_A.M. 2560. B.C. 1444._ Joshua's dismission of the two tribes and a half, and their return to their own country, Joshua 22:1. The altar they built on that side of Jordan, which offended the other tribes, Joshua 22:10. Their apology, with which the rest were satisfied, Joshua 22:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joshua called the Reubenites and the Gadites_, &c. The war being ended, and ended gloriously, Joshua, as a prudent general, disbands his army, and sends them home to enjoy what they had conquered; and particularly the forces of those separate tribes, which had received their inheritance on the othe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have kept all that Moses commanded_, &c. Thus he dismisses them with a very honourable character. When Moses was gone, they remembered and observed the charge he had given them; and all the orders which Joshua, as general of the forces, had issued out, they had carefully obeyed. _Ye have not lef... [ Continue Reading ]
_Return ye to your tents_ That is, to your settled habitations. Though their affections to their families could not but make them very desirous to return, yet, like good soldiers, they would not move till they had orders from their general. So, though we desire to be at home with Christ ever so much... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take diligent heed_ Watch over yourselves and all your actions. _Commandment and law_ Two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses. _All your heart and soul_ With the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then he blessed them_ Not only prayed for them as a friend, but blessed them as a father, in the name of the Lord, recommending them, their families, and affairs to the grace of God. It seems probable, from the manner in which this is stated, that this his blessing was peculiarly and separately giv... [ Continue Reading ]
_Divide the spoil with your brethren_ That is, with them who stayed beyond Jordan for the defence of their land, and wives, and children, who therefore were to have a share, though not an equal share with these. “Nothing could be more just,” says Dr. Dodd, “than this command; for, notwithstanding th... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they came_ Or, _They came_ (for the word _when_ is not in the Hebrew) _to the borders of Jordan_ It is thought by many that גלילות, _Geliloth_, here rendered _borders_, was the name of a place. _The children of Reuben built there an altar_ This seems, at first sight, to import, that they built... [ Continue Reading ]
_The whole congregation of the children of Israel_ Not in their own persons, but by their elders, who were used to transact all affairs of this kind in the name of all the people. _Gathered themselves together against them_ As apostates from God, and the true religion, according to God's command in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thus saith the whole congregation_ Who do, and are resolved to cleave unto that God from whom you have revolted. _What trespass is this that you have committed?_ How heinous a crime! _To turn away this day_ That is, so soon after God hath obliged you by such wonderful favours, and when he is now co... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is the iniquity of Peor_ That is, of worshipping Baal-peor; _too little for us?_ Is it not enough that we provoked God to wrath then, but we must provoke him again now? Probably this is mentioned the rather, because Phinehas, the first commissioner in this treaty, had signalized himself in that mat... [ Continue Reading ]
_But ye must turn away this day_ Commit more sins of that nature. For whether they intended to worship other gods, or to worship the God of Israel in a manner he did not allow, it was idolatry, in the judgment of Phinehas. _Ye rebel to-day, to-morrow he will be wroth_ That is, soon and suddenly, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the land of your possession be unclean_ If you apprehend it to be so, and that it is not regarded by God for want of the tabernacle and altar there, but is like heathen lands; if you now repent of your former choice in preferring the worldly commodities of that country before the advantage of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
_Achan the son of Zerah_ That is, one of Zerah's posterity. _That man perished not alone_ But brought destruction on his whole family, and on part of our forces sent against Ai.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord God of gods_ In the Hebrew it is, _The God of gods, Jehovah; the God of gods, Jehovah;_ or, rather, there are three names of God, _El, Elohim_, and _Jehovah_, signifying that they owned no other God but him whom their forefathers worshipped, by what name soever he was called, as if he had... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let the Lord himself require it_ That is, call us to an account and punish us for it. _What have you to do with the Lord_ You have no relation to him, nor interest in him, or his worship. _The Lord hath made Jordan a border_ To shut you out of the land of promise, and consequently from the covenant... [ Continue Reading ]
_But that it may be a witness_ It was an ancient way of preserving the remembrance of things to raise such structures. _That we might do the service of the Lord before him_ That we and ours may have and retain the privilege of serving and worshipping God, not upon this altar, but in the place of God... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold the pattern of the altar_ An exact representation and resemblance of it; but which they could not have imitated, if they had not been acquainted with it, and worshipped God there with their brethren. _But it is a witness between us and you_ That we both serve one God, and approve and make us... [ Continue Reading ]
_It pleased them_ They were fully satisfied with this answer. _We perceive that the Lord is among us_ By his gracious presence and preventing goodness, in keeping you from so great an offence, and all of us from those calamities that would have followed it. _Out of the hand of the Lord_ That is, fro... [ Continue Reading ]
_The children of Israel blessed God_ As Phinehas had done, that their brethren had not offended the Divine Majesty as they suspected. _And did not intend to go up against them_ Laid aside the intention which had been in their minds. _To destroy the land_ As, by the law of God, they would have been o... [ Continue Reading ]
_They called the altar Ed_ That is, a witness; a witness of the relation they stood in to God and Israel, and of their concurrence with the other tribes in the common faith, that Jehovah he is God. It was a witness to posterity of their care to transmit their religion pure and entire; and it would b... [ Continue Reading ]