⁷ And he called the place Massah^[a](A) and Meribah^[b](B) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

⁴³ for the Amalekites^(A) and the Canaanites^(B) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you^(C) and you will fall by the sword.”

²⁵ After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt^(A) and make any kind of idol,^(B) doing evil^(C) in the eyes of the Lord your God and arousing his anger, ²⁶ I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses^(D) against you^(E) this day that you will quickly perish^(F) from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. ²⁷ The Lord will scatter^(G) you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive^(H) among the nations to which the Lord will drive you. ²⁸ There you will worship man-made gods^(I) of wood and stone,^(J) which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.^{(K) 29} But if from there you seek^(L) the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart^(M) and with all your soul.^{(N) 30} When you are in distress^(O) and all these things have happened to you, then in later days^(P) you will return^(Q) to the Lord your God and obey him. ³¹ For the Lord your God is a merciful^(R) God; he will not abandon^(S) or destroy^(T) you or forget^(U) the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

¹⁶ And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors,^(A) and these people will soon prostitute^(B) themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake^(C) me and break the covenant I made with them. ¹⁷ And in that day I will become angry^(D) with them and forsake^(E) them; I will hide^(F) my face^(G) from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters^(H) and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’^{(I) 18} And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

¹⁹ “Now write^(J) down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness^(K) for me against them. ²⁰ When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors,^(L) and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods^(M) and worship them,^(N) rejecting me and breaking my covenant.^{(O) 21} And when many disasters and calamities come on them,^(P) this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do,^(Q) even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” ²² So Moses wrote^(R) down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

²³ The Lord gave this command^(S) to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous,^(T) for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”

²⁴ After Moses finished writing^(U) in a book the words of this law^(V) from beginning to end, ²⁵ he gave this command to the Levites who carried^(W) the ark of the covenant of the Lord: ²⁶ “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.^{(X) 27} For I know how rebellious^(Y) and stiff-necked^(Z) you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! ²⁸ Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them.^{(AA) 29} For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt^(AB) and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster^(AC) will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”

The Song of Moses

³⁰ And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel: