Joshua 22:5
in Joshua 22But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
KJV
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
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This verse in Joshua 22
Commentary
8 notes on this verseBut take diligent heed, etc. - Let us examine the force of this excellent advice; they must ever consider that their prosperity and continued possession of the land depended on their fidelity and obedience to God; to this they must take diligent heed. Do the commandment - They must pay the strictest regard to every moral precept. And the law - They must observe all the rites and ceremonies of their holy religion. Love the Lord your God - Without an affectionate filial attachment to their Maker, duty would be irksome, grievous, and impossible.
This site's exposition
the LORD your God has given your brothers rest
on Joshua 22:4-5
Rest is the word the book has moved toward, promised at Deuteronomy 12:9-10, offered these tribes at 1:13-15 and given at 21:44. Hebrews 4:8 takes it up, where the King James spells Joshua's name as Jesus: had he given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day. Verse 5 stacks five verbs, love, walk, keep, hold fast and serve, from Deuteronomy 6:5, 10:12 and 11:22.
This site's exposition
be very careful to observe
Joshua sends these tribes home with the law while the tabernacle stays at Shiloh, a river away from their towns. Five verses later their altar puts the charge to the test. At Joshua 23:8 Joshua gives all Israel the same order to hold fast to the LORD.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
After these things Jesus [Joshua] assembles the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, who had served as soldiers with him to overcome the foes of the Israelites, and he dismisses them to go to their inheritance with certain gifts given to them, as it is written.
The Reformation1 voice
But since such is the vanity and inconstancy of the human mind, that religion easily fades away from the heart, while carelessness and contempt creep in, he requires of them zeal and diligence in executing the Law.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
), no doubt we must understand this of the other, even the prayers he made for them, as one having authority, and as God's vicegerent. Being thus dismissed, they returned to the land of their possession in a body (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,....
In general, to take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law. Those that have the commandment have it in vain unless they do the commandment; and it will not be done aright (so apt are we to turn aside, and so industrious are our spiritual enemies to turn us aside) unless we take heed, diligent heed.
The words behind it
30 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רַ֣ק׀ | rak | only | H7535 → | 109 times |
| שִׁמְר֣וּ | shimru | take care | H8104 → | 468 times |
| מְאֹ֗ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֨וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּצְוָ֣ה | hamitzvah | the commandment | H4687 → | 181 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַתּוֹרָה֮ | hatorah | the law | H8451 → | 219 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֣ה | tzivah | he commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֶתְכֶם֮ | ʾetkhem | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֣ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| עֶֽבֶד־ | ʾeved- | [the] servant of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יְהוָה֒ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְ֠אַהֲבָה | leahavah | to love | H157 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֜ם | ʾeloheikhem | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְלָלֶ֧כֶת | velalekhet | and to walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דְּרָכָ֛יו | derakhav | ways his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| וְלִשְׁמֹ֥ר | velishmor | and to keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| מִצְוֹתָ֖יו | mitzvotav | commandments his | H4687 → | 181 times |
| וּלְדָבְקָה־ | uledavekah- | and to cleave | H1692 → | 54 times |
| ב֑וֹ | vo | to him | ||
| וּלְעָבְד֕וֹ | uleavedo | and to serve him | H5647 → | 288 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | with all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| לְבַבְכֶ֖ם | levavkhem | heart your | H3824 → | 252 times |
| וּבְכָל־ | uvekhol- | and with all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃ | nafshekhem | being your | H5315 → | 754 times |
רַ֣ק׀only
rakH7535 →109 times
שִׁמְר֣וּtake care
shimruH8104 →468 times
מְאֹ֗דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
לַעֲשׂ֨וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּצְוָ֣הthe commandment
hamitzvahH4687 →181 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַתּוֹרָה֮the law
hatorahH8451 →219 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֣הhe commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
אֶתְכֶם֮<obj.> you
ʾetkhemH853 →10935 times
מֹשֶׁ֣הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
עֶֽבֶד־[the] servant of
ʾeved-H5650 →799 times
יְהוָה֒Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְ֠אַהֲבָהto love
leahavahH157 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֜םGod your
ʾeloheikhemH430 →2601 times
וְלָלֶ֧כֶתand to walk
velalekhetH1980 →1546 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
דְּרָכָ֛יוways his
derakhavH1870 →707 times
וְלִשְׁמֹ֥רand to keep
velishmorH8104 →468 times
מִצְוֹתָ֖יוcommandments his
mitzvotavH4687 →181 times
וּלְדָבְקָה־and to cleave
uledavekah-H1692 →54 times
ב֑וֹto him
vo
וּלְעָבְד֕וֹand to serve him
uleavedoH5647 →288 times
בְּכָל־with all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
לְבַבְכֶ֖םheart your
levavkhemH3824 →252 times
וּבְכָל־and with all
uvekhol-H3605 →5413 times
נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃being your
nafshekhemH5315 →754 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 8:28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Genesis 50:20
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
- Romans 5:3–5
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- 1 Peter 5:10
Through
Matthew 22:37Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
it leads to
- Mark 12:29–30
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
- Luke 10:27
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
- Deuteronomy 6:5
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
- Mark 12:29–30
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 26.2.