Joshua chapter 1
with Yair Davidiy
This is a new feature in addition to our existing ones. We will try to go
through the historical books of the Bible (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings,
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah). This should add depth to our ongoing studies
of Prophecy which we are continuing. We probably will not go into this study
too deeply but the knowledge and increased familiarity with these sources
is worth obtaining.
[Joshua 1:1] NOW AFTER THE DEATH OF MOSES THE SERVANT
OF THE LORD IT CAME TO PASS, THAT THE LORD SPAKE UNTO JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN,
MOSES' MINISTER, SAYING,
Moses was from the Tribe of Levi and Joshua from Ephraim. Most of Levi
eventually moved to Judah. The combination of Moses and Joshua therefore is
connected to the future re-union of Judah and Israel (Ephraim) from the Lost Ten Tribes.
[Joshua 1:2] MOSES MY SERVANT IS DEAD; NOW THEREFORE
ARISE, GO OVER THIS JORDAN, THOU, AND ALL THIS PEOPLE, UNTO THE LAND WHICH
I DO GIVE TO THEM, EVEN TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
[Joshua 1:3] EVERY PLACE THAT THE SOLE OF YOUR FOOT SHALL TREAD UPON, THAT HAVE I GIVEN UNTO YOU, AS I SAID UNTO MOSES.
[Joshua 1:4] FROM THE WILDERNESS AND THIS LEBANON EVEN UNTO THE GREAT
RIVER, THE RIVER EUPHRATES, ALL THE LAND OF THE HITTITES, AND UNTO THE GREAT
SEA TOWARD THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, SHALL BE YOUR COAST.
From the Nile to the Euphrates. <<ALL THE LAND
OF THE HITTITES>>: One theory (supported by archaeological evidence
and the names of places in Classical Literature) says that this includes
most of present-day Turkey.
[Joshua 1:5] THERE SHALL NOT ANY MAN BE ABLE TO STAND
BEFORE THEE ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE: AS I WAS WITH MOSES, SO I WILL BE WITH
THEE: I WILL NOT FAIL THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE.
God will be with him in his mission of conquering the Land.
He on his part must not fear but strive to the utmost to fulfill his duty.
[Joshua 1:6] BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE:
FOR UNTO THIS PEOPLE SHALT THOU DIVIDE FOR AN INHERITANCE THE LAND, WHICH
I SWARE UNTO THEIR FATHERS TO GIVE THEM.
The Land was to be divided unto all the Tribes of Israel. Every
Tribe to receive its own portion and every clan within the Tribe its own
place and every family its section.
[Joshua 1:7] ONLY BE THOU STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS,
THAT THOU MAYEST OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THE LAW, WHICH MOSES MY SERVANT
COMMANDED THEE: TURN NOT FROM IT TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT, THAT THOU
MAYEST PROSPER WITHERSOEVER THOU GOEST.
If you keep the Torah you will prosper and be successful in every direction you turn.
[Joshua 1:8] THIS BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART
OUT OF THY MOUTH; BUT THOU SHALT MEDITATE THEREIN DAY AND NIGHT, THAT THOU
MAYEST OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN THEREIN: FOR
THEN THOU SHALT MAKE THY WAY PROSPEROUS, AND THEN THOU SHALT HAVE GOOD SUCCESS.
He was to constantly study the Holy Torah. The Kings of Israel
were also commanded to keep a copy of the Torah with them and always study
it. According to Maimonides Joshua had the status of a king.
[Joshua 1:9] HAVE NOT I COMMANDED THEE? BE STRONG AND
OF A GOOD COURAGE; BE NOT AFRAID, NEITHER BE THOU DISMAYED: FOR THE LORD
THY GOD IS WITH THEE WHITHERSOEVER THOU GOEST.
God will always be with him.
[Joshua 1:10] THEN JOSHUA COMMANDED THE OFFICERS OF THE PEOPLE, SAYING,
[Joshua 1:11] PASS THROUGH THE HOST, AND COMMAND THE PEOPLE, SAYING,
PREPARE YOU VICTUALS; FOR WITHIN THREE DAYS YE SHALL PASS OVER THIS JORDAN,
TO GO IN TO POSSESS THE LAND, WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD GIVETH YOU TO POSSESS
IT.
PREPARE YOU VICTUALS: Until then they were still receiving
manna from Heaven. When entering the Land things would be conducted more
on a natural level and the Manna would cease. They would have to live off
the land and what they conquered but before getting organized this could
take a few days.
[Joshua 1:12] AND TO THE REUBENITES, AND TO THE GADITES, AND TO HALF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH, SPAKE JOSHUA, SAYING,
These tribes received the area east of the Jordan. According
to the Malbim all the area east of the Jordan was originally meant to be
divided up amongst all the 12 tribes together with the area west of the Jordan.
The 2 and a half tribes however chose to take all the region east of the
Jordan and forgo their share to the west of it. This area east of the Jordan
was divided several times amongst the Tribes and as it expanded some sections
of the other tribes (from west of the Jordan) also settled there. Evidence
of Israelite Tribes settling along the banks of the Euphrates is provided
from the Maps of Ptolemy (and from other sources) as briefly explained in
"The Tribes" by Yair Davidiy.
[Joshua 1:13] REMEMBER THE WORD WHICH MOSES THE SERVANT
OF THE LORD COMMANDED YOU, SAYING, THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH GIVEN YOU REST,
AND HATH GIVEN YOU THIS LAND.
[Joshua 1:14] YOUR WIVES, YOUR LITTLE ONES, AND YOUR CATTLE, SHALL REMAIN
IN THE LAND WHICH MOSES GAVE YOU ON THIS SIDE JORDAN; BUT YE SHALL PASS BEFORE
YOUR BRETHREN ARMED, ALL THE MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR, AND HELP THEM;
In effect all the women and children and a portion of the men
stayed on the east side while a large frontline striking force crossed over
to assist in the conquest.
[Joshua 1:15] UNTIL THE LORD HAVE GIVEN YOUR BRETHREN
REST, AS HE HATH GIVEN YOU, AND THEY ALSO HAVE POSSESSED THE LAND WHICH THE
LORD YOUR GOD GIVETH THEM: THEN YE SHALL RETURN UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSION,
AND
ENJOY IT, WHICH MOSES THE LORD'S SERVANT GAVE YOU ON THIS SIDE JORDAN TOWARD THE SUNRISING.
[Joshua 1:16] AND THEY ANSWERED JOSHUA, SAYING, ALL THAT THOU COMMANDEST
US WE WILL DO, AND WHITHERSOEVER THOU SENDEST US, WE WILL GO.
They were prepared for any task that might be laid upon them.
[Joshua 1:17] ACCORDING AS WE HEARKENED UNTO MOSES
IN ALL THINGS, SO WILL WE HEARKEN UNTO THEE: ONLY THE LORD THY GOD
BE WITH THEE, AS HE WAS WITH MOSES.
[Joshua 1:18] WHOSOEVER HE BE THAT DOTH REBEL AGAINST THY COMMANDMENT,
AND WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO THY WORDS IN ALL THAT THOU COMMANDEST HIM, HE SHALL
BE PUT TO DEATH: ONLY BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE.
Joshua had the status of a king and whoever rebels against a lawful king may be put to death.
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