Joshua 1:9 (ASV)

Passage

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Nearby Context

Joshua 1:7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

Joshua 1:11 Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah your God giveth you to possess it.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "commanded", "thee", "strong", "good", "courage", "affrighted", "neither", and "thou". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "commanded" and "thee", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "This book of the law shall not..." into verse 10's "Then Joshua commanded the officers of the...", so "commanded" and "thee" belong inside that flow. In Joshua context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "commanded" and "thee" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.