1:7a
Above all, be strong and very courageous: The Hebrew words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be strong and [be] very courageous are the same as those translated “be strong” and “[be] courageous” in 1:6a. You should translate them the same way in both places.
Above all: The phrase Above all makes the command stronger.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
you must be strong and very courageous
very: There is a textual issue with this part of the verse.
(1) The Hebrew text includes the word very
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), King James Version)
(2) The Septuagint, the early Greek translation, does not have the word very
(Good News Translation, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow the Hebrew text and include a word that means very.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
You must be strong and very courageous
-or-
Be determined and very brave
1:7b
Be careful to observe all the law: The clause Be careful to observe indicates that Joshua must follow all the law.
all the law: The phrase all the law refers to the laws and commandments that Yahweh gave to Moses to pass on to the Israelites.
that My servant Moses commanded you: Yahweh referred to Moses as My servant in verse 1:2a, and you should translate it the same way in both places.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
You must carefully keep all the commandments that my servant Moses commanded you
-or-
Be sure to follow all the laws that Moses, my servant, told you to do
1:7c
Do not turn from it to the right or to the left: The phrase Do not turn from it means that Joshua must not disobey the law.
The phrase to the right or to the left is an idiom. It indicates that Joshua must not disobey the law in any way. He must carefully follow every part of the law.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Do not stop obeying any of the law
-or-
follow them exactly (New Century Version)
-or-
Do not walk away from any of these laws
1:7d
so that you may prosper wherever you go: This clause indicates that if Joshua obeyed all the laws, he would prosper wherever he went. However, this means more than “wherever he traveled.” It also means that he would be successful in everything he did.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
so that you will succeed wherever you go
-or-
Then you will be successful in everything you do (New Century Version)
-or-
then everything will go well with you wherever you go
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