Moses spoke to all Israel, saying, "I am now one hundred and twenty years old and can no longer lead you. The Lord has told me that I will not cross the Jordan." Yet he assured them that the Lord Himself would go before them to destroy the nations and give them victory. Joshua would lead them across, just as the Lord had said.
Moses reminded them of what God did to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and told the people, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."
Then, before all Israel, Moses called Joshua and said, "Be strong and courageous, for you will lead this people into the land the Lord swore to their ancestors. The Lord goes before you and will be with you—do not fear or be discouraged."
Moses then wrote down the entire law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, and to the elders of Israel. He commanded that every seven years, during the Year of Release and the Feast of Tabernacles, the law should be read aloud to all Israel—men, women, children, and foreigners—so they would learn to fear the Lord and keep His commands.
The Lord then said to Moses, "The time of your death is near. Call Joshua, and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting." There, in a pillar of cloud, the Lord appeared and told Moses that after his death, the people would turn to foreign gods and forsake Him. He said He would hide His face from them when they turned away, and many troubles would come upon them.
The Lord then instructed Moses, "Write down this song and teach it to the Israelites, so that it will stand as a witness against them when they forget Me." For God already knew the hearts of the people and what they would do once they entered the land flowing with milk and honey.
That same day, Moses wrote the song and taught it to the people. The Lord again commanded Joshua, "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I will be with you."
After completing the writing of the Law, Moses commanded the Levites to place it beside the Ark of the Covenant as a witness against Israel. He warned them of their stubbornness and said, "If you have been rebellious while I am alive, how much more after I die!"
Then Moses gathered the elders and officials, calling heaven and earth to witness against them, and declared, "After my death, you will surely become corrupt and bring disaster upon yourselves by doing evil in the Lord's sight."
Finally, Moses recited before all Israel the words of the song God had given him—a testimony for generations to come.