Joshua 1:6 is God’s command to Joshua to be strong and courageous, grounded in a promise that Israel will take possession of the land God swore to give their ancestors. The courage is not a call to rely on his own nerve, because the verse rests the task on God’s faithfulness to what he had already promised. God speaks these words directly to Joshua, who has just become Israel’s leader after Moses’ death, at the threshold of the Promised Land.
“Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
Joshua 1:6 (WEB)
What Joshua 1:6 Means
The verse opens with a two-part command: “be strong and courageous.” These are not vague encouragements. Joshua is being told to hold firm and to face the coming campaigns without collapsing under fear, because a huge task lies ahead of him. The strength he needs is strength for a particular assignment, not a general cheerfulness about life.
The reason given is “for you shall cause this people to inherit the land.” Notice that Joshua is the one who will lead the people in, yet God is the one who has decided the outcome. The word “inherit” points to something received as a gift and a family legacy, rather than something won purely by skill. God is saying that the land belongs to Israel because he made the promise.
The verse also reaches back to “the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.” This anchors the present moment in a much older promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It does not promise that every battle will be easy or that Joshua will never lose a man, and later chapters show the people facing real setbacks. What it does promise is that the larger purpose of God will not fail.
The Context of Joshua 1:6
The book of Joshua tells the story of Israel crossing the Jordan River and taking the land of Canaan after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Traditionally it is attributed to Joshua himself, though its final form and the account of his death suggest a later editor, and scholars differ on exactly when it was compiled. Its first audience was the people of Israel, who needed to understand that their entry into the land was part of God’s plan rather than a matter of military chance.
The verses just before and after make the command more concrete. In verses 3 and 4 God describes the borders of the land, and in verse 5 he promises, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you.” In verses 7 to 9 Joshua is told to be careful to keep the law of Moses and to meditate on it day and night. Read in this setting, the courage of verse 6 is tied to obedience and to God’s presence, which is why the verse reads as a promise backed by a relationship rather than a slogan.
Key Phrases in Joshua 1:6
Joshua 1:9
Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
(WEB)
Joshua 1:9 repeats the call to be strong and courageous and adds the reason that the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Reading it alongside verse 6 shows that the courage is grounded in God’s presence rather than in the leader’s own resources, and it is the fullest statement of the chapter’s main theme.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
(WEB)
Moses speaks these words to Israel before Joshua takes over, encouraging the people to be strong and not afraid because the Lord goes with them. Seeing this earlier command helps you understand that Joshua’s charge in verse 6 is a continuation of God’s ongoing care for his people rather than a new idea.
A Short Prayer From Joshua 1:6
Lord, you have made promises that stand firm even when the road ahead feels too long or too heavy for me. Give me the strength to hold steady and the courage to take the next step you have set before me, even when I do not feel ready. Remind me that the outcome rests in your faithfulness, not in my ability to control everything. Help me to trust your presence and to walk forward in obedience, one day at a time. Amen.
