John Calvin Commentary Joshua 23:12

"Else if ye do at all go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you;" — Joshua 23:12 (ASV)

Else if you do in any wise go back, etc. According to the usual method observed in the Law, he adds threats, so that if they are not sufficiently allured by divine goodness, they may be aroused by fear to perform their duty. It is, indeed, disgraceful for people, when God graciously condescends to invite them, not to run forward at once and meet the invitation by prompt and alert obedience; but such is the lethargy of the flesh, that it always requires to be stimulated by threats.

Joshua, therefore, adopts the usual method of the Law when he reminds the Israelites of the terrors of the Lord, if they do not willingly embrace His offered favor. Moreover, it is not only once that He sets before them the denunciation that the nations of Canaan will be scourges to their sides and thorns in their eyes if they become familiar with them.

1. First, since God had consecrated the land to Himself, He wished it to be purged of all impurities.
2. Secondly, since He saw how prone the people were to be corrupted by bad example, He also wished to provide a remedy for this evil.

Then, while on the one hand the people considered it insignificant that the land should be contaminated by impious superstitions and that idols should be worshipped in it instead of the true God, and on the other hand, eagerly became infected by their vices, it was only a just punishment for this gross contempt that they should experience harassment and hostility from those whom they had improperly spared.

That the threats which both Moses and Joshua thus denounced were openly fulfilled is all too plain from the Book of Judges. And yet this promulgation of divine vengeance was not altogether useless, for after Joshua was dead, they became courageous enough to engage in war. Their ardor, however, proved evanescent, and they shortly after were initiated in nefarious Gentile rites. Hence, we perceive in the human mind an intemperate longing for perverse worship, a longing which no curbs are able to restrain.

It is now proper to consider how far this doctrine is applicable to us. It is true a special command was given to the ancient people to destroy the nations of Canaan and keep aloof from all profane defilements.

For us today, no certain region marks out our precise boundaries, nor are we armed with the sword to slay all the ungodly. We only have to beware of allowing ourselves to become involved in fellowship with wickedness by not keeping at a sufficient distance from it.

For it is almost impossible, if we mingle with it, to avoid spontaneously receiving some spot or blemish. But this point has been expounded elsewhere, and I now merely refer to it in passing.