Deuteronomy 31:2
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he said to them, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
IV. Moses' Farewell and Death - Deuteronomy 31-34 With the renewal of the covenant, by the choice set before the people between blessing and curse, life and death, Moses had finished the interpretation and enforcement of the law (Deu 1:5), and brought the work of legislation to a close. But in order that the work to which the Lord had called him might be thoroughly completed, it still remained for him, before his approaching death, to hand over the task of leading the people into Canaan to Joshua, who had been appointed as his successor, to finish writing out the laws, and to hand over the book of the law to the priests. The Lord also directed him to write an ode, as a witness against the people, on account of their obstinacy, and teach it to the Israelites. To these last arrangements and acts of Moses, which are narrated in ch. 31 and 32, there are added in ch. 33 the blessing with which this man of god bade farewell to the tribes of Israel, and in ch. 34 the account of his death, with which the Pentateuch closes.
Open source ↗In this chapter Moses, having finished his sermon, I. Encourages both the people who were now to enter Canaan (Deu 31:1-6), and Joshua who was to lead them (Deu 31:7, Deu 31:8, Deu 31:23). And, II. He takes care for the keeping of these things always in their remembrance after his decease, 1. By the book of the law which was, (1.) Written. (2.) Delivered into the custody of the priests (Deu 31:9, and Deu 31:24-27). (3.) Ordered to be publicly read every seventh year (Deu 31:10-13). 2. By a song which God orders Moses to prepare for their instruction and admonition. (1.) He calls Moses and Joshua to the door of the tabernacle (Deu 31:14, Deu 31:15). (2.) He foretels the apostasy of Israel in process of time, and the judgments they would thereby bring upon themselves (Deu 31:16-18). (3.) He prescribes the following song to be a witness against them (Deu 31:19-21). (4.) Moses wrote it (Deu 31:22). And delivered it to Israel, with an intimation of the design of it, as he had received it from the Lord (Deu 31:28, etc.).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished.
who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.
The LORD was also angry with me on your account, and He said, “Not even you shall enter the land.
The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.