And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “I am one hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go out and come in. Yahweh has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’
- BSB he said to them, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’
- NKJV And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’
- NASB And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today; I am no longer able to go out and come in, and the Lord has told me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’
- NLT he said, “I am now 120 years old, and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan River.’
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
At 120 years old, Moses announces he will not lead them across the Jordan. God's purposes continue even as his servants pass on.
Overview
Moses acknowledges his age and his exclusion from entering Canaan, recalling God's earlier decree. His humble acceptance of God's will, even in personal disappointment, models submission to the Lord. The passing of Moses and the continuance of God's plan remind us that God's work does not depend on any one servant, but on the Lord who raises up successors and ultimately gives the true and eternal leader in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Deut 34:7And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
- Num 27:17Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
- 1 Kgs 3:7And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
- Num 20:12And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
- Deut 3:26–27But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
- Exod 7:7And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
- 2 Pet 1:13–14Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
- Deut 1:37Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.
- Josh 14:10–11And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
- Acts 20:25And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
- Acts 7:23And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
- Num 27:13–14And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
- Ps 90:10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
- Deut 32:48–52And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,
- 2 Sam 21:17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
- Deut 4:21–22Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:
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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 31:2 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
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