Joshua 1:4

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

From the wilderness {H4057} and this Lebanon {H3844} even unto the great {H1419} river {H5104}, the river {H5104} Euphrates {H6578}, all the land {H776} of the Hittites {H2850}, and unto the great {H1419} sea {H3220} toward the going down {H3996} of the sun {H8121}, shall be your coast {H1366}.

All the land from the desert and the L'vanon to the great river, the Euphrates River - all the land of the Hitti - and on to the Great Sea in the west will be your territory.

Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.

From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

Commentary

Joshua 1:4 is a powerful declaration of God's faithfulness and a detailed description of the inheritance promised to Israel as they prepared to enter the land of Canaan. This verse outlines the vast geographical scope of the territory God intended for His people, reaffirming ancient covenants.

Context

This verse comes directly after the death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5) and God's commissioning of Joshua as the new leader of Israel. The book of Joshua begins with God speaking directly to Joshua, empowering him for the monumental task of conquering the Promised Land. Verse 4 specifies the boundaries of this divine grant, emphasizing the immense blessing and responsibility awaiting the Israelites.

Key Themes

  • Divine Promise and Inheritance: The verse highlights God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The land is not something Israel earns, but a gift, an inheritance from God, given by divine decree.
  • Geographical Boundaries: God explicitly defines the extent of the land:
    • From the southern "wilderness" (likely the Sinai Peninsula).
    • North to "this Lebanon" (the mountain range marking the northern border).
    • East to "the great river, the river Euphrates" (a far-reaching boundary that Israel historically controlled only partially, indicating the full potential of God's ideal promise).
    • West to "the great sea toward the going down of the sun" (the Mediterranean Sea).
    • Including "all the land of the Hittites," a major people group of the region, signifying the entirety of the Canaanite territories.
  • God's Faithfulness: This detailed promise serves as a powerful reminder of God's reliability. What He promises, He will deliver, even if the full realization requires time and obedience. This echoes the original covenant made with Abraham in Genesis 15:18.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV word "coast" in this verse translates the Hebrew term gevul (גְּבוּל), which literally means "boundary," "border," or "territory." It emphasizes the precisely defined limits of the land God was giving to Israel. This was not a vague promise but a specific, tangible inheritance with clear delineations.

Practical Application

For believers today, Joshua 1:4 offers profound lessons:

  • Trusting God's Promises: Just as God was faithful to Israel in giving them the land, He is faithful to fulfill His promises to us. While we don't receive a physical territory, we are promised a spiritual inheritance and blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:11).
  • Stepping into God's Will: The Israelites had to actively enter and possess the land. Similarly, we are called to actively walk in obedience and faith to experience the fullness of God's provision and purpose for our lives.
  • The Scope of God's Blessing: The vastness of the promised land, extending to the Euphrates, suggests that God's plans and blessings for His people can be far greater than we might initially imagine or immediately experience. It encourages us to have a broad vision for what God can do through us.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Exodus 23:31 (5 votes)

    And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

  • Deuteronomy 1:7 (4 votes)

    Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all [the places] nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

  • Deuteronomy 3:25 (4 votes)

    I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that [is] beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

  • Deuteronomy 11:24 (4 votes)

    Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

  • Genesis 15:18 (4 votes)

    In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

  • Genesis 15:21 (4 votes)

    And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

  • Numbers 34:2 (4 votes)

    Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this [is] the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, [even] the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)