The Meaning of Joshua 23:3 Explained

Joshua 23:3

KJV: And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

YLT: and ye -- ye have seen all that Jehovah your God hath done to all these nations because of you, for Jehovah your God is He who is fighting for you;

Darby: and ye have seen all that Jehovah your God hath done to all these nations because of you. For Jehovah your God is he that hath fought for you.

ASV: and ye have seen all that Jehovah your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for Jehovah your God, he it is that hath fought for you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ye have seen  all that the LORD  your God  hath done  unto all these nations  because  of you; for the LORD  your God  [is] he that hath fought  for you. 

What does Joshua 23:3 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 23:3 mean?

And You have seen - all that has done Yahweh your God to all nations these because of you for your God [is] He who has fought for you
וְאַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֗ם אֵת֩ כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם לְכָל־ הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֚י אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם ה֖וּא הַנִּלְחָ֥ם לָכֶֽם

וְאַתֶּ֣ם  And  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
רְאִיתֶ֗ם  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֵת֩  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשָׂ֜ה  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָ֧ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לְכָל־  to  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַגּוֹיִ֥ם  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאֵ֖לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם  because  of  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם  your  God  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הַנִּלְחָ֥ם  who  has  fought 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
לָכֶֽם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural