Joshua 1:7 Meaning and Explanation
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest 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 prosper whithersoever thou goest.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Courage is often pictured as bold action in the face of danger. Joshua 1:7 gives it a deeper shape. The courage Joshua needs includes resisting the pressure to bend God's instruction when leading a nation into a difficult and unfamiliar future.
God calls Joshua to great courage expressed through careful, steady obedience to the law given through Moses, promising fruitful progress wherever that obedience carries him.
The Context of Joshua 1:7
The LORD speaks to Joshua after commanding him to rise and lead Israel across the Jordan. Verse 5 has assured Joshua that God will be with him as He was with Moses. Verse 6 calls him to strength because he will divide the promised land among the people. Verse 7 turns directly to Joshua's relation to the law Moses commanded. Verse 8 expands this charge, telling Joshua to keep the book of the law on his lips, meditate in it day and night, and do all written in it. Verse 9 repeats the command to courage and grounds it in the LORD's presence. Joshua then begins to order the crossing.
What Does Joshua 1:7 Mean?
The word "Only" gives special weight to the command that follows. Joshua is to be "strong and very courageous," and the purpose clause explains where this courage must show itself: "that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law." He is not merely to admire or consult God's instruction. He is to observe it carefully and carry it out. "All the law" resists selective obedience, especially where a leader might find a command inconvenient. The image of turning neither "to the right hand" nor "to the left" portrays a straight course of faithfulness. Joshua is charged to let the law given through Moses govern his leadership rather than fear, preference, or pressure.
Joshua 1 presents God's gift and Israel's obedience together. The land is repeatedly described as land the LORD gives, and Joshua is still commanded to lead, prepare, remember, speak, meditate, and do. Verse 7 stands between the promise of victory and the instruction to keep the book of the law continually before Joshua. The chapter therefore defines prosperity in relation to God's commanded way. It does not promise that every personal desire will succeed. In this setting, Joshua's "prosper" concerns faithful progress in the commission God has given: leading Israel into the promised inheritance under the LORD's rule. Courage has a moral and spiritual dimension because obedience can be costly.
The language of a path that does not turn aside appears elsewhere in Scripture as a way of describing covenant faithfulness. Joshua's task is distinctive, for he leads Israel at a decisive moment in its history. Yet the chapter's pattern remains instructive: God's word is to be received, spoken, pondered, and practiced. Jesus later teaches that those who hear His words are to do them, linking enduring obedience with a life built on a secure foundation. That connection does not erase Joshua's charge under the law of Moses. It shows the continuing biblical concern that trust in God takes shape in attentive, persevering obedience to what He has spoken.
Bible Verses Related to Joshua 1:7
“Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.”
- Deuteronomy 5:32-33
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein 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 1:8
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
- Psalm 1:1-3
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
- Matthew 7:24-25
Where Joshua 1:7 Echoes in Scripture
Psalm 1:2-3 strongly echoes Joshua 1:7-8 through its picture of delighting in the law of the LORD and meditating on it day and night. Joshua receives this pattern as a leader facing a national task; the psalm describes the blessed person whose life is nourished by the same steady attention to God's instruction. Both passages connect fruitful life with a word received deeply enough to guide conduct.
How to Apply Joshua 1:7 Today
When choices pull us in several directions, this verse invites a patient return to what God has spoken. We can make room for Scripture in ordinary rhythms: reading a portion carefully, speaking it in conversation, remembering it before a decision, and asking how it bears on our conduct. Courage may appear in quiet faithfulness when an easier path promises quicker approval or advantage. For those with responsibility for others, Joshua's charge is also a reminder that influence is best exercised under God's instruction. We can seek progress that remains joined to integrity, love, truthfulness, and reverence.
Reflection & Prayer
What situation tempts us to turn aside from a clear path of faithfulness, whether through fear, haste, or the wish to please others? Let us ask God for courage that is shaped by His word. Suggested prayer: "Lord, write Your instruction upon our hearts. Give us strength to do what You have shown us, and guide our steps as we seek to serve You faithfully."