The Assumption of Moses 11

1And when Joshua had heard the words of Moses, which were thus written in his writing, even all that he before had said, he rent his clothes and fell at his feet.

2And Moses exhorted him, and wept with him.

3And Joshua answered him and said:

4"Why comfortest thou me, Lord Moses, and how shall I be comforted, for that bitter word thou spakest, which hath gone forth from thy mouth, which is full of tears and groans, in that thou dost depart from this people . . .

5What place shall receive thee . . .

6Or what shall be the monument of thy sepulchre,

7Or who shall dare to bear thy body as that of a man from one place to another?

8For to all who die there are sepulchres on the earth according to their age; but thy sepulchre shall be from the rising sun to the setting and from the south to the bounds of the north, the whole earth shall be thy sepulchre.

9O My Lord, thou passest hence, and who shall feed this people,

10Or who is there to have pity on them, who to lead them in the way,

11Or to pray for them, not forbearing even for a single day, that I may bring them into the land of their forefathers?

12How shall I govern this people, even as a father his only son or a lady her virgin-daughter, prepared to be given to a husband, who feareth lest the sun light on her body, and lest she should run on the ground with unshod feet? . . .

13How shall I provide them with food and drink according to the pleasure of their will? . . .

14For of them there are 100,000 men, since to so great a number have they increased through thy prayers, my Lord Moses.

15And what wisdom or understanding have I to give judgement or to give answers by speech in the house (of the Lord)?

16Yea, and the kings of the Amorites, when they hear that we are attacking them, thinking that there is no longer among them a holy spirit manifold and incomprehensible, worthy of the Lord, the master of the Word, faithful in all things, the divine prophet of the earth, and the world's perfect teacher — no longer among them, will say: 'Let us go against them.

17If their enemies should once now do impious deeds against their Lord, they have no champion now to bear prayers on their behalf to the Lord, as was Moses the great messenger, who every hour by day and night had his knees fixed to the ground praying and beholding Him Who is omnipotent over the world in mercy and justice, reminding Him of the covenant of the fathers and by his oath propitiating the Lord.'

18For they will say: 'He is no more with them; let us go and confound them from off the face of the earth.'

19What then shall happen to thy people, my Lord Moses?"