Chapter 24

1
Joshua This must have been a different assembly from that mentioned in the preceding chapter, though probably held not long after the former.

Shechem As it is immediately added, that "they presented themselves before God," which is supposed to mean at the tabernacle; some are of opinion that Joshua caused it to be conveyed from Shiloh to Shechem on this occasion, to give the greater solemnity to his last meeting with the people. The Vatican and Alexandrian copies of the Septuagint, however, read Σηλω, both here and in Josh 24:25; which many suppose to have been the original reading. Dr. Shuckford supposes that the covenant was made at Shechem, and that the people went to Shiloh to confirm it. But the most probable opinion seems to be that of Dr. Kennicott, that when all the tribes were assembled as Shechem, Joshua called the chiefs to him on that mount, which had before been consecrated by the law, and by the altar which he had erected. Gen 12:6, Gen 33:18-19, Gen 35:4; Judg 9:1-3; 1Kgs 12:1

called Josh 23:2; Exod 18:25-26

presented 1Sam 10:19; Acts 10:33


2
Your fathers Gen 11:26, Gen 11:31, Gen 12:1, Gen 31:53; Deut 26:5; Isa 51:2; Ezek 16:3

served other gods In the case of Abraham this was probably the case, till he was called to the knowledge of God, when above 70 years old. Josh 24:15; Gen 31:19, Gen 31:30, Gen 31:32, Gen 31:53, Gen 35:4


3
I took Gen 12:1-4; Neh 9:7-8; Acts 7:2-3

gave Gen 21:2-3; Ps 127:3


4
unto Isaac Gen 25:24-26

unto Esau Gen 32:3, Gen 36:8; Deut 2:5

Jacob Gen 46:1-7; Ps 105:23; Acts 7:15


5
sent Exod 3:10, Exod 4:12-13; Ps 105:26

plagued Exod. 7:1-12:51; Ps 78:43-51, Ps 105:27-36, Ps 135:8-9, Ps 136:10


6
I brought Exod 12:37, Exod 12:51; Mic 6:4

Egyptians Exod. 14:1-15:27; Neh 9:11; Ps 77:15-20, Ps 78:13, Ps 136:13-15; Isa 63:12-13; Acts 7:36; Heb 11:29


7
And when Exod 14:10

he put Exod 14:20

brought Exod 14:27-28

your eyes Exod 14:31; Deut 4:34, Deut 29:2

ye dwelt Josh 5:6; Num 14:33-34; Neh 9:12-21; Ps 95:9-10; Acts 13:17-18; Heb 3:17


8
Josh 13:10; Num 21:21-35; Deut 2:32-37, Deut 3:1-7; Neh 9:22; Ps 135:10-11; Ps 136:17-22


9
Num 22:5, Num 22:6-21; Deut 23:4-5; Judg 11:25; Mic 6:5


10
Num 22:11-12, Num 22:18-20, Num 22:35, Num 23:3-12, Num 23:15-26, Num 24:5-10; Isa 54:17


11
And ye Josh 3:14-17, Josh 4:10-12, Josh 4:23; Ps 114:3, Ps 114:5

the men Josh 6:1-27, 10:1-11:23; Neh 9:24-25; Ps 78:54-55, Ps 105:44; Acts 7:45, Acts 13:19


12
I sent Exod 23:28; Deut 7:20

not Ps 44:3-6


13
And I Josh 21:45

cities Josh 11:13; Deut 6:10-12, Deut 8:7; Prov 13:22


14
fear Deut 10:12; 1Sam 12:24; Job 1:1, Job 28:28; Ps 111:10, Ps 130:4; Hos 3:5; Acts 9:31

serve Josh 24:23; Gen 17:1, Gen 20:5-6; Deut 18:13; 2Kgs 20:3; Ps 119:1, Ps 119:80; Luke 8:15; John 4:23-24; 2Cor 1:12; Eph 6:24; Phil 1:10

put From this exhortation of Joshua, we not only learn that the Israelites still retained some relics of idolatry, but to what gods they were attached.

1. Those whom their fathers worshipped on the other side of the food, or the river Euphrates, i.e., the gods of the Chaldeans, fire, light, the sun, etc.

2. Those of the Egyptians, Apis, Anubis, serpents, vegetables, etc.

3. Those of the Amorites, Moabites, Canaanites, etc., Baal-peor, Astarte, etc.

How astonishing is it, that after all that God had done for them, and all the miracles they had seen, there should still be found among them both idols and idolaters! Josh 24:2, Josh 24:23; Gen 35:2; Exod 20:3-4; Lev 17:7; Ezra 9:11; Ezek 20:18; Amos 5:25-26

in Egypt Ezek 20:7-8, Ezek 23:3


15
choose Ruth 1:15-16; 1Kgs 18:21; Ezek 20:39; John 6:67

whether the gods Josh 24:14

or the gods Exod 23:24, Exod 23:32-33, Exod 34:15; Deut 13:7, Deut 29:18; Judg 6:10

as for me Gen 18:19; Ps 101:2, Ps 119:106, Ps 119:111-112; John 6:68; Acts 11:23


16
1Sam 12:23; Rom 3:6, Rom 6:2; Heb 10:38-39


17
Josh 24:5-14; Exod 19:4; Deut 32:11-12; Isa 46:4, Isa 63:7-14; Amos 2:9-10


18
will we also Exod 10:2, Exod 15:2; Ps 116:16; Mic 4:2; Zech 8:23; Luke 1:73-75


19
Ye cannot Josh 24:23; Ruth 1:15; Matt 6:24; Luke 14:25-33

holy Lev 10:3, Lev 19:2; 1Sam 6:20; Ps 99:5, Ps 99:9; Isa 5:16, Isa 6:3-5, Isa 30:11, Isa 30:15; Hab 1:13

a jealous Exod 20:5, Exod 34:14; 1Cor 10:20-22

he will not Exod 23:21, Exod 34:7; 1Sam 3:14; 2Chr 36:16; Isa 27:11


20
he will turn Josh 23:12-15; 1Chr 28:9; 2Chr 15:2; Ezra 8:22; Isa 1:28, Isa 63:10, Isa 65:11-12; Jer 17:13; Ezek 18:24; Acts 7:42; Heb 10:26-27, Heb 10:38


21
Nay Exod 19:8, Exod 20:19, Exod 24:3, Exod 24:7; Deut 5:27-28, Deut 26:17; Isa 44:5


22
Ye are witnesses Ye have been sufficiently apprised of the difficulties in your way - of God's holiness, and the nature of his service - your own weakness, inconstancy, and insufficiency - your need of the Divine help, and the hope of assistance held out in the law - and the awful consequences of apostasy, and now ye make your choice. Remember then that ye are witnesses against yourselves; and your own conscience will be witness, judge, and executioner. Deut 26:17; Job 15:6; Luke 19:22

ye have Ps 119:11, Ps 119:173; Luke 10:42


23
put away Josh 24:14; Gen 35:2-4; Exod 20:23; Judg 10:15-16; 1Sam 7:3-4; Hos 14:2-3, Hos 14:8; 1Cor 10:19-21; 2Cor 6:16-18

incline Prov 2:2; Heb 12:28-29


24
Deut 5:28-29


25
made Exod 15:25, Exod 24:3, Exod 24:7-8; Deut 5:2-3, Deut 29:1, Deut 29:10-15; 2Kgs 11:17; 2Chr 15:12, 2Chr 15:15; 2Chr 23:16, 2Chr 29:10, 2Chr 34:29-32; Neh 9:38, Neh 10:28-29

in Shechem Josh 24:1, Josh 24:26


26
Joshua Exod 24:4; Deut 31:24-26

took Judg 9:6

set it Josh 4:3-9, Josh 4:20-24; Gen 28:18-22

under Gen 35:4, Gen 35:8; Judg 9:6


27
A curious coincidence of circumstances is related by Livy, the Roman historian. He writes that "when three ambassadors were sent from Rome to complain of the perfidious conduct of the Aqui, the General informed them, that they might deliver their message to an oak which shaded his tent." On this one of the ambassadors turning away, said, "This venerable oak, and all the gods, shall know that you have violated the peace; they shall now hear our complaints; and may they also soon be witnesses, when we revenge with our arms the violation of divine and human rights." It is worthy of remark that Joshua merely set up a pillar under an oak - the one, perhaps, to protect the other; while the General directed the ambassadors to address the oak, perhaps with an idolatrous feeling that they were addressing one of the gods, who would aid his cause; while the Roman ambassadors caught the feeling, and really invoked the aid of the oak and the gods.

Josh 22:27-28, Josh 22:34; Gen 31:44-52; Deut 4:26, Deut 30:19, Deut 31:19, Deut 31:21, Deut 31:26; 1Sam 7:12

it hath Deut 32:1; Isa 1:2; Hab 2:11; Luke 19:40

deny Job 31:23; Prov 30:9; Matt 10:33; 2Tim 2:12-13; Titus 1:16; Rev 3:8


28
Judg 2:6


29
after these Deut 34:5; Judg 2:8; Ps 115:17; 2Tim 4:7-8; Rev 14:13

an hundred Gen 50:22, Gen 50:26


30
Timnathserah Josh 19:50; Judg 2:9

Gaash 2Sam 23:30


31
served Deut 31:29; Judg 2:7; 2Chr 24:2, 2Chr 24:17-18; Acts 20:29; Phil 2:12

overlived Joshua Heb. prolonged their days after Joshua, which had. Deut 11:2, Deut 11:7, Deut 31:13


32
bones Gen 50:25; Exod 13:19; Acts 7:16; Heb 11:22

buried Gen 33:19, Gen 48:22

pieces of silver or, lambs


33
Eleazar Josh 14:1; Exod 6:23, Exod 6:25; Num 3:32, Num 20:26-28

died Job 30:23; Ps 49:10; Isa 57:1-2; Zech 1:5; Acts 13:36; Heb 7:24; Heb 9:26-27

Phinehas Judg 20:28


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