Chapter 49—The Last Words of Joshua
This chapter is based on
Joshua 23
and
24
.
The wars and conquest ended, Joshua had withdrawn to the peace-
ful retirement of his home at Timnath-serah. “And it came to pass, a
long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their
enemies round about, that Joshua ... called for all Israel, and for their
elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers.”
Some years had passed since the people had settled in their pos-
sessions, and already could be seen cropping out the same evils that
had heretofore brought judgments upon Israel. As Joshua felt the
infirmities of age stealing upon him, and realized that his work must
soon close, he was filled with anxiety for the future of his people. It
was with more than a father’s interest that he addressed them, as they
gathered once more about their aged chief. “Ye have seen,” he said,
“all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of
you; for the Lord your God is He that hath fought for you.” Although
the Canaanites had been subdued, they still possessed a considerable
portion of the land promised to Israel, and Joshua exhorted his people
not to settle down at ease and forget the Lord’s command to utterly
dispossess these idolatrous nations.
The people in general were slow to complete the work of driving
out the heathen. The tribes had dispersed to their possessions, the
army had disbanded, and it was looked upon as a difficult and doubtful
undertaking to renew the war. But Joshua declared: “The Lord your
God, He shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of
your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath
promised unto you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to
do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not
aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.”
[522]
Joshua appealed to the people themselves as witnesses that, so far
as they had complied with the conditions, God had faithfully fulfilled
His promises to them. “Ye know in all your hearts and in all your
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