Joshua 11:15
As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The author's explicit testimony to Joshua's complete obedience serves historiographical and theological purposes. Ancient Near Eastern literature frequently praised rulers for piety and devotion to divine mandates, but typically as royal propaganda. The biblical account differs by making obedience the criterion for success rather than military prowess or political cunning. The later historical books (Judges, Samuel, Kings) will use this same standard to evaluate Israel's leaders, with most failing where Joshua succeeded.
The emphasis on complete obedience anticipates the troubling reality that Joshua's generation would be the last to serve Yahweh faithfully (Judges 2:7). The next generation would compromise, leading to the cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance characterizing Judges. This makes Joshua's obedience both exemplary and poignant—it represents the ideal that Israel would consistently fail to maintain. Only Christ would perfectly fulfill the obedience Joshua modeled, becoming obedient unto death (Philippians 2:8) and fulfilling all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).
The chain of revelation (LORD-Moses-Joshua) establishes the principle of apostolic succession not in terms of institutional office but of faithful transmission of God's word. Later generations must maintain this chain by faithful teaching and obedience (2 Timothy 2:2). When the chain breaks—when leaders fail to teach God's word completely or when people refuse to obey what they've been taught—spiritual decline inevitably follows. The book of Judges demonstrates this tragic trajectory.
Questions for Reflection
- In what areas of Christian teaching or practice are you tempted toward selective obedience, emphasizing preferred commands while minimizing others?
- How does Joshua's complete obedience challenge the contemporary tendency to adapt biblical teaching to cultural acceptability?
- What relationship exists between knowing God personally and obeying God comprehensively, and how can we cultivate both?
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Analysis & Commentary
As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
This verse summarizes Joshua's defining characteristic: complete obedience to the Mosaic covenant. The chain of command—LORD to Moses to Joshua—establishes the unbroken transmission of divine revelation through faithful human agents. The emphatic conclusion, "he left nothing undone" (lo-hesir davar, לֹא־הֵסִיר דָּבָר, literally "he removed/turned aside not a word"), uses the strongest possible negative to assert Joshua's comprehensive faithfulness. This stands in stark contrast to later generations who would partially obey, compromising with Canaanites and adopting their practices.
The Hebrew construction emphasizes both precision and comprehensiveness. Joshua didn't select which commands to obey based on personal preference, cultural accommodation, or pragmatic calculation. He obeyed "all" (kol, כֹּל), a term appearing twice in this verse, stressing totality. Reformed theology recognizes this as the proper response to divine revelation—Scripture's authority extends to all its teachings, not merely those we find congenial. The Westminster Confession states that "the whole counsel of God" must be received (WCF 1.6).
This obedience resulted from relationship, not mere duty. Throughout Joshua, the recurring phrase "the LORD said to Joshua" indicates intimate communication between God and His servant. Obedience flows from knowing God, not just knowing rules. Jesus would later say, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15), establishing love as obedience's motive. Joshua models the gospel pattern: relationship with God produces faithfulness to God's word, which in turn advances God's kingdom purposes.