That very day there came to Moses the command, "Get thee up . . . unto Mount Nebo, . . . and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: and die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people." Moses had often left the camp, in obedience to the divine summons, to commune with God; but he was now to depart on a new and mysterious errand. He must go forth to resign his life into the hands of his Creator. Moses knew that he was to die alone; no earthly friend would be permitted to minister to him in his last hours. There was a mystery and awfulness about the scene before him, from which his heart shrank. The severest trial was his separation from the people of his care and love--the people with whom his interest and his life had so long 471 been united. But he had learned to trust in God, and with unquestioning faith he committed himself and his people to His love and mercy.

Samme dag fik Moses denne befaling: "Stig op på ... Nebobjerget ... og se ud over Kanaans land, som jeg vil give israelitterne i eje! Og så skal du dø på det bjerg, du bestiger, og samles til din slægt." Moses havde ofte forladt lejren for at tale med Gud, når Gud kaldte på ham, men denne gang gik han i et nyt og mærkeligt ærinde. Han skulle op og overgive sit liv i sin skabers hænder. Moses vidste, at han skulle dø alene. Ingen jordisk ven fik lov til at være hos ham i hans sidste timer. Der var noget mystisk og højtideligt over det, der ventede ham, og han veg tilbage for det. Det sværeste for ham var, at han skulle skilles fra det folk, som var genstand for hans omsorg og kærlighed - de mennesker, som han nærede så stor interesse for, og som han havde været knyttet til så længe. Men han havde lært at stole på Gud, og med usvækket tro overgav han sig selv og sit folk til hans kærlighed og nåde.