Deuteronomy 31:13

Then 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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab just before they cross the Jordan to possess the land. He commands the current generation to gather their children and the foreigners so the next generation may hear the law.

The words — The phrase וּ/בְנֵי/הֶ֞ם (u./ve.nei./Hem) translates literally as "and their children," while יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ (yish.me.'U) means "they will hear." These terms establish that those who have not yet known the law must actively listen to its instruction.

The thread — The mandate to instruct the next generation appears in Deuteronomy 6:7, where parents are commanded to teach the words diligently to their children. It connects to Deuteronomy 11:2, which distinguishes the current generation from those who have not witnessed God's discipline, and Psalm 78:4, which commits to declaring God's might to their children.

Why it lands — The text requires the older generation to deliberately assemble and teach those who lack direct covenant experience. It demands that reverence for God be transmitted through explicit instruction rather than assumed inheritance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּבְנֵיהֶ֞םu./ve.nei./Hemand/ children/ their אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwho לֹֽא־lo'-not יָדְע֗וּya.de.'Uthey have known יִשְׁמְעוּ֙yish.me.'Uthey will hear וְלָ֣מְד֔וּve./La.me.Duand/ they will learn לְיִרְאָ֖הle./yir.'Ahto/ fear אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your כָּל־kol-all הַיָּמִ֗יםhai./ya.Mimthe/ days אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich אַתֶּ֤ם'a.Temyou חַיִּים֙chai.Yim[will be] alive עַל־'al-on הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha./'a.da.Mahthe/ land אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhere אַתֶּ֜ם'a.Temyou עֹבְרִ֧ים'oe.Rim[are] about to pass over אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ןhai./yar.Denthe/ Jordan שָׁ֖מָּהSha.ma/hthere/ towards לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ פle./rish.Ta/hto/ take possession of/ it

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 11:2 Know this day that it is not your children who have known and seen the discipline of the LORD your God: His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm;
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 78:4 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.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Places named

Jordan