Study Desk

You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them.

"But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you:

"But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses.

I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the Lord our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.

I am making this covenant with you so that no one among you—no man, woman, clan, or tribe—will turn away from the Lord our God to worship these gods of other nations, and so that no root among you bears bitter and poisonous fruit.

"Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.' This would lead to utter ruin!

Then you will again obey the Lord and keep all his commands that I am giving you today.

"This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not beyond your reach.

"Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.

he said, "I am now 120 years old, and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan River.'

For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still alive and am here with you, you have rebelled against the Lord . How much more rebellious will you be after my death!

"The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things, sealing them away in my treasury?

Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!

"Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river, and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession.

So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."

"Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.

The Lord told Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.

"Neither one," he replied. "I am the commander of the Lord 's army." At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. "I am at your command," Joshua said. "What do you want your servant to do?"

"Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old.

I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then.