Assumption of Moses 11:1-18

¹When Moses had finished the words of this writing to the very end, as are written in this book, he groaned deeply and wept.

²And Joshua the son of Nun fell at the feet of Moses and began to weep. And Moses took hold of his hand and raised him up and wept over him.

³And Joshua answered and said: Why do you weep? What have you lacked? Or in what way have you been unable to fulfill all things? Are you not the one who was faithful with all your house?

⁴Have you not been the leader and advocate of the people, in seasons of calamity and calm alike, in seasons of adversity and prosperity?

⁵Who has been more diligent in keeping the law and doing the will of God than you? Many kings have sat upon the throne of this nation.

⁶Was there ever one like you, who built for them an altar, according to the spiritual pattern which he had seen, and who offered upon it an offering of incense of sweet fragrance to the Lord?

⁷O Lord of the world, what will become of this people? Or who will be their leader? Or who will be their advocate? And who will pray for them, without ceasing even a single day?

⁸Who is there that will be their guide in this land where they are to dwell? Or who will teach them the works of your law which you have shown to me?

⁹Who will guide the nations and the rulers of the earth to set aside their sins before you?

¹⁰Who will speak for them when they transgress and do wrong, or when they forsake the covenant which you have made with their fathers?

¹¹Who will be able to intercede day by day, hour by hour, before you, O Lord?

¹²Who will be their guide in the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites?

¹³I am not worthy to lead them, for I am young and I do not know the way.

¹⁴And you, O Moses, are great and surpass the wisdom of all men. For your wisdom is greater than the wisdom of all men.

¹⁵With what confidence now will you leave them, or how will you abandon them?

¹⁶Or who is there that will teach them, and who is there that will lead them in the way of the commandments of God?

¹⁷Or who will pray for them as you have done until this hour?

¹⁸And Joshua wept with great weeping over the departure of Moses.