Joshua 23:9

_BE YE THEREFORE VERY COURAGEOUS TO KEEP AND TO DO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF MOSES, THAT YE TURN NOT ASIDE THEREFROM TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT;_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

9._For the Lord has driven out from before you, _etc He intimates that so long as they do not themselves change, there will certainly be no change on the part of God. Therefore he asserts that, provided they conciliate the favor of God, they shall have an uninterrupted course of victory. At length he again exhorts them, as they value their life and safety, to be careful in maintaining love to God. From this source all true obedience springs; for if we do not cling to him with free and ardent affection, we shall study in vain to frame our lives in accordance with the external form of the Law....

1-10 Joshua was old and dying, let them observe what he said now. He put them in mind of the great things God had done for them in his days. He exhorted them to be very courageous. Keep with care, do with diligence, and regard with sincerity what is written. Also, very cautiously to endeavour that the heathen idolatry may be forgotten, so that it may never be revived. It is sad that among Christians the names of the heathen gods are so commonly used, and made so familiar as they are. Joshua exhorts them to be very constant. There might be many things amiss among them, but they had not forsaken the Lord their God; the way to make people better, is to make the best of them....

EXPOSITION JOSHUA'S SOLEMN CHARGE.— JOSHUA 23:1 WAXED OLD AND STRICKEN IN AGE. Literally, _was old, advanced in days _(see Joshua 13:1). But this refers to a more advanced age still, when the patriarch felt his powers failing him, and desired, as far as his influence went, to preserve the Israelites in the path in which they had walked since their entrance into Canaan. Calvin has some good remarks on the "pious solicitude" shown by the aged warrior for those whom he had led in time of war and guided in time of peace. He seems to have sent for the chief men in Israel to his home at Timnath-Serah, where apparently he had led a retired and peaceful life, only coming forward to direct the affairs of t

FOR THE LORD HATH DRIVEN OUT BEFORE YOU GREAT NATIONS AND STRONG,.... Especially as they were reckoned in those times, before any great monarchies had existed, as did afterwards; and indeed these were, considering the land they inhabited, very numerous and populous, and were very stout and able bodied men, and some of a gigantic stature; and all dwelt in strong fortified cities, and were able to bring out large armies into the field, with chariots of iron, so that they were very formidable; but notwithstanding all this, the Lord drove them out of their strong holds, and put Israel into the possession of them, and of their land: BUT [AS FOR] YOU, NO MAN HATH BEEN ABLE TO STAND BEFORE YOU UNTO THIS DAY; that is, of those that came out against them, and fought with them; these were all to a man cut off by them, or fled before them, and became tributaries to them; otherwise there were many,...

2. JOSHUA'S TWO ADDRESSES The First Address CHAPTER 23 _ 1. The people gathered (Joshua 23:1)_ 2. God's faithfulness remembered (Joshua 23:3) 3. Exhortations to obedience (Joshua 23:6) 4. Warning (Joshua 23:12) 5. Conclusion of first address (Joshua 23:14) It was about eight years after the Lord had given rest unto Israel, that the aged Joshua called for all Israel and their elders to assemble in his presence. He was very old and the time of his departure at hand. The purpose of his first address is

MAN. Hebrew. _ish_. App-14....

_For the Lord_ He again reminds them of the true Source of their strength, and to Whom they were indebted for their late victories....

_VER._ 7-11. _THAT YE COME NOT AMONG THESE NATIONS,_ &C.— "Hold no familiarity; make no marriages with these idolatrous nations: never _make_ the least honourable _mention of the name of their_ false _gods_ in your conversation, nor _cause_ any one _to swear_ by those idols, nor _serve them_ yourselves, by offering victims to them, or by addressing prayers and vows to them in secret; nor shall _ye prostrate yourselves before them,_ or render them any public worship: in a word, let nothing be able to draw you from God, or turn you aside from the execution of those designs, for which that great God has rendered you invincible even unto this day. Acquit yourselves thus of your duty, and ye will certainly engage the Lord ever to grant you victory and success." REFLECTIONS.—Joshua, now grown old, and having but a short time to live, is solicitous to improve it to the best purposes; his last w...

_Promises of Blessings for Obedience Joshua 23:6-11_ 6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: 8 But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day. 9 For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. 10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. 11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God. _7._ Was the Pentateuch writte