Joshua 24

Josua assembleth all the tribes of Israel at Sichem , v.1, & c. He putteth them in minde of the favours and benefits of God , shewed unto their fathers and themselves , 2. He exhorteth them in that regard faithfully to serve the true God , 4. Protesting for himself and his house in this behalf , 15. The people also promise four several times to persevere in the sincere worship of God , 16. Josua reneweth the covenant of the LORD with the people , 25. He writeth this in the book of the Law of the LORD , and setteth up a great stone in remembrance thereof , 26. The death, age , and the burial of Josua , 29. The burying of Joseph's bones , 32. The death and burial of Eleazar , 33.

1. After that,Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel as Sichem [i.e. according to the opinion of some,at Silo,which lay in the land of Sichem,for there the Tabernacle was.Understand this likewise so below ver.32. But others coinceive,that upon this day of solemn assembly,Joshua caused the Ark to be brought from Silo unto the City of Sichem.as the same hath been often done,viz. Under Eli,Samuel,Saul, and David] and he called the eldest of Israel,and the heads thereof,and they presented themselves before the face of God.[i.e before the Tabernacle wherein God dwelt]

2. Then Joshua aid unto all the people,[See chap.23. on ver.2.] Thus saith the LORD the God of Israel , Your fathers dwelt of old (time) on the other side of the river , [Understand the river Euphrates : so below v. 3,14,15.] (namely) Therah the father of Abraham,and the father of Nabor: and they served other gods. [See Gen.11.26,31.& Deut.26,5.]

3. Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river, and made him walk thorow all the land of Canaan: I also increased his seed,and gave him Isaac. [See Gen.12.1.& 21.2.]

4. And unto Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau: [Here Esau the first-born is not named first, but Jacob: See the like also Gen.11.26 & 1 Chron.1.28.and in this Chap.v.5.] and unto Esau I gave Mount Seir, hereditary to possess it: but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

5. Then I sent Moseh and Aaron,and plagued the Egyptians, according as i did in the midst thereof: and afterward I led you out thence.

6. When I carried your fathers out of Egypt, then came unto the Sea, and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers,with charets, and with borsemen, onto the Red-sea.

7. They now called unto the LORD, and he put a darkness between you, and covered them, and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt : [This is to be understood of many of those that were under twenty years old when they departed out of Egypt,for they that were above the age of twenty (excepting Caleb and Joshua) they all dyed in the Wilderness] after that ye have dwelt in the wilderness many days.

8. Then I brought you into the land of Amorites,which dwelt on the other side of Jordan, they fought against you ,but I delivered them into your hand, and ye possess their land hereditarily, and I destroyed them before your face.

9. Also Balak the son of Zippor, the King of the Moabites arose,and he fought against Israel: [i.e. Intended, or purposed to fight: See Judg.11.25. compare Job.10.32,33. where the word stoning , is put for intending,or going about to stone.So that it seems,that this is to be understood of Balaks enmity shewed against Israel;first when he went about to curse them by Bilean;and after that, when by Bileams counsel,( by means of the Moabitish women) he brought them to commit first whoredom, and then idolatry, and so caused the wrath of God to come upon them] and he sent forth, ands caused to call (for) Bileam the son of Beor,that he might curse you.

10. But I would not hearken unto Bileam: therefore he blessed you still, and I delivered you out of his band.

11. When he had passed over Jordan , and came to Jericho,the citizens [Or Lords,or men] of Jericho warred against you , [viz. those of Jericho by shutting their gates; but these nations which are named,by force of arms] the Amorites,and the Girgasites,the Hivites,and the Jebusites: but I delivered them into your hand.

12. And I sent bornets [Heb. the Hornet] before you , they drave them away from your face , (as) both the kings of the Amorites , [as if he should say , As ye before tim drave out both the Kings of the Amorites , to wit , Sihon and Og. See below ver. 18.] not by your sword , nor by your bowe . [understand this also , of all other weapons and arms , as Genesis 48:22. Psal. 7.13 . & 44.3 , 13. The meaning of these words is , That their Swords and Bowes had been in vain had not the Lord destroyed their enemies]

13. Thus I have given you a land wherein ye have not laboured , and cities which ye have not built , and ye not built , and ye dwell thereor thein : [Joshua 11:13. it's said , That the Israelites banned , or utterly destroyed no cities , save Hazor onely. This was therefore done , that the children of Israel might finde houses and cities to dwell in] ye eat of the vineyards and of the olives that grew upon the trees . See the like phrase or manner of speaking , Gen.3.12. & Rev.2.7. ] which ye have not planted .

14. And now , fear the LORD , and serve him in uprightness , [i.e. uprightly , sincerely , with all the heart , without dissembling] and in truth : and put away the gods which your fathers served [viz.Therah , Nahor , etc. yea , Abraham himself , before God called him out of Ur of the Chaldees] on the other side of the river , and in Egypt , and serve the LORD.

15. But it be evil in your eyes to serve the LORD , chuse you this day whom ye will serve , whether the gods which your fathers that were on the other side of the river , served ; or the gods of Amorites,in whoseland ye dwell:[Joshua leaves it not arbitrary to the Israelites, whether they should serve God or no;but this he saith,That they might freely, and without compulsion, declare what they were minded to do; and that they might be more firmly tyed to serve God,in that they had freely taken upon them to do it.See the like phrase or manner of speaking,Ruth 1:8,15.] but as for me and my house we will serve the LORD.

16. Then answered the people, and said,Far he it from us,that we should forsake the LORD, [Herb. Be it far to us from forsaking, & c.] to serve other gods.

17. For the LORD is our God, it is he that brought us and our fathers up out of land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: and that did these great tokens before our eyes, and kept us on all the way thorow which we went ,and among all people,through the midst of whom we marched.

18. And the Lord hath driven out before our faces all those nations, even the Amorite, inhabitant of the land; we also will serve the LORD, [viz. as well as thou, and thy fathers house] for he is our God.

19. Then Josua said un to the people , Ye will not be able to serve the LORD , [viz. if ye keep with you the strange gods among you , mixing the false worship with the true worship of God , as may be gathered from vers. 23.] for he is a holy God ; [Heb. Elohim Kedoschim hu. See hereof , Gen. 20, on ver. 13.] He is a jealous God , he will not forgive [Heb. take away: see the like phrase or manner of speaking , Gen.50.17. oth. not bear or endure] your transgression , nor your sins .

20. If ye shall forsake the LORD , and save strange gods , he will then turn about , and he will do you hurt , and he will destroy you , after that he hath done you good .

21. Then the people said unto Josua , Nay, [Understand withall , we will not forsake the Lord] but we will serve the LORD .

22. Now Josua said unto the people , ye are witnesses against your selves , that you have chosen you the LORD , to serve him : And they said , We are witnesses .

23. And now put away the strange gods which are in the midst of you , [viz. the gods of the strangers .By these words it appeareth , That although idolatry was not publickly tolerated , yet there were some among the Israelites at this time , that had idols in secret , which they privately worshipped and served . See Amos 5. ver.25,26. & Acts 7:43. See also Gen. 35.on ver. 2 .] and encline your hearts unto the LORD the God of Israel .

24. And the people said unto Josua , We will serve the LORD our God , and we will obey his voice .

25. So Josua made that same day a covenant with the people : [i.e. he renewed , and confirmed the Covenant which God had made with the people of Israel] and be set it to them for a statute and right ( or , Ordinance ) at Sichem . [See above vers. 1.]

26. And Josua wrote these words [i.e. the words of this Covenant] in the book of the law of God : and he took a great stone , and he set the same up there under the Oak , which was by the sanctuary of the LORD .[See of this Oak , Judges 9:6.]

27. And Josua said unto all the people , Behold , this stone shall be for a witness unto us , for it hath heard all the words of the LORD , that he hath spoken unto us : [i.e. it hath been there present . Here sense is ascribed and attributed unto the stone , which is void of sense . So likewise it is said , Hear , ye heavens , and thou earth , Isa.1.2. and Deut . 32.1. The heavens declare the glory of God , Psal. 19.1. The stones shall cry , Luke 19:40.] yea , it shall be for a witnesse against you , that ye may not lye unto the LORD your God . [but keep and do what ye have promised him]

28. Then Josua sent the people away , each one unto his inheritance .

29. And it came to passe after these things , that Josua the son of Nun , the servant of the LORD , died , being an hundred and ten years old . [Heb. a son of an hundred and ten years]

30. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance , at Timnath-Serah , [Otherwise called , Timnath-Heres , Judges 2:9.] which is upon a Mountaine of Ephraim , on the North of Mount Gaas .

31. Now Israel served the LORD all the dayes of Josua , and all the dayes of the Eldest , that lived long after Josua , [Heb. that prolonged their dayes after Josua . See Exodus 20:12.] and which knew all the work of the LORD, which he had done unto Israel . [Understand here , those that together with Josua , had governed the people , and out-lived him . See Judg.2.7.]

32. They also buried the bones of Joseph , which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt , at Sichem , [Understand this as above vers.1. For here followeth , That Joseph's bones were buried in the parcel of the field or ground , etc. which lay not in the City of Sichem , as may be gathered from Genes. 33.18.] in that parcel of the field ich Jacob had bought of the children of Hemor , the father of Sichem , for an hundred pieces of money : [See Genes. 33.19. and the annotat. thereon . Stephen , Acts 7:16. saith For the price of silver] for they were become an inheritance of the children of Joseph . [viz. that parcel of the field and the burying place that was therein]

33. Also Eleazar the son of Aaron died and they buried him on the hill of Pinehas his son , which was given him on mount Ephraim .