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, De 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 "De 31:6";See Gill on "De 31:7";for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them; See Gill on "De 31:7";and I will be with thee; See Gill on "De 31:8"; the Targum of Jonathan is,"my Word shall be thy help.'
Bible Commentary
Deuteronomy 31:23
Deuteronomy 31:23
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Deuteronomy 31 — OverviewDeuteronomy 31 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleIn this chapter Moses, having finished his sermon, I. Encourages both
the people who were now to enter Canaan (ver. 1-6), and Joshua who was
to lead them, ver. 7, 8, 23. And, II. He takes care for the keeping of…Deuteronomy 31 — OverviewDeuteronomy 31 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeDeuteronomy 31:1, Moses encourages the people; Deuteronomy 31:7, He encourages Joshua; Deuteronomy 31:9, He delivers the law unto the priests to be read in the seventh year to the people; Deuteronomy 31:14, God gives a…Deuteronomy 31 — OverviewDeuteronomy 31 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMoses being old, and knowing he should quickly die, and must not go over Jordan with the people of Israel, acquaints them with it, and encourages them and Joshua to go over notwithstanding, and not be afraid of their…Deuteronomy 31:1-30Deuteronomy 31:1-30 · The Pulpit CommentaryPART IV.—FAREWELL ADDRESS OF MOSES, WITH HIS PARTING SONG AND BENEDICTION.
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Moses had now finished his work as the legislator and ruler and leader of Israel. But ere he finally retired from…Deuteronomy 31:14-23Deuteronomy 31:14-23 · The Pulpit CommentaryAfter nominating Joshua as his successor, and assigning the keeping of the Law to the priesthood and body of elders, Moses was summoned by the Lord to appear with Joshua in the tabernacle, that Joshua might receive a…Deuteronomy 31:14-23Deuteronomy 31:14-23 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe Lord's charge to Moses and Joshua.
Moses, in making over the leadership to Joshua, was only anticipating a more formal assignment of it by God himself. He directs the old leader and his successor to repair to the…
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