Joshua 23:9

The LORD has driven out great and powerful nations before you, and to this day no one can stand against you.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Joshua addresses the assembled tribal leaders of Israel near the end of his life, recounting God's past military actions as he prepares to transfer authority to the next generation.

The words — The passage emphasizes וַ/יּ֤וֹרֶשׁ (va/i.Yo.resh), literally "he has dispossessed," and גְּדֹלִ֣ים וַ/עֲצוּמִ֑ים (ge.do.Lim va./'a.tzu.Mim), meaning "great and mighty," to specify the scale of the nations Yahweh removed.

The thread — The motif of God clearing the land ahead of Israel and leaving no opposition runs through Exodus 23:30, Deuteronomy 11:23, and Joshua 1:5.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that survival and conquest depend solely on Yahweh's active fighting, not human capability, and to base conduct on that fact.

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

וַיּ֤וֹרֶשׁva/i.Yo.reshand/ he has dispossessed יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔םmi./pe.nei./Khemfrom/ before/ you גּוֹיִ֖םgo.Yimnations גְּדֹלִ֣יםge.do.Limgreat וַעֲצוּמִ֑יםva./'a.tzu.Mimand/ mighty וְאַתֶּ֗םve./'a.Temand/ you לֹא־lo'-not עָ֤מַד'A.madhe has stood אִישׁ֙'ishanyone בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔םbi/f.nei./Khemin/ faces/ your עַ֖ד'aduntil הַיּ֥וֹםhai./Yomthe/ day הַזֶּֽה׃ha./Zeh<the>/ this

King James Version

For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.

Cross-references

Joshua 1:5 No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 11:23 then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and stronger than you.
Exodus 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you, until you become fruitful and possess the land.
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.
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.
Joshua 15:14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
Joshua 21:43 Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.
Deuteronomy 7:24 He will hand their kings over to you, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand against you; you will annihilate them.