Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6. Be strong and of a good courage ] Cp. Deu 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 Deu 1:21 and below Deu 31:8). Deu 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 ] Deu 20:4; before thee, Deu 1:30. Sam. confirms Sg. The LXX has Pl.
fail thee ] let thee drop; Deu 4:31: not fail nor forsake thee, so Deu 31:8, Jos 1:5 (deuter.), 1Ch 28:20, Heb 13:5. Sg. is confirmed by Sam. LXX.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Be strong] chizku, the same word that is used Ex 4:21; Ex 9:15, for hardening Pharaoh’s heart. See the notes there. The Septuagint, in this and the following verse, have, , Play the man, and be strong; and from this St. Paul seems to have borrowed his ideas, 1Co 16:13: , : Stand firm in the faith; play the man – act like heroes; be vigorous.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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, 1Co 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 enemies, put them into the possession of their land, and settled them in it. This promise, though made to literal Israel, belongs to the spiritual Israel of God, and is made good to every true believer in the Lord; see Heb 13:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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 people were animated to the perseverance of hope, when God declares that He will be their helper even to the end, by which lesson that impious hallucination is refuted, whereby the Popish theologians have fascinated the world. They deny that believers (233) can be certain of God’s grace, except as to their present state. Thus do they hold faith in suspense, so that we may only believe for a day, and even from moment to moment, whilst we are in uncertainty as to what God will do with us on the morrow. Whereas, if faith corresponds with God’s promises, and is, as it were, in harmony with them, it must needs extend itself to our whole life, nay, even beyond death itself; for God removes all doubt as to the future by these words, “I will not leave thee nor forsake thee.”
(233) The dogmatical statement of this error is made in the decrees of the Council of Trent, Sessio vi. cap. Ix, “Contra inanem haereticorum fiduciam.” It is controverted by C. , Instit. Book iii. ch. ii. Section 40; in his “Antidote to the Council of Trent;” C. Soc. Edit., p. 125, and elsewhere.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
DISCOURSE: 228
MOSES ENCOURAGING ADDRESS TO ISRAEL
Deu 31:6. Be strong and of a good courage; fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
THE application of passages in the Old Testament to the Church at this time is thought by many to be an unwarrantable liberty, especially if those passages referred to any particular occasion, and still more if they primarily related to any particular individual. We are far from saying that great caution is not requisite on this head; but we feel no hesitation in affirming, that passages in the Old Testament, whether general or particular in their primary import, are applicable to the Church of God in all ages, as far as the situations and circumstances of the Church resemble that in former times: nay, we go further still, and affirm, that passages, which in their primary sense related only to temporal concerns, may fitly be applied at this time in a spiritual sense, as far as there exists a just analogy between the cases. We cannot have a stronger proof of this than in the words before us. They were first addressed by Moses generally to all Israel, when they were about to invade the land of Canaan. They were then addressed particularly to Joshua in the sight of all Israel [Note: ver. 8, 23.]: and they were afterwards again addressed to Joshua by God himself [Note: Jos 1:5; Jos 1:9.]. Now it might be asked, Have we any right to apply these words to the Church at this time? and may any individual in the Church consider them as addressed personally and particularly to himself? We answer, Yes; he may; and moreover may found upon them precisely the same conclusions as Israel of old did. For this we have the authority of an inspired Apostle; who, having quoted the words in reference to the whole Christian Church, adds, So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man shall do unto me [Note: Heb 13:5-6.]. Thus then are we warranted to address the words to you in relation to that warfare which you are to maintain against all the enemies of your salvation: and this we will proceed to do.
Brethren, we suppose you now in the state of Israel when addressed by Moses. And if, like Moses, we knew that the superintendence of your spiritual concerns was speedily to be devolved to another, and that this was the last time that we should ever address you, we could not do better than amplify and expand his ideas, contained in the words before us.
You, Brethren, are about to engage in a most arduous warfare
[The enemies of Israel were numerous and very powerful: they were men of gigantic stature, and they dwelt in cities walled up to heaven. There were no less than seven nations greater and mightier than Israel, and all these were confederate together for the defence of Canaan. But these were weak, in comparison of the Christians enemies. You, Brethren, have to conflict with the world and all its vanities, the flesh and all its corruptions, the devil and all his wiles. There is not any thing you see around you, which is not armed for your destruction: nor is there any thing within you which does not watch for an opportunity to betray your soul, and to inflict on it the most deadly wounds. Yet these enemies, notwithstanding their number and power, are quite overlooked by St. Paul, and counted as nothing, in comparison of those mighty adversaries, the principalities and powers of hell [Note: Eph 6:12.]. Their inconceivable subtlety, their invisible combination, their pre-eminent strength, their inveterate malignity, together with the easiness of their access to us at all times, render them formidable beyond measure; insomuch that if you had not an Almighty Friend to espouse your cause, you might well sit down in despair.]
In the prospect of this contest you are apt to indulge desponding thoughts
[Forty years before, the Israelites had refused to encounter their enemies, from an apprehension that they were invincible: and it is probable that they were not without their fears at this time. And what is it that at the present day deters multitudes from engaging in the spiritual warfare? is it not a fear that they shall not succeed? When we tell them that they must overcome the world, and mortify the flesh, and resist the devil, they reply, that these things are impossible; and that it is in vain to make such an impracticable attempt [Note: Jer 18:12.]. Even those who have fought well on particular occasions, are apt to faint, when their trials press upon them with more than usual weight: David himself yielded to unbelieving fears [Note: Psa 77:7-10.], and exclaimed in his haste, All men are liars [Note: Psa 116:11 with 73:13.]. Perhaps there is not one amongst us whose hands have not sometimes hanged down, and his knees been weary, and his heart faint; not one who has not needed, like St. Paul himself, some peculiar manifestations of God for his support [Note: Act 23:11.].]
But there is no real cause for discouragement to any of you
[It is alleged perhaps, that your enemies are mighty; but your Redeemer also is mighty; and if he be for you, who can be against you? If it be your own weakness that depresses you, only view it in a right light, and the most consolatory considerations will spring from it: for when you are weak, then are you strong; and the more sensible you are of your own insufficiency for any good thing, the more will God magnify his own power towards you, and perfect his own strength in your weakness. The peculiar appositeness of our text to all such cases is evident from the repeated application of it to persons under discouragement, and the blessed effects produced by it. We have already supposed the discouragement to arise from a view of duties impracticable, or of difficulties insurmountable: but, in the former case, David consoled Solomon [Note: 1Ch 28:20.], and, in the latter case, Hezekiah comforted the Jews [Note: 2Ch 32:6-8.], with the very address which we are now considering: a sure proof, that it contains a sufficient antidote against all disquieting fears, of whatever kind they be, and to whatever extent they may prevail.]
God promises to his people his presence and aid
[If he refused to go forth with you, you might well say with Moses, If thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence [Note: Exo 33:15.]. Even if he offered to send an angel with you, it would not be sufficient [Note: Exo 33:2.]. But he has promised to be with you himself, and to exercise all his glorious perfections in your behalf. As in the days of Joshua he sent his Son to be the Captain of the Lords host [Note: Jos 5:13-14.], so has he given him to be a Leader and Commander unto you [Note: Isa 55:4.]: by whom he says to you at this hour, Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Having then his wisdom to guide you, his arm to strengthen you, his power to protect you, what ground can you have for discouragement? If he be for you, who can be against you [Note: Rom 8:31.]?]
Nor will he ever fail you or forsake you
[There may be times and seasons when he may suffer you to be assaulted with more than usual violence; but he will never give you up into the hands of your enemy, or suffer you to be tempted above your strength: or if for gracious purposes he see fit to withdraw himself, it shall only be for a little moment, that he may afterwards the more visibly shew himself in your deliverance. Respecting this he engages in the strongest manner; and refers us to the rainbow in the heavens as an infallible pledge of his faithfulness and truth [Note: Isa 54:7-10.]. Created helps may fail us; but our God never will [Note: 2Ti 4:16-17.]; and you may be confident that, having begun a good work in you, he will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [Note: Php 1:6.]. The manner in which the Apostle quotes the words of our text, abundantly shews how assured he was that it should be fulfilled; for he uses no less than five negatives to express the idea with the utmost possible force, and then boldly draws the inference for us, that we have nothing to fear from our most inveterate enemies [Note: Heb 13:5-6.].]
Let these considerations then inspire you with confidence and joy
[Hear the animated exhortation which God himself gives you by the Prophet Isaiah; Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness [Note: Isa 41:10.]. If you reply, that there are mountains of difficulty before you, and you but as a worm to contend with them; then says God, Fear not, thou worm Jacob; behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff; thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel [Note: Isa 41:14-16.]. Who then art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and the son of man that shall be as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker [Note: Isa 51:12; Isaiah 13.]? All that you have to do is, to wait upon your God; and then, in spite of all your apprehensions of failure, or even of occasional defeats, you shall rise superior to your enemies, and be triumphant over them at last [Note: Isa 40:27-31.]. I say then to you in the words of our great Captain, Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom [Note: Luk 12:32.].]
Let the captives of Satan arise and assert their liberty
[Behold the kingdom of heaven is before you, that good land flowing with milk and honey: and will ye be content that your great adversary shall rob you of it without a struggle? Know that there is armour provided for you: and that if you go forth against him clad with it, you cannot but conquer. O enlist under the banners of the Lord Jesus, and go forth in his strength! fight a good fight; quit yourselves like men; be strong; and be assured, your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.]
Let the timid take courage, and return to the charge
[Think not of your own weakness, but of the Lords strength. Remember what he has done for his people in old time. Did not the walls of Jericho fall at the sound of rams horns? Was not Midian vanquished by a few lamps and broken pitchers? Did not Goliath fall by a sling and a stone? Ah! know that your enemies shall be like them, if only you will take courage. Resist the devil, and he shall flee from you. See what Joshua did to the five confederate kings [Note: Jos 10:24-25.]: thus shall you also do in due season; for the true Joshua has promised that he will bruise Satan under your feet shortly [Note: Rom 16:20.].]
Let the strong remember in whom their strength is
[Let not any think themselves so strong, but that they still need, even as Joshua himself did, a word of exhortation and encouragement. Be not self-confident even for a moment, lest God leave you to yourselves, and you be crushed before a moth. Peter will remind you how weak you are, if not upheld by God; and what Satan can accomplish, if permitted to sift you as wheat. Be not high-minded then, but fear: yet fear not others, but yourselves only. Be weak in yourselves, and strong in the Lord; and then you may dismiss every other fear, and already begin the shout of victory.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Ver. 6. He will not fall thee. ] Five times in holy Scriptures is this precious promise repeated; and in Heb 13:5 , made common to all believers, with a very deep asseveration.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Be strong, &c. Compare verses: Deu 31:7, Deu 31:23. Jos 1:6, Jos 1:9, Jos 1:18; Jos 10:25. 1Ch 22:13; 1Ch 28:20. 2Ch 32:7. Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4.
He will not fail, &c. Compare Deu 4:31. Jos 1:5. 1Ch 28:20. See note on Deu 4:31. This is the end of Moses’ seventh address.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Be strong: Deu 31:7, Deu 31:23, Deu 20:4, Jos 1:6, Jos 1:7, Jos 1:9, Jos 10:25, 1Ch 22:13, 1Ch 28:10, 1Ch 28:20, 2Ch 32:7, Psa 27:14, Isa 43:1-5, Hag 2:4, Zec 8:13, 1Co 16:13, Eph 6:10, 2Ti 2:1
fear not: Deu 1:29, Deu 7:18, Deu 20:1, Deu 20:3, Deu 20:4, Num 14:9, Psa 27:1, Isa 41:10, Isa 51:12, Luk 12:32, Rev 21:8
he will not fail: Deu 4:31, Jos 1:5, 1Ch 28:20, Isa 41:13-17, Heb 13:5
Reciprocal: Gen 15:1 – Fear Gen 28:15 – for I Num 13:20 – good courage Num 21:34 – Fear him Deu 31:8 – he will be Jos 6:27 – the Lord 2Sa 10:12 – Be of good 1Ki 2:2 – be thou 1Ki 6:13 – will not forsake 1Ki 8:57 – General 1Ch 19:13 – of good 2Ch 20:15 – Be not afraid Isa 43:2 – I will be Jer 1:8 – for I am Jer 30:10 – fear
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 31:6. Be strong In faith in God. He will not fail thee nor forsake thee Will not leave thee to thyself, but will be always present with thee to assist and make thee successful in thy undertakings. This promise, though made at this time particularly to Israel and Joshua, yet belongs to all believers, Heb 13:5.