The Final Speeches of Moses
1-5 This book contains the speeches that Moses made while Israel was in the land of Moab, camped near the town of Suph in the desert east of the Jordan River. The town of Paran was in one direction from their camp, and the towns of Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab were in the opposite direction.
Earlier, Moses had defeated the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon. Moses had also defeated King Og of Bashan, who used to live in Ashtaroth for part of the year and in Edrei for the rest of the year.
Although it takes only eleven days to walk from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea by way of the Mount Seir Road, these speeches were not made until 40 years after Israel left Egypt.
The First Speech: Moses Reviews the Past
The Lord's Command at Mount Sinai
The Lord had given Moses his laws for the people of Israel. And on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses began explaining those laws by saying:
6 People of Israel, when we were in our camp at Mount Sinai, the Lord our God told us:
You have stayed here long enough. 7 Leave this place and go into the land that belongs to the Amorites and their neighbors the Canaanites. This land includes the Jordan River valley, the hill country, the western foothills, the Southern Desert, the Mediterranean seacoast, the Lebanon Mountains, and all the territory as far as the Euphrates River. 8 I give you this land, just as I promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now you must go and take the land.
Leaders Were Appointed
(Exodus 18.13-27)Moses said:
9 Right after the Lord commanded us to leave Mount Sinai, I told you:
Israel, being your leader is too big a job for one person. 10 The Lord our God has blessed us, and so now there are as many of us as there are stars in the sky. 11 God has even promised to bless us a thousand times more, and I pray that he will. 12 But I cannot take care of all your problems and settle all your arguments alone. 13 Each tribe must choose some experienced men who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will make those men the official leaders of their tribes.
14 You answered, “That's a good idea!” 15 Then I took these men, who were already wise and respected leaders, and I appointed them as your official leaders. Some of them became military officers in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10, 16 and others became judges. I gave these judges the following instructions:
When you settle legal cases, your decisions must be fair. It doesn't matter if the case is between two Israelites, or between an Israelite and a foreigner living in your community. 17 And it doesn't matter if one is helpless and the other is powerful. Don't be afraid of anyone! No matter who shows up in your court, God will help you make a fair decision.
If any case is too hard for you, bring the people to me, and I will make the decision.
18 After I gave these instructions to the judges, I taught you the Lord's commands.
Men Were Sent To Explore the Hill Country
(Numbers 13.1-33)Moses said to Israel:
19 The Lord had commanded us to leave Mount Sinai and go to the hill country that belonged to the Amorites, so we started out into the huge desert. You remember how frightening it was, but soon we were at Kadesh-Barnea, 20-21 and I told you, “We have reached the hill country. It belongs to the Amorites now, but the Lord our God is giving it to us. He is the same God our ancestors worshiped, and he has told us to go in and take this land, so don't hesitate and be afraid.”
22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Before we go into the land, let's send some men to explore it. When they come back, they can tell us about the towns we will find and what roads we should take to get there.”
23 It seemed like a good idea, so I chose twelve men, one from each tribe. 24 They explored the hill country as far as Bunch Valley 25 and even brought back some of the fruit. They said, “The Lord our God is giving us good land.”
Israel Refused To Obey the Lord
(Numbers 14.1-45)Moses said to Israel:
26 You did not want to go into the land, and you refused to obey the Lord your God. 27 You stayed in your tents and grumbled, “The Lord must hate us—he brought us out of Egypt, just so he could hand us over to the Amorites and get rid of us. 28 We are afraid, because the men who explored the land told us that the cities are large, with walls that reach to the sky. The people who live there are taller and stronger than we are, and some of them are Anakim. We have nowhere to go.”
29 Then I said, “Don't worry! 30 The Lord our God will lead the way. He will fight on our side, just as he did when we saw him do all those things to the Egyptians. 31 And you know that the Lord has taken care of us the whole time we've been in the desert, just as you might carry one of your children.”
32 But you still would not trust the Lord, 33 even though he had always been with us in the desert. During the daytime, the Lord was in the cloud, leading us in the right direction and showing us where to camp. And at night, he was there in the fire.
34 You had made the Lord angry, and he said:
35 You people of this generation are evil, and I refuse to let you go into the good land that I promised your ancestors. 36 Caleb son of Jephunneh is the only one of your generation that I will allow to go in. He obeyed me completely, so I will give him and his descendants the land he explored.
37 The Lord was even angry with me because of you people, and he said, “Moses, I won't let you go into the land either. 38 Instead, I will let Joshua your assistant lead Israel to conquer the land. So encourage him.”
39 Then the Lord spoke to you again:
People of Israel, you said that your innocent young children would be taken prisoner in the battle for the land. But someday I will let them go into the land, and with my help they will conquer it and live there.
40 Now, turn around and go back into the desert by way of Red Sea Road.
41 Then you told me, “We disobeyed the Lord our God, but now we want to obey him. We will go into the hill country and fight, just as he told us to do.” So you picked up your weapons, thinking it would be easy to take over the hill country.
42 But the Lord said, “Moses, warn them not to go into the hill country. I won't help them fight, and their enemies will defeat them.”
43 I told you what the Lord had said, but you paid no attention. You disobeyed him and went into the hill country anyway. You thought you were so great! 44 But when the Amorites in the hill country attacked from their towns, you ran from them as you would run from a swarm of bees. The Amorites chased your troops into Seir as far as Hormah, killing them as they went. 45 Then you came back to the place of worship at Kadesh-Barnea and wept, but the Lord would not listen to your prayers.
Israel Spent Years in the Desert
Moses said to Israel:
46 After we had been in Kadesh for a few months, we obeyed the Lord and headed back into the desert by way of Red Sea Road.
1 Omambo nga Moses onga hungira kOvaisrael avehe munda mbwina na Jordan mokuti onguza, morutjandja ndwa ri ouhunga na Sofa pokati kooParan na Tofel na Laban na Haserot na Di-Sahab. 2 Ondjira, ndji za kOhoreb okuhungama ozondundu za Seir nga kOkades-Barnea i kayendwa oure womayuva omurongo na rimwe. 3 Nu meyuva etenga romueze outjamurongo na umwe wombura oitjamirongo vine, tji va zire mOengipte, Moses wa raera kOvaisrael oviṋa avihe Muhona mbya rakizire ku ye kutja e ve raere. 4 Ihi tja tjitirwe Moses tja za nokuhavera Sihon, ombara yOvaamori, ngwa turire mOhesbon, na Og, ombara ya Basan, ngwa turire mOastarot na Edrei. 5 Moses wa uta okumangururira Ovaisrael omatwako wa Ndjambi, munda mbwina na Jordan, mehi ra Moab, na tja:
6 “Muhona, Ndjambi wetu, wa hungirire ku eṱe kondundu Sinai na tja: ‘Eṋe mwa kara orure tjinene pondundu ndji. 7 Sekameye mu yende kehi rozondundu rOvaamori na kovirongo avihe vyopopezu, okutja okorutjandja rwa Jordan, na kehi rozondundu, na mehi eparanga, na kehi rokeyuva kokumuho, na komukuro wOmuronga Mediterania, twendeye kehi rOvakanaan na kozondundu za Libanon nga konḓonḓu onene Eufrat. 8 Tareye, ehi arihe ndi ami, Muhona, ondi mba kwizikira okuriyandja kooiho mukururume ooAbraham na Isak na Jakob na kozondekurona zawo. Twendeye mu kerikambure.’ ”
Moses ma toorora ovapangure
(Eks 18:13-27)9 “Moruveze ndo ami mbe mu raera nai: ‘Ami erike himee yenene okutjinda omauzeu weṋu. 10 Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu, we mu takavarisa; nu tareye, ndinondi mu ṱeki pouingi wozonyose keyuru. 11 Muhona, Ndjambi wooiho mukururume, nga takavarise otjivaro tjeṋu tjanambano potumayovi omurongo, nu nge mu sere ondaya punga e mu kwizikira! 12 Nu ami erike me yenene vi okutjinda ouzeu, nokupangura oviposa vyeṋu? 13 Toororeye ovarumendu ozonongo novanazondunge novatjiwe momihoko vyeṋu kutja mbi ve zike ve rire ovanane vyeṋu.’ ” 14 Nu eṋe opu mwe ndji zirira namu tja: “Otja pu wa hee pe ri nawa. 15 Otji mba toora ovanane vomihoko vyeṋu, ovarumendu ozonongo novatjiwe mbu mwa toorora, ne ve ziki kutja ve mu hongorere otja ovanane veyovi novesere novomirongo vitano novomurongo umwe. Wina mba zika ovatjevere varwe vomihoko vyeṋu.
16 “Nu moruveze ndo ami mba rakiza kovapangure veṋu e tja nai: ‘Purateneye koviposa vyovandu veṋu, nu mu pangure osemba pokati kovandu, kutja ovandu veṋu oveni poo omundu wozonganda ngu tura puna wo. 17 Amu tjiti ombangu mombanguriro; pangureye omundu auhe nawa nandarire kutja ouṋe. Amu tira nu amu nyengura omundu karive, orondu ondyero aihe ndji mamu tjiti mombanguriro ma i zu ku Ndjambi. Nungwari tji pe notjiposa otjizeu ku eṋe, tji eteye ku ami, nami me tji pangura.’ 18 Moruveze ndo ami otji mbe mu rakizire avihe, mbi mamu sokutjita.”
Ozohoze maze hindwa okuza mOkades-Barnea
(Num 13:1-33)19 “Twa tjita otja Muhona, Ndjambi wetu, pe tu rakizire. Twa womboroka okuza kOhoreb natu tuurunga okuti okunene nokutirise onguza ku mwa muna mondjira, tjiyamu i kozondundu zOvaamori. Neṱe twa kavaza kOkades-Barnea. 20 Ami mbe mu raera nai: ‘Eṋe nambano mwe ya nga kehi rozondundu rOvaamori, Muhona, Ndjambi wetu, ndi me tu pe. 21 Tara, Muhona, Ndjambi woye, we ku pe ehi ndi; kayende u kerikambure ri rire oroye, otja Muhona, Ndjambi wooiho mukururume, pe ku raera; o tira nu o mumapara.’
22 “Neṋe amuhe otji mwe ya ku ami namu tja: ‘Ngatu hinde ovarumendu tjiva komurungu wetu ve kahore ehi ndi nu ve kotoke okuyekutukorera ondjira, ndji matu sokutwara, nokutja ovingehuro mbi ri ngo.’
23 “Omambo nga tjinga aya tjata ku ami otji mba toorora ovarumendu omurongo na vevari, umwe momuhoko auhe. 24 Nowo arire tji va i hakahana kehi rozondundu ave kavaza korutjandja rwa Eskol, nave kahora ehi ndo. 25 Va nikora ovihape tjiva vyokuti ngo, ave vi eterere ku eṱe, nave tu serekarerere amave tja: ‘Ehi ndo, Muhona, Ndjambi wetu, ndi me tu pe, oro ewa.’
26 “Nungwari eṋe kamu vangere okuyenda, mwa pirukira omarakiza wa Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu. 27 Mwa unaunina mozondanda zeṋu namu tja: ‘Muhona tjinga e tu tonda, eye we tu pitisa mehi ra Engipte, ne tu twa mouvara wOvaamori kutja ve tu nyone. 28 Hapo, matu i ku tjiṋe? Ovakwetu ve tu mumaparisa tji va tja ovandu mbo ovanene motutu novare pu eṱe; novihuro vyawo ovinene, nu vi notumbo tu twa tongama tjinene. Neṱe wina twa muna ko Ovarenaka.’
29 “Nu ami mba tjere ku eṋe: ‘Amu mumapara, nu amu ve tira. 30 Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu, ngu me mu hongorere, eye me mu rwire otja tja tjitire momeho weṋu mOengipte, 31 na mokuti onguza. Ove wa muna eye tje ku tjinda oure wondjira aihe ndji wa kayenda, nga tje ku eta nguno otja ihe tji ma tjindi omuna we.’ 32 Nungwari nandi mba tja nao, eṋe kamu kamburire mu Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu, 33 ngwe mu hongorera mondjira okumupahera poṋa pu mamu yenene okuzika ozondanda zeṋu. Eye we mu hongorera ouṱuku notjikamba tjomuriro okumuraisira ondjira; nu mutenya we mu hongorera notjikamba tji tja zorera.”
Muhona ma vere Ovaisrael
(Num 14:20-45)34 “Nu Muhona tja zuva omaunaunino weṋu wa ṱomazenge tjinene, na yana a tja: 35 ‘Kape na umwe womuhoko omuvi mbwi ngu ma kamuna ehi ewa ndi, ndi mba kwizikira ooiho mukururume noruyano okuvepa. 36 Posi ya Kaleb, omuzandu wa Jefune, ongu ma kahita mu ro. Eye wa kara omuṱakame ku ami, neye nozondekurona ze opu meve pere ehi ndi eye nda kahora.’ 37 Wina Muhona wa pindikira ami mena reṋu na tja: ‘Nangarire ove, Moses, ko nakukahita mehi ndo. 38 Nungwari Josua, omuzandu wa Nun, omukarere woye, ongu ma hiti mehi ndo; mu zeuparisa, orondu eye ongu ma hongorere Ovaisrael okukakambura ehi ndo ri rire ouini wawo.
39 “ ‘Nounatje weṋu tjinga mbu hiya punga ozondunge, nu mbu mamu tja mau huurwa, owo ombu mau hiti mehi ndo nokurikambura ri rire ouini wawo. 40 Nungwari eṋe, yarukeye mu yende mokuti onguza nondjira ndja hungama Omuronga wOtuu.’
41 “Neṋe mwe ndji zira amu tja: ‘Eṱe twa katuka komurungu wa Muhona; nungwari nambano matu i okukarwa otja Muhona, Ndjambi wetu, pe tu rakiza.’ Nu auhe weṋu otje ripangaṋa novirwise ne ripura oupupu okuyenda kehi rozondundu.
42 “Nungwari Muhona wa tjere nai ku ami: ‘Ve ronga kutja ave ha karwa, ovanavita na wo tjaa mave ve ramba, tjinga ambi he ri puna eṋe.’ 43 Ami mbe mu raera otja Muhona pa heya, nungwari eṋe kamu puratenene ko. Mwa pirukira omarakiza wa Muhona, nu mokuritongamisa kweṋu arire tji mwa i kehi rozondundu. 44 Nu Ovaamori, mba tura mozondundu nḓo ve mu tjakanena nave mu ramba tjimuna ehapu rozonyutji. Owo ve mu ramba nave kemuhaverera mOhorma mehi ra Seir. 45 Neṋe mwa kotoka namu ririre komurungu wa Muhona, nungwari eye ka puratenene ko kondjuriro yeṋu nu ke mu zuvire ko. 46 Opu mwa karera orure nai mOkades.
