The Meaning of Joshua 23:10 Explained

Joshua 23:10

KJV: One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

YLT: one man of you doth pursue a thousand, for Jehovah your God is He who is fighting for you, as He hath spoken to you;

Darby: One man of you chaseth a thousand; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath said unto you.

ASV: One man of you shall chase a thousand; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he spake unto you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

One  man  of you shall chase  a thousand:  for the LORD  your God,  he [it is] that fighteth  for you, as he hath promised  you. 

What does Joshua 23:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 23:1-16 - Joshua's Farewell Address
Joshua's anxiety for the welfare of his people after his death has New Testament parallels. See Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 1:13-15; and especially John 13:1-38; John 14:1-31; John 15:1-27. As always, he lays stress on what the Lord had done, Joshua 23:3; Joshua 23:5; Joshua 23:9. Not one ray of glory is stolen for himself.
He argues for their steadfastness on three grounds: There are the promises of Joshua 23:5; the threatenings of Joshua 23:11-13; the exhortations of Joshua 23:14-16. Our failure to drive out the foes of our heart is due to our failure to follow the Lord. A lack of whole-hearted surrender lies at the root of all failure. Cleaving to the Lord is the Old Testament way of saying "abide in Christ," John 15:1-27.
In contrast to man's inconstancy and infidelity, notice the sublime testimony to God's faithfulness. "Not one thing hath failed," Joshua 23:14. When at last we review our life, we, too, shall be able to say as much, if only by His grace we are kept faithful and obedient. We cannot keep the old Covenant, but the new stands forever, Jeremiah 31:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 23

1  Joshua's exhortation before his death
3  by former benefits
5  by promises
11  and by threatenings

What do the individual words in Joshua 23:10 mean?

Man one of you shall chase a thousand for Yahweh your God [is] He the [one] fighting for you as He promised you
אִישׁ־ אֶחָ֥ד מִכֶּ֖ם יִרְדָּף־ אָ֑לֶף כִּ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗ם ה֚וּא הַנִּלְחָ֣ם לָכֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר לָכֶֽם

אִישׁ־  Man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָ֥ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מִכֶּ֖ם  of  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
יִרְדָּף־  shall  chase 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
אָ֑לֶף  a  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗ם  your  God  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הַנִּלְחָ֣ם  the  [one]  fighting 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
לָכֶ֔ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
דִּבֶּ֥ר  He  promised 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.