joshua-24:16-28

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:25

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day ,.... Proposing to them what was most eligible, and their duty to do, and they agreeing to it, this formally constituted a covenant, of which they selves were both parties and witnesses: and set statute and an ordinance in Shechem ; either made this covenant to have the nature of a statute and ordinance binding upon them, or repeated and renewed the laws of Moses, both moral and ceremonial, which had been delivered at Mount Sinai, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:26

And Joshua wrote these words ,.... Which had passed between him and the people: in the book of the law of God ; written by Moses, and which he ordered to be put in the side of the ark, and that being now present, the book could be easily taken out, and these words inserted in it, Deuteronomy 31:26 , and took a great stone : on which also might be inscribed the same words: and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord ; or "in it" F1 במקדש "in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:27

And Joshua said unto all the people ,.... The chief of them now gathered together, and who represented the whole body: behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us ; of the covenant now made, and the agreement entered into, as the heap of stones were between Jacob and Laban, Genesis 31:45 , for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us ; this is said by a figure called "prosopopaeia", frequent in Scripture, by which inanimate creatures are represented as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:28

So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. Dismissed them, and took his final leave and farewell of them, dying soon after; upon which they returned to the possessions and inheritances assigned by lot to the several tribes, of which they were the heads and princes. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:16

God forbid that we should forsake the Lord - That they were now sincere cannot be reasonably doubted, for they served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and the elders that outlived him, Joshua 24:31 ; but afterwards they turned aside, and did serve other gods. "It is ordinary," says Mr. Trapp, "for the many-headed multitude to turn with the stream - to be of the same religion with their superiors: thus at Rome, in Diocletian's time, they were pagans; in Constantine's... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:19

Ye cannot serve the Lord : for he is a holy God - If we are to take this literally, we cannot blame the Israelites for their defection from the worship of the true God; for if it was impossible for them to serve God, they could not but come short of his kingdom: but surely this was not the case. Instead of תוכלו לא lo thuchelu , ye Cannot serve, etc., some eminent critics read תכלו לא lo thechallu , ye shall not Cease to serve, etc. This is a very ingenious... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:21

And the people said - Nay ; but we will serve , etc. - So they understood the words of Joshua to imply no moral impossibility on their side: and had they earnestly sought the gracious assistance of God, they would have continued steady in his covenant. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:22

Ye are witnesses against yourselves - Ye have been sufficiently apprised of the difficulties in your way - of God's holiness - your own weakness and inconstancy - the need you have of Divine help, and the awful consequences of apostasy; and now ye deliberately make your choice. Remember then, that ye are witnesses against yourselves, and your own conscience will be witness, judge, and executioner; or, as one terms it, index, judex, vindex . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:23

Now therefore put away - As you have promised to reform, begin instantly the work of reformation. A man's promise to serve God soon loses its moral hold of his conscience if he do not instantaneously begin to put it in practice. The grace that enables him to promise is that by the strength of which he is to begin the performance. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:25

Joshua made a covenant - Literally, Joshua cut the covenant, alluding to the sacrifice offered on the occasion. And set then a statute and an ordinance - He made a solemn and public act of the whole, which was signed and witnessed by himself and the people, in the presence of Jehovah; and having done so, he wrote the words of the covenant in the book of the law of God, probably in some part of the skin constituting the great roll, on which the laws of God were... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:27

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:28

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:23

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 24:25

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