Joshua 1:5
in Joshua 1No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Joshua 1
Commentary
14 notes on this verseWe need the presence of God, not only when we are beginning our work to set us in, but in the progress of it to further us with a continual help. If that at any time fail us, we are gone; this we may be sure, that the Lord is with us while we are with him. This promise here made to Joshua is applied to all believers, and improved as an argument against covetousness, Heb. xiii.
This site's exposition
No one shall stand against you
on Joshua 1:5-6
“I will never leave you nor forsake you” hands Joshua the words Moses spoke to the people and to him at Deuteronomy 31:6 and 31:8. Hebrews 13:5 gives it to every believer against covetousness, which is where Henry takes it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Pay attention to what comes next: "Without love, a measure of money is sufficient for present needs," because he himself said, " 'I will not forsake you, I will not desert you.' You were afraid of I don't know what evils, for that reason you were saving up money; count me as your guarantor." That's what God says to you. It isn't a man, not your equal or you yourself, but God who says to you, "I will not forsake you, I will not desert you." If a man made such a promise, you would trust him; God makes it, and you hesitate? He made the promise, put it in writing, made out the bond; you needn't worry at all. Read what you've got in your hand, you're holding God's bond; as your debtor you hold the one whom you have asked to cancel your debts.
The fifth kindness follows, which is bestowed with true certainty on every really staunch Catholic. He means: "Even if I were to walk among heretics and schismatics" (they are rightly called the shadow of death since they have the form of death as they lead …
Nevertheless, I say, fear not. Paul comforteth you, saying, "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it." He indeed Himself hath said. "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." For had He resolved to punish us in deed, and in actual endurance, He would not have given us over to terror during so many days. For when He would not punish, He affrights; since if He were intending to punish, fear would be superfluous, and threatening superfluous. But now, we have sustained a life more grievous than countless deaths; fearing and trembling during so many days, and being suspicious of our very shadows; and paying the punishment of Cain; and in the midst of our sleep, starting up, through constant agony of mind. So that if we have kindled God's wrath, we have appeased Him in the endurance of such a punishment. For if we have not paid the satisfaction due to our sins, yet it hath been enough to satisfy the mercy of God.
We must join in disciplining ourselves to beware of all that is subject to the passions. We must, like true philosophers, escape from any foods that arouse sexual desire, from a dissolute relaxation in bed, from luxury and all the passions that make for luxury. We realize that others find this a grievous struggle. It is no longer so for us, since self-discipline is God's greatest gift. "He has said, 'I will never forsake you or abandon you,' " who has judged you worthy by a decision that is wholly genuine.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Note, it is a great comfort to the rising generation of ministers and Christians that the same grace which was sufficient for those that went before them shall not be wanting to them if they be not wanting to themselves in the improvement of it. It is repeated here again (
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7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life,....
If he be for us, who can be against us? God promises him clear success--the enemy should not make any head against him; and constant success--all the days of his life. However it might be with Israel when he was gone, all his reign should be graced with triumphs.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
now therefore arise, go over this Jordan--Joshua's mission was that of a military leader. This passage records his call to begin the work, and the address contains a literal repetition of the promise made to Moses (De 11:24, 25;
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A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee--Canaan was theirs by a divine grant; and the renewed confirmation of that grant to Joshua when about to lead the people into it, intimated not only a certain but an easy conquest.
NO doubt God had spoken to Joshua before. He had been a man of faith for many years and his faith enabled him to distinguish himself by such simple truthfulness of character and thoroughly faithful obedience to the Lord's will, that he and another were the only two left of the whole generation that came up out of Egypt. "Faithful among the faithless found," he survived where all else died.
NO doubt God had spoken to Joshua before. He had been a man of faith for many years and his faith enabled him to distinguish himself by such simple truthfulness of character and thoroughly faithful obedience to the Lord's will, that he and another were the only two left of the whole generation that came up out of Egypt. "Faithful among the faithless found," he survived where all else died. Standing erect in full vigor, he might have been compared to a lone tree which spreads its verdant branches untouched by the axe which has leveled its fellows with the ground. But now Joshua was about to enter upon a new work—he had become king in Jeshurun instead of Moses! From a servant, he had risen to be a ruler, and it now fell to his lot to lead the people across the Jordan and marshal their forces for the conquest of the Promised Land. On the threshold of this high enterprise the Lord appears to His servant and says, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you." When God's people come into fresh positions, they shall have fresh revelations of His love! New dangers will bring new protections. New difficulties, new helps. New discouragements, new comforts, so that we may rejoice in tribulations, also, because they are so many newly-opened doors of God's mercy to us! We will be glad of our extremities because they are Divine opportunities. What the Lord said to Joshua was particularly encouraging and it came precisely when he needed it. Great was his peril and great was the promise—"Be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the Lord your God is with you where ever you go." We will waste no time in preface, but at once consider the Divine promise. "I will not fail you, nor forsake you." I. Observe here, first, THE SUITABILITY OF THE CONSOLATION WHICH THESE WORDS GAVE TO JOSHUA.
Be able to stand before thee - Because God shall be with thee, therefore thou shalt be irresistible. This promise was most punctually literally fulfilled.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב | yityatzev | he will stand | H3320 → | |
| אִישׁ֙ | ʾish | anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| לְפָנֶ֔יךָ | lefaneikha | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יְמֵ֣י | yemei | [the] days of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| חַיֶּ֑יךָ | chaiyeikha | life your | H2416 → | 498 times |
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיִ֤יתִי | hayiti | I was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| מֹשֶׁה֙ | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶהְיֶ֣ה | ʾehyeh | I will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמָּ֔ךְ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אַרְפְּךָ֖ | ʾarpekha | I will abandon you | H7503 → | 46 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֶעֶזְבֶֽךָּ׃ | ʾeezveka | I will leave you | H5800 → | 215 times |
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִתְיַצֵּ֥בhe will stand
yityatzevH3320 →
אִישׁ֙anyone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
לְפָנֶ֔יךָ<to> before you
lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
כֹּ֖לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
יְמֵ֣י[the] days of
yemeiH3117 →2304 times
חַיֶּ֑יךָlife your
chaiyeikhaH2416 →498 times
כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
הָיִ֤יתִיI was
hayitiH1961 →3559 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
מֹשֶׁה֙Moses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶהְיֶ֣הI will be
ʾehyehH1961 →3559 times
עִמָּ֔ךְwith you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אַרְפְּךָ֖I will abandon you
ʾarpekhaH7503 →46 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
אֶעֶזְבֶֽךָּ׃I will leave you
ʾeezvekaH5800 →215 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 8:31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
it leads to
- Psalms 118:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Jeremiah 1:19
They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 56:11
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- 1 John 4:4
You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Psalms 118:6
Through
Joshua 1:9Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
it leads to
- Genesis 28:15
Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what…
- Jeremiah 1:7–8
But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.
- Psalms 27:1–2
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Joshua 1:6–7
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.
- Genesis 28:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 177.11; Cassiodorus, EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 22.4; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1214: “Strengthening Medicine For God's Servants” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 6.3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.