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Joshua 1:9
Haven't I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid. Don't be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.
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Interpretation

Joshua 1:9 shows a courage that is lived within solitude and community—see "don't" and "haven't". Choose courage in boundaries we honor—season power with mercy.

Context

Joshua speaks here as law/history writing, highlighting courage. Within ch. 1, a small unit frames the emphasis. Watch the terms “don't” and “haven't”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early sources associate Joshua with Joshua. Modern scholarship on Joshua sees Deuteronomistic history; compiled from earlier traditions.. Scholars commonly date Joshua Exilic/post‑exilic compilation.. This verse leans into covenant history. Often read within the Deuteronomistic history.

More details
Traditional:Joshua
Modern scholarship:Deuteronomistic history; compiled from earlier traditions.
Date:Exilic/post‑exilic compilation.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Hebrew text is stable in the Masoretic tradition. The Septuagint translation (3rd century BCE) is virtually identical. No Dead Sea Scrolls of Joshua survive from this section, but 4QJosha confirms the textual tradition for other parts. The phrase 'Be strong and courageous' uses Hebrew words (chazaq and amats) that appear identically in all manuscripts. The divine name YHWH is consistently preserved.
Sources & witness notes
4QJosha