John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. For the Lord hath driven out before you great nations and strong , etc.] Especially as they were reckoned in those times, before any great monarchies had existed, as did afterwards; and indeed these were, considering the land they inhabited, very numerous and populous, and were very stout and able bodied men, and some of a gigantic stature; and all dwelt in strong fortified cities, and were able to bring out large armies into the field, with chariots of iron, so that they were very formidable; but notwithstanding all this, the Lord drove them out of their strong holds, and put Israel into the possession of them, and of their land: but [as for] you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day ; that is, of those that came out against them, and fought with them; these were all to a man cut off by them, or fled before them, and became tributaries to them; otherwise there were many, who as yet were not expelled by them; this the Lord had promised, and now had fulfilled, ( Deuteronomy 11:25 Joshua 1:5).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - Joshua was old and dying, let them observe what he said now. He pu them in mind of the great things God had done for them in his days. He exhorted them to be very courageous. Keep with care, do with diligence and regard with sincerity what is written. Also, very cautiously to endeavour that the heathen idolatry may be forgotten, so that it ma never be revived. It is sad that among Christians the names of the heathen gods are so commonly used, and made so familiar as they are Joshua exhorts them to be very constant. There might be many thing amiss among them, but they had not forsaken the Lord their God; the way to make people better, is to make the best of them.
Original Hebrew ויורשׁ3423 יהוה3068 מפניכם6440 גוים1471 גדלים1419 ועצומים6099 ואתם859 לא3808 עמד5975 אישׁ376 בפניכם6440 עד5704 היום3117 הזה׃2088
