Berean Study Bible God Instructs JoshuaMoses had faithfully led Israel from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land under God’s direction. His death in Moab ended an era of wilderness leadership and marked the transfer of responsibility to Joshua. Though Moses did not enter Canaan, God’s purposes for Israel continued without interruption. Deu 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there.… the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Joshua, whose name means “The LORD is salvation,” from the tribe of Ephraim, had served alongside Moses and had remained faithful when Israel first refused to enter the land. God’s direct instruction confirmed Joshua as Moses’ appointed successor and prepared him to lead the nation into Canaan. Deu 31:23 Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun… Moses’ assistant, Joshua’s years beside Moses had equipped him to lead Israel. He had witnessed God’s power, received military experience, and learned to follow the Lord’s commands during Israel’s journey through the wilderness. Num 11:28 Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth… saying, God now gave Joshua the direction, promises, and commands needed for Israel’s entrance into the land. Jos 8:1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid… “Moses My servant is dead. Moses had led Israel from Egypt to the border of Canaan, but he died in Moab after viewing the land from Mount Nebo. His death ended a unique ministry as Israel’s lawgiver, prophet, and mediator under the old covenant. Yet God’s purpose did not end with Moses; the promises made to the patriarchs remained certain. Deu 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there.… Now therefore arise, Joshua was to accept the leadership entrusted to him and begin the work Moses had not been permitted to complete. The command called for immediate obedience and prepared him to lead Israel according to God’s direction. Deu 31:7-8 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him… you and all these people, Israel would enter the land together under Joshua’s leadership. The nation was not merely observing Joshua’s task but participating in the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. Deu 31:7 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him… and cross over the Jordan The Jordan marked the boundary between the wilderness where Israel had wandered and the inheritance promised to them. Crossing it would begin the conquest of Canaan and demonstrate that the Lord was bringing His people into the land He had pledged to give them. Deu 9:1 Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan… into the land that I am giving Canaan was God’s gift, granted according to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel would still be required to fight and obey, but possession of the land depended ultimately on God’s faithfulness. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess… to the children of Israel. The descendants of Jacob were entering the inheritance promised to their fathers. Their identity as Israel rested on God’s covenant choice and His continuing commitment to fulfill His word. Exo 6:8 And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give… I have given you every place God assured Joshua that Israel’s inheritance in Canaan rested on His covenant faithfulness. Though the land still had to be entered and subdued, its grant was certain because God had promised it to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Gen 13:14 After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram,… where the sole of your foot will tread, Israel was required to advance into the land God had assigned to them. Their possession would involve real movement, conflict, and obedience under Joshua’s leadership. Deu 11:24 Every place where the sole of your foot treads… just as I promised to Moses. The commission continued the work begun under Moses and confirmed that God’s purpose had not changed with Moses’ death. Joshua would lead Israel into the land Moses had been permitted to see but not enter. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess… Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon Israel’s inheritance stretched from the southern wilderness region northward to Lebanon, a land famed for its forests and mountains. The boundaries described a broad and varied land prepared for the people God was bringing into Canaan. Deu 11:24 Every place where the sole of your foot treads… to the great River Euphrates— The Euphrates marked the far northeastern reach of the territory promised to Israel. Its inclusion showed that the land grant extended well beyond the immediate hills and valleys of Canaan. Gen 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram… all the land of the Hittites— The Hittites were among the established peoples of the region, with influence reaching from Anatolia into northern Canaan and Syria. Their land represented territory occupied by powerful nations that Israel would face as it entered the land. Exo 23:23 For My angel will go before you, and bring you into the land… and west as far as the Great Sea. The Great Sea was the Mediterranean, forming Israel’s western boundary. From the wilderness to the sea, the land provided fertile plains, mountain regions, trade routes, and access to the coast. Num 34:6 Your western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea;… No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. Joshua would face fortified cities, established peoples, and military opposition throughout the conquest of Canaan, yet no enemy could ultimately prevent the fulfillment of God’s command. Israel’s success depended not on Joshua’s strength alone but on the Lord’s purpose to give them the land promised to their fathers. Deu 11:25 No man will be able to stand against you;… As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; Moses had led Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and to the edge of the land. Joshua now assumed leadership at a decisive moment in Israel’s history. God’s presence with him assured the people that the change in leadership did not alter God’s covenant or His power to accomplish what He had promised. Jos 3:7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin… I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua was not sent into the land without divine help. God would remain with him through conflict, responsibility, and uncertainty, providing the strength and direction needed to lead Israel. His abiding presence was the foundation of Joshua’s confidence and Israel’s future in the land. Deu 31:8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you.… Be strong and courageous, Joshua faced the immense responsibility of succeeding Moses and leading Israel into Canaan. Courage was necessary not only for military conflict but for faithful obedience to God’s commands and steady leadership over a nation entering unfamiliar territory. God’s presence, not Joshua’s natural ability, was the basis for his strength. Deu 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified… for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land Joshua would lead Israel in taking possession of Canaan and overseeing the division of its territory among the tribes. The land was a real inheritance, provided by God as a place for Israel to live, worship, and serve Him as His covenant people. Jos 11:23 So Joshua took the entire land, as the LORD had spoken… that I swore to their fathers God’s commitment reached back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel’s entrance into the land was the fulfillment of a promise preserved through generations, despite slavery in Egypt, wilderness judgment, and the passing of Moses. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess… I would give them. The land was God’s gift, secured by His faithfulness and accomplished under His direction. Israel would fight to possess it, but the outcome rested on the Lord who had promised it. Jos 21:43 Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn… Above all, be strong and very courageous. Joshua faced the weighty task of leading Israel after Moses’ death and bringing the nation into Canaan. The land was occupied by powerful peoples, and Israel’s success depended on the Lord’s presence and Joshua’s faithful leadership. His strength was to be expressed in steadfast trust, moral resolve, and obedience to God’s command. Deu 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified… Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Israel’s life in the land was governed by the covenant God had given through Moses. Joshua was not free to establish his own standard or alter God’s requirements. Faithful obedience would preserve Israel’s distinct calling as the Lord’s people and direct the nation in worship, justice, and holiness. Deu 31:12-13 Assemble the people—men, women, children… Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, Joshua was to follow God’s law without compromise or deviation. As Israel encountered the customs, religions, and pressures of Canaan, its leader had to remain fixed on the Lord’s revealed will. His example would shape the nation’s faithfulness in the years ahead. Deu 5:32 So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you;… so that you may prosper wherever you go. God promised success in Joshua’s mission as he obeyed Him. This prosperity included victory, security, settlement in the land, and the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel. The blessing was not detached from obedience but rested on continued faithfulness to the Lord. 1Ki 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways… This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; The Book of the Law was the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, given through Moses, containing the covenant commands by which Israel was to live in the land. Israel’s leaders were responsible to preserve, teach, and speak God’s instruction publicly and within their households. Psa 119:13 With my lips I proclaim all the judgments of Your mouth. meditate on it day and night, Joshua was to keep God’s commands continually before his mind, speaking and considering them so that they governed his judgment and leadership. God’s Word was not to be reserved for formal occasions but was to direct the ordinary course of life. Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law… so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Knowing the Law was inseparable from obeying it. As Israel entered Canaan, Joshua’s military decisions, civil leadership, and personal conduct were to remain under God’s authority. Deu 5:32-33 So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you;… For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do. Success meant fulfilling the task God had assigned: leading Israel into the promised land, overcoming its enemies, and establishing the nation in faithful obedience. God’s blessing included security, order, and covenant fellowship, not an unrestricted promise of material wealth. 1Ki 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways… Have I not commanded you God’s charge to Joshua carries the full authority of Israel’s covenant Lord as Joshua succeeds Moses and prepares to lead the nation into Canaan. Deu 31:7 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him… to be strong and courageous? Joshua would face military conflict, difficult decisions, and the weight of leading Israel into the land God had promised. His strength was to rest in God’s faithfulness rather than personal ability. Deu 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified… Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, The fortified cities and powerful peoples of Canaan gave real cause for human fear, yet Israel’s success depended on trusting and obeying God. Deu 31:8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you.… for the LORD your God is with you God had not abandoned His people with the death of Moses; He remained personally present with Joshua as their leader and with Israel as His covenant nation. Exo 3:12 “I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be…”… wherever you go.” Whether entering battle, dividing the land, or establishing Israel in Canaan, Joshua could proceed with confidence that God’s presence and purpose would not fail. Gen 28:15 Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go…
Joshua Takes ChargeJoshua, whose name means “The Lord is salvation,” Moses’ appointed successor, now began directing Israel for the entrance into Canaan. Joshua acted with the authority God had given him. His orders began the practical preparation for crossing the Jordan and advancing against the Canaanite peoples. Deu 1:15-18 So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected… “Go through the camp and tell the people, Joshua sent officers throughout Israel’s camp so that every tribe and family would receive the same instructions. Israel was no longer waiting in the wilderness; under Joshua’s leadership, the nation was being organized for entry into Canaan. Exo 32:27 He told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel,… ‘Prepare your provisions, The people were to make ready for the journey and the coming campaign. Although God had sustained them with manna, they were responsible to prepare for the movement of the nation and the demands of entering the land. Jos 9:11 So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us,… for within three days you will cross the Jordan The Jordan marked the boundary between the wilderness generation’s long wandering and the inheritance promised to their fathers. Israel would cross it by God’s power, leaving behind the wilderness and beginning the conquest of Canaan. Jos 3:2 After three days the officers went through the camp to go in and take possession of the land God’s gift did not remove Israel’s duty to obey, advance, and drive out the inhabitants as He commanded. The land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was now to become Israel’s possession. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess… that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’” Canaan was God’s gift, not merely the result of Israel’s strength or military ability. The command reminded the people that the LORD remained their covenant God and that their inheritance depended on His faithfulness. Deu 17:14 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you… But to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, These tribes had received territory east of the Jordan because it was well suited for their livestock. Though settled there, they remained bound to Israel’s common mission and were required to help secure the land west of the river before returning to their own inheritance. Deu 3:12-20 So at that time we took possession of this land… Joshua said, As Moses’ successor, Joshua led Israel in obedience to God’s command to possess Canaan. He reminded these tribes that receiving their land did not release them from their responsibility to the rest of Israel. Jos 22:2-4 “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD”… “Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you Joshua reminds the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that their settlement east of the Jordan rested on Moses’ command and God’s authority. Their inheritance did not release them from their obligations to the rest of Israel. Deu 3:18-20 At that time I commanded you: “The LORD your God… when he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest, God had granted these tribes security in the territory they requested after Israel’s victories over Sihon and Og. Yet the nation as a whole had not entered its promised rest, since the land west of the Jordan still awaited conquest. Deu 12:10 When you cross the Jordan and live in the land… and He will give you this land.’ The land east of the Jordan was a real inheritance given by God, not merely a military gain. Joshua calls the tribes to remember that God’s gift carried the responsibility to help their brothers obtain their inheritance as well. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess… Your wives, your young children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh received territory east of the Jordan in Gilead and Bashan. Moses granted them this inheritance after they pledged to join the other tribes in the conquest of Canaan. Their families and herds could remain in the settled land while the men served with Israel’s army. Num 32:16-17 Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said,… But all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers and help them, Their able-bodied warriors were required to cross the Jordan with the nation and fight until the remaining tribes had received their inheritance. Going ahead of their brothers showed that they were not withdrawing from Israel’s common mission but sharing its dangers and responsibilities. Num 32:20-22 Moses replied, “If you will do this—”… until the LORD gives them rest as He has done for you, Israel’s rest meant security from hostile nations and settled possession of the land God had promised. The eastern tribes had already received their inheritance, but they were required to fight alongside the remaining tribes until all Israel could live securely in the land. Deu 3:20 until the LORD gives rest to your brothers… and your brothers also possess the land that the LORD your God is giving them. The tribes west of the Jordan were their fellow Israelites, sharing the same covenant promises and national mission. Their inheritance came from God, and the eastern tribes could not withdraw until the whole nation had received what God appointed. Deu 3:18-19 At that time I commanded you: “The LORD your God… Then you may return to the land of your inheritance Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were then free to return to their homes east of the Jordan. Their land had been granted because of its suitability for their livestock, but their possession of it remained tied to their commitment to assist the other tribes. Num 32:20-22 Moses replied, “If you will do this—”… and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the east side of the Jordan.” Moses had assigned them the territories of Gilead and Bashan before Israel crossed the Jordan. Joshua upheld Moses’ arrangement, showing the continuity of God’s command and the fulfillment of His promise to establish Israel throughout the land. Jos 13:8-9 The other half of Manasseh, along with the Reubenites… So they answered Joshua, The people publicly affirmed Joshua’s authority after Moses’ death, recognizing God’s appointment of him to lead Israel into Canaan. Jos 24:24 So the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD… “Everything you have commanded us we will do, Their pledge expressed unity and willingness to obey the directions Joshua would give under God’s command. Exo 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it… and everywhere you send us we will go. Israel committed to follow Joshua into the land promised to their fathers, despite the battles and dangers that lay ahead. Rut 1:16 But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you”… Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Israel acknowledged Joshua as Moses’ God-appointed successor. Moses had led the nation from Egypt through the wilderness under God’s direction, and Joshua had served beside him for many years. As Israel prepared to enter Canaan, their unity under Joshua’s leadership was necessary for carrying out God’s command to possess the land. Deu 34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom… And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. The people asked that God would uphold Joshua with the same presence, guidance, and power shown throughout Moses’ leadership. God had already assured Joshua that He would not leave him, and Israel’s success in the coming conquest depended upon the LORD’s continued presence and their faithful obedience to His commands. Exo 33:14 And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you…”… Anyone who rebels against your order Israel pledged to follow Joshua as God’s appointed successor to Moses. Their past rebellions in the wilderness had brought judgment and delayed entry into the land; unity under Joshua was necessary for the conquest. Num 16:30-33 But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented,… and does not obey your words, Joshua’s commands carried God-given authority insofar as he led the people according to the Lord’s instruction. Obedience to him maintained order among the tribes during a decisive transition. Deu 18:19 And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen… all that you command him, The commitment was to full cooperation, not selective obedience. Israel’s success in taking and settling Canaan depended on faithful adherence to God’s covenant and the leadership He had established. Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over… will be put to death. Deliberate rebellion threatened the nation’s holiness, unity, and mission. Such punishment reflected the seriousness of rejecting God’s authority within the covenant community. Deu 13:5 Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death,… Above all, be strong and courageous!” The people repeated the charge God had given Joshua, recognizing the demands of leading Israel into Canaan. Joshua would need steadfast faith and courage as he faced fortified cities, hostile nations, and the responsibility of guiding God’s people. Deu 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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