Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This response highlights a crucial nuance: the people aren't just saying "we'll obey you if God is with you," but rather, "as God was with Moses, so we pray God will be with you, and because of that, we will obey you." Their commitment to Joshua is rooted in the confidence that God's presence, which empowered Moses, will also empower their new leader.
Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Moses' death, Joshua stepped up to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, a monumental task requiring immense courage. He first addresses the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, reminding them of their covenant to help their brethren conquer the land before settling on their own territory. In response, these tribes pledge their full allegiance to Joshua, promising him the same obedience they gave Moses, but also earnestly praying that God would be with Joshua as He was with Moses.
Why do the people immediately bring up Moses when pledging loyalty to Joshua? What does this comparison reveal about their understanding of leadership and God's involvement?
The people's response to Joshua in verse 17 isn't just a simple promise of obedience. It's deeply rooted in their past experience with Moses.
A Generational Shift
While their parents and grandparents often rebelled against Moses, this new generation, having witnessed God's judgment and faithfulness, responds differently. As some commentators note, their obedience to Moses, especially in his later years and through Deuteronomy, was marked by a greater submission than their predecessors'.
Echoes of God's Hand
By saying, "According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee," they are acknowledging Joshua's new authority, but they're doing so by referencing the gold standard of divine leadership they knew: Moses. This highlights that their ultimate loyalty isn't just to a human leader, but to the God who worked through that leader.
A Promise Built on Experience
Their pledge is a testament to the profound impact Moses had, not just as a lawgiver, but as the visible conduit of God's presence and power. They are saying, 'We followed God through Moses; we will follow God through you, Joshua.'
Ask a follow-up
The people add a significant 'only' to their pledge. What is this essential element that underpins their willingness to follow Joshua?
The people's assurance of obedience to Joshua is tightly bound to a singular condition: the presence of God.
More Than a Prayer
When they say, 'only the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses,' it's more than a polite wish or a passive hope. While it certainly functions as a prayer for Joshua's success, it also carries the weight of a condition or a foundational understanding.
The Source of Authority
As commentators observe, their willingness to follow stems from the belief that Joshua's authority is derived from, and empowered by, God's presence. They saw firsthand how God equipped and guided Moses. Therefore, Joshua's success, and their subsequent obedience, hinges on whether that same divine empowerment is with him.
Shared Experience, Shared Faith
This 'only' emphasizes that God's presence is the non-negotiable factor. It's the divine endorsement and empowerment that transforms a human leader into God's instrument. Their pledge is, 'We will follow you, provided God is with you, just as He was with Moses.' This shows a mature faith that recognizes true leadership is divinely appointed and sustained.
Understand the original words
shama · Hebrew Verb
In the Bible, this refers to listening with the intent to comply or yield to authority. It is an act of submission to the will of God or His established leadership, signifying a response of faithful action rather than mere hearing.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
A title for the God of Israel, representing the proper name of the covenant-keeping God (Yahweh). It underscores His faithfulness to His promises and His active, sovereign presence among His people.
The people's declaration of loyalty to Joshua, referencing their obedience to Moses, highlights their deep-seated need for divine presence. Their conditional commitment ('Only may the LORD your God be with you...') underscores that true leadership and success are not about human authority, but about God's power accompanying His chosen servants.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Dies
The great leader Moses, who guided Israel for 40 years, dies on Mount Nebo after seeing the Promised Land. Joshua is appointed by God to lead the Israelites into Canaan.
c. 1406 BC
Joshua Appointed Leader
God commissions Joshua as the new leader of Israel, emphasizing the need for him to be strong and courageous as he takes the people into the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Transjordanian Tribes' Pledge
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, who were granted land east of the Jordan River, pledge to assist their brethren in conquering the land west of the Jordan.
c. 1406 BC
Joshua's Commission to Tribes
Joshua reminds the Transjordanian tribes of their agreement with Moses and commands them to prepare to march armed before the other tribes to aid in the conquest.
c. 1406 BC
Tribes Affirm Loyalty to Joshua
The Transjordanian tribes respond to Joshua, vowing to obey him as they obeyed Moses, and praying for God's presence with Joshua as it was with Moses.
c. 1406 BC
Crossing the Jordan River
Under Joshua's leadership and God's miraculous intervention, the Israelites successfully cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land, marking the beginning of the conquest.
This passage highlights God's promise to be with Moses, mirroring the people's affirmation in Joshua 1:17 that God was with Moses and they desired that same presence with Joshua.
Numbers 27:15-23Here, Moses lays hands on Joshua, commissioning him and praying for God's presence and guidance, which directly parallels the people's request for God's presence with Joshua as he steps into Moses' role.
Deuteronomy 31:6-8God Himself tells Joshua not to be afraid because He will be with him, just as He was with Moses. This divine reassurance is echoed in the people's pledge of obedience, conditional on God's presence with Joshua.
1 Samuel 12:24Samuel, like Joshua, takes leadership after a prophet. He encourages the people to serve the LORD faithfully, emphasizing that God's presence brings success, a concept vital to the people's request in Joshua 1:17.
Matthew 28:19-20Jesus promises his disciples, 'I am with you always, to the end of the age.' This echoes the assurance needed by leaders and followers alike, demonstrating that God's presence is the ultimate foundation for obedience and mission throughout Scripture.
calvinJoshua 1:10-18: "Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,"
Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days you shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God give you to possess it.
Transite per medium castrorum et praecipite populo, dicendo, Parate vobis annonam: quia post tres dies transibitis Jordanem hunc, ut intretis et possideatis terram, quam Jehova Deus vester dat vobis possi…
gillJoshua 1:17: "According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses."
According as we have hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee,.... Not right or wrong, but in all things that were according to the laws and will of God made known to them; and particularly it may refer to the above affair, which was settled between Moses and them, to whom they then hearkened, and now promise to confir…
This response highlights a crucial nuance: the people aren't just saying "we'll obey you if God is with you," but rather, "as God was with Moses, so we pray God will be with you, and because of that, we will obey you." Their commitment to Joshua is rooted in the confidence that God's presence, which empowered Moses, will also empower their new leader.
Following Moses' death, Joshua stepped up to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, a monumental task requiring immense courage. He first addresses the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, reminding them of their covenant to help their brethren conquer the land before settling on their own territory. In response, these tribes pledge their full allegiance to Joshua, promising him the same obedience they gave Moses, but also earnestly praying that God would be with Joshua as He was with Moses.
Following Moses' death, Joshua stepped up to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, a monumental task requiring immense courage. He first addresses the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, reminding them of their covenant to help their brethren conquer the land before settling on their own territory. In response, these tribes pledge their full allegiance to Joshua, promising him the same obedience they gave Moses, but also earnestly praying that God would be with Joshua as He was with Moses.
"Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses!" — This response highlights a crucial nuance: the people aren't just saying "we'll obey you if God is with you," but rather, "as God was with Moses, so we pray God will be with you, and because of t…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026