Deuteronomy 31:13
in Deuteronomy 31Then their children who do not know the law will listen and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Jehovah your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.
KJV
And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 31
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It was usual in cases of public or private contract for two copies of the engagement to be made--one to be deposited in the national archives or some secure place for reference, should occasion require. The other was to remain in the hands of the contracting parties (Jer 32:12-14). The same course was followed on this renewal of the covenant between God and Israel.
This site's exposition
Assemble the people
on Deuteronomy 31:12-13
The gathering names men, women, children and “the foreigners within your gates”, so the hearing reaches past the men at the feast. Verse 13 gives the reason for the interval, that “their children who do not know the law” hear it before they are grown. Wesley has it read by priests and Levites in several assemblies at once, since one voice could not reach a nation.
This site's exposition
their children who do not know the law
The public reading adds to the teaching at home that 6:7 and 11:19 lay on every parent, and John Wesley notes that devout families read the law daily in their houses. The reading was to last as long as Israel lived in the land. Hearing the law and holding the land go together.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Moses gives the law to the Levites to lay up beside the ark, and bids them assemble the people to hear his song, ver. 24-30. Commentary on Chapter XXXI 1. Went and spake - Continued to speak, an usual Hebrew phrase.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-24-anchored-9-13
And that their children, which have not known anything,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
THAT THEY MAY HEAR, AND THAT THEY MAY LEARN — that is, the men and the women [mentioned in the first part of the verse], for the women, too, heard and learned to fear the Eternal.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
THAT I MAY GIVE HIM [Joshua] A CHARGE. “This means that I may exhort him.” This is Rashi’s language. But there is no need for this, because G-d’s statement [to Joshua] for thou shalt bring [ the children of Israel into the Land ] 16 Further, Verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵיהֶ֞ם | uveneihem | and children their | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדְע֗וּ | yadeu | they have known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ | yishmeu | they will hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| וְלָ֣מְד֔וּ | velamedu | and they will learn | H3925 → | 85 times |
| לְיִרְאָ֖ה | leyirah | to fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם | ʾeloheikhem | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיָּמִ֗ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אַתֶּ֤ם | ʾatem | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| חַיִּים֙ | chaiyim | [will be] alive | H2416 → | 498 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה | haadamah | the land | H127 → | 225 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אַתֶּ֜ם | ʾatem | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עֹבְרִ֧ים | ʾoerim | [are] about to pass over | H5674 → | 556 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| שָׁ֖מָּה | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
| לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ פ | lerishtah | to take possession of it | H3423 → | 231 times |
וּבְנֵיהֶ֞םand children their
uveneihemH1121 →4930 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָדְע֗וּthey have known
yadeuH3045 →945 times
יִשְׁמְעוּ֙they will hear
yishmeuH8085 →1159 times
וְלָ֣מְד֔וּand they will learn
velameduH3925 →85 times
לְיִרְאָ֖הto fear
leyirahH3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑םGod your
ʾeloheikhemH430 →2601 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיָּמִ֗יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אַתֶּ֤םyou
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
חַיִּים֙[will be] alive
chaiyimH2416 →498 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הthe land
haadamahH127 →225 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhere
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אַתֶּ֜םyou
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
עֹבְרִ֧ים[are] about to pass over
ʾoerimH5674 →556 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
שָׁ֖מָּהthere towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ פto take possession of it
lerishtahH3423 →231 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 6:7
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 3:15
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Genesis 18:19
For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that…
- Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as…
- Ephesians 6:4
Through
Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:21
Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.
- Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
- Proverbs 29:15
A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
- Colossians 3:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Berean Standard Bible, Deuteronomy 6:7; 11:19; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.