And Jehovah, he it is that goeth before thee he will be with thee; he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.
Commentaire de ce verset
The Setting of the Verse
Standing at the close of his ministry, Moses gathers all Israel and publicly transfers leadership to Joshua, knowing he himself will not cross the Jordan. Verse 8 sets the foundation of every later conquest: not Joshua's strength, not Moses' law, but Jehovah Himself going before them — a promise so weighty that the New Testament will pick it up word‑for‑word for every believer (Heb. 13:5).
The Lord Goes Before — Not Joshua
The chapter quietly shifts the people's confidence away from human leadership onto God. Israel was never to lean on Moses, and they are not to lean on Joshua either; the leader changes, but the One who fights remains.
Leslie M. GrantYet Israel did not depend on Moses, but on God, who would pass over before them. He would destroy the nations from the land, and Israel would dispossess them. But God would work now by means of Joshua, who would take Moses' place (v.3)... Let Israel therefore be strong and courageous, depending on God's faithfulness, not intimidated by enemies who were totally inferior to God (v.6).
Moses Inaugurates Joshua Publicly
The encouragement of verse 8 is given openly so that the whole nation hears the same promise their new leader hears. There is no private commission — Joshua's mandate and Joshua's comfort are both nation‑wide.
Leslie M. GrantMoses then called Joshua, announcing him before all Israel as God's newly appointed leader, urging him to be strong and courageous, for he "must go with this people to the land." This was God's imperative decision, from which Joshua would have no way of escape. But Joshua is assured that the Lord will go before him, never leaving or forsaking him. Therefore there was no reason to fear (vs.7-8).
"He Will Not Fail Thee, Nor Forsake Thee"
This is the heart‑note of the verse. Moses, at 120 years old, hands the people a promise that outlives him — a promise that is still ours.
Arno Clemens GaebeleinHe encouraged the people to trust in the Lord and assured them that the Lord would give them victory. "He it is who doth go with thee; He will not fail thee nor forsake thee." Precious words these! And the same Jehovah is on our side, never to leave nor forsake His people. May we walk in the obedience of faith and find that His promise is true.
The promise carries two sides — a negative ("not forsake") and a positive ("not fail"). God does not merely refuse to abandon; He actively supplies what the conflict demands.
J. N. Darby"I will not fail thee nor forsake thee." Not only God does not forsake us, but He does not fail us in the strength, grace, wisdom, needed so as to give firmness and power. In nothing does He fail us. He is always with us, and with us for, and in, the conflict... Thus divine strength and power with us, in faithful goodness, is the first and blessed groundwork for our hearts in the conflict.
A Promise Repeated to Joshua and to Us
What Moses speaks here in chapter 31 the Lord Himself will repeat to Joshua at the opening of the next book — and the Spirit then carries the same words forward into the Christian's spiritual warfare in Ephesians.
Arno Clemens GaebeleinThe same words given to Moses by the Lord to address to Joshua were spoken again to Joshua by the Lord Himself (Josh. 1).
William KellyHow remarkably we are here reminded of Joshua in verse 10, and Israel's foes in verse 12!... "I will not fail thee nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage"... it is clear that if the Canaanites were but enemies of flesh and blood, they are types of the still deadlier foes we have to fight — foes whose effort it is to hinder the Christian from taking possession, in present enjoyment, of his heavenly inheritance.
Why Moses Could Not Go, but the Promise Could
There is a deeper reason this verse comes from the lips of a leader who himself will not enter — and Joshua (whose name means Jehovah‑Saviour) must take his place.
Leslie M. GrantThere is a deeper reason than Moses' disobedience that he would not enter the land, for he was the lawgiver, and law cannot bring the people of God into their inheritance. Joshua, whose name in Hebrew is the same as the Greek name Jesus — Jehovah Savior — was the leader into the land of promise, for he speaks of the grace that is in Christ Jesus in contrast to law.
Summary
- God before, not man. The verse moves Israel's trust off Moses and Joshua and onto Jehovah, who personally goes ahead into every battle.
- Public commission. Moses spoke verse 8 in the hearing of all Israel, so the whole nation owned the same promise their new leader received.
- Two sides of one promise. "Not fail" supplies the strength, grace and wisdom needed; "not forsake" guarantees His unbroken presence in the conflict itself.
- Repeated and extended. The same words are spoken again by the Lord to Joshua (Josh. 1), and applied by the Spirit to believers facing spiritual foes (Eph. 6; Heb. 13:5).
- Law cannot bring in. Moses dies outside the land because law cannot give the inheritance; Joshua — Jehovah‑Saviour — pictures the grace of Christ Jesus, who alone leads His people in.