Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 22:5
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
5. But take diligent heed ] “Se onli that e kepen attentifly.” Wyclif. In their natural isola tion in their eastern homes from their brethren of the west, it was above all things necessary that they should remember Him from whom their success and prosperity had proceeded. Comp. the counsels of Moses, Deu 6:6; Deu 6:17; Deu 11:22.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 5. But take diligent heed, c.] Let us examine the force of this excellent advice they must ever consider that their prosperity and continued possession of the land depended on their fidelity and obedience to God; to this they must take diligent heed.
Do the commandment] They must pay the strictest regard to every moral precept.
And the law] They must observe all the rites and ceremonies of their holy religion.
Love the Lord your God] Without an affectionate filial attachment to their Maker, duty would be irksome, grievous, and impossible.
Walk in all his ways] They must not only believe and love, but obey: walk not in your own ways, but walk in those which GOD has pointed out.
Keep his commandments] They must love him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and their neighbour as themselves.
Cleave unto him] They must be cemented to him, in a union that should never be dissolved.
Serve him] They must consider him as their Master, having an absolute right to appoint them when, where, how, and in what measure they should do his work.
With all your heart] Having all their affections and passions sanctified and united to him.
And with all your soul.] Giving up their whole life to him, and employing their understanding, judgment, and will, in the contemplation and adoration of his perfections; that their love and obedience might increase in proportion to the cultivation and improvement of their understanding.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Take diligent heed; watch over yourselves and all your actions.
The commandment and the law; two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses.
With all your heart and with all your soul; with the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,…. The ten commandments, and all other laws, both ceremonial and civil:
which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you; in the name of the Lord, to keep and observe:
to love the Lord your God; of which keeping the commands of God is an evidence, and which is the true principle and motive of hearty, sincere, and cheerful obedience to them:
and to walk in all his ways; which he has prescribed, all his ways of worship, paths of duty, faith, truth, holiness, and righteousness:
and to keep his commandments; whether moral, ceremonial, or judicial: whether of natural and moral obligation, or of positive institution:
and to cleave unto him; and not depart from his ways, worship, word, and ordinances:
and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul: in the most strict and affectionate manner. This advice Joshua thought proper to give them, and inculcate into them, now they were about to leave their brethren, and go on the other side Jordan; where they would be at a distance from the tabernacle, altar, and service of God, and might be under temptation to relinquish it, and set up another form of worship elsewhere.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. But take diligent heed, etc He thus releases and frees them from temporary service, that he may bind them for ever to the authority of the one true God. He therefore permits them to return home, but on the condition that wherever they may be they are to be the soldiers of God; and he at the same time prescribes the mode, namely, the observance of his Law. But since such is the vanity and inconstancy of the human mind, that religion easily fades away from the heart, while carelessness and contempt creep in, he requires of them zeal and diligence in executing the Law. He calls it the Law of Moses, that they may not be carried to and fro by airy speculations, but remain fixed in the doctrine which they had learned from the faithful servant of God. He touches also on the end and sum of the Law, love to God, and adherence to him, because outward worship would otherwise be of little value. He confirms the same thing by other words, by which sincerity is denoted, namely, serving the Lord with their whole heart and soul.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
5. And the law The Torah. In note on chap. Jos 1:8, we have shown that the Torah was already called a book. We have in this verse grounds for inferring that there was more than one copy. The Eastern tribes could not have been commanded to take diligent heed to obey the Torah if they were now to be excluded from its constant perusal.
With all your heart and with all your soul The words heart and soul indicate the affectional and emotional nature, and are used to intensify the exhortation to sincere and heartfelt obedience unto Jehovah. As if foreseeing the decay of national feeling which the separation of the deep trench of the Jordan would tend to create, Joshua tenderly and earnestly presses upon the departing tribes the duty of a faithful study of the law and a scrupulous obedience to its requirements. He well knew that the Hebrew could be a patriot only as he was an Israelite indeed; a lover of his nation only as a lover of his nation’s God. With a clear vision did Joshua see that both individual and national prosperity must arise from obedience to the moral law. The redundancy of the language evinces the intense earnestness of the great leader.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you, to love YHWH your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave to him, and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul.’
Here Joshua was charging them with the necessity for diligent obedience to the covenant of YHWH (Deu 4:9). They had ‘to love — to walk — to keep — to cleave — to serve’. A right response of heart, obedient steps, meditation on His word, holding tightly to Him and doing His will. Compare Deu 10:12 ‘to fear — to walk — to love — to serve.’ Deu 11:22 ‘to love — to walk — to cleave’. Deu 13:4 ‘walk — fear — keep — obey — serve — cleave’. Deu 19:9 ‘keep all his commandment to do it, — to love YHWH your God — to walk ever in His ways’. Thus Joshua was repeating and enlarging on the words he had heard from Moses.
Covenant love for God was central to the faith of Israel (Deu 6:5). Their thought and worship must be focused on Him. But their especially distinctive idea was that of walking in His ways, in morality and obedience to His Law. They knew that God cared how they lived towards their fellow man because it was a part of the essential covenant. And it was one way by which they revealed their covenant love for Him, by keeping in their hearts and in their minds His commandments. To ‘cleave to Him’ was a warning against being led astray by the gods of the nations. To ‘serve Him’ summed up the whole covenant, especially in worship. Thus Joshua was urging them to be faithful to the tribal covenant that bound the tribes together and to their responsibilities with regard to worship at the central sanctuary at present at Shiloh. This was especially important in view of their distance from it.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
How very sweet it is to behold the uniform attention of God’s servants to his glory. Joshua will not suffer the people to depart without once more putting them in remembrance of the first, and best, and greatest of all concerns. So, blessed God, may the sweet remembrancer of Christ Jesus, continually remind me of my engagements to the Redeemer. I would pray for grace to cleave unto him, for he is my life.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Ver. 5. But take diligent heed to do the commandment. ] He had commended them before for this, that they had “kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord their God,” Jos 22:3 but he would have them to “abound more and more.” 1Th 4:1 1Jn 5:13
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6) in this verse.
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
take: Exo 15:26, Deu 4:1, Deu 4:2, Deu 4:6, Deu 4:9, Deu 6:6-9, Deu 6:17, Deu 11:22, 1Ch 28:7, 1Ch 28:8, Psa 106:3, Psa 119:4-6, Pro 4:23, Isa 55:2, Jer 12:16, Heb 6:11, Heb 6:12, Heb 12:15, 2Pe 1:5-10
love: Exo 20:6, Deu 6:5, Deu 10:12, Deu 10:13, Deu 11:1, Deu 11:13, Mat 22:37, Joh 14:15, Joh 14:21-23, Joh 21:15-17, Rom 8:28, Jam 1:12, Jam 2:5, 1Jo 5:2, 1Jo 5:3
cleave: Jos 23:8, Deu 4:4, Deu 10:20, Deu 13:4, Act 11:23, Rom 12:9
serve: Jos 24:14, Jos 24:15, 1Sa 7:3, 1Sa 12:20, 1Sa 12:24, Mat 4:10, Mat 6:24, Luk 1:74, Joh 12:26, Act 27:23, Rom 1:9
Reciprocal: Exo 23:13 – be circumspect Exo 23:25 – And ye Num 32:18 – General Deu 26:17 – and to Jos 23:11 – Take good 1Ki 2:3 – And keep 2Ch 19:6 – Take
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 22:5. Take diligent heed Watch over yourselves and all your actions. Commandment and law Two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses. All your heart and soul With the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to {c} love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
(c) He shows where fulfilling the Law consists.