King James Version

What Does Deuteronomy 31:14 Mean?

Deuteronomy 31:14 in the King James Version says “And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the t...” — study this verse from Deuteronomy chapter 31 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.”

Deuteronomy 31:14 · KJV

Context

12

Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

13

And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

14

And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

15

And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

16

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. sleep: Heb. lie down

Read Deuteronomy 31 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die—God's direct announcement of Moses's imminent death, removing any ambiguity. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge—the leadership transition required divine commissioning in God's presence. The command for both Moses and Joshua to appear together symbolized continuity and divine authority passing from one leader to another.

This formal commissioning paralleled Moses's own call (Exodus 3-4) and Joshua's earlier appointment (Numbers 27:18-23). Leadership in Israel wasn't hereditary or democratic but theocratic—God chose and commissioned His servants. The tabernacle setting emphasized that Joshua's authority derived from divine appointment, not Moses's personal choice. This pattern continues in the church: leaders receive calling and gifts from Christ, not merely human organizations (Ephesians 4:11-12).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Occurred circa 1406 BC in Moses's final month at age 120. Joshua had served as Moses's assistant for forty years (Exodus 24:13, 33:11, Numbers 11:28), prepared for this moment. Moses's death at 120 years was predicted earlier (Deuteronomy 31:2, 34:7)—judgment for striking the rock at Meribah (Numbers 20:12) meant he could see but not enter the Promised Land. The leadership transition was orderly, not crisis-driven, modeling succession planning that honors both retiring and incoming leaders.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God's direct involvement in leadership transition differ from purely human succession planning?
  2. Why was public commissioning in the tabernacle important for Joshua's credibility and authority?
  3. What principles govern healthy leadership transitions in churches and Christian organizations?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר1 of 21

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֜ה2 of 21

“And the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֶל3 of 21
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

מֹשֶׁה֙4 of 21

“And Moses”

H4872

mosheh, the israelite lawgiver

הֵ֣ן5 of 21
H2005

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

קָֽרְב֣וּ6 of 21

“approach”

H7126

to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose

יָמֶיךָ֮7 of 21

“Behold thy days”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

לָמוּת֒8 of 21

“that thou must die”

H4191

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

קְרָ֣א9 of 21

“call”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

אֶת10 of 21
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ11 of 21

“Joshua”

H3091

jehoshua (i.e., joshua), the jewish leader

וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ12 of 21

“and present”

H3320

to place (any thing so as to stay); reflexively, to station, offer, continue

בְּאֹ֥הֶל13 of 21

“themselves in the tabernacle”

H168

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

מוֹעֵֽד׃14 of 21

“of the congregation”

H4150

properly, an appointment, i.e., a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for

וַֽאֲצַוֶּ֑נּוּ15 of 21

“that I may give him a charge”

H6680

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ16 of 21
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

מֹשֶׁה֙17 of 21

“And Moses”

H4872

mosheh, the israelite lawgiver

וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ18 of 21

“Joshua”

H3091

jehoshua (i.e., joshua), the jewish leader

וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ19 of 21

“and present”

H3320

to place (any thing so as to stay); reflexively, to station, offer, continue

בְּאֹ֥הֶל20 of 21

“themselves in the tabernacle”

H168

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

מוֹעֵֽד׃21 of 21

“of the congregation”

H4150

properly, an appointment, i.e., a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Deuteronomy. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Deuteronomy 31:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Deuteronomy 31:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 27:13Deuteronomy 31:23Jude 1:24Job 2:1Ecclesiastes 9:52 Timothy 4:1-4

Test Your Knowledge

Deuteronomy 31 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterDeuteronomy Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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