Deuteronomy 31:9
in Deuteronomy 31So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and unto all the elders of Israel.
KJV
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 31
Commentary
7 notes on this verseMoses wrote this law - Not the whole Pentateuch, but either the discourses and precepts mentioned in the preceding chapters, or the book of Deuteronomy, which is most likely. Some of the rabbins have pretended that Moses wrote thirteen copies of the whole Pentateuch; that he gave one to each of the twelve tribes, and the thirteenth was laid up by the ark. This opinion deserves little credit.
This site's exposition
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests
on Deuteronomy 31:9-11
The law goes into writing and into two sets of hands, the priests who carry the ark and the elders. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown compare the two copies of a contract, one lodged for safekeeping and one left with the parties.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
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
Only they are here directed where to treasure up this precious original, not in the ark (there only the two tables were preserved), but in another box by the side of the ark. It is probable that this was the very book that was found in the house of the Lord (having been somehow or other misplaced) in the days of Josiah ( 2 Chron. xxxiv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And Moses wrote this law,....
Note, The church has received abundance of advantage from the writing, as well as from the preaching, of divine things; faith comes not only by hearing, but by reading. The same care that was taken of the law, thanks be to God, is taken of the gospel too; soon after it was preached it was written, that it might reach to those on whom the ends of the world shall come.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A 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.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Moshe commanded them, saying: After seven years have ended, on the holy day of the Sh’mittah year, during the Sukkos festival;
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
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב | vaiyikhto | and he wrote down | H3789 → | 224 times |
| מֹשֶׁה֮ | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַתּוֹרָ֣ה | hatorah | the law | H8451 → | 219 times |
| הַזֹּאת֒ | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּ | vaiyitenah | and he gave it | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֵוִ֔י | levi | Levi | H3881 → | 291 times |
| הַנֹּ֣שְׂאִ֔ים | hanoseim | who carry | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲר֖וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| בְּרִ֣ית | berit | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זִקְנֵ֖י | ziknei | [the] elders of | H2205 → | 178 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וַיִּכְתֹּ֣בand he wrote down
vaiyikhtoH3789 →224 times
מֹשֶׁה֮Moses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַתּוֹרָ֣הthe law
hatorahH8451 →219 times
הַזֹּאת֒<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּand he gave it
vaiyitenahH5414 →2011 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַכֹּהֲנִים֙the priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
לֵוִ֔יLevi
leviH3881 →291 times
הַנֹּ֣שְׂאִ֔יםwho carry
hanoseimH5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲר֖וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
בְּרִ֣ית[the] covenant of
beritH1285 →284 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
זִקְנֵ֖י[the] elders of
zikneiH2205 →178 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
John 1:45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:18–22
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
- Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days…
- Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
- Matthew 2:23
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
- Luke 24:44
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets,…
- Deuteronomy 18:18–22
Through
Numbers 4:15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.
- Numbers 7:9
But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
Through
Joshua 6:12Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 31:25
he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD:
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 31:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
On this chapter
About Deuteronomy
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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.