1 These are the words {devarim: covenant message} which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness {midbar: uninhabited land}, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Di Zahab.
2 It is an eleven-day journey {derekh: road} from Horeb {chorev: desert region} by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.
3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, that Moses spoke {diber: communicated with authority} to the children of Israel according to all that the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Lawgiver} had commanded him concerning them.
4 After he had struck Sihon, king of the Amorite {ha’emori: Tribal Ruler}, who was dwelling in Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who was dwelling in Ashtaroth {ashtarot: Canaanite Outpost} in Edrei.
5 On the side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses {Mosheh: Covenant Mediator} undertook to expound {be’er: make clear} this law, saying:
6 The LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Guide} spoke to us at Horeb {chorev: Sinai region}, saying, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.”
7 Turn and set out for yourselves and go to the hill country of the Amorite and to all its neighbors, in the Arabah {ba'aravah: desert plain}, in the hill country, in the Shephelah {shefelah: lowland region}, in the Negev, and along the seashore, to the land of the Canaanite and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.
8 See, I have given the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land which the LORD {YHWH, Oath-Keeping God} swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—to give to them and to their descendants {zar'a: seed strand} after them.
9 And I said to you at that time, “I am not able {ukhal: have the capacity} by myself to bear {se’et: carry the burden} you.”
10 The LORD your God {YHWH Eloheichem, Covenant Multiplier} has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens for abundance {rov: superabundance}.
11 May the LORD, the God of your fathers {YHWH Elohei, Ancestral Blesser} increase you a thousand {elef: unit of one thousand} times as you are, and may He bless you just as He has spoken to you.
12 How can I bear {essa: heavy load} by myself your trouble, your burden, and your dispute {riv: formal argument}?
13 Provide for yourselves men who are wise {chakamim: skillful in judgment}, discerning, and knowledgeable, from your tribes, and I will appoint {asimem: assign to authority} them over your heads.
14 And you answered me and said, “The matter {davar: proposal, instruction} that you have spoken {dibarta: authoritative speech} to do is good.”
15 So I took the heads of your tribes, men {anashim: adult males} who were wise and known, and I appointed them as leaders over you—commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers {shotrim: tribal administrators} for your tribes.
16 And I commanded your judges at that time, saying, “Hear {shamo’a: attentive listening} between your brothers, and you shall judge righteousness {tsedek: covenant justice} between a man and his brother and between him and his sojourner.”
17 You shall not show partiality {panim: faces, external appearance} when judging; give equal consideration to the lesser and the greater alike. You shall not fear any person, for judgment belongs to God {Elohim, Supreme Judge}. Bring the matter that is too difficult for you to me, and I will hear it.
18 And I commanded you at that time {hahi: specific occasion} all the things {devarim: instructions or words} that you should do.
19 Then we set out from Horeb and traversed that vast and terrifying wilderness {midbar: desolate place} you had seen along the route to the hill country of the Amorites, just as the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Commander} ordered us; and we arrived at Kadesh Barnea.
20 And I said to you, “You have come up to the mountain of the Amorites {ha’emori: ancient Canaanite people}, which the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Giver} is giving us.”
21 See, the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikha, Covenant Giver} has given the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, spoke to you. Do not fear {tira: be afraid in spirit} and do not be dismayed.
22 And all of you approached me and said, “Let us send some men ahead of us, and they will search out the land for us and bring back a report concerning the way {derekh: route of ascent} by which we shall go up, and the cities {‘arim: fortified towns} that we shall come to.”
23 The matter seemed good in my eyes, and I took from you twelve men {anashim: Representatives}, one man for each tribe {shevet: Ancestral Division}.
24 And they turned and went up to the hill country {haharah: elevated land}, and came as far as the Valley of Eshkol, and they spied out {vayeraggelu: diligently explored} it.
25 And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land, and brought it down to us, and they returned to us a report, and said, “The land which the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Giver} is giving to us is good {tovah: excellent sustenance}.”
26 But you were not willing to go up, and you rebelled against the command {pi: spoken word of authority} of the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheichem, Covenant Leader}.
27 And you grumbled in your tents and said, “Because of the LORD’s {YHWH, Covenant Redeemer} hatred {sin’ah: active enmity} toward us, He brought us out from the land of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorite to destroy us.”
28 Where can we go up? Our brothers have melted our heart {levav: inner resolve} by saying, “A people great and tall {ram: physically imposing}—greater than us—cities great and fortified up to the heavens. And also we saw the sons of Anakim there.”
29 And I said to you, “Do not be terrified {ta'artsun: overwhelmed with dread}; and do not fear {tirun: with trembling fear} them.”
30 The LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikhem, Covenant Defender} goes ahead of you; He Himself will fight on your behalf, just as you saw Him do in Egypt before your eyes {le-eyneikhem: obvious and indisputable}.
31 In the wilderness you saw the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikha, Covenant Guide} carry you as a man carries his son {ben: beloved child} along the entire journey until you came to this place.
32 Yet in this matter you are not believing in the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Keeper} your God {Elohim, Divine Authority}.
33 The LORD your God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Guide} is the one who goes before you on the way to seek out a place {makom: appointed location} for your encampment, going before you in fire by night to show you the way you should go and in a cloud by day.
34 And the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge} heard the voice {qol: outcry} of your words and became angry, and He swore saying,
35 Not one man among these men, this evil generation {hārāʿ: rebellious cohort}, will see the good land which I {YHWH, Faithful Oath-Keeper} swore to give to your fathers.
36 Except Caleb son of Jephunneh, he will see it, and to him I will give the land {haʾaretz: inherited territory} on which he walked, and to his sons, because he fully followed after the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Rewarder}.
37 Also, the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} became angry with me because of you {biglalchem: on your account}, saying, “You also shall not enter there.”
38 Joshua {yehoshua: Chosen Successor} son of Nun, the one standing before you, he will go in there; strengthen {chazek: empower for leadership} him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it.
39 And your little ones whom you said would be for plunder, and your children who today do not know good from evil—they shall enter there; I {YHWH, Faithful Giver} will give it {ettennah: grant as inheritance} to them, and they shall possess it.
40 But as for you, turn {penu: change direction} for yourselves, and set out toward the wilderness {midbarah: arid land} by way of the Sea of Reeds.
41 And you answered and said to me, “We have sinned against the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}. We will go up and fight just as the LORD our God has commanded us.” So each man girded on his equipment {klei milḥamah: battle gear}, and you were hasty to go up the mountain.
42 And the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Guardian} said to me, “Say to them, ‘Do not go up and do not fight, because I am not among you {beqirbechem: in your very midst}, and you will not be struck down before your enemies.’”
43 And I spoke to you, but you did not listen, and you rebelled against the mouth {pi: authoritative command} of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Commander}, and you acted arrogantly and went up to the hill country.
44 And the Amorite {ha’emori: mountain inhabitant} dwelling in that mountain came out to meet you and pursued you as the bees {hadevorim: swarming attackers} do, and struck you in Seir as far as Hormah.
45 Then you returned and wept before the LORD {YHWH, Divine Judge}, but the LORD did not listen to your voice {kol: heartfelt cry}, and He did not pay attention to you.
46 So you stayed in Kadesh for many {rabbim: extended duration} days—about as long as the time you had lived {yeshavtem: established residence} there before.