Daily Bible Nugget #221, Deuteronomy 31:11-13

The Nugget:

Deuteronomy 31:11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
Deuteronomy 31:12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:
Deuteronomy 31:13 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.

My Comment:

The Scriptures should be read publicly to all. The Bible is suitable for all age groups to hear. In the days of Moses not everyone knew how to read. But everyone could hear and come to understand God’s Word. Today we have a more complete Bible than Moses had because back then not all of the Bible had been written yet. In our day I would suggest people start with the New Testament. If a person is not familiar with the Bible, starting with the shortest Gospel account, the book of Mark, might be a good choice. One could start with the Gospel of John. One could have quite a ministry just reading the Bible to others. Read it to children. Read it to young people. Read it to adults of every age. Read it to senior citizens. I’ve done that in the past. I stopped on the way home from school and read from my pocket testament to the elderly at a rest home I passed daily. I have taken time in the past to read to elderly “shut ins” from our church. I’ve read the Bible to the blind. I’ve read the Bible chapter by chapter to young people. The Psalms make for good material to read to others. In any case, encourage others either to read the Bible for themselves, or read it to them if they wish.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on pages 211-212 for Deuteronomy 31:11-13.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 232 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Deuteronomy 31:11-13.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Deuteronomy 31:11. When all Israel. Le 9:5. to appear. Dt 16:16, 17. Ex 23:16, 17. 34:24. Ps 84:7. in the place. See on Dt 12:5, 11. 16:2, +Dt 16:6, +Dt 16:16. thou shalt read. Ex 24:7. Jsh 8:34, 35. 2 K 23:2. Ne 8:1-8, 13, 18. 9:3. 13:1. +%Mt 12:3. Lk 4:16, 17. Ac 13:15. 15:21. =Phil 2:16. =2 Tim 4:2. this law. +**Jsh 1:8. 2 K 17:37. +*2 Ch 17:9. before all Israel. Ex 24:7. **Ne 8:2. Ac 5:14.

Deuteronomy 31:12. Gather. ver. Dt 31:28. See on Dt 4:10. 29:10. Ge 49:1. Le 8:3. 20:8. Jsh 8:34, 35. *Ne 8:1-3. 2 K 23:2. men. Dt 6:6, 7. Ezr 10:1. *Ps 19:7-11. **Jn 5:39. Ac 5:14. **2 Tim 3:15-17. women and children. Their presence was not generally required at the three great festivals in the other six years (Young). Ex 10:9. Jsh 8:35. Mk 10:13. Lk 18:16. and thy stranger. Nu 9:14. Jsh 8:33. that they may. Dt 29:29. Ps 34:11-14. 78:6, 7. hear…learn. Since faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Ro 10:17. fear…observe to do. Reverence to God is the basis of obedience. this law. Evidently the Scriptures do not regard ignorance as the mother of devotion (Young).

Deuteronomy 16:13. their children. See on Dt 6:7. 11:2. Ex 10:9. **Ps 78:4-8. +*Pr 22:6. Ep 6:4. as long as ye live. Jsh 24:31.