Bible Strands

Joshua 23:10

One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joshua, old and near death, addresses the assembled Israelites in a final charge (Josh. 23:1), affirming God's past military faithfulness before issuing a warning.

The words — יִרְדּוֹף (yirdof, "he puts to flight") is the same verb that appears in Deut. 32:30 and Lev. 26:8, binding this verse to the covenant formula of divine military power. The pairing of "one" ('eḥad) with "a thousand" ('elef) is a deliberate echo of those passages.

The thread — Deut. 32:30 poses the same ratio as a rhetorical question; Lev. 26:8 states it as a covenant promise; Deut. 3:22 gives the same reassurance before the conquest of Bashan.

Why it lands — The verse is not a comfort but a basis for the command that follows in v. 11: because God fights for you, you are obligated to love Him carefully. It removes any claim the people might make on their own strength while simultaneously raising the standard of what is expected of them.

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

אִישׁ־'ish-a manאֶחָ֥ד'e.Chadoneמִכֶּ֖םmi./Kemof <the>/ youיִרְדָּף־yir.dof-he puts to flightאָ֑לֶף'A.lefa thousandכִּ֣י׀kiforיְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehאֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ yourה֚וּאhu'heהַנִּלְחָ֣םha./nil.Cham[is] the/ [one who] fightsלָכֶ֔םla./Khemfor <the>/ youכַּאֲשֶׁ֖רka./'a.Sherjust/ asדִּבֶּ֥רdi.Berhe spokeלָכֶֽם׃la./Khemto <the>/ you

King James Version

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

Cross-references