TRV
Translation
King James Version
And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
Complete Jewish Bible
ADONAI will defeat them ahead of you, and you are to do to them just as I have ordered you to do.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD will deliver them over to you, and you must do to them exactly as I have commanded you.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah will deliver them up before you, and ye shall do unto them according unto all the commandment which I have commanded you.
World English Bible Messianic
The LORD will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And the Lord shall giue them before you that ye may do vnto them according vnto euery commandement, which I haue comanded you.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah hath given them before your face, and ye have done to them according to all the command which I have commanded you;
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In the KJVVerse 5,734 of 31,102
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Commentary on Deuteronomy 31 verses 1–8
1 ¶ And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.
2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.
5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
6 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.
7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
8 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.
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 removed at a time when he could so ill be spared: though Joshua was continued to fight for them in the valley, they would want Moses to intercede for them on the hill, as he did, Exo 17:10. But there is no remedy: Moses can no more go out and come in, Deu 31:2. Not that he was disabled by any decay either of body or mind; for his natural force was not abated, Deu 24:7. But he cannot any longer discharge his office; for, 1. He is 120 years old, and it is time for him to think of resigning his honour and returning to his rest. He that had arrived at so great an age then, when seventy or eighty was the ordinary stint, as appears by the prayer of Moses (Psa 90:10), might well think that he had accomplished as a hireling his day. 2. He is under a divine sentence: Thou shalt not go over Jordan. Thus a full stop was put to his usefulness; hitherto he must go, hitherto he must serve, but no further. So God had appointed it and Moses acquiesces: for I know not why we should any of us desire to live a day longer than while God has work for us to do; nor shall we be accountable for more time than is allotted us. But, though Moses must not go over himself, he is anxious to encourage those that must.
I. He encourages the people; and never could any general animate his soldiers upon such good grounds as those on which Moses here encourages Israel. 1. He assures them of the constant presence of God with them (Deu 31:3): The Lord thy God. that has led thee and kept thee hitherto will go over before thee; and those might follow boldly who were sure that they had God for their leader. He repeats it again (Deu 31:6) with an emphasis: "The Lord thy God, the great Jehovah, who is thine in covenant, he it is, he and no less, he and no other, that goes before thee; not only who by his promise has assured thee that he will go before thee; but by his ark, the visible token of his presence, shows thee that he does actually go before thee." And he repeats it with enlargement: "Not only he goes over before thee at first, to bring thee in, but he will continue with thee all along, with thee and thine; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee; he will not disappoint thy expectations in any strait, nor will he ever desert thy interest; be constant to him, and he will be so to thee." This is applied by the apostle to all God's spiritual Israel, for the encouragement of their faith and hope; unto us is this gospel preached, as well as unto them He will never fail thee, nor forsake thee, Heb 13:5. 2. He commends Joshua to them for a leader: Joshua, he shall go over before thee, Deu 31:3. One whose conduct, and courage, and sincere affection to their interest, they had had long experience of; and one whom God had ordained and appointed to be their leader, and therefore, no doubt, would own and bless, and make a blessing to them. See Num 27:18. Note, It is a great encouragement to a people when, instead of some useful instruments that are removed, God raises up others to carry on his work. 3. He ensures their success. The greatest generals, supported with the greatest advantages, must yet own the issues of war to be doubtful and uncertain; the battle is not always to the strong nor to the bold; an ill accident unthought of may turn the scale against the highest hopes. But Moses had warrant from God to assure Israel that, notwithstanding the disadvantages they laboured under, they should certainly be victorious. A coward will fight when he is sure to be a conqueror. God undertakes to do the work - he will destroy these nations; and Israel shall do little else than divide the spoil - thou shalt possess them, Deu 31:3. Two things might encourage their hopes of this: - (1.) The victories they had already obtained over Sihon and Og (Deu 31:4), from which they might infer both the power of God, that he could do what he had done, and the purpose of God, that he would finish what he had begun to do. Thus must we improve our experience. (2.) The command God had given them to destroy the Canaanites (Deu 7:2; Deu 12:2), to which he refers here (Deu 31:5, that you may do unto them according to all which I have commanded you), and from which they might infer that, if God had commanded them to destroy the Canaanites, no doubt he would put it into the power of their hands to do it. Note, What God has made our duty we have reason to expect opportunity and assistance from him for the doing of. So that from all this he had reason enough to bid them be strong and of a good courage, Deu 31:6. While they had the power of God engaged for them they had no reason to fear all the powers of Canaan engaged against them.
II. He encourages Joshua, Deu 31:7, Deu 31:8. Observe, 1. Though Joshua was an experienced general, and a man of approved gallantry and resolution, who had already signalized himself in many brave actions, yet Moses saw cause to bid him be of good courage, now that he was entering upon a new scene of action; and Joshua was far from taking it as an affront, or as a tacit questioning of his courage, to be thus charged, as sometimes we find proud and peevish spirits invidiously taking exhortations and admonitions for reproaches and reflections. Joshua himself is very well pleased to be admonished by Moses to be strong and of good courage. 2. He gives him this charge in the sight of all Israel, that they might be the more observant of him whom they saw thus solemnly inaugurated, and that he might set himself the more to be an example of courage to the people who were witnesses to this charge here given to him as well as to themselves. 3. 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. Note, Those shall speed well that have God with them; and therefore they ought to be of good courage. Through God let us do valiantly, for through him we shall do victoriously; if we resist the devil, he shall flee, and God shall shortly tread him under our feet.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–8. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 31:5 stands as a powerful divine assurance delivered by Moses to the Israelites on the cusp of entering the Promised Land. It unequivocally declares that the LORD Himself will actively deliver the formidable enemy nations into Israel's hands, thereby enabling the Israelites to faithfully execute all the specific commandments God had given them concerning the conquest and the inhabitants of Canaan. This verse profoundly underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, establishing that Israel's success is entirely predicated on His sovereign intervention, coupled with their diligent and obedient response to His divine will.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 31:5 skillfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine assurance and human responsibility. The primary device is Divine Assurance, wherein God, through Moses, provides an explicit and unwavering guarantee of future success in the conquest. This assurance is powerfully reinforced by Direct Address ("your face," "I have commanded you"), which creates an intimate and personal connection between the divine speaker, the human mediator, and the listening audience, making the promise immediate and binding. The verse also implicitly draws upon Covenant Language, referencing the broader covenant framework established with Abraham and reiterated at Sinai, where divine faithfulness is inextricably linked to human obedience. The use of the Active Voice for the LORD ("shall give them up") vividly emphasizes God's direct, powerful, and central agency in the forthcoming events, contrasting sharply with any potential Israelite reliance on their own limited strength. Finally, the phrase "before your face" serves as a form of Anthropomorphism, attributing a human characteristic (a face) to God, or more accurately, emphasizing the palpable and visible nature of His intervention, ensuring that His people will clearly perceive His hand at work.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 31:5 stands as a profound theological statement, intricately weaving together the themes of divine sovereignty, covenant faithfulness, and the imperative of human obedience. It reveals a God who is not distant or detached but intimately involved in the affairs of His people, actively working to fulfill His promises and accomplish His purposes. The victory over the Canaanite nations is presented not as a testament to Israel's military prowess or strategic genius, but as a direct and undeniable result of the LORD's intervention, underscoring that all true success, blessing, and deliverance flow from His sovereign hand. This divine enablement, however, is intrinsically linked to Israel's responsibility to adhere strictly to God's commands, particularly concerning the ethical and spiritual purity of the land and their distinct identity as a holy nation. The verse thus teaches a fundamental principle: God's power is unleashed and His purposes are accomplished in the context of His people's faithful and obedient response to His revealed will, establishing a timeless pattern for divine-human partnership.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 31:5 offers profound encouragement and a significant challenge for believers in every generation. While we are not called to a physical conquest of earthly nations, we are perpetually engaged in spiritual warfare and called to live out God's purposes in a world often hostile to His truth and values. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that our ultimate victory and our ability to fulfill God's "commandments" (His specific will and calling for our lives) are never dependent on our own strength, wisdom, or limited resources, but entirely on the LORD's active, sovereign intervention. He goes before us, prepares the way, and empowers us to overcome spiritual obstacles and adversaries. Our essential part is to cultivate an unwavering trust in His sovereign power and to walk in radical, wholehearted obedience to His Word, knowing that His enablement is always intricately tied to our alignment with His divine purposes. When we face daunting challenges, seemingly insurmountable odds, or spiritual battles, this verse powerfully calls us to remember that the battle ultimately belongs to the LORD, and He will indeed "give them up before our face" so that we may faithfully accomplish what He has commanded.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse promote violence or justify conquest in all contexts?
Answer: Deuteronomy 31:5, along with other passages concerning the conquest of Canaan, must be understood within its specific, unique historical and theological context. It does not promote indiscriminate violence or justify conquest in all contexts for all time. Instead, it speaks to a singular period in salvation history where God, as the sovereign Lord of all nations, was executing His righteous judgment upon the idolatrous and morally corrupt inhabitants of Canaan, whose "iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full" (Genesis 15:16). The "commandments" given to Israel were not for their own territorial expansion or self-aggrandizement, but for the purification of the land and the establishment of a holy nation set apart to worship the one true God. This was a specific, divinely ordained act of judgment and covenant fulfillment, not a universal mandate for all peoples or times. The New Testament reinterprets "conquest" in profoundly spiritual terms, emphasizing the defeat of spiritual strongholds and the powers of darkness through the power of Christ and the proclamation of the Gospel (e.g., 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 31:5 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the original context speaks of a physical conquest and the establishment of an earthly kingdom, the New Testament reveals that Christ is the true Joshua, the ultimate leader who leads His people into a spiritual inheritance and decisive victory. Just as the LORD "gave up" the Canaanites before Israel's face, so God the Father "gave up" His Son on the cross, allowing Him to conquer sin, death, and the powers of darkness "before our face," making a public spectacle of them (e.g., Colossians 2:15). Through Christ's decisive and complete victory, believers are now empowered by the Holy Spirit to "do unto them according to all the commandments" – not through physical warfare, but by living out the commands of the New Covenant, particularly the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded (e.g., Matthew 28:18-20). The assurance that the LORD goes before us and delivers our spiritual enemies finds its ultimate reality in the indwelling Holy Spirit, who enables us to walk in obedience and overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, by the power of the resurrected Christ, making us "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (e.g., Romans 8:37).