The Wilderness Years

Concerning Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges the domain of Gad! He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or a head.

He chose the best land for himself, because a ruler’s portion was reserved for him there. He came with the leaders of the people; he administered the LORD’s justice and His ordinances for Israel.”

Concerning Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s cub, leaping out of Bashan.”

Concerning Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with favor, full of the blessing of the LORD; he shall take possession of the sea and the south.”

And concerning Asher he said: “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.

May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and may your strength match your days.”

“There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.

The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’

So Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew.

Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho. And the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead as far as Dan,

all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,

the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar.

And the LORD said to him, “This is the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.”

So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said.

And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day knows the location of his grave.

Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished.

The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face—

no prophet who did all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent Moses to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his officials and all his land,

and no prophet who performed all the mighty acts of power and awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.