The Meaning of Joshua 23:9 Explained

Joshua 23:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Jehovah is dispossessing from before you nations great and mighty; as for you, none hath stood in your presence till this day;

Darby: For Jehovah hath dispossessed from before you great and strong nations; and as to you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.

ASV: For Jehovah hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath stood before you unto this day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Joshua 23:9 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 23:9 mean?

For has driven out Yahweh from before you nations great and strong but [as for] you no has been able to stand one against you to day this
וַיּ֤וֹרֶשׁ יְהוָה֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם גּוֹיִ֖ם גְּדֹלִ֣ים וַעֲצוּמִ֑ים וְאַתֶּ֗ם לֹא־ עָ֤מַד אִישׁ֙ בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

וַיּ֤וֹרֶשׁ  For  has  driven  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם  from  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
גּוֹיִ֖ם  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
גְּדֹלִ֣ים  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וַעֲצוּמִ֑ים  and  strong 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָצוּם  
Sense: mighty, vast, numerous.
וְאַתֶּ֗ם  but  [as  for]  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עָ֤מַד  has  been  able  to  stand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
אִישׁ֙  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔ם  against  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַיּ֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.