1 And it cometh to pass after the death of Moses, servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua son of Nun, minister of Moses, saying,

2 'Moses my servant is dead, and now, rise, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.

3 'Every place on which the sole of your foot treadeth, to you I have given it, as I have spoken unto Moses.

4 From this wilderness and Lebanon, and unto the great river, the river Phrath, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great Sea — the going in of the sun — is your border.

5 'No man doth station himself before thee all days of thy life ; as I have been with Moses, I am with thee, I do not fail thee, nor forsake thee ;

Note · Josué 1.1–5

La promesse précède la capacité du successeur

La première parole ne demande pas à Josué de devenir un autre Moïse. Elle l’appelle à traverser avec le peuple, dans la confiance en une présence qui continue. Les frontières énoncées appartiennent à cet horizon ancien de promesse ; elles ne constituent pas à elles seules un programme politique directement applicable à une situation contemporaine.

6 be strong and courageous, for thou — thou dost cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn to their fathers to give to them.

7 'Only, be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded thee ; thou dost not turn aside from it right or left, so that thou dost act wisely in every [place] whither thou goest ;

8 the book of this law doth not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night, so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely.

9 'Have not I commanded thee ? be strong and courageous ; be not terrified nor affrighted, for with thee [is] Jehovah thy God in every [place] whither thou goest.'

Note · Josué 1.6–9

Le courage reçoit une règle qui le dépasse

L’insistance sur la force est encadrée par la méditation et la pratique de la loi. Il ne s’agit donc pas seulement d’oser entreprendre ce que l’on désire. La réussite évoquée concerne la mission confiée dans le récit ; elle ne garantit pas à chaque croyant le succès financier ou l’absence d’échec dès lors qu’il lit la Bible.

10 And Joshua commandeth the authorities of the people, saying,

11 'Pass over into the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare for yourselves provision, for within three days ye are passing over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which Jehovah your God is giving to you to possess it.'

12 And to the Reubenite, and to the Gadite, and to the half of the tribe of Manasseh, hath Joshua spoken, saying,

13 'Remember the word which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God is giving rest to you, and He hath given to you this land ;

14 your wives, your infants, and your substance, abide in the land which Moses hath given to you beyond the Jordan, and ye — ye pass over by fifties, before your brethren, all the mighty ones of valour, and have helped them,

15 till that Jehovah giveth rest to your brethren as to yourselves, and they have possessed, even they, the land which Jehovah your God is giving to them ; then ye have turned back to the land of your possession, and have possessed it, which Moses, servant of Jehovah, hath given to you beyond the Jordan, [at] the sun-rising.'

Note · Josué 1.10–15

Être déjà installé ne dispense pas de la solidarité

Les tribus de l’est ont reçu un territoire, mais les hommes mobilisés doivent accompagner leurs frères. La promesse commune empêche de considérer sa propre sécurité comme la fin de toute responsabilité. L’organisation matérielle, jusque dans les provisions, appartient aussi à la marche : la confiance n’annule pas la préparation concrète.

16 And they answer Joshua, saying, 'All that thou hast commanded us we do ; and unto every [place] whither thou dost send us, we go ;

17 according to all that we hearkened unto Moses [in], so we hearken unto thee ; surely Jehovah thy God is with thee as He hath been with Moses.

18 Any man who doth provoke thy mouth, and doth not hear thy words, in all that thou dost command him, is put to death ; only, be strong and courageous.'

Note · Josué 1.16–18

L’adhésion au responsable ne lui donne pas un pouvoir absolu

La réponse reconnaît Josué et demande que Dieu soit avec lui. La peine annoncée contre la rébellion montre la dureté du cadre militaire ancien. Une communauté chrétienne ne peut reprendre cette formule pour supprimer les désaccords, imposer la soumission à un dirigeant ou soustraire ses décisions à tout discernement.