Public Reading of the Law
Deuteronomy 31:9-13
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Deu.31.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויכתב: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- התורה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
- ויתנה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- הכהנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- לוי: PROPN,m,sg
- הנשאים: ADJ,ptcp,qal,pres,m,pl,def
- את: PRT,acc
- ארון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ברית: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ואל: CONJ+PREP
- כל: DET
- זקני: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Deut.31.24-26 (quotation): Same scene continued — Moses finishes writing the law, and commands that the Book of the Law be placed beside the ark and entrusted to the Levitical priests (direct parallel and immediate literary continuation).
- Exod.24.4 (verbal): Moses 'wrote down all the words of the LORD' — parallel wording and motif of Moses writing God's law for the community.
- Exod.24.7 (verbal): 'He took the Book of the Covenant and read it' — the notion of a written covenant/torah document being read and made authoritative before the people echoes Deut.31.9's handing over of the written law.
- 2 Kings 22:8-10 (allusion): Discovery and handling of a Book of the Law by temple priests (Hilkiah) and its transfer within the religious-political leadership echoes the theme of priests/officials bearing responsibility for the text and its custody.
- Josh.8:34-35 (structural): Public reading of 'all the words of the law' to the people after conquest — parallels the institutionalizing of the written law and its promulgation to Israel's leaders and community.
Alternative generated candidates
- Moses wrote this Torah and delivered it to the priests, the Levites who bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- And Moses wrote this Torah and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
Deu.31.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויצו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אותם: PRON,3,m,pl,obj
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- מקץ: PREP
- שבע: NUM,card
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- במעד: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שנת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- השמטה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- בחג: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הסכות: NOUN,f,pl,def
Parallels
- Deut.31:11-13 (structural): Immediate literary continuation: explains the purpose of assembling at the Feast of Booths in the shemitah year—public reading of the law to all Israel.
- Deut.15:1-2 (verbal): Explicit law of the release (shemitah) every seven years; shares the same legal institution and terminology ('at the end of seven years').
- Leviticus 25:4 (verbal): Command that the land observe a sabbath every seven years; parallels the shemitah concept invoked in Deut 31:10.
- Leviticus 23:39-43 (thematic): Description and timing of the Feast of Booths (Sukkot); provides the cultic context for the assembly named in Deut 31:10.
- Nehemiah 8:1-8 (allusion): Narrative of Ezra publicly reading the Law to the gathered people during the Feast of Booths—an enacted fulfillment of Deut's instruction to read the Torah at Sukkot.
Alternative generated candidates
- Moses commanded them, saying, "At the end of seven years, at the appointed time—the year of release—at the Feast of Booths,
- And Moses commanded them, saying, "At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time—in the year of release—at the Festival of Booths,
Deu.31.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בבוא: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לראות: VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיך: NOUN,m,sg,prsuf-2ms
- במקום: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יבחר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- תקרא: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- התורה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
- נגד: PREP
- כל: DET
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- באזניהם: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs+3mp
Parallels
- Joshua 8:34-35 (structural): Public reading of 'the book of the law' before all Israel at the assembly—same ritual act of proclaiming the Torah before the people.
- 2 Kings 23:1-3 (verbal): King Josiah reads the book of the covenant 'in the hearing of all the people' and publicly enforces covenantal obligations, echoing Deut's command for a communal hearing.
- Nehemiah 8:1-8 (structural): Ezra publicly reads and explains the Law 'so that the people understood the reading,' paralleling the assembly-wide public proclamation and instruction prescribed in Deut 31:11.
- Deutitus 17:18-20 (thematic): Instruction that the king must keep and read 'this law' continuously so he may learn to fear the LORD—reflects the broader Deuteronomic concern for public and continual exposure to the law.
Alternative generated candidates
- when all Israel come to appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses, read this Torah aloud before all Israel in their hearing.
- when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place that he will choose, you shall read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing.
Deu.31.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הקהל: NOUN,m,sg,def
- את: PRT,acc
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- האנשים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- והנשים: CONJ+NOUN,f,pl,def
- והטף: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- וגרך: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs-2ms
- אשר: PRON,rel
- בשעריך: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs-2ms
- למען: PREP
- ישמעו: VERB,qal,imf,3,mp
- ולמען: CONJ+PREP
- ילמדו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- ויראו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיכם: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,pl
- ושמרו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לעשות: VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- התורה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
Parallels
- Deut.31:10-13 (structural): Immediate context: the command to assemble all groups (men, women, children, and strangers) and have the law read so they may hear, learn, fear the LORD, and obey — this verse is part of this pericope.
- Joshua 8:34-35 (verbal): Joshua reads 'all the words of the law' before the whole assembly, including women, little ones, and the strangers among them — near-verbatim echo of Deut.'s public-reading formula.
- Nehemiah 8:2-3,8,12 (thematic): Ezra and the Levites publicly read and explained the law to 'men and women and all who could understand' so the people could hear, learn, and respond with understanding and joy — echoes Deuternomic concern for communal hearing and instruction.
- 2 Kings 23:2-3 (thematic): King Josiah reads the Book of the Covenant to all the people and enters into a covenant before the LORD — a royal enactment of public reading and collective obedience called for in Deut. 31:12.
Alternative generated candidates
- Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the resident alien within your gates—so that they may hear, that they may learn, that they may fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this Torah.
- Assemble the people—the men, the women, the children, and the resident alien within your gates—so that they may hear and learn and revere the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this Torah.
Deu.31.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ובניהם: NOUN,m,pl,abs,3mp
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לא: PART_NEG
- ידעו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- ישמעו: VERB,qal,imf,3,mp
- ולמדו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- ליראה: VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיכם: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,pl
- כל: DET
- הימים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
- חיים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- על: PREP
- האדמה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
- עברים: PART,qal,ptc,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- הירדן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- שמה: ADV
- לרשתה: INF,qal,3,f,sg
Parallels
- Deut.4:9-10 (verbal): Speaks of guarding yourselves and your children who have not known, and of teaching them—language and concern for future generations closely parallel to Deut 31:13.
- Deut.6:7 (verbal): Commands parents to teach God’s words diligently to their children—direct instruction about intergenerational instruction and fearing Yahweh echoes Deut 31:13.
- Deut.11:19 (thematic): Commands that the words be taught to your children so they may fear the LORD—same pedagogical purpose and covenantal continuity as Deut 31:13.
- Psalm 78:6-7 (thematic): Explains that stories are told to the coming generation so children who do not know will rise up and put their hope in God—thematises the same concern for children’s knowledge and fear of God.
- Joshua 4:6-7 (structural): Uses public memorials so that when children ask in future they may be told about God's deeds—a structural device ensuring future generations learn like the assembly described in Deut 31:12–13.
Alternative generated candidates
- And their children who do not yet know shall hear and learn to fear the LORD your God all the days that you live on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
- And their children, who have not known, shall hear and learn to revere the LORD your God all the days that you live on the land to which you are crossing the Jordan to possess it."
Moses wrote down this Torah and entrusted it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
Moses charged them: At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of release, at the Feast of Booths.
When all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this Torah aloud before all Israel in their hearing.
Assemble the people—men and women, the children and the sojourner within your gates—so that they may hear, and so that they may learn, and so that they may fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this Torah. And their children, who have not known, shall listen and learn to fear the LORD your God all the days that you live upon the land which you are crossing the Jordan to possess there.