The big picture
Deuteronomy 34 opens in verse 1 with “And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man…”, and closes in verse 12 with “And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight…” Repeated or prominent terms include Moses, land, LORD, Israel, Moab. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Deuteronomy · King James Version · 12Deuteronomy 34:1-6
1–6: Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the…
Deuteronomy 34:1–6 opens with “And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that…” and reaches “And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 34 develops its own movement around Moses, land, LORD, Israel, Moab, with particular weight carried by land, LORD, Moab.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against…” Naming Dan and Gilead keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,” Naming Ephraim and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Deuteronomy 34:1-6
King James Version1And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
2And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
3And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
4And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD .
6And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
Deuteronomy 34:7-12
7–12: Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not…
Deuteronomy 34:7–12 opens with “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural…” and reaches “And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 34 develops its own movement around Moses, land, LORD, Israel, Moab, with particular weight carried by Moses, Israel, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for…” The number thirty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Deuteronomy 34:7-12
King James Version7And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
8And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
10And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
11In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,
12And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Deuteronomy 34:1 begins with “And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the…”
Where the chapter turns
Deuteronomy 34:6 forms a natural hinge: “And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.”
The final note
Deuteronomy 34:12 leaves the reader with “And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Moses, land, LORD, Israel, Moab, children help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How is religion misused in this chapter?
Circumcision is proposed deceptively to make the city vulnerable.
What later passage evaluates Simeon and Levi's violence?
Genesis 49:5-7 condemns their fierce anger and cruel wrath.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.