YuēShūyàjì 1

1 Yēhéhuá de púrén Móxī sǐ le yǐhòu , Yēhéhuá xiǎoyù Móxī de bāngshou , nèn de érzi Yuēshūyà , shuō ,

2 Wǒde púrén Móxī sǐ le . xiànzaì nǐ yào qǐlai , hé zhòng bǎixìng guō zhè Yuēdànhé , wǎng wǒ suǒ yào cìgĕi Yǐsèliè rén de dì qù .

3 Fán nǐmen jiǎo zhǎng suǒ tā zhī dì , wǒ dōu zhào zhe wǒ suǒ yīngxǔ Móxī de huà cìgĕi nǐmen le .

4 Cóng kuàngyĕ , hé zhè Lìbānèn , zhídào Bólā dà hé . Hèrén de quán dì . yòu dào dà hǎi rìluò zhī chǔ . dōu yào zuò nǐmen de jìngjiè .

5 Nǐ píng shēng de rìzi , bì wú yī rén néng zaì nǐ miànqián shān lì de zhù . wǒ zĕnyàng yǔ Móxī tóng zaì , yĕ bì zhàoyàng yǔ nǐ tóng zaì . wǒ bì bú piĕ xià nǐ , yĕ bú diūqì nǐ .

6 Nǐ dàng gāngqiáng zhuàng dǎn . yīnwei nǐ bì shǐ zhè bǎixìng chéngshòu nà dì wéi yè , jiù shì wǒ xiàng tāmen lièzǔ qǐshì yīngxǔ cìgĕi tāmende dì .

7 Zhǐyào gāngqiáng , dàdà zhuàng dǎn , jǐn shǒu zūnxíng wǒ púrén Móxī suǒ fēnfu nǐde yīqiè lǜfǎ , bùkĕ piānlí zuǒyòu , shǐ nǐ wúlùn wǎng nǎli qù , dōu kĕyǐ shùnlì .

8 Zhè lǜfǎ shū bùkĕ líkāi nǐde kǒu , zǒng yào zhòuyè sīxiǎng , hǎo shǐ nǐ jǐn shǒu zūnxíng zhè shū shàng suǒ xiĕ de yīqiè huà . rúcǐ , nǐde dàolù jiù kĕyǐ hēng tōng , fán shì shùnlì .

9 Wǒ qǐ méiyǒu fēnfu nǐ ma . nǐ dàng gāngqiáng zhuàng dǎn . búyào jùpà , yĕ búyào jīng huáng . yīnwei nǐ wúlùn wǎng nǎli qù , Yēhéhuá nǐde shén bì yǔ nǐ tóng zaì .

10 Yúshì , Yuēshūyà fēnfu bǎixìng de guān zhǎng shuō ,

11 Nǐmen yào zǒu biàn yíng zhōng , fēnfu bǎixìng shuō , dàng yùbeì shíwù . yīnwei sān rì zhī neì nǐmen yào guō zhè Yuēdànhé , jìn qù de Yēhéhuá nǐmen shén cì nǐmen wéi yè zhī dì .

12 Yuēshūyà duì Liúbiàn rén , Jiādé rén , hé Mǎnáxī bàn zhīpaì de rén shuō ,

13 Nǐmen yào zhuī niàn Yēhéhuá de púrén Móxī suǒ fēnfu nǐmen de huà shuō , Yēhéhuá nǐmen de shén shǐ nǐmen de xiǎng píngān , yĕ bìjiāng zhè dì cìgĕi nǐmen .

14 Nǐmen de qīzi , háizi , hé shēngchù dōu kĕyǐ liú zaì Yuēdànhé dōng , Móxī suǒ gĕi nǐmen de dì . dàn nǐmen zhōngjiān yīqiè dà néng de yǒng shì dōu yào daì zhe bīngqì zaì nǐmen de dìxiōng qiánmian guō qù , bāngzhu tāmen ,

15 Dĕng dào Yēhéhuá shǐ nǐmen de dìxiōng xiàng nǐmen yíyàng de xiǎng píngān , bìngqiĕ de zhe Yēhéhuá nǐmen shén suǒ cì tāmen wéi yè zhī dì , nàshí cái kĕyǐ huí nǐmen suǒ de zhī dì , chéngshòu wéi yè , jiù shì Yēhéhuá de púrén Móxī zaì Yuēdànhé dōng , xiàng rì chū zhī dì suǒ gĕi nǐmen de .

16 Tāmen huídá Yuēshūyà shuō , nǐ suǒ fēnfu wǒmen xíng de , wǒmen dōu bì xíng . nǐ suǒ chāiqiǎn wǒmen qù de , wǒmen dōu bì qù .

17 Wǒmen cóng qián zaì yīqiè shì shàng zĕnyàng tīng cóng Móxī , xiànzaì yĕ bì zhàoyàng tīng cóng nǐ . wéi yuàn Yēhéhuá nǐde shén yǔ nǐ tóng zaì , xiàng yǔ Móxī tóng zaì yíyàng .

18 Wúlùn shénme rén wéibeì nǐde mìnglìng , bú tīng cóng nǐ suǒ fēnfu tāde yīqiè huà , jiù bì zhìsǐ tā . nǐ zhǐyào gāngqiáng zhuàng dǎn .

YuēShūyàjì 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

Here is the history of Israel's passing into the land of Canaan, conquering and dividing it, under the command of Joshua, and their history until his death. The power and truth of God in fulfilling his promises to Israel, and in executing his justly threatened vengeance on the Canaanites, are wonderfully displayed. This should teach us to regard the tremendous curses denounced in the word of God against impenitent sinners, and to seek refuge in Christ Jesus.

The Lord appoints Joshua to succeed Moses. (1-4) God promises to assist Joshua. (5-9) Preparation to pass over Jordan. (10-15) The people promise to obey Joshua. (16-18)

Verses 1-4 Joshua had attended upon Moses. He who was called to honour, had been long used to business. Our Lord Jesus took upon him the form of a servant. Joshua was trained up under command. Those are fittest to rule, who have learned to obey. The removal of useful men should quicken survivors to be the more diligent in doing good. Arise, go over Jordan. At this place and at this time the banks were overflowed. Joshua had no bridge or boats, and yet he must believe that God, having ordered the people over, would open a way.

Verses 5-9 Joshua is to make the law of God his rule. He is charged to meditate therein day and night, that he might understand it. Whatever affairs of this world we have to mind, we must not neglect the one thing needful. All his orders to the people, and his judgments, must be according to the law of God. Joshua must himself be under command; no man's dignity or dominion sets him above the law of God. He is to encourage himself with the promise and presence of God. Let not the sense of thine own infirmities dishearten thee; God is all-sufficient. I have commanded, called, and commissioned thee to do it, and will be sure to bear thee out in it. When we are in the way of duty, we have reason to be strong and very bold. Our Lord Jesus, as Joshua here, was borne up under his sufferings by a regard to the will of God, and the commandment from his Father.

Verses 10-15 Joshua says to the people, Ye shall pass over Jordan, and shall possess the land; because God had said so to him. We honour the truth of God, when we stagger not at the promise of God. The two tribes and a half were to go over Jordan with their brethren. When God, by his providence, has given us rest, we ought to consider what service we may do to our brethren.

Verses 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA

The Jews distinguish the prophets into former and latter; the first of the former prophets is Joshua, or Sepher Joshua, the book of Joshua, as it is commonly called in the Hebrew copies; the Syriac inscription is,

``the book of Joshua, the son of Nun, the disciple of Moses:''

in the Arabic version it is reckoned a book of the judges, which adds,

``the first among the judges of the children of Israel was Joshua, the son of Nun, the twenty eighth from Adam, who reigned over Israel after the Prophet Moses.''

This book bears the name of Joshua, either because it is concerning him, his actions and exploits in the land of Canaan, or because it was written by him, or both; though some ascribe it to Ezra, and others to Isaiah; but it must have been written before the times of Ahab, as appears from 1Ki 16:34; and even before the times of David, as is clear from Jos 15:63, compared with 2Sa 5:6; for though mention is made in it of the mountains of Judah and of Israel, from whence some have concluded, that the writer must have lived after the times of Rehoboam, in whose days the kingdom was divided; yet we find the distinction of Israel and Judah took place before, even in the times of David and Asaph, Ps 76:1; It is most likely that this book was written by Joshua himself, as the Jews in their Talmud {a} assert; and, indeed, who more fit for it than himself? and if written or put together by another, it is most probable that it was taken out of his diary, annals, or memoirs; and though there are some things recorded in it, which were done after his death, these might be inserted under a divine direction and influence by Eleazar, or Phinehas, or Samuel, to each of whom some ascribe the writing of this book, just as Joshua is supposed to add some verses concerning Moses at the end of the Pentateuch: however, be it wrote by whom it may, there is no doubt to be made of the divine inspiration and authenticity of it by us Christians, since some histories recorded in it are taken from it, or referred to, in Heb 11:30,31; and the promise made to Joshua is quoted, and applied to every believer, Heb 13:5,6; and the Apostle James refers to the case of Rahab, her character and conduct in it, Jas 2:25. The subject matter of this book is Joshua's taking upon him the government of the children of Israel, after the death of Moses, by a divine commission, exhortation, and encouragement given him to engage in war with the Canaanites; his conquests of them, the division of the land of Canaan to the children of Israel, and their settlement in it. It is of great use not only to give us the geography of the land of Canaan, and the history of the church of God, from the death of Moses to the times of the judges; but shows the exact fulfilment of prophecy, and the faithfulness of God to his promises in giving the land of Canaan to Israel, according to those made to their fathers, and the justice of God in punishing the Canaanites for their abominable sins, as had been foretold; and the wonderful care, of God, and his love to the people of Israel in preserving and protecting them, and in settling them in such a good land, notwithstanding all their murmurings, ingratitude, and unbelief, in the wilderness; and may serve to lead us to Christ, whose type Joshua was in the whole affair here related: his name has the signification of the salvation of the Lord in and he is by the Greek writers, and so in the New Testament, called Jesus, a Saviour, Ac 7:45 Heb 4:8; and as they agree in their name, so they do in their state, condition, and character; Joshua was a servant of Moses, Christ was made under the law, and became subject to it, both moral and ceremonial; and also in their office, Joshua was the governor of Israel, and the commander of their forces, for which he was well qualified with wisdom, courage, and integrity; Christ is King of saints, the Leader and Commander of the people, who has fought their battles for them, being abundantly qualified, having the spirit of wisdom, counsel, might, and of the fear of the Lord, resting on him. Joshua was a type of Christ in various actions of his; in leading the people through the river Jordan, an emblem either of baptism, or of afflictions, or of death itself, in which Christ is with his people, and carries them through; in saving Rahab and her family, so Christ saves the worst and chief of sinners; in receiving the Gibeonites, who submitted to him, as Christ does all that come to him; in his conquest of the several kings of the Canaanites, so Christ has conquered all the spiritual enemies of his people, sin, Satan, and the world; in bringing and settling the people of Israel in the land of Canaan, their rest, and dividing it to them by lot, which Moses might not do; so Christ only brings souls into the true rest, into spiritual rest here, and eternal rest hereafter; in whom they obtain the inheritance of the heavenly glory by lot, and by whom only they enjoy salvation and eternal life, and not by the works of the law. This book contains an history of Joshua, of his government, his acts and deeds, from the death of Moses to his own; how long that was is not certain; the Jewish chronologers {b} observe, that the time of his principality we find not in the text; though they {c} say he succeeded Moses when he was eighty two years of age, and governed Israel twenty eight years; Eupolemus {d}, an Heathen writer, says thirty years. Christian writers commonly make his reign to be twenty seven years {e}; but an Arabic writer {f} stretches it further to thirty one years; he says, he took the government of the people in the seventy ninth year of his age, and reigned thirty one; but it seems more probable that he was ninety three years of age when Moses died, who lived to be an hundred ten, so that only seventeen years intervened between the death of the one and of the other; seven years Joshua was in subduing the land, and ten years more were taken up in dividing it to the people, and settling them in it, and in the government of them; after which Eleazar might rule ten years more, whose death is mentioned in it; so indeed the book may be reckoned an history of twenty seven years, though Joshua lived only seventeen of them. The Chronicle, to which the Samaritans give the name of the book of Joshua, is a spurious work; an epitome of which Hottinger {g} has compiled, and translated out of the Arabic exemplar into Latin.

{a} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2. {b} Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 7. 2. {c} Seder Olam Rabba, c. 12. p. 33. Juchasin, fol. 10. 1. {d} Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30. {e} Tertullian, Lactantius, Eusebius, Augustin. apud Hottinger. Thesaur. Philolog. l . 2. c. 1. sect. 2. p. 960. so Ben Gersom in Jud. 11. 26. & Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 25. {f} Elmacinus apud Hottinger. p. 524. {g} Ad Calcem Exercitat. Antimorin.

\\INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 1\\

Moses being dead, the Lord directs and encourages Joshua to take the command of the children of Israel, and go over Jordan with them, and take possession of the land of Canaan, and divide it to them; giving him gracious promises and strong assurances of his presence, and some good advice with respect to his conduct, Jos 1:1-9; upon which Joshua orders the people to be ready in three days to go along with him, Jos 1:10,11; and particularly addresses the Reubenites and Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, and puts them in mind of what Moses had ordered, and they had promised, to go along with their brethren, and assist them in conquering the land, Jos 1:12-15; which they readily agreed to do, and promised obedience to him in all things, Jos 1:16-18.