Joshua 23:14 Komentář

This chapter concludes the life and reign of Joshua, in which we have, I. The great care and pains he took to confirm the people of Israel in the true faith and worship of God, that they might, after his death, persevere therein. In order to this he called another general assembly of the heads of the congregation of Israel (Jos 24:1) and dealt with them. 1. By way of narrative, recounting the great things God had done for them and their fathers (Jos 24:2-13). 2. By way of charge to them, in consideration thereof, to serve God (Jos 24:14). 3. By way of treaty with them, wherein he aims to bring them, (1.) To make religion their deliberate choice; and they did so, with reasons for their choice (Jos 24:15-18). (2.) To make it their determinate choice, and to resolve to adhere to it (Jos 24:19-24). 4. By way of covenant upon that treaty (Jos 24:25-28). II. The conclusion of this history, with, 1. The death and burial of Joshua (Jos 24:29, Jos 24:30) and Eleazar (Jos 24:33), and the mention of the burial of Joseph's bones upon that occasion (Jos 24:32). 2. A general account of the state of Israel at that time (Jos 24:31).

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 23 Joshua being old, convenes the states of Israel a little before his death, Jos 23:1; and in his address to them observes what God had done for them, and would do, Jos 23:3; and exhorts them to keep the commandments of God, and cleave to him, and not to mix with the Gentiles, and join with them in idolatrous practices, and then it would be well with them, Jos 23:6; but otherwise should they join with them, and depart from the Lord, who had so faithfully and punctually performed every good thing he had promised them, they might expect all evils and calamities, utter ruin and destruction, to befall them, Jos 23:12.

And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth,.... That is, about to die; not that precise day, but in a short time, of which the daily increasing infirmities of old age gave him notice. Death is a journey from this world to another, a man's going to his long home, a path trodden by all men, and but once (t); a way in which all men without exception must and do walk, and even the best as well as the greatest of men, such as Joshua; no man is exempted from death, be he ever so great or good, ever so wise and knowing, ever so holy or so useful; see Kg1 2:2, and ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls; in their consciences; it was a glaring truth, which none could deny; it had a testimony in every man's breast: that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God hath spoken concerning you; particularly concerning the good land, and the Lord's bringing them into it, removing the old inhabitants, and settling them in their room, and putting them in possession of all temporal good things and spiritual privileges, as the word and ordinances: all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof; see Jos 21:45. (t) "----Sed omnes una manet nox, Et calcanda semel via lethi". --Horat. Carmin. l. 1. Ode 28.

Joshua, being old, calls for the rulers and different heads of the Israelites, Jos 23:1, Jos 23:2, to whom he relates how God had put them in possession of the promised land, Jos 23:3, Jos 23:4; from which all their remaining enemies should be expelled, Jos 23:5. Exhorts them to be faithful to God, and to avoid all connections with the idolatrous nations, Jos 23:6-8. Encourages them with the strongest promises, that no enemy should ever be able to prevail against them, if they continued to love the Lord their God, Jos 23:9-11. Lays also before them the consequences of disobedience, Jos 23:12, Jos 23:13. Shows them that as all God's promises had been fulfilled to them while they were obedient, so his threatening should be fulfilled own them if they revolted from his service; and that if they did so, they should be utterly destroyed from off the good land, Jos 23:14-16.

The way of all the earth - I am about to die; I am going into the grave. Not one thing hath failed, etc. - God had so remarkably and literally fulfilled his promises, that not one of his enemies could state that even the smallest of them had not had its most literal accomplishment: this all Israel could testify.

JOSHUA'S EXHORTATION BEFORE HIS DEATH. (Jos 23:1-2) a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies--about fourteen years after the conquest of Canaan, and seven after the distribution of that country among the tribes.

Joshua's Farewell and Death - Joshua 23-24 After the division of the land among the tribes, Joshua had withdrawn to Timnath-serah, on the mountains of Ephraim (Jos 19:50), to spend the last days of his life there in the quiet enjoyment of his own inheritance. But when the time of his departure from the earth was drawing near, remembering the call which he had received from the Lord (Jos 1:6-8), he felt constrained to gather the people together once more in the persons of their representatives, to warn them most earnestly of the dangers of apostasy from the Lord, and point out the evils that would follow (Josh 23); and then after that, in a solemn assembly of the nation at Shechem, to review the abundant mercies which the Lord had conferred upon Israel from the calling of Abraham to that day, that he might call upon them to remain stedfast and faithful in the worship of their God, and then solemnly renew the covenant with the Lord. (Note: "The pious solicitude of Joshua furnishes an example worthy of imitation by all who have the charge of others. For just as a father would not be regarded as sufficiently careful it he merely thought of the interests of his children up to the time of his own death, and did not extend his thoughtfulness on their behalf still further, and as far as was in his power endeavour to provide for their welfare when he himself should be dead; so good rulers ought to look forward that they may not only leave behind them a well-organized state, but may also strengthen and secure its existence for a long time to come." - Calvin (with special reference to Pe2 1:13-15).)

In the second part of his address, Joshua sums up briefly and concisely the leading thoughts of the first part, giving greater prominence, however, to the curse which would follow apostasy from the Lord. Jos 23:14-16 Now that Joshua was going the way of all the earth (all the inhabitants of the earth), i.e., going to die (Kg1 2:2), the Israelites knew with all the heart and all the soul, i.e., were fully convinced, that of all the good words (gracious promises) of God not one had failed, but all had come to pass (vid., Jos 21:45). But it was just as certain that the Lord would bring upon them every evil word that He spake through Moses (Lev 26:14-33; Deut 28:15-68, and Deu 29:14-28), if they transgressed His covenant. "The evil word" is the curse of rejection (Deu 30:1, Deu 30:15). "Until He have destroyed:" see Deu 7:24, and Deu 28:48. The other words as in Jos 23:13. If they went after other gods and served them, the wrath of the Lord would burn against them, and they would be quickly destroyed from the good land which He had given them (vid., Deu 11:17).