What does Deuteronomy 31:6 mean?

Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV) reads: "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." — This verse is from Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. Read the full in-depth commentary at thelivingsword.org/commentary/deuteronomy/31/6.

What is the context of Deuteronomy 31:6?

Deuteronomy 31:6 is found in Deuteronomy chapter 31, verse 6. Deuteronomy is part of the Old Testament. Read the full chapter at thelivingsword.org/read/deuteronomy/31.

Commentary on Deuteronomy 31:6 — The Living Sword

Q: What does "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of …" mean in the Bible?

This is Deuteronomy 31:6 from the King James Version. Read the full in-depth commentary and application notes at The Living Sword Bible: thelivingsword.org/commentary/deuteronomy/31/6.

“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.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 (King James Version)

This page contains an in-depth Bible commentary on Deuteronomy 31:6 — covering historical context, meaning, and application. The full AI-powered commentary is available in the interactive Bible reader.

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About this Passage

Deuteronomy 31:6 is verse 6 of chapter 31 in the Book of Deuteronomy, part of the Old Testament. In the King James Version (1611), it reads: “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.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 — 'Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you' — was Moses's charge to Israel as they prepared to cross the Jordan River into Canaan. The promise has specific original context: God is promising military victory over the nations of Canaan. But the New Testament quotes a version of this promise directly to all believers (Hebrews 13:5) in the context of contentment and financial trust. The scope of the promise is therefore expanded beyond military campaign to every circumstance of Christian life. The ground of courage is always theological, not psychological: 'the LORD your God goes with you.' The command to courage only makes sense because of the promise of presence. This verse was also quoted by God to Joshua at Moses's death (Joshua 1:9) — making it the commissioning word for the entire conquest generation. It has been the verse that has sent missionaries, sustained martyrs, and steadied believers for three thousand years in every continent and every imaginable situation of danger.

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