Charles Ellicott Commentary Joshua 24
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Joshua 24
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Joshua 24
"And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods." — Joshua 24:1-2 (ASV)
(b) JOSHUA’S LAST CHARGE TO THE PEOPLE.
Joshua gathered all the tribes ... —At the former address the rulers alone appear to have been present; on this occasion all Israel was gathered. And what was spoken is addressed to the people in the hearing of the rulers. In the speech that now follows, Joshua briefly recapitulates the national history; he had not thought this necessary for the rulers.
To them he had said, “You know;” but “the people” included many individuals with little thought and education, who needed to be informed, reminded, and instructed, even about the leading events of their national history.
The simple lesson Joshua’s words are intended to enforce is the duty of serving Jehovah, and serving Him alone. This is the first great lesson of the old covenant: I am Jehovah, your God; you shall have no other gods beside Me. The ark of this covenant had brought them over Jordan into the promised land.
Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood.—The flood, that is, the river—probably the Euphrates, though it may be the Jordan, or both. The word Flood in our English Bible has been used for river in several places. For example:
- In Job 22:16: whose foundation was overflown with a flood, that is, a river.
- In Psalm 66:6: He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot (the flood here meaning the river, that is, Jordan).
- In Matthew 7:25, 27: The rain descended, and the floods came (the floods here meaning the rivers).
They served other gods.—They, that is, Terah, Abraham, and Nachor.
"And I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac." — Joshua 24:3 (ASV)
The flood —i.e., the river, as in Joshua 24:2; and so also in Joshua 24:15.
"Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel: and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you;" — Joshua 24:9 (ASV)
Warred against Israel. —The sending for Balaam was a distinct act of hostility. Whether Balak himself ever led an army against Israel we are not informed. In the war with the Midianites, Balaam was slain; and there may have been Moabites allied and acting with the Midianites in the war in Numbers 31:0.
"And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with thy sword, nor with thy bow." — Joshua 24:12 (ASV)
The hornet. —There appears no reason for taking this word in any other than a literal sense. The possibility of what is recorded here has been abundantly illustrated by events reported in our own times.
The two kings of the Amorites. —Apparently, but not necessarily, Sihon and Og are intended. There were kings of the Amorites on both sides of Jordan.
"Now therefore fear Jehovah, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve ye Jehovah." — Joshua 24:14 (ASV)
Fear the Lord. —It should be remembered throughout this entire passage that 'Lord' stands for JEHOVAH, the covenant God of Israel.
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