DEUTERONOMY 31


1 And [Moshe] went and spoke these words [devarim] unto all Israel [kol Yisroel].

2 And he said unto them, I am 120 years old this day [me'ah v'esrim shanah today]; I can no more go out and come in: also Yahweh hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan [Yarden.] [Num. 20:12; 27:13; Deut. 3:27].


His life was divided into three equal parts of 40 years: the first in Egypt being educated

to rule

"learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds - Acts 7:22-23;

the second in Midian, learning the principles of shepherding

Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law... even to Horeb - Exod. 3: 1;

the third in the wilderness, ruling and pasturing the people.

...Moses' age covered the same period given to Noah for preaching - Gen. 6: 3. In Biblical numerics 120, denotes a divinely appointed period of probation being made up of three forties.


"I can no more go out and come in" -  describes the work of a shepherd -

Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron - Psa. 77: 20.

Though Moses still retained full vigour -

his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated - Deut. 34: 7,

he could feel the weakening effects of age, and recognised that this failing lessened his ability to effectively lead the people. This was the second reason he could not lead the people over Jordan

The Christadelphian Expositor



3 Yahweh thy Elohim, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as Yahweh hath said.

4 And Yahweh shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.

5 And Yahweh shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.

6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for Yahweh thy Elohim, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which Yahweh hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

8 And Yahweh, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and unto all the elders of Israel.



9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and unto all the elders of Israel.

In chapter 31, forty years before (Ex. 17:14; 24:4-7), we have recorded that Moses had written God's words in a book. In Num. 33:2 it is mentioned that he had written a diary of his journeys. Now his book is completed, and handing it over to the Levites he instructs that it be read periodically to the people.

Constant teaching of God's written Word to the people is the only safeguard from apostacy. When Israel heeded the Word, they prospered; when they neglected it, they suffered adversity. We must learn from these examples in Israel's history, and give ourselves fully to reverence and study and meditation upon God's Word.

It is our only hope for life. God does not today openly manifest His judgments on His people's sins, as He did with Israel; but we are told a record is kept which, if not preserved pure and clean by constant effort and constant repentance, will bring shameful rejection at the judgment seat.

Bro David Clubb



10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

11 When all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh thy Elohim in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.


12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children [ anashim and nashim, and banim], and thy stranger [ger] that is within thy gates [she'arim], that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your Elohim, and observe [ be shomer] to do all the words of this law [kol divrei hatorah hazot]:

WE are taught, both by instruction and example, that children should be early and constantly brought into contact with the things of God, so that their minds will naturally develop in harmony with this atmosphere.

At the end of his long parting address to Israel, comprising the book of Deuteronomy, Moses instructs them that every 7 years there must be a national assembly for the reading of the Law. 

...Children are not ignored in the Scriptures. Their instruction is an important factor in the continuity of the purpose.

Similarly, in Neh. 8, where we have an example of the fulfilment of this command to assemble to hear the Law, the presence of the children is specifically referred to (v. 2)-

''And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding."

As soon as they were old enough to get anything out of it (which is quite young, if they are properly instructed at home) they should be there.

In Acts 21:5 we have a different type of occasion, but the same principle illustrated. It is when Paul took his departure from the brethren and sisters at Tyre-

"And they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed."

These incidents are recorded for our instruction. Children should be included in all aspects of ecclesial life. We cannot hope to reap what we do not sow.

Beside attendance at the assemblies of God's people, children are to be taught constantly at home. Israel was instructed through Moses, in Deut, 6:7-

"These words . . . thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

The application of the principle of these commands to our present time is clear. Children should be at all meetings possible, if we have any regard for their salvation.

They should always be given the good example of parents putting ecclesial activity first in their lives, attending and cheerfully supporting every ecclesial activity they possibly can.

Without a good consistent, personal example, instruction is powerless and meaningless hypocrisy which children will see through and despise. And the daily assembly around the Word for the Bible Readings will be carefully nurtured by all parents who have true love and concern for their children.

If we do our part, then-and THEN ALONE-can we reasonably expect God to do His. The Spirit commands through Paul (Eph. 6:4)-

"Bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

This is a solemn charge and obligation, calling for much time, and effort, and dedication. This will not just happen of itself, if just left to itself. Nor is there any use in vain regrets when it is too late. The command is clear. The scriptural examples are clear. The Word of God leaves no doubt as to the greatness of the effort and devotion called for, for the promised blessing to be fulfilled-

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."


Bro Growcott - BYT 4.29




13 And that their children [banim], which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear Yahweh your Elohim, as long as ye live in the land [ha'adamah] whither ye go over Jordan [Yarden] to possess it.


It is customary to think of these appointments as mere ceremonials that have no life in them; but it is evident that they were intended to have, and calculated to have, and did in fact in many cases have, a powerful and spiritual effect on the mind...

This formal reading of the whole law was only to be once in seven years, "In the solemnity of the year of release", but in some form or other, every feast of the year brought God before the nation...

We are considering at present the character of all these institutions as modes of national life, when they were in force in the land, and the effect of their contemplation is to generate those rapturous sentiments of admiration with which the Psalms of David abound.

What a joyous, subdued, ennobling occasion it would be for all Israel to come together, released from their daily toils for a season, and in full enjoyment of each other's society, opening their minds in gratitude in the historic contemplations involved in the feast.

We must also remember that all these public occasions would be tinctured with the spirit of those private commandments which enjoined kindness to the unfortunate and justice to all. A feast sweetened with mercy and truth, and enjoyed with the opulent plenty of every barn-floor and vineyard, and adorned with all the picturesque accessories of a beautiful land and a beautiful situation, intermingled with song and feasting and prayer, exhibits even at this distant date a definite idea of what human life ought to be, and cheers the heart with some prospect of a day to come when that idea will be realized over the wide world, when the kingdom is restored to Israel and all nations made subject to the sway of their king.

Oh, happy day, when many people shall go and say, 

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob' for he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths."

Law of Moses Ch 9



14 And Yahweh said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

15 And Yahweh appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

16 And Yahweh said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our Elohim is not among us?

18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.

24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying,

26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your Elohim, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against Yahweh; and how much more after my death?

28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.