Commentary - Deuteronomy 31:23

Bird's-eye view

This single verse is a pivotal moment in the history of redemption, a formal transfer of command from Moses to Joshua. Here, on the plains of Moab, with the Promised Land in view but still unconquered, the Lord Himself directly commissions the new leader of Israel. This is not a committee decision or a democratic election; it is a divine appointment. The verse contains three essential elements for any godly leadership: a divine commission ("Then He commissioned Joshua"), a divine command ("Be strong and courageous"), and a divine promise ("I will be with you"). This is the formal investiture of Joshua, charging him to complete the work that Moses began: leading God's people into their inheritance. It is a moment freighted with typological significance, as the first Joshua, the son of Nun, is a clear foreshadowing of the greater Joshua, Jesus Christ, who leads His people into their ultimate rest.

The charge to be strong and courageous is not a suggestion to muster up some internal grit. It is a command rooted in the two realities that bracket it: God's authoritative call and His guaranteed presence. Joshua's strength was not to be found in his military prowess or strategic genius, but in the unshakable fact that God had sent him and God was going with him. This verse, therefore, serves as the linchpin between the era of the Lawgiver (Moses) and the era of the Conqueror (Joshua), and provides an enduring paradigm for all Christian leadership and discipleship. The task is always impossible, the enemies are always giants, and the only path forward is faith-fueled courage grounded in the promise of God's presence.

Outline

Context In Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 31 is a chapter of transitions. Moses, the great prophet and lawgiver who has led Israel for forty years, is at the end of his life. He is 120 years old and has been barred by God from entering the Promised Land because of his sin at Meribah (Num 20:12). The entire book of Deuteronomy is composed of his final addresses to the new generation of Israelites poised to enter Canaan. In this chapter, Moses formally lays down his mantle. He encourages the people, assuring them that God will go before them (31:1-6). He then publicly commissions Joshua in the sight of all Israel (31:7-8). Following this, he writes down the Law and entrusts it to the priests for periodic public reading (31:9-13). The chapter also contains a grim prophecy of Israel's future apostasy (31:16-21). Our verse, verse 23, is a direct, unmediated word from Yahweh to Joshua, reinforcing the public commission Moses had just given. It is God's direct stamp of approval, removing any doubt about who is now in charge. This moment sets the stage for the entire book of Joshua, which opens with God repeating and expanding on this very charge (Josh 1:1-9).

Key Issues

Passing the Baton

Leadership in the covenant community is never a self-appointed office. It is always a matter of divine calling and commission. Moses could not simply decide to make Joshua his heir. The authority did not belong to Moses; it belonged to God. This moment is a formal, legal, and covenantal transfer of that authority. God is the one who "commissioned" Joshua. The word carries the weight of a formal charge, an official appointment to a specific task.

This is a pattern throughout Scripture. God called Abraham. God appointed Moses. God chose David. And here, God commissions Joshua. In the New Testament, Jesus calls the apostles, and the Holy Spirit sets apart men for ministry (Acts 13:2). This is crucial because the task ahead of Joshua is humanly impossible. He is to lead a fickle people in a war of conquest against fortified cities and giant inhabitants. If his authority came from Moses, it would die with Moses. If it came from the people, it would evaporate at the first sign of trouble. But because his authority comes directly from the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, it is absolute and sufficient for the task. The command to be courageous is not psychological hype; it is the logical consequence of a divine commission. When God sends a man, He equips the man He sends. The first piece of equipment is the unshakable knowledge that you are not there by accident.

Verse by Verse Commentary

23 Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said,

The subject here is Yahweh Himself. While Moses had just spoken to Joshua in the hearing of the people, this is a direct address from God. This is God putting His own hand on Joshua's shoulder. The authority is now immediate, not mediated through Moses. This is the ultimate ordination service. The title "son of Nun" is not incidental; it grounds this new leader in his history. This is the same Joshua who, along with Caleb, had returned from spying out the land forty years prior with a good report born of faith (Num 14:6-9). He was not a novice. He had been Moses' loyal aide for decades. God does not call men out of a vacuum; He prepares them through years of faithful, often obscure, service. The commissioning is the public capstone on a long private process.

“Be strong and courageous,

This is the central command, and it is repeated to Joshua multiple times (Deut 31:7; Josh 1:6, 7, 9, 18). This is not a suggestion to "try your best" or "feel brave." It is a command in the imperative. Courage, in the biblical sense, is not the absence of fear; it is obedience in the face of fear. Strength is not a matter of bulging biceps, but of a resolute will grounded in the character of God. The challenges were going to be immense. There would be military opposition, the constant threat of internal grumbling and rebellion, and the spiritual seduction of Canaanite idolatry. A flaccid, wavering, accommodating leader would be a disaster. God requires of his leaders a holy fortitude, a masculine grit that refuses to be intimidated by the enemy or swayed by the fickle passions of the crowd. This is the kind of courage that comes from knowing who sent you and who is with you. It is a rugged, faith-filled, obedient tenacity.

for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them,

Here is the reason for the courage. The basis for Joshua's strength is not his own ability but the certainty of God's promise. The success of the mission is guaranteed. Notice the wording: "you shall bring." It is a statement of fact, a prophecy of what will happen. And this mission is not some new idea; it is the fulfillment of an ancient oath God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joshua is stepping into a story that has been unfolding for centuries. He is simply the instrument God has chosen to bring a covenant promise to its fruition. His job is not to make the victory happen, but to lead the people in such a way that they walk into the victory God has already secured by His oath. Our obedience does not create the victory, but it is the path by which we enter into it. Joshua is to be courageous because the outcome of the war is already settled in the unchangeable counsel of God.

and I will be with you.”

This is the foundation upon which everything else rests. The commission is authoritative, the command is necessary, the promise is certain, but it is the presence of God that makes it all possible. "I will be with you." This is the ultimate promise of the covenant. It is what God said to Isaac (Gen 26:3), to Jacob (Gen 28:15), and to Moses (Ex 3:12). It is the promise that turns an impossible mission into a glorious adventure. God is not sending Joshua off with a map and a pat on the back. He is going with him. Every battle, every river crossing, every strategic decision would be made with the Creator of the cosmos at his side. This is the secret to all Christian strength and courage. We are not strong because of who we are; we are strong because of who is with us. The greater Joshua, Jesus, gave His disciples a similarly impossible task, the Great Commission, and grounded it in the same promise: "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt 28:20).

Application

This verse is a potent tonic for the modern church, which is often characterized by weakness, timidity, and a desperate desire to be liked by the world. We are called to be strong and courageous in our own generation, and the basis for that courage remains unchanged. First, we must be sure of our commission. The church has been sent by King Jesus to disciple the nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything He commanded. This is not our idea; it is His royal decree. We have our marching orders.

Second, this commission requires a rugged, masculine courage. We are not called to be nice, but to be faithful. We live in an age of giants, of hostile ideologies and pervasive corruption. A soft, effeminate Christianity that flinches at every accusation and apologizes for its own existence will accomplish nothing. We are commanded to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. This means standing for biblical truth without apology, raising our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord without compromise, and building robust Christian communities without seeking the world's approval.

Finally, our courage is fueled by the promise of His presence. The task is too big for us, but it is not too big for Him. The same God who went with Joshua into Canaan goes with us into our callings, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our conflicts. The ultimate Joshua, Jesus, has already conquered sin and death. He has secured the inheritance. Our task is to walk in that victory by faith. We do not fight for victory; we fight from victory. Therefore, let us shake off our fear and hesitation. God has commissioned us, He commands us to be courageous, and He has promised to be with us. That is everything we need.