King James Version

What Does Joshua 23:5 Mean?

Joshua 23:5 in the King James Version says “And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess ...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 23 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.”

Joshua 23:5 · KJV

Context

3

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.

4

Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward . westward: Heb. at the sunset

5

And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.

6

Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

7

That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

Read Joshua 23 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. This verse promises divine assistance for completing the conquest. The verbs "expel" (yehdo, יֶהְדֹּף) and "drive... from out of your sight" (vehorish otam, וְהוֹרִישׁ אוֹתָם) emphasize God's active role in displacement. Hadaph (הָדַף) means to thrust away or push out, while yarash (יָרַשׁ) means to possess or dispossess—forcefully removing occupants to install new ones.

The promise "ye shall possess their land" (virishtem et-artsam, וִירִשְׁתֶּם אֶת־אַרְצָם) maintains the tension between divine action and human responsibility. God expels, but Israel must possess. This synergy appears throughout Scripture: God saves, but we must believe; God sanctifies, but we must pursue holiness. Neither divine sovereignty nor human agency stands alone; both operate together in covenant relationship.

The grounding clause "as the LORD your God hath promised unto you" (ka'asher dibber Yahweh Eloheikhem lakhem, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לָכֶם) anchors future hope in past promises. God's word (dibber, דִּבֶּר) remains reliable across generations. Promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:7; 15:18-21), Isaac (Genesis 26:3), Jacob (Genesis 28:13; 35:12), and Moses (Exodus 3:8, 17; 6:8) find ongoing fulfillment. What God speaks, He performs (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 55:11).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The promise of continued divine assistance proved conditional on Israel's obedience, as subsequent verses make clear. Israel's failure to completely drive out the Canaanites stemmed from disobedience, compromise, and eventually covenant unfaithfulness. Judges 2:1-3 records the Angel of the LORD's rebuke: "Ye have not obeyed my voice... I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides."

The gradual nature of conquest appears also in Exodus 23:29-30: "I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate... little by little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land." This reveals divine wisdom—too rapid conquest would leave Israel unable to occupy and control the land effectively. Gradual expansion allowed population growth and infrastructure development.

Complete Canaanite removal eventually occurred under David and Solomon, who expanded Israel's borders to approximately the limits described in God's promises (1 Kings 4:21, 24). However, even this achievement proved temporary, as Israel's later covenant unfaithfulness led to exile and loss of the land. The ultimate fulfillment awaits the Messianic kingdom, when Christ establishes perfect rule over all nations.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you balance trusting God's promises with taking active steps of obedience to cooperate with His work in your life?
  2. What areas of partial obedience or incomplete conquest in your spiritual life might God be calling you to address through renewed commitment?
  3. How does God's pattern of gradual rather than instantaneous victory inform your expectations for Christian growth and sanctification?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 16 words
יְהוָ֥ה1 of 16

“And the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם2 of 16

“your God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

ה֚וּא3 of 16
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

יֶהְדֳּפֵ֣ם4 of 16

“he shall expel”

H1920

to push away or down

מִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑ם5 of 16

“them from before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

וִֽירִשְׁתֶּם֙6 of 16

“and ye shall possess”

H3423

to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish

אֹתָ֖ם7 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

מִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑ם8 of 16

“them from before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

וִֽירִשְׁתֶּם֙9 of 16

“and ye shall possess”

H3423

to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish

אֶת10 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אַרְצָ֔ם11 of 16

“their land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר12 of 16
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

דִּבֶּ֛ר13 of 16

“hath promised”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

יְהוָ֥ה14 of 16

“And the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם15 of 16

“your God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

לָכֶֽם׃16 of 16
H0

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 23:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Joshua 23:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Deuteronomy 11:23Joshua 13:6Exodus 34:11Exodus 33:2Joshua 23:12-13Numbers 33:52-53

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