Joshua1

After Moses' death, the LORD commissions Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land, assuring him of divine presence and victory. God commands Joshua to be strong, courageous, and to diligently obey the Law for prosperity. Joshua then instructs the people to prepare for the crossing and reminds the Transjordan tribes of their pledge to assist in the conquest. The people respond with full allegiance, promising obedience and pledging to execute any who rebel.

God Commissions Joshua

1
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, ​
2
“Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I give to them, even to the children of Israel. ​
3
I have given you every place that the sole of your foot will tread on, as I told Moses.
4
From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. ​
5
No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you. ​
6
“Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ​
7
Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. ​
8
This scroll of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. ​
9
Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” ​

Joshua Commands Preparation for Crossing

10
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, ​
11
“Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare food; for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess it.’” ​

Joshua Addresses the Transjordan Tribes

12
Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, saying, ​
13
“Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God gives you rest, and will give you this land. ​
14
Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock, shall live in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them ​
15
until the LORD has given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they have also possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.’”

The People Pledge Obedience

16
They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. ​
17
Just as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses. ​
18
Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.” ​

Study Notes for Joshua 1

Verse 1

The death of Moses marks the crucial transition of leadership. Joshua, Moses' lifelong assistant, is now called by God to lead the new generation into the Promised Land, signifying continuity and divine purpose.

Verse 2

The immediate imperative ('arise, go over this Jordan') signals the end of the forty years of wandering. God emphasizes his sovereignty by stating, 'I do give to them,' asserting ownership prior to the conquest.

Verse 4

This verse describes the maximal extent of the Promised Land, stretching from the wilderness (South) to Lebanon (North), and the Euphrates (East) to the Mediterranean Sea (West). This ideal boundary was fully realized only temporarily under King Solomon.

Verse 5

This is a foundational promise: God guarantees success by guaranteeing His presence. The assurance, 'as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee,' establishes Joshua's authority as divinely sanctioned.

Verse 6

This is the first of three commands in this passage to 'Be strong and of a good courage' (vv. 6, 7, 9). This strength is necessary not only for fighting but for the complex task of dividing the land inheritance.

Verse 7

Courage is directly tied to total obedience to the Law (Torah). Prosperity (Heb. *sakal*, meaning success or wise action) is conditional upon strict adherence, avoiding deviation 'to the right hand or to the left.'

Verse 8

Meditation (*haga*, often meaning to mutter or ponder) ensures the continuous presence of God's instruction in Joshua's consciousness. Internalizing the Law is the key prerequisite for successful leadership and mission fulfillment.

Verse 9

This climactic verse summarizes the divine mandate. The motivation for courage is not self-reliance but the certainty that 'the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.'

Verse 10

Joshua immediately translates the divine command into practical action, demonstrating his decisive leadership. The 'officers' were administrative leaders responsible for communicating orders to the tribes.

Verse 11

The 'three days' timeline emphasizes the urgency of the impending invasion. The command to 'Prepare you victuals' (provisions) signifies the transition from reliance on the miraculous manna (which stopped in Josh. 5:12) to military readiness.

Verse 12

Joshua addresses the two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh) who had previously chosen to settle east of the Jordan, reminding them of the covenant they made with Moses (Numbers 32).

Verse 13

The reminder focuses on the promise of 'rest'—settlement and security—which they received first. This highlights the principle that prior benefit requires subsequent responsibility and corporate unity.

Verse 14

Their specific obligation was to send their fully armed fighting men to act as the vanguard ('pass before your brethren armed') until the rest of Israel had secured their land.

Verse 16

The tribes respond with immediate and total submission to Joshua’s authority, confirming the seamless transition of leadership recognized by the people.

Verse 17

The people explicitly affirm Joshua's legitimacy by equating his authority with Moses', but they condition their obedience on God’s continued presence, recognizing that the source of true leadership is divine support.

Verse 18

The severe penalty for rebellion underscores the absolute necessity of military discipline and national unity during the conquest phase. They reiterate the command for Joshua to 'be strong and of a good courage,' closing the chapter on a note of mutual resolve.

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