Deuteronomy 34
1 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 land of Gilead, unto Dan,
2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
4 And 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.
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
6 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.
7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
8 And 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.
9 And 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.
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
11 In 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,
12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.
World Behind This Chapter
Explore the people, places, language, history, and material world connected to Deuteronomy 34.
Where is Mount Nebo / Pisgah?
The broad region east of the Dead Sea is well known and Mount Nebo has a long traditional identification, but the precise viewpoint intended by every biblical use of Pisgah is not fully secure.
Why is Moses’ burial place unknown?
The chapter explicitly says no one knew his grave. Later traditions proposed locations, but the biblical text itself closes the question rather than identifying a shrine.
Why is Moses said to be 120 years old?
The age creates a three-part life span remembered elsewhere in biblical tradition. The chapter emphasizes that his eyesight and vitality had not failed despite his age.
WORTH A CLOSER LOOK
The view from Mount Nebo
The traditional Mount Nebo ridge in western Jordan overlooks the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley. The landscape clarifies the geographical setting of Deuteronomy 34 while the exact relationship between biblical Pisgah and particular modern summits remains a separate question.
View the mapResearch PathsCurated links for exploring this chapter 3
Maps & Timeline1
- Moses Went Up to Mount NeboClaude Mariottini
Readable geographic discussion of Mount Nebo, Pisgah, Moab, Abarim, Jericho, and the land Moses views in Deuteronomy 34; useful map/geography context without a paywall or download.
Language & Literature1
- Deuteronomy 34 Hebrew TextSefaria
Hebrew/English text for Mount Nebo, Pisgah, Moab, Moses’ death, unknown burial place, mourning, Joshua, and prophetic comparison language.
Artifacts & Manuscripts1
- Memorial Church of Moses, Mount NeboMadain Project
Alternative to the Wikipedia Mount Nebo link; visual and archaeological context for the Byzantine Memorial Church of Moses on Mount Nebo, useful for the later reception and memorialization of the Deuteronomy 34 location.
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