11 And ye went over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and came H935 unto Jericho: H3405 and the men H1167 of Jericho H3405 fought H3898 against you, the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Girgashites, H1622 the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites; H2983 and I delivered H5414 them into your hand. H3027
And it came to pass, when the people H5971 removed H5265 from their tents, H168 to pass over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and the priests H3548 bearing H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 before H6440 the people; H5971 And as they that bare H5375 the ark H727 were come H935 unto Jordan, H3383 and the feet H7272 of the priests H3548 that bare H5375 the ark H727 were dipped H2881 in the brim H7097 of the water, H4325 (for Jordan H3383 overfloweth H4390 all his banks H1415 all the time H3117 of harvest,) H7105 That the waters H4325 which came down H3381 from above H4605 stood H5975 and rose up H6965 upon an H259 heap H5067 very H3966 far H7368 from the city H5892 Adam, H121 that is beside H6654 Zaretan: H6891 and those that came down H3381 toward the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 even the salt H4417 sea, H3220 failed, H8552 and were cut off: H3772 and the people H5971 passed over H5674 right against Jericho. H3405 And the priests H3548 that bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 stood H5975 firm H3559 on dry ground H2724 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 and all the Israelites H3478 passed over H5674 on dry ground, H2724 until all the people H1471 were passed H5674 clean H8552 over H5674 Jordan. H3383
For the priests H3548 which bare H5375 the ark H727 stood H5975 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 until every thing H1697 was finished H8552 that the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Joshua H3091 to speak H1696 unto the people, H5971 according to all that Moses H4872 commanded H6680 Joshua: H3091 and the people H5971 hasted H4116 and passed over. H5674 And it came to pass, when all the people H5971 were clean H8552 passed over, H5674 that the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 passed over, H5674 and the priests, H3548 in the presence H6440 of the people. H5971 And the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 and half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 passed over H5674 armed H2571 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 as Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto them:
When the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall bring H935 thee into the land H776 whither thou goest H935 to possess H3423 it, and hath cast out H5394 many H7227 nations H1471 before H6440 thee, the Hittites, H2850 and the Girgashites, H1622 and the Amorites, H567 and the Canaanites, H3669 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites, H2983 seven H7651 nations H1471 greater H7227 and mightier H6099 than thou;
For the LORD H3068 your God H430 dried up H3001 the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 from before H6440 you, until ye were passed over, H5674 as the LORD H3068 your God H430 did H6213 to the Red H5488 sea, H3220 which he dried up H3001 from before H6440 us, until we were gone over: H5674
Now Jericho H3405 was straitly H5462 shut up H5462 because H6440 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 none went out, H3318 and none came in. H935 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 See, H7200 I have given H5414 into thine hand H3027 Jericho, H3405 and the king H4428 thereof, and the mighty men H1368 of valour. H2428 And ye shall compass H5437 the city, H5892 all ye men H582 of war, H4421 and go round about H5362 the city H5892 once. H6471 H259 Thus shalt thou do H6213 six H8337 days. H3117 And seven H7651 priests H3548 shall bear H5375 before H6440 the ark H727 seven H7651 trumpets H7782 of rams' horns: H3104 and the seventh H7637 day H3117 ye shall compass H5437 the city H5892 seven H7651 times, H6471 and the priests H3548 shall blow H8628 with the trumpets. H7782 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long H4900 blast with the ram's H3104 horn, H7161 and when ye hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet, H7782 all the people H5971 shall shout H7321 with a great H1419 shout; H8643 and the wall H2346 of the city H5892 shall fall down H5307 flat, H8478 and the people H5971 shall ascend up H5927 every man H376 straight before him. And Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun H5126 called H7121 the priests, H3548 and said H559 unto them, Take up H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant, H1285 and let seven H7651 priests H3548 bear H5375 seven H7651 trumpets H7782 of rams' horns H3104 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD. H3068 And he said H559 unto the people, H5971 Pass on, H5674 and compass H5437 the city, H5892 and let him that is armed H2502 pass on H5674 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD. H3068 And it came to pass, when Joshua H3091 had spoken H559 unto the people, H5971 that the seven H7651 priests H3548 bearing H5375 the seven H7651 trumpets H7782 of rams' horns H3104 passed on H5674 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and blew H8628 with the trumpets: H7782 and the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 followed H1980 them. H310 And the armed H2502 men went H1980 before H6440 the priests H3548 that blew H8628 H8628 with the trumpets, H7782 and the rereward H622 came H1980 after H310 the ark, H727 the priests going on, H1980 and blowing H8628 with the trumpets. H7782 And Joshua H3091 had commanded H6680 the people, H5971 saying, H559 Ye shall not shout, H7321 nor make any noise H8085 with your voice, H6963 neither shall any word H1697 proceed H3318 out of your mouth, H6310 until the day H3117 I bid H559 you shout; H7321 then shall ye shout. H7321 So the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 compassed H5437 the city, H5892 going about H5362 it once: H6471 H259 and they came H935 into the camp, H4264 and lodged H3885 in the camp. H4264 And Joshua H3091 rose early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and the priests H3548 took up H5375 the ark H727 of the LORD. H3068 And seven H7651 priests H3548 bearing H5375 seven H7651 trumpets H7782 of rams' horns H3104 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 went on H1980 continually, H1980 and blew H8628 with the trumpets: H7782 and the armed men H2502 went H1980 before H6440 them; but the rereward H622 came H1980 after H310 the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 the priests going on, H1980 and blowing H8628 with the trumpets. H7782 And the second H8145 day H3117 they compassed H5437 the city H5892 once, H6471 H259 and returned H7725 into the camp: H4264 so they did H6213 six H8337 days. H3117 And it came to pass on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that they rose early H7925 about the dawning H5927 of the day, H7837 and compassed H5437 the city H5892 after the same manner H4941 seven H7651 times: H6471 only on that day H3117 they compassed H5437 the city H5892 seven H7651 times. H6471 And it came to pass at the seventh H7637 time, H6471 when the priests H3548 blew H8628 with the trumpets, H7782 Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Shout; H7321 for the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 you the city. H5892 And the city H5892 shall be accursed, H2764 even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: H3068 only Rahab H7343 the harlot H2181 shall live, H2421 she and all that are with her in the house, H1004 because she hid H2244 the messengers H4397 that we sent. H7971 And ye, in any wise H7535 keep H8104 yourselves from the accursed thing, H2764 lest ye make yourselves accursed, H2763 when ye take H3947 of the accursed thing, H2764 and make H7760 the camp H4264 of Israel H3478 a curse, H2764 and trouble H5916 it. But all the silver, H3701 and gold, H2091 and vessels H3627 of brass H5178 and iron, H1270 are consecrated H6944 unto the LORD: H3068 they shall come H935 into the treasury H214 of the LORD. H3068 So the people H5971 shouted H7321 when the priests blew H8628 with the trumpets: H7782 and it came to pass, when the people H5971 heard H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet, H7782 and the people H5971 shouted H7321 with a great H1419 shout, H8643 that the wall H2346 fell down flat, H5307 so that the people H5971 went up H5927 into the city, H5892 every man H376 straight before him, and they took H3920 the city. H5892 And they utterly destroyed H2763 all that was in the city, H5892 both man H376 and woman, H802 young H5288 and old, H2205 and ox, H7794 and sheep, H7716 and ass, H2543 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719 But Joshua H3091 had said H559 unto the two H8147 men H582 that had spied out H7270 the country, H776 Go H935 into the harlot's H2181 house, H1004 and bring out H3318 thence the woman, H802 and all that she hath, as ye sware H7650 unto her. And the young men H5288 that were spies H7270 went in, H935 and brought out H3318 Rahab, H7343 and her father, H1 and her mother, H517 and her brethren, H251 and all that she had; and they brought out H3318 all her kindred, H4940 and left H3240 them without H2351 the camp H4264 of Israel. H3478 And they burnt H8313 the city H5892 with fire, H784 and all that was therein: only the silver, H3701 and the gold, H2091 and the vessels H3627 of brass H5178 and of iron, H1270 they put H5414 into the treasury H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 saved H2421 Rahab H7343 the harlot H2181 alive, H2421 and her father's H1 household, H1004 and all that she had; and she dwelleth H3427 in H7130 Israel H3478 even unto this day; H3117 because she hid H2244 the messengers, H4397 which Joshua H3091 sent H7971 to spy out H7270 Jericho. H3405 And Joshua H3091 adjured H7650 them at that time, H6256 saying, H559 Cursed H779 be the man H376 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 that riseth up H6965 and buildeth H1129 this city H5892 Jericho: H3405 he shall lay the foundation H3245 thereof in his firstborn, H1060 and in his youngest H6810 son shall he set up H5324 the gates H1817 of it. So the LORD H3068 was with Joshua; H3091 and his fame H8089 was noised throughout all the country. H776
Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek H139 king H4428 of Jerusalem H3389 had heard H8085 how H3588 Joshua H3091 had taken H3920 Ai, H5857 and had utterly destroyed H2763 it; as he had done H6213 to Jericho H3405 and her king, H4428 so he had done H6213 to Ai H5857 and her king; H4428 and how the inhabitants H3427 of Gibeon H1391 had made peace H7999 with Israel, H3478 and were among H7130 them; That they feared H3372 greatly, H3966 because Gibeon H1391 was a great H1419 city, H5892 as one H259 of the royal H4467 cities, H5892 and because it was greater H1419 than Ai, H5857 and all the men H582 thereof were mighty. H1368 Wherefore Adonizedek H139 king H4428 of Jerusalem H3389 sent H7971 unto Hoham H1944 king H4428 of Hebron, H2275 and unto Piram H6502 king H4428 of Jarmuth, H3412 and unto Japhia H3309 king H4428 of Lachish, H3923 and unto Debir H1688 king H4428 of Eglon, H5700 saying, H559 Come up H5927 unto me, and help H5826 me, that we may smite H5221 Gibeon: H1391 for it hath made peace H7999 with Joshua H3091 and with the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 Therefore the five H2568 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 the king H4428 of Jerusalem, H3389 the king H4428 of Hebron, H2275 the king H4428 of Jarmuth, H3412 the king H4428 of Lachish, H3923 the king H4428 of Eglon, H5700 gathered themselves together, H622 and went up, H5927 they and all their hosts, H4264 and encamped H2583 before Gibeon, H1391 and made war H3898 against it. And the men H582 of Gibeon H1391 sent H7971 unto Joshua H3091 to the camp H4264 to Gilgal, H1537 saying, H559 Slack H7503 not thy hand H3027 from thy servants; H5650 come up H5927 to us quickly, H4120 and save H3467 us, and help H5826 us: for all the kings H4428 of the Amorites H567 that dwell H3427 in the mountains H2022 are gathered together H6908 against us. So Joshua H3091 ascended H5927 from Gilgal, H1537 he, and all the people H5971 of war H4421 with him, and all the mighty H1368 men of valour. H2428 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Fear H3372 them not: for I have delivered H5414 them into thine hand; H3027 there shall not a man H376 of them stand H5975 before H6440 thee. Joshua H3091 therefore came H935 unto them suddenly, H6597 and went up H5927 from Gilgal H1537 all night. H3915 And the LORD H3068 discomfited H2000 them before H6440 Israel, H3478 and slew H5221 them with a great H1419 slaughter H4347 at Gibeon, H1391 and chased H7291 them along the way H1870 that goeth up H4608 to Bethhoron, H1032 and smote H5221 them to Azekah, H5825 and unto Makkedah. H4719 And it came to pass, as they fled H5127 from before H6440 Israel, H3478 and were in the going down H4174 to Bethhoron, H1032 that the LORD H3068 cast down H7993 great H1419 stones H68 from heaven H8064 upon them unto Azekah, H5825 and they died: H4191 they were more H7227 which died H4191 with hailstones H1259 H68 than they whom H834 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 slew H2026 with the sword. H2719
So the children H1121 went in H935 and possessed H3423 the land, H776 and thou subduedst H3665 before H6440 them the inhabitants H3427 of the land, H776 the Canaanites, H3669 and gavest H5414 them into their hands, H3027 with their kings, H4428 and the people H5971 of the land, H776 that they might do H6213 with them as they would. H7522 And they took H3920 strong H1219 cities, H5892 and a fat H8082 land, H127 and possessed H3423 houses H1004 full H4392 of all goods, H2898 wells H953 digged, H2672 vineyards, H3754 and oliveyards, H2132 and fruit H3978 trees H6086 in abundance: H7230 so they did eat, H398 and were filled, H7646 and became fat, H8080 and delighted H5727 themselves in thy great H1419 goodness. H2898
And he brought H935 them to the border H1366 of his sanctuary, H6944 even to this mountain, H2022 which his right hand H3225 had purchased. H7069 He cast out H1644 the heathen H1471 also before H6440 them, and divided H5307 them an inheritance H5159 by line, H2256 and made the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 to dwell H7931 in their tents. H168
And gave H5414 them the lands H776 of the heathen: H1471 and they inherited H3423 the labour H5999 of the people; H3816
Which G3739 also G2532 our G2257 fathers G3962 that came G1237 after brought in G1521 with G3326 Jesus G2424 into G1722 the possession G2697 of the Gentiles, G1484 whom G3739 God G2316 drave out G1856 before G575 the face G4383 of our G2257 fathers, G3962 unto G2193 the days G2250 of David; G1138
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 24
Commentary on Joshua 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
Jos 24:1. Joshua Assembling the Tribes.
1. Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem—Another and final opportunity of dissuading the people against idolatry is here described as taken by the aged leader, whose solicitude on this account arose from his knowledge of the extreme readiness of the people to conform to the manners of the surrounding nations. This address was made to the representatives of the people convened at Shechem, and which had already been the scene of a solemn renewal of the covenant (Jos 8:30, 35). The transaction now to be entered upon being in principle and object the same, it was desirable to give it all the solemn impressiveness which might be derived from the memory of the former ceremonial, as well as from other sacred associations of the place (Ge 12:6, 7; 33:18-20; 35:2-4).
they presented themselves before God—It is generally assumed that the ark of the covenant had been transferred on this occasion to Shechem; as on extraordinary emergencies it was for a time removed (Jud 20:1-18; 1Sa 4:3; 2Sa 15:24). But the statement, not necessarily implying this, may be viewed as expressing only the religious character of the ceremony [Hengstenberg].
Jos 24:2-13. Relates God's Benefits.
2. Joshua said unto all the people—His address briefly recapitulated the principal proofs of the divine goodness to Israel from the call of Abraham to their happy establishment in the land of promise; it showed them that they were indebted for their national existence as well as their peculiar privileges, not to any merits of their own, but to the free grace of God.
Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood—The Euphrates, namely, at Ur.
Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor—(see Ge 11:27). Though Terah had three sons, Nahor only is mentioned with Abraham, as the Israelites were descended from him on the mother's side through Rebekah and her nieces, Leah and Rachel.
served other gods—conjoining, like Laban, the traditional knowledge of the true God with the domestic use of material images (Ge 31:19, 34).
3. I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan—It was an irresistible impulse of divine grace which led the patriarch to leave his country and relatives, to migrate to Canaan, and live a "stranger and pilgrim" in that land.
4. I gave unto Esau mount Seir—(See on Ge 36:8). In order that he might be no obstacle to Jacob and his posterity being the exclusive heirs of Canaan.
12. I sent the hornet before you—a particular species of wasp which swarms in warm countries and sometimes assumes the scourging character of a plague; or, as many think, it is a figurative expression for uncontrollable terror (see on Ex 23:28).
14-28. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth—After having enumerated so many grounds for national gratitude, Joshua calls on them to declare, in a public and solemn manner, whether they will be faithful and obedient to the God of Israel. He avowed this to be his own unalterable resolution, and urged them, if they were sincere in making a similar avowal, "to put away the strange gods that were among them"—a requirement which seems to imply that some were suspected of a strong hankering for, or concealed practice of, the idolatry, whether in the form of Zabaism, the fire-worship of their Chaldean ancestors, or the grosser superstitions of the Canaanites.
26. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God—registered the engagements of that solemn covenant in the book of sacred history.
took a great stone—according to the usage of ancient times to erect stone pillars as monuments of public transactions.
set it up there under an oak—or terebinth, in all likelihood, the same as that at the root of which Jacob buried the idols and charms found in his family.
that was by the sanctuary of the Lord—either the spot where the ark had stood, or else the place around, so called from that religious meeting, as Jacob named Beth-el the house of God.
Jos 24:29, 30. His Age and Death.
29, 30. Joshua … died—Lightfoot computes that he lived seventeen, others twenty-seven years, after the entrance into Canaan. He was buried, according to the Jewish practice, within the limits of his own inheritance. The eminent public services he had long rendered to Israel and the great amount of domestic comfort and national prosperity he had been instrumental in diffusing among the several tribes, were deeply felt, were universally acknowledged; and a testimonial in the form of a statue or obelisk would have been immediately raised to his honor, in all parts of the land, had such been the fashion of the times. The brief but noble epitaph by the historian is, Joshua, "the servant of the Lord."
31. Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua—The high and commanding character of this eminent leader had given so decided a tone to the sentiments and manners of his contemporaries and the memory of his fervent piety and many virtues continued so vividly impressed on the memories of the people, that the sacred historian has recorded it to his immortal honor. "Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua."
32. the bones of Joseph—They had carried these venerable relics with them in all their migrations through the desert, and deferred the burial, according to the dying charge of Joseph himself, till they arrived in the promised land. The sarcophagus, in which his mummied body had been put, was brought thither by the Israelites, and probably buried when the tribe of Ephraim had obtained their settlement, or at the solemn convocation described in this chapter.
in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought … for an hundred pieces of silver—Kestitah translated, "piece of silver," is supposed to mean "a lamb," the weights being in the form of lambs or kids, which were, in all probability, the earliest standard of value among pastoral people. The tomb that now covers the spot is a Mohammedan Welce, but there is no reason to doubt that the precious deposit of Joseph's remains may be concealed there at the present time.
33. Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him in … mount Ephraim—The sepulchre is at the modern village Awertah, which, according to Jewish travellers, contains the graves also of Ithamar, the brother of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar [Van De Velde].