Deuteronomy 31:12

Verse

Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and to follow carefully all the words of this law.

American Standard Version (1901)

Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and thy sojourner that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Jehovah your God, and observe to do all the words of this law;

Bible in Basic English

Make all the people come together, men and women and children, and anyone from another country who is with you, so that hearing they may become wise in the fear of the Lord your God, and take care to do all the words of this law;

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the people being all assembled together, both men and women, children and strangers, that are within thy gates: that hearing they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and keep, and fulfill all the words of this law:

Free Bible Version

Have the people gather together—the men, women, children, and the foreigners living with you—so that they can listen and learn to respect the Lord your God and to carefully observe all the instructions of this law.

Geneva Bible 1599

Gather the people together: men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may heare, and that they may learne, and feare the Lord your God, and keepe and obserue all the wordes of this Lawe,

King James (Authorized) Version

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:

One Unity Resource Bible

Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may sh'ma ·hear obey·, and that they may learn, and fear Adonai your God, and observe to do all the words of this Torah ·Teaching·;

Translation for Translators

Gather together everyone—men, women, children, even the foreigners who are living in your towns—in order that they may hear these laws and learn to revere Yahweh our God, and to faithfully obey everything that is written in these laws.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Assemble the people, the men, the women, and the little ones, and your foreigner who is within your city gates, so that they may hear and learn, and so that they may honor Yahweh your God and keep all the words of this law.

Noah Webster Bible

Convene the people, 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:

World English Bible

Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,

Young's Literal Translation

'Assemble the people, the men, and the women, and the infants, and thy sojourner who [is] within thy gates, so that they hear, and so that they learn, and have feared Jehovah your God, and observed to do all the words of this law;

Context

The Reading of the Law

¹¹when all Israel comes before the LORD your God at the place He will choose, you are to read this law in the hearing of all Israel.¹²Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and to follow carefully all the words of this law.¹³Then 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.”

Summary

In this verse, Moses instructs the people of Israel to gather together every seven years to hear the reading of the Law. This practice was crucial for ensuring that the Israelites remained faithful to God's commandments and teachings. By regularly hearing and reflecting on God's Word, the people would be reminded of their covenant relationship with Him and be encouraged to walk in obedience. This communal gathering also fostered unity, accountability, and a sense of shared responsibility among the Israelites in upholding God's laws.

Commentary

John Gill
Tyndale

John Gill Bible Commentary

And that their children, which have not known anything,.... Of God and of his law and of their duty to God, to their parents, and the rest of their fellow creatures: may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God; hear the law of God, learn the meaning of it, and so be brought up in the fear, nurture, and admonition of the Lord, and serve him their Creator in the days of their youth: as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it; this being a means to continue the fear, service, and worship of God in their posterity, and so of their long continuance in the land of Canaan.