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Deuteronomy 31:16

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

And the LORD said to Moses, 'Look, you will die and be buried with your ancestors. After that, this people will turn away from me and chase after the false gods of the foreigners in the land where they're going to live. They will abandon me and break the agreement I made with them.'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is warning Moses that after his death, the Israelites will abandon their faith and worship the false gods of the nations they'll encounter in the Promised Land.

📚 Historical Context

In the historical context of Deuteronomy, Moses is at the end of his life, having led the Israelites through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, and is now preparing them to enter the Promised Land. God speaks to Moses in this verse to forewarn that after his death, the people will turn away from their covenant and worship the gods of the foreign nations they will encounter. This reflects the broader biblical narrative of Israel's ongoing struggle with idolatry, despite God's repeated demonstrations of faithfulness.

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