Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
Parallel translations
- WEB Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him shall himself be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
- BSB Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words, all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”
- NKJV Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
- NASB Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”
- NLT Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!”
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
The tribes declare that rebellion against Joshua's commands deserves death, and they urge him again to be strong and courageous. They uphold the seriousness of obedience to God-given authority.
Overview
The penalty reflects the gravity of resisting God's appointed leader during a national, covenantal undertaking, not personal tyranny. Notably, the people echo back to Joshua the very encouragement God had given him, surrounding their leader with support. This closing scene shows a unified, willing people, a hopeful beginning to the conquest under God's hand.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Eph 6:10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
- Ezra 10:4Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
- 1 Cor 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
- Josh 1:9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
- Heb 12:25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
- Heb 10:28–29He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
- 1 Sam 11:12And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
- Josh 1:6–7Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
- Luke 19:27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
- Ps 2:1–6Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
- Deut 17:12And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
- Rom 13:1–5Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 1:18 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.