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Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Contemporary English Version

Deuteronomy 31:19

Moses and Joshua, I am going to give you the words to a new song. Write them down and teach the song to the Israelites. If they learn it, they will know what I want them to do, and so they will have no excuse for not obeying me.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Death;   Idolatry;   Instruction;   Minister, Christian;   Word of God;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Law;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Education;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Forgiveness;   Prophet, Christ as;   Testimony;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Hilkiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jasher;   Joshua;   Writing;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Deuteronomy, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Deuteronomy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Admonition;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Preaching;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bible, the;   Moses;   Mouth;   Witness;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Commandments, the 613;   Hafá¹­arah;   Joshua, Book of;   Scroll of the Law;   Sidra;   Song of Moses;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore write down this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites; have them sing it, so that this song may be a witness for me against the Israelites.
Hebrew Names Version
Now therefore write you this song for you, and teach you it the children of Yisra'el: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Yisra'el.
King James Version
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Lexham English Bible
"And so then write this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites; put it in their mouth, so that this song may be for me as a witness against the Israelites.
English Standard Version
"Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel.
New Century Version
"Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites. Then have them sing it, because it will be my witness against them.
New English Translation
Now write down for yourselves the following song and teach it to the Israelites. Put it into their very mouths so that this song may serve as my witness against the Israelites!
Amplified Bible
"Now then, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it in their mouth, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.
New American Standard Bible
"Now then, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouthes, that this song may be my witnesse against the children of Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
"So now, write this song for yourselves and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the people of Isra'el. Have them learn it by heart, so that this song can be a witness for me against the people of Isra'el.
Darby Translation
And now, write ye this song, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Easy-to-Read Version
"So write down this song, and teach it to the Israelites. Teach them to sing this song. Then this song will be a witness for me against the Israelites.
George Lamsa Translation
Now therefore write this song for them, and teach it to the children of Israel; and put it into their mouths; this song will be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Good News Translation
"Now, write down this song. Teach it to the people of Israel, so that it will stand as evidence against them.
Literal Translation
Now, then, write this song for you, and teach it to the sons of Israel. Put it in their mouths, so that this song shall be for a witness to Me against the sons of Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wryte now therfore this songe, & teach it the children of Israel, and put it in their mouth, that this songe maye be a witnesse vnto me amonge the children of Israel.
American Standard Version
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Bible in Basic English
Make then this song for yourselves, teaching it to the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe therfore write ye this song for you, and teache it the children of Israel, and put it in their mouthes, that this song may be my witnesse agaynst the children of Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.
King James Version (1611)
Now therefore, write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouthes, that this song may be a witnesse for mee, against the children of Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now write the words of this song, and teach it to the children of Israel, and ye shall put it into their mouth, that this song may witness for me among the children of Israel to their face.
English Revised Version
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Now therfor write ye to you this song, and `teche ye the sones of Israel, that thei holde it in mynde, and synge bi mouth; and that this song be to me for a witnessyng among the sones of Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
`And now, write for you this song, and teach it the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths, so that this song is to Me for a witness against the sons of Israel,
Update Bible Version
Now therefore you write this song for yourselves, and you teach it to the sons of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the sons of Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it to the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
World English Bible
Now therefore write you this song for you, and teach you it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
New King James Version
"Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.
New Living Translation
"So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for me against them.
New Life Bible
So write this song for yourselves. Teach it to the people of Israel. Put it on their lips, so this song may speak for Me against all the people of Israel.
New Revised Standard
Now therefore write this song, and teach it to the Israelites; put it in their mouths, in order that this song may be a witness for me against the Israelites.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, therefore write ye for you this Song, and teach it unto the sons of Israel put it in their mouths, - that this Song may become for me a witness against the sons of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now therefore write you this canticle, and teach the children of Israel: that they may know it by heart, and sing it by mouth, and this song may be unto me for a testimony among the children of Israel.
Revised Standard Version
Now therefore write this song, and teach it to the people of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel.
THE MESSAGE
"But for right now, copy down this song and teach the People of Israel to sing it by heart. They'll have it then as my witness against them. When I bring them into the land that I promised to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey, and they eat and become full and get fat and then begin fooling around with other gods and worshiping them, and then things start falling apart, many terrible things happening, this song will be there with them as a witness to who they are and what went wrong. Their children won't forget this song; they'll be singing it. Don't think I don't know what they are already scheming to do, and they're not even in the land yet, this land I promised them."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.

Contextual Overview

14 The Lord told Moses, "You will soon die, so bring Joshua to the sacred tent, and I will appoint him the leader of Israel." Moses and Joshua went to the sacred tent, 15 and the Lord appeared in a thick cloud right over the entrance to the tent. 16 The Lord said: Moses, you will soon die. But Israel is going into a land where other gods are worshiped, and Israel will reject me and start worshiping these gods. The people will break the agreement I made with them, 17 and I will be so furious that I will abandon them and ignore their prayers. I will send disasters and suffering that will nearly wipe them out. Finally, they will realize that the disasters happened because I abandoned them. 18 They will pray to me, but I will ignore them because they were evil and started worshiping other gods. 19 Moses and Joshua, I am going to give you the words to a new song. Write them down and teach the song to the Israelites. If they learn it, they will know what I want them to do, and so they will have no excuse for not obeying me. 20 I am bringing them into the land that I promised their ancestors. It is a land rich with milk and honey, and the Israelites will have more than enough food to eat. But they will get fat and turn their backs on me and start worshiping other gods. The Israelites will reject me and break the agreement that I made with them. 21 When I punish the Israelites and their descendants with suffering and disasters, I will remind them that they know the words to this song, so they have no excuse for not obeying me. I will give them the land that I promised, but I know the way they are going to live later on.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

this song: Deuteronomy 31:22, Deuteronomy 31:30, Deuteronomy 32:1-43, Deuteronomy 32:44, Deuteronomy 32:45

and teach it: Deuteronomy 4:9, Deuteronomy 4:10, Deuteronomy 6:7, Deuteronomy 11:19

put it in their: Exodus 4:15, 2 Samuel 14:3, Isaiah 51:16, Isaiah 59:21, Jeremiah 1:9

a witness: Deuteronomy 31:21, Deuteronomy 31:26, Ezekiel 2:5, Matthew 10:18, John 12:48

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:44 - a witness Numbers 5:23 - write these Numbers 17:10 - for a token Joshua 24:27 - General Esther 9:20 - wrote these Psalms 50:7 - testify Psalms 102:18 - This Psalms 111:4 - He hath Isaiah 5:1 - Now Isaiah 30:8 - write Isaiah 44:21 - Remember Jeremiah 22:29 - General Jeremiah 30:2 - General Daniel 2:28 - in the Habakkuk 2:2 - Write 2 Peter 1:15 - I will Revelation 1:11 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 31:4
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where he kept his sheep,
Genesis 31:5
and he told them: Your father isn't as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side.
Genesis 31:14
Rachel and Leah said to Jacob: There's nothing left for us to inherit from our father.
Genesis 31:24
But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, "Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise."
Genesis 31:30
I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?
Genesis 31:32
If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back." Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
Genesis 31:34
She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them.
Genesis 35:2
Jacob said to his family and to everyone else who was traveling with him: Get rid of your foreign gods! Then make yourselves acceptable to worship God and put on clean clothes.
Joshua 24:2
Then Joshua told everyone to listen to this message from the Lord , the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. This continued until the time of your ancestor Terah and his two sons, Abraham and Nahor.
1 Samuel 19:13
Michal put a statue in his bed. She put goat hair on its head and dressed it in some of David's clothes.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now, therefore, write ye this song for you,.... Which was now dictated by the Lord, and given to Moses and Joshua to write, which is recorded in Deuteronomy 32:1:

and teach it the children of Israel; teach them by it, instructing them in the meaning of it: thus it was usual in ancient times to write things in verses, that they might be the more pleasingly attended to and regarded, and be longer retained in memory; and especially this practice was used with children, and still is:

put it in their mouths; oblige them to get it by heart, or lay it up in their memories, and repeat it frequently, that it may be familiar to them, and not be forgotten by them:

that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel; when in times to come they shall call to mind how in this song they were cautioned against such and such sins, and what they were threatened with should befall them on account of them, and how all things have come to pass exactly as foretold in it; which would be a testimony for God of his goodness to them, of his tender care of them, and concern for them, in the previous cautions he gave them; and of his foreknowledge of future events; and a testimony against them for their ingratitude and other sins.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The transaction recorded in these verses may be regarded as the solemn inauguration of Joshua to the office to which he had some time before Numbers 27:22 been called, and his recognition in it by God, which were manifested by his being summoned into the tabernacle with Moses while the Lord appeared in the pillar of cloud (compare Numbers 11:25; Numbers 12:5).

Deuteronomy 31:16

The future apostasy of the people is announced in the presence of Joshua that the latter might be fully aware of the danger and strive in his day to avert it. This he faithfully did (compare Joshua 24:31); but we find him in his own last address to Israel repeating Joshua 23:15-16 the self-same prediction and warning.

Deuteronomy 31:19

A witness for me against them - i. e., an attestation from their own mouths at once of God’s benefits, their own duties, and their deserts when they should fall away. Being in verse it would be the more easily learned and kept in memory. The use of songs for such didactic purposes was not unknown to the legislators of antiquity. Compare also the advice of Paul, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” Colossians 3:16.

Deuteronomy 31:23

He gave - i. e., the Lord gave.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 31:19. Write ye this song — The song which follows in the next chapter. Things which were of great importance and of common concern were, among the ancients, put into verse, as this was found the best method of keeping them in remembrance, especially in those times when writing was little practised. Even prose was sometimes sung. The history of Herodotus was divided into NINE books, and each inscribed with the name of one of the NINE Muses, because these books were anciently sung. Homer is reported to have sung his poems through different Greek cities. Aristotle observes that anciently the people sung their laws. And Cicero observes that it was a custom among the ancient Romans to sing the praises of their heroes at the public festivals. This was the case among the northern inhabitants of Europe, particularly in Ireland and Scotland; hence the Gaelic poetry of Ossian and others. See Dodd; and Exodus 15:1; Exodus 15:1, where the subject is largely treated.


 
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