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Joshua 1:6
“Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”
This passage is from the book of Joshua, which narrates the Israelites' entry into and conquest of Canaan. Moses has died, and God is commissioning Joshua to lead the people, reassuring him of divine presence and the fulfillment of promises made to their ancestors.
What does it mean to inherit something that requires strength and courage to obtain?
Then — the setting
This passage is set in the 13th or 12th century BCE, as the Israelites prepared to enter Canaan after their exodus from Egypt. The audience was Joshua, the new leader, and through him, the entire nation of Israel. The 'land' referred to is Canaan, a specific geographical territory that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This promise was fundamental to Israelite identity and their covenant relationship with God, establishing them as a people in a particular place.
Across the Testaments
The main passage is in the Old Testament, where 'inheriting the land' is a central theme, signifying covenant faithfulness, identity, and the fulfillment of God's promise. The New Testament concept of 'heirs to the kingdom' (e.g., Matthew 25:34, James 2:5) or 'heirs with Christ' (Romans 8:17) transforms this idea. While the Old Testament promise was often concrete and territorial, the New Testament expands it to a spiritual, cosmic, and future reality. The 'kingdom' is not just a physical place but God's sovereign rule, present and future, encompassing salvation, eternal life, and a renewed creation. It moves from a national, land-based inheritance to a universal, spiritual, and ultimately cosmic inheritance, available through faith in Christ.
Keep thinking
Read alongside it
Describes the nature of the inherited land and its blessings.
Jesus speaks of the meek inheriting the earth, echoing and transforming the promise.
Paul discusses believers as children of God and co-heirs with Christ.
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