Deuteronomy 31:6
in Deuteronomy 31Be 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them: for Jehovah thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 31
Commentary
4 notes on this verseBe strong - חזקו chizku, the same word that is used Exo 4:21 (note), Exo 9:15 (note), 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, 1Co 16:13: Στηκετε εν τῃ πιστει· ανδριζεσθε, κρατιουσθε: Stand firm in the faith; play the man - act like heroes; be vigorous.
This 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. Joshua 1:6-9 repeats them, and Hebrews 13:5 quotes the promise of verse 6 against the love of money.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Pay attention to what comes next: "Without love, a measure of money is sufficient for present needs, because he himself said, 'I will not forsake you; I will not desert you.' " "You were afraid of all kinds of evils, against which you were saving money; count me as your guarantor." That's what God says to you. God—not a man, not your equal or you yourself—says to you: "I will not forsake you; I will not desert you." If a person made such a promise, you would trust him. God makes it, and you hesitate? He made the promise, put it in writing, made out the bond; you needn't worry at all.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Be strong and of a good courage,....
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חִזְק֣וּ | chizku | be strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| וְאִמְצ֔וּ | veimtzu | and be bold | H553 → | 41 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּֽירְא֥וּ | tireu | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| וְאַל־ | veal- | and may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תַּעַרְצ֖וּ | taartzu | you be terrified | H6206 → | 15 times |
| מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם | mipeneihem | of <before> them | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כִּ֣י׀ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| ה֚וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ | haholekh | [is] the [one who] goes | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עִמָּ֔ךְ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַרְפְּךָ֖ | yarpekha | he will abandon you | H7503 → | 46 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ׃ פ | yaazveka | he will forsake you | H5800 → | 215 times |
חִזְק֣וּbe strong
chizkuH2388 →291 times
וְאִמְצ֔וּand be bold
veimtzuH553 →41 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּֽירְא֥וּyou be afraid
tireuH3372 →315 times
וְאַל־and may not
veal-H408 →724 times
תַּעַרְצ֖וּyou be terrified
taartzuH6206 →15 times
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑םof <before> them
mipeneihemH6440 →2123 times
כִּ֣י׀for
kiH3588 →4482 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
ה֚וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ[is] the [one who] goes
haholekhH1980 →1546 times
עִמָּ֔ךְwith you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יַרְפְּךָ֖he will abandon you
yarpekhaH7503 →46 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ׃ פhe will forsake you
yaazvekaH5800 →215 times
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
Isaiah 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
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.
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 43:1–2
Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your…
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Deuteronomy 31:6–8
Be 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.”
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Ephesians 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
it leads to
- Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 40:31
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.
- Genesis 28:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMONS 177.11; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.