1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,
13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them;
15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
1 Now after H310 the death H4194 of Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 it came to pass, that the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 Moses' H4872 minister, H8334 saying, H559
2 Moses H4872 my servant H5650 is dead; H4191 now therefore arise, H6965 go over H5674 this Jordan, H3383 thou, and all this people, H5971 unto the land H776 which I do give H5414 to them, even to the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
3 Every place H4725 that the sole H3709 of your foot H7272 shall tread upon, H1869 that have I given H5414 unto you, as I said H1696 unto Moses. H4872
4 From the wilderness H4057 and this Lebanon H3844 even unto the great H1419 river, H5104 the river H5104 Euphrates, H6578 all the land H776 of the Hittites, H2850 and unto the great H1419 sea H3220 toward the going down H3996 of the sun, H8121 shall be your coast. H1366
5 There shall not any man H376 be able to stand H3320 before H6440 thee all the days H3117 of thy life: H2416 as I was with Moses, H4872 so I will be with thee: I will not fail H7503 thee, nor forsake H5800 thee.
6 Be strong H2388 and of a good courage: H553 for unto this people H5971 shalt thou divide for an inheritance H5157 the land, H776 which I sware H7650 unto their fathers H1 to give H5414 them.
7 Only be thou strong H2388 and very H3966 courageous, H553 that thou mayest observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all the law, H8451 which Moses H4872 my servant H5650 commanded H6680 thee: turn H5493 not from it to the right hand H3225 or to the left, H8040 that thou mayest prosper H7919 whithersoever thou goest. H3212
8 This book H5612 of the law H8451 shall not depart H4185 out of thy mouth; H6310 but thou shalt meditate H1897 therein day H3119 and night, H3915 that thou mayest observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all that is written H3789 therein: for then thou shalt make H6743 thy way H1870 prosperous, H6743 and then thou shalt have good success. H7919
9 Have not I commanded H6680 thee? Be strong H2388 and of a good courage; H553 be not afraid, H6206 neither be thou dismayed: H2865 for the LORD H3068 thy God H430 is with thee whithersoever thou goest. H3212
10 Then Joshua H3091 commanded H6680 the officers H7860 of the people, H5971 saying, H559
11 Pass H5674 through H7130 the host, H4264 and command H6680 the people, H5971 saying, H559 Prepare H3559 you victuals; H6720 for within three H7969 days H3117 ye shall pass over H5674 this Jordan, H3383 to go in H935 to possess H3423 the land, H776 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 giveth H5414 you to possess H3423 it.
12 And to the Reubenites, H7206 and to the Gadites, H1425 and to half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 spake H559 Joshua, H3091 saying, H559
13 Remember H2142 the word H1697 which Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 you, saying, H559 The LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given you rest, H5117 and hath given H5414 you this land. H776
14 Your wives, H802 your little ones, H2945 and your cattle, H4735 shall remain H3427 in the land H776 which Moses H4872 gave H5414 you on this side H5676 Jordan; H3383 but ye shall pass H5674 before H6440 your brethren H251 armed, H2571 all the mighty H1368 men of valour, H2428 and help H5826 them;
15 Until the LORD H3068 have given H5117 your brethren H251 rest, H5117 as he hath given you, and they also have possessed H3423 the land H776 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 giveth H5414 them: then ye shall return H7725 unto the land H776 of your possession, H3425 and enjoy H3423 it, which Moses H4872 the LORD'S H3068 servant H5650 gave H5414 you on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121
16 And they answered H6030 Joshua, H3091 saying, H559 All that thou commandest H6680 us we will do, H6213 and whithersoever H834 thou sendest H7971 us, we will go. H3212
17 According as we hearkened H8085 unto Moses H4872 in all things, so will we hearken H8085 unto thee: only the LORD H3068 thy God H430 be with thee, as he was with Moses. H4872
18 Whosoever H376 he be that doth rebel H4784 against thy commandment, H6310 and will not hearken H8085 unto thy words H1697 in all that thou commandest H6680 him, he shall be put to death: H4191 only be strong H2388 and of a good courage. H553
1 Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah your God giveth you to possess it.
12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,
13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God giveth you rest, and will give you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall abide in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but ye shall pass over before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them;
15 until Jehovah have given your brethren rest, as `he hath given' you, and they also have possessed the land which Jehovah your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising.
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou hast commanded us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go.
17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only Jehovah thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
18 Whosoever he be that shall rebel against thy commandment, and shall not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of good courage.
1 And it cometh to pass after the death of Moses, servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua son of Nun, minister of Moses, saying,
2 `Moses my servant is dead, and now, rise, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
3 `Every place on which the sole of your foot treadeth, to you I have given it, as I have spoken unto Moses.
4 From this wilderness and Lebanon, and unto the great river, the river Phrath, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great Sea -- the going in of the sun -- is your border.
5 `No man doth station himself before thee all days of thy life; as I have been with Moses, I am with thee, I do not fail thee, nor forsake thee;
6 be strong and courageous, for thou -- thou dost cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn to their fathers to give to them.
7 `Only, be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded thee; thou dost not turn aside from it right or left, so that thou dost act wisely in every `place' whither thou goest;
8 the book of this law doth not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night, so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely.
9 `Have not I commanded thee? be strong and courageous; be not terrified nor affrighted, for with thee `is' Jehovah thy God in every `place' whither thou goest.'
10 And Joshua commandeth the authorities of the people, saying,
11 `Pass over into the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare for yourselves provision, for within three days ye are passing over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which Jehovah your God is giving to you to possess it.'
12 And to the Reubenite, and to the Gadite, and to the half of the tribe of Manasseh, hath Joshua spoken, saying,
13 `Remember the word which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God is giving rest to you, and He hath given to you this land;
14 your wives, your infants, and your substance, abide in the land which Moses hath given to you beyond the Jordan, and ye -- ye pass over by fifties, before your brethren, all the mighty ones of valour, and have helped them,
15 till that Jehovah giveth rest to your brethren as to yourselves, and they have possessed, even they, the land which Jehovah your God is giving to them; then ye have turned back to the land of your possession, and have possessed it, which Moses, servant of Jehovah, hath given to you beyond the Jordan, `at' the sun-rising.'
16 And they answer Joshua, saying, `All that thou hast commanded us we do; and unto every `place' whither thou dost send us, we go;
17 according to all that we hearkened unto Moses `in', so we hearken unto thee; surely Jehovah thy God is with thee as He hath been with Moses.
18 Any man who doth provoke thy mouth, and doth not hear thy words, in all that thou dost command him, is put to death; only, be strong and courageous.'
1 And it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' attendant, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; and now, rise up, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, into the land which I give unto them, to the children of Israel.
3 Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread have I given to you, as I said unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, to the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
5 None shall be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.
6 Be strong and courageous, for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded thee. Turn not from it to the right or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart from thy mouth; and thou shalt meditate upon it day and night, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all that is written therein; for then shalt thou have good success in thy ways, and then shalt thou prosper.
9 Have I not commanded thee: Be strong and courageous? Be not afraid, neither be dismayed; for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 Go through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare yourselves victuals, for in three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, that ye may enter in to take possession of the land which Jehovah your God giveth you to possess it.
12 And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to half the tribe of Manasseh spoke Joshua, saying,
13 Remember the word that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God has given you rest and has given you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall abide in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan, but ye, all the valiant men, shall go over in array before your brethren and help them,
15 until Jehovah give your brethren rest as to you, and they also take possession of the land which Jehovah your God giveth them; then shall ye return into the land of your possession and possess it, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sun-rising.
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou hast commanded us will we do, and whither thou shalt send us will we go.
17 According as we hearkened to Moses in all things, so will we hearken to thee; only may Jehovah thy God be with thee as he was with Moses.
18 Every one that is rebellious against thy commandment and hearkeneth not to thy words in everything that thou commandest us, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.
1 Now it happened after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread on, to you have I given it, as I spoke to Moses.
4 From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you, nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you: don't turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate thereon day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
9 Haven't I commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare food; for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it.
12 To the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, spoke Joshua, saying,
13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, Yahweh your God gives you rest, and will give you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall abide in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them;
15 until Yahweh have given your brothers rest, as [he has given] you, and they also have possessed the land which Yahweh your God gives them: then you shall return to the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.
16 They answered Joshua, saying, All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
17 According as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you: only Yahweh your God be with you, as he was with Moses.
18 Whoever he be who shall rebel against your commandment, and shall not listen to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of good courage.
1 Now after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the word of the Lord came to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' helper, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; so now get up! Go over Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the children of Israel.
3 Every place on which you put your foot I have given to you, as I said to Moses.
4 From the waste land and this mountain Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, and all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea, in the west, will be your country.
5 While you are living, all will give way before you: as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not take away my help from you or give you up.
6 Take heart and be strong; for you will give to this people for their heritage the land which I gave by an oath to their fathers.
7 Only take heart and be very strong; take care to do all the law which Moses my servant gave you, not turning from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may do well in all your undertakings.
8 Let this book of the law be ever on your lips and in your thoughts day and night, so that you may keep with care everything in it; then a blessing will be on all your way, and you will do well.
9 Have I not given you your orders? Take heart and be strong; have no fear and do not be troubled; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,
10 Then Joshua gave their orders to those who were in authority over the people, saying,
11 Go through the tents and give orders to the people, saying, Get ready a store of food; for in three days you are to go over this river Jordan and take for your heritage the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
12 And to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,
13 Keep in mind what Moses, the servant of the Lord, said to you, The Lord your God is sending you rest and will give you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle will be kept here in the land which Moses gave you on this side of Jordan; but you, the fighting-men, are to go over before your brothers, armed, to give them help;
15 Till the Lord has given your brothers rest, as he has given it to you, and they have taken their heritage in the land which the Lord your God is giving them: then you will go back to the land of your heritage which Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you on the east side of Jordan.
16 Then they said to Joshua in answer, Whatever you say to us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
17 As we gave attention to Moses in all things, so we will give attention to you: and may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.
18 Whoever goes against your orders, and does not give attention to all your words, will be put to death: only take heart and be strong.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 1
Commentary on Joshua 1 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Preamble - Joshua 1:1-9
After the death of Moses the Lord summoned Joshua, the servant of Moses, whom He had appointed as the leader of Israel into Canaan, to go with all the people across the Jordan, and take the land which had been promised to the fathers on oath, assuring him at the same time of His powerful aid, on condition that he observed the law of Moses faithfully. This summons and promise of God form the preamble to the whole book, which is linked on to the conclusion of the Pentateuch by the introductory words, “And it came to pass after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord,” though it is not so closely connected as to warrant the conclusion that the two works have been written by the same author.
The imperfect with vav consec ., the standing mode of expressing a continued action or train of thought, “simply attaches itself by the conjunction 'and' to a completed action, which has either been mentioned before, or is supposed to be well known” ( Ewald ,
As Moses had died without having brought the Israelites to Canaan, Joshua was to arise and go with all the nation over this Jordan (i.e., the river then before him) into the land which the Lord would give them.
“ Namely, every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon ,” i.e., I have given you the whole land, not excepting a single foot's breadth. The perfect, “ I have given ,” refers to the counsel of God as having been formed long before, and being now about to be carried into execution. These words, which are connected with Deuteronomy 11:24, so far as the form is concerned, rest upon the promise of God in Exodus 23:30-31, to which the words “as I said unto Moses” refer.
The boundaries of the land are given as in Deuteronomy 11:24, with the simple difference in form, that the boundary line from the desert (of Arabia) and Lebanon, i.e., from the southern and northern extremity, is drawn first of all towards the east to the great river, the Euphrates, and then towards the west to “the great sea, toward the going down of the sun,” i.e., the Mediterranean; and then between these two termini ad quem the more precise definition is inserted, “all the land of the Hittites;” whereas in Deuteronomy the southern, northern, and eastern boundaries are placed in antithesis to the western boundary, and the more precise definition of the country to be taken is given by an enumeration of the different tribes that were to be destroyed by the Israelites (Deuteronomy 11:23). On the oratorical character of these descriptions, see at Genesis 15:18. The demonstrative pronoun “this,” in connection with Lebanon, may be explained from the fact that Lebanon, or at all events Anti-libanus, was visible from the Israelitish camp. The expression “ the Hittites ” (see at Genesis 10:15) is used here in a broader sense for Canaanites in general, as in 1 Kings 10:29; 2 Kings 7:6; Ezekiel 16:3. The promise in Joshua 1:5 is adopted from Deuteronomy 11:25, where it was made to the whole nation, and specially transferred to Joshua; and Joshua 1:5 is repeated from Deuteronomy 31:8, as compared with Joshua 1:6.
The promise is followed by the condition upon which the Lord would fulfil His word. Joshua was to be firm and strong, i.e., well-assured, courageous, not alarmed (vid., Deuteronomy 31:6). In the first place (Joshua 1:6), he was to rely firmly upon the Lord and His promise, as Moses and the Lord had already told him (Deuteronomy 31:7 and Deuteronomy 31:23), and as is again repeated here, whilst at the same time the expression, “ thou shalt divide for an inheritance ,” recalls to mind Deuteronomy 1:38; Deuteronomy 3:28; and in the second place (Joshua 1:7, Joshua 1:8), he was to strive to attain and preserve this firmness by a careful observance of the law. “ Observe to do ,” etc., as Moses had already impressed upon the hearts of all the people (Deuteronomy 5:29, cf. Deuteronomy 28:14 and Deuteronomy 2:27). The suffix in ממּנּוּ is to be explained on the supposition that the speaker had the book of the law in his mind. The further expansion, in Joshua 1:8, is not only attached to the exhortations, with which Moses urges upon all the people in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, and Deuteronomy 11:18-19, an uninterrupted study and laying to heart of the commandments of God, but even more closely to the directions to the king, to read every day in the law (Deuteronomy 17:19). “ Not to depart out of the mouth ,” is to be constantly in the mouth. The law is in our mouth, not only when we are incessantly preaching it, but when we are reading it intelligently for ourselves, or conversing about it with others. To this there was to be added meditation, or reflection upon it both day and night (vid., Psalms 1:2). הגה does not mean theoretical speculation about the law, such as the Pharisees indulged in, but a practical study of the law, for the purpose of observing it in thought and action, or carrying it out with the heart, the mouth, and the hand. Such a mode of employing it would be sure to be followed by blessings. “ Then shalt thou make they way prosperous ,” i.e., succeed in all thine undertakings (vid., Deuteronomy 28:29), “ and act wisely ” (as in Deuteronomy 29:8).
In conclusion, the Lord not only repeats His exhortation to firmness, but the promise that He gave in Joshua 1:5 and Joshua 1:6. “ Have I not” ( nonne ) is a rhetorical mode of saying, “Behold, I have,” the assurance being clothed in the form of an affirmative question. On the words “ be not afraid ,” etc., see Deuteronomy 31:6 and Deuteronomy 31:8.
Joshua 1:10-11
Preparations for Crossing the Jordan. - Joshua 1:10-11. For the purpose of carrying out the commands of the Lord, Joshua first of all directed the officers of the people ( shoterim : see at Ex 5-6), whose duty it was, as the keepers of the family registers, to attend not only to the levying of the men who were bound to serve in the army, but also to the circulation of the commands of the general, to issue orders to the people in the camp to provide themselves with food, so that they might cross the Jordan within three days, and take the land that was promised them by God. By zedah , provision for a journey (Genesis 42:25, etc.), we are not to understand manna, for that had already ceased (see at Joshua 5:12), but simply the natural produce of the inhabited country. The expression “ in three days ,” i.e., as we may see from comparing Genesis 40:13, Genesis 40:19, with Genesis 40:20, on the third day from the publication of the command, “ will ye go over the Jordan ,” is not to be regarded as a prediction of the time when the crossing actually took place, but to be taken as the latest time that could be allowed to the people to prepare for crossing: viz., in this sense, “Prepare you victuals for crossing over the Jordan within three days,” i.e., that you may be able to leave Shittim within that time, to cross over the Jordan, and commence the conquest of Canaan. If we understand the words in this way, they are in perfect harmony with Josh 2 and 3. According to Josh 2, Joshua sent out spies from Shittim to Jericho, who were obliged to hide themselves for three days in the mountains after their flight from that city (Joshua 2:22), before they could return to the Israelitish camp; so that they were absent three or four days at any rate, and came back at the earliest in the evening or night of the fourth day after they had been sent out. It was not till the morning after this that the Israelites left Shittim and proceeded to the Jordan, where they halted again. Then, three days afterwards, they went across the river (Joshua 3:1-2), so that at least 4 + 1 + 3, i.e., eight whole days must have intervened between the day when the spies were sent out and the day on which the people crossed the river. Joshua no doubt intended to proceed to the Jordan and cross it within three days after despatching the spies; he therefore sent the spies to Jericho on the same day on which he issued the command to the people to prepare for crossing within three days, so that he might reasonably hope that they would fulfil their commission and return in two or three days. But as they were compelled to hide themselves for three days in the mountains, in consequence of the unexpected discovery of their arrival in Jericho, and the despatch of men in pursuit of them, Joshua could not remove with the people from Shittim and proceed to the Jordan till the day after their return; and even then he could not cross the river at once, but waited three days after reaching the bank of the river before he crossed to the other side (vid., Joshua 3:1.).
(Note: In this way the different statements in the three chapters harmonize perfectly well. But the majority of commentators have arranged the order of succession differently and in a very arbitrary way, starting with the unwarrantable assumption that the time referred to in this verse, “within three days,” is identical with that in Joshua 3:2, “it came to pass after three days.” Upon the strength of this groundless assumption, Knobel maintains that there is great confusion in the order of succession of the events described in Josh 1-3, that Joshua 1:11 is irreconcilable with Joshua 3:1-6, and that accounts written by three different authors have been mixed up together in these chapters. (For the different attempts to reconcile the accounts, see Keil's Commentary on Joshua, pp. 72-75, note, Eng. trans. Clark, 1857.))
Joshua 1:12-18
Joshua's appeal to the two tribes and a half, to remember the condition on which Moses gave them the land on the east of the Jordan for an inheritance, and to fulfil it, met with a ready response; to that these tribes not only promised to obey his commandments in every respect, but threatened every one with death who should refuse obedience. In recalling this condition to the recollection of the tribes referred to, Joshua follows the expressions in Deuteronomy 3:18-20, where Moses himself recapitulates his former command, rather than the original passage in Num 32. The expression “ this land ” shows that the speaker was still on the other side of the Jordan. חמשׁים , with the loins girded , i.e., prepared for war, synonymous with חלצים in Deuteronomy 3:18 and Numbers 32:32 (see at Exodus 13:18). חיל כּל־גּבּורי , all the mighty men of valour , i.e., the grave warriors (as in Joshua 6:2; Joshua 8:3; Joshua 10:7, and very frequently in the later books), is not common to this book and Deuteronomy, as Knobel maintains, but is altogether strange to the Pentateuch. The word “ all ” (v. 14, like Numbers 32:21, Numbers 32:27) must not be pressed. According to Joshua 4:13, there were only about 40,000 men belonging to the two tribes and a half who crossed the Jordan to take part in the war; whereas, according to Numbers 26:7, Numbers 26:18, Numbers 26:34, there were 110,000 men in these tribes who were capable of bearing arms, so that 70,000 must have remained behind for the protection of the women and children and of the flocks and herds, and to defend the land of which they had taken possession. On Joshua 1:15 see Deuteronomy 3:18; and on the more minute definition of “ on this side ( lit . beyond) Jordan” by “toward the sun-rising,” compare the remarks on Numbers 32:19. The answer of the two tribes and a half, in which they not only most cheerfully promise their help in the conquest of Canaan, but also express the wish that Joshua may have the help of the Lord (Joshua 1:17 compared with Joshua 1:4), and after threatening all who refuse obedience with death, close with the divine admonition, “ only be strong and of a good courage ” (Joshua 1:18, cf. Joshua 1:6), furnishes a proof of the wish that inspired them to help their brethren, that all the tribes might speedily enter into the peaceable possession of the promised inheritance. The expression “ rebel against the commandment” is used in Deuteronomy 1:26, Deuteronomy 1:43; Deuteronomy 9:23; 1 Samuel 12:14, to denote resistance to the commandments of the Lord; here it denotes opposition to His representative, the commander chosen by the Lord, which was to be punished with death, according to the law in Deuteronomy 17:12.