Joshua 23:5

The LORD your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Joshua addresses the tribes of Israel near the end of his life, following the initial conquest and land allotment. He delivers this charge as the people prepare to fully occupy the remaining territories.

The words — The Hebrew verb יֶהְדֳּפֵ֣ם (yeh.do.Fe/m) literally means "he will drive out," paired with וְ/הוֹרִ֥ישׁ (ve./ho.Rish), meaning "and he will dispossess." These terms describe God's active removal of the Canaanite nations to clear the way for Israel.

The thread — This motif of divine displacement appears in Exodus 33:2, Exodus 34:11, and Deuteronomy 11:23, where Yahweh repeatedly promises to drive out hostile nations ahead of Israel. Joshua 23:5 reiterates that this ongoing military and territorial fulfillment remains dependent on God's prior pledge.

Why it lands — The text states that Yahweh will remove the enemy so Israel can occupy the land He promised. It requires the reader to recognize that territorial inheritance depends entirely on divine action, not human effort.

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

וַיהוָ֣הva./Yah.wehand/ Yahweh אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your ה֚וּאhu'he יֶהְדֳּפֵ֣םyeh.do.Fe/mhe will drive out/ them מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔םmi./pe.nei./Khemfrom/ before/ you וְהוֹרִ֥ישׁve./ho.Rishand/ he will dispossess אֹתָ֖ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them מִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑םmi./li/f.nei./Khemfrom/ to/ before/ you וִֽירִשְׁתֶּם֙vi./rish.Temand/ you will take possession of אֶת־'et-<obj.>אַרְצָ֔ם'ar.Tza/mland/ their כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as דִּבֶּ֛רdi.Berhe spoke יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ yourלָכֶֽם׃la./Khemto <the>/ you

King James Version

And the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised unto you.

Cross-references

Exodus 33:2 And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
Exodus 34:11 Observe what I command you this day. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
Deuteronomy 11:23 then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and stronger than you.
Joshua 13:6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim—all the Sidonians—I Myself will drive out before the Israelites. Be sure to divide it by lot as an inheritance to Israel, as I have commanded you.
Exodus 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you, until you become fruitful and possess the land.
Numbers 33:52 you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
Joshua 23:12 For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,