Bible Commentaries

In the Hebrew division of the Scriptures after the Torah or Law came the Prophets, divided into the Earlier Prophets and the Later Prophets. In this section the first Book is the Book of Joshua. Its content is a continuation of the history of the chosen people. The first division (1-12) tells the story of the conquest of the land.

The link of connection between this Book and the preceding ones is arrestingly shown in the use of the word "therefore," in the charge to Joshua; "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise." The work of the great leader was completed, but the work of God moves forward. For this Joshua was divinely commissioned. His right of entrance was that God had given the land to His people. His power of entrance was to be that of the divine presence and the consequent inability of any man to stand against him. The conditions of his success were to be that he must be strong and courageous by obedience to the law of God.

Immediately following the account of this commission of Joshua we have his call to the people. It was characterized by urgency and dispatch; "within three days" the hosts were to move forward toward all the conflict and di5culty which had long ago frightened their fathers and turned them back into the wilderness. The call was uttered first to the whole nation and then especially to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, who had already found their settlement on the wilderness side of the Jordan.

It is interesting to notice here the terms of the response of the people to the call of the new leader. They said "Only Jehovah thy God be with thee, as He was with Moses" (verse Joshua 1:17); "only be strong and of a good courage" (verse Joshua 1:18). The people thus made the same demand on Joshua as Jehovah Himself had already made.