Hebrews 13:5,6 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

From particular duties the apostle proceeds to one which is more general, relating to our whole course of walking with God. Let your conversation Greek, τροπος, your behaviour, or manner of living; be without covetousness Αφιλαργυρος, without the love of money; or an inordinate desire of, and endeavour after, more of this world's goods than you have, or than God is pleased to give you, proceeding from an undue esteem of them, and attachment to them. See on Colossians 3:5; 1 Timothy 6:6-10. And be content with such things as ye have And which God affords you by his providence in a lawful way. The original expression, τοις παρουσιν, is, with the things that are present. Endeavour to bring your mind down to your circumstances, be they what they may. “The apostle did not mean by this to preclude the Hebrews, or any person, from using lawful means for bettering their circumstances; but that, having used such means, they were to be contented, although God did not make them successful.” For he Rather, he himself, namely, God, who hath all the stores of nature at his command, and who owns the relation of a Father to us; hath said To all believers, in saying it to Jacob, Joshua, and Solomon, (see the margin,) I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The many negative particles, and their position in the original, render this passage extremely emphatical and beautiful. Doddridge renders it, I will not, I will not leave thee; I will never, never, never forsake thee; words from which all God's people (his love to them being the same in all ages) may take a just encouragement in all the difficulties to which they may be exposed. So that we may boldly say Ωστε θαρρουντας ημας λεγειν, taking courage, we may say, with the psalmist, The Lord is my helper He is my helper, whose wisdom, power, and goodness are boundless; I will not fear what man shall do unto me However subtle, mighty, or malicious he may be. God's promises to Jacob, Joshua, David, &c., and their expressions of trust in God, being applied by the apostle to the believing Hebrews, teach us that God's promises to individuals, and their exercises of faith and trust built thereon, are recorded in Scripture for the encouragement of the people of God in every age.