Joshua Becomes the New Leader
1Here are the words Moses spoke to all the Israelites. 2He said, “I am now 120 years old. I’m not able to lead you anymore. The Lord has said to me, ‘You will not go across the Jordan River.’ 3The Lord your God himself will go across ahead of you. He’ll destroy the nations there in order to make room for you. You will take over their land. Joshua will also go across ahead of you, just as the Lord said he would. 4The Lord will do to those nations what he did to Sihon and Og. He destroyed those Amorite kings along with their land. 5The Lord will hand those nations over to you. Then you must do to them everything I’ve commanded you to do. 6Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified because of them. The Lord your God will go with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you.”
7Then Moses sent for Joshua. Moses spoke to him in front of all the Israelites. He said, “Be strong and brave. You must go with these people. They are going into the land the Lord promised to give to their people of long ago. You must divide it up among them. They will each receive their share. 8The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you. So don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope.”
The Law Must Be Read to the People
9Moses wrote down this law. He gave it to the priests, who are sons of Levi. They carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He also gave the law to all the elders of Israel. 10Then Moses commanded them, “You must read this law at the end of every seven years. Do it in the year when you forgive people what they owe. Read it during the Feast of Booths. 11That’s when all the Israelites come to appear in front of the Lord your God at the holy tent. It will be at the place he will choose. You must read this law to them. 12Gather the people together. Gather the men, women and children. Also bring together the outsiders living in your towns. Then they can listen and learn to have respect for the Lord your God. And they’ll be careful to obey all the words of this law. 13Their children must hear it read too. They don’t know this law yet. They too must learn to have respect for the Lord your God. They must honor him as long as you live in the land. You are about to go across the Jordan River and take that land as your very own.”
The Israelites Will Refuse to Obey the Lord
14The Lord said to Moses, “The day when you will die is near. Have Joshua go to the tent of meeting. Join him there. That is where I will appoint him as the new leader.” So Joshua and Moses went to the tent of meeting.
15Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud. It stood over the entrance to the tent. 16The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “You are going to join the members of your family who have already died. The Israelites will not be faithful to me. They will soon join themselves to the false gods that are worshiped in the land they are entering. The people will desert me. They will break the covenant I made with them. 17In that day I will become angry with them. I will desert them. I will turn my face away from them. And they will be destroyed. Many horrible troubles and hard times will come on them. On that day they will say, ‘Trouble has come on us. Our God isn’t with us!’ 18I will certainly turn away from them on that day. I will do it because they did a very evil thing when they turned to other gods.
19“I want you to write down a song and teach it to the Israelites. Have them sing it. It will be my witness against them. 20I will bring them into a land that has plenty of milk and honey. I promised the land to their people of long ago. In that land they will eat until they have had enough. They will get fat. When they do, they will turn to other gods and worship them. They will turn their backs on me. They will break my covenant. 21Many horrible troubles and hard times will come on them. Then the song I am giving you will be a witness against them. That is because the song will not be forgotten by their children and their children’s children. I know what they are likely to do. I know it even before I bring them into the land I promised them.” 22So that day Moses wrote the song down. And Moses taught it to the Israelites.
23The Lord gave a command to Joshua, the son of Nun. He said, “Be strong and brave. You will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them. I myself will be with you.”
24Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book. He wrote them down from beginning to end. 25Then he gave a command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Moses said, 26“Take this Book of the Law. Place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. It will remain there as a witness against you. 27I know how you refuse to obey the Lord. I know how stubborn you are. You have refused to obey him while I’ve been living among you. So you will certainly refuse to obey him after I’m dead! 28Gather together all the elders of your tribes and all your officials. Bring them to me. Then I can speak these words to them. I can call for the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against them. 29I know that after I’m dead you will certainly become very sinful. You will turn away from the path I’ve commanded you to take. In days to come, trouble will fall on you. That’s because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. You will make him very angry because of the statues of gods your hands have made.”
The Song of Moses
30Moses spoke the words of this song from beginning to end. The whole community of Israel heard them. Here is what he said.
Si Josue ang Pumalit kay Moises
(Bil. 27:12-23)
1Nagpatuloy si Moises sa pakikipag-usap sa lahat ng Israelita. 2Sinabi niya, “Akoʼy 120 taong gulang na at hindi ko na kayo kayang pamunuan. At sinabi rin ng Panginoon sa akin na hindi ako makakatawid sa Jordan. 3Ang Panginoon na inyong Dios mismo ang mangunguna sa inyo sa pagtawid. Wawasakin niya ang mga bayan doon, at aangkinin ninyo ang mga lupain nila. Pangungunahan kayo ni Josue sa pagtawid ayon sa sinabi ng Panginoon. 4Wawasakin ng Panginoon ang mga bayang ito gaya ng ginawa niya kina Sihon at Og, na mga hari ng mga Amoreo, at sa kanilang lupain. 5Ibibigay sila ng Panginoon sa inyo, at kailangang gawin ninyo sa kanila ang iniutos ko sa inyo. 6Magpakatatag kayo at magpakatapang. Huwag kayong matatakot sa kanila dahil ang Panginoon na inyong Dios ay kasama ninyo; hindi niya kayo iiwan o pababayaan man.”
7Pagkatapos, ipinatawag ni Moises si Josue, at sa harap ng lahat ng Israelita ay sinabi sa kanya, “Magpakatatag ka at magpakatapang, dahil ikaw ang mangunguna sa mga taong ito sa pagpunta at pagsakop sa lupaing ipinangako ng Panginoon sa kanilang mga ninuno na ibibigay sa kanila. Tutulungan mo silang angkinin ang lupain. 8Pangungunahan ka ng Panginoon at sasamahan ka niya; hindi ka niya iiwan o pababayaan man. Kaya huwag kang matakot ni panghinaan ng loob.”
Ang Pagbasa ng Kautusan
9Isinulat ni Moises ang mga utos na ito at ibinigay sa mga paring lahi ni Levi, na siyang mga tagabuhat ng Kahon ng Kasunduan ng Panginoon, at sa lahat ng tagapamahala ng Israel. 10Pagkatapos, inutusan sila ni Moises, “Sa katapusan ng bawat pitong taon na siyang taon ng pagkakansela ng mga utang, habang Pista ng Pagtatayo ng mga Kubol, 11babasahin ninyo ang mga utos na ito sa lahat ng mga Israelita kung magtitipon sila sa presensya ng Panginoon na inyong Dios sa lugar na pipiliin niya. 12Tipunin ang mga tao – mga lalaki, babae, bata at mga dayuhang naninirahan sa bayan nʼyo – upang makapakinig sila at matutong gumalang sa Panginoon na inyong Dios at sumunod nang mabuti sa lahat ng ipinatutupad ng mga utos na ito. 13Gawin ninyo ito para ang inyong mga anak na hindi pa nakakaalam ng mga utos na ito ay makarinig din nito at matutong gumalang sa Panginoon na inyong Dios habang nabubuhay kayo sa lupaing aangkinin ninyo sa kabila ng Jordan.”
Itinakda ang Pagrerebelde ng mga Israelita
14Sinabi ng Panginoon kay Moises, “Malapit ka nang mamatay, kaya ipatawag mo si Josue at pumunta kayo sa Toldang Tipanan, dahil tuturuan ko siya roon ng gagawin niya.” Kaya pumunta sina Moises at Josue sa Toldang Tipanan.
15Nagpakita ang Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng ulap na parang haligi roon sa may pintuan ng Tolda. 16Sinabi ng Panginoon kay Moises, “Malapit ka nang mamatay at makasama ng mga ninuno mo. Kung wala ka na, ang mga taong ito ay sasamba sa ibang mga dios na sinasamba ng mga tao sa lupaing pupuntahan nila. Itatakwil nila ako at susuwayin ang kasunduang ginawa ko sa kanila. 17Sa araw na iyon, magagalit ako sa kanila at itatakwil ko sila. Tatalikuran ko sila at silaʼy malilipol. Maraming kapahamakan at kahirapan ang darating sa kanila, at sa panahong iyon, magtatanong sila, ‘Dumating ba sa atin ang mga kapahamakang ito dahil hindi tayo sinasamahan ng Panginoon?’ 18Tatalikuran ko sila sa panahong iyon dahil sa lahat ng kasamaang ginawa nila at pagsamba sa ibang mga dios.
19“Kaya isulat mo ang awit na ito at ituro sa mga Israelita. Ipaawit mo ito sa kanila para maging saksi ito laban sa kanila. 20Dadalhin ko sila sa maganda at masaganang lupain31:20 masaganang lupain: sa literal, lupain na dumadaloy ang gatas at pulot. na ipinangako kong ibibigay sa kanilang mga ninuno. Doon, mabubuhay sila nang masagana; kakain sila ng lahat ng pagkaing gusto nila, at mabubusog sila. Pero tatalikuran nila ako at sasamba sa ibang mga dios. Susuwayin nila ang aking kasunduan. 21Kung dumating na sa kanila ang maraming kapahamakan at mga kahirapan, ang awit na ito ang magiging saksi laban sa kanila, sapagkat hindi ito malilimutan ng kanilang mga lahi. Nalalaman ko kung ano ang pinaplano nilang gawin kahit na hindi ko pa sila nadadala sa lupaing ipinangako ko sa kanila.” 22Sa araw na iyon, isinulat ni Moises ang awit at itinuro sa mga Israelita.
23Itinalaga ng Panginoon si Josue na anak ni Nun. Sabi niya, “Magpakatatag ka at magpakatapang, dahil ikaw ang magdadala sa mga Israelita sa lupain na ipinangako ko sa kanila, at sasamahan kita.”
24Pagkatapos na maisulat ni Moises ang lahat ng utos sa aklat, 25inutusan niya ang mga Levita, na siyang mga tagabuhat ng Kahon ng Kasunduan ng Panginoon. Sinabi niya, 26“Kunin ninyo ang Aklat ng Kautusan na ito at ilagay sa tabi ng Kahon ng Kasunduan ng Panginoon na inyong Dios. Mananatili ito roon bilang saksi laban sa mga mamamayan ng Israel. 27Sapagkat nalalaman ko kung gaano kayo kasuwail kung gaano katigas ang inyong ulo. Kahit nga ngayong kasama ninyo ako, nagrerebelde na kayo sa Panginoon, ano pa kaya kung patay na ako! 28Tipunin ninyo sa harapan ko ang lahat ng tagapamahala ng inyong angkan at ang lahat ng opisyal para sabihin ko sa kanila ang mga bagay na ito. At tatawagin ko ang langit at ang lupa bilang saksi laban sa kanila. 29Sapagkat nalalaman ko na kung patay na ako, siguradong gagawa kayo ng kasamaan at itatakwil ninyo ang lahat ng iniuutos ko sa inyo. Sa bandang huli, darating sa inyo ang lahat ng kapahamakan dahil gagawa kayo ng masama sa paningin ng Panginoon at gagalitin ninyo siya sa pamamagitan ng mga gagawin ninyo.”
Ang Awit ni Moises
30Ito ang kabuuan ng awit na ipinarinig ni Moises sa mga Israelita:
