Deuteronomy 31:14

The Commissioning of Joshua

31:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The day of your death is near. Summon Joshua and present yourselves in the tent ¹  of meeting ²  so that I can commission him.” ³  So Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tent of meeting.

Deuteronomy 32:50

32:50 You will die ⁴  on the mountain that you ascend and join your deceased ancestors, ⁵  just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor ⁶  and joined his deceased ancestors,

Joshua 1:1-2

The Lord Commissions Joshua

1:1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready! ⁷  Cross the Jordan River! ⁸  Lead these people into the land which I am ready to hand over to them. ⁹ 

[31:14]  ¹ tc The LXX reads “by the door of the tent” in line with v. 10 but also, perhaps, as a reflection of its tendency to avoid over-familiarity with Yahweh and his transcendence.

[31:14]  ² tn Heb “tent of assembly” (מוֹעֵד אֹהֶל, ’ohel mo’ed); this is not always the same as the tabernacle, which is usually called מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, “dwelling-place”), a reference to its being invested with God’s presence. The “tent of meeting” was erected earlier than the tabernacle and was the place where Yahweh occasionally appeared, especially to Moses (cf. Exod 18:7-16; 33:7-11; Num 11:16, 24, 26; 12:4).

[31:14]  ³ tn Heb “I will command him.”

[32:50]  ⁴ tn In the Hebrew text the forms translated “you will die…and join” are imperatives, but the actions in view cannot really be commanded. The imperative is used here in a rhetorical, emphatic manner to indicate the certainty of Moses’ death on the mountain. On the rhetorical use of the imperative see IBHS 572 §34.4c.

[32:50]  ⁵ tn Heb “be gathered to your people.” The same phrase occurs again later in this verse.

[32:50]  ⁶ sn Mount Hor. See note on the name “Moserah” in Deut 10:6.

[1:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “Get up!”

[1:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “this Jordan”; the word “River” has been supplied in the translation for clarity (likewise in v. 11).

[1:2]  ⁹ tc Heb “Cross over this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land that I am giving to them, to the children of Israel.” The final phrase, “to the children of Israel,” is probably a later scribal addition specifying the identity of “these people/them.”