Deuteronomy 31:6

_THE LORD THY GOD, HE WILL GO OVER BEFORE THEE, AND HE WILL DESTROY THESE NATIONS FROM BEFORE THEE, AND THOU SHALT POSSESS THEM: AND JOSHUA, HE SHALL GO OVER BEFORE THEE, AS THE LORD HATH SAID._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

6_Be strong and of good courage. _After he had shown that God would be with them, for their help, he exhorts the people to firmness and magnanimity. And surely this is one means of confirming our courage, to be assured that the assistance which God promises will suffice for us: so far is it from being the case, that our zeal and energy in acting aright is impaired, by our ascribing to the grace of God what foolish men attribute to their own free will. For those who are aroused to strenuous action in reliance on their own strength, do no more than cast themselves headlong in their senseless temerity and pride. Let us understand, then, that all exhortations are fleeting and ineffective, which are founded on anything else but simple confidence in the grace of God. Thus Moses assumes, as his ground of exhortation, that God will fight for the Israelites. It must, however, be observed that the...

1-8 Moses assures Israel of the constant presence of God with them. This is applied by the apostle to all God's spiritual Israel, to encourage their faith and hope; unto us is this gospel preached, as well as unto them; he will never fail thee, nor forsake thee, Hebrews 13:5. Moses commends Joshua to them for a leader; one whose wisdom, and courage, and affection they had long known; one whom God had appointed to be their leader; and therefore would own and bless. Joshua is well pleased to be admonished by Moses to be strong and of good courage. Those shall speed well, who have God with them; therefore they ought to be of good courage. Through God let us do valiantly, for through him we shall do victoriously; if we resist the devil, he will flee from us....

Verse Deuteronomy 31:6. _BE STRONG_] חזקו _chizku_, the same word that is used Exodus 4:21; Exodus 9:15, for _hardening_ Pharaoh's heart. See the notes there. The Septuagint, in this and the following verse, have, Ανδριζου και ισχυε, _Play the man, and be strong_; and from this St. Paul seems to have borrowed his ideas, 1 Corinthians 16:13: Στηκετε εν τῃ πιστει· ανδριζεσθε, κρατιουσθε: _Stand firm in the faith; play the man _- act like heroes; _be vigorous_....

PART IV.—FAREWELL ADDRESS OF MOSES, WITH HIS PARTING SONG AND BENEDICTION. CHAPTERS 31-33. EXPOSITION _Moses _had now finished his work as the legislator and ruler and leader of Israel. But ere he finally retired from his place, he had to take order for the carrying forward of the work by the nomination of a successor to himself in the leadership; by committing the keeping of the Law to the priests; and by anew admonishing the people to obedience, encouraging them to go forward to the conquest of Canaan, animating them with the assurance of the Divine favor and blessing, and pronouncing on them his parting benediction. Deuteronomy

BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE,.... The Septuagint version is, "play the men, and be strong;'' be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, trusting and relying on him that goes before you; and so take heart, and be of good courage, and act the manly part; the apostle seems to refer to this passage, 1 Corinthians 16:13; FEAR NOT, NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM; their enemies, though so numerous, so mighty, and some of them of a gigantic stature, and their cities strong and well fenced: FOR THE LORD THY GOD, HE [IT IS] THAT DOTH GO WITH THEE: in comparison of whom, numbers of men, their strength of body, and fortified places, signify nothing: HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE; not fail to fulfil his promises to them, not leave them till he had given them complete victory over their enemi

III. THE FINAL WORDS OF MOSES AND THE VISION OF THE FUTURE 1. Moses' Final Charge, The Written Law Delivered, and Jehovah's Word to Moses CHAPTER 31 _ 1. The final charge of Moses (Deuteronomy 31:1)_ 2. The written law delivered (Deuteronomy 31:9) 3. Jehovah's word to Moses--Moses to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:14) 4. A prophecy (Deuteronomy 31:24) The final words of Moses to the people are full of tenderness and affection. There he stood, an hundred and twenty years old, a witness to the grace of His God. His eye was still the eye of youth, for it knew

DEUTERONOMY 31-34. Moses-' last words and the closing events of his life. The narrative parts (based on JE and in part on P) resemble chs. 1- 3, and are probably by the same author or compiler. Deuteronomy 32:1 (the Song of Moses) and Deuteronomy 33 (the Blessing of Moses) are independent pieces of unknown origin. DEUTERONOMY 31:1. See RV refs. for parallel passages. Deuteronomy 31:1. Read (with LXX), And when Moses had finished speaking these words, etc. Deuteronomy 31:7. go with: read (with Sam. Syr., Vulg., and two Heb. MSS), bring, as in...

BE STRONG, &C. Compare verses: Deuteronomy 31:7; Deuteronomy 31:23.Joshua 1:6; Joshua 1:9; Joshua 1:18; Joshua 10:25; 1 Chronicles 22:13; 1 Chronicles 28:20; 2 Chronicles 32:7;...

_Be strong and of a good courage_ Cp. Deuteronomy 3:28: _encourage and strengthen him_(causative forms of the same vbs.). _fear not, nor be affrighted_ The phrase usual with Pl. passages (for the corresponding Sg. see Deuteronomy 1:21 and below Deuteronomy 31:8). Deuteronomy 1:29 takes these vbs. in the reverse order. The Pl. in this part of the _v_. is confirmed by Sam. The LXX has Sg. _per incuriam_. _doth go with thee_ Deuteronomy 20:4; _before thee_,...