Deuteronomy 31:7–17

7 Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “aBe strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.

8 “aThe Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. bHe will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

9 So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi awho carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

10 Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of athe year of remission of debts, at the bFeast of Booths,

11 when all Israel comes ato appear before the Lord your God at bthe place which He will choose, cyou shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing.

12 “Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and 1the alien who is in your 2town, so that they may hear and alearn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law.

13 “Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land 1which you are about to cross the Jordan to 2possess.”

Israel Will Fall Away

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, 1athe time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” bSo Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.

15 aThe Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent.

16 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, ayou are about to lie down with your fathers; and bthis people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and cwill forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.

17 “aThen My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and bI will forsake them and chide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘dIs it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’