23:1–24:28. Joshua Ending His Work.

A  C  23:1. Time. Israel at rest.
    D  23:2-16. Address to Israel.
   C  24:1. Place. Assembling of Israel.
    D  24:2-28. Address to Israel.

1442 B.C.
Joshua 23)

1: And it came to pass a long time after (8 years.) that the Lord (Yahaveh) had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age (Aged 102. Cp. 13:1. Heb. "old and advanced in [or come into] the days").

2-16. Address to Israel.

D  E  n  2. Advancing age.
       o  3. Appeal to Yahaveh's faithfulness.
        p  4. Division of the land. Accomplished.
         F  q  5. Promise.
             r  6-8. Exhortation.
         F  q  9,10. Promise.
             r  11-13. Exhortation.
   E  n  14-. Approaching death.
       o  -14. Appeal to Yahaveh's goodness.
        p  15,16. Forfeiture of land. Possible.

2: And Joshua called for all Israel (probably at Shiloh), and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them, “I am old and stricken in age:

3: And you all have seen all that the Lord your God (Elohim) has done to all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is He that has fought for you.

4: Behold, I have divided to 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, even to the great sea westward.

5: And the Lord your God, He shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and you all shall possess their land, according as the Lord your God has promised to you.

6-8. Exhortation.

r  s  6. To observe the Law of Moses.
    t  7-. Warning about Canaanites.
    t  -7. Command against their idolatry.
   s  8. To cleave to Yahaveh.

6: Be you all therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses (see Ex. 17:14), that you all turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left (cp. Deut. 5:32; 28:14);

7: That you all come not among these nations, these that remain among you;

neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves to them:

8: But cleave to the Lord your God, as you all have done unto this day.

9,10. Promise.

9: For the Lord has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has been able to stand before you unto this day.
10: One man of you shall chase a thousand: for (the Hebrew accent [Legarmeh] puts the pause or emphasis on this word, as calling attention to the basis of all blessing and success) the Lord your God, He it is that fights for you, as He has promised you.

11-13. Exhortation.

r  u  11. Yehovah your Elohim. Love to be given to Him.
    v  12. Warning against Canaanites. Alliances.
    v  13-. Warnings against Canaanites. Consequences.
   u  -13. Yehovah your Elohim. Land given by Him.

11: Take good heed therefore to your selves (= souls), that you all love the Lord your God.

12: Else (the Hebrew accent [Legarmeh] puts the pause or emphasis on this word, as marking the solemn alternative) if you all do in any wise go back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

13: Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these (some codices read, "all these") nations from before you; but they shall be (Cp. Ex. 23:33. Num. 33:55. Deut. 7:16) snares and traps to you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you all perish from off

this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

14: And, behold this day, I am, going the way of all the earth (Joshua lived 8 years longer. Cp. Deut. 4:16):

and you all know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one word has failed of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one word has failed thereof (cp. 21:45).

15: Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good words are come upon you, which the Lord your God promised you; so shall the Lord bring upon you all adversity (or tumult) threatened, until He have destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
16: When you all have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and you all shall perish quickly from off the good land which He has given to you.

Next page

Home