Deuteronomy 31:19
in Deuteronomy 31Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
KJV
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 31
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWrite ye this song - The song which follows in the next chapter. Things which were of great importance and of common concern were, among the ancients, put into verse, as this was found the best method of keeping them in remembrance, especially in those times when writing was little practiced. Even prose was sometimes sung. The history of Herodotus was divided into Nine books, and each inscribed with the name of one of the Nine Muses, because these books were anciently sung. Homer is reported to have sung his poems through different Greek cities.
This site's exposition
Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song
on Deuteronomy 31:19-21
The song is commissioned as evidence for a trial that has not opened. Verse 21 says why it will hold: “it will not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants”.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
), which would be such manifest indications of God's displeasure against them that they themselves would be constrained to own it: Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us? Those that have sinned away their God will find that thereby they pull all mischiefs upon their own heads.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Write this song - Which is contained chap. xxxii, 1-43, and is put into a song that it may be better learned, and more fixed in their minds and memories. Put it in their mouths - Cause them to learn it, and sing it one to another, to oblige them to more circumspection.
Now, therefore, write ye this song for you,....
The written word in general, as well as this song in particular, is a witness for God against all those that break covenant with him. It shall be for a testimony, Matt. xxiv. The wisdom of man has devised many ways of conveying the knowledge of good and evil, by laws, histories, prophecies, proverbs, and, among the rest, by songs; each has its advantages.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the Lord said unto Moses, . . . this people will rise up--In this remarkable interview, Moses was distinctly apprised of the infidelity of Israel, their corruptions of the true religion through intercourse with the idolatrous inhabitants of Canaan (Am 5:26), and their chastisements in consequence of those national defections.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֗ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| כִּתְב֤וּ | kitvu | write down | H3789 → | 224 times |
| לָכֶם֙ | lakhem | for <the> yourselves | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַשִּׁירָ֣ה | hashirah | the song | H7892 → | 59 times |
| הַזֹּ֔את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְלַמְּדָ֥הּ | velamedah | and teach it | H3925 → | 85 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנֵי־ | benei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| שִׂימָ֣הּ | simah | put it | H7760 → | 584 times |
| בְּפִיהֶ֑ם | befihem | in mouth their | H6310 → | 498 times |
| לְמַ֨עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| תִּהְיֶה־ | tihyeh- | it may become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִּ֜י | li | for <the> me | ||
| הַשִּׁירָ֥ה | hashirah | the song | H7892 → | 59 times |
| הַזֹּ֛את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| לְעֵ֖ד | leed | <into> a witness | H5707 → | 70 times |
| בִּבְנֵ֥י | bivnei | on [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְעַתָּ֗הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
כִּתְב֤וּwrite down
kitvuH3789 →224 times
לָכֶם֙for <the> yourselves
lakhem
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַשִּׁירָ֣הthe song
hashirahH7892 →59 times
הַזֹּ֔את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וְלַמְּדָ֥הּand teach it
velamedahH3925 →85 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּנֵי־[the] people of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
שִׂימָ֣הּput it
simahH7760 →584 times
בְּפִיהֶ֑םin mouth their
befihemH6310 →498 times
לְמַ֨עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
תִּהְיֶה־it may become
tihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לִּ֜יfor <the> me
li
הַשִּׁירָ֥הthe song
hashirahH7892 →59 times
הַזֹּ֛את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
לְעֵ֖ד<into> a witness
leedH5707 →70 times
בִּבְנֵ֥יon [the] people of
bivneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 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
Deuteronomy 6:7And 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.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
- Deuteronomy 4:9–10
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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- Psalms 78:4–6
We will not hide them from their children, but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
- 1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and…
- Deuteronomy 11:19
Through
Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
it leads to
- 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.
- Psalms 34:11
Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
- Isaiah 38:19
The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.
- Deuteronomy 6:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
On this verse
On this chapter
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.