Instead, your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will lead the people into the land. Encourage him, for he will lead Israel as they take possession of it.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
- KJV But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
- BSB Joshua son of Nun, who stands before you, will enter it. Encourage him, for he will enable Israel to inherit the land.
- NKJV Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
- NASB Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, shall himself enter there; encourage him, for he will give it to Israel as an inheritance.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God appointed Joshua to lead Israel into the land and told Moses to encourage him. Leadership would pass to one who would complete the entry.
Overview
Joshua, who would 'cause Israel to inherit' the land, is designated as Moses' successor, and Moses is to strengthen him. The transition shows God's faithfulness to provide leadership for His people across generations. Significantly, it is Joshua, whose name corresponds to 'Jesus,' who brings Israel into their inheritance, a quiet foreshadowing of the true Joshua, Jesus, who leads His people into the promised rest.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Deut 3:28But commission Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.”
- Num 14:30surely you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
- Deut 31:7–8Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it.
- 1 Sam 16:22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight.”
- Deut 31:14Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, your days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, that I may commission him.” Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting.
- Prov 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
- Deut 31:23He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them. I will be with you.”
- Num 14:38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land.
- Exod 24:13Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God’s Mountain.
- Exod 17:9–14Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”
- Exod 33:11Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.
- Num 26:65For Yahweh had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” There was not a man left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
- Num 13:16These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.
- Num 13:8Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun.
- Josh 1:1Now after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying,
- Num 27:18–23Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
- Josh 1:6–9“Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 1:38 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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