The Book of Deuteronomy/Devarim pictures the last events of Israel's forty years in the wilderness and the last events of Moses' life. It ends with Moses' death, which is the climax and culmination that the book of Numbers lacked. The scene: The people are at the end of a journey. They are located east of the Jordan river, at the border of their promised land, in the plains of Moab. They are about to enter a new land and a settled life. And their leader is about to die. It is no surprise that Moses tells them not to be afraid. There is every reason for them to be in need of such reassurance.
And so Moses gives a glorious farewell speech. It starts of unattractively to the audience, a review of history, mostly unpleasant, a criticism of the people's unworthiness; then a lengthy list of laws, reviewing some old ones and adding many new ones; then a list of blessings and curses; and then a beautiful conclusion: encouraging, inspiring. For the whole of the last of the Five Books of Moses, it is a picture of people listening to the speech of a man.
Overview by Jeff Tigay in Etz Hayim
Several themes in Deuteronomy stand out. Among the Torah's books, it is the most vigorous and clear advocate of monotheism and of the ardent, exclusive loyalty that Israel owes to God. It emphasizes God's love, justice, and transcendence: God is near to Israel, but in a spiritual, more than physical sense. The book stresses the covenant between God and Israel, established (in Genesis) with the patriarchs, affirmed at Sinai (Exodus), and it will be reaffirmed as soon as Israel crosses into the land.
Deuteronomy looks toward life in the land of Israel, where a society pursuing justice and righteousness, living in harmony with God and enjoying God's bounty. The promise of the land is conditional; Israel's welfare depends on maintaining a society governed by God's social and religious laws. These laws are a divine gift to Israel, unparalleled in their justice and their ability to secure God's closeness.
Deuteronomy has a strong intellectual orientation. The book urges all Israelites to study God's law. It has strongly influenced later Jewish traditon. The core of worship is the recitation of the Shma (6:4) and the public reading of the Torah (31:11). Deuteronomy is the source of the concept that religious life should be based on a sacred book and study.
(1) These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Di-zahab (2) eleven days from Horeb by way of Mount Seir up to Kadesh Barnea. (3) And it was in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel of everything that God commanded him to them.
(ו) אָֽנֹכִי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֣֥ית עֲבָדִֽ֑ים׃ (ז) לֹ֣א יִהְיֶ֥ה־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ֗יַ׃ (ח) לֹֽ֣א־תַעֲשֶׂ֥ה־לְךָ֥֣ פֶ֣֙סֶל֙ ׀ כָּל־תְּמוּנָ֔֡ה אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣֙יִם֙ ׀ מִמַּ֔֡עַל וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ מִתָּ֑֜חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּמַּ֖֣יִם ׀ מִתַּ֥֣חַת לָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃ (ט) לֹא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥֣ה לָהֶ֖ם֮ וְלֹ֣א תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒ כִּ֣י אָנֹכִ֞י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֺ֨ן אָב֧וֹת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים וְעַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃ (י) וְעֹ֤֥שֶׂה חֶ֖֙סֶד֙ לַֽאֲלָפִ֑֔ים לְאֹהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מצותו [מִצְוֺתָֽי׃] (ס) (יא) לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ (ס) (יב) שָׁמ֣֛וֹר אֶת־י֥וֹם֩ הַשַׁבָּ֖֨ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑֜וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖֣ ׀ יְהוָ֥֣ה אֱלֹהֶֽ֗יךָ (יג) שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כָּֿל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒׃ (יד) וְי֙וֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜֔י שַׁבָּ֖֣ת ׀ לַיהוָ֖֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֗יךָ לֹ֣א תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡ה אַתָּ֣ה וּבִנְךָֽ־וּבִתֶּ֣ךָ וְעַבְדְּךָֽ־וַ֠אֲמָתֶךָ וְשׁוֹרְךָ֨ וַחֲמֹֽרְךָ֜ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתֶּ֗ךָ וְגֵֽרְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן יָנ֛וּחַ עַבְדְּךָ֥ וַאֲמָתְךָ֖ כָּמֽ֑וֹךָ׃ (טו) וְזָכַרְתָּ֞֗ כִּ֣י־עֶ֤֥בֶד הָיִ֣֙יתָ֙ ׀ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔֗יִם וַיֹּצִ֨אֲךָ֜֩ יְהוָ֤֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֤֙יךָ֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם֙ בְּיָ֤֥ד חֲזָקָ֖ה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֑֔ה עַל־כֵּ֗ן צִוְּךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַׁבָּֽת׃ (ס) (טז) כַּבֵּ֤ד אֶת־אָבִ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֔ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן ׀ יַאֲרִיכֻ֣ן יָמֶ֗יךָ וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ס) (יז) לֹ֥֖א תִּֿרְצָֽח׃ (ס) וְלֹ֖֣א תִּֿנְאָֽ֑ף׃ (ס) וְלֹ֖֣א תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ (ס) וְלֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁוְא׃ (ס) (יח) וְלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֑ךָ (ס) וְלֹ֨א תִתְאַוֶּ֜ה בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֗ךָ שָׂדֵ֜הוּ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ֙ שׁוֹר֣וֹ וַחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ׃ (ס)
(6) I am YHVH, your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from a house of slaves. (7) You shall not have other gods before my face. (8) You shall not make a statue, any form that is in the skies above or that is in the earth below or that is in the water below the earth. (9) You shall not bow to them, and you shall not serve them. Because I, YHVH, your God, am a jealous God, counting parents' crime on children and on the third generation and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, (10) but practicing kindness to thousands for those who love me and for those who observe my commandments. (11) You shall not bring up the name of YHVH, your God, for a falsehood, because YHVH will not make one innocent who will bring up His name for a falsehood. (12) Observe the Sabbath day, to make it holy, as YHVH, your God, commanded you. (13) Six days you shall labor and do all your work, (14) and the seventh day is a Sabbath to YHVH, your God. You shall not do any work, you and your son and your daughter and your servant, and your maid and your ox and your donkey or any animal and your alien who is in your gates -- in order that your servant and your maid will rest like you, (15) and you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and YHVH, your God, brought you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. On account of this, YHVH, your God, has commanded you to do the Sabbath day. (16) Honor your father and your mother, as YHVH, your God, commanded you, that your days will be extended and so that it will be good for you on the land that YHVH, your God, is giving you. (17) You shall not murder. And you shall not commit adultery. And you shall not steal. And you shall not testify against your neighbor as a false witness. (18) And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, and you shall not long for your neighbor's house, his field, or his servant or his maid, his ox or his donkey or anything that your neighbor has.
(א) וְזֹ֣את הַמִּצְוָ֗ה הַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם לְלַמֵּ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֑ם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם עֹבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (ב) לְמַ֨עַן תִּירָ֜א אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִ֠שְׁמֹר אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתָ֣יו וּמִצְוֺתָיו֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י מְצַוֶּךָ֒ אַתָּה֙ וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ וּלְמַ֖עַן יַאֲרִכֻ֥ן יָמֶֽיךָ׃ (ג) וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר֙ יִיטַ֣ב לְךָ֔ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְבּ֖וּן מְאֹ֑ד כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ (פ) (ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ט) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּזֹ֥ת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)
(1) And this is the commandment, the laws, and the judgments that YHVH, your God, commanded to teach you to do in the land to which you're crossing to take possession of it, (2) so that you'll fear YHVH, your God, to observe all His laws and His commandments that I'm commanding you: you and your child and your child's child, all the days of your life, so that your days will be extended. (3) And you shall listen, Israel and be watchful to do it, that it will be good for you and that you'll multiply very much, as YHVH, your father's God, spoke to you: a land flowing with milk and honey. (4) Listen, Israel: YHVH is our God. YHVH is one. (5) And you shall love YHVH, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) And these words, that I command you today shall be on your heart. (7) and you shall teach them to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you go on the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. (8) And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and the shall be for frontlets (bands) between your eyes. (9) And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house, and upon your gates.
(11) Watch yourself in case you'll forget YHVH, your God, so as not to observe God's commandments, judgments, and laws that I command to you today, (12) in case you'll eat, and you'll be satisfied, and you'll build good houses, and you'll live there. (13) And your oxen and your flock will multiply, and silver and gold will multiply for you, and everything that you'll have will will multiply (14) and your heart will become haughty, and you'll forget YHVH your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from a house of slaves, (15) who led you in the big and fearful wilderness of fiery snakes, and scorpions, and thirst, where there isn't water, who brought out water for you from the flint rock (16) who fed you manna in the wilderness, which your fathers had not known, in order to degrade you and in order to test you to be good to you in your future; (17) and you'll say in your heart: "My power and my hand's strength made this wealth for me! (18) Then you shall remember YHVH, your God, because He is the one who gave you the power to make wealth so as to uphold His covenant that He swore to your fathers -- as it is this day. (19) And it will be, if you'll forget YHVH, your God, and you'll go after other gods and serve them and bow to them, I call witness regarding you today that you will perish.
(26) See, I'm putting in front of you today a blessing and a curse. (27) The blessing when you'll listen to the commandments of YHVH, your God, that I command you today, (28) and the curse if you won't listen to the commandments of YHVH, your God, and you'll turn away from the way that I command you today, to go after other gods, whom you haven't known.
(ב) כִּֽי־יָק֤וּם בְּקִרְבְּךָ֙ נָבִ֔יא א֖וֹ חֹלֵ֣ם חֲל֑וֹם וְנָתַ֥ן אֵלֶ֛יךָ א֖וֹת א֥וֹ מוֹפֵֽת׃ (ג) וּבָ֤א הָאוֹת֙ וְהַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר נֵֽלְכָ֞ה אַחֲרֵ֨י אֱלֹהִ֧ים אֲחֵרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתָּ֖ם וְנָֽעָבְדֵֽם׃ (ד) לֹ֣א תִשְׁמַ֗ע אֶל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַנָּבִ֣יא הַה֔וּא א֛וֹ אֶל־חוֹלֵ֥ם הַחֲל֖וֹם הַה֑וּא כִּ֣י מְנַסֶּ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם לָדַ֗עַת הֲיִשְׁכֶ֤ם אֹֽהֲבִים֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃ (ה) אַחֲרֵ֨י יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם תֵּלֵ֖כוּ וְאֹת֣וֹ תִירָ֑אוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתָ֤יו תִּשְׁמֹ֙רוּ֙ וּבְקֹל֣וֹ תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ וְאֹת֥וֹ תַעֲבֹ֖דוּ וּב֥וֹ תִדְבָּקֽוּן׃ (ו) וְהַנָּבִ֣יא הַה֡וּא א֣וֹ חֹלֵם֩ הַחֲל֨וֹם הַה֜וּא יוּמָ֗ת כִּ֣י דִבֶּר־סָ֠רָה עַל־יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֜ם הַמּוֹצִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֣ם ׀ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם וְהַפֹּֽדְךָ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים לְהַדִּֽיחֲךָ֙ מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוְּךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּ֑הּ וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃
(2) When a prophet or one who has a dream will get up among you and will give you a sign or a wonder, (3) and the sign or the wonder of which he spoke to you -- saying, "Let's go after other gods," whom you haven't known, and "let's serve them" -- will come to pass, (4) you shall not listen to that prophet's words or to that one who has the dream, because YHVH, your God, is testing you, to know whether you are loving God, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul. (5) You shall go after YHVH, your God, and you shall fear/awe Him, and you shall observe His commandments and listen to His voice and serve him and cling to him. (6) And that prophet or that one who has the dream shall be put to death, because he spoke a misrepresentation about YHVH, your God, who brought you out from a house of slaves, to drive you from the way in which YHVH, your God, commanded you to go. So you shall burn away what is bad from among you.
(18) You shall put judges and officers in all your gates that YHVH, your God, is giving you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people: judgment and justice. (19) You shall not bend judgment, you shall not recognize a face and you shall not take a bribe, because bribery will blind the eyes of the wise and undermine the words of the virtuous. (20) Justice, justice you shall pursue, so that you'll live, and you'll take possession of the that YHVH, your God, is giving you.
(8) When you build a new house, you shall make a railing for your roof, so you won't set blood in your house, when someone will fall from it. (9) You shall not seed your vineyard with two kinds, or else the whole of the seed that you'll sow and the vineyard's produce will become holy, (10) You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. (11) You shall not wear sha'atnez: wool and linen together.
(ה) וְעָנִ֨יתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ֜ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲרַמִּי֙ אֹבֵ֣ד אָבִ֔י וַיֵּ֣רֶד מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַיָּ֥גָר שָׁ֖ם בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֕ם לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל עָצ֥וּם וָרָֽב׃ (ו) וַיָּרֵ֧עוּ אֹתָ֛נוּ הַמִּצְרִ֖ים וַיְעַנּ֑וּנוּ וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עֲבֹדָ֥ה קָשָֽׁה׃ (ז) וַנִּצְעַ֕ק אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ אֶת־קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עָנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ וְאֶת־לַחֲצֵֽנוּ׃ (ח) וַיּוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹפְתִֽים׃ (ט) וַיְבִאֵ֖נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֤ה הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־רֵאשִׁית֙ פְּרִ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וְהִנַּחְתּ֗וֹ לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔יתָ לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
(5) And you shall answer and say in from of YHVH, your God: My father was a wandering Aramean, so he went down to Egypt and resided there with few persons and became a big, powerful and numerous nation there. (6) And the Egyptians were bad to us and degraded us and imposed hard work on us. (7) And we cried out to YHVH (8) And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders. (9) And He hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. (10) And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which you have given me, YHVH.’ And you shall set it down in front of YHVH, your God, and bow in front of YHVH, your God.
(ט) אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (י) טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ׃ (יא) לְעָבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃ (יב) לְמַ֣עַן הָקִֽים־אֹתְךָ֩ הַיּ֨וֹם ׀ ל֜וֹ לְעָ֗ם וְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־לָ֑ךְ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב׃
(9) You are standing today, all of you, in front of YHVH your God --- your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers every person of Israel, (10) your infants, woman, and your alien who is in your camps, from one who cuts your wood, to one who draws your water -- (11) for you to enter into the covenant of YHVH, your God, and into his oath, which YHVH, your God is making with you today; (12) in order to establish you today for God as a people, and He will be a God to you, and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
(11) "Because this commandment that I command you today: it's not to wondrous for you, and it's not to far. (12) It is not in the skies, that one would say, "Who will go up for us to the skies and get it for us and enable us to hear it so we'll do it?" (13) And it's not across the sea, that one would say, "Who will cross the sea for us, and get it for us and enable us to hear it so we'll do it?" (14) But the thing is very close to you, in your mouth, in your heart, to do it.
(15) See, I have put before you this day life and good, and death and bad, (16) in that I command you today to love YHVH your God, to go in His ways and observe his commandments and His laws and His judgments so you'll live and multiply and bless God. (17) But, if your heart will turn away, and you won't listen, and you'll be driven so that you'll bow to other gods and serve them (18) I've told you today that you'll perish. You won't extend the days on the land to which you're crossing the Jordan to come to take possession of it. (19) I call the skies and the earth to witness regarding you today: I've put life and death in front of you, blessing and curse; Choose life, so you'll live , you and your seed (20) to love YHVH, your God, to listen to his voice and to cling to Him, because He is your life and the extension of your days to reside on the land that YHVH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them."
(1) And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is over facing Jericho. And YHVH showed him all the land, Gilead to Dan; (2) and all of Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah to the far sea; (3) and the South, and the Plain, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm-trees, to Zoar. (4) And YHVH said to him: ‘This is the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying: I will give it to your seed; I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you won't pass over there’ (5) And Moses, God's servant, died there in the land of Moab, by YHVH's mouth (6) And he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor; and no man knows his burial place to this day. (7) And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: His eye was not dim, and his vitality had not fled. (8) And the children of Israel mourned Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. (9) And Joshua, son of Num, was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. And they did as YHVH commanded Moses. (10) And a prophet did not rise again in Israel like Moses, whom YHVH knew face to face(11) with all the signs and the wonders which YHVH sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land. (12) and with all the strong hand and with all the great fear that Moses made before the eyes of Israel.
(1) In the beginning of God creating the skies and the earth. (2) When the earth had been shapeless and formless, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and God's spirit was hovering on the face of the water -- (3) God said: ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light.