1:8a
This Book of the Law: The phrase This Book of the Law refers to “all the law” in 1:7b.
must not depart from your mouth: The clause must not depart from your mouth means that Joshua should always think about the law of Yahweh. He could do this by reading it and speaking it out loud.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Never stop reading this Book of the Law. (NIRV)
-or-
Always remember what is written in this law book
-or-
Do not stop reciting these laws
1:8b
meditate on it: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as meditate can also be translated as “mutter,” or “read in a low voice.” This was a way to keep thinking about something.
day and night: The phrase day and night means always or all the time.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Day and night you must think about what it says (NIRV)
-or-
Never stop reciting these teachings (God’s Word)
-or-
Study it day and night (New Century Version)
1:8c
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it: The clause be careful to do everything written in it indicates that Joshua must obey all the laws that Moses wrote down.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Make sure you do everything written in it (NIRV)
-or-
Carefully follow every law that Moses wrote
1:8d
For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do: The Hebrew verbs that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will prosper and succeed are similar in meaning. In some languages there may not be two words with such similar meanings. In that case it may be more natural to translate this as “very successful”, or “very prosperous.”
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Then things will go well with you. And you will have great success. (NIRV)
-or-
Only then will you prosper and succeed (God’s Word)
-or-
If you do that, you will be successful in everything that you do (Translation for Translators)
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