Deuteronomy 31:6

MOSES ENCOURAGES THE PEOPLE AND JOSHUA. (Deu 31:1-8) Moses went and spake--It is probable that this rehearsal of the law extended over several successive days; and it might be the last and most important day on which the return of Moses to the place of assembly is specially noticed. In drawing his discourse towards a conclusion, he adverted to his advanced age; and although neither his physical nor intellectual powers had suffered any decay (Deu 34:7), yet he knew, by a special revelation, that the time had arrived when he was about to be withdrawn from the superintendence and government of Israel.

And Moses called unto Joshua,.... Who might be at some distance from him, with the tribe to which he belonged. The Targum of Jonathan adds,"out of the midst of the people:" and said unto him, in the sight of all Israel; now assembled together, and what follows was said in their hearing, to make him the more respectable to them: be strong and of a good courage; the same that is said to the people in Deu 31:6, and which was still more necessary in him, who was to be their general, and to go at the head of them, and lead them on to battle; and though Joshua was a man of courage and valour, as well as had military skill, as appears by his fight with Amalek, Exo 17:9; yet such an exhortation was not needless, seeing he had so much work to do, and so many enemies to contend with: 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; the Targum of Jonathan is,"which the Word of the Lord hath sworn to give;''the land of Canaan, thither he must go with them; this was the will and determination of God, and he must go alone without him, Moses, which would be a trial of his courage.

IV. Moses' Farewell and Death - Deuteronomy 31-34 With the renewal of the covenant, by the choice set before the people between blessing and curse, life and death, Moses had finished the interpretation and enforcement of the law (Deu 1:5), and brought the work of legislation to a close. But in order that the work to which the Lord had called him might be thoroughly completed, it still remained for him, before his approaching death, to hand over the task of leading the people into Canaan to Joshua, who had been appointed as his successor, to finish writing out the laws, and to hand over the book of the law to the priests. The Lord also directed him to write an ode, as a witness against the people, on account of their obstinacy, and teach it to the Israelites. To these last arrangements and acts of Moses, which are narrated in ch. 31 and 32, there are added in ch. 33 the blessing with which this man of god bade farewell to the tribes of Israel, and in ch. 34 the account of his death, with which the Pentateuch closes.

In this chapter Moses, having finished his sermon, I. Encourages both the people who were now to enter Canaan (Deu 31:1-6), and Joshua who was to lead them (Deu 31:7, Deu 31:8, Deu 31:23). And, II. He takes care for the keeping of these things always in their remembrance after his decease, 1. By the book of the law which was, (1.) Written. (2.) Delivered into the custody of the priests (Deu 31:9, and Deu 31:24-27). (3.) Ordered to be publicly read every seventh year (Deu 31:10-13). 2. By a song which God orders Moses to prepare for their instruction and admonition. (1.) He calls Moses and Joshua to the door of the tabernacle (Deu 31:14, Deu 31:15). (2.) He foretels the apostasy of Israel in process of time, and the judgments they would thereby bring upon themselves (Deu 31:16-18). (3.) He prescribes the following song to be a witness against them (Deu 31:19-21). (4.) Moses wrote it (Deu 31:22). And delivered it to Israel, with an intimation of the design of it, as he had received it from the Lord (Deu 31:28, etc.).

31:6 He will neither fail you nor abandon you: This encouragement for Israel on the verge of taking possession of the Promised Land also states a general principle of God’s care for his people (see also Heb 13:5).