For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joshua highlights that Israel's success wasn't due to their own strength but because God drove out the nations. He emphasizes that "no man has been able to stand before you" is a direct result of God's prior action, not solely their own military prowess.
For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joshua, nearing the end of his life, gathers the elders of Israel to give them a final charge. He recounts how God miraculously drove out mighty nations before them, making their conquest possible and securing their land. This reminder serves as a foundation for his crucial exhortation to remain faithful and not compromise with the remaining Canaanite peoples.
Remember when facing giants? The Bible reminds us that true strength comes from a source far greater than ourselves.
Joshua reminds the Israelites of a critical truth: their victories weren't due to their own might. Look at verse 9: "For the LORD has driven out from before you great nations and strong." This wasn't a minor assistance; God actively drove out powerful enemies. These nations were described as "great" and "strong" – formidable obstacles that Israel, on their own, would have stood no chance against. This highlights a foundational principle of faith: God's power is absolute, and He works on behalf of His people.
How could a nation, despite its weaknesses, achieve such victories? The secret lies not in human effort alone.
The verse continues, 'And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day.' This might sound like pure human achievement, but the context makes it clear. Commentaries point out that 'no man' refers to the enemies they actively confronted. It wasn't that Israel was inherently invincible, but that God's power enabled them to overcome those who stood against them. This speaks to a partnership: God's unstoppable power combined with Israel's obedience and faithfulness. Their ability to stand was a direct result of God fighting for them, as promised.
Understand the original words
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yarash · Hebrew Verb
To expel, dispossess, or cast out; often used for God clearing the land of Canaan of its inhabitants so Israel could dwell there as promised.
yatsab · Hebrew Verb
To withstand, endure, or successfully oppose; used here to describe the inability of enemies to maintain their ground against Israel due to God’s presence.
Joshua's words in this verse are a powerful reminder of God's mighty acts in driving out powerful nations during the conquest of Canaan. While the conquest itself was largely complete under Joshua, he acknowledges that some nations still remained. His speech emphasizes that Israel's success was due to God's direct intervention, not their own strength, and warns them to remain faithful to God to secure continued blessings.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Conquest of Canaan begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin their military campaign to conquer the land of Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
c. 1375 BC
Division of Canaan
After the initial conquest, the land is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, though pockets of Canaanite inhabitants remain in various territories.
c. 1375-1070 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel enters a period marked by cycles of disobedience, oppression by surrounding nations, and deliverance by divinely appointed judges.
c. 1375 BC
Joshua's Farewell Address
As an aging leader, Joshua gathers the Israelites to deliver his final exhortations, reminding them of God's faithfulness and their covenant responsibilities.
This passage echoes Joshua's reminder, stating that one Israelite could chase a thousand enemies because the Lord their God fought for them, highlighting God's direct power in their victories.
Joshua 1:5This verse directly parallels Joshua 23:9, assuring Joshua himself that 'no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life' because the Lord would be with him, emphasizing God's presence as the key to overcoming opposition.
Psalm 44:3This Psalm reflects the sentiment of Joshua 23:9, as the people recall how their ancestors drove out nations not by their own sword or arm, but by God's right hand and His outstretched arm, underscoring divine intervention.
1 Samuel 17:45David's confident words to Goliath, 'you come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts,' echo the principle that victory comes not from human might but from God's power, similar to the nations Israel faced.
wesleyJoshua 23:9: "For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day."
23:9 No man - To wit, whom you have invaded; otherwise some of those people did yet remain unconquered.
jfbJoshua 23:5-11: "And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you."
Jos 23:5-11. By Promises.5-11. the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, as the Lord your God hath promised you, &c.—The actual possessions which God had given were a pledge of the complete fulfilment of His promise in giving them the parts of the country still unconquered. But the accompl…
Joshua highlights that Israel's success wasn't due to their own strength but because God drove out the nations. He emphasizes that "no man has been able to stand before you" is a direct result of God's prior action, not solely their own military prowess.
Joshua, nearing the end of his life, gathers the elders of Israel to give them a final charge. He recounts how God miraculously drove out mighty nations before them, making their conquest possible and securing their land. This reminder serves as a foundation for his crucial exhortation to remain faithful and not compromise with the remaining Canaanite peoples.
Joshua, nearing the end of his life, gathers the elders of Israel to give them a final charge. He recounts how God miraculously drove out mighty nations before them, making their conquest possible and securing their land. This reminder serves as a foundation for his crucial exhortation to remain faithful and not compromise with the remaining Canaanite peoples.
"For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day." — Joshua highlights that Israel's success wasn't due to their own strength but because God drove out the nations. He emphasizes that "no man has been able to stand before you" is a direct result of…
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Last reviewed October 2026