A Song for the Future: At the beginning of Chapter 31, we move finally to the “outer frame” of the book, composed of chapters 1–3 and 31–34. The links between the two sections are very clear, and they could be read together continuously. The common theme, especially at the “join” (cf. 3:21–28), is the commissioning of Joshua to lead the Israelites into the land, in view of the fact that Moses would not do so but would die outside it. However, whereas chapters 1–3 focus primarily on the past, chapters 31–34 shift to the future. Not just the immediate future is in mind, with the transfer of leadership and prospect of conquest, but the long-distance history of Israel is surveyed in the prophetic Song of Moses. This encapsulates a realistic and historically vindicated view of Israel’s unfaithf…