¶ Now Joshua was old [and] stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old [and] stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Now Y'hoshua was old; the years had taken their toll. ADONAI said to him, "You are old, and the years have taken their toll; but there is yet a great deal of land to be possessed.
Berean Standard Bible:
Now Joshua was old and well along in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and well along in years, but very much of the land remains to be possessed.
American Standard Version:
Now Joshua was old and well stricken in years; and Jehovah said unto him, Thou art old and well stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while [the children of] Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I [am] this day fourscore and five years old.
The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, [and] he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: [and] Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
¶ And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old [and] stricken in age.
And Joshua called for all Israel, [and] for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old [and] stricken in age:
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.
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Commentary for Joshua 13:1
Joshua 13:1 sets the stage for the latter part of the book, highlighting the themes of aging leadership, divine promise, and the ongoing mission of the Israelites. At this point in the narrative, Joshua, the successor to Moses, is advanced in age. The verse emphasizes the natural progression of time and the reality that even great leaders must eventually face the limitations of their mortality.
The historical context of this verse is rooted in the period following the initial conquest of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua's leadership. The Israelites have secured victories and established a foothold in the Promised Land, but the task of fully possessing and settling the entire territory that God had promised to their ancestors is not yet complete.
In this verse, God acknowledges Joshua's age and the fact that much land remains to be taken. This divine statement serves both as a recognition of Joshua's past efforts and a reminder of the unfinished work that lies ahead. It underscores the theme of faithfulness to God's plan, which requires persistence and the passing of responsibility from one generation to the next. The verse foreshadows the transition that will soon take place, as the mantle of leadership must pass to a new generation who will continue the mission of possessing the land and living in accordance with God's covenant.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
Strong's Number: H3091 There are 199 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יְהוֹשׁוּעַ Transliteration: Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ Pronunciation: yeh-ho-shoo'-ah Description: or יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; from יְהֹוָה and יָשַׁע; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader; Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare הוֹשֵׁעַ, יֵשׁוּעַ.
Strong's Number: H2204 There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: זָקֵן Transliteration: zâqên Pronunciation: zaw-kane' Description: a primitive root; to be old; aged man, be (wax) old (man).
Strong's Number: H935 There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בּוֹא Transliteration: bôwʼ Pronunciation: bo Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
Strong's Number: H3117 There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יוֹם Transliteration: yôwm Pronunciation: yome Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.
Strong's Number: H3068 There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יְהֹוָה Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw' Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
Strong's Number: H559 There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָמַר Transliteration: ʼâmar Pronunciation: aw-mar' Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
Strong's Number: H7604 There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: שָׁאַר Transliteration: shâʼar Pronunciation: shaw-ar' Description: a primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant; leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest.
Strong's Number: H3966 There are 278 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: מְאֹד Transliteration: mᵉʼôd Pronunciation: meh-ode' Description: from the same as אוּד; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated); diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), [idiom] louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very ([phrase] much, sore), well.
Strong's Number: H7235 There are 211 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: רָבָה Transliteration: râbâh Pronunciation: raw-baw' Description: a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect); (bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for רָבַב), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), [idiom] process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.
Strong's Number: H776 There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אֶרֶץ Transliteration: ʼerets Pronunciation: eh'-rets Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
Strong's Number: H3423 There are 204 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יָרַשׁ Transliteration: yârash Pronunciation: yaw-rash' Description: or יָרֵשׁ; a primitive root; to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin; cast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, [idiom] without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) [phrase] magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make to) possess, get (have) in (take) possession, seize upon, succeed, [idiom] utterly.