Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 3:28
But commission Joshua, encourage him, and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit the land that you will see.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God speaks to Moses in the valley opposite Beth-peor, concluding His address after commanding Moses to view the land from Pisgah and before the Israelites cross the Jordan.
The words — The text uses צַו (Tzav), literally commission, and חַזְקֵהוּ (cha.ze.Ke./hu), literally encourage him, to direct Moses to transfer authority and bolster Joshua’s resolve.
The thread — The directive to strengthen Joshua and transfer leadership appears in Deuteronomy 1:38, Deuteronomy 31:3, and Deuteronomy 31:7, where Moses reiterates the transfer of authority and divine presence to Joshua before the Jordan crossing.
Why it lands — The text states that Joshua will cross ahead of the people and enable them to inherit the land, requiring the reader to recognize that leadership transition and inheritance depend on explicit divine appointment rather than human succession.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But charge 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 thou shalt see.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 31:3 The LORD your God Himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua will cross ahead of you, as the LORD has said.
- Deuteronomy 1:38 Joshua son of Nun, who stands before you, will enter it. Encourage him, for he will enable Israel to inherit the land.
- Deuteronomy 31:7 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.
- Deuteronomy 31:23 Then 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.”
- Numbers 27:18 And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
- Acts 7:45 And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,
- Joshua 1:2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, you and all these people, and cross over the Jordan into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel.
- Joshua 3:7 Now 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.
- 1 Chronicles 22:6 Then David called for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 22:11 Now, my son, may the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as He said you would.