The LORD … will cross over ahead of you: God would lead the conquest. The divine warrior, the LORD God of Israel, would command and lead the conflict (see 1:30).
From the early days of wandering in Sinai until now, Joshua served as the assistant of Moses (Exodus 17:8). God now chose him to be the leader of Israel after Moses (see Deuteronomy 1:38; 3:23–29; Numbers 27:15–23).