Deuteronomy 31:1–11

Joshua Takes Moses’ Place

31Then Moses continued to speak these ^bwords to all Israel, ²saying, “I am now 120 years old; ^cI can no longer act as your leader. ^dThe Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross this Jordan.’ ^e3The Lord your God is the One who will cross ahead of you. ^fHe will destroy these nations before you, and you will drive them out. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, as the Lord has said. ^g4The Lord will deal with them as He did Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and their land when He destroyed them. ^h5The Lord will deliver them over to you, and you must do to them exactly as I have commanded you. ⁶Be strong and courageous; ⁱdon’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; ^jHe will not leave you or forsake you.” ^k

⁷Moses then summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with ^lthis people into the land the Lord swore to give to their fathers. ^mYou will enable them to take possession of it. ⁸The Lord is the One who will go before you. ⁿHe will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. ^oDo not be afraid or discouraged.”

⁹Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all the elders of Israel. ¹⁰Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of debt cancellation, ^pduring the Festival of Booths, ^q11when all Israel assembles ^rin the presence of the Lord your God at the place He chooses, ^syou are to read this law aloud before all Israel. ^t