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.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
- KJV Be 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.
- NKJV Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
- NASB Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
- NLT “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.
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 commands Joshua to be strong and courageous because he will lead Israel to inherit the sworn-to land. Courage flows from God's faithful promise.
Overview
The call to be 'strong and courageous' is repeated through this chapter, anchoring boldness in the certainty of God's oath to the patriarchs rather than in circumstances. Joshua's task is to bring the people into their inheritance, a role echoing the work of leading God's people into rest. Christ, the better Joshua, secures and brings His people into an inheritance that cannot perish (1 Peter 1:4).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Dan 10:19“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
- Eph 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Josh 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.”
- Josh 1:7Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.
- 1 Chr 22:13Then you will succeed, if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
- 1 Cor 16:13Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
- 1 Chr 28:10Consider now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”
- 2 Tim 2:1You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
- Ps 27:14Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Hag 2:4But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts.
- Isa 35:3–4Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!
- Gen 26:3Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.
- 2 Chr 32:7–8“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him.
- Deut 31:6–7Be 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.”
- Zech 8:9This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.
- 1 Kgs 2:2“I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man.
- Deut 31:23Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”
- 1 Sam 4:9Take courage and be men, O Philistines! Otherwise, you will serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight!”
- Num 34:17–29“These are the names of the men who are to assign the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 1:6 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.