Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 31

7Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must enter, with this people, the land that God swore to their forefathers to give them. You must apportion it to the people as an inheritance.   זוַיִּקְרָ֨א משֶׁ֜ה לִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו לְעֵינֵ֣י כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ חֲזַ֣ק וֶֽאֱמָץ֒ כִּ֣י אַתָּ֗ה תָּבוֹא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַֽאֲבֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וְאַתָּ֖ה תַּנְחִילֶ֥נָּה אוֹתָֽם:
כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה - Onkelos translates this as: אֲרֵי אַתְּ תֵּעוֹל עִם עַמָּא הָדֵין – “for you will enter with this people” i.e., Moses said to Joshua: “The elders of the generation will be with you, meaning that they will assist you. Do everything according to their opinion and advice.” But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joshua: כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם “for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I have sworn to them,” 1 i.e., you will bring them, even against their will. Everything is dependent upon you. Take a stick and beat them over the head, if necessary. There is one leader for the generation, not two or more leaders for the generation.   כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה.  "אֲרֵי אַתְּ תֵּעוּל עִם עַמָּא הָדֵין": מֹשֶׁה אָמַר לוֹ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ זְקֵנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר יִהְיוּ עִמְּךָ, הַכֹּל לְפִי דַעְתָּן וַעֲצָתָן, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ "כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם" — תָּבִיא עַל כָּרְחָם, הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּךָ, טֹל מַקֵּל וְהַךְ עַל קָדְקֳדָן, דַּבָּר אֶחָד לְדוֹר וְלֹא שְׁנֵי דַבָּרִים לְדוֹר (סנהדרין ח'):
8God—He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear and do not be daunted.”   חוַֽיהֹוָ֞ה ה֣וּא | הַֽהֹלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא יִֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑ךָּ לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א וְלֹ֥א תֵחָֽת:
9Moses wrote down this entire Torah, and gave it to the priests as the representatives of the Levites, who carried the Ark of the Covenant of God, and to all the elders of Israel.   טוַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב משֶׁה֘ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּאת֒ וַיִּתְּנָ֗הּ אֶל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י הַנֹּ֣שְׂאִ֔ים אֶת־אֲר֖וֹן בְּרִ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֶל־כָּל־זִקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה וַיִּתְּנָהּ - Moses wrote…and gave it. i.e., when it was fully completed, he gave it to the priests as representatives of the members of his tribe.   וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה וַיִּתְּנָהּ.  כְּשֶׁנִּגְמְרָה כֻּלָּהּ נְתָנָהּ לִבְנֵי שִׁבְטוֹ (עי' ספרי דברים ל"ד):