Joshua 1:16

_AND THEY ANSWERED JOSHUA, SAYING, ALL THAT THOU COMMANDEST US WE WILL DO, AND WHITHERSOEVER THOU SENDEST US, WE WILL GO._ All that thou commandest us we will do. Their readiness to redeem their pledge, and the terms in which they answered the appeal of Joshua, displayed to great advantage their patriotic and pious feelings at so interesting a crisis....

16._And they answered, _etc They not only acquiesce, but freely admit and explicitly detail the obedience which they owe. Our obligations are duly discharged only when we perform them cheerfully, and not in sadness, as Paul expresses it. (2 Corinthians 9:7.) If it is objected that there is little modesty in their boast of having been obedient to Moses whom they had often contradicted, I answer, that though they did not always follow with becoming ardor, yet they were so much disposed to obey, that their moderation was not only tolerable, but worthy of the highest praise, when it is considered how proudly their fathers rebelled, and how perversely they endeavored to shake off a yoke divinely imposed upon them. For the persons who speak here were not those rebellious spirits of whom God complains (Psalms 95:8) that he was provo

16-18 The people of Israel engage to obey Joshua; All that thou commandest us to do we will readily do, without murmuring or disputing, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go. The best we can ask of God for our magistrates, is, that they may have the presence of God; that will make them blessings to us, so that in seeking this for them, we consult our own interest. May we be enabled to enlist under the banner of the Captain of our salvation, to be obedient to his commands, and to fight the good fight of faith, with all that trust in and love his name, against all who oppose his authority; for whoever refuses to obey him must be destroyed....

Verse Joshua 1:16. _ALL THAT THOU COMMANDEST US WE WILL DO_] Here they acknowledge the Divine mission of Joshua, as they had done that of Moses, and consequently promise to follow his directions in all things....

EXPOSITION THE PEOPLE'S ANSWER.— JOSHUA 1:16 AND THEY ANSWERED JOSHUA, SAYING. We may compare this joyful willingness with the murmurings of the people in the wilderness, and their rebellion after the death of those who led them into the promised land (cf. Joshua 24:31 with Judges 2:10, Judges 2:11, etc). Obedience is easy when all goes well with us, and when it makes no demand upon our faith. The Israelites murmured when the promise was as yet unfulfilled. They rebelled against God when obedience entailed serf sacrifice. But now all was ho

AND THEY ANSWERED JOSHUA,.... The two tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh, the heads of them, such as were deputed for that purpose, and were their mouths to him: SAYING, ALL THAT THOU COMMANDEST WE WILL DO; with respect to this affair of going over Jordan with their brethren, to assist them in the conquest of the land of Canaan: AND WHITHERSOEVER THOU SENDEST US, WE WILL GO; in what position he would have them be in the army, and to whatsoever part of the country he should send them to subdue, and to whatsoever city he should order them to besiege....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE ENTRANCE OF THE PEOPLE INTO CANAAN AND THE CONFLICTS 1. The Entrance Commanded and Success Promised CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Lord speaks to Joshua (Joshua 1:1)_ 2. Joshua speaks to the people (Joshua 1:10) 3. The answer of the people (Joshua 1:16) The little word “now” with which this book begins is in the Hebrew “and.” It links the book with Deuteronomy and the other books of the Pentateuch. It also shows that the previous books were in existence, for the mention of Moses, his death, and Joshua, the minister of Moses, presupposes that the reader knows all about them. But there is a stronger evidence in the eighth verse of the chapter, that the Pentateuch

I. JOSHUA'S COMMISSION; PREPARATION FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN. This chapter does not call for much comment. It is, for the most part, an introduction to the whole book from a Deuteronomic writer. There may have been a Deuteronomic account of the conquest of the land which the compiler of our book used, but more probably the old narrative of JE was taken over by the Deuteronomist, who managed to superimpose his own views by means of an introduction and various additions. These additions are very considerable; hardly any Chapter s have escaped. JOSHUA 1:4. The boundaries of the land are strangely indicated, AND the passage should no doubt read, From the wilderness in the south to Lebanon; and from the river Euphrates to the western sea (_i.e._ the Mediterranean) shall be your border or rather, territory. In reality, the kingdom never extended as far as this from E. to W.

ALL. whatsoever, as in Joshua 1:18....

The Command of Joshua to the People 10. _the officers_ Or, _Shoterim_. The word denotes (1) literally a "writer," or "scribe;" then (2) an overseer, in whose office were combined various duties, including enrolments, orders &c., also genealogies; (3) a magistrate, prefect, leader of the people, especially, as here, the leaders, officers, of the Israelites in Egypt and in the desert. Comp. Numbers 11:16; Numbers 31:14; Numbers 31:48; Deuteronomy 1:15; Deuteronomy 16:18;...