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DEUTER ONOM Y 1
page 159
Let Moses be one of your wise counselors as you read Deuteronomy. Perhaps this truly
is the eve of the most important day of your life. Or perhaps you are simply facing a new
challenge or a new direction in life. Read the book of Deuteronomy and find out how
God can prepare you to face any new challenge you might encounter.
Key verses in Deuteronomy
1:30-31 “The Lord your God is
going ahead of you. He will fight
for you.”
am giving you today. Repeat
them again and again to your
children.”
4:29 “If you search for him with
all your heart and soul, you will
find him.”
7:9 “Understand, therefore,
that the Lord your God is indeed
God. He is the faithful God who
keeps his covenant for a thousand
generations and lavishes his
unfailing love on those who love
him and obey his commands.”
6:5-7 “And you must love the
Lord your God with all your
heart, all your soul, and all your
strength. And you must commit
yourselves wholeheartedly
to these commands that I
7:21 “Do not be afraid . . .
for the Lord your God is among
Introduction to Moses’ First Address
These are the words that Moses spoke to
all the people of Israel while they were in
the wilderness east of the Jordan River. They
were camped in the Jordan Valley* near Suph,
between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban,
Hazeroth, and Di-zahab on the other.
2 Normally it takes only eleven days to travel
from Mount Sinai* to Kadesh-barnea, going
by way of Mount Seir. 3 But forty years after
the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the
eleventh month,* Moses addressed the people
of Israel, telling them everything the Lord had
commanded him to say. 4 This took place after he
had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who
ruled in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated
King Og of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth.
5 While the Israelites were in the land of
Moab east of the Jordan River, Moses carefully
explained the Lord’s instructions as follows.
1
The Command to Leave Sinai
6 “When we were at Mount Sinai, the Lord our
God said to us, ‘You have stayed at this mountain long enough. 7 It is time to break camp and
move on. Go to the hill country of the Amorites
and to all the neighboring regions—the Jordan
Valley, the hill country, the western foothills,*
the Negev, and the coastal plain. Go to the land
of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, and all the
way to the great Euphrates River. 8 Look, I am
giving all this land to you! Go in and occupy it,
1:1 Hebrew the Arabah; also in 1:7. 1:2 Hebrew Horeb,
another name for Sinai; also in 1:6, 19. 1:3 Hebrew In the
fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month. This day
in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in January or
February. 1:7 Hebrew the Shephelah.
you, and he is a great and
awesome God.”
13:4 “Serve only the Lord your
God and fear him alone. Obey his
commands, listen to his voice, and
cling to him.”
30:19 “Today I have given you
the choice between life and death,
between blessings and curses. . . .
Oh, that you would choose life, so
that you and your descendants
might live!”
for it is the land the Lord swore to give to your
ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all
their descendants.’”
Moses Appoints Leaders from Each Tribe
9 Moses continued, “At that time I told you,
‘You are too great a burden for me to carry all
by myself. 10 The Lord your God has increased
your population, making you as numerous
as the stars! 11 And may the Lord, the God of
your ancestors, multiply you a thousand times
more and bless you as he promised! 12 But you
are such a heavy load to carry! How can I deal
with all your problems and bickering? 13 Choose
some well-respected men from each tribe who
are known for their wisdom and understanding,
and I will appoint them as your leaders.’
14 “Then you responded, ‘Your plan is a good
one.’ 15 So I took the wise and respected men you
had selected from your tribes and appointed
them to serve as judges and officials over you.
Some were responsible for a thousand people,
some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some
for ten.
16 “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You
must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites
and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions 17 and impartial in
your judgments. Hear the cases of those who
are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t
be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision
you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases
that are too difficult for you, and I will handle
them.’
18 “At that time I gave you instructions about
everything you were to do.