◄ Joshua 1:3 ►
I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses.
Study Bible
I have given you
This phrase is a declaration of divine assurance and fulfillment. The Hebrew root word here is "נָתַן" (natan), which means "to give." It signifies a completed action, emphasizing God's sovereignty and faithfulness. The use of the perfect tense indicates that the promise is as good as fulfilled, even before Joshua takes action. This reflects the certainty of God's promises and His control over the unfolding of history.

every place
The phrase "every place" underscores the vastness and inclusivity of God's promise. It is not limited to specific locations but encompasses all territories that Joshua and the Israelites will encounter. This reflects the boundless nature of God's provision and His desire to bless His people abundantly. Historically, this promise would have been understood in the context of the land of Canaan, a land rich in resources and strategically located.

where the sole of your foot will tread
This expression is both literal and symbolic. Literally, it refers to the physical act of walking on the land, which was a common ancient Near Eastern practice to claim ownership. Symbolically, it represents the act of faith and obedience required from Joshua and the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "tread" is "דָּרַךְ" (darakh), which can also mean "to march" or "to press." It implies intentionality and determination, suggesting that the fulfillment of God's promise requires active participation and trust in His guidance.

just as I promised to Moses
This phrase connects Joshua's mission to the broader narrative of God's covenant with Israel. The promise to Moses, found in passages like Deuteronomy 11:24, serves as a reminder of God's unchanging nature and His commitment to His word. It reinforces the continuity of God's plan from Moses to Joshua, highlighting the importance of leadership succession and the transmission of faith across generations. This continuity assures the Israelites that God's promises are reliable and enduring, providing a foundation for their hope and courage as they enter the Promised Land.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Joshua
The successor of Moses, chosen by God to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. He is a central figure in the book of Joshua and is known for his faithfulness and leadership.

2. Moses
The servant of God who led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness. God made promises to Moses regarding the land that would be given to the Israelites.

3. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It represents God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises.

4. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, descendants of Abraham, who are about to enter and take possession of the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership.

5. God's Promise
The assurance given by God to Moses and now to Joshua, that He will give them the land wherever they set foot, signifying His faithfulness and sovereignty.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness
God is faithful to His promises. Just as He promised Moses, He fulfills His word to Joshua. Believers can trust in God's promises in their own lives.

Leadership and Obedience
Joshua's leadership is marked by obedience to God's commands. Effective leadership in the Christian life involves following God's guidance and commands.

Claiming God's Promises
The act of setting foot on the land symbolizes actively claiming God's promises. Believers are encouraged to step out in faith and claim the spiritual promises God has given them.

Courage and Strength
Joshua is called to be strong and courageous. Christians are encouraged to rely on God's strength and courage in facing life's challenges.

Continuity of God's Plan
The transition from Moses to Joshua shows the continuity of God's plan. Believers can be assured that God's plans are unchanging and will be fulfilled in His timing.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Joshua 1:3 demonstrate God's faithfulness to His promises, and how can this encourage us in our personal walk with God?

2. In what ways does Joshua's leadership reflect obedience to God, and how can we apply this principle in our roles today?

3. What are some "lands" or promises in your life that God is calling you to step into by faith?

4. How does the continuity of God's promise from Moses to Joshua provide assurance of God's unchanging nature?

5. Reflect on a time when you needed to be strong and courageous. How did relying on God's promises help you in that situation?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 11:24
This verse reiterates the promise that every place the Israelites set their feet will be theirs, showing continuity in God's promise from Moses to Joshua.

Genesis 12:7
God's promise to Abraham about giving his descendants the land, establishing the foundation of the promise fulfilled in Joshua's time.

Hebrews 11:30
The faith of the Israelites in conquering Jericho, demonstrating the fulfillment of God's promises through faith and obedience.
Sermons
A Dauntless SpiritHandbook of IllustrationJoshua 1:1-9
A Good Working BibleHome Messenger.Joshua 1:1-9
A Great PromiseG. Clayton, M. A.Joshua 1:1-9
A Great PromiseHomilistJoshua 1:1-9
A Great -Promise and a Stirring ExhortationA. B. Mackay.Joshua 1:1-9
An Inspiring PresenceJ. Robertson.Joshua 1:1-9
Christian FortitudeD. Featley, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Courage NecessaryJoshua 1:1-9
Death and its LessonsDean Vaughan.Joshua 1:1-9
Death Enters into God's PlansW. G. Blaikie, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Death Makes Room for OthersJ. Parker, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Dignity of God's ServiceJoshua 1:1-9
FootholdH. Macmillan, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
God with the GoodD. Featley, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
God with Us Through LifeA London Clergyman.Joshua 1:1-9
God's Revealed Wilt the Only Safe Rule for All Individual GuidanceR. Shittler.Joshua 1:1-9
God's Strength Made Perfect in Human WeaknessF. B. Meyer, B. A.Joshua 1:1-9
Joshua on the MarchT. De Witt Talmage.Joshua 1:1-9
Joshua the Successor of MosesJ. Waite Joshua 1:1-9
Joshua. Successor, to MosesSermons by the Monday ClubJoshua 1:1-9
Joshua's ObedienceJoshua 1:1-9
MeditationJoshua 1:1-9
Meditation and ObedienceJ. C. Miller, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Moses and JoshuaC. H. Parkhurst, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Obedience the Condition of VictorySpurgeon, Charles HaddonJoshua 1:1-9
Onward, Through, and OverJ. J. Wray.Joshua 1:1-9
Ownership and PossessionW. H. P. Faunce.Joshua 1:1-9
PromotionChristian World PulpitJoshua 1:1-9
Something to be Done to Gain PossessionH . Macmillan, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Strength and CourageW. G. Blaikie, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Strengthening Medicine for God's ServantsSpurgeon, Charles HaddonJoshua 1:1-9
Taking Possession of Our InheritanceSpurgeon, Charles HaddonJoshua 1:1-9
The Campaign CommencedG. W. Butler, M. A.Joshua 1:1-9
The Charge to the Soldier of the LordA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
The Christian's LawJ. C. Miller, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
The Commission for the ConquestA. B. Mackay.Joshua 1:1-9
The Commission of JoshuaDavid O. Mears.Joshua 1:1-9
The Death of the Old LawgiverA. B. Mackay.Joshua 1:1-9
The Land of the HittitesW. G. Blaikie, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
The New LeaderA. B. Mackay.Joshua 1:1-9
The Presence of the MasterJoshua 1:1-9
The Prosperous WayJ. C. Miller, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
The Right People for the LandW. G. Blaikie, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
The Sources of Joshua's StrengthF. B. Meyer, . B. A.Joshua 1:1-9
The Strength and Courage Needed .For Common LifeA. Raleigh,D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
Victory AssuredF. B. Meyer, B. A.Joshua 1:1-9
Whom Do I Succeed?J. Parker, D. D.Joshua 1:1-9
God's Gift to the ChurchS.R. Aldridge Joshua 1:2, 3
People
Gadites, Hittites, Israelites, Joshua, Manasseh, Nun, Reubenites
Places
Euphrates River, Great Sea, Jordan River, Lebanon, Moab
Topics
Foot, Promised, Sole, Spake, Spoke, Spoken, Tread, Treadeth, Treads, Whereon
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Joshua 1:3

     1348   covenant, with Abraham
     8670   remembering

Joshua 1:1-4

     5704   inheritance, material

Joshua 1:1-6

     7258   promised land, early history

Joshua 1:1-9

     5548   speech, divine
     7125   elect, the

Library
The New Leaders Commission
'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, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Charge to the Soldier of the Lord
'Only be then strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded thee... that thou mayest prosper wheresoever thou goest. 8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shall 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.'--JOSHUA i. 7,8. This is the central portion of the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Jewish Dispersion in the West - the Hellenists - Origin of Hellenist Literature in the Greek Translation of the Bible - Character of the Septuagint.
When we turn from the Jewish dispersion' in the East to that in the West, we seem to breathe quite a different atmosphere. Despite their intense nationalism, all unconsciously to themselves, their mental characteristics and tendencies were in the opposite direction from those of their brethren. With those of the East rested the future of Judaism; with them of the West, in a sense, that of the world. The one represented old Israel, stretching forth its hands to where the dawn of a new day was about …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. Elementary Schools, Schoolmasters, and School Arrangements.
If a faithful picture of society in ancient Greece or Rome were to be presented to view, it is not easy to believe that even they who now most oppose the Bible could wish their aims success. For this, at any rate, may be asserted, without fear of gainsaying, that no other religion than that of the Bible has proved competent to control an advanced, or even an advancing, state of civilisation. Every other bound has been successively passed and submerged by the rising tide; how deep only the student …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Finding of Moses
Many long years had passed since the days when Joseph's brothers and their families had settled in the land of Egypt. They were a great nation in numbers now, but the Egyptians still ruled over them, and used them as servants. The Pharaoh who had been so kind to the shepherds from Canaan was dead long ago, and the new kings, or Pharaohs as they were called, hated foreigners, and began to treat the Israelites very harshly. There were too many of them, they said; it was dangerous to have so many strong, …
Amy Steedman—The Babe in the Bulrushes

Five Kings in a Cave
TEXT: "And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."--Joshua 10:24-25. The history of the …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

Brave Encouragements
'In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, 3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? 4. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Getting Ready to Enter Canaan
GETTING READY TO ENTER CANAAN Can you tell me, please, the first step to take in obtaining the experience of entire sanctification? I have heard much about it, have heard many sermons on it, too; but the way to proceed is not yet plain to me, not so plain as I wish it were. Can't you tell me the first step, the second, third, and all the rest? My heart feels a hunger that seems unappeased, I have a longing that is unsatisfied; surely it is a deeper work I need! And so I plead, "Tell me the way." …
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

The Routing of Giant Doubt
THE ROUTING OF GIANT DOUBT Doubts! doubts! doubts! Just a company of them around me all the time worse than Job's miserable comforters. What can I do with them? I should like to dismiss them, but it seems I can not. They make me much trouble, but it seems I can not get them to leave me. Especially are the doubts concerning my entire consecration aggravating, and those, too, concerning my entire cleansing. I fear to come out boldly and declare that I believe that Christ fully saves me now. I believe …
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

Never! Never! Never! Never! Never!
Hence, let us learn, my brethren, the extreme value of searching the Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore miss its comfort. You are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is near at hand. There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacopia of Scripture, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 8: 1863

From his Commission to Reside Abroad in 1820 to his Removal to Germany in 1822
In 1822 John Yeardley went to reside in Germany. As his residence abroad constituted one of the most remarkable turns in his life, and exercised a powerful influence on the rest of his career, we shall develop as fully as we are able the motives by which he was induced to leave his native country. By means of his Diary we can trace the early appearance and growth, if not the origin, of the strong Christian sympathy he ever afterwards manifested with seeking souls in the nations on the continent of …
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

Sundry Exhortations.
HEBREWS xiii. Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves also in the body. Let marriage be had in honour among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for Himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Great Commission Given.
(Time and Place Same as Last Section.) ^A Matt. XXVIII. 18-20; ^B Mark XVI. 15-18; ^C Luke XXIV. 46, 47. ^a 18 And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ^b 15 And he said unto them, Go ye ^a therefore, ^b into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. ^a and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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