Joshua 22:1-8. Joshua's Farewell Address to the two Tribes and a Half 1. _Then Joshua_ The author of the section from Chapter s 13 21. having given his account, marked with truth and accuracy, of the division of the land, the appointment of the Cities of Refuge and the Levitical cities, describes i... [ Continue Reading ]
_all that Moses_ See (_a_) Numbers 32:20-22; (_b_) Deuteronomy 3:18-20; (_c_) Joshua 1:12-17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the charge of the commandment_ They had kept their obligations to Moses, to Joshua, and to Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
_hath given rest_ Comp. ch. Joshua 21:44; Joshua 23:1. _which Moses_ See ch. Joshua 13:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_But take diligent heed_ "Se onli that зe kepen attentifly." Wyclif. In their natural isola tion in their eastern homes from their brethren of the west, it was above all things necessary that they should remember Him from whom their success and prosperity had proceeded. Comp. the counsels of Moses,... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Joshua blessed them_ Comp. (_a_) the blessing of the workers of the Tabernacle (Exodus 39:43), and (_b_) the blessing of Caleb by Joshua (Joshua 14:13).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now to the one half_ The repetition here of what has been already described more fully (Joshua 17:5, &c.), may seem to us superfluous. But "it agrees with the fulness, abundant in repetitions, of the ancient Hebrew style of narrative." Keil. "A modern author will refer his readers to what he has st... [ Continue Reading ]
_with your brethren_ i.e. with the members of the tribes who had remained on the east side of the Jordan, to whom, according to Numbers 31:27, one half belonged.... [ Continue Reading ]
Return of the Tribes. Erection of an Altar on the Jordan 9. _out of Shiloh_ where the division of the land had been carried out. See Joshua 18:1. _which is in the land of Canaan_ Only the country west of the Jordan is regarded as the _Land of Canaan_. That on the east of the river is simply called... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto the borders of Jordan_ More literally, THE CIRCLES OF THE JORDAN. Comp. Joshua 13:2, "the borders (or _circles_) of the Philistines;" Joel 3:4, "all the coasts (or _circles_) or Palestine;" Matthew 3:5; "the region _round about_Jordan." The region indicated is a portion of what is now called t... [ Continue Reading ]
Embassy from Israel to the Two and a Half Tribes 11. _heard_ News of the step taken by the trans-Jordanic tribes so suddenly and without any consultation, reached the ears of their brethren, and gave rise to "great searchings of heart." _in the borders_ i.e. _the circles of Jordan_, as in Joshua 2... [ Continue Reading ]
_gathered themselves together_ The act of their trans-Jordanic brethren, done without any authority of the High Priest, appeared at first sight to be a direct infringement of the express commands against another altar and other worship (Leviticus 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:5-7; Deuteronomy 13:12-18). It... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the children of Israel sent_ The holy jealousy which inspired them did not induce them to proceed hastily, or without proper enquiry. They resolved to send a deputation to ascertain the meaning of what had been done. _Phinehas_ In Hebrew _Pinchas_, in the Apocryphal Books _Phinees_, was the son... [ Continue Reading ]
_ten princes_ Representing the nine and a half tribes west of the Jordan. _head of the house_ Each of them was PRINCE OF A FATHERS" HOUSE AMONG THE THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL. Comp. Judges 6:15; 1Sa 10:19; 1 Samuel 10:21. "They were thus persons of great weight of character and approved discretion, entitl... [ Continue Reading ]
_that ye might rebel_ See Numbers 14:9; Leviticus 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:13-14.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the iniquity of Peor_ i. e. of Baal Peor. In four passages Peor occurs as a contraction for Baal Peor, (_a_) Numbers 25:18, twice; (_b_) Numbers 31:16; and (_c_) in this place. He makes allusion to the apostasy in the staying of which he himself had borne so memorable a part, and many have suspecte... [ Continue Reading ]
_if the land of your possession be unclean_ i. e. without an altar to the Lord, and in the midst of many heathen dwelling amongst them. _the land of the possession of the Lord the land of your possession_. Observe the antithesis.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Did not Achan_ Phinehas finally reminds the tribe of the recent crime of Achan (Joshua 7:1 ff.) which had involved in its consequences not only the man himself, but his children, and the entire people (Joshua 7:1-5).... [ Continue Reading ]
Defence of the Two Tribes and a Half 21. _Then the children of Reuben_ The two tribes and a half proceed to defend themselves and to shew that their object was in all respects the very reverse of that imputed to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord God of gods_ Rather, THE LORD, THE GOD OF GODS; or, the three names may be taken separately, cf. Psalms 50:1. They commence in the most solemn manner by invoking God Himself to witness as to the innocence of their intentions. The form in which they do this is the most emphatic that languag... [ Continue Reading ]
_require it_ Comp. Deuteronomy 18:19, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will _require it of him_;" 1 Samuel 20:16, "So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even _require it_at the hand of Dav... [ Continue Reading ]
_and if we have not_ More literally, AND IF NOT RATHER FROM ANXIETY, FOR A REASON WE HAVE DONE THIS THING. The word rendered "fear" is translated "care" in Ezekiel 4:16; "carefulness" Ezekiel 12:18-19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye children of Reuben and children of Gad_ The half tribe is omitted here, and again in Joshua 22:33-34. Perhaps for the sake of brevity.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us now prepare to build_ "Exstruamus nobis altare," Vulgate. "Make we out to vs an auter," Wyclif.... [ Continue Reading ]
_be a witness_ Instead of meaning a separation, they had set up their altar as a monument to future ages of the connection between the tribes divided by the river, so that if, at any time to come, their descendants should attempt to cast off the connection and assert their own independence, or if th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold the pattern_ Some have imagined that the altar set up had an actual resemblance to the altar of burnt-offering at the Tabernacle. But this could hardly be. There may have been some general resemblance in their structure, which was of earth heaped up and huge stones. _it is a witness between... [ Continue Reading ]
_God forbid_ Literally, FAR BE IT FROM US. LXX. μὴ γένοιτο. Wyclif translates it, "God shilde fro vs this hidous gilt." The speakers express in the strongest manner their abhorrence of the idea of forsaking Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
_it pleased them_ Or, IT WAS GOOD IN THEIR EYES. Comp. Genesis 34:18, "And their words _pleased_Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son;" Genesis 41:37, "And the thing _was good in the eyes of_Pharaoh;" Genesis 45:16, "And it _pleased_Pharaoh well, and his servants" (where see Margin); and see 2 Samuel 3:36;... [ Continue Reading ]
_is among us_ Phinehas recognises the presence of God in the congregation, because His Providence had restrained their brethren from even the semblance of idolatry. _out of the hand of the Lord_ As otherwise a punishment like that in Numbers 25:9 might have again fallen on the whole people.... [ Continue Reading ]
Return of the Embassy 33. _blessed God_ Compare 1 Chronicles 29:20, "And David said to all the congregation, Now _bless_the Lord your God. And all the congregation _blessed_the Lord God of their fathers;" Nehemiah 8:6, "And Ezra _blessed_the Lord, the great God;" Daniel 2:19, "Then Daniel _blessed_... [ Continue Reading ]
_called the altar Ed_ The word _Ed_is not found after altar in the Hebrew, nor is it represented in the LXX. or Vulgate, nor are the words in the next clause, "shall be," in the original. The words indicate the title which was placed upon the altar, "a witness between us that the Lord is God." Wycli... [ Continue Reading ]