Deuteronomy 31 28

Deuteronomy 31:28 kjv

Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

Deuteronomy 31:28 nkjv

Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

Deuteronomy 31:28 niv

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.

Deuteronomy 31:28 esv

Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

Deuteronomy 31:28 nlt

"Now summon all the elders and officials of your tribes, so that I can speak to them directly and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

Deuteronomy 31 verses

Deuteronomy 31 28 Meaning

This verse conveys Moses' divine instruction to gather all the significant leaders of Israel—the elders representing tribal authority and the officers administering the law—for a solemn assembly. The purpose is for Moses to speak profound words to them, primarily referring to the "Song of Moses" (Deuteronomy 32), which serves as a prophetic warning and a testimony against their future rebellion. This declaration is made with the cosmic elements, heaven and earth, explicitly invoked as enduring witnesses to the covenant and Israel's potential infidelity, underscoring the gravity and permanence of God's judgment and the people's responsibility.

Deuteronomy 31 28 Context

Deuteronomy 31 takes place at the end of Moses' life, shortly before Israel is to cross into the Promised Land. This chapter details Moses' final preparations, including his commissioning of Joshua as his successor (vv. 1-8), the command for the public reading of the Law every seven years (vv. 9-13), and, significantly for this verse, God's prophetic warning about Israel's future apostasy (vv. 14-23). The specific context for verse 28 is God's direct command to Moses to write down a song that will serve as a witness against Israel because God foresees their breaking of the covenant. This song, later known as the "Song of Moses" (Deuteronomy 32), recounts God's faithfulness and Israel's rebellion, culminating in divine judgment. The historical setting is crucial: a transition of leadership and the imminence of possessing the land, making the warnings all the more poignant and urgent. The scene serves as a solemn covenant renewal, a final legal declaration before the transition to new leadership and the commencement of their life in Canaan.

Deuteronomy 31 28 Word analysis

• Assemble to me: Hebrew: קָהַל אֵלַי (qāhal 'elay). "Qāhal" means to gather or call together, often in a formal or religious sense, forming an assembly or congregation (קָהָל - qāhāl, related to the noun for "assembly" or "church" in later Jewish thought). The command "to me" signifies that this assembly is under Moses' direct, God-given authority, preparing them for a critical pronouncement.
• all the elders of your tribes: Hebrew: כָּל־זִקְנֵי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם (kol-ziqne šivṭeḵem). "Ziqne" (plural of זָקֵן - zāqēn) refers to old, wise, and respected men, who served as traditional leaders and representatives of their clans and tribes. Their presence ensured the whole nation, through its established representatives, was party to the solemn declaration. The "tribes" (שְׁבָטִים - šəbāṭîm) indicate the broad, national scope of this gathering.
• and your officers: Hebrew: וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם (wəšōṭəreḵem). "Šōṭəreḵem" (plural of שֹׁטֵר - šōṭēr) refers to officials or scribes, often administrative or enforcing, acting as assistants to the elders. Their inclusion signifies that both judicial-spiritual leadership (elders) and executive-administrative authority (officers) were to hear and acknowledge these words, making the witness comprehensive across all levels of leadership.
• that I may speak these words in their hearing: Hebrew: וַאֲדַבְּרָה בְאָזְנֵיהֶם אֵת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה (wa'aḏabbrā bə'āznehem 'eṯ ha-dəḇārîm hā-'ēlleh). "Speak these words" ("ha-dəḇārîm hā-'ēlleh") primarily refers to the prophetic Song of Moses in Deut 32, a covenant lawsuit that detailed God's character, His blessings, and Israel's predicted rebellion and subsequent judgment. The phrase "in their hearing" emphasizes direct, personal understanding and responsibility. This was not a secret revelation but a public declaration designed to resonate with, and hold accountable, the leadership, and through them, the entire nation.
• and call heaven and earth to witness against them: Hebrew: וְאָעִידָה בָם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ (wə'ā'îḏâ bām 'eṯ haššāmayim wə'ēṯ hā'āreṣ). This is a legal formula, signifying the ultimate seriousness of the pronouncement. "Heaven and earth" represent the entire cosmos, the created order itself, which stands as an immutable and omnipresent witness to the covenant stipulations. This act transforms the words from a mere speech into an unassailable legal testimony. This serves as a strong warning, implying that there will be no excuse for ignorance or forgetfulness of the covenant terms and their consequences. It is a powerful theological statement about God's sovereignty over creation and His utilization of creation as a permanent, enduring record of humanity's covenant obedience or failure.

• "Assemble to me all the elders... and your officers": This phrase highlights the importance of hierarchical and representative leadership in Israel's theocratic structure. It's not a general assembly of all people, but the designated authorities, making the subsequent witness particularly binding for the entire nation. The purpose is specific and serious: to prepare them to receive crucial, legally binding testimony.
• "speak these words... call heaven and earth to witness against them": This forms the core intent of the verse. Moses, acting as God's mediator, delivers a covenant lawsuit. The "words" are not just information, but an indictment against predicted future disobedience. Invoking "heaven and earth" transforms this into a cosmic legal proceeding. It means that breaking this covenant will not just offend God, but will go against the very fabric of existence, and the created order will bear undeniable witness against them. This also contains an implicit polemic against pagan beliefs where various cosmic elements (sun, moon, stars) were worshipped; here, these elements are not gods to be appeased but passive witnesses created by the one true God.

Deuteronomy 31 28 Bonus section

The act of "calling heaven and earth to witness" is more than a rhetorical flourish; it imbues the covenant with an unyielding, permanent character. In the ancient world, natural elements were sometimes seen as divine, but here, they are subservient to God, acting purely as His agents of witness, further affirming monotheism. This emphasizes God's comprehensive sovereignty, not only over humanity and history but also over all creation. This formal, public witnessing through the assembled leadership was critical to prevent future generations from claiming ignorance of the Law or of God's expectations. The Song of Moses (Deut 32) was commanded to be written and taught, particularly to the children of Israel, solidifying its role as an enduring reminder and legal brief for God's eventual actions against a rebellious people. The leaders represent the 'body politic' and their reception of the warning is implicitly a reception by the whole nation.

Deuteronomy 31 28 Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:28 stands as a profound moment in the narrative of the Exodus generation. Moses, at the end of his life, is commanded by God to gather the representative leadership of Israel—its elders and officers. This assembly is not for typical governance, but for a solemn and prophetic purpose: to hear words that would serve as an unshakeable testimony. These "words" are principally the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32), a didactic poem that reviews God's faithfulness and foretells Israel's predictable straying from the covenant path. The remarkable aspect of this divine directive is the explicit command to "call heaven and earth to witness against them." This is a deeply rooted legal idiom from the ancient Near East, transforming a solemn pronouncement into a cosmic lawsuit. It underscores the unparalleled gravity of the covenant, ensuring that if Israel disobeys, not only God but His entire created order will stand as an eternal witness to their defection. This prophetic act preemptively validates God's future judgments as just and deserved, stripping Israel of any excuse of ignorance. It's a testament to God's justice and His commitment to His covenant, even in foreseeing its eventual breach. This served not only as a warning to Israel's leadership but as an enduring principle: God's word and His covenant commitments are universal and immutable, observed even by the heavens and the earth, which testify against unfaithfulness.

• Example for practical usage: Consider a modern "oath" where someone swears on a sacred text or with their hand raised; this verse depicts an ultimate oath with the universe itself as the ultimate witness to the spoken word. It reminds us of the profound implications of breaking promises made before God.