Deuteronomy 31:8
in Deuteronomy 31The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
KJV
And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
⋯
This verse in Deuteronomy 31
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them
on Deuteronomy 31:6-8
“Be strong and courageous” falls three times in this chapter, to the people at verse 6 and to Joshua at verses 7 and 23, and Joshua 1:6-9 repeats them. Hebrews 13:5 quotes the promise of verse 6 against the love of money. Moses charges Joshua before all Israel, so the nation watches the succession happen.
This site's exposition
The LORD Himself goes before you
Verse 6 told the people that the Lord goes with them, and here Joshua hears that the Lord goes before him. The leader of Israel is himself led. The same encouragement comes back to Joshua at Joshua 8:1, after the defeat at Ai.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee,....
He takes care for the keeping of these things always in their remembrance after his decease, 1. By the book of the law which was, (1.) Written. (2.) Delivered into the custody of the priests,
He gives him the same assurances of the divine presence, and consequently of a glorious success, that he had given the people. God would be with him, would not forsake him, and therefore he should certainly accomplish the glorious enterprise to which he was called and commissioned: Thou shalt cause them to inherit the land of promise.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord - doth go before thee - To prepare thy way, and to direct thee. He will be with thee - Accompany thee in all thy journeys, and assist thee in all thy enterprises. He will not fail thee - Thy expectation, however strong and extensive, shall never be disappointed: thou canst not expect too much from him.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיהוָ֞ה | vayahweh | and Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| ה֣וּא׀ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ | haholekh | [is] the [one who] goes | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְפָנֶ֗יךָ | lefaneikha | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| ה֚וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יִהְיֶ֣ה | yihyeh | he will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמָּ֔ךְ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַרְפְּךָ֖ | yarpekha | he will abandon you | H7503 → | 46 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַֽעַזְבֶ֑ךָּ | yaazveka | he will forsake you | H5800 → | 215 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִירָ֖א | tira' | you must be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תֵחָֽת׃ | techat | you must be dismayed | H2865 → |
וַֽיהוָ֞הand Yahweh
vayahwehH3068 →6520 times
ה֣וּא׀he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ[is] the [one who] goes
haholekhH1980 →1546 times
לְפָנֶ֗יךָ<to> before you
lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
ה֚וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יִהְיֶ֣הhe will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
עִמָּ֔ךְwith you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יַרְפְּךָ֖he will abandon you
yarpekhaH7503 →46 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יַֽעַזְבֶ֑ךָּhe will forsake you
yaazvekaH5800 →215 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִירָ֖אyou must be afraid
tira'H3372 →315 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תֵחָֽת׃you must be dismayed
techatH2865 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 8:31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
it leads to
- Psalms 118:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Jeremiah 1:19
They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 56:11
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- 1 John 4:4
You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Psalms 118:6
Through
Joshua 1:9Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
it leads to
- Genesis 28:15
Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what…
- Jeremiah 1:7–8
But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.
- Psalms 27:1–2
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Genesis 28:15
Through
Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Berean Standard Bible, Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 8:1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.