Joshua 21:45 kjv
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 nkjv
Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 niv
Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
Joshua 21:45 esv
Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 nlt
Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.
Joshua 21 45 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie... Has he spoken, and will he not do it? | God's absolute truthfulness and power to perform His word. |
| Deut 7:9 | Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God... | Reinforces God's inherent attribute of faithfulness to His covenant. |
| Deut 8:6-10 | keeping the commandments... for the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land | Promise of good land for obedience, here fulfilled. |
| Josh 23:14 | You know in all your hearts... that not one word has failed... all has come to pass. | Joshua's later testimony echoing the complete fulfillment. |
| 1 Ki 8:56 | Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. | Solomon's recognition of fulfilled promises, especially for rest. |
| Ps 89:34 | I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went out from my lips. | God's immutable covenant and word are guaranteed. |
| Ps 105:8 | He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations. | God's eternal memory and commitment to His covenant. |
| Ps 145:13 | The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works. | God's faithfulness encompasses both His declarations and actions. |
| Isa 55:11 | so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty. | God's word always achieves its intended purpose. |
| Jer 32:42 | For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great disaster... so I will bring... all the good that I promise. | God's faithfulness extends to both judgment and blessing. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases... his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. | Praises God's character of great and continuous faithfulness. |
| Ezek 12:28 | For I am the LORD; I will speak, and the word that I speak will be performed. | God's declarations are immediately followed by execution. |
| Titus 1:2 | in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began. | God's nature is incapable of lying, guaranteeing His promises. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall... | The land rest in Joshua points to a greater spiritual and eternal rest in Christ. |
| Heb 6:18 | so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie... | God's truthfulness and unchanging nature ensure the certainty of His promises. |
| Heb 10:23 | Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. | Encourages believers to trust God's faithfulness in their hope. |
| 2 Cor 1:20 | For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. | Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of all God's promises. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. | Old Covenant types, including land, find their substance in Christ. |
| Luke 24:44 | Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. | Christ emphasizes the fulfillment of OT prophecies in Himself. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring... who is Christ. | Promises to Abraham's offspring find ultimate fulfillment in Christ. |
| Eph 2:11-13 | Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ... having no hope... But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near... | Gentiles brought into the spiritual blessings and fulfillment of promises through Christ. |
Joshua 21 verses
Joshua 21 45 Meaning
Joshua 21:45 serves as a powerful declaration of God's unwavering faithfulness. It affirms that every single good promise the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel concerning their inheritance, victory over enemies, and establishment in the Promised Land had been perfectly fulfilled. Nothing was lacking, and all had come to pass precisely as God had declared. This verse marks the completion of a major covenantal phase, signifying God's reliability and His precise execution of His divine plan for His people.
Joshua 21 45 Context
Joshua chapter 21 concludes the meticulous process of distributing the Promised Land and settling the twelve tribes of Israel. Specifically, verses 1-42 detail the allocation of forty-eight cities, along with their surrounding pasturelands, to the Levitical tribes. These cities were strategically distributed amongst the inheritances of the other tribes throughout the entire land, emphasizing God's provision for those set apart for His service. Following this final allocation, Joshua 21:45 serves as a grand concluding statement, declaring that God has meticulously and faithfully fulfilled every single promise made to Israel concerning their physical inheritance, security, and rest from their enemies. This verse signifies the completion of a major historical and theological era for Israel, confirming God's absolute trustworthiness in delivering on His covenant pledges.
Joshua 21 45 Word analysis
- Not one word: (Hebrew: Lo' echad davar - literally "not one thing, word"). This phrase emphasizes the complete, total, and meticulous nature of God's fulfillment. Not a single detail or nuance of His pledges was overlooked or left undone.
- failed: (Hebrew: naphal - to fall, fail, disappoint, be missing). In this context, it signifies that absolutely none of God's words "fell short" or proved to be unfulfilled. It conveys the complete absence of deficiency or disappointment in His divine declarations. God's word does not lose its power or become ineffective.
- all the good promises: (Hebrew: kol-davar tov - "every good word/thing"). This highlights the comprehensive scope of God's pledges. It refers not only to the major promise of the land but also to every associated blessing: rest from war, provision, safety, and fruitful habitation, all indicating God's beneficence towards His people.
- the LORD: (Hebrew: YHWH - The Tetragrammaton). This use of God's covenant name emphasizes that the source of these perfectly fulfilled promises is the covenant-keeping God Himself, who is eternal, sovereign, and unchanging in His character and power.
- had made: (Hebrew: dibber - spoken). This highlights that these were not mere desires but divinely "spoken" pronouncements, carrying inherent authority and power to bring about what they declared. God's word is an active force.
- to the house of Israel: (Hebrew: ’el bet Yisra’el). This signifies the specific recipient of the covenant promises – the collective nation of Israel. It underscores God's corporate faithfulness to His chosen people across generations, stemming from the patriarchal promises.
- all came to pass: (Hebrew: hakôl ba’ or ba’ hakol - "all came, happened"). This serves as the definitive declaration of accomplishment. It means every aspect, without exception, was brought into full reality. This concluding phrase serves as a powerful affirmation of completed fact, underscoring God's perfect execution of His will.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Not one word... had failed": This powerful negative construction emphasizes the absolute reliability and precision of God's promises. It assures that God's plan is executed with perfection, down to the smallest detail.
- "all the good promises which the Lord had made": This phrase attributes the source and nature of the promises to YHWH, highlighting His benevolence and sovereign authority in declaring blessings and committing to their fulfillment.
- "to the house of Israel": Identifies the specific recipients of God's covenant faithfulness, confirming His special relationship with and commitment to His chosen people throughout their generations.
- "all came to pass": This concluding affirmative statement succinctly and forcefully proclaims the complete and indisputable reality of the fulfillment, leaving no room for doubt or questioning God's integrity. It serves as an ultimate testimony to God's flawless execution of His divine word.
Joshua 21 45 Bonus section
- Covenant Fidelity: This verse stands as a key theological statement on God's fidelity to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The settlement in Canaan, though not yet fully possessed of every inch, represented the significant and conclusive fulfillment of this foundational promise of land and rest.
- Contrast to Human Trustworthiness: The statement implicitly contrasts divine faithfulness with human fallibility. Human promises often fail due to weakness, change of mind, or external circumstances. God's promises are secure because His character is immutable and His power unlimited.
- Typological Significance: The physical rest and inheritance described here are often seen as a type or shadow (Col 2:17, Heb 4) pointing to the ultimate, spiritual, and eternal rest and inheritance believers find in Jesus Christ, where all of God's promises find their definitive "Yes" (2 Cor 1:20).
- God's Initiative: The fulfillment described here is ultimately attributed to God's initiative and power, not solely to Israel's effort. While Israel was required to act, God was the active agent ensuring His promises "came to pass."
- Reinforcement for Subsequent Generations: This conclusive statement would have provided immense encouragement and a clear theological truth for future generations of Israelites: they could fully trust in God’s continued faithfulness because He had perfectly proven it in their history.
Joshua 21 45 Commentary
Joshua 21:45 is a monumental verse in the narrative of Israel, serving as a climactic affirmation of God's faithfulness. After recounting years of conquest and meticulous land distribution, this verse confidently declares that God has kept every single good promise He made to Israel. It highlights not merely the general fulfillment of the land promise, but the precise, comprehensive, and unflawed execution of "not one word... failed." This testifies to God's character as the unfailingly reliable, covenant-keeping God. Despite Israel's imperfections, delays, or instances of unbelief, God's overarching commitment to His promises remained firm and true. This truth served as a profound assurance for the original audience, who would soon navigate life without Joshua, demonstrating that their future security rested not on their own strength but on God's unwavering character. For believers across generations, this verse solidifies the foundation of trusting God's word. If God meticulously fulfilled physical promises, how much more certain are His spiritual and eternal promises found in Christ?