Hear, O Israel,.... A pause being made after the delivery of the preceding discourse; or perhaps what follows might be delivered at another time, at some little distance; and which being of moment and importance to the glory of God, and that Israel might have a true notion of their duty, they are called upon to listen with attention to what was now about to be said: thou art to pass over Jordan this day; not precisely that very day, but in a short time after this; for it was on the first day of the eleventh month that Moses began the repetition of the laws he was now going on with, Deu 1:3, and it was not until the tenth day of the first month of the next year that the people passed over Jordan, Jos 4:19 which was about two months after this: to go in and possess nations greater and mightier than thyself; the seven nations named Deu 7:1 where the same characters are given of them: cities great and fenced up to heaven; as they were said to be by the spies, Deu 1:28, and were no doubt both large and strongly fortified, and not to be easily taken by the Israelites, had not the Lord been with them, Deu 9:3.