The Meaning of Deuteronomy 31:11 Explained

Deuteronomy 31:11

KJV: When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

YLT: in the coming in of all Israel to see the face of Jehovah in the place which He chooseth, thou dost proclaim this law before all Israel, in their ears.

Darby: when all Israel cometh to appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which he will choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their ears.

ASV: when all Israel is come to appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When all Israel  is come  to appear  before  the LORD  thy God  in the place  which he shall choose,  thou shalt read  this law  before all Israel  in their hearing. 

What does Deuteronomy 31:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 31:1-13 - The Great Lawgiver's Parting Instructions
This chapter is a link between sunset and sunrise. God buries His workers, but carries on His work. None are indispensable. Moses is succeeded by Joshua; Stephen by Paul. "The grass withereth"¦ but the word of our God shall stand forever."
The old Lawgiver passes on the assurances on which he had rested. After all, men are but the figureheads of movements which are greater than themselves. God goes before; God destroys; God accompanies and delivers. Let timid souls take courage. When the Good Shepherd puts them forth He precedes them, John 10:4; the iron gates stand open at His summons, and the big stones are rolled from the door of the sepulchers, Acts 12:10; Mark 16:3. "He will not fail thee," etc., reappears in Hebrews 13:5, as the right of all believers. It is for me and thee! [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 31:11 mean?

when comes all Israel to appear - before Yahweh your God in the place which He chooses you shall read law this before all Israel in their hearing
בְּב֣וֹא כָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֵרָאוֹת֙ אֶת־ פְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֑ר תִּקְרָ֞א הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את נֶ֥גֶד כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאָזְנֵיהֶֽם

בְּב֣וֹא  when  comes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  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.
לֵרָאוֹת֙  to  appear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
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.
פְּנֵי֙  before 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בַּמָּק֖וֹם  in  the  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
יִבְחָ֑ר  He  chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
תִּקְרָ֞א  you  shall  read 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
הַתּוֹרָ֥ה  law 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
הַזֹּ֛את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
נֶ֥גֶד  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  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.
בְּאָזְנֵיהֶֽם  in  their  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.