Joshua 1 · Verse 4

Joshua 1:4

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
Joshua 1:4, King James Version

Joshua 1:4 in other translations

BSBYour territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.
WEBFrom the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
ASVFrom the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
YLTFrom this wilderness and Lebanon, and unto the great river, the river Phrath, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great Sea--the going in of the sun--is your border.
DARBYFrom the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, to the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
BBEFrom the waste land and this mountain Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, and all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea, in the west, will be your country.
WebsterFrom the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea towards the setting of the sun, shall be your border.

What does Joshua 1:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 1:2-9

2-9. now therefore arise, go over this Jordan--Joshua's mission was that of a military leader. This passage records his call to begin the work, and the address contains a literal repetition of the promise made to Moses (De 11:24, 25; 31:6-8, 23).

Read the full comment on Joshua 1:2-9 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon - Joshua appears to be standing with his face towards the promised land, and pointing out the different places, or their situation, with his hand, This Lebanon, etc. The utmost of their limits should be from the desert of Arabia Petraea on the South to Lebanon on the North: and from the Euphrates on the East to the Mediterranean Sea on the West. The Israelites did not possess the full extent of this grant till the days of David. See 2Sam 8:3, etc., and 2Chr 9:26. Land of the Hittites - These are generally reputed to have been the most hardy and warlike of all the Canaanitish nations; and as they occupied the mountainous countries on the south of the land of Canaan, it is natural to suppose that they would be the most difficult to subdue, and on this account, it is supposed, God particularly specifies these: "Ye shall subdue and possess even all the land of the Hittites," but it is probable that under this one term all the other nations are included, as it is certain they are in other places under the term Amorites. Great sea: The Mediterranean, called great in respect of the lakes in the land of Judea, such as the sea of Gennesareth, or the sea of Tiberias, and the Dead Sea, which were comparatively small lakes; but the Hebrews gave the name of sea, ים yam, to every large collection of waters.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 1:1-4

Joshua had attended upon Moses. He who was called to honour, had been long used to business. Our Lord Jesus took upon him the form of a servant. Joshua was trained up under command. Those are fittest to rule, who have learned to obey. The removal of useful men should quicken survivors to be the more diligent in doing good. Arise, go over Jordan. At this place and at this time the banks were overflowed. Joshua had no…

Read the full comment on Joshua 1:1-4 →

Joshua 1:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מֵהַמִּדְבָּר֩me.ha.mid.Barfrom the wildernessH4057
וְהַלְּבָנ֨וֹןve.ha.le.va.Nonand <the> LebanonH3844
הַזֶּ֜הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
וְֽעַד\־ve.'ad-and toH5704
הַנָּהָ֧רha.na.Harthe riverH5104
הַגָּד֣וֹלha.ga.Dol<the> greatH1419
נְהַר\־ne.har-[the] river ofH5104
פְּרָ֗תpe.RatEuphratesH6578
כֹּ֚לkolallH3605
אֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofH776
הַֽחִתִּ֔יםha.chi.Timthe HittitesH2850
וְעַד\־ve.'ad-and toH5704
הַיָּ֥םhai.Yamthe seaH3220
הַגָּד֖וֹלha.ga.Dol<the> greatH1419
מְב֣וֹאme.Vo'[the] setting ofH3996
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshthe sunH8121
יִֽהְיֶ֖הyih.Yehit will beH1961
גְּבוּלְכֶֽם\׃ge.vu.le.Khemterritory yourH1366

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 1:4

  • Genesis 15:18-21

    In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

  • Exodus 23:31

    And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

  • Numbers 34:2-18

    Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh–barnea, and shall go on to Hazar–addar, and pass on to Azmon: And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. …

  • Deuteronomy 3:25

    I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

  • Deuteronomy 11:24

    Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

  • Deuteronomy 1:7

    Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

  • 1 Chronicles 5:9

    And eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

  • 1 Chronicles 18:3

    And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
From the wilderness.That is, their utmost limits should be from the Desert of Arabia Petræa on the south, to Lebanon on the north; and from the Euphrates on the east, to the Great Sea, or the Mediterranean, on the west. The Israelites did not possess the full extent of this grant till the time of David.
Ge 15:18-21; Ex 23:31; Nu 34:2-18; De 1:7; 3:25; 11:24; 1Ch 5:9
1Ch 18:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 1:3

    Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

  • Joshua 1:4

    From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

  • Joshua 1:5

    There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Read all of Joshua 1

Joshua 1:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Desde el desierto y este Líbano hasta el gran río Eufrates, toda la tierra de los Hetheos hasta la gran mar del poniente del sol, será vuestro término.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Vos frontières seront depuis le désert et ce Liban jusqu’au grand fleuve, le fleuve Euphrate, tout le pays des Héthiens, et jusqu’à la grande mer, vers le soleil couchant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Von der Wüste und diesem Libanon bis zum großen Strome, dem Strome Phrat, das ganze Land der Hethiter, und bis zum großen Meere gegen Sonnenuntergang, soll eure Grenze sein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		A deserto et Libano usque ad fluvium magnum Euphraten, omnis terra Hethæorum usque ad mare magnum contra solis occasum erit terminus vester.