So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished,
Parallel translations
- WEB When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
- KJV And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
- BSB When Moses had finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end,
- NASB It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this Law in a book until they were complete,
- NLT When Moses had finished writing this entire body of instruction in a book,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses finishes writing all the words of the law in a book, completing the record. It matters because God's covenant instruction is preserved in a fixed, written form.
Overview
The completion of the written law marks a significant moment in the preservation of revelation. A permanent book guards the covenant against distortion and loss across generations. This commitment to written Scripture undergirds the church's confidence in a reliable record of God's word, which finds its fulfillment in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Deut 31:9Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, and to all the elders of Israel.
- Deut 17:18It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 31:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.