Joshua 3:7
in Joshua 3Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
KJV
And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
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This verse in Joshua 3
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This day will I begin to magnify thee - One cause why the miracle now to be narrated was performed is here suggested. As Moses was declared to he sent immediately from God with an extraordinary commission by the miracles which he worked, more especially that of dividing the Red Sea in two parts, so was Joshua both sent and accredited in a like manner. (Compare Jos 1:5, and Jos 4:14.) Other reasons are given in Jos 3:10; Jos 5:1.
This site's exposition
Today I will begin to exalt you
on Joshua 3:7-8
The promise of 1:5 is repeated, “just as I was with Moses”, and its public proof starts today. The result is reported at 4:14 in the same terms, that Israel revered Joshua as they had revered Moses. The instrument is a river, as the sea had accredited Moses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
What great things were manifested before! The Red Sea was crossed on foot, manna was given from heaven, springs were burst open in the wilderness, the law was given through Moses. Many signs and marvels were performed in the wilderness, but nowhere is it said that Jesus [Joshua] was "exalted." But where the Jordan is crossed, there it is said to Jesus [Joshua], "In this day I am beginning to exalt you in the sight of the people." Indeed, Jesus is not exalted before the mystery of baptism. But his exaltation, even his exaltation in the sight of the people, assumes a beginning from then on. If "all who are baptized [into Christ Jesus] are baptized into his death," and the death of Jesus is made complete by the exaltation of the cross, deservedly then, Jesus is first exalted for each of the faithful when that person arrives at the mystery of baptism. Because thus it is written that "God exalted him and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth, and below the earth."
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.231-32 · Written before 253.
proposed
And he commands the priests to go before the people with the ark of the covenant.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Some have observed that it was at the banks of Jordan that God began to magnify Joshua, and at the same place he began to magnify our Lord Jesus as Mediator; for John was baptizing at Bethabara, the house of passage, and there it was that when our Saviour was baptized it was proclaimed concerning him, This is my beloved Son.
6, 9 ), that by what they now saw their belief of that which they there read might be assisted, and they might know that the God whom they worshipped was the same God that made the world and that it was the same power that was engaged and employed for them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
Magnify thee - That is, to gain thee authority among them, as the person whom I have set in Moses's stead, and by whom I will conduct them to the possession of the promised land.
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the Lord said unto Joshua,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
This day will I begin to magnify thee - By making him the instrument in this miraculous passage, he did him honor and gave him high credit in the sight of the people: hence his authority was established, and obedience to him as their leader fully secured. What must have confirmed this authority was, his circumstantially foretelling how the waters should be cut off as soon as the feet of the priests had touched them, Jos 3:13. This demonstrated that the secret of the Lord was with him.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| הַיּ֣וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַזֶּ֗ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| אָחֵל֙ | ʾachel | I will begin | H2490 → | |
| גַּדֶּלְךָ֔ | gadelkha | to make great you | H1431 → | |
| בְּעֵינֵ֖י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יֵֽדְע֔וּן | yedeun | they will know ! | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֗י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיִ֛יתִי | hayiti | I was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶהְיֶ֥ה | ʾehyeh | I will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמָּֽךְ׃ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
הַיּ֣וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַזֶּ֗ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
אָחֵל֙I will begin
ʾachelH2490 →
גַּדֶּלְךָ֔to make great you
gadelkhaH1431 →
בְּעֵינֵ֖יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֲשֶׁר֙that
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יֵֽדְע֔וּןthey will know !
yedeunH3045 →945 times
כִּ֗יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
הָיִ֛יתִיI was
hayitiH1961 →3559 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶהְיֶ֥הI will be
ʾehyehH1961 →3559 times
עִמָּֽךְ׃with you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 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
Joshua 1:5No 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.
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Deuteronomy 31:6–8
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- Isaiah 41:10–14
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Joshua 1:9
Have 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.”
- Romans 8:31
Through
Psalms 18:35You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 22:36
You have given me Your shield of salvation, and Your gentleness exalts me.
- James 3:17–18
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Psalms 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
- 2 Samuel 22:36
Where this verse is studied
About Joshua
Who and where
2 names 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; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 4.2 and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.231-32.