1 And it came to pass a long H7227 time H3117 after H310 that the LORD H3068 had given rest H5117 unto Israel H3478 from all their enemies H341 round about, H5439 that Joshua H3091 waxed old H2204 and stricken H935 in age. H3117
2 And Joshua H3091 called H7121 for all Israel, H3478 and for their elders, H2205 and for their heads, H7218 and for their judges, H8199 and for their officers, H7860 and said H559 unto them, I am old H2204 and stricken H935 in age: H3117
3 And ye have seen H7200 all that the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath done H6213 unto all these nations H1471 because H6440 of you; for the LORD H3068 your God H430 is he that hath fought H3898 for you.
4 Behold, H7200 I have divided H5307 unto you by lot these nations H1471 that remain, H7604 to be an inheritance H5159 for your tribes, H7626 from Jordan, H3383 with all the nations H1471 that I have cut off, H3772 even unto the great H1419 sea H3220 westward. H3996 H8121
5 And the LORD H3068 your God, H430 he shall expel H1920 them from before H6440 you, and drive H3423 them from out of your sight; H6440 and ye shall possess H3423 their land, H776 as the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath promised H1696 unto you.
6 Be ye therefore very H3966 courageous H2388 to keep H8104 and to do H6213 all that is written H3789 in the book H5612 of the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 that ye turn H5493 not aside therefrom to the right hand H3225 or to the left; H8040
7 That ye come H935 not among these nations, H1471 these that remain H7604 among you; neither make mention H2142 of the name H8034 of their gods, H430 nor cause to swear H7650 by them, neither serve H5647 them, nor bow H7812 yourselves unto them:
8 But cleave H1692 unto the LORD H3068 your God, H430 as ye have done H6213 unto this day. H3117
9 For the LORD H3068 hath driven out H3423 from before H6440 you great H1419 nations H1471 and strong: H6099 but as for you, no man H376 hath been able to stand H5975 before H6440 you unto this day. H3117
10 One H259 man H376 of you shall chase H7291 a thousand: H505 for the LORD H3068 your God, H430 he it is that fighteth H3898 for you, as he hath promised H1696 you.
11 Take good H3966 heed H8104 therefore unto yourselves, H5315 that ye love H157 the LORD H3068 your God. H430
12 Else if ye do in any wise H7725 go back, H7725 and cleave H1692 unto the remnant H3499 of these nations, H1471 even these that remain H7604 among you, and shall make marriages H2859 with them, and go in H935 unto them, and they to you:
13 Know H3045 for a certainty H3045 that the LORD H3068 your God H430 will no more H3254 drive out H3423 any of these nations H1471 from before H6440 you; but they shall be snares H6341 and traps H4170 unto you, and scourges H7850 in your sides, H6654 and thorns H6796 in your eyes, H5869 until ye perish H6 from off this good H2896 land H127 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given H5414 you.
14 And, behold, this day H3117 I am going H1980 the way H1870 of all the earth: H776 and ye know H3045 in all your hearts H3824 and in all your souls, H5315 that not one H259 thing H1697 hath failed H5307 of all the good H2896 things H1697 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 spake H1696 concerning you; all are come to pass H935 unto you, and not one H259 thing H1697 hath failed H5307 thereof.
15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good H2896 things H1697 are come H935 upon you, which the LORD H3068 your God H430 promised H1696 you; so shall the LORD H3068 bring H935 upon you all evil H7451 things, H1697 until he have destroyed H8045 you from off this good H2896 land H127 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given H5414 you.
16 When ye have transgressed H5674 the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which he commanded H6680 you, and have gone H1980 and served H5647 other H312 gods, H430 and bowed H7812 yourselves to them; then shall the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 be kindled H2734 against you, and ye shall perish H6 quickly H4120 from off the good H2896 land H776 which he hath given H5414 unto you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 23
Commentary on Joshua 23 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 23
In this and the following chapter we have two farewell sermons, which Joshua preached to the people of Israel a little before his death. Had he designed to gratify the curiosity of succeeding ages, he would rather have recorded the method of Israel's settlement in their new conquests, their husbandry, manufacturers, trade, customs, courts of justice, and the constitutions of their infant commonwealth, which one would wish to be informed of; but that which he intended in the registers of this book was to entail on posterity a sense of religion and their duty to God; and therefore, overlooking these things which are the usual subjects of a common history, he here transmits to his reader the methods he took to persuade Israel to be faithful to their covenant with their God, which might have a good influence on the generations to come who should read those reasonings, as we may hope they had on that generation which then heard them. In this chapter we have,
Jos 23:1-10
As to the date of this edict of Joshua,
Jos 23:11-16
Here,