What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 31:23?

Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun

• Commissioning is God’s public transfer of leadership; Moses obediently passes the baton (Deuteronomy 31:14, Numbers 27:18–23).

• Joshua’s authority rests not in personal ambition but in a divine mandate. Just as “Moses laid his hands on him” (Deuteronomy 34:9), the Lord Himself now speaks, underscoring that the assignment comes from heaven, not from human preference.

• Every believer’s calling echoes this pattern: God initiates, equips, and confirms (Ephesians 2:10).

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Be strong and courageous

• The phrase reappears often—Moses to Israel (Deuteronomy 31:6), God to Joshua (Joshua 1:6–9)—because courage must be continually renewed.

• Strength here is moral and spiritual resolve, not mere bravado. The Lord says in 2 Timothy 1:7 that He gives “a spirit of power, love, and self-control,” enabling obedience when circumstances look daunting.

• Notice the command form: courage is a choice rooted in trust, not a feeling that drifts in unbidden.

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for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them

• God ties Joshua’s future success to His ancient oath to Abraham (Genesis 12:7). The promise is literal land, not an abstract ideal.

• Joshua’s role is instrumental; the outcome is guaranteed by divine covenant (Exodus 3:8, Deuteronomy 30:20).

• Assurance of completion fuels courage: when we know God’s objective cannot fail, we move forward with confidence (Philippians 1:6).

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and I will be with you

• Presence is the bedrock of all earlier commands. As God told Moses, “My Presence will go with you” (Exodus 33:14), He now pledges the same to Joshua.

• The promise echoes across Scripture—Joshua 1:5, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5—forming an unbreakable chain of divine companionship.

• God’s presence means guidance, protection, and empowerment; it is the ultimate answer to fear (Psalm 23:4).

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summary

Deuteronomy 31:23 shows God personally appointing Joshua, commanding ongoing courage, assuring fulfillment of a concrete promise, and pledging His unfailing presence. Leadership, bravery, accomplishment, and comfort all flow from the Lord’s initiative and covenant faithfulness, inviting every believer to trust and obey with the same confident expectation.