Deuteronomy 31:23

23 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun and told him, "Be confident and determined. You will lead the people of Israel into the land that I promised them, and I will be with you." ¹

Deuteronomy 31:23 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:23

And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge
It may be a question who gave this charge, the Lord or Moses; according to the connection of the words with the preceding, it seems to be the latter; for the immediate antecedent to the relative he is Moses, and so the Septuagint interpreters understand it; but then they are obliged to read some following clauses different from the original, as, instead of "I swear", they read "the Lord sware"; and the last clause they read, "and he shall be with thee"; but Aben Ezra gives the same sense without departing from the common and genuine reading, supposing that Moses gave the charge in the name and by the authority of the Lord; his words are,

``he gave charge by the commandment of the Lord, therefore he saith, "which I sware unto them";''

but it seems best to understand this of the Lord himself, since he ordered Moses and Joshua to present themselves before him, that he might give the latter a charge, ( Deuteronomy 31:14 ) ; and the language of the following clauses best agrees with him:

and said, be strong and of a good courage; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:6); (See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:7);

for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I
sware unto them; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:7);

and I will be with thee; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 31:8); the Targum of Jonathan is,

``my Word shall be thy help.''

Deuteronomy 31:23 In-Context

21 and many terrible disasters will come on them. But this song will still be sung, and it will stand as evidence against them. Even now, before I take them into the land that I promised to give them, I know what they are thinking."

22 That same day Moses wrote down the song and taught it to the people of Israel.

23 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun and told him, "Be confident and determined. You will lead the people of Israel into the land that I promised them, and I will be with you."

24 Moses wrote God's Law in a book, taking care not to leave out anything.

25 When he finished, he said to the levitical priests, who were in charge of the Lord's Covenant Box,

Cross References

• 1. 31.23Numbers 27.23;Joshua 1.6.