Commentary on Joshua, Commentary · Chapter 23
Chap. 23.
ANd a long season after that the Lord had giuen rest vntounto Israel from all their enimies round about, and Ioshue was olde, and striken in age,
2 Then Ioshue called all Israel, and their Elders, and their Heades, and their Iudges, and their Officers, and said vntounto them, I am olde, and striken in age.
3 Also ye hauehave seene all that the Lorde your God hathe done vntounto all these nations before you, howe the Lorde your God himselfe hathe fought for you.
4 Beholde, I hauehave diuided vntounto you by lot these nations that remaine, to be an inheritance according to your tribes, from Iordan, with all the nations that I hauehave destroyed, euen vntounto the great Sea Westward.
5 And the Lorde your God shall expell them before you, and cast them out of your sight, and ye shall possesse their land, as the Lorde your God hath said vntounto you.
6 Be ye therefore of a valiant courage, to obserue and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moses, that ye turne not there from, to the right hand, nor to the left.
7 Neither companie with these nations: that is, with them which are left with you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to sweare by them, neither serue them, nor bow vntounto them:
8 But sticke fast vntounto the Lorde your God, as ye hauehave done vntounto this day.
9 For the Lorde hathe cast out before you great nations and mightie, and no man hathe stand before your face hitherto.
10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
11 Take good heede therefore vntounto your selues, that ye louelove the Lord your God.
Here is reported that solemne contestation, which Iosue vsed a little before his death, that he might leaue the pure worship of God aliue behinde him. And although the peace and rest, which the Israelits had obteined among the nations of Chanaan, be here rehersed for an excellent benefit of God: yet it is meete we call to remembrance, that which I taught before, as it came to passe through their owne slouthfulnesse, that they dwelled among their enimies, whom they ought to hauehave chased away and destroyed. But yet the merciemercy of God is worthily praised, that he pardoned their vnthankfulnesse. Also this godlie carefulnesse of Iosue is here set forth to be followed of all them that be in authoritie. For as he shall not be counted a good father nor a prouident, which thinketh of his children but vntounto the end of his life, except he extend his care further, and as much as lieth in him doeth prouide for them after his death: so good magistrates & gouernours ought to forsee, that such good and well ordered state as they leaue, they confirme & prolong for a long time after them. For this cause Peter saith, that he woulde endeuour, 1. Pet. 1. 1….that after he was departed out of the world, the Church might still be mindfull of his admonitions, and receiue some fruite of them. Where it is said, that he called all Israel, it followeth immediately after, the Elders, and Heads, and Iudges, and Rulers, which I doe thus interprete, that it was free for all men to come, but that assemblie was appointed of Heades and Rulers. And so this later member of the sentence seemeth to me, to be an exposition of the former. And surely, it is by no meanes credible, that the whole people was called together, neither coulde it be. Therefore after this manner, the people were called, because the …l…ers, Iudges, and suth like, were commaunded to come, and to bring with them as many as woulde willingly come. Here is indeede rehearsed a double speach of Iosue: but the writer of the historie seemeth to me first to touch the summe of his whole oration breefly, as the vse of the tongue is, and afterwarde to prosecute more at large, and to comprehend that which he omitted. In this parte, which hath the first place, Iosue doth breefly exhorts and incourage the people to a certeine trust in the continuall and vnwearied grace of God. For when they had tried God to be true in all thinges, there is no occasion of doubting lefte to them hereafter, but that they may safely hope for the same successe, in vanquishing and destroying all the rest of their enimies. Also he setteth before them the casting of the lottes, whereby he had diuided vntounto them the rest of the land, as an earnest or pledge of the vndoubtfull fruition of the same, because he had not vnaduisedly, but by the commaundement of God, described and allot…ed to euerie tribe their seate and borders.
6 Strengthen therefore, &c.) Now he sheweth the way how to ouercome, lest they should take them selues to grosse securitie, as often times it commeth to passe in steede of faith and trust. Therefore he affirmeth, that God would be mercifull vntounto them, promising that whatsoeuer they take in hand shall hauehave happie successe, if they continued in the obedience of the lawe. The hypocrites, although they doe securely contemne God, and laugh him to scorne, yet they would hauehave him bound vntounto them: yea with full mouths, not without great follie, they boast of his promises. But true faith doeth so rest in God, that also it reteineth men in his feare. Finally, that GOD may be found, he must be sought vnfeignedly: and if we desire that he should looke vppon vsus, we must take heede, that we turne not our backes vntounto him. By the verbe of strengthening, as it is said elsewhere, he meaneth an earnest endeuour: because that in so great weakenes, no man shall throughly prepare him selfe to keepe the lawe, except he endeuour aboue his strength. Also we must note, the definition of true obedience, which is here repeated out of Moses, that we turne not aside, either vntounto the right hand, or to the left hand.Deut. 5. 32.
7 Neither mingle your selues, &c.) He doeth admonish them expresly, that they can not otherwise well satisfie their duetie, except they doe earnestly beware of all corruptions. For they were compassed round about with the snares of Sathan: and we knowe how redie, yea rather, how hastie & greedie they were to embrace superstitions. Therefore, first of all he forbiddeth them, that too neere acquaintaunce of the Gentiles doe intangle them with societie of their wickednesse. For, to mingle, in this place, is as much as to carie the yoke, in S. Paule. Finally, first of all he remoueth the prouocations or intisementes of idolatrie; and afterward he detesteth idolatrie it 2. Cor. 6. 14:selfe. And here is to be noted, that he doeth not expresse either kneeling, or sacrifices, or other ceremonies: but by the wordes of making mention, and swearing, he doeth signifie all partes of godlie religion. Wherof we gather, that Gods honour is taken away from him, when neuer so little a part of all thinges which he challengeth vntounto himselfe, be translated vntounto idols. Therefore he concludeth, that they must cleaue vntounto God alone, which is as much in effect, as to be altogether addict vntounto him.
9 Therefore he hath driuen out, &c.) He signifieth, that so they be not chaunged, God for his part will not be chaungeable. Therefore, so they may obteine the fauour of GOD, he assureth them, tha… they shall hauehave a continuall course of victories. At the length, he exhorteth them againe, that as they louelove their owne life and health, so they would be earnest to louelove God. Out of which spring ariseth all true obedience: for, except we doe louelove him freely, and of a willing minde, in vaine we shall studie to frame our manners according to the outwarde forme of the Lawe.
12 Else, if ye goe backe, and cleaue vntounto the rest of these nations: that is, of them that remaine with you, and shall make mariages with them, and goe vntounto them, and they to you,
13 Knowe ye for certeine, that the Lorde your God will cast out no more of these nations from before you: but they shalbe a snare and destruction vntounto you, and a whip on your sides, and thornes in your eyes, vntill ye perish out of this good land, which the Lorde your God hath giuen you.
14 And beholde, this day doe I enter into the way of all the world, and ye knowe in all your heartes, and in all your soules, that nothing hath failed of all the good thinges, which the Lord your God promised you, but all are come to passe vntounto you: nothing hath failed thereof.
15 Therefore, as all good thinges are come vppon you, which the Lord your God promised you, so shall the Lorde bring vponupon you euerie euill thing, vntill he hath destroyed you out of this good land, which the Lorde your God hath giuen you.
16 When ye shall transgresse the couenant of the Lorde your God, which he commaunded you, and shall goe and serue other gods, and bow your selues to them, then shall the wrath of the Lorde waxe hote against you, and ye shall perish quickly out of the good land, which he hath giuen you.
12 Therefore if ye turne away, &c.) According to the vsuall method and order of the Lawe, he addeth threatenings, that if they be not sufficiently touched with the sweetnesse of the grace of God, yet at the least through feare they may be stirred vp to do their duetie. It is a shame indeed, that when God doth gently allure men to come to him, they doe not immediatly runne foorth to meet him, that they may answere his gentlenesse with redie & cheerfull obedience: but such is the slouthfulnesse of the flesh, that it hath alwayes neede of the spurres of threatenings. Wherefore Iosue keepeth the vsuall order of the Lawe, while he striketh a terrour into the Israelites, if they doe not studie earnestly and willingly to embrace the fauoure of God, when it is offered vntounto them. And this was not once or twise denounced vntounto them, that the nations of Chanaan should be prickes Num. 33. 55in their sides, and thornes in their eyes, if they had any familiaritie with them. First, because God had consecrated that land vntounto him selfe, he would hauehave it be purged of all corruptions: secondly, because he sawe how easie it was to hauehave the people corrupted by euill examples, he would also prouide a remedie for that mischiefe. Now, whereas the people on the one side esteemed it as nothing, that the land was defiled with vngodlie superstitions, and that idols were there worshipped in steed of the true God: and on the other side, too greedily drew in the infection of their vices, it was a iust rewarde of so grosse contempt, that they should feele them hatefull & troublesome, whom they had so euill spared and pardoned. And that that which both Moses & Iosue threatened was throughly fulfilled, it appeareth sufficiently out of the booke of Iudges. And yet this open threatening of the vengeaunce of God was not altogether vnprofitable: for after Iosue was dead, they tooke courage to make warre. But this heate soone vanished away: for not long after, they were defiled with vngodlie superstitions of the Gentiles. Whereby we may see the intemperance of mans nature in coueting false religion, which with no bridles can be sufficiently restrained. Now it is good to consider, how farre forth this doctrine perteineth to vsus. That auncient people had this peculiar commaundement, that by destroying the nations of Chanaan, they should be separated from all vngodlie corruptions. We at this day hauehave no certeine region appointed vntounto vsus, which might separate vsus from them: neither are we armed with the sword to kill all the vngodlie: only we must beware, that too much familiaritie doe not wrappe vsus in the fellowshippe of their wickednesse. For it is more than a harde matter, when we doe willingly intermedle with them, to keepe our selues that we be not dashed with some blotte or spotte of their vngodlinesse. Because this point is sufficiently handled in other places, I doe but breefly touch it here.
14 Behold I, &c.) Because it is appointed for all men once to die, Iosue sayeth, that end draweth neere vntounto him, which abideth all Heb. 9. 27.men: because he also was borne a mortall man. And these wordes he applieth vntounto the comfort of the people, least they should vexe them selues with immoderate sorowe when he was taken away from them. For there is no doubt, but he left a wonderfull desire of him, seing the people, when their head was taken away, was as a headlesse and vnperfect bodie. Therefore he admonisheth them, that seeing the course of his life is brought euen as it were to the marke or end, they must not require, that his condition should be other, than is of all mankinde. But yet he meaneth not that all men die alike, because the vncorruptible seede of heauenlie doctrine, discerneth and diuideth the faithfull from the vnfaithfull, that they perish not together with them: but here he doeth onelyonly touch that, which is common to all, namely, when the course of this life is ended, to goe out of the worlde. Therefore the summe of his speach commeth to this effect: As God by his benefites and fulfilling of his promises, hath proued him selfe to be true: so his threatenings should not be vaine and frustrate, that by their vtter destruction he would reuenge the prophanation and defiling of his worshippe.