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Joshua Chapter
One
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 1
Moses
being dead, the Lord directs and encourages Joshua to take the command of the
children of Israel, and go over Jordan with them, and take possession of the
land of Canaan, and divide it to them; giving him gracious promises and strong
assurances of his presence, and some good advice with respect to his conduct, Joshua 1:1; upon
which Joshua orders the people to be ready in three days to go along with him, Joshua 1:10; and
particularly addresses the Reubenites and Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh,
and puts them in mind of what Moses had ordered, and they had promised, to go
along with their brethren, and assist them in conquering the land, Joshua 1:12; which
they readily agreed to do, and promised obedience to him in all things, Joshua 1:16.
Joshua 1:1 After
the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the
Lord spoke to
Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:
YLT
1And it cometh to pass after
the death of Moses, servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua son
of Nun, minister of Moses, saying,
Now after the death of
Moses,.... Or "and after"F8ויהי
"et factum est", V. L. "et fuit", Pagninus, Montanus,
Vatablus. ; the book begins as if something went before, it is connected with;
and indeed it seems to be the last chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, which
treats of the death of Moses; and Joshua being the penman of Deuteronomy 34:5,
as say the TalmudistsF9T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2. , and of
this book, as has been seen, having wrote them, he goes on with the history of
his own affairs in strict connection with that account, beginning where that
ended; namely, at the death of Moses, whose character here given is
the servant of the Lord; and a faithful one he
was in all things belonging to it, and in whatsoever was enjoined him by the
Lord, see Deuteronomy 34:5,
and it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun,
Moses's minister; either in a dream, or vision, or by an
articulate voice out of the sanctuary: of Joshua's descent and relation, see Exodus 33:11; and
of his office under Moses, not as a menial servant, but a minister of state,
see Exodus 24:13,
saying; as follows.
Joshua 1:2 2 “Moses My servant is dead.
Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land
which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.
YLT
2`Moses my servant is dead,
and now, rise, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land
which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
Moses my servant is dead,.... Which was
said not for the information of Joshua, but to lead on to, and show the cause
and reason of what he was about to say to him:
now therefore arise, go over this Jordan; near to which
the whole body of the people of Israel were, and very probably were in sight of
it:
thou, and all this people: which were very
numerous, six hundred thousand men or more, besides a great number of women and
children, and no boats to carry them over, or pontoons to put across the river:
unto the land which I give unto them, even to the children
of Israel; and therefore it could be no case of conscience with Joshua, to
go and take it out of the hands of the present inhabitants, since the Lord, who
had a right to dispose of it, gave it to them. As this land was a type of
heaven, and eternal life, which is the free gift of God through Christ, passing
over the river of Jordan to it may be an emblem of the passage through death to
the heavenly state; both of the death of Christ, the antitypical Joshua, who
passed through it, as a surety to make satisfaction for sin, and as a
forerunner to set an example, to sanctify death, to open a way into the holiest
of holies, and prepare a place for his people; and of the death of the saints,
which is necessary to their enjoyment of perfect rest and happiness.
Joshua 1:3 3 Every place that the sole
of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
YLT
3`Every place on which the
sole of your foot treadeth, to you I have given it, as I have spoken unto
Moses.
Every place that the sole
of your feet shall tread upon,.... That is, in the land of Canaan:
that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses: See Gill on Deuteronomy 11:24;
though the Jews extend this to all without the land subdued by them, and even
to all the countries they now tread on, and are exiles in; but the limits of
what the Lord gave them are fixed in Joshua 1:4.
Joshua 1:4 4 From the wilderness and
this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of
the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be
your territory.
YLT
4From this wilderness and
Lebanon, and unto the great river, the river Phrath, all the land of the
Hittites, and unto the great Sea -- the going in of the sun -- is your border.
From the wilderness,.... The
wilderness of Kadesh and Sin, on the border of Edom; in the southeast corner,
as Jarchi says, see Numbers 34:3,
and this Lebanon; which though on the other side Jordan, and
at a considerable distance, being the northern border of the land towards
Syria, might be seen afar off; or it is expressed, because it was a well known
place, as Kimchi remarks:
even unto the great river, the river Euphrates; which was the
eastern border of the land, and to which it reached in the times of Solomon,
whose dominion extended thither, 1 Kings 4:21;
according to Jarchi, this was its breadth from south to north:
all the land of the Hittites: who, though only one of
the seven nations of Canaan, are put for the rest, and the rather mentioned,
because, as their name signifies, they were very formidable and terrible; among
them dwelt the Anakim, and they themselves were very warlike and populous; or
they are taken notice of particularly here, because they dwelt in the western
part of the land described by them, so Kimchi thinks; according to Jarchi, this
was its length from east to west:
and unto the great sea: the Mediterranean sea,
which was the western border of the land of Canaan, called great, in comparison
of the sea of Tiberias, and the salt sea, which were in it:
toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast; the western
coast; see Gill on Deuteronomy 11:24;
this will be more fully verified in Christ, when his kingdom is from sea to
sea, Psalm 72:8.
Joshua 1:5 5 No man shall be able to
stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I
will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
YLT
5`No man doth station
himself before thee all days of thy life; as I have been with Moses, I am with
thee, I do not fail thee, nor forsake thee;
There shall not any man be
able to stand before thee all the days of thy life,.... What is
promised to the people in common, Deuteronomy 11:25;
is here particularly promised to Joshua their general; and which was fulfilled
in him, and still more in Christ his antitype, who made an end of sin,
destroyed the devil, spoiled principalities and powers, abolished death, and
overcame the world:
as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; to counsel
and advise, guide and direct, protect and defend, prosper and succeed; the
Targum of Jonathan is, as my Word"was for the help of Moses, so will I be
with thee:"
I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee; but grant him
his presence, communicate strength unto him, make good his promises, and leave
him not till he had made an entire conquest of the land of Canaan, and even not
till the end of his days; and was true of Christ in his state of humiliation,
in his sufferings and death, and even in the grave, where he was not left so
long as to see corruption; as this is applied to particular believers; see Gill
on Hebrews 13:5.
Joshua 1:6 6 Be strong and of good
courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I
swore to their fathers to give them.
YLT
6be strong and courageous,
for thou -- thou dost cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn
to their fathers to give to them.
Be strong, and of good
courage,.... The same exhortation Moses gave him, Deuteronomy 31:7;
and is afterwards repeated in this chapter, as being of great moment and
importance, as it is in the general of an army to show greatness and strength
of mind, valour and courage, and not be dismayed at the number and strength of
the enemy. As Joshua's work in fighting with the Canaanites, and conquering
their land, so Christ's work in the redemption of his people, and subduing
their enemies, required strength and courage, and both were very eminent in
him:
for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land
which I sware unto their fathers to give them; and, this promise
included and ensured the conquest of it, and the putting the people into the
possession of it; for if he was to divide it to them, he must first take it out
of the hands of the present inhabitants, and deliver it into the hands of the
children of Israel, to be possessed by them, dividing to each tribe and family
their part and portion.
Joshua 1:7 7 Only be strong and very
courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My
servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left,
that you may prosper wherever you go.
YLT
7`Only, be strong and very
courageous, to observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant
commanded thee; thou dost not turn aside from it right or left, so that thou
dost act wisely in every [place] whither thou goest;
Only be thou strong, and
very courageous,.... For though Joshua was a man of valour and courage, as
appears by his war with Amalek, yet there was need of this exhortation, and of
repeating it, since he was to engage with a people more and mightier than those
with him, and who dwelt in strong and fortified places, and had been preparing
for some time, having had notice, and were in expectation of the Israelites'
attempt upon them:
that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which
Moses my servant commanded thee; not only as a private man obliged to
observe the whole law, and act according to it in all things; though no mere
man is capable of it, only Joshua's antitype, who is the end of it for
righteousness to all that believe, having fulfilled it in all respects; but as
the supreme magistrate under God, who was to see that the law was obeyed by the
people in all things, and particularly as the general of the army, who was to
observe to do what had been ordered, with respect to the Canaanites, see Deuteronomy 7:1,
turn not from it to the right hand or to the left: from the law,
by adding to it, or taking from it; so Ben Gersom explains it,"turning to
the right hand is, when any adds to its words; and turning to the left hand,
when he diminishes from them;'or "from him"F11ממנו "ab so", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius &
Tremellius. , that is, from Moses; from his good way, as Kimchi; though he
adds, or else from the book of the law; for though he does not mention the
book, he does the law; so Ben Melech:
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest; succeed in
every battle he engaged in; it would be well if generals of armies would
observe this; the way to obtain victory over enemies being to be observant of
the laws of God themselves, and to take care that they be observed by the
soldiers under their command: or "that thou mayest act wisely"F12למען תשכיל ινα συνης, Sept. "ut intelligas", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus;
"ut prudenter agas", Tigurine version. ; the word of God furnishing
out instruction to men in every station of life, see Luke 3:10.
Joshua 1:8 8 This Book of the Law shall
not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that
you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will
make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
YLT
8the book of this law doth
not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night,
so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for
then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely.
This book of the law shall
not depart out of thy mouth,.... He was often to read it, frequently
repeat it, and speak of it, to refresh his own memory with it, and the memory
of those about him. Jarchi restrains it to the book of Deuteronomy now before
him:
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night; whenever he
had any leisure from the important business of his office, whether by day or
night, see Psalm 1:2,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein; which frequent speaking of it, and constant meditation on it,
would lead unto:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt
have good success; in his wars with the Canaanites.
Joshua 1:9 9 Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is
with you wherever you go.”
YLT
9`Have not I commanded thee?
be strong and courageous; be not terrified nor affrighted, for with thee [is]
Jehovah thy God in every [place] whither thou goest.'
Have not I commanded thee?.... The above
things, to go over Jordan with the people into the land of Canaan, and to
observe the law of Moses in all things, and to be of good courage, which is
again repeated; consider who it is that has given these orders and
instructions, the great Jehovah, the everlasting I AM, who is faithful to his
promises, and able to perform. The consideration of which would serve to
animate him to the work he was called unto, to encourage his faith in God, to
engage in his service cheerfully and readily:
be strong, and of a good courage; See Gill on Joshua 1:6; See
Gill on Joshua 1:7.
be not afraid, nor be thou dismayed; at his enemies, numerous
and powerful, nor discouraged at anything in himself, any unfitness for such
service, as he might think, or at any difficulties he might fear from the
people he had the government of, and was to lead on; it was enough that the
divine Presence was promised him, and which is repeated:
for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest: or, as the
Targum of Jonathan,"for thy help is the Word of the Lord thy God;'See Gill
on Joshua 1:5.
Joshua 1:10 10 Then Joshua commanded the
officers of the people, saying,
YLT
10And Joshua commandeth the
authorities of the people, saying,
Then Joshua commanded the
officers of the people,.... The same word is used in Deuteronomy 16:18;
where it seems to design such officers that attended on the judges, and
executed their orders; but one would think it should here rather signify
officers in the army, as captains, and the like; unless it should design a sort
of heralds, who were to make proclamation throughout the camp, each of the
orders issued by Joshua, immediately upon his having the above directions and
instructions from the Lord:
saying; as follows.
Joshua 1:11 11 “Pass through the camp and
command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within
three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which
the Lord
your God is giving you to possess.’”
YLT
11`Pass over into the midst
of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare for yourselves provision,
for within three days ye are passing over this Jordan, to go in to possess the
land which Jehovah your God is giving to you to possess it.'
Pass through the host,.... The whole
camp of Israel, consisting of six hundred thousand fighting men:
and command the people; even all the people of
Israel; this includes women as well as men, for the one, as well as the other,
were to do what follows, and especially it may seem the business of the former:
saying, prepare ye victuals; this must be understood;
as Kimchi observes, of other sorts of food besides bread; for they had manna,
the bread of heaven, which fell about their tents every morning, so that they were
sufficiently provided with that always, and which did not cease until they had
entered the land, even until the sixteenth of Nisan, Joshua 5:12; though
indeed, as Abendana observes, that might be said to be prepared, it being
ground in mills, and beat in mortars, and made cakes of, Numbers 11:8; but
rather this designs meat and other provisions, which being upon the borders of
Moab and Midian, they could furnish themselves with for their money; and
besides, they were in the possession of a fine country, of Bashan and Gilead,
they had taken from Sihon and Og. Jarchi interprets it of everything fit for
journeying, and arms for war, with which they were supplied from the spoils of
their enemies, the Egyptians at the Red sea, Amalek at Rephidim, and the
Amorites and Midianites lately smitten by them; and to this sense JosephusF13Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 1. sect. 1. seems to agree:
for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan: or at the end
of three days, as the Targum of Jonathan; and so Jarchi, while there are yet
three days, after that ye shall pass over: but here arises a difficulty to be
reconciled, how this could be done three days after, when the spies, which
Joshua is afterward said to send into the land, stayed three days in the
mountains, besides the time of their going, and returning, and stay at Rahab's
house; and it was not till after their return that the camp began to move; to
which it may be observed, that though the affair of the spies is afterward
related, they might have been sent by Joshua before this order was given to
prepare for the journey, and of this opinion are several of the Jewish writersF14Jarchi,
Ben Gersom, & Abarbinel in loc. : this being the case, they might return
before the expiration of these three days, at the end of which Joshua, with the
whole host, moved, agreeably to these orders:
to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you to
possess it; which must be a great inducement and encouragement to them to
observe his instructions, and go over with him.
Joshua 1:12 12 And to the Reubenites, the
Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying,
YLT
12And to the Reubenite, and
to the Gadite, and to the half of the tribe of Manasseh, hath Joshua spoken,
saying,
And to the Reubenites, and
to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh,.... Who were
settled on that side Jordan where Israel now were:
spake Joshua, saying; as follows.
Joshua 1:13 13 “Remember the word which
Moses the servant of the Lord
commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you
rest and is giving you this land.’
YLT
13`Remember the word which
Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God is giving
rest to you, and He hath given to you this land;
Remember the word which
Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you,.... In Numbers 32:29; and
to which they had solemnly agreed; and, now the time was come to put it into
execution, Joshua reminds them of it:
saying, the Lord your God hath given you rest: from their travels,
and a settlement in a country agreeably to their own desire:
and hath given you this land; where they now were, and
which they had taken from Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and joined to
Moab, on the borders of which Israel lay encamped; and by this it appears, that
the settlement of these tribes, on the other side Jordan, was according to the
will of God; he gave it to them.
Joshua 1:14 14 Your wives, your little
ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this
side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your
mighty men of valor, and help them,
YLT
14your wives, your infants,
and your substance, abide in the land which Moses hath given to you beyond the
Jordan, and ye -- ye pass over by fifties, before your brethren, all the mighty
ones of valour, and have helped them,
Your wives, your little
ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this
side Jordan,.... This was what they themselves proposed, agreed unto, and
confirmed, Numbers 32:16,
but ye shall pass over before your brethren armed; bearing arms,
to fight for them; for none but such that were fit to bear arms were obliged to
go; and these were to go "harnessed"F15חמשים
"ordine militari", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator;
"quintati", Montanus. , as some render the word, or in a military
order, in rank and file, by fives, five in a row; not at the front of the army,
for the standard of Judah went first, but along with them; for "before
them" signifies no other than in the presence of them, and in company with
them:
all the mighty men of valour, and help them; to obtain a
conquest over the Canaanites; all, according to the order of Moses, and by
their agreement, were to go, all that were able to bear arms; but Joshua did
not take them all, only a select company of strong and valiant for, out of an
hundred thirty thousand, but forty thousand went with him, Joshua 4:13.
Joshua 1:15 15 until the Lord has given your
brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of
the land which the Lord
your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession
and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on
this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
YLT
15till that Jehovah giveth
rest to your brethren as to yourselves, and they have possessed, even they, the
land which Jehovah your God is giving to them; then ye have turned back to the
land of your possession, and have possessed it, which Moses, servant of
Jehovah, hath given to you beyond the Jordan, [at] the sun-rising.'
Until the Lord hath given
your brethren rest, as he hath given you,.... Rest from their
travels, as they had:
and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God
giveth them: are settled in the land of Canaan, as they were on that side
Jordan:
then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy
it; the countries of Sihon and Og, they were put into the possession
of:
which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side Jordan,
toward the sunrising; the land, given to them lay to the east of Jordan.
Joshua 1:16 16 So they answered Joshua,
saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will
go.
YLT
16And they answer Joshua,
saying, `All that thou hast commanded us we do; and unto every [place] whither
thou dost send us, we go;
And they answered Joshua,.... The two
tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh, the heads of them,
such as were deputed for that purpose, and were their mouths to him:
saying, all that thou commandest we will do; with respect
to this affair of going over Jordan with their brethren, to assist them in the
conquest of the land of Canaan:
and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go; in what
position he would have them be in the army, and to whatsoever part of the
country he should send them to subdue, and to whatsoever city he should order them
to besiege.
Joshua 1:17 17 Just as we heeded Moses in
all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as
He was with Moses.
YLT
17according to all that we
hearkened unto Moses [in], so we hearken unto thee; surely Jehovah thy God is
with thee as He hath been with Moses.
According as we have
hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee,.... Not right
or wrong, but in all things that were according to the laws and will of God
made known to them; and particularly it may refer to the above affair, which
was settled between Moses and them, to whom they then hearkened, and now
promise to confirm the same, and hearken to whatsoever orders and instructions
Joshua should give them relative to it, according to the plan agreed upon:
only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses; which is not
mentioned as a condition of their obedience to him, but rather as a reason of
it, and as an encouraging motive to it; for, according to Kimchi, the true
sense and meaning is,"for the Lord thy God will be with thee, as he was
with Moses;'so Noldius renders it,"seeing the Lord thy God is with thee.'
Joshua 1:18 18 Whoever rebels against
your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall
be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
YLT
18Any man who doth provoke
thy mouth, and doth not hear thy words, in all that thou dost command him, is
put to death; only, be strong and courageous.'
Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment,.... Refuses
to go over Jordan with his brethren the children of Israel, when commanded by
Joshua so to do:
and will not hearken to thy words in all that thou commandest him; or, if he
does go over, yet will not obey orders to take such a post, or go against such
a city, or march into such a part of the country:
he shall be put to death; this part of military
discipline they agree to, and hereby declare their entire submission to him as
their general; some understand this as spoken by all Israel, and of their
promise of obedience to Joshua, as their governor, in all things:
only be strong, and of a good courage; which also is
not to be understood as a condition of their submission and obedience, but as a
hearty wish and prayer for him, that he might have strength and courage
necessary to the great work he was engaging in, and which to see would be no
small encouragement to follow and obey him.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》