Study Desk

'As for those who are left of you, I will bring despair (lack of courage, weakness) into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; the sound of a scattered leaf will put them to flight, and they will flee as if [running] from the sword, and will fall even when no one is chasing them.

"But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage].

and shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: you are advancing today to battle against your enemies. Do not lack courage. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble [in terror] before them,

"Then the officers shall speak further to the soldiers and say, 'Who is the man who is afraid and lacks courage? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not cause his brothers' courage to fail like his own.'

and you will hear what they say; and afterward you will have the courage to go down against the camp." Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the army that was in the camp.

But the people, the [fighting] men of Israel, took courage and strengthened themselves and again set their battle line in the same place where they formed it the first day.

"Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, so that you do not become servants to the Hebrews, as they have been servants to you; act like men and fight!"

David said to Saul, "Let no man's courage fail because of him (Goliath). Your servant will go out and fight with this Philistine."

When Saul's son Ish-bosheth [king of Israel], heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was horrified.

"For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house (royal dynasty).' For that reason Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram (Syria), was considered a great man by his king, and was highly respected because through Naaman the LORD had given victory to Aram (Syria). He was also a man of courage, but he was a leper.

"For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house (descendants); therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You.

Of the Hebronites: Jerijah was the chief (these Hebronites were examined according to their descendants and fathers' households in the fortieth [and final] year of David's reign, and men of courage and ability were found among them at Jazer in Gilead)

"But as for you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work."

And when Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the repulsive idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. Then he restored the altar [of burnt offering] of the LORD which was in front of the porch [of the temple] of the LORD.

In the seventh year Jehoiada [the priest] summoned his courage and took the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him.

Now Amaziah took courage and led his people out to the Valley of Salt, and he struck down 10,000 of the men of Seir (Edom).

Then Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of the LORD, men of courage.

When I saw their fear, I stood and said to the nobles and officials and the rest of the people: "Do not be afraid of them; [confidently] remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and [with courage from Him] fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and for your homes."

But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself [and dealt wonderfully with] the godly man [the one of honorable character and moral courage—the one who does right]. The LORD hears and responds when I call to Him.