The Meaning of Deuteronomy 31:6 Explained

Deuteronomy 31:6

KJV: 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.

YLT: be strong and courageous, fear not, nor be terrified because of them, for Jehovah thy God is He who is going with thee; He doth not fail thee nor forsake thee.'

Darby: Be strong and courageous, fear them not, neither be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God, he it is that goeth with thee; he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee.

ASV: Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them: for Jehovah thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 31:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 31:1-13 - The Great Lawgiver's Parting Instructions
This chapter is a link between sunset and sunrise. God buries His workers, but carries on His work. None are indispensable. Moses is succeeded by Joshua; Stephen by Paul. "The grass withereth"¦ but the word of our God shall stand forever."
The old Lawgiver passes on the assurances on which he had rested. After all, men are but the figureheads of movements which are greater than themselves. God goes before; God destroys; God accompanies and delivers. Let timid souls take courage. When the Good Shepherd puts them forth He precedes them, John 10:4; the iron gates stand open at His summons, and the big stones are rolled from the door of the sepulchers, Acts 12:10; Mark 16:3. "He will not fail thee," etc., reappears in Hebrews 13:5, as the right of all believers. It is for me and thee! [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 31

1  Moses encourages the people
7  He encourages Joshua
9  He delivers the law unto the priests to be read in the seventh year
14  God gives a charge to Joshua
19  and a song to testify against the people
24  Moses delivers the book of the law to the Levites to keep
28  He makes a protestation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 31:6 mean?

Be strong and of good courage not do fear nor be afraid of them for Yahweh your God He [is] the one who goes with you not He will leave you nor forsake you -
חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ אַל־ תִּֽירְא֥וּ וְאַל־ תַּעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ פ

חִזְק֣וּ  Be  strong 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
וְאִמְצ֔וּ  and  of  good  courage 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אָמֵץ  
Sense: to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard.
תִּֽירְא֥וּ  do  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
וְאַל־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תַּעַרְצ֖וּ  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מַעֲרָץ 
Sense: to tremble, dread, fear, oppress, prevail, break, be terrified, cause to tremble.
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
ה֚וּא  He  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ  the  one  who  goes 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
עִמָּ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
יַרְפְּךָ֖  He  will  leave  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: רָפָה  
Sense: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ  forsake  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation