Deuteronomy 1:38 means that Joshua, Moses’ successor, would be the one to lead Israel into the Promised Land, and Moses is told to encourage him so he can do it. The verse makes clear that the generation that rebelled at Kadesh-barnea would not enter the land, but God’s promise of the land would still be fulfilled through a new leader. Moses speaks these words in his farewell sermons on the plains of Moab, addressing the new generation of Israelites just before they cross the Jordan River.
Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
Deuteronomy 1:38 (WEB)
What Deuteronomy 1:38 Means
The phrase “who stands before you” is a small but telling detail. Joshua is not a distant figure; he is standing there in the camp, already known to the people as the man who served Moses. God is pointing to the one who is present and ready, rather than to someone the people have not yet met. The verse then says he “shall go in there,” which is a plain statement of what will happen, not a vague wish.
The command to “encourage him” is what gives the verse its warmth. Moses is asked to strengthen Joshua’s heart and confidence for a task that will be hard and long. Finally, the purpose clause, “he shall cause Israel to inherit it,” tells us the goal: the people will receive the land through his leadership. The verse promises that God’s plan will be carried out, but it does not promise that every individual will live without struggle or that the path will be easy.
The Context of Deuteronomy 1:38
Deuteronomy is presented as the words of Moses to Israel as they stand on the border of Canaan, near the end of forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Tradition holds that Moses wrote or spoke this material, and the book is structured as a series of speeches recalling the history of the people and renewing the covenant before their entry into the land. The original audience is the generation that was too young to remember the Exodus or the refusal at Kadesh-barnea.
Just before verse 38, Moses explains that the adults who had doubted God would not see the good land, with the exception of Caleb. Verse 38 is the moment where God specifies that Joshua, another faithful man, will lead the people in. Just after, verse 39 promises that the children who had no knowledge of good or evil will go in, showing that God’s promise continues through the next generation. Read this way, verse 38 is part of a larger reassurance that the promise to Abraham’s descendants survives the failure of one generation.
Key Phrases in Deuteronomy 1:38
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)
This verse picks up the same scene from the book that bears Joshua’s name, where God commands him to be strong and courageous. It shows that the encouragement Moses gave is repeated directly by God, reinforcing the idea that Joshua’s courage rests on God’s presence rather than his own confidence.
Numbers 14:24
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him I will bring into the land into which he went. His offspring shall possess it.
(WEB)
This verse describes Caleb as a man who followed the LORD fully, the same faithful man named in the verses just before Deuteronomy 1:38. It helps explain why both Caleb and Joshua are singled out as those who would enter the land, showing that God’s favor follows wholehearted trust.
A Short Prayer From Deuteronomy 1:38
Lord, you keep your promises across generations, even when the people you are leading have stumbled. Thank you that you choose faithful leaders and bring your people into what you have promised. Help me to trust your plan when my role feels uncertain, and give me people who will encourage me when the work is heavy. Let my life be a place where others are strengthened to walk in your purposes. Amen.
