Moses was now an old, old man. His wonderful life had been divided into three parts. First he had lived as Pharaoh’s grandson in the palaces of Egypt. Then he had worked as a shepherd in the wilderness. And the last part of his life he had spent among his own people, leading them from Egypt to the land that God promised to give them for their own.
And now, although Moses was very old, he still thought of the people—his people—and he asked God to set some other man before them, to lead them after he should die. For God had told him that soon he must die, as Aaron had died, and as all the old men had died who came out of Egypt.
And God chose a man to take Moses’ place. This man was Joshua, the one who had been with Moses on Mount Sinai and who had gone as one of the twelve spies from Kadesh into Canaan. Then, at God’s bidding, Moses took Joshua and set him before the high priest, Eleazar, and laid his hands upon him and gave him some important work to do. By these acts the people understood that Joshua was soon to take up the work that Moses had done as their leader.
At this time the Israelites were living in the land that they had taken from their enemies. This land was good for pasture, and the Israelites kept many cattle and sheep. The men of Reuben’s tribe and the men of Gad’s tribe were all keepers of cattle. When they saw the rich pasture-lands of this country, they asked Moses to give them homes on this side of the Jordan River instead of giving them a part of the land in Canaan. At first Moses did not want to do this; but when the men promised to help the other Israelites fight against their enemies in Canaan, Moses divided the land for them. He gave a part of it to each of these tribes and a part to half of the tribe of Manasseh.
After Moses had divided the country between these tribes, he called the people together and told them again about the words of command that God spoke to him on Mount Sinai. He told them many things that they needed to know before they should go into Canaan to live. He wrote all these words in a book called Deuteronomy, which is the fifth book in the Old Testament.
As the people listened to Moses’ words they knew he was soon going to leave them forever. They knew he had been a faithful leader, and that he had loved them as dearly as a father loves his own children. No doubt they felt sorry because the time was soon coming when he could be with them no more.
Then one day when Moses had ended his long farewell talk with the people he walked away from his tent and away out of the camp.
All alone he went, and the people stood watching him through their tears. They knew he was going away to die. But first he was going to see the land of Canaan, as God had promised him. Finally he came to Mount Nebo. Up and up he climbed over the rocks, and higher he went until the watchers on the plain could see him no more. Then he looked from the top of that high mountain, and God showed him the country where Abraham and where Isaac had lived and died. What a beautiful country it was! As Moses looked across its wooded hills and green valleys he thought of the time soon to come when Joshua should lead the Israelites—his people—into that promised land.
Then God closed the eyes of this faithful old man, and folded his hands across his breast and carried his spirit away to a better land than Canaan. And God buried Moses somewhere in the plain, but no one knew where God had made the grave.
Thus ended the life of one of the greatest men this world has known, the only man who ever talked face to face with God and whose face shone with God’s glory. And for thirty days the Israelites mourned and wept because their great leader had been taken away from them.