A 1:1-18. Joshua entering on his work.B 2:21–7:26. Jordan. Events connected therein.
C 8:1–12:14. The Land. Conquest.
C 13:1–21:45. The Land. Division.
B 22:1-34. Jordan. Events connected therein.
A 23:1–24:28. Joshua ending his work.
x Joshua. Israel's settlement in the Land; Under Joshua and Priests.y Judges. Israel's failure under Priests.
x Samuel. Israel's settlement in the Land; Under Samuel and Kings.
y Kings. Israel's failure under Kings.
The Title, JOSHUA is Hebrew Yehôshua‘ = "Yehovah the Saviour". In Greek "Jesus". See Acts 7:45. Heb.4:8, and Matt.1:18. The great subject is the Land, as that of the Pentateuch was the People.
Joshua's name (who's help is Yehovah), appears in the Various forms of HOSEA, OSHEA, YEHOSHUA (Jehoshua), YESHUA (Jeshua), and Jesus. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. 1 Chron.7:27 (1544-1434 B.C.). Born a slave in the Egyptian brickfield, 27 years younger than Mose. He was 53 years old when he shared in the hurried triumph of the exodus. He is mentioned first in connection wih the fight against Amalek at Rephidim, when he was chosen by Moses to lead the Israelites. Ex.17:9. Soon afterward he was one of the 12 chiefs who were sent, Num.13:17, to explore the land of Canaan, and one of the 2, Chapter 14:6, who gave an encouraging report of their journey. Moses, shortly before his death, was directed, Num.27:18, to invest Joshua with authority over the People. God Himself gave Joshua a charge by the mouth of the dying lawgiver. Deut.31:14,23. Under the direction of God again renewed, Josh.1:1, Joshua assumed the command of the People at Shittim, sent spies into Jerico, crossed the Jordan, fortified a camp at Gilgal, circumcised the People, kept the Passover, and was visited by the Captain of the Lord's host. A miracle made the fall of Jerico more terrible to the Canaanites. In the great battleof Beth-horon the Amorites were singly routed, and the south country was open to the Israelites. Joshua returned to the camp at Gilgal, master of half of Palestine. He defeated the Canaanite under Jabin king of Hazor. In 6 years, 6 tribes, with 31 pett chiefs, were conquered. Joshua now stricken i years, proceeded to make the division of the conquered lan. Timnath-serah in Mt. Ephraim was assigned as Joshua's peculiar inheritance. After an interval of rest, Joshua convoked an assembly from all Israel. He delivered 2 solemn addresses, recorded in Josh. 23 & 24. He died at the age of 110 years, and was burried in his own city, Timnath-serah (Heb. = portion of abundance).
A A 1. Joshua. Appointment over the People. B a 2-4. History rehearsed. (Yehovah's promises). b 5-9. Admonition (Yehovah to Joshua). B b 10,11. Admonition (Josha to People). a 12-15. History rehearsed. (Reubenites' Promises). A 16-18. Joshua. Obedience of the People.
1451 B.C.
2: “Moses My servant (see Num.12:7,8) is dead (cp. John 1:17. Ro.7:1-6); now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this People, to the land which I, even I, am giving to them, even to the sons of Israel.
3: Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, according as I said to Moses (cp. Deut.11:24. Josh.14:9).
4: From (for these boundries, cp. Gen.15:18. Ex.23:31. Num.34:3-12. Deut.11:24) the wilderness and this Lebanon even to 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 border.
5: There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life: as I was with Moses, so I will be (Heb. ‘eyah. Cp. Ex.3:14, part of title Yehovah) with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you (this promise first made to Jacob, Gen.28:15. Passed on by Moses, Deut.31:6. See note on Deut.4:31).
6: Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shall you (emphatic. This is the great subject of the Book) divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware to their fathers to give them.
7: Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may take heed to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper (= deal wisely) to which place wherever you go.
8: This book of the law (i.e. the 5 Books referred to as one throughtout the O.T. See Ex.17:14) shall not depart out of your mouth (put for what is spoken by it, i.e. Joshua is to continually speak of it); but you shall meditate (= talk to yourself. Cp Ps.1:2 = audible musing) therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
9: Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) is with you (cp. Ex.3:12) to which place wherever you go.”
10: Then Joshua commanded the officers of the People, saying,
11: “Pass through the host, and command the People, saying, ‘Prepare you victuals; for after three days (spoken 6th or 7th Abib [March 26 or 27th]. Cp.4:19. Spies probably already sent [2:16,22; 3:1,2) you all shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) gives you to possess it.’ ”
12: And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spoke Joshua, saying,
13: “Remember the word (cp. Num.32:20-24) which Moses the servant of the Lord (Yehovah) commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) has given you rest, and has given you this land.’
14: And your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but you all shall pass before your brethren armed (Heb. = marshalled by fives [#5 = grace]. Cp. Ex.13:18, where it is rendered "harnessed"), all the mighty men of valour, and help them;
15: Until the Lord (Yehovah) have given your brethren rest, as He has given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) gives you: then you all shall return to the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord' (Yehovah's) servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.”
A c 16,17-. Whatsoever. Postive. d -17. Only. Yehovah "be with you". c 18-. Whatsoever. Negative. d -18. Only. "Be strong".
16: And they answered Joshua, saying, “Whatsoever that you command us we will do, and to which pace wherever you send us, we will go.
17: According as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you:
only the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) be with you (cp. Ex.3:14), as He was with Moses.
18: Whosoever he be that shall rebel against your commandment (Heb. "mouth", put for what is uttered by it), and will not listen to your words in all that you shall command him, he shall be put to death:
only be strong and of a good courage.”
B C 2:1-24. Jshua's two spies. D 3:1–5:12. Jordan. The passage of it. C 5:13-15. Yehovah's one Captain. D 6:1–7:26. Jericho. The taking of it.
C e 1-. Their mission. f -1-22. Events. Their happening. e 23-. Their return. f -23,24. Events. Their narration.
f g -1. The Spies. Their arrival. h 2-7. Search of king. g 8-22-. The Spies. Entertainment. h -22. Search of king.
And they went, and came to Jericho and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab (see Matt.1:5. Heb.11:31. Jas.2:25), and lodged there.
2: And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, there came men in to this place to night of the sons of Israel to search out the country.”
3: And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring forth the men that are come to you, which are entered into your house: for they come to search out all the country.” (some codices omit "all")
4: And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, “There came men to me, but I knew not from which place they were:” (it is this record that is inspired, not the act and words of Rahab)
5: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: to which place the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for you all shall overtake them.”
6: But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax (Heb. =flax of stalks. Flax now ripe: just before Passover. Cp. Ex.9:31 with Josh.4:19; 5:10), which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7: And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan to the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
g i k 8-14. Treaty with Rahab. l 15. Dismissal of Spies. m 16. Advice given. i k 17-21-. Treaty with Rahab. l -21. Dismissal of Spies. m 22-. Advice taken.
8: And before they were laid down, she came up to them upon the roof;
9: And she said to the men, “I know that the Lord (Yehovah) has given you the land (Faith's conclusion from what she had heard, vv.10,11. Corresponds with Sarah's "she judged" in Heb.11:11), and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you (cp. v.11).
10: For we have heard (this is the "ground" [Heb.11:1] of faith. Cp. Rom.10:17) how Yehovah dried up the water of the Red sea for you (cp. Ex.14:21), when you all came out of Egypt; and what you all did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan (this written in the Land. Cp. Num.21:31), Sihon and Og, whom you all utterly destroyed.
11: And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt (cp. Ex.15:14,15. Prophecy fulfilled), neither did there remain (Heb. = rise up) any more courage in any man (Heb. räuch, spirit), because of you: for Yehovah your Elohim, He is Elohim in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
12: Now therefore, I pray you, swear to me by the Lord (Yehovah), since I have showed you kindness, that you all will also show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token (note the "ands" in vv.12,13, showing the earnestness of the appeal):
13: And that you all will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” (Heb. "souls")
14: And the men answered her, “Our life for yours, if you utter not this our business. And it shall be, when Yehovah has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.” (= in lovingkindness and faithfulness. Perhaps Fig. Hendiadys, "in true lovingkindness)
15: Then she let them down by a cord through the window (= the rope. Cp. Septuagint here with Acts 9:25. and 2 Cor.11:35. Cp. 1 Cor.11:10): for her house was upon the town wall (= built into the hômah, i.e. the outer or lower wall), and she dwelt upon the wall (= in the kir; i.e. the inner or higher wall).
16: And she said to them, “Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may you all go your way.”
17: And the men said to her, “We will be blameless of this you oath which you have made us swear.
18: Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line (Heb. "rope", put for the line which was taken of it) of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down through (referring to the window. Cp. v.21): and you shall gather your father, and your mother, and your brethren, and all your father's household, to the house to you (the "line" was outside, for Joshua to see; not for the inmates. Cp.Ex.12:13, "When I see, &c." So the ground of our assurance is not experienced within, but the token outside).
19: And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20: And if you utter this our business, then we will be quit of your oath which you have made us to swear.”
21: And she said, “According to your words, so be it.”
And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22: And they went, and came to the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned:
and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
23: So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun,
25th or 26th March, 1451 B.C.
and told him all things that befell them:
24: And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord (Yehovah) has delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.”
D E¹ 3:1–4:24. Event. The Passage. E² 5:1-12. Event. After the Passage.
E¹ F n 3:1-6. The Ark going before. o 3:7. Josua magnified. (Promise). p 3:8. Commands to Priests. q r 3:9-17. Cutting off of the waters. s 4:1-10. Memorial. F n 4:11-13. The Ark going before. o 4:14. Joshua magnified. (Performance). p 4:15-17. Commands to Priests. q r 4:18,19. Return of the waters. s 4:21-24. Memorial.
30-31st March, 1451 B.C.
2: And it came to pass at the end of three days, that the officers went through the host (= camp);
3: And they commanded the people, saying, “When you all see the ark of the covenant of the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) (not the cloud, but the ark; as from Sinai. Cp. Num.10:23), and the priests and the Levites going before bearing it (Ellipsis suplied from next clause), then you all shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4: Yet there shall be a space between you and it (this is very significant. Cp. Ex.19:12,13,22. Lev.10:3), about two thousand cubits by measure (about 1 1/2 miles): come not near to it, that you all may know the way by which you all must go: for you all have not passed this way heretofore.”
5: And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord (Yehovah) will do wonders among you.”
6: And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people.” And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to Joshua (9 various times: 3:7; 5:2; 6:2; 7:10; 8:1,18; 10;8; 11:6; 13:1), “This day will I begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, according as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
8: And you shall command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you all are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, you all shall stand still in Jordan.’ ”
r t 3:9-16. The cutting off. u 3:17. Priests' feet standing firm. t 4:1-9. The Memorial. u 4:10. Priests' feet standing firm.
t v 3:9-12. Ark going before. w 3:13. Prediction. Waters. v 3:14. Ark going before. w 3:15,16. Fulfilment. Waters.
9: And Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come to ths place, and hear the words of the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim).”
10: And Joshua said, “Hereby you all shall know that the living GOD (El) is among you (this title always used has a latent reference to idols. Here, to the gods of the idoltrous nations named), and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and (note the 7 nations) the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord (Yehovah) of all the earth (Heb. the Adôn of all the earth. A title connected with sovereignty in the earth. Cp. 3:11,13. Zech.6:5, the only 3 occurances of this full title. Cp. Ps.97:5. Mic.4:13. Zech.4:14) passes over before you into Jordan.
12: Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel (#12 = governmental perfection.), out of every tribe a man.
13: And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord (Yehovah), the Lord (Yehovah) of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above (3 times: here, for Israel; 2 Kings 2:8 for Elijah; and 2 Kings 2:14, for Elisha); and they shall stand upon one heap” (cp. Ps.114:3).
14: And it came to pass, when the People removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15: And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, {for Jordan overflows (so to the present day) all his banks all the time of barley harvest (cp. 2:6),}
16: That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam (the waters were divided at or near the city "Adam", and they were heaped up at or near "Zaretan"), that is beside Zaretan (from Heb. root = pierce, puncture. In the land of Mannaseh. Called Zartanah in 1 Kings 4:12. The brazen vessels of the temple were cast there in the plain of Jericho [1 kings 7:46]): and those that came down toward the sea of the plain (i.e. the Dead Sea), even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the People passed over right against Jericho (a way cleft through the sea [Ex.14], through the river [Josh 3], and in the future through the spirit [Phil.3:14. 1 Thess.4:17).
17: And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord (Yehovah) stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the people were finished passed over Jordan.
t x¹ z¹ 1,2. Twelve men. a¹ 3-. Twelve stones. y¹ -3. The Place. x² z² 4. Twelve men. a² 5. Twelve stones. y² 6,7. The Memorial. x³ a³ 8-. Twelve stones. z³ -8-. Twelve men. y³ -8,9. The Place.
4)
3: And command you to them, saying,
‘Take you from this place out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you all shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where you all shall lodge this night.’ ”
4: Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the sons of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5: And Joshua said to them, “Pass over in the presence of the ark of the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) into the midst of Jordan, and take you all up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel:
6: That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What mean you all by these stones?’
7: Then you all shall answer them, ‘That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord (Yehovah); when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off:’ and these stones shall be for a memorial to the sons of Israel for ever.”
8: And the sons of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan (4 things said of these memorial stones in vv.8,9: 1. Taken up; 2. carried over; 3. laid down; 4. set up), according as the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Joshua,
according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and carried them over with them
to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there (see 8:30).
9: And Joshua set up other twelve stones in the midst of Jordan (there were 2 twelves), in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.
10: For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the Lord (Yehovah) commanded Joshua to speak to the People, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11: And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of Yehovah passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the People.
12: And the children of Reuben (cp. Num.32:27. Cp. 1:12), and the sons of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed (= by fives. Cp.6:7,9. These formed the van) before the sons of Israel, as Moses spoke to them:
13: About forty thousand ready armed passed over before the Lord (Yehovah) to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14: On that day the Lord (Yehovah) magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel (cp. 3:7); and they feared him, according as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Joshua, saying,
16: “Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.”
17: Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come you all up out of Jordan.”
18: And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord (Yehovah) were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned to their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
30-31st March, 1451 B.C.
19: And the People came up out of Jordan (Heb. = the descender) on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal (Heb. = a wheel, rolling), in the east border of Jericho (= place of fragrance).
20: And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan (cp. vv.8,9), did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21: And he spoke to the sons of Israel, saying, “When your sons shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What mean these stones?’
22: Then you all shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23: For the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until you all were passed over, as the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) did to the Red sea, which He dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24: That all the People of the earth might know the hand of the Lord (Yehovah), that it is mighty: that you all might reverence (or love) the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) for ever.’ ”