1:1 These are the things¹ that Moses said to the assembly of Israel² in the Transjordan³ in the wastelands, the dry country opposite⁴ Suph,⁵ between⁶ Paran,⁷ Tophel,⁸ Laban,⁹ Hazeroth,¹⁰ and Di Zahab.¹¹ 1:2 (Now it is ordinarily an eleven day journey¹² from Horeb¹³ to Kadesh Barnea¹⁴ by way of Mount Seir.¹⁵) 1:3 However, it was not until¹⁶ the first day of the eleventh month¹⁷ of the fortieth year¹⁸ that Moses addressed the Israelites as the LORD had instructed him to do. 1:4 This took place after the defeat¹⁹ of Sihon,²⁰ king of the Amorites, whose capital was²¹ in Heshbon;²² and of Og, king of Bashan, whose capital was²³ in Ashtaroth,²⁴ specifically in Edrei.²⁵ 1:5 So, it was in the Transjordan, in Moab, that Moses began to deliver this instruction²⁶ as follows:

1:6 The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb and said,²⁷ “You have been²⁸ in the area of this mountain long enough. 1:7 Get up now,²⁹ resume your journey, heading for³⁰ the Amorite hill-country, to all its areas³¹ including the dry country, the highlands, the Shephelah,³² the Negeb,³³ and the sea shore—all of Canaan and Lebanon as far as Great River, that is, the Euphrates. 1:8 Look! I have already given over the land to you. Go, occupy the territory³⁴ that I³⁵ swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants.”³⁶ 1:9 Then I also said to you at that time, “I am no longer able to sustain³⁷ you by myself. 1:10 The LORD your God has increased your population³⁸ to the point that you are now as numerous as the very stars of the sky.³⁹ 1:11 Indeed, may the LORD, the God of your ancestors, make you a thousand times as many as you are now, blessing you⁴⁰ just as he said he would. 1:12 But how can I alone bear up under the burden of⁴¹ your hardship and strife? 1:13 Select wise and practical⁴² men, those known among your tribes, whom I may appoint as your leaders.” 1:14 You replied to me that what I had said to you was good; 1:15 So I chose⁴³ as your tribal leaders wise and well known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials. 1:16 I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they should pay attention to issues amongst your fellow citizens⁴⁴ and judge fairly,⁴⁵ whether between one citizen⁴⁶ and another⁴⁷ or a citizen and immigrant.⁴⁸ 1:17 They⁴⁹ must not discriminate in judgment but hear the little and great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.⁵⁰

1:18 Thus I instructed you at that time regarding everything you should do. 1:19 Then we struck out from Horeb and passed through all that immense, forbidding wilderness that you saw on the way to the Amorite hill-country as the LORD our God had commanded us to do, finally arriving⁵¹ at Kadesh Barnea. 1:20 Then I said to you, “You have come to the Amorite hill-country which the LORD our God is about to give us. 1:21 Look, he⁵² has set before⁵³ you the land. Go up, take possession of it just as the LORD, God of your ancestors, said to do. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” 1:22 So all of you approached me and said, “Let’s send some people ahead of us to scout out the land and bring us back word as to how we should go up and what the cities are like there.” 1:23 I thought this was a good idea⁵⁴ so I sent twelve men from among you, one from each tribe. 1:24 They left and ascended to the hill-country, coming to Wadi Eshcol⁵⁵ which they spied out. 1:25 Then they took some of the produce of the land and, carrying it back down to us, they also brought news that the land that the LORD our God was about to give us was good.

1:26 You were not willing to go up, however, but instead rebelled against the LORD your God. 1:27 You complained among yourselves⁵⁶ and said, “Because the LORD hated us he brought us from Egypt to deliver us over to the Amorites so that they could destroy us. 1:28 What is going to happen to us?⁵⁷ Our brothers have drained away our courage⁵⁸ by describing people who are more populous⁵⁹ and taller than we and great cities whose battlements appear to be as high as heaven itself. Moreover, they said they saw⁶⁰ Anakites⁶¹ there.” 1:29 So I responded to you, “Do not be so terrified⁶² of them. 1:30 The LORD your God is about to go up ahead of you; he will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt⁶³ 1:31 and in the desert where you experienced him⁶⁴ carrying you along like a man carries his son. This he did everywhere you went until you came to this very place.” 1:32 However, through all this you did not have confidence in the LORD your God, 1:33 the one who was constantly with you to find campsites for you and, by fire at night and cloud by day, to show you the way you ought to go.

1:34 When the LORD heard you,⁶⁵ he became angry and swore that 1:35 not a single person⁶⁶ of that evil generation would see the good land that he had pledged to give to their⁶⁷ ancestors. 1:36 The exception would be Caleb son of Jephunneh;⁶⁸ he would see it and he also would be given⁶⁹ the territory on which he had walked, as would his descendants, because he had wholeheartedly followed the LORD. 1:37 As for me, the LORD was also angry with me on your account. He said, “You also will not be able to go there. 1:38 However, Joshua son of Nun, your attendant,⁷⁰ will go. Encourage him, because he will enable Israel to inherit the land.⁷¹ 1:39 Also, your infants, who you thought would never make it,⁷² and your children, who as yet do not know good from bad,⁷³ will go there and I will give them the land and they will possess it. 1:40 But as for you, turn back and head for the desert by the way to the Reed Sea.”⁷⁴

1:41 Then you responded to me and admitted, “We have sinned against the LORD. We will now go up and fight as he⁷⁵ has told us to do.” So you each put on your war apparel and made as though you were going up to the hill-country. 1:42 But the LORD said to me to tell you not to go up and fight because he would not be⁷⁶ with you and the result would be defeat at the hands of⁷⁷ your enemies. 1:43 I therefore spoke to you but you did not listen. Instead you rebelled against the LORD⁷⁸ and recklessly ascended to the hill-country. 1:44 The Amorite inhabitants of that area⁷⁹ came out to meet you and chased you like a swarm of bees, striking you down from⁸⁰ Seir to Hormah.⁸¹ 1:45 Then you came back and wept before the LORD, but he⁸² paid no attention to you⁸³ whatsoever.⁸⁴ 1:46 Therefore, you remained at Kadesh for a long time;⁸⁵ indeed, for the full time.⁸⁶