Joshua 23
PATthis, that they took the answer of tho Rcubcnitcs, Gaditcs, and Manassitcs to have been brought to Joshua; for they say he imposed tho name of Ed upon the altar. So their words arc in the Vatican edition, which is most common among us, Kal IwiovofiatrEv 6 Iijtrove rov/3w/xov, &c.
Joshua 23:1
JxND it came to pass, a long time after, that the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about. Some take it to havebeen fourteen years after. their conquest of the country, (xi. 23.) and seven years after the division of it. (See xiv. 10.) That Joshua waxed old and striclce?i in age.] This was said of him before tho land was divided, (xiii. 1.) and a portion thereof given unto him: where he built a city; which took up so much time, that probably he was now in the last year of his life.
Joshua 23:2
And Joshua called for all Israel. Sent out a summons to them to come to him at Timnath-serah, where be lived, as the Jews will have’ it; but rather to Shiloh, where they might appear before God, as well as before him, and have Hie greater regard to bis words. And for their elders, &c.].The word and is not in the Hebrew text, and therefore these words are an explication of what he means by all Israel: not all the people (who could not, without great inconvenience, come thither, and. could not all hear him if they did), but their’ eldersj.that is, the great Sanhedrin, as they were called in future times; and for their heads, that is of their tribes and families; and for their judges, who were settled in all the lesser cities; and for their officers, who attended upbn the judged to execute their sentence. And said xtnto them, I am old and stricken in age.] He would make them sensible that this might be the last time he should be able to speak to them, which might move them to give greater attention unto what he said.
Joshua 23:3
Andye have seen. Or rather, behold, yehaveseen; for so the particle ve (which we;trapslate and) sometimes signifies: Gen. xxiv., 31. “Behold, I have prepared the house,” &c % i* All that the Lord hath done unto all these nations, because of you,] For your sake; that he might make room for you in their country, by expelling them out of it. • For the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.] See chap. i. 9. xi. 8. 10. 42. xi. 6. The Targum here saith, (as in x. 42.) The Lord your God, his Word fought for you. (See xiv. 12.). * J<
Joshua 23:4
Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, evenunto the, great sea westward.] The meaning is, he had divided among tlicm the t whole. land of Canaan, from Jordan in the east to the Mediterranean in the west; as well that part of. the. land which remained still unconquered, as that out of which they had expelled theancicnt inhabitants. * * -
Joshua 23:5
And the Lord your God he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight, &c. This. relates unto those who remained unsubdued (mentioned ia the beginning of the foregoing verse), whbm they should ya- dpubtcdly conquer and possess th&r country, if they adhered to God in faithful obedience, as he exhorts them in the following part of this chapter. Ver. G. JBe ye therefore very courageous to keep and to! do.] Or (as it may be translated), by observing and doing. All that is ivritten in the book of the law of Moses.] Which was the condition upon which God promised to continue them in tho possession of this land. By this it is evident, that the book of the law of Moses was extant in those days, and that the people read it. Tliat ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.] See upon Dcut. v. 32.
Joshua 23:7
That ye come not among these nations, these that remain amongst you. Have no familiarity with them, especially by marriage*.. _ Neither make mention of the name of their gods.] With any sort of respect to them.. (See Exod. xxiii. 13. and Deut. xii. 3.),. *,j. z.u <>! Nor cause to swear by them.] Not make a gentile swear by the name of his god;.which was utterly unlawful, as Selden observes out of Maimonides iaAvoda Zara. (See lib. ii. de Jure Nat. et Gent. cap. 13.) For this was to suppose they had knowledge of men’s thoughts, and power to punish those that forsware themselves.. And the forbidding this was also to secure them from making leagues and covenants: with the. gentiles, which they would not look.upon as binding without an oath.;. v Neither serve them.] By offering sacrifices, or praying, or making vows to them, though never so secretly. Nor bow yourselves to thern.] As all inward reverence, so all outward respect likewise was forbidden to be paid to them, especially open and public acts of worship. Interpreters, here observe a gradation, from familiarity with them to the most gross idolatry, in, which their friendship with these people concluded.
Joshua 23:8
But cleave unto the Lord your God, as you have doneunto this day. A remarkable instance of which they had all lately given, when the. nine tribes and half were so unanimously resolved to punish idolatry, with the extirpation of those that were guilty of it, (xxii. 33.) and the other also most zealously disclaimed all inclinations to it, (ver,
Joshua 23:9
For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations, and strong. The seven, nations of Canaan, who dwelt in strong. cities, and brought mighty armies against them, with horses and chariots, andwere some of them gigantic persons, (xi. 4. 22.) But as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.] None that gave them battle; though from some of their strong cities they had not yet driven them. (Seexxi.44.)
Joshua 23:10
One man of you shall chase a thousand. He gives them hope of a good success for the futuro, as they had hitherto. (Lev. xxvi. 8.) For the Lord your God is he thatfighteth for you, as he hath promised you.] But he w r ould not have them ascribe it to their.own courage, but to the Divine power, (Deut. xxxii. 30.) Here again the Targum hath it, the Word of the Lord, &c. as ver. 3. When y&have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, &c] This was the principal thing in the covenant, that they should have no other gods but hira alone; as I. have observed from a great number of places in the book of Deuteronomy. Tlien shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you; and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hqth given unto you.] See Deut. xxviii. 20. •;
Joshua 23:11
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God. It highly, therefore, concerned them to keep close to the worship and service of God alone, &WM fVf www! CHAP. XXIII.] UPON JOSHUA, with sincere love to him; since all their happiness depended upon his favour to them; for that this is meant by loving God, appears from the following verse; and from Deut. vi. 4, 5.x. 12. xi. 52.
Joshua 23:12
Else if you do in any wise go back J. From God; and fall to idolatry. And cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you.] Embrace their errors, as the Vulgar translates it; which they might easily do by making friendship with them, as the phrase properly signifies. ^ And shall make marriages with them.] Which was the effect of their familiarity with them. * » And go in unto them, and they to you.’] The same thing that was said before in other words, which only signify the consummation of marriage; which was strictly forbidden them, Exod. xxiii. 32. xxxiv. 12. 15, 16. Deut. vii. 3.
Joshua 23:13
Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you. As he had hitherto done, and promised still to do; if they would be obedient, (ver. 8, 9.) The Targum saith, The Word of the Lord will no more drive, &c. But they shall be snares and traps unto you.] Remain in the land to inveigle and seduce them into further impiety. (See Exod. xxxiv. 12. Deut. vii. 4. 1G.) And scourges in your sides.] Bring sore chastisements upon them; for this alludes to the lashes that were given offenders upon their sides, (Ecclus. xxx. 12. xlii. 5.) And thorns in your eyes.] Most grievously afflict them. (See Numb, xxxiii. 55.) Until ye perish from off this good land, tVhick the Lord your God hath given you.] For, with the lovo and favour of God, they forfeited also their inheritance which he had bestowed on them.
Joshua 23:14
Behold, this day I. am going the way of all the earth. Shall die shortly, as all men must one time or other; therefore hearken to the words of a dying man. And ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls*] Are all fully convinced. That not one thing hath failed, of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you, &c] See* upon xxi. 45. And God. was as good as his word ever after, as Solomon acknowledges, 1 Kings viii. 56. •
Joshua 23:15
Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you which the Lord your God pro misedyou, so shall the Lord.* When he ceased to be their God. Bring upon you all evil things, &c] According to what Moses had predicted at large, Lev. xxvi. and Deut. xxviii. In my annotations upon which last chapter, I have demonstrated, that not one thing hath failed of all the thrcatenings there mentioned, but all literally fulfilled to a tittle: for God’s faidifulness is no less visible in fulfilling his threatcnings than his promises.