Joshua 1:10-18

Joshua's Instructions to the People Joshua 1:10-18

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.
12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,
13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them;
15 Until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possessions, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sun rising.
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

11.

Who are the officers) Joshua 1:10

These men were called in Hebrew the shoterim. Their duties were varied, At times they seemed to work first at one task and then at another. Their duties may be listed as follows:

a.

To keep family registers (providing for the levying of men at times of war, etc.)

b.

To circulate the commands of the leader

c.

To issue orders to the people

As Israel prepared to cross the Jordan River, these officers were to marshal the hosts of men, women, and children and direct them in the last leg of the march to Canaan.

12.

What were the victuals (vittles)? Joshua 1:11

The people were fed by manna through the days of the wilderness wanderings, and this bountiful provision did not cease until after they had renewed the rite of circumcision in the camp at Gilgal (see Joshua 5:12). No doubt the victuals included the daily supply of manna, but it would include more than this. It included all the equipment which was necessary for making the journey (see Genesis 24:25).

13.

What action took place after three days? Joshua 1:11

The people expected to move to a vantage point on the Jordan River from which they could cross over after this first three-day period. During this time the spies were to be on their way to Jericho and returning, a time which was lengthened by the necessity of their hiding for three days. The camp of the Israelites had been at Abelshittim while they were in the plains of Moab. They planned to move from this point down to the Jordan River during these three days; but when the spies were forced to extend their expedition, the Israelites probably remained in their camp all this time.

14.

How long was it before they crossed the Jordan? Joshua 1:11

Since the spies were absent for three days, it was not until the morning after their return that the Israelites left Shittim and proceeded to the Jordan. At the bank of the Jordan they halted again. After this second pause for three days (see Joshua 3:1-2) they went across the river.

Three days before leaving Shittim

3

(spies in hiding)

A day going to the edge of Jordan

1

Three days before starting across

3

A day in crossing

1

8 days

Joshua, no doubt, intended to proceed to the Jordan and cross it within the three days. He probably sent spies to Jericho on the same day he issued the orders to the people. As the spies were forced to hide in the mountains for three days, Joshua could not remove with the people until after their return.

15.

Did all the eastern tribes go over Jordan? Joshua 1:12

Only forty thousand men of war from the eastern tribes went over the Jordan River. There were 43,730 men of the tribe of Reuben who were twenty years of age and older. Gad had 40,500 men of this age. If the tribe of Manasseh were evenly divided, there would have been 26,350 men in the half tribe of Manasseh, since the total was 52,700 in this tribe. The total of this would be 110,580 men in the two and one-half tribes who wanted to live east of the Jordan. When Moses gave these people permission to settle east of the Jordan, they promised to arm themselves and to pass over the Jordan with the other warriors of Israel. After the conquest was finished, they were to be allowed to return to their homes. The historian says about forty thousand of these men prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto the battle to the plains of Jericho (Joshua 4:13). This would leave some seventy thousand men behind to care for the women and children who would not pass over to the western side of the river.

16.

Why had Moses instructed these tribes? Joshua 1:13

When the men of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh first approached Moses about settling east of the Jordan, he thought they were like the ten spies who had been afraid to enter into the conquest of the land. The men of the two and one-half tribes assured Moses they were not afraid. They made request for this land because it was suited to their occupations. They found it to be a good land, and they desired to have this for their inheritance. At the time they assured Moses they would go over and fight. They promised they would not return to their houses until all of the children of Israel had inherited their place in the Promised Land. When Moses received this assurance, he granted their request and told them they might build cities for their little ones and folds for their sheep (Numbers 32:24). The land which they inherited was the territory which had formerly been the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan (Numbers 32:33).

17.

Why did the eastern tribes reassure ?Joshua 1:16

After Moses had settled the question about inheriting the land with these eastern tribes, he gave express commandment to Eleazar, the priest, and to Joshua, the son of Nun, as well as to the chief fathers of the tribes of Israel. He made it clear to them that if the children of Gad, the children of Reuben, and the children of Manasseh kept their part of the agreement then they were to inherit Gilead. The pledge of allegiance of these three eastern tribes had been made to Moses. Since Moses was dead, it was proper for the men of these tribes to give their pledge of allegiance to Joshua. They were willing to go over the Jordan and fight before they received their inheritance. They assured Joshua they would put to death any man among them who proved to be disloyal to Joshua. Their only prayer was for the Lord God to be with Joshua as He had been with Moses (Joshua 1:17).