In this talk, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses a common question about the end of the Book of Deuteronomy, which concludes the five books traditionally attributed to Moses.

The final chapter includes the account of Moses’ death and how the people mourned him. Some wonder: Could Moses have written about his own death?

The answer, as the Pope explains, is no. Moses could not have written about events that occurred after his death. That section was written by Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ disciple and successor, who completed the story so that the record of Moses’ life would be continuous and complete.

These verses were later attached to Deuteronomy as part of the Torah’s unified narrative.

✝️ Summary:

• Moses wrote the majority of the first five books.

• Joshua son of Nun wrote the final part describing Moses’ death.

• This ensured the story of Moses ended in a complete and continuous way.