Joshua refers in particular to the nations still to be defeated. The Lord will defeat them, as he has promised.

The referent of the pronoun them is not altogether clear in the phrase will make them retreat from you. Attention also needs to be given to at least two other matters: (1) A chronological arrangement of the verse can be achieved by placing as the LORD your God has promised you first, and (2) it may be necessary to substitute direct discourse for as the LORD … promised. In addition, there remains the problem of the LORD your God which appears twice in Good News Translation. Here again the meaning should be expressed as “The LORD our God.” For a model of what may be done:

• The LORD our God promised us, ‘I will cause your enemies to retreat from you. I will drive them away as you advance, and you shall take their land.’ The LORD our God will keep this promise. He will drive away those nations that are still in the land.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .