יהושע, פרק א׳, פסוק י״ז

The Israelites' declaration of loyalty to their new leader directly links his authority to that of his predecessor, Moses. The foundation of this acceptance rests entirely on the presence of God accompanying him. This pledge of allegiance is understood by some as a strict condition for their obedience. The people commit to following Joshua only as long as God remains with him; if the Divine presence were to depart from him, their obedience would end [מצודת דוד]. Yet, as long as this condition is met and God dwells with him exactly as He did with Moses, the people view Joshua as entirely equal to his former master [מלבי״ם].

Other perspectives view the people's words not as a condition for their own obedience, but as a direct instruction to Joshua. According to this approach, he is urged to carefully follow the path set by Moses in order to ensure that God will indeed continue to accompany him [רד״ק]. Alternatively, the statement is seen as a heartfelt blessing rather than a condition or a demand. The people are offering a prayer for their new leader, blessing him to merit the same Divine support and profound strength that Moses possessed [ביאור שטיינזלץ].