All Israel — Namely, their representatives. Shechem — To the city of Shechem, a place convenient for the purpose, not only because it was a Levitical city, and a city of refuge, and a place near Joshua's city, but especially for the two main ends for which he summoned them thither. For the solemn bu... [ Continue Reading ]
The people — To the elders, by whom it was to be imparted to all the rest, and to as many of the people as came thither. He spake to them in God's name, and as from him, in the language of a prophet, Thus saith the Lord. Jehovah, the great God, and the God of Israel, whom you are peculiarly engaged... [ Continue Reading ]
I took — I snatched him out of that idolatrous place, and took him into acquaintance and covenant with myself, which was the highest honour and happiness he was capable of. And led — That is I brought him after his father's death into Canaan, Genesis 12:1, and I conducted and preserved him in all hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Mount Seir — That he might leave Canaan entire to his brother Jacob and his posterity, Genesis 36:7. Into Egypt — Where they long lived in grievous bondage; which God having delivered us from, I shall now pass it over.... [ Continue Reading ]
Your eyes — He speaketh this to the elders, Joshua 24:1, who were so, not only by power and dignity, but many of them by age; and there being now not sixty years past since those Egyptian plagues, it is very probable that a considerable number of those present, had seen those things in Egypt, and be... [ Continue Reading ]
Balak warred — Balak warred, tho' not by open force, yet by crafty counsel and warlike stratagems, by wicked devices.... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto Balaam — Who hereby appears to have desired of God leave to curse Israel; and therefore it is not strange, that God who permitted him simply to go, was highly angry with him for going with so wicked an intent, Numbers 22:20, Numbers 22:22, Numbers 22:32. Delivered you — That is, from Balak's ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Deliver them — Namely, successively; for in these few words he seems to comprise all their wars, which being so fresh in their memory, he thought it needless particularly to mention.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sent the hornet — When they were actually engaged in battle with the Canaanites. These dreadful swarms which first appeared in their war with Sihon and Og, tormented them with their stings and terrified them with their noise, so that they became an easy prey to Israel. God had promised to do this fo... [ Continue Reading ]
The gods — Whereby it appears, that although Joshua had doubtless prevented and purged out all public idolatry, yet there were some of them who practised it in their private houses and retirements. Your fathers — Terah, and Nahor, and Abraham, as Joshua 24:2, and other of your ancestors. In Egypt —... [ Continue Reading ]
Seem evil — Unjust, unreasonable or inconvenient. Choose ye — Not that he leaves them to their liberty, whether they would serve God or idols; for Joshua had no such power himself, nor could give it to any other; and both he and they were obliged by the law of Moses, to give their worship to God onl... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye cannot — He speaks not of an absolute impossibility, (for then both his resolution to serve God himself, and his exhortation to them had been vain) but of a moral impossibility, or a very great difficulty, which he alledgeth not to discourage them from God's service, but to make them more conside... [ Continue Reading ]
Will turn — That is, he will alter his course and the manner of his dealing with you, and will be as severe as ever he was kind and gracious. He will repent of his former kindnesses, and his goodness abused will be turned into fury.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord — Namely, him only, and not strange gods.... [ Continue Reading ]
Against yourselves — This solemn profession will be a swift witness against you, if hereafter you apostatize from God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Strange gods — Those idols which you either brought out of Egypt, or have taken in Canaan, which some of you keep contrary to God's command, whether for the preciousness of the matter, or rather for some secret inclination to superstition and idolatry.... [ Continue Reading ]
A statute — He set or established that covenant with them, that is, the people, for a statute or an ordinance, to bind themselves and their posterity unto God for ever.... [ Continue Reading ]
These words — That is, this covenant or agreement of the people with the Lord. In the book — That is, in the volume which was kept in the ark, Deuteronomy 31:9, Deuteronomy 31:26, whence it was taken and put into this book of Joshua: this he did for the perpetual remembrance of this great and solemn... [ Continue Reading ]
It hath heard — It shall be as sure a witness against you, as if it had heard. This is a common figure, whereby the sense of hearing is often ascribed to the heavens and the earth, and other senseless creatures.... [ Continue Reading ]
The bones of Joseph — Joseph died two hundred years before in Egypt, but gave commandment concerning his bones, that they should not rest in a grave, 'till Israel rested in the land of promise. Now therefore they were deposited in that piece of ground, which his father gave him near Shechem. One rea... [ Continue Reading ]
Given him — By special favour, and for his better conveniency in attending upon the ark, which then was, and for a long time was to be in Shiloh, near this place: whereas the cities which were given to the priests, were in Judah. Benjamin, and Simeon, which were remote from Shiloh, tho' near the pla... [ Continue Reading ]