Read Verse Keyword Strong's
Prev

Deuteronomy 7:19

Next

The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.

The great {H1419} temptations {H4531} which thine eyes {H5869} saw {H7200}, and the signs {H226}, and the wonders {H4159}, and the mighty {H2389} hand {H3027}, and the stretched out {H5186} arm {H2220}, whereby the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} brought thee out {H3318}: so shall the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} do {H6213} unto all the people {H5971} of whom thou art afraid {H3373}{H6440}.

the great ordeals which you yourself saw, and the signs, wonders, strong hand and outstretched arm by which ADONAI your God brought you out. ADONAI will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

the great trials that you saw, the signs and wonders, and the mighty hand and outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.

the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby Jehovah thy God brought thee out: so shall Jehovah thy God do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid.

Commentary

Deuteronomy 7:19 is a powerful verse of encouragement and a reminder of God's unwavering faithfulness to His people. Moses, addressing the Israelites on the brink of entering the Promised Land, uses their collective memory of divine intervention to bolster their courage against future adversaries.

Context of Deuteronomy 7:19

This verse is found within Moses' second major discourse to the Israelites in the plains of Moab, just before they cross the Jordan River into Canaan. Chapter 7 emphasizes God's command to destroy the idolatrous nations inhabiting the land, a daunting task that would naturally provoke fear among the Israelites. To counteract this fear, Moses reminds them of the Lord's past mighty acts of deliverance. He recalls the "signs, and the wonders", referring to the miraculous plagues and events that led to their liberation from Egyptian bondage, setting the stage for the promise that God would do the same for them against their new enemies.

Key Themes and Messages

  • God's Past Faithfulness as a Guarantee for the Future: The core message is that God's consistent character and past actions are a reliable indicator of His future intentions. The "great temptations" (trials) and "signs, and wonders" witnessed during the Exodus serve as undeniable proof of God's power and commitment to His covenant people. This historical remembrance is meant to inspire confidence for the challenges ahead.
  • Divine Power and Deliverance: The phrases "mighty hand" (Hebrew: yad chazaqah) and "stretched out arm" (Hebrew: zeroa' netuyah) are iconic biblical idioms. They vividly convey God's irresistible strength and direct, forceful intervention on behalf of Israel. This same divine power that brought them out of Egypt is promised to conquer the nations they are about to face in Canaan.
  • Overcoming Fear Through Remembrance: The verse directly addresses the fear the Israelites might feel ("the people of whom thou art afraid"). It teaches that by recalling God's track record of miraculous deliverance, they can overcome their anxieties and trust in His continued protection and provision.

Linguistic Insights

The terms "mighty hand" and "stretched out arm" are powerful anthropomorphic expressions used frequently in the Old Testament to describe God's active and compelling intervention. They signify not just power, but also the deliberate and effective way God works to achieve His purposes. This imagery emphasizes the personal and direct involvement of the Lord in the affairs of His people, illustrating His ability to overcome any obstacle. These phrases are particularly prominent in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, reinforcing the central importance of the Exodus event as the foundational act of God's redemption for Israel.

Practical Application

For believers today, Deuteronomy 7:19 offers immense encouragement. We, too, face daunting challenges, spiritual battles, and personal fears. This verse calls us to:

  1. Remember God's Past Faithfulness: Just as Israel looked back at the Exodus, we are encouraged to recall God's interventions in our own lives or in the history of the Church. Every past deliverance, every answered prayer, every moment of divine provision serves as a testament to His enduring power and love.
  2. Trust in His Unchanging Power: The same "mighty hand" and "stretched out arm" that delivered Israel is still at work. God's power is not diminished, and He is able to help us overcome whatever obstacles we face. This understanding allows us to confront our fears with confidence, knowing that we do not need to be afraid.
  3. Apply Past Victories to Present Challenges: The principle is clear: if God has done it before, He can and will do it again. This verse inspires us to bring our current anxieties and overwhelming situations before Him, trusting that He will provide deliverance and protection, just as He promised and delivered Israel.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 4:34 (7 votes)

    Or hath God assayed to go [and] take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

  • Nehemiah 9:10 (5 votes)

    And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as [it is] this day.

  • Nehemiah 9:11 (5 votes)

    And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

  • Joshua 3:10 (4 votes)

    And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God [is] among you, and [that] he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

  • Jeremiah 32:20 (4 votes)

    Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, and in Israel, and among [other] men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;

  • Jeremiah 32:21 (4 votes)

    And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;

  • Deuteronomy 11:2 (3 votes)

    And know ye this day: for [I speak] not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,