We have all felt the strength of the Lord within us, and it is something that goes beyond any understanding. In Joshua 1:9 you will find a message of encouragement and effort that will help you in the most complicated moments with God’s strength.
Joshua 1:9 kjv
“My command is: “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 ntv).
With these words in mind, everything seems possible, It is as if a feeling with the force of a hurricane emerges from our heart and drives us to do whatever we set out to do.
This is all that the verse conveys Joshua 1:9 of the Bible Joshua 1:9, a verse unknown to many, but that can help anyone to get ahead in many occasions in which the forces fail and it is difficult to continue.
Why do we find this verse in such so unknown for many? What does it really mean? Does it also apply to you? All these questions and many more we will try to answer in this analysis article.
For this, you are going to know the weight of the historical context that led to write this wonderful verse and also everything that surrounds it, so you can see that yes, it is one of the most beautiful verses in the whole Bible and everyone should know it.
Onward to Joshua 1:9!
Be strong and courageous Joshua
Before we go into the detailed analysis of the words of the verse, we think it is a good idea to show you the complete chapter to which it belongs in a video, shedding light on possible doubts that you will surely have in your head.
It is opportune that you look for a relaxing and quiet place that allows you to get closer to God and fill you with the strength of the words in this text. You will see that the video will be very much in keeping with this, and in a few moments you will be marveling at the Word of God in its entirety.
Joshua 1 in English and large print
If you want to get to know the text at your own pace and without haste, you can read it translated into English below. It is about Joshua 1 King James version that gives the best translations in terms of faithfulness to the original text. Enjoy the Word of God!
Preparations for the conquest
1 And it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying:
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise and go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to the children of Israel.
3 I have delivered to you, as I said to Moses, every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread.
4 From the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the great sea where the sun sets, shall be your territory.
5 No one shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not leave you, nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and of good courage: for thou shalt divide unto this people for an inheritance the land which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee; turn not aside from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest.
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 Behold, I command you to be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid or dismayed, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying:
11 Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals: for within three days ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
12 Joshua also spoke to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh, saying:
13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God has given you rest, and has given you this land.
14 Your wives, your children, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses has given you on this side Jordan; but you, all you mighty men of valor and strength, shall pass over armed before your brethren, and help them,
15 Until the LORD has given rest to your brethren as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God gives them; and afterward ye shall return unto the land of your inheritance, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you, on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; and ye shall enter into possession of it.
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, We will do all that thou hast commanded us, and we will go whithersoever thou commandest us.
17 As we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey you; only the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses.
18 Whoever is rebellious against your commandment, and does not obey your words in all that you command him, let him die; only be strong and courageous.
Versions Joshua 1:9
With all the context of the verse in mind, we can now begin the analysis of Joshua 1:9 in particular. For this purpose, we leave you different versions of the same verse taken from other translations of the Bible with more updated language.
Joshua 1:9 nvi (New International Version)
“I have already ordered you: Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid or discouraged! For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”“
Joshua 1:9 ntv (New Living Translation)
“My command is: “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!”
Joshua 1:9 tla (Current Language Translation)
“I ask you to be strong and courageous, not to be discouraged or afraid, for I am your God, and I will help you wherever you go.”
Bible study on Joshua 1 9
As we have seen throughout this article, Joshua had a complicated mission to guide an entire people to settle in their new home and trying to keep everything under the laws of God was not an easy task.
This is why the Lord gives him numerous messages of encouragement throughout the chapter, Joshua 1:9 being the most outstanding of them all because of its beauty and power.
If we look closely, the only thing the Lord asks Joshua to do is to have faith. He tells her to try hard and not to be afraid because He will always be by her side. In this sense, Joshua must go forward without any fear by performing an act of trust in the Lord that will be nourished by his faith.
We can also apply this verse in our daily lives. It is a relationship that feeds itself, if we have faith, the Lord will watch over us and make us walk firm with more faith.
All it takes is the spark of opening our hearts to the Word of God to invade us with this faith and drive us to continue. And many times this is the hardest part.
When things go wrong, it is very easy to complain and blame others for our misfortunes; forgetting about God, when it is in Him that we will find the way out of our problems and put happiness back into our lives.
The Sacred Scriptures are an inexhaustible source of knowledge that helps us to make decisions at the most complex crossroads, but above all, it is a source of love of the Lord.
So, remember Joshua 1:9 every time you need a push or a hand to lean on. The Lord will be by your side and in faith will never let you fall.
History of Joshua in the Bible
With all this strength that the Lord gives us, we come to the end of this article. Before we finish, we suggest you watch this video about the content of the book of Joshua explained in a way very graphic and easy to understand.
With it, you will also review a little bit of the history of the history of the people of Israel that you may have somewhat forgotten. The video is taken from the channel Bible Project, who make videos of this type for each book of the Bible. Don’t hesitate to take a look at the rest if you find it interesting!
Context of Joshua 1:9
The chapter you have just read is the first chapter of the book of Joshua, from the Old Testament of the Bible and which comes after Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch, the books written by Moses.
This order is important, since all these books follow a historical sequence that allow us to understand the origins and evolution of the people of Israel and, therefore, of the foundations of our religion.
The book of Deuteronomy ends with the death of Moses at the gates of the Promised Land, and it is Joshua who succeeds him to lead his people in the process of settling in their new home.
Joshua already knew those lands well, since he was one of Moses’ envoys to explore the region and was also a prominent character in some of the battles that took place during his journey, being the most suitable person to succeed the prophet to succeed the prophet in his position.
The book of Joshua narrates this period of conquest and repopulation of the Promised Land during Joshua’s leadership and until his death. Thus, it was a time of bonanza in which the people of Israel followed the teachings of Moses and the commandments and the Lord fulfilled his promise to protect them and give them a fertile land.
This first chapter is the appointment of Joshua as Moses’ successor, directly mediated by God. The latter urges him to be strong and announces the objective of his mission, which is to populate all the land of Canaan while remaining faithful to the covenant sealed with Moses.
With this last video, we conclude this analysis of Joshua 1:9 of the Bible, a verse full of strength and faith that will help you overcome any difficulty.
Reread this verse every time you need it and do not hesitate to share it with those people who will surely need it at some point in their lives.
That’s all from us and see you next time!