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.
Ota 'Bereŋwa Sinai E'be ro
1 Kwoi ni ata se Musa katabe lidri cini Yisaraele ro ri vocowa ya tasi Golo Yaradene roya owo. 'Dooko ànya orivoya vocowa Sufa lomvo, lakole Parana ro 'ba'desii Tofelea, Labana, Azerota, ndi Dizahaba be roya. 2 Vo 'do ka u'du uru 'butealo foalo abaza ni 'Bereŋwa Sinai yasi le Kadesa Baranea ya liti 'Bereŋwa Seira ro yasi. 3 Ndroa 'butesu se ànya ke'be Ezipeto be, u'du käti imba 'butealo foalo na rosi, Musa iti tase cini OPI kota nda be itine lidri cini ri ana te ànyari. 4 Ta ono a'dote tuse nda kope Siona, 'bädri'ba Amora'bai ro se kimirivobe Esebona ya ago Ogo 'bädri'ba Basana ro, se kimirivobe Asetarota ndi Edrei be ya kai te ṛe ana vosi. 5 Ondro lidri Yisaraele rote orivoya tasi Golo Yaradene roya wari Moaba roya oko, Musa eto ota ono tazevona edrena te.
Nda ekye: 6 “OPI Lu amaro atate ämäri 'Bereŋwa Sinai pa ekye: ‘Mirite madaro 'bereŋwa ono pa. 7 Miŋga teri ago nyugu oyi teri. Nyoyi 'bädri lutu ro Amora'bai roya ago wari se cini lomvoigyesi ana yasi le Araba ya, le 'bädri lutu ro ago vo delero yasi, wari se Negebe ya ya, ago le Gyi'desi Mediteraneana kala. Nyoyi wari Kanana roya ago wari Lebanona ro ya. Nyoyi ndi le golo 'desi ya Golo Eferata ya. 8 Maka'da wari teni ämiri wo, nyòyi ago miru ri wari se ma, OPI, ma'ba tana be ozone zutui amiro, Abarayama, Yisika, Yakoba, ndi zelevoi ànyaro be ri owo.’ ”
Musa ka Vureope'bai Ka'dana
(Ofo 18:13-27)9 Musa atate lidri ri ekye: “Tuse ama bedri 'Bereŋwa Sinai pa ya mititate ämiri makye: ‘Mänina kote ugu ami lepene iṛe. 10 OPI Lu amiro 'ba ami te litine ta'dota tu ono ya ami te amba oso 'bi'bi vokuru ro ronye. 11 Ka'do inye OPI, Lu zutui amiro ro, ko'ba ami litine pere kutu ro amba ndrani nya'do be yau ono drisi ago käṛu ami oso nda ko'ba tana be ronye. 12 Oko mäŋgyina ŋgaläŋgyi kalaope amiro edena ro iṛe eŋwanyeya? 13 Mìnji lidri tavouni'ba, tauni'ba ndi 'di se ni ta amba te iyi azaka ni 'bakalai cini yasi, ma'ba ànya robe a'done drikaca be ämidri.’ 14 Ago mìletadrina ṛote mikye tase nyata be ono orivoya kadoro oyene ämäri. 15 Ta'dota märu dri'bai 'bakalai amiro ro se tavouni'ba ro ago se ni ta amba te iyi te, ago ma'ba ànya te a'done drikaca be ämidri. Azakana a'done kutu alo (1,000) dri, azaka kama alo (100) dri, azaka 'butenji dri, ago azaka 'butealo dri. Ago maka'da dri'bai losi ro kpate ni 'bakalai cini amiro yasi.
16 “Ago tu gi ana si mozo ŋgaemba ono te vureope'bai amiro ri makye: ‘Ämiri kalaope se kabe a'do lidri amiro lako 'do tana erine. Mìye vure kalaope lakole Yisaraele'bai ritu roya, kode vure lakole Yisaraele'bai aza ro atrai se koribe ami lako 'do be ya ŋgye ro. 17 Nyegyele 'di ko vureopevoya; oko mipe vure 'di giṛiŋwa ro kode 'di 'desi ro cini ojoojoro. Nyà'do ko turiro ni 'diaza ri, tana vureope ni Lu ro. Ondro ka'do vure aza ka'dote rritiro ämiri, nyezi mare, mape vure na 'do robe.’ 18 Ago tu gi alo ana si mata ta ŋgase cini oyene ämiri rote.
Azo Kamari'bai teni Kadesa Baranea yasi
(Oti 13:1-33)19 “Mè'be 'Bereŋwa Sinai te ago moyite vo cowa se ndräläkäkä uturi turi liti se kabe oyi 'bädri lutu ro Amora'bai roya ana yasi, oso Opi Lu amaro kota ama be ronye, madale masate Kadesa Baranea ya. 20 Ago matate ämiri makye: ‘Yauono nyèsate 'bädri lutu ro Amora'bai roya, se OPI Lu amaro, kozobe ämäri ono ya. 21 Mìndre, OPI Lu amiro ozo wari ono te ämiri. Nyòyi ago mìru oso OPI, Lu zutui amiro kozo ota na be ämiri ronye. Nyà'do ko lä'bilä'biro kode turiro.’
22 “Oko ami cini nyìkyite mare ago nyàtate mikye: ‘Mì'de mazo lidri azaka mileya wari ana marine ämäri, ago ànya kitiyi ta liti se ämäri urune ago beti 'bakicii se lau ana tana robe ämäri.’
23 “Tase ana landrete takado ro, ta'doro manji lidri 'butealo foritu te, ba alo alo ni 'bakala alo alo yasi. 24 Ànya oyiyite 'bädri lutu ro ya le Vodelero Esekola roya ago mariyite. 25 Ànya eziyi doŋgo azaka 'bädri ana rote ämäri, ago logoyi tate ämäri ekye wari se OPI Lu amaro kozobe ämäri ono orivoya kadopara.
26 “Caoko mìgatezo oyine wari se ana ya ago nyògbote ota OPI Lu amiro robe. 27 Nyà'dote driovivoya zo boŋgoro amiro yasi mìkye: ‘Tana ya OPI ro orivoya osoro ama lomvo, nda lofo ama te ni Ezipeto yasi toto ama ozone Amora'bai kwoi ri, ànya kutufuyi ama robe. 28 Mòyinate eŋwaro ya? Ama orivoya ädrupii amaro se màzobe kwoi eŋgayi ya amaro te ekye lidri se kai orivoya mbaraekye ago lombaekye ndrani ämäri drisi, ago 'bakicii ànyaro 'desii ro ago tiṛiwiṛaro be. Màndre lidri dämbäṛäṛäro te lau!’
29 “Oko matate ämiri makye: ‘Nyà'do ko lä'bilä'biro ago turiro ni lidri kai ri. 30 OPI Lu amiro se ka ami lepete ni ono, nda andivona oyena kyila 'da ta amiro ta, oso mìndre nda koyebe Ezipeto ya 31 ago vo cowa ya ana ronye. Mìndrete Opi Lu amiro ezi ami lepe ni liti ndrelekpekpe ono yasi madale esane le vose ono ya, oso täpi kabe ŋgwa ndaro lepena ronye.’ 32 Oko ta nonye ono ka'do ca, caoko mìyi ta kote OPI Lu amiro ya, 33 nda oyi gica ondoalo mile amiro ya vo usune ämiri gawa amiro otoza kigye owo. Nda 'dete mile amiro ya asi cariro si ŋgäkyi si liti ka'daza ämiri ago 'dikolo cariro si kitu si.
OPI Ka Yisaraele Eza
(Oti 14:20-45)34 “OPI eri driovi amiro te ago a'dote kyilaro, ta'doro nda äṛurute ekye: 35 ‘Alo aza ami gi kovole'bai takozioye'bai ono ro ri ocine wari se kado ma'ba tana be ozone zutui amiro ri ana ya te i'do. 36 Toto Kaleba ŋgwa Jefune ro ocina ni kigye, ago mozona wari se nda kamaribe ana ndi ndäri ago zelevoi ndaro ri tana ndana a'dote 'diriro ma Opi ri.’ 37 OPI a'do kpate kyilaro mabe ta amiro si ago atate ekye: ‘Ca mi Musa, ocine wari ana ya i'do. 38 Oko Yosua ŋgwa Nuna ro kundueŋga'ba miro ocina ni. Nyotomba ndana tana nda lepena Yisaraele ni wari ana urune.’
39 “Ago nda ekye: ‘Oko ŋgaga amiro se mikye kyila'baazii uruna 'do, ŋgaga se drigba giṛiŋwà ro ni ta takado ndi ta takozi robe dri ko ono, ocinayi ni wari se ana ya. Mozona wari ana 'da ànyari, ago ànya urunayi 'da. 40 Oko ami lidri ono, migo kovole vocowa ya, liti se kabe oyi Gyi'desi Okaro roya ana drisi.’
41 “Ndi nyòlogo tate mikye: ‘Màye takozi te OPI lomvo. Oko yauono mòyina ndi kyila oyene oso OPI Lu amaro kota ama be ronye.’ 'Dooko ami alo alo nyède ami te kyila oyene, ago nyùsu tate mìkye a'dona ndi rritiako 'bädri se lutu ro ana urune.
42 “Oko OPI atate märi ekye: ‘Nyata ànyari mikye: Nyoyiko kyila oyene, tana mänina ko a'done tro ami yibe ago kyila'baazii amiro opena ami ndi ṛe.’ 43 Miti tase OPI katabe 'do te ämiri, caoko nyèri tana kote. Nyògbote ota Opi ro be, ago nyòyite 'bädri lutu ro ya driuŋgyi si. 44 'Dooko Amora'bai se koriyibe 'bädri lutu ro ana dri iyi efoyite ämidri oso lowa kumuepe ro ronye ago njayi ami te. Ànya peyi ami te ṛe 'bädri lutu ro Seira roya le Horema ya. 45 Ta'dota mìgo nyègo te kovole ago nyàyodrite OPI ri oko Opi eri driayo amiro kote, ago ti ta amiro kote.
Ndroa se Vocowa ya iyi
46 “'Dooko mìrite madaro Kadesa ya.