²⁶ “Take this Book of the Law. Place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. It will remain there as a witness against you. ²⁷ I know how you refuse to obey the Lord. I know how stubborn you are. You have refused to obey him while I’ve been living among you. So you will certainly refuse to obey him after I’m dead! ²⁸ Gather together all the elders of your tribes and all your officials. Bring them to me. Then I can speak these words to them. I can call for the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against them.