Now after the death of His servant MosesMoses is referred to as "His servant," highlighting his role as a faithful leader and prophet who served God and the Israelites. His death marks a significant transition in Israel's history, as Moses was the one who led them out of Egypt and through the wilderness. This phrase sets the stage for a new chapter in Israel's journey. Moses' death is recorded in
Deuteronomy 34, where it is noted that he died in Moab and was buried by God. The term "servant" is a title of honor, later used for other key figures like David and the prophets.
the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun
Joshua, whose name means "The LORD is salvation," is introduced as the new leader. He is the son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua had been a close aide to Moses and was one of the two faithful spies (along with Caleb) who trusted in God's promise to give Israel the land of Canaan (Numbers 14:6-9). The LORD speaking to Joshua signifies divine endorsement and guidance, ensuring continuity of leadership. This divine communication is a common theme in the Old Testament, where God directly instructs His chosen leaders.
Moses’ assistant
Joshua is described as Moses' assistant, indicating his long-standing role as a supporter and learner under Moses' leadership. This apprenticeship prepared him for the monumental task of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. Joshua's role as an assistant is first mentioned inExodus 24:13, where he accompanies Moses partway up Mount Sinai. His experience and faithfulness in this role demonstrate the importance of mentorship and preparation for leadership.
saying,
The use of "saying" introduces the direct words of God to Joshua, which follow in the subsequent verses. This phrase emphasizes the authority and importance of the message that God is about to deliver. It underscores the direct communication between God and His chosen leaders, a pattern seen throughout the Bible, where God provides guidance, encouragement, and commands to those He appoints for His purposes.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesKnown as the servant of the LORD, Moses was the leader who brought the Israelites out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness. His death marks a significant transition in Israel's history.
2.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who speaks directly to Joshua, indicating divine guidance and authority.
3.
JoshuaThe son of Nun, who served as Moses' assistant. He is chosen by God to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land after Moses' death.
4.
IsraelitesThe people of God, who are on the brink of entering the Promised Land after wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.
5.
Promised LandThe land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and his descendants. Joshua is tasked with leading the Israelites into this land.
Teaching Points
Leadership TransitionGod prepares leaders for His people. Just as Joshua was prepared under Moses, God prepares us for roles He calls us to.
Divine CallingJoshua's calling was specific and clear. We should seek God's guidance and confirmation in our own callings and responsibilities.
Faithfulness in ServiceJoshua served faithfully as Moses' assistant before becoming a leader. Faithfulness in small roles prepares us for greater responsibilities.
God's Unchanging PurposeDespite the death of Moses, God's plan for Israel continued. God's purposes are not thwarted by human limitations or changes.
Courage and ObedienceAs we see in the following verses, Joshua is called to be strong and courageous. Our obedience to God requires courage, especially in times of transition.
Lists and Questions
Top 10 Lessons from Joshua 1
How are Joshua and Jesus similar?
What did God promise Joshua?
What does the Bible teach about servanthood?
What does "Yeshua Hamashiach" mean?JOSHUA'S COMMISSION (
Joshua 1:1-9).
(1)After the death of Moses . . . the Lord spake unto Joshua . . . Moses' minister.--Joshua's commission was the first of its kind, but not the last. No man before Joshua had received orders to regulate his conduct by the words of a written book. Abraham and his household had kept God's laws. Moses had acted by Divine commission. But Abraham and Moses received their orders from the mouth of Jehovah. Joshua and all his successors must fulfil the orders of "this book of the law." Thus Joshua was Moses'ministerin more than one sense. He was Moses' confidential agent and personal attendant while he lived, and afterwards the executor of that which Moses had written. But the position of Joshua, though at first unique and without precedent, was the position designed for all his successors, more especially for that great Personage whose name Joshua was the first to bear. Joshua and the Book of the Law come before us together, without introduction, in the same passage of the law (Exodus 17:9), "Moses saidunto Joshua,Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek;" and inJoshua 1:14, "Write this for a memorialin a book,and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua." The book was prepared for Joshua; Joshua came to fulfil the words of the book. ComparePsalm 40:7, "Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God." "Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers" (Romans 15:8; see alsoMatthew 5:17). . . .
Verse 1. -
Now after the death of Moses. The form of the Hebrew is the usual historical one for the continuation of a narrative before commenced. The Book of Joshua is thus shown to be, and to be intended to be, a continuation of the Book of Deuteronomy, which ends with the death of Moses (see Speaker's Commentary
in loc.). This link of connection is lost in the English version. The question forces itself upon the critic, At what time was this consecutive narrative written, as is admitted, in various styles, in the language of obviously distinct periods - first composed and palmed off upon the Jews as the genuine work of a writer contemporary, or nearly contemporary, with the events he describes?
The servant of the Lord. This term (Keil) is applied to the heavens and the earth (
Psalm 119:91), to the angels (
Job 4:18), to the prophets (
Jeremiah 7:25, etc.), to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to the Jewish people (
Exodus 19:5), to Zerubbabel (
Haggai 2:23), and even to Nebuchadnezzar (
Jeremiah 25:9, etc.), as the appointed minister of God's wrath, and to pious men in general (Gesenius; see Psalm 34:23, etc.). It is also applied to the Messiah (
Zechariah 3:8; comp. the word
παῖς similarly applied in
Acts 4:27). It originally implies the position of a
slave, whether born in the house or bought with money (see
Leviticus 25:39; and
Genesis 9:25;
Exodus 13:3, 14). In all cases it expresses a closer and more familiar relation than the term
minister below. Keil says that it is applied so frequently to Moses that it has become almost his "official title" (see
Deuteronomy 34:5, and the Book of Joshua
passim, and cf.
Hebrews 3:5). It is, however, still more frequently applied to David. But it suits well with the special and peculiar mission which Moses had above the rest of mankind. He was, as it were, the household servant of the Most High, His steward and representative, ruling over the family of God in His name, and giving to them the directions of which they stood in need.
That the Lord spake unto Joshua. Either by
Urim and Thummin, which seems at least probable (see
Numbers 27:21, and
Joshua 9:14). But the great majority of commentators prefer the idea of an inward revelation, since the words are frequently used in this Book of God's revelations to Joshua (
Joshua 3:7;
Joshua 4:1, 15;
Joshua 5:2, 9;
Joshua 6:2, etc.). The manner of these inward revelations is also a matter on which much difference of opinion exists. They, no doubt, were frequently made through a vision or dream, as to Abraham at Sodom (
Genesis 18:1), Jacob at Bethel, and Joshua him. self (
Joshua 5:13). But it is by no means clear that they were
always so. The voice of God in answer to prayer is recognised by Christians in a strong inward persuasion of the desirability or necessity of a particular course. Of this kind would seem to be the answer to St. Paul's prayer in
2 Corinthians 12:9. And it is quite possible that in passages such as
Genesis 12:1, 22:1, 2, nothing more is meant than that the persuasion, by God's permission or inspiration, was strongly felt within. And so it is possible that one so specially and divinely commissioned as Joshua discerned in a strong and apparently irresistible conviction, the voice of God (cf.
Acts 16:7;
2 Corinthians 1:17).
Joshua's name was originally
Hoshea (like the prophet and the Israelitish king of that name). The name originally meant
salvation, or
deliverance, but it was changed, either when he entered into Moses' service, or when he was about to fight the Amalekites (
Numbers 13:8, 16;
Deuteronomy 32:44), into Jehoshua, or Joshua (either "God shall save," or "God's salvation"). It is not stated in Holy Writ
when the name Joshua was given. In
Exodus 17:9, where Joshua is named for the first time, he is called by the name Moses gave him, and is mentioned incidentally as a person well known to the writer and his readers. The reader need hardly be reminded that in the form Jeshua (Gr.
Ἰησοῦς) it was the name of our Blessed Lord Himself, and that the Name which is now above all other names is used of Joshua in two places in the New Testament, in
Acts 7:45, in
Hebrews 4:8. It was a common name in later times, as
Colossians 4:11 and
Acts 13:6 will serve to show. In later Hebrew, as in
Nehemiah 8:17, Joshua is called Jeshua, and the names of Joshua and Jeshua are given indiscriminately to the high priest, the son of Josedeeh, who was contemporary with the building of the second temple. For Joshua as a type of Christ the reader may consult a deep passage in 'Pearson on the Creed,' Art. II., from which some of the most striking parts are here quoted: - "First, it was he alone, of all which passed out of Egypt, who was designed to lead the children of Israel into Canaan, which land, as it is a type of heaven, so is the person which brought the Israelites into that place of rest a type of Him who only can bring us into the presence of God, and there prepare our mansions for us. Besides, it is further observable, not only what Joshua did, but what Moses could not do. The hand of Moses and Aaron brought them out of Egypt, but left them in the wilderness. Joshua, the successor, only could effect that in which Moses failed. Moses must die that Joshua may succeed (
Romans 3:20-22). The command of circumcision was not given to Moses, but to Joshua; nor were the Israelites circumcised in the wilderness under the conduct of Moses and Aaron, but in the land of Canaan under their successor. Which speaketh Jesus to be the true circumciser, the author of another circumcision than that of the flesh (
Romans 2:29;
Colossians 2:11). If we look on Joshua as the 'minister of Moses,' he is even in that a type of Christ, 'the minister of the circumcision for the truth of God.' If we look on him as the successor of Moses, in that he represented Jesus, inasmuch as 'the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.' If we look on him as judge and ruler of Israel, there is scarce an action which is not predictive of our Saviour. He begins his office at the banks of Jordan, where Christ was baptized and enters upon the public exercise of His prophetical office; he chooseth there twelve men out of the people to carry twelve stones over with them, as our Jesus thence began to choose His twelve apostles, those foundation stones in the Church of God (
Revelation 21:14). Joshua smote the Amalekites and subdued the Canaanites, By the first making way to enter the land, by the second giving possession of it. And Jesus in like manner goeth in and out before us against our spiritual enemies, subduing sin and Satan, and so opening and clearing our way to heaven; destroying the last enemy, death, and so giving us possession of eternal life." Pearson quotes Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Theodoret, and others as justifying his view of the history. Theodoret, moreover, in his 'Questions on Joshua,' remarks on the coincidence between
Joshua 1:17 and
John 5:46. And Origen, in his first 'Homily on Joshua,' remarks on the fact that the first time the sacred name meets us in the Book of God, it is as the leader of an army (
Exodus 17:9). Another way in which Joshua was a type of Christ is this. Under Moses there are constant murmurings and disputings, for "the law made nothing perfect" (
Hebrews 7:19). Under Joshua all is confidence and triumph, for "by one offering Jesus hath perfected forever them that are sanctified" (
Hebrews 10:14).
Moses' minister. This word is principally used of service in the house of God. Thus it is used of Aaron and his sons,
Exodus 28:43;
Exodus 39:41, etc.: of Samuel,
1 Samuel 2:11;
1 Samuel 3:1, etc.: of the priests and Levites,
1 Chronicles 6:32;
1 Chronicles 16:4;
Ezekiel 14:5;
Joel 1:9, etc. In these places it seems to be equivalent to the LXX.
λειτουργός. But it is by no means confined to such service. In
Exodus 33:11, where it is applied to Joshua, it is rendered in the LXX. by
θεράπων, and it is quite clear that Joshua's service to Moses was not exclusively of a religious character. Some commentators have suggested the word
aide de camp, but this would be equally incorrect in the opposite direction, since Joshua's services (see
Exodus 24:13;
Exodus 33:11) were clearly not rendered only in time of war. The word is used of Abishag the Shunamite,
1 Kings 1:4, 15; and of Elisha,
1 Kings 19:21.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Nowוַיְהִ֗י(way·hî)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, beafterאַחֲרֵ֛י(’a·ḥă·rê)Preposition
Strong's 310:The hind or following partthe deathמ֥וֹת(mō·wṯ)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4194:Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruinof Hisיְהוָ֑ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelservantעֶ֣בֶד(‘e·ḇeḏ)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5650:Slave, servantMoses,מֹשֶׁ֖ה(mō·šeh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiverthe LORDיְהוָה֙(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelspokeוַיֹּ֤אמֶר(way·yō·mer)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, saytoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toJoshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ(yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091:Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelitessonבִּן־(bin-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121:A sonof Nun,נ֔וּן(nūn)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5126:Nun -- father of JoshuaMoses'מֹשֶׁ֖ה(mō·šeh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiverassistant,מְשָׁרֵ֥ת(mə·šā·rêṯ)Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8334:To attend as a, menial, worshipper, to contribute tosaying,לֵאמֹֽר׃(lê·mōr)Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559:To utter, say
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OT History: Joshua 1:1 Now it happened after the death (Josh. Jos) 
