Deuteronomy 1

Moses begins his final series of speeches to the Israelites, reviewing their forty-year journey in the wilderness just before they cross the Jordan River. He recounts the early events, focusing on their failure at Kadesh Barnea: the people rebelled after hearing the negative report from the ten spies, leading to God’s judgment that the older generation would die outside the Promised Land. This opening speech serves as a solemn history lesson, reminding the new generation of the consequences of disobedience and lack of faith.