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The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 23:14
And not one thing hath failed thereof. This is a good instance of the habit of repetition so common to Hebrew writers. It is to be remembered that they had no italics, no stops, and, owing to the want of copiousness in…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 23:15
All good things. Literally, all the good word. That is to say, the prophecies of good had been fulfilled. Joshua uses this as an argument that the evil also will not fail to follow, if Israel provoke God to inflict it.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 23:15
Threats as true as promises. There are those who deny God's threats of punishment the same validity which they ascribe to His promises of blessing. Joshua here ascribes equal certainty to both. I. GOD MUST BE TRUE TO HI…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 23:16
Transgressed. The English is the precise equivalent of the Hebrew, which signifies to "pass over," with the idea of going beyond bounds which had previously been prescribed in the covenant between God and His people. Ot…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 23:24
The old man eloquent. With much in the detail of these chapters which is of interest, the final farewell of Joshua is worthy of our study in its entirety. The dignity and serenity of saintly ripeness, the vigour of his…
Matthew Henry on Joshua 24:1-14
We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done. If he lengthen out our days beyond what we expected, like those of Joshua, it is because he has some further service for us to do. He who aims at the sam…
Joshua's Farewell Address to Israel. (b. c. 1427.)
JOSHUA'S FAREWELL ADDRESS TO ISRAEL. (B. C. 1427.) Joshua thought he had taken his last farewell of Israel in the solemn charge he gave them in the foregoing chapter, when he said, I go the way of all the earth; but God…
Matthew Henry on Joshua 24:15-28
It is essential that the service of God's people be performed with a willing mind. For LOVE is the only genuine principle whence all acceptable service of God can spring. The Father seeks only such to worship him, as wo…
Matthew Henry on Joshua 24:15-28
Never was any treaty carried on with better management, nor brought to a better issue, than this of Joshua with the people, to engage them to serve God. The manner of his dealing with them shows him to have been in earn…
Matthew Henry on Joshua 24:29-33
Joseph died in Egypt, but gave commandment concerning his bones, that they should not rest in their grave till Israel had rest in the land of promise. Notice also the death and burial of Joshua, and of Eleazar the chief…
The Death of Joshua. (b. c. 1427.)
THE DEATH OF JOSHUA. (B. C. 1427.) This book, which began with triumphs, here ends with funerals, by which all the glory of man is stained. We have here 1. The burial of Joseph, Joshua 24:32. He died about 200 years bef…
Matthew Henry on Judges 1:1-8
The Israelites were convinced that the war against the Canaanites was to be continued; but they were in doubt as to the manner in which it was to be carried on after the death of Joshua. In these respects they inquired…
Judah Attacks the Canaanites; The Punishment of Adoni-bezek. (b. c. 1425.)
JUDAH ATTACKS THE CANAANITES; THE PUNISHMENT OF ADONI-BEZEK. (B. C. 1425.) Here, I. The children of Israel consult the oracle of God for direction which of all the tribes should first attempt to clear their country of t…
Matthew Henry on Judges 1:9-20
The Canaanites had iron chariots; but Israel had God on their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels, Ps 68:17. Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith. About Caleb we read in Jos 15:16–19. Th…
Conquests of Judah. (b. c. 1425.)
CONQUESTS OF JUDAH. (B. C. 1425.) We have here a further account of that glorious and successful campaign which Judah and Simeon made. 1. The lot of Judah was pretty well cleared of the Canaanites, yet not thoroughly. T…
Matthew Henry on Judges 1:21-36
The people of Israel were very careless of their duty and interest. Owing to slothfulness and cowardice, they would not be at the pains to complete their conquests. It was also owing to their covetousness: they were wil…
The Israelites Mixed with the Canaanites. (b. c. 1425.)
THE ISRAELITES MIXED WITH THE CANAANITES. (B. C. 1425.) We are here told upon what terms the rest of the tribes stood with the Canaanites that remained. I. Benjamin neglected to drive the Jebusites out of that part of t…
Matthew Henry on Judges 2:1-5
It was the great Angel of the covenant, the Word, the Son of God, who spake with Divine authority as Jehovah, and now called them to account for their disobedience. God sets forth what he had done for Israel, and what h…
An Angel Rebukes the Israelites. (b. c. 1425.)
AN ANGEL REBUKES THE ISRAELITES. (B. C. 1425.) It was the privilege of Israel that they had not only a law in general sent them from heaven, once for all, to direct them into and keep them in the way of happiness, but t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Judges 2:1-6
EXPOSITION It is often extremely difficult to make out the sequence of a Hebrew narrative, the narrator going back and travelling over the same ground in respect of time which he had already traversed, in order to intro…
Matthew Henry on Judges 2:6-23
We have a general idea of the course of things in Israel, during the time of the Judges. The nation made themselves as mean and miserable by forsaking God, as they would have been great and happy if they had continued f…
The Idolatry of the Israelites. (b. c. 1425.)
THE IDOLATRY OF THE ISRAELITES. (B. C. 1425.) The beginning of this paragraph is only a repetition of what account we had before of the people's good character during the government of Joshua, and of his death and buria…
The Pulpit Commentary on Judges 2:7-13
EXPOSITION 2:7 And the people served, etc. This verse is the epitome of the religious history of Israel from the time of the expostulation of the angel till the dying off of all those who had been elders in the time of…
The Pulpit Commentary on Judges 2:14-23
EXPOSITION 2:14, 2:15 The anger of the Lord, etc. These verses contain an awful view of the wrath of God excited by wilful sin, and are a practical illustration of Exodus 20:5 : "I am a jealous God." Compare Psalms 79:5…