XXIV. (b) JOSHUA’S LAST CHARGE TO THE PEOPLE. (1, 2) JOSHUA GATHERED ALL THE TRIBES... — At the former address the rulers alone appear to have been present; on this occasion _all Israel_ was gathered. And what is spoken is addressed to the people in the hearing of the rulers. In the speech that now... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FLOOD — i.e., the river, as in Joshua 24:2; and so also in Joshua 24:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
WARRED AGAINST ISRAEL. — The sending for Balaam was a distinct act of hostility. Whether Balak himself ever led an army against Israel we are not informed. In the war with the Midianites, Balaam was slain; and there may have been Moabites allied and acting with the Midianites in the war in Numbers 3... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HORNET. — There appears no reason for taking this word in any other than a literal sense. The possibility of what is recorded here has been abundantly illustrated by events reported in our own times. THE TWO KINGS OF THE AMORITES. — Apparently, but not _necessarily,_ Sihon and Og are intended.... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR THE LORD. — It should be remembered throughout the whole of this passage that Lord stands for JEHOVAH, the covenant God of Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE AMORITES. — Here used generically for the inhabitants of Canaan. AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD. — For Joshua himself the service of Jehovah on earth was nearly over. He pledges his “house” to the same service. What is known of his family? It is a singular fact that _no descendan... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD FORBID THAT WE SHOULD FORSAKE THE LORD, TO SERVE OTHER GODS. — The feelings of the people are naturally shocked by the bare mention of apostasy. They will not _forsake_ Jehovah on any account. But their answer only betrayed their want of intelligence. They missed the point of Joshua’s argument,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA SAID... YE CANNOT SERVE THE LORD: FOR HE IS... JEALOUS... — Jehovah will not consent to be served as one God among many: the very thing which Israel was doing at the moment, which they meant to do, and did do, with rare intervals, down to the Babylonish captivity, when the evil spirit of... [ Continue Reading ]
NAY; BUT WE WILL SERVE THE LORD. — Being brought to the point, no other answer was possible. If they must give up Jehovah or the idols, the idols must go first. (22,23) YE ARE WITNESSES... THAT YE HAVE CHOSEN YOU THE LORD... NOW THEREFORE PUT AWAY... THE STRANGE GODS. — This was the practical concl... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JOSHUA MADE A COVENANT — i.e., a covenant that idolatry should not be tolerated in Israel, or suffered to exist. We read of similar covenants in the reign of Asa (2 Chronicles 15:12), in the reign of Joash, by Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 23:16), and of Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:31).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA WROTE THESE WORDS IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF GOD. — Primarily “these words” appear to refer to the transaction just recorded. But it must be observed that this is also the second signature among the sacred writers of the Old Testament. The first is that of Moses, in Deuteronomy 31:9 : “Mos... [ Continue Reading ]
(28-31) SO JOSHUA LET THE PEOPLE DEPART... — This passage is recited in Judges 2:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HUNDRED AND TEN YEARS OLD. — The mention in Joshua 24:31 of “elders that prolonged their days after Joshua” seems to suggest that Joshua’s death was comparatively an early death.[15] Had he thought and laboured more for himself and less for Israel, he also might have prolonged his days. But, like... [ Continue Reading ]
ISRAEL SERVED THE LORD ALL THE DAYS OF JOSHUA, AND... OF THE ELDERS THAT OVERLIVED JOSHUA. — It cannot surprise us that the personal influence of the man and of the events of his day was so difficult to efface. There was a _primitive_ Church in Canaan as well as in the Roman Empire. The short durati... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELEAZAR THE SON OF AARON DIED. — “Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun,” were the Moses and Aaron of this period. It is fitting that the Book of Joshua should close with the death of Eleazar, who was Joshua’s appointed counsellor; for when Joshua was given as a shepherd to Israel, in an... [ Continue Reading ]