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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Loth to part (we say) bids oft farewell. Moses does so to the children of Israel: not because he was loth to go to God, but because he was loth to leave them, fearing that when he had left them they would leave God. He had finished what he had to say to them by way of counsel and exhortation: here he calls them together to give them a word of encouragement, especially with reference to the wars of Canaan, in which they were now to engage. It was a discouragement to them that Moses was to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 31:3

The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee ,.... This he said to encourage the people of Israel; that though he should die, and not go over with them, their ever living and true God, the great Jehovah, the Lord of hosts, he would go before them, and fight their battles for them; so that they had nothing to fear from their enemies: and he will destroy those nations from before thee ; the seven nations which then inhabited the land: and thou shalt possess them ; their countries,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 31:4

And the Lord shall do unto them as he did unto Sihon, and to Og, kings of the Amorites ,.... Deliver them up into their hands; see the history of this in Numbers 21:10 , and unto the land of them whom he destroyed ; put them into the possession of the land of Canaan, as they were now in possession of the land of those two kings he destroyed by them. This instance is given to encourage their faith, assuring them that what had been done to them would be done to the Canaanitish kings, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 31:5

And the Lord shall give them up before your face ,.... To ruin and destruction; the Targum of Jonathan is,"the Word of the Lord shall deliver them up:" that ye may do unto them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you ; that is, utterly destroy them, make no covenant with them, enter into no alliances nor contract any marriages with them; but demolish their altars, cut down their groves, and break their images in pieces; of which last Aben Ezra interprets the words;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 31:6

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 31:3

Joshua, he shall go over before thee - See on Numbers 27:17 ; (note), etc. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong - חזקו chizku , the same word that is used Exodus 4:21 ; (note), Exodus 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, 1 Corinthians 16:13 ; : Στηκετε εν τῃ πιστει· ανδριζεσθε, κρατιουσθε : Stand firm in the faith; play the man - act like heroes; be vigorous. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 31:3

Verse 3 3The Lord thy God, he will go over. By no ordinary consolation does he encourage their minds to renewed alacrity, because they should experience, even when he was dead, the unceasing favor of God. Hence we gather a lesson of especial usefulness, that whenever God raises up to us men endowed with excellent gifts, He is wont so to make use of their labors for a time, as still to retain others in His hand, and constantly to substitute others, unless our sins stand in the way. Hence it... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 31:4

Verse 4 4And the Lord shall do unto them. He promises that, when they shall come into the land of Canaan, they shall be conquerors of all its nations: and this he confirms by experience; for, as God had delivered Sihon king of the Arnorites, and Og king of Bashan, into their hands, so also He would give them the same success in subduing their other enemies. The world is indeed subject to many revolutions, but God still remains like Himself, not only because His counsel is never changed, but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 31:6

Verse 6 6Be 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... read more

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