Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Joshua · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Verſ. 2. ANd Joſhua called for all Iſrael, &c.] That is, the repreſentative body of all Iſrael, to wit, as it is explained in the following words, the Elders of each tribe, together with their Magiſtrates and Judges and Officers.
Verſ. 5. And the Lord your God, He ſhall expell them from before you, &c.] That is, though I die and leave the work which is begun unfiniſhed, yet aſſure your ſelves, if you continue ſtedfaſt to the Lord, he who indeed hath done what hath been done, will perfect the work begun, and perform all that he hath promiſed; he ſhall expell the reſt of the nations that are not yet expelled before you.
Verſ. 7. That ye come not amongst theſe nations, theſe that remain among you, &c.] That is, that ye no wayes familiarly converſe with them: and this is mentioned in the firſt place, becauſe they that yield familiarly to converſe with Idolatours, will by degrees be alſo drawn to the evils mentioned in the following words, even to make marriages with them, to ſwear by their gods, and at laſt to bow down to them and worſhip them. As for making mention of the names of their gods, the next particular here forbidden; ſee the note Exod. 23.13.
Verſ. 8. But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.] By cleaving to the Lord, is meant, that they ſhould continue conſtant in yielding obedience to God, and in reſting and relying upon him, yea, upon him alone as their God alſufficient. Nor need it ſeem ſtrange unto us that he ſhould ſay of a people that had been ſo prone to rebell againſt God, Cleave unto the Lord—as ye have done unto this day. For firſt, the Iſraelites, though they were ever and anon murmuring againſt God, and turning aſide from the way of his commandments, yet they had never for the generallity caſt off the worſhip of the true God, to go after the gods of the heathen: And ſecondly, this Joſhua might ſpeak with reference to the time of his government, as ye have done to this day, that is, ſince the time you entred the land of Canaan, or ſince the time you came to be under my government; for indeed ſince that time we reade not of any notable rebellion of this people againſt God; it is ſaid that the people ſerved the Lord all the dayes of Joſhua, Judg. 2.7.
Verſ. 12. Elſe if you do in any wiſe go back and cleave unto the remnant of theſe nations, &c.] Here Joſhua begins to tell them how ſeverely God would puniſh them in caſe they did go back, that is, revolt from that good way of their obedience to God, wherein they had hitherto gone, and cleave unto the remnant of thoſe nations, that is, marry them and lie with them, for ſo this phraſe of cleaving to thoſe nations is explained in the following words, and ſhall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you. Yet I know that this word cleave may be meant generally of any joyning themſelves to thoſe nations either in leagues or otherwiſe.
Verſ. 13. But they ſhall be ſnares and traps unto you, and ſcourges in your ſides, and thornes in your eyes, &c.] To wit, becauſe they will be continually by their allurements drawing you to idolatry and other ſinnes, and by their injuries vexing and diſquieting you; yet ſome hold, that by being thorns in their eyes is meant, that they ſhould by degrees ſo farre blind them, that they ſhould not be able to diſcern the clear light of the truth. See Numb. 33.55.
Verſ. 14. And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth, &c.] That is, I ſee my death approcheth; now becauſe I cannot hope long to continue amongſt you to keep you conſtant in your covenant with God, therefore I thought good to give you warning, that after my departure ye depart not from the Lord, and to tell you beforehand what will become of you, if you tranſgreſſe the covenant of the Lord your God.
Verſ. 15. So ſhall the Lord bring upon you all evill things, untill he have destroyed you from off this good land, &c.] That is, as the Lord hath hitherto made good all that he hath promiſed you, ſo if you tranſgreſſe his covenant he will bring upon you all the evils threatned, even at laſt the cauſing of you to be carried captive out of this good land; and this laſt judgement of deſtroying them out of the land of Canaan he particularly inſiſts upon, becauſe it muſt needs affect them to heare of loſing ſo goodly a land, when after ſo many years travels and difficulties they were now newly entred into it.