Joshua 5:6 Meaning and Explanation
“For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Forty years of wandering passed until the disobedient generation was gone, leaving the promise to their children.
What Does Joshua 5:6 Mean?
The verse recalls why the wandering lasted so long. Because the warriors who left Egypt would not heed the LORD's voice, He swore they would not see the land, and so they walked until that generation was spent. Yet the same God who swore judgment had also sworn the gift of the land to their fathers.
Two oaths stand side by side: one closing a door through unbelief, the other holding the promise open for those who would inherit it. The land 'floweth with milk and honey' still, waiting. God's word both warns and keeps faith, and His promises endure beyond any single generation's failure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 5:6
What does Joshua 5:6 mean?
Forty years of wandering passed until the disobedient generation was gone, leaving the promise to their children.