1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread on, that have I given to you, as I said to 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 coast.

5 There shall not any man 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 of a good courage: for to this people shall you divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.

7 Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein 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 Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days you shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess it.

12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spoke Joshua, saying,

13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God has given you rest, and has given you this land.

14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but you shall pass before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them;

15 Until the LORD have given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them: then you shall return to the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sun rise.

16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go.

17 According as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you: only the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses.

18 Whoever he be that does rebel against your commandment, and will not listen to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

Joshua by Divine Commission Succeeds Moses

Jos 1:1 to Jos 5:12 record the preparations for the Holy War.

1. Now (better, ’and’) after the death of Moses.. it came to pass] These words clearly mark the book which follows as a sequel to Deuteronomy. The book of Judges begins with a precisely similar phrase.

The Lord spake unto Joshua] This formula ’the Lord spake,’ which so constantly recurs in the first books of the Bible, corresponds to the more direct formula of the prophets, ’Thus saith the Lord.’ It is a characteristic feature of the OT., distinguishing the literature of the Hebrews from that of other nations of antiquity, and marking their claim to express in a very special way the will of Almighty God. It is, in fact, one of the most obvious indications of that which we call ’inspiration.’ We may not of course be able, in a given instance, to define the exact mode in which the divine will was communicated. Was it by the Urim and Thummim, or in a dream? Or was it rather an inner conviction borne in upon the soul, voiceless but clear and definite, such as is no uncommon experience with those who are in the habit of communing with God? But the importance of the phrase lies less in any hint of the manner of the revelation than in its testimony to the fact of it. However it came, the thought was recognised as an utterance of God. Minister] Joshua had been Moses’ attendant and right-hand man—his ’chief of staff.’

4. Boundaries S. and SE., ’the wilderness’; N., Lebanon; NE., the Euphrates; W., the Mediterranean or ’Great Sea.’ These, the providential ( Gen 15:18; Exo 23:31), and in some sense natural, boundaries of the territory of Israel, were only attained for a brief period during the reigns of David and Solomon. All the land of the Hittites] see on Gen 10:15.

8. This book of the law] This obviously refers to the ’law’ described in Deu 31:9 as written by Moses and delivered to the Levites and elders. That it embraces a considerable nucleus of the Pentateuchal legislation (ineluding, of course, the bulk of Exodus 20-23) few critics would deny.

11. Prepare you victuals] Joshua has the general’s eye for the commissariat.

12f. See Num 32:20-32 for Moses’ injunction to the two and a half tribes, and their promise to obey.

14, 15. On this side Jordan] In both places RV rightly translates ’beyond Jordan,’ i.e. on the E. side of Jordan. A little point, but important as showing that the writer (or editor) of this passage was one who resided W. of Jordan.