INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 23 Joshua being old, convenes the states of Israel a little before his death, Joshua 23:1; and in his address to them observes what God had done for them, and would do, Joshua 23:3; and exhorts them to keep the commandments of God, and cleave to him, and not to mix with the G... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS A LONG TIME AFTER,.... Or "after many days" o, that is, years: THAT THE LORD HAD GIVEN REST UNTO ISRAEL FROM ALL THEIR ENEMIES ROUND ABOUT; the greatest part of the land of Canaan was subdued, the whole divided by lot to the tribes of Israel, and they quietly settled in the resp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA CALLED FOR ALL ISRAEL,.... Summoned them together, whether at Timnathserah, his own city, he being old and infirm, and not able to go elsewhere; or whether at Shechem, where it is plain they were afterwards convened, Joshua 24:1, or whether rather at Shiloh, where the tabernacle was, is n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE HAVE SEEN ALL THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH DONE UNTO ALL THOSE NATIONS BECAUSE OF YOU,.... How he had destroyed them, and driven them out of their habitations to make room for them, meaning the seven nations of the Canaanites: FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD [IS] HE THAT HATH FOUGHT FOR YOU; Joshua doe... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I HAVE DIVIDED TO YOU BY LOT THESE NATIONS THAT REMAIN,.... Who are unsubdued, not yet conquered, as well as those that are TO BE AN INHERITANCE FOR YOUR TRIBES; to be possessed by them and their children for ever: FROM JORDAN, WITH ALL THE NATIONS I HAVE CUT OFF, EVEN UNTO THE GREAT SEA W... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD YOUR GOD HE SHALL EXPEL THEM FROM BEFORE YOU,.... That is, such of them as yet remained among them: AND DRIVE THEM FROM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT; the same thing expressed by different words, for the confirmation of it: AND YE SHALL POSSESS THEIR LAND, AS THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH PROMISED UNTO... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE THEREFORE VERY COURAGEOUS TO KEEP AND TO DO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF MOSES,.... To observe which required spiritual strength, fortitude of mind, a holy courage, a firm and fixed resolution, and particularly to destroy the Canaanites required in that book, and to abstain fr... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YE COME NOT AMONG THESE NATIONS, THOSE THAT REMAIN AMONG YOU,.... That remained unsubdued, or that were suffered to dwell among them, being tributaries to them; with these they were not to converse freely and familiarly, nor to carry on trade and commerce with them, nor enter into any alliances... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT CLEAVE UNTO THE LORD YOUR GOD,.... To his word, worship, and ordinances; externally, by close adherence to them, and strict observation of them; and internally, by strong affection to him, hope, trust, and confidence in him, expectation of all good things from him, and constant application to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD HATH DRIVEN OUT BEFORE YOU GREAT NATIONS AND STRONG,.... 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 bodi... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE MAN OF YOU SHALL CHASE A THOUSAND,.... Here Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, that the future tense is put for the past, and that the sense is, one of them had chased a thousand in their war with the Canaanites; but Abarbinel disapproves of this observation, and thinks it refers to time to come, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE GOOD HEED THEREFORE UNTO YOURSELVES,.... To be upon their guard, and to be watchful, were very necessary to them, that they might not be ensnared by the Canaanites, and drawn aside by them into idolatry, and so apostatize from the Lord and his worship, since their temptations would be many: TH... [ Continue Reading ]
ELSE IF YE DO IN ANY WISE GO BACK,.... From the Lord and his worship, from his word and ordinances: AND CLEAVE UNTO THE REMNANT OF THESE NATIONS, [EVEN] THOSE THAT REMAIN AMONG YOU; in cities not taken, or in several which the Philistines were in possession of, or lived among them as tributaries to... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOW FOR A CERTAINTY THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL NO MORE DRIVE OUT [ANY] OF THESE NATIONS FROM BEFORE YOU,.... Or, "knowing ye shall know" r; or "know ye"; this may be taken for granted, or the fullest proof, and clearest demonstration, and strongest assurance will be given of it, that in case of su... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, THIS DAY I [AM] GOING THE WAY OF ALL THE EARTH,.... That is, about to die; not that precise day, but in a short time, of which the daily increasing infirmities of old age gave him notice. Death is a journey from this world to another, a man's going to his long home, a path trodden by al... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE IT SHALL COME TO PASS, [THAT] AS ALL THE GOOD THINGS ARE COME UPON YOU WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED YOU,.... Of which there was full proof, and it could not be denied: SO SHALL THE LORD BRING UPON YOU ALL EVIL THINGS; calamities and distresses, by his sore judgments of famine, sword, pest... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN YE HAVE TRANSGRESSED THE COVENANT OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHICH HE COMMANDED YOU,.... The law, so called, and the several precepts of it, particularly those which relate to the faith and worship of the one only true God; see Exodus 24:7; AND HAVE GONE AND SERVED OTHER GODS, AND HAVE BOWED DOWN... [ Continue Reading ]