“And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.”
My Notes
What Does Deuteronomy 31:16 Mean?
God tells Moses what will happen after his death: the people will rise up and go after foreign gods. They will forsake God and break the covenant. The prediction is devastating — and it comes before Moses dies, while the people are still at the border of the promised land.
"Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers" — Moses will die. The greatest leader Israel has ever known will be gone. And without him, the people will drift.
"This people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers" — the departure is described as spiritual adultery. The covenant with God is a marriage, and the people will be unfaithful.
"Will forsake me, and break my covenant" — the forsaking and the breaking are predicted as certainties, not possibilities. God is not guessing. He knows.
The prediction fuels what follows: the writing of the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32) as a witness against the people when the predicted rebellion occurs.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does God entering the covenant knowing it will be broken reveal about divine love?
- 2.How is predicting the people's unfaithfulness before they enter the land both devastating and merciful?
- 3.Where might God see your future unfaithfulness — and still commit to you anyway?
- 4.How does this verse challenge the idea that God's love depends on your loyalty?
Devotional
This people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers. God knows what is coming. The people have not yet entered the land, and God already sees the unfaithfulness that will follow. The prediction is not a possibility. It is a certainty.
Will forsake me, and break my covenant. Forsake and break. Two verbs for the same betrayal. The relationship abandoned. The agreement shattered. God sees it coming — and tells Moses before it happens.
Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers. Moses will die. And without his leadership, the people will do exactly what God predicted. The departure is not caused by Moses' death — but his absence removes the restraint that held them.
The honesty is painful. God enters the covenant knowing it will be broken. He makes promises to a people he already knows will be unfaithful. The commitment is not conditional on their future behavior. He commits knowing the betrayal is coming.
That is the most staggering thing about God's love: it is not naive. He knows exactly who he is entering into relationship with. He sees the adultery before the wedding. And he says: I will be their God anyway.
The prediction is devastating. The commitment despite the prediction is astounding.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day,.... As the anger of a man is against his wife who has…
The transaction recorded in these verses may be regarded as the solemn inauguration of Joshua to the office to which he…
Here, I. Moses and Joshua are summoned to attend the divine majesty at the door of the tabernacle, Deu 31:14. Moses is…
Commences another saying of the Lord to Moses not connected with Joshua or with 14 f. except by reference to the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture