the plans they are forming even today, before I have brought them into the land I swore to give them."
22 That very day Moses wrote down this song and taught it to the children of Israel.
23 The LORD charged Joshua son of Nun, saying, "Be strong and brave, for you will bring the children of Israel into the land I swore to give them, and I myself will be with you."
24 After Moses had finished writing out the words of this law in a book 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, and let it remain there as a witness against you.
27 For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still alive with you, you have rebelled against the LORD; how much more after my death!
28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes and your officials, so that I may speak these words for them to hear and call heaven and earth to testify against them.
29 For I know that after I die you will act very corruptly and turn aside from the way I have commanded you. In days to come evil will come upon you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger by the work of your hands."
30 And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel: