Deuteronomy 7:18 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 7:18 mean?

Deuteronomy 7:18 tells the Israelites not to be afraid of the nations they will face, but instead to remember what God did to Pharaoh and all of Egypt. The verse encourages looking back at God’s past actions as a reason for confidence in the present situation.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land of Canaan. The people might feel fear because the nations ahead seem powerful, but Moses reminds them of how God dealt with Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) and the Egyptians during the Exodus. The point is to recall that God has already shown His power to save them from even greater threats.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 7:18

• "afraid" (יָרֵא, yare): This word often means to fear or be terrified. Here, it emphasizes that the Israelites should not let fear control them when facing strong enemies.
• "well remember" (זָכַר, zakar): This word means to recall or bring to mind carefully. Moses urges the people to actively and intentionally remember God’s mighty acts, not just vaguely recall them.
• "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is God’s personal name, used here to stress that it is their covenant God—who has acted before—who will act again.

Why Deuteronomy 7:18 matters

• This verse clarifies that the basis for courage is not self-confidence, but remembering God’s proven faithfulness and power in history.
• The verse connects the current challenge (entering Canaan) to the past deliverance from Egypt, showing a pattern of God’s help that the people are meant to trust.
• It helps the reader see that fear is addressed not by ignoring danger, but by recalling specific examples of God’s intervention.