1 Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is opposite Jericho. Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilead to Dan,
2 and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the Western Sea,
3 and the south, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, to Zoar. Notesn1 or, Negev
4 Yahweh said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.”
Note · Deutéronome 34.1–4
La vue du pays garde ensemble promesse et limite
Le panorama relie la fin de Moïse à la promesse faite aux ancêtres. Voir n’est pas posséder, et l’histoire de Dieu avec le peuple ne se ferme pas sur cette limite personnelle. Le texte ne suggère pas que tout serviteur fidèle devrait obtenir de son vivant une réalisation complète de ce qu’il a espéré.
5 So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to Yahweh’s word.
6 He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor, but no man knows where his tomb is to this day.
7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his strength gone.
8 The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.
Note · Deutéronome 34.5–8
La mort du chef laisse une place au deuil
La sépulture demeure inconnue et le peuple pleure Moïse. Le récit ne demande pas de nier l’attachement pour avancer. Le lieu non identifié interdit aussi au lecteur de prétendre localiser avec certitude la tombe à partir de ce passage ; la mémoire transmise ne dépend pas ici de l’accès à un monument.
9 Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. The children of Israel listened to him, and did as Yahweh commanded Moses.
10 Since then, there has not arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face,
11 in all the signs and the wonders which Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,
12 and in all the mighty hand, and in all the awesome deeds, which Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Note · Deutéronome 34.9–12
La succession ne supprime pas la singularité de Moïse
Josué reçoit l’écoute du peuple, tandis que les dernières lignes soulignent la relation exceptionnelle de Moïse à Dieu et les signes de l’Exode. L’affirmation porte la marque d’un regard ultérieur. Le livre s’achève sur cette reconnaissance, avant que Josué ouvre une nouvelle étape : continuer ne signifie pas effacer celui qui est mort.