The Meaning of Deuteronomy 31:19 Explained

Deuteronomy 31:19

KJV: Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

YLT: 'And now, write for you this song, and teach it the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths, so that this song is to Me for a witness against the sons of Israel,

Darby: And now, write ye this song, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

ASV: Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore write  ye this song  for you, and teach  it the children  of Israel:  put  it in their mouths,  that this song  may be a witness  for me against the children  of Israel. 

What does Deuteronomy 31:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 31:14-29 - The Charge To His Successor
Moses had already announced that Joshua would succeed him; but in view of the great difficulties which confronted the new leader, it was expedient that the guiding pillar should give him the symbol and pledge of God's endorsement.
Two other sources of their allegiance were proposed. First, a song. National songs lay hold on memory and have a powerful effect in stirring the deepest emotions. This song, composed under the divine impulse, embodied the substance of the preceding pleadings and exhortations, and was suitable to be taught to the generations that followed. Be sure that nothing more efficiently preserves religion than noble hymns! Learn and teach them! Secondly, the book. See Deuteronomy 31:24, etc. We have already heard of this. See Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:4-7. No doubt it was to this necessity of recording the Law and chronicling the story of the Exodus that we owe the origin of the sacred books which bear the name of Moses. See John 5:46. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 31

1  Moses encourages the people
7  He encourages Joshua
9  He delivers the law unto the priests to be read in the seventh year
14  God gives a charge to Joshua
19  and a song to testify against the people
24  Moses delivers the book of the law to the Levites to keep
28  He makes a protestation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 31:19 mean?

Therefore now write down for yourselves - song this and teach it to the sons of Israel put it in their mouths that may be for Me this a witness against the sons of Israel
וְעַתָּ֗ה כִּתְב֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־ הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְלַמְּדָ֥הּ בְּנֵי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שִׂימָ֣הּ בְּפִיהֶ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן תִּהְיֶה־ לִּ֜י הַזֹּ֛את לְעֵ֖ד בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וְעַתָּ֗ה  Therefore  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
כִּתְב֤וּ  write  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
לָכֶם֙  for  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַשִּׁירָ֣ה  song 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
הַזֹּ֔את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
וְלַמְּדָ֥הּ  and  teach  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
בְּנֵי־  to  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
שִׂימָ֣הּ  put  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
בְּפִיהֶ֑ם  in  their  mouths 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
לְמַ֨עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
תִּהְיֶה־  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִּ֜י  for  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
הַזֹּ֛את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְעֵ֖ד  a  witness 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
בִּבְנֵ֥י  against  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.