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Deuteronomy 34

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 34

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1And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,

2And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,

3And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

4And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.

5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

6And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

7And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

8And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

9And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

10And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

11In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,

12And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

You are readingKing James Version

Explanation

Deuteronomy 34

In short

Moses climbs a mountain where God shows him the entire land he promised to the Israelites, but tells him he will not enter it. Moses dies there at an old age, and the Israelites mourn him. Joshua takes his place as their leader.

What the text says

Verses 1 to 3: Moses goes up Mount Nebo, and from there the LORD shows him all the territory from Gilead in the north to the Negeb in the south, including the regions of Naphtali, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Judah, and down to the Dead Sea and the valley of Jericho.

Verse 4: The LORD tells Moses this is the land promised long ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God says, "I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither" - Moses will see it but not live in it.

Verse 5: Moses dies in Moab, as the LORD had said.

Verse 6: God buries Moses in a valley in Moab, but no one ever knows where his tomb is.

Verse 7: Moses is 120 years old when he dies, yet his sight and strength have not failed.

Verse 8: The Israelites mourn Moses for thirty days.

Takeaways

  • Moses comes to the border of the promised land but dies without crossing into it, though God lets him see it first.
  • Joshua inherits Moses' authority and the people accept him as their new leader.
  • The passage marks Moses as unique: no later prophet matched his direct relationship with God or his mighty deeds.

Explanation written with the help of AI. The Bible text above is not changed. Context and interpretation are flagged as such; always come back to the text itself.