Joshua
Chapter 1

1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, 2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto 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 upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 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. 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 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 ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. 12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath 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 ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; 15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. 16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage. 

1:1–18    The Lord initiates the action by charging Joshua, his chosen replacement for Moses (see Dt 31:1–8), to lead Israel across the Jordan and take possession of the promised land. He urges courage and promises success—but only if Israel obeys the law of God that Moses has given them. The chapter consists of speeches significant in their content and order: The Lord commands Joshua as his appointed leader over his people (vv. 1–9); Joshua, as the Lord’s representative, addresses Israel (vv. 10–15); Israel responds to Joshua as the Lord’s representative and successor to Moses (vv. 16–18). Thus the events of the book are set in motion and the roles of the main actors indicated. (CSB)

1:1    After the death of Moses. Immediately the time and occasion of the action are set forth, showing that the story will continue where Deuteronomy ended, with the death of Moses. Cf. “After the death of Joshua” (Jdg 1:1). (CSB)

Israel mourned for 30 days (Dt 34:8; 1406 BC). The Lord spoke to Joshua in Abib (later called Nisan), our Mar/Apr (4:19).  (TLSB)

The year is 1406 b.c., assuming the “early date” of the exodus and conquest. The month is Abib (later called Nisan), which corresponds to our March–April. “Abib” means “grain on the stalk.” It is the first month of the Israelite religious calendar (Josh 4:19) and the season of grain harvest in Canaan (3:15). The location is Shittim (“acacia trees”) in the plains of Moab east of the Jordan opposite Jericho. (CC)

Smooth transitions in the middle of change are soon obvious as the book of Joshua opens. The faithfulness of the Lord is evident in each of the seamless links. His promises do not fall and die when Moses leaves the scene and Deuteronomy ends. The Lord himself is absolutely constant and ever-present with his people to save them, as his name—Yahweh—implies. He governs the unfolding history and preserves the continuity of his people for the sake of fulfilling his gracious promises, which culminate in Jesus Christ. (CC)

The seamless link between the Torah of Moses and the book of Joshua involves a chronological sequence of events. A comparison of Josh 1:1–2 with Deut 34:8–9 reveals that any gap in time between the events of Deuteronomy and Joshua was brief or nonexistent. Deut 34:8 already tells of the end of the thirty days of mourning in the plains of Moab after Moses’ death. Jewish tradition gives as the date of Moses’ death the seventh of Adar (February–March), the twelfth month of the Jewish year. This allows for the thirty days of mourning (Deut 34:8) and the preparations for crossing the Jordan (Josh 1:11) before Israel crosses over on the tenth of the first month, Abib/Nisan (4:19). The events of Joshua, then, seem to follow the thirty-day period of mourning for Moses. It is also possible (but less likely, in our view) that there is a dovetail arrangement between the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Joshua, with the events of Joshua 1–2 occurring within the thirty days of mourning for Moses recorded in Deut 34:8. (CC)

More significant than the steady timeline that connects the Torah of Moses to the book of Joshua is their theological continuity. It is soon obvious that salvation history marches on from the Pentateuch into Joshua without missing a step. The promise of the land that the Lord tied to his promise of the Savior of all nations (Gen 12:3b; 26:4; 28:14) is about to be fulfilled as the Torah of Moses ends. The Lord says to a passing Moses atop Mount Nebo east of the Jordan: “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deut 34:4). The rich theme of the gift of the land is central in the book of Joshua. (CC)

While Israel will have to wait longer for the incarnation of the Savior than for the conquest of the land, the connection between Jesus Christ and the land will be fortified by the appearing of “the Commander of the host of the Lord” in Josh 5:13–15 after Israel is circumcised and keeps the Passover (Josh 5:1–12). During most of the conquest, the preincarnate Savior will remain unseen, but nevertheless he is present, and it is his victory on the cross that grants victory to his people—the church of both Testaments. Thus, whether Christ himself is visible or not, he remains the constant companion and commander. (CC)

Under Christ, the Lord has also assured a smooth change in leadership. Jesus Christ was the “spiritual rock” from whom Israel drank—the one who accompanied Israel when they were baptized into Moses and the sea and partook of spiritual food and drink (1 Cor 10:1–4). Now Moses is dead, but God had already made provision for the continuing administration of his covenant people. God had chosen Joshua son of Nun as Moses’ successor long before the latter’s death. Moses himself had commissioned Joshua by laying his hand on him at God’s command (Num 27:18, 22–23). Now the Lord speaks to Joshua after Moses’ death, implying that the torch of leadership is in Joshua’s hand. He is to run with it as the human head of Israel under Christ. (CC)

Since we know this Joshua already from the twenty-seven references to him in the Pentateuch, the author of the book now presents just two facts in Josh 1:1 to leave no question about the identity of the new leader, whose given name, “Joshua,” may have been common in Israel. He is the “son of Nun,” and he was “the minister of Moses.” Hence he is the same Joshua whom God had already prepared for this role—the Joshua who had passed through the Red Sea together with the rest of Israel, eaten the manna in the wilderness, spied out the land, and learned under the tutelage of Moses. (CC)

        servant of the Lord. See notes on Ex 14:31; Dt 34:5; Ps 18 title; Isa 41:8–9; 42:1. (CSB)

Joshua will receive this title in 24:29. (TLSB)

        Lord said.  An important part of the answer is the fact that the Lord continues to speak. Finite and infinitive forms of the verb àÈîÇø, “to say,” in Josh 1:1 reveal that the Lord converses with Joshua. The verb itself does not divulge the precise form of God’s communication. God communicates with Joshua in several ways: the Urim and Thummim of the high priest reveal God’s will to him (Num 27:21); Joshua hears the Lord speak through his written word of the Torah of Moses (Josh 1:7–8); the Lord speaks to him through “the Commander of the host of the Lord” (5:13–15); and for the tribal allotment of land, God communicates through the casting of lots (14:2). (CC)

[Urim and Thurmim are objects placed in the breastpiece of the high priest,  Their exact nature is unknown.  They were used, however, to determine the will of the Lord (Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21).]  (Lutheran Bible Companion – Volume 2)
God’s speech reinforces what the name “Yahweh” has already revealed, namely, that the God of Israel is not some impersonal force or energy in the universe, a local god whose power is limited, or a deity who must be appeased by human deeds before he will do anything for his people. He is the personal God who takes the initiative to save his people and communicates his gracious will through his Word. He is wholly unlike the speechless idols of the surrounding nations: “They have a mouth, but do not speak” (Pss 115:5; 135:16). In contrast, Yahweh speaks with his mouth, and “he does all that he pleases” (Ps 115:3; see also Ps 135:6). (CC)

This is the second time we hear that the Lord speaks directly to Joshua for encouragement. The first was in Deut 31:23, when Moses was still alive and Joshua had been commissioned but not yet placed as head of the nation. Now Joshua needs strong reassurance as he steps into the sandals of the first leader of the covenant nation and becomes God’s agent to cause Israel to inherit the land. He cannot replace Moses, whose office was unique in salvation history, but he can and will continue the leadership of Moses under God that is necessary for God’s people. Josh 1:2–9 will detail how the Lord heaps up what Joshua needs for his work. He will fill Joshua’s quiver with every essential arrow. (CC)

         Joshua. Originally Hoshea (“salvation”), expanded by Moses to Joshua or “Jehoshuah” (“the Lord/Yahweh is salvation”; Nu 13:16). Later in the OT, it was spelled Jeshua. Its contracted form is Jesus; Joshua’s name and that of the Savior are identical in the Gk NT (Ac 7:45; Heb 4:8). Cyril of Jerusalem: “Jesus the son of Nave was in many things a type of Him. For when he began to rule over the people, he began from Jordan, whence Christ also, after He was baptized, began to preach the gospel” (NPNF 2 7:60) (TLSB)

        Moses’ aide. The title by which Joshua served for many years as second in command (see Nu 11:28; see also Ex 24:13; 33:11; Dt 1:38). (CSB)

Hbr term is used of Joshua in Ex 24:13; 33:11; Nu 11:28. Joshua accompanied Moses on Mount Sinai, guarded Moses’ tent, and deferred to Moses by calling him “my lord.” (TLSB)

1:2-9 While the overall tone of the Lord’s words to Joshua in verses 2–9 is encouragement, his whole chord includes notes of command, promise, direction, and exhortation. Verses 2–5 anticipate the content of the whole book of Joshua and thus present its theme and outline. Like every good writer and preacher, the author of Joshua gives structure to his message. The theme of the whole book is expressed in the words “the land I am giving to them—to the sons of Israel” in 1:2. (CC)

1:2 Moses my servant is dead. The first words of the Lord to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead,” focus on the transition in leadership for Israel. The Lord here speaks to Joshua as he spoke to the former leader, Moses (though not “mouth to mouth” and visibly as with Moses [Num 12:8]), implying that Joshua, whom Moses had commissioned at the Lord’s command (Num 27:18–23), is now in charge. The Lord’s words begin to reveal to Joshua that while Moses’ body lies in the ground, no promise lies buried with him. Joshua will be his new agent of fulfillment. The death of a leader does not mean that the Lord has abandoned his pledges to Israel—or to the church. That is true even at the death of Moses, the incomparable mediator of the Sinai covenant (Deut 34:10–12; Gal 3:19), the model for all prophets (Deut 18:14–19) and a type of Christ (Heb 3:1–6). God’s entire Word is “living and active” (Heb 4:12). His promises are longstanding and still standing! Even at the passing of the only national leader Israel had ever known, no pledge falls to the ground dead. 

Luther saw in the death of Moses and the appointment of Joshua an application relating to the ministry of Law and Gospel:
Moses is the minister of the Law, which does not lead to fulfillment, that is, to righteousness, but shows sin and demands grace, which it does not confer. Therefore he dies and stays on this side of Jordan in the land of Moab, that is, in the righteousness of works. Joshua succeeds him as leader; this is the ministry of grace. He leads the people into the Land of Promise, that is, to true righteousness in Christ; and the Israelites cross over the Jordan dry-shod, that is, as both sin and death draw back and yield to grace. (AE 9:284) (CC)

Now the Lord’s words to Joshua show that he indeed reckons Moses as a man who was his faithful servant during his 120-year life on earth. Yet note that the Lord does not say, “Moses, who used to be my servant, is dead.” The gracious title “my servant” still applies after the Lord has swept him away in the sleep of death and commanded his body to return to dust (Ps 90:3, 5). Just as the patriarchs, according to Jesus, continue to live as God’s servants even though their bodies now are dust in Hebron’s cave of Machpelah, awaiting the resurrection, so also Moses is God’s servant for eternity. (CC)

Moses will serve again on the Mount of Transfiguration some 1400 years later. There the servant of the Lord of the OT exodus speaks with the Servant of the Lord concerning “his exodus” (τὴν ἔξοδον αὑτοῦ, Lk 9:31; cf. Mt 17:1–8; Mk 9:2–8; Lk 9:28–36). Through his vicarious suffering, atoning death, and victorious resurrection, Jesus Christ will lead his people into the everlasting promised land—the redemption foreshadowed by the OT exodus under Moses and his minister, Joshua. (CC)

Through faith, God distributed Christ’s forgiveness to Moses and all OT believers—no less than to believers after Christ—as they trusted his promises and offered the sacrifices that anticipated “the Servant of the Lord.” The author of Hebrews notes that Moses considered “reproach for the sake of Christ as of greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking forward to his reward” (Heb 11:26), a reward given through faith on the basis of Christ and his cross. Moses was about half a millennium closer in time to the cross of Christ than we are, and geographically he was closer to the site of the cross than most of the world’s population. Time and geography, however, are irrelevant to the distribution of the forgiveness earned by Jesus, which God bestows through his Word; baptismal incorporation into Christ; and the Supper of his body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins. (CC)

Luther says of the earning and distribution of forgiveness:
We treat of the forgiveness of sins in two ways. First, how it is achieved and won. Second, how it is distributed and given to us. Christ has achieved it on the cross, it is true. But he has not distributed or given it on the cross. He has not won it in the supper or sacrament. There he has distributed and given it through the Word, as also in the gospel, where it is preached. He has won it once for all on the cross. But the distribution takes place continuously, before and after, from the beginning to the end of the world. For inasmuch as he had determined once to achieve it, it made no difference to him whether he distributed it before or after, through his Word, as can easily be proved from Scripture. (AE 40:213–14) (CC)

As in the final judgment of Mt 25:31–46 where Jesus will say not a word about the sins of believers, the Lord is pleased to accept and point out the service of Moses and everyone declared righteous by grace through faith in Christ. Although they are still imperfect and impure, works of sanctification are acceptable to God through Christ, as the Lutheran Confessions affirm (FCSD VI 23). The case of Moses, sinner but servant-saint forever, inspires confidence in readers of Joshua that we indeed have a gracious God and that it pleases him to count us his dear servants for Christ’s sake. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps 116:15). (CC)

In this context at the beginning of Joshua, the Lord’s statement “Moses my servant is dead” has at least two immediate purposes. First, it repeats for readers what was already evident from the author’s introduction in verse 1: Joshua, Moses’ “minister,” is now the national servant, the God-chosen leader of his covenant nation. One of the book’s subthemes, that the Lord provides leadership for his people, is hereby introduced. (CC)

Second, the Lord’s statement about Moses’ death is a clear signal for Israel. It is a sharp trumpet blast announcing that the day has come for the Lord to deliver on his pledge to give the land. Moses could not lead the people into the land (Num 20:12; Deut 32:50–52), and God would not let him agonize as the nation entered without him. Mention of Moses’ death here is to elicit anticipation of fulfillment. No longer are thoughts of his passing to evoke tears. The Lord’s words say this directly: “So now,” that is, in light of the death of Moses, “arise and cross this Jordan” (Josh 1:2). The funeral and mourning are over (Deut 34:6–8). The promise remains. The time for fulfillment under Joshua has come. (CC)

Josh 1:2 is a choice sermon text for the funeral of a faithful leader. Josh 1:2a accents God’s grace toward the deceased (“my servant”), and 1:2b speaks of how the congregation is to respond (“so now …”). The Lord’s words about the death of Moses in close context with his command to cross over may remind the reader of the words of the Lord Jesus:
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but he has crossed over from death unto life. Amen, amen, I say to you, a time is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (Jn 5:24–25)  (CC)
Moses did not cross over the Jordan, but as a believer in God’s words he had already in his lifetime crossed over from death to life everlasting. His lifeless body will do the same in due time, as Jesus promises in Jn 5:28–29. (CC)

      arise. “Prepare to” or “get ready to,” referring to some preliminary activity. (TLSB)   

      Jordan River. The flow of the Jordan near Jericho was not large during most of the year (only 80–100 feet wide), but at flood stage in the spring it filled its wider bed, which at places was a mile wide and far more treacherous to cross. (CSB)

        land I am about to give to them. A central theme of the Pentateuch (see Ge 12:1; 50:24; Ex 3:8; 23:31; Dt 1:8). Joshua records the fulfillment of this promise of God. (CSB)

The promise behind the Lord’s words in Josh 1:2 is his longstanding oath to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s offspring. Real estate for one nation, however, is not the Lord’s ultimate goal. In his promises to Abraham, the Lord links the land to the blessing that will come to all nations through the land’s eventual Heir, Jesus Christ (Gen 12:1–7; Gal 3:16). (CC) 

The promises to give the land to the Israelites must be read next to the words of Lev 25:23 and Gal 3:16. The land belongs to the Lord: “The land belongs to me; you are indeed resident aliens [in it] under my authority” (Lev 25:23). The Israelites will be his tenants there for a specific purpose. From that nation in that land, the one promised Seed will come, namely, Jesus Christ: “To Abraham were the promises spoken and to his Seed. It does not say, ‘and to his seeds,’ as if referring to many, but as referring to one: ‘and to your Seed,’ who is Christ” (Gal 3:16). He will be an Israelite and, at the same time, “God over all, blessed forever” (Rom 9:5). Christ rightly owns the land, as indeed he was the agent through whom all things were created (Jn 1:3; Col 1:15–17). Christ will use the land of Israel as the place in which he will perform his work of salvation for all people. (CC)

John Gerhard summarizes the Lord’s prophecies in Gen 12:1–3; 18:18; 22:17–18; 26:3–4; 28:14 in this way:
I shall give the land of Canaan to your descendants so that the Messiah, in whom and because of whom the blessing is offered to all nations, will have a birthplace and that men may know from among which people the Messiah is to come. (CC)
The following will result from God’s initial fulfillment of the land promise under Joshua:
	1.	Israel will possess a pledge written in turf that the Lord will most certainly make good on his greatest promise—the Savior of all nations—and all his other promises.
	2.	The Lord’s chosen nation of Israel, whom he redeemed from Egypt and brought into the land, will have the gracious motivation of the Gospel to live in covenant faithfulness in the promised land until the coming of the One through whom blessing will come to all nations.
	3.	The Savior, springing from Israel, will arrive to occupy his God-appointed context in the land in order to accomplish salvation for all. Jesus’ cross will stand in soil conquered and allotted by his OT namesake, Joshua son of Nun.
	4.	Until the end of days, readers of Joshua will grow in the confidence that “as many as are the promises of God, in him [Christ] is the Yes” (2 Cor 1:20). (CC)

1:3–5    See Dt 11:24–25. (CSB)

1:3 every place that the sole of your foot will tread. 

      I am giving you (ESV). Even though the Israelites (except for Joshua and Caleb) have not yet set foot on the land, God uses a perfect verb ðÀúÇúÄÌ֑éå, “I have given it.” This is a “prophetic perfect” or perfect of “certitude,” which expresses a vivid future when the action is deemed as good as done (Williams, § 165). Keil says: “The perfect, ‘I have given,’ refers to the counsel of God as having been formed long before, and being now about to be carried into execution.” Many translations render it inaccurately, for example, “I give” (Tanakh); “I will give” (NIV). (CC)

In 1:3–4 the Lord repeats in down-to-earth terms the theme of the book that was introduced in 1:2, namely, that the land is God’s outright gift of grace, bestowed according to his promise and through his own salvific work. The prophetic perfect “I have given it” (1:3) underscores the certainty of his gift. The giving of the land inheritance is already as good as history! What may sound like hyperbole is meant quite literally. Joshua and Israel can step up by faith and accept the gift. Israel’s battles will not be the essential cause of their taking the land, although in faith they are to fight. The Lord himself will be the cause of victory (10:12, 42; 24:12) wherever Israel plants her feet by covenant faith within the wide territory that is about to be outlined. (CC)

Josh 1:3–5a, here spoken directly by the Lord, is very similar to Deut 11:24–25a, spoken through Moses. Before Moses spoke those words to Israel, the Lord obviously had revealed them to Moses, his “servant” (Josh 1:1–2). Thus the Lord can now say to Joshua, “Just as I promised to Moses” (1:3) with specific reference to the promise concerning “every place where the sole of your foot may step,” since these words are repeated almost verbatim from Deut 11:24. For the Lord’s earliest promises of the land to Moses, see Ex 3:8, 17. (CC)

Another subtheme throughout Joshua is the continuity of covenant history. This comes out in the expression “just as I promised to Moses” (1:3). What the Lord performs through the life of Joshua is totally consistent with past promises to Moses. In fact, it is tied directly to them. God’s hand throughout covenant history is steady and constant. He is “the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or turning of shadow” (James 1:17). For us readers as well as for Joshua, that theme of continuity inspires confidence in the Rock of Israel, who is Jesus Christ (1 Cor 10:4; cf. Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:8), the one who “is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8). (CC)

Just as God had promised the land to Moses, describing in specific detail the boundaries (e.g., Ex 23:31; Num 34:1–12), he does the same now for Joshua. Thus there is a hint also in the border language of the subtheme “as Moses, so Joshua.” (CC)

1:4    The dimensions of the land promised to Israel vary (compare this text and Ge 15:18 with Dt 34:1–4), but these are the farthest limits—conquered and held only by David and Solomon. Canaan was still called “Hatti-land” centuries after the Hittites had withdrawn to the north. But Joshua was to take all he set out to conquer; wherever he set his foot was his. His victories gave to the 12 tribes most of the central hill country and much of the Negev. (CSB)

Cf Dt 11:24. Four corners of Israel’s territory would be the wilderness, Lebanon, the Euphrates River, and the Great (Mediterranean/Western) Sea. Cf Nu 34:1–12; Dt 1:7. (TLSB)

1:5    I will be with you. To direct, sustain and assure success. (CSB)

Hbr expression for holding one’s ground or position. In military confrontations with enemies, Joshua will prevail. (TLSB)

be with. Found in numerous Hbr expressions of encouragement for God’s people, which often also threaten defeat or punishment for enemies of God’s people. See p 495. In biblical theology, God fills the whole universe with His presence (Jer 23:23) and providential goodness (Mt 5:45; Ac 17:24–28; Rm 1:20). However, God is specially present with His saving power and grace where He promises to be present, in His Word (Ex 3:12; cf Jsh 1:5). These promises anticipate the greater day of Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23; cf Mt 28:20). Jesus is present according to His grace wherever His Gospel and Sacraments are present. (TLSB p. 5)

Since it follows the positive promise “I will be with you” (Josh 1:5a), this repeated negative promise is a kind of litotes, an understatement phrased with a negative, here a double negative:
I will not abandon you,
	and I will not forsake you.
The meaning is equivalent to an emphatic positive: “I will most certainly be with you always.” (CC)

The Lord’s second promise to Joshua in 1:5, “Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you,” introduces two more of the book’s subthemes: the gracious presence of the Lord and “as Moses, so Joshua.” (CC)

The Lord revealed to Israel his presence with Moses during the forty years in the wilderness as he traveled with his nation in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night (Ex 13:21–22). He manifested his presence through the ark (Ex 25:22) and at the tabernacle (Ex 33:7–23; 40:34–38). Joshua knows from personal experience (he is present with Moses from Exodus 17 on) and from the earlier portions of the Pentateuch how God was present with the patriarchs and with Moses in grace and power in specific instances. Recall the Lord’s meeting with Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3), when he promised, “I will be with you” (Ex 3:12). The book of Joshua will soon reveal a parallel encounter between God and Joshua, Moses’ minister and successor (Josh 5:13–15). Remember the demonstration of the Lord’s power and presence before Moses as he led Israel across the Red Sea on dry land (Exodus 14–15). That episode will soon have its parallel in the life of Joshua at the crossing of the Jordan on dry land (Joshua 3–4; see especially 3:7). (CC)

In God’s promise to be with Joshua as he had been with Moses, the broader subtheme of “as Moses, so Joshua” appears for the first time. The motif is related to the previously introduced subject of the continuity of covenant history and the theme of God providing leadership for his people. The Lord did not exhaust his gracious presence, power, and gifts at the time of Moses. God still has far more grace to give than he has already given away. (CC)

Joshua now receives from the Lord himself this divine assurance: “I will not abandon you, and I will not forsake you” (1:5). This is the same assurance he had heard once before, mediated to him through Moses (Deut 31:8). It is an all-encompassing promise of God’s presence stated as a double negative, reinforcing the preceding positive promise “I will be with you” (Josh 1:5; see also 1:9). Even though others may fail and flee, the Lord of free and faithful grace will never abandon Joshua. God will see to it that he enjoys the support of the whole nation of Israel, as 1:16–18 will show. His success and security, however, will not result from his leadership skills, charisma, popular appeal, or any other human qualities. They will derive from the gracious, abiding presence of the Lord. He will be with Joshua not only by virtue of his omnipresence, but by his covenant grace articulated in the promises of his Word. (CC)

This promise of God’s gracious presence anticipates the greater day of Immanuel, “God with us” (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23), when God-in-the-flesh would promise, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). Jesus Christ thus promises always to be present with his church in his grace through his Word and Sacraments—through baptizing and teaching the observance of all that he has commanded (Mt 28:20). As God was with Moses and Joshua, so God will be with all ministers of the Gospel as they faithfully lead God’s people to the eternal promised land through these means of grace. (CC)

We should be careful not to apply to all people everywhere promises of Scripture that belong only to specific people at unique times. For example, Josh 1:3 obviously does not promise to Christians of all times that they will receive every piece of land on which they walk. However, such caution about limited application can be thrown to the wind in the case of the last promise of 1:5: “I will not abandon you, and I will not forsake you.” Scripture itself broadens its application far beyond Joshua alone. Moses applied the same promise to all Israel in Deut 31:6. (CC)
 
1:6 strong and courageous. Encapsulates theme of vv 1–9, as seen in repetition of terms in vv 7, 9. Hbr often uses two synonymous terms for a single idea in order to emphasize it.(TLSB)

Joshua can “be strong and courageous” already now because of the sure reality that through him the Lord will deliver the land inheritance to the nation. What could be more certain than an oath sworn by “the Lord of all the earth” (Josh 3:11, 13)? What could be more encouraging than knowing the successful outcome before the contest begins? Joshua knows it because God tells him here. (CC)

Some 900 years later the prophet Haggai, who knew of the Lord’s words to Joshua and his subsequent success, will repeat those words during the temple rebuilding project of 520–516 b.c. (see Hag 2:4). The NT has similar encouragement for believers who will inherit not earthly land but heavenly treasure through the merits of Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 15:58; 16:13; 1 Pet 5:10). (CC)

      inherit. Central theme of Jsh, namely, that the Lord fulfills His promise to give the land of Canaan to His covenant people as an inheritance. (TLSB)   

      land I swore to their forefathers. The long-awaited inheritance pledged to the descendants of Abraham (Ge 15:7, 8–21) and of Jacob (Ge 28:13). (CSB)

1:7    Be careful to obey. Success was not guaranteed unconditionally (see Dt 8:1; 11:8, 22–25). (CSB)

When Joshua studies God’s written Word, he will act wisely and be successful. For the believer, “success” is measured by God’s definition, not by the world’s definition (cf Lk 16:22–23). (TLSB)

The heart of the Lord’s encouragement involves turning Joshua to the Torah of Moses, the existing Scriptures of his day. Since Moses is dead (1:2) and both OT and NT ascribe authorship of the Pentateuch to him, the five books are in written form for Joshua and Israel. (Psalm 90 is also credited to Moses in its superscription and is thus in written form at the time of Joshua.) Even though Joshua may forget what the Lord has just now promised him directly, he can go to the Torah again and again (“day and night,” 1:8) to find Gospel promises for assurance, strength, and courage. He will also find in the Torah God’s commands of Law, many of which direct the Israelites in their new life as they conquer and settle the land of their inheritance. For example, see Deut 7:1–6; 19:1–14; 20; 27; 28. Incumbent upon Joshua in the OT era were all three categories of divine law: civil, ceremonial, and moral. (CC)

Like Joshua, believers of the NT era still need the moral Law, including its third use as a fixed rule. The Lutheran Confessions explain why the third function of the Law continues to be necessary for people of faith:
After they are reborn, and although the flesh still inheres in them, to give them on that account a definite rule according to which they should pattern and regulate their entire life. (FCEp VI 1) (CC)

The words “so that you will be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it” (1:8) do not apply only to the commands and doctrinal Law in the Torah. In this and other contexts where the whole Torah is in focus, exhortations that urge acting according to the Torah also refer to faith in its Gospel promises—which will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ—trusting and clinging to them for salvation and assurance and guarding against losing them or straying from them. For a similar NT appeal, see 2 Tim 1:14. Neither does “command” in the expression “which Moses my servant commanded you” (Josh 1:7) apply only to the regulations of the Law. The risen Lord Jesus Christ will instruct his ministers to make disciples of all nations by the power of the Gospel: “baptizing them … [and] teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19–20; see further the textual notes on Josh 1:7 and 1:9). (CC)

        Do not turn…right hand or left.  By the expression “not turning from it to the right or to the left” (1:7), the Lord states for Joshua the sola Scriptura principle. Human reason and human institutions are not to stand in judgment of Scripture nor undermine or overrule it. What will be true of all sixty-six canonical books is already true of the first five, which Joshua now holds. They alone (unlike any other human writing) are “God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16). They are “truth” (Jn 17:17), and they “cannot be broken” (Jn 10:35). Moses, their author, did not himself dream up their content, but wrote them as he was “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:21). They mean what they say even when relating the supernatural. They interpret themselves. They cannot be judged by other religious documents or human interpretations. Rather, they are the source and norm of faith and life for the people of God. Through his Word, God judges all else. (CC)

The Pentateuch itself gives the meaning of not turning to the right or to the left of the Torah in Deut 4:2 and 13:1 (ET 12:32). Those verses forbid adding to or subtracting from what God says. To add to Scripture by increasing demands or to subtract from Scripture by rejecting or ignoring part of it is to depart from it to the right or the left. The theologian who claims as “scriptural” what is really an institution of men, an adiaphoron, an opinion, or a personal interpretation not plainly stated in Scripture is guilty of such a departure. Woe to those who claim a new revelation that supplements or supercedes the Scriptures! The same is true of the negative critic who takes away from Scripture by rejecting its historical reliability. For the teacher or preacher, not turning to the right or to the left means proclaiming as divine truth the whole will of God contained in sacred Scriptures—no more and no less. See Acts 20:27. (CC)

Luther comments on not turning to the right or to the left. He equates the left with outright evil acts and the right with self-concocted works:
We have more than enough to do, too much in fact, just to satisfy God’s commandments. He has given us such commandments so that if we understand them aright, we dare not be idle for a moment. We could well forget all other works. But when the evil spirit, who never rests, cannot lead us into evil works on the left, he fights on our right through self-devised works which seem good. (AE 44:46) (CC)

1:8    Book of the Law. A documentary form of the laws from Sinai was already extant. (CSB)

First five books of our Bible. (TLSB)

        mouth. See Dt 4:9–10; 6:6–7; 11:19. The law was usually read orally (cf. Dt 30:9–14; Ac 8:30). (CSB)

        meditate. See Ps 1:2. (CSB)

Joshua’s reading of the Torah is also to be a matter of personal meditation. He is to be like Mary, who “treasured up” and “pondered” the words and events surrounding Christ’s life (Lk 2:19). This meditation is not just the activity of a professional doing his duty. What the Lord says to Joshua here about meditation supports the second element of the axiom often attributed to Luther:
Oratio, meditatio, tentatio faciunt theologum (CC)
Luther thus encourages mulling over the Scriptures: “Scripture calls ruminating accepting God’s Word with real earnestness, taking it to heart, loving it, and finding delight in it, diligently considering it, and holding fast to it.” Unlike meditation that involves emptying the mind (as found in some Eastern religions), Joshua’s meditation is to consist of filling his mind with the Word of the Lord so that it percolates to his heart. The traditional Collect for the Word captures the idea of meditating on the Scriptures in the words “hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.” (CC)

        prosperous. Parallel with “success,” Israel becomes “prosperous” when the Lord leads Joshua to conquer and allot the land of Canaan, just as He has promised. (TLSB)

God attaches this promise for Joshua to this kind of Bible reading: “then you will prosper your ways and then you will succeed” or “act wisely” (1:8). It is not Joshua’s study skills as such that will produce this result, but the Lord himself through his living and active Word. The Torah hands him the Lord’s promises and leads him to accept them; it motivates him for action; and it instructs him on how the Lord wants him to proceed. Thus the Lord himself, through his Word, creates faith and faithfulness that leads to success according to his Word. The NT too affirms this: “For it is God who works in you both to will and work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13; cf. 2 Cor 3:5; Eph 2:10). Moreover, Jesus affirms that Moses and the prophets testify to himself (Jn 5:39); whoever does not believe the words of Moses will not believe even if someone rises from the dead (Lk 16:29–31). (CC)

Jesus himself cts the second element of the axiom often attributed to Luther:
Oratio, meditatio, tentatio faciunt theologum.
Prayer, meditation, and affliction make a theologian. (CC)
Luther thus encourages mulling over the Scriptures: “Scripture calls ruminating accepting God’s Word with real earnestness, taking it to heart, loving it, and finding delight in it, diligently considering it, and holding fast to it.” Unlike meditation that involves emptying the mind (as found in some Eastern religions), Joshua’s meditation is to consist of filling his mind with the Word of the Lord so that it percolates to his heart. The traditional Collect for the Word captures the idea of meditating on the Scriptures in the words “hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.” (CC)

Joshua is to read Scripture at any and all times, “day and night” (Josh 1:8), that is, regularly, constantly. The author of Psalm 1 alludes to Josh 1:7–8 and applies to each believer the promises about Bible reading made first to Joshua: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked … , but in the Torah of the Lord is his delight, and in his Torah he meditates day and night” (Ps 1:1–2). When a believer in any era delights in the Lord’s Word and meditates on it, he is blessed. He is like a fruit-bearing tree; he prospers. The prosperity of the righteous consists in owning the very blessings God’s Word promises and gives, and it displays itself in a fruitful life that reflects his gifts of grace (Ps 1:3–6). (CC)

Luther encourages diligent study of the Word: “Learn this Word diligently and betimes. Hear God’s Word often; do not go to bed, do not get up, without having spoken a beautiful passage—two, three, or four of them—to your heart.” Joshua’s study is to be so thorough that he can act according to the whole Torah. Finally, faith-based action in accordance with Scripture is to be in view as he reads rightly (“so that you will be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it,” Josh 1:8). (CC)

Jesus himself could find no more powerful weapon for success against Satan than the Torah of Moses, as shown by his three quotations from the book of Deuteronomy when he was tempted by the devil; Mt 4:4, 7, 10 are quotations from Deut 8:3; 6:16; and 6:13, respectively. Joshua has before him those very same words that Jesus will speak from the Torah as he prepares for success in his own battles. Joshua’s success in accomplishing God’s purpose of redemption for his OT people anticipates the perfect and complete accomplishment of redemption for all people by the sinless NT “Joshua.” The active obedience of Jesus in regard to his use of Scripture is evident in all phases of his life, including the words he spoke from the cross. He was perfect on behalf of the whole world of sinners in his use of Scripture because of our failures. (CC)

1:9    Have I not commanded you? A rhetorical question that emphasizes the authority of the speaker. (CSB)

Joshua now carries an authority imparted by the Lord Himself. Therefore, he has no reason to fear his big task or to doubt its success, because the Lord supplies what is necessary to carry out His commands. (TLSB)

The Lord’s rhetorical question “Have I not commanded you?” impresses on Joshua that his commission to lead Israel comes from the highest authority. The following inferences derive from that truth:
	1.	Joshua now carries an authority imparted by the Lord himself.
	2.	Joshua need not fear during his God-given work since his commission is from the Lord, the God of free and faithful grace.
	3.	Joshua will be successful since the Lord, through the aid of his presence “with” Joshua (1:5, 9), will certainly give him the ability to carry out what he commands. (CC)

Josh 1:9 is similar to Mt 28:18–20. There Jesus first emphasizes his authority through the words “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Second, he then imparts his authority to his disciples through the imperatival command “Therefore go and make disciples [πορευθέντες οὗν μαθητεύσατε] … baptizing … [and] teaching.” Third, he promises his continued presence in the words “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus’ promise of his abiding presence with his ministers assuages any fears they may have about their mission. The Lord’s efficacious action through the Word and Sacraments they administer is the gracious power that accomplishes the mission. (CC)

The words of the Lord to Joshua, like Jesus’ words to his disciples, are strong assurance in order to produce great confidence for action. Though his task is huge, terror has no place for the Lord’s new leader. “Strong and courageous” are the words of keynote, as their threefold repetition shows (1:6, 7, 9). (CC)

The Lord’s encouragement closes with the repeated promise of his abiding presence. Wherever Joshua will find himself, there the covenant God—“your God” (1:9)—will be. This all-encompassing promise provides fitting closure to all the words of promise, command, and exhortation that Joshua has just heard. While the same promise was part of several earlier assurances in 1:5, it is repeated here in 1:9 as the clinching reason for Joshua to discard all fear and proceed with strength and courage. (CC)

Joshua is about to serve the Lord and all Israel. However, Joshua’s service is a secondary matter. Of primary importance is that theLordwill continue to serve Joshua—and through his minister he will serve all Israel—through his assuring Word. Only for that reason, then, can Joshua serve. (CC)

Like God’s minister, every believer too depends on the Word of the Lord, as the words of Jesus to Martha make clear. Many things are important, with various degrees of weight, “but one thing is needed” (Lk 10:38–42). Mary and Joshua enjoyed that one thing as they listened to the Lord. (CC)

1:1–9 The Lord encourages Joshua with assurances of success and promises of His presence through His empowering Word, as Joshua begins the critical work of conquering and allotting the Promised Land to Israel. If left alone in our sin and weakness, we would not be able to serve God and to become successful in His eyes. Yet, God enables us through the promises of His Scriptures. He makes us strong and courageous for service by assuring us that through Immanuel (“God with us”) we are forgiven and will inherit not a piece of land, such as Israel, but a better, eternal home (Heb 11:16). • Fill us, O Lord, with the promises of Your Word, so blessed by Your presence that we may serve You with strength and courage and find success through You. Amen. (TLSB)

1:10    Joshua ordered. At this point Joshua assumes full command. (CSB)

Inspired by the service of the Word, Joshua now proceeds to service in the world. His first action in his new position shows that the encouragement of the Lord in 1:2–9 has been effective. The Lord’s words were not just a hope and wish; his Word conveys his efficacious power. The new leader is thereby confirmed in his covenant faith. His actions demonstrate that he is motivated for service and his special role in salvation history. (CC)

Several truths about Joshua noted in the Pentateuch are also evident in 1:10–11:
	•	He is indeed “a man in whom is the Spirit,” as the Lord had said of him in the presence of Moses in Num 27:18. The Spirit has given him faith in the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 12:3) and his promises, specifically the promise of the land to which the Seed of Abraham—Jesus Christ—will come to perform his saving work. Like Abraham (Heb 11:8–12), Joshua acts in God-given faith, thus proving and exercising it. (CC)
	•	He is the same obedient man who was among the spies sent by Moses into the land in Numbers 13–14. During that episode he “fully followed theLord,” as stated in Num 32:12. The Lord had ordered him in Josh 1:2 to prepare to cross the Jordan. Now he acts wholeheartedly in “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; 16:26) without questioning whether or how the nation can cross the surging Jordan and possess the land held by formidable enemies. (CC)
	•	He is “filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had placed his hands on him,” as noted in Deut 34:9. His wisdom is reflected in a twofold way in his administration of his ministry in Josh 1:10–11. First, he knows to (and how to) delegate authority to officers. What Moses had learned from his father-in-law, Jethro, and directly from the Lord (Ex 18:17–26; Num 11:16–17) was not lost on Joshua. Wise leaders of God’s people take advantage of the gifts of the whole family of believers for the good of all (1 Cor 12:27–28; Eph 4:12). Second, Joshua’s wisdom is seen in the lines of communication he has set up. From the Lord to Joshua to officers to all Israel, the message goes out. No one is left in the dark about what is happening. As God has commanded Joshua through the Torah of Moses in 1:7 and directly in 1:9, so “Joshua commanded the officers” to “command the people” (1:10–11). The whole covenant nation will have provisions ready for marching and hearts ready for receiving from their Lord the gift of the land across the Jordan. (CC)
	•	Joshua holds his ministerial office and position of authority from the Lordhimself and is thus worthy of being obeyed like Moses, as seen from Num 27:18–21. Israel has accepted his leadership, as the implied obedience of the officers (and later, the whole people) shows. By their obedience they acknowledge that Joshua is faithfully imparting the very words entrusted to him by God himself. Thus here Israel is modeling the reverence toward pastors that St. Paul will exhort for the Christian church: “Let the elders who lead well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and doctrine” (1 Tim 5:17). (CC)

           officers. May refer to those whom Moses had appointed over the divisions within the tribes (Ex 18:21; Dt 1:15). (CSB)

Hbr refers to subordinate administrators in the service of government, military, or society. (TLSB)

The Lord will soon do more to exalt Joshua in the eyes of Israel and confirm his authority (3:7; 4:14). The theme of leadership for God’s people, begun in the Pentateuch, continues through Joshua. It will culminate in the ministry of Jesus Christ and will continue in the ministries of the apostles, pastors, and other servants of the Word in the church until Christ comes again. (CC)

The officers will rally the whole nation for crossing the Jordan. Two and a half tribes, however, are already settled east of the river, where the nation is encamped. Joshua now addresses those tribes concerning Moses’ command and their promise about helping their brothers conquer the territory west of the Jordan. (CC)

1:11    supplies. Foodstuffs needed for the next several days of march. (CSB)

May imply military provisions (Jgs 20:10); probably includes food supplies. God’s special provision of manna would not cease until Israel was in the Promised Land some days later (5:12).(TLSB)

           giving. Joshua emphasizes that the land is a gift from the Lord in accord with His promise to Abraham (Gn 17:8); in this chapter alone, “give” is used in vv 2, 3, 6, 11, 13. (TLSB)

1:12–15    The threat from the two kings of Transjordan was overcome by military victory and the occupation of the lands north of Moab and east of the Jordan River. The two and a half tribes who asked to remain had been charged by Moses to send their fighting men across with the rest to conquer Canaan (Nu 21:21–35; 32:1–27). The conquest of the promised land must be an undertaking by all Israel. (CSB)

1:12–13 Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh are already enjoying the “rest” of physical security in their share of the land (13:8–32). Their enemies east of the Jordan are defeated, and they are settled after 40 years on the move. The rest they enjoy points forward to the greater rest found in Jesus (Heb 4:1–11). (TLSB)

The background of these verses is in Numbers 32 and Deut 3:12–20. The precise geographical description of the land in the east inherited by the two and a half tribes will be given in Josh 13:8–32. After they have fulfilled Joshua’s mandate here (1:12–15) to help their brothers conquer the land to the west of the Jordan, Joshua will commission the two and a half tribes to return to that land in 22:4. (CC)

Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh were the first tribes to possess their land. After Israel rebelled at the report of the spies sent into the land from the south (Numbers 14), and after thirty-eight subsequent years of wandering, the nation approached Canaan from the east. While en route to this eastern port of entry into Canaan, Israel conquered a large part of Transjordan—the land east of the river. Transjordan was cattle country with abundant grazing land. Since Reuben and Gad were tribes with large herds and flocks, the ranges of the Transjordan were appealing. So they requested of Moses, “If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not cause us to cross the Jordan” (Num 32:5). (CC)

Transjordan was not originally considered part of the land of promise proper. This partially explains why Moses was at first incensed at the request. He responded, “Shall your brothers go to war while you stay here? Why do you hinder the heart of the sons of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them? … And behold you have arisen in the place of your fathers as a brood of sinful men to stir up yet again the burning anger of the Lord against Israel” (Num 32:6, 7, 14). Those sharp words seem to reflect that the tribes did not originally plan to help their brothers conquer Canaan proper, the territory west of the Jordan. (CC)

Numbers 32 records that Reuben and Gad then made a promise. If they were granted the land east of the Jordan, they would first build pens for their livestock and cities for their families. Then their fighting men would cross the Jordan with the other tribes and fight with them to conquer Canaan. Only after that would they return to their homes east of the river. Moses softened his words and approved their request on the condition that they honor their promise to help their brothers. Num 32:33 indicates that half of the tribe of Manasseh also received a land allotment east of the Jordan, and Deut 3:18–20 records Moses’ command to these two and a half tribes to fulfill their promise. (CC)

As a man to his brothers—not in the tone of suspicion or accusation—Joshua now reminds these tribes of the command of Moses. He appeals to their sense of brotherhood and their communion in the faith. Joshua is paraphrasing the words of Moses from Num 32:20–22 and Deut 3:18–20. A key concept that Moses had presented in his command was that of theLordgiving rest: “until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as [he has to] you” (Deut 3:20). Joshua now picks up on that concept by first summarizing Moses’ words, “The Lord your God is granting you rest, and he has given you this land” (Josh 1:13), and then encouraging, “You shall help them until the Lord will give rest to your brothers as [he has to] you and they—they too—will take possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving to them” (Josh 1:14–15). (CC)

The two and a half tribes are enjoying the God-given rest of physical and spiritual security. They are settled after forty years on the move. Their pagan enemies, with their enticing idols and fertility worship practices, are defeated and eradicated. These tribes now possess their land from the Lord. They enjoy an obvious advantage over the other tribes. Now if they love their brothers and neighbors, they will not be satisfied until all Israel shares in that rest, and so fulfill the covenant of Moses: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord” (Lev 19:18). (CC)

1:13    rest. An important OT concept (see notes on Dt 3:20; 2Sa 7:1, 11), implying secure borders, peace with neighboring countries and absence of threat to life and well-being within the land (see note on 1Ki 5:4). In the NT it is further interpreted in the light of Christ’s victory. (CSB)

The emerging rest of physical and spiritual security during this earthly life that Israel was gaining by military might was important in salvation history, even as the Sabbath rest commanded at Sinai held real value (Ex 20:8–11). The Lord himself rested on the seventh day after he finished the creation (Gen 2:2–3; Ex 20:11), and every Sabbath God granted one day of rest for man and beast (Ex 23:12; Deut 5:14). But this temporary rest was not the ultimate fulfillment of God’s gracious promises. It was merely a precursor of the eternal physical and spiritual rest earned by the NT Joshua, Jesus. (CC)

The author of Hebrews in 4:1–12 examines the concept of “rest” found in the book of Joshua and in the OT Sabbath and compares it with the rest found in Jesus. The comparison refers to Joshua by name, and his name is identical to that of Jesus in Greek: Ἰησοῦς (Heb 4:8). “Jesus” is the anglicized Greek form of “Joshua.” The author’s conclusion is this: “For if Joshua had caused them to rest, he [God] would not have spoken about another day after these things” (Heb 4:8). “Now we who have believed [in Jesus] enter that rest” (Heb 4:3). The OT Joshua could give a preliminary rest to Israel by defeating their physical and theological enemies—the pagan Canaanites—and causing the nation to enter the “rest” of the promised land in which God would dwell with them. But the NT Joshua has earned endless rest for the whole guilt-ridden world by conquering sin (Is 53:4–6; Mt 11:28, 29). The weary and burdened enter the greater salvation-rest of Jesus “today” (cf. Ps 95:7–11)—on the very day that they come to him through faith and rest from their own works (Heb 4:10). (CC)

This rest in Christ is far greater than Joshua and the land of Canaan could give. Like the OT rest, it is both physical and spiritual, but it is also heavenly and eternal. All those in Christ will be raised bodily to dwell forever with God in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21–22). Since the “rest” of Joshua was to be received in faith and treasured (cf. 1 Cor 10:1–13; Heb 4:1–12), how much more is the “rest” of Jesus to be received in faith, vigorously defended, and adhered to until the final reception of the inheritance! (CC)

1:14    beyond the Jordan. The Transjordan, or land east of the Jordan. (TLSB) Strong warriors, the special fighting forces of these three tribes (cf 6:2; 8:3; 10:7). (TLSB)

 your fighting men, fully armed. Those over 20 (see, e.g., Ex 38:26), known for their valor and able to equip themselves with the weapons of war. (CSB)

Strong warriors, the special fighting forces of these three tribes (cf 6:2; 8:3; 10:7). (TLSB)

1:15 rest to your brothers. The other 9½ tribes would receive their rest from the Lord when the Canaanites west of the Jordan were defeated and their land was allotted to Israel, some seven years later (based on the age of Caleb at the beginning and end of the conquest; cf 14:6–10). (TLSB)
1:16–18 The 2½ Transjordanian tribes wholeheartedly agree to help the other tribes find rest across the Jordan (Nu 32:25–27, 31–32.) They affirm complete loyalty to Joshua and, thereby, to the Lord; they call for God’s presence with Joshua and encourage him with the same words that the Lord had spoken in Jsh 1:6–7, 9. (TLSB)

For the sake of their brothers, the eastern tribes will indeed participate in the coming conquest across the Jordan. Implicit in their response is their affirmation that they will keep their word before God. (CC)

The positive and emphatic response goes beyond honoring their promise. They affirm complete loyalty to Joshua and thereby to the Lord, who had commissioned him through Moses and who now issues his commands through Joshua. They call for and fully expect the Lord’s presence with Joshua, even as the Lord was present with Moses at the burning bush and thereafter (Ex 3:12). This same God of Moses—Yahweh, the Lord (Exodus 3)—is Joshua’s God: “the Lord your God” (Josh 1:17). In 1:17–18 the Israelites repeat some of the Lord’s own encouragements to Joshua from 1:6–9. In this way the people acknowledge Joshua’s position of leadership “in the stead and by the command” of God himself. (CC)
Moreover, these verses allude to the Mosaic covenant and the failure of the preceding generation to receive in faith the words and promises of the Lord through Moses. The children of the grumbling generation have improved on the record of their parents. The Lord has worked amazing changes! It is he himself who raised up the new generation (5:7a) and inspired in them covenant faithfulness. The preaching of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy was part of the effective power of the Lord, and that power continues in the preaching of Joshua. (CC)
The seriousness of the people’s commitment to the covenant is evident in their pledge to impose the penalty of death upon anyone who rebels against Joshua’s words: “Any man who rebels against your mouth and does not hear your words regarding all which you might command him—may he be put to death” (1:18). Such rebellion would be treason in this military context. More importantly, it would constitute rejection of the Lord who had established the covenant with the people through Moses, who has ordained Joshua to be his new servant, and who is speaking through Joshua. This pledge is in harmony with Deut 18:15–20, where God promises to raise up a new prophet like Moses and requires the people to listen to him. The Lord himself will punish anyone who fails to listen (Deut 18:19), and any false prophet who speaks words not from the Lord will die (Deut 18:20). This promise of a new prophet is not, however, fully realized in Joshua (who is never called a “prophet”). It will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Word of the Lord made flesh; apart from him there is no salvation, only death. (CC)
1:17 we obeyed Moses. Previous generation rebelled against Moses. The Lord, however, raised up in their place an obedient generation (5:6–7). (TLSB)
        your God. People acknowledge Joshua’s faith in the Lord and his God-given authority as their leader. (TLSB)

1:18    Whoever rebels. Having just taken the oath of allegiance to Joshua, they now agree to the death penalty for any act of treason (e.g., the sin of Achan, 7:15). (CSB)

Some Egyptian texts pronounce curses on rebellious leaders. Rebellion against Joshua would constitute treason in this military context. More than that, it would display rebellion against the Lord, who appointed Joshua as leader of the covenant nation. The Lord arms Joshua not with empty threats but with authority to end rebellion. (TLSB)

          be strong and courageous. The people’s words of encouragement to Joshua echo and reinforce those from the Lord (vv. 6–7, 9). (CSB)

1:10–18 Encouraged by the Lord’s Word, Joshua assumes command and encourages the people, especially the three eastern tribes, who in turn encourage Joshua. When we search for faults in our leaders, spew forth loveless words about them, and display a fractious spirit, we rob faithful leaders of the joy of serving the Lord. God is at work by the power of His Word to create unity and cooperation between leaders and followers. • O Lord, cause us to live “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:2–3). Amen. (TLSB)