John Calvin Commentary Joshua 23:6

"Therefore be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;" — Joshua 23:6 (ASV)

Here we have an account of the solemn charge Joshua delivered near the time of his death, so that the pure worship of God might continue after him. Although the peace and quiet that the Israelites obtained among the nations of Canaan is described as an excellent blessing from God, it is necessary to keep in mind what I previously taught: it was due to their cowardice that they lived among their enemies, whom it would not have been difficult to defeat and destroy. But thanks are rightly given to God for His goodness in pardoning their ingratitude.

Joshua's pious concern is also presented here as an example for all who are in authority to follow. For just as the father of a family will not be considered sufficiently provident if he thinks of his children only until the end of his own life and does not extend his care further, striving as much as he can to do them good even after he is dead, so good magistrates and rulers should carefully ensure that the well-ordered state of affairs they leave behind is confirmed and extended long into the future. For this reason, Peter writes (2 Peter 1:15) that he will strive, after he has departed from this world, to ensure the Church remembers his admonitions and is able to benefit from them.

From the statement that he invited all Israel, followed immediately by the addition that he invited their elders, heads, judges, and prefects, I understand this to mean that while all were indeed permitted to come, the summons was specifically addressed to the leaders and officials. Thus, the last clause seems to me to explain the former.

Indeed, it is not credible that the entire population was invited, as such a large meeting could not possibly have occurred. Therefore, the sense in which "the people" were invited was simply this: the elders, judges, and others were commanded to come and could bring with them as many individuals as wished to attend.

Joshua's speech, as recorded, is presented in two parts. It seems to me that the historian first, as is often the case, gives a brief summary of the entire speech, and then elaborates on it in more detail, introducing particulars previously omitted. In the first part presented, Joshua briefly encourages the people and exhorts them to have firm confidence in God's continuous and unwearying grace.

For, since they had experienced that God is true in all things, they could have no doubt for the future that they might safely hope for the same success in defeating and destroying the enemy. Also, the division by which he had distributed the remainder of the land was set before them as an earnest or pledge of their undoubted enjoyment, because it was not randomly but by God's command that he had marked out the territory and fixed the boundaries for each tribe.

Be you therefore very courageous, etc. He now shows them the way to conquer—not by indulging in false security, as too often happens, as a substitute for genuine confidence. He affirms that God will be favorable to them and promises that whatever they attempt will turn out successfully, provided they are steadfast in obeying the Law.

However confidently hypocrites may despise and mock God, they would nonetheless wish to have Him bound to them; indeed, they often, with considerable pomposity, boast of His promises. But true faith, while it rests upon God, keeps those who possess it in His fear. In short, those who would find God must seek Him sincerely; and if we desire to be regarded by Him, we must be careful not to turn our backs on Him.

The expression, Be you very courageous, as has been said elsewhere, denotes earnest effort, because, in the great weakness of our nature, no one will undertake the thorough observance of the Law if he does not exert himself beyond his natural strength. Attention should also be paid to the definition of true obedience, which is repeated here from Moses (Deuteronomy 5:32) and is said to consist in not turning either to the right hand or to the left.