Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 23:12
Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, [even] these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
12. if ye do ] “If ye do in any wise turn back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, these that remain with you, and make marriages with them, and ye come among them, and they among you, know for a certainty that the protection of the Almighty will fail you, and His arm will no more give you success against them.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 12. Else if ye do – go back] The soldier who draws back when going to meet the enemy, forfeits his life. These were the Lord’s soldiers, and if they drew back they drew back unto perdition, their lives being forfeited by their infidelity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If ye go back, from God, and from his worship and service.
Go in unto them; the phrase notes the matrimonial act.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12, 13. Else if ye do in any wise goback, and cleave unto the remnant of these nationsAs marriageconnections with the idolatrous Canaanites would present many andstrong temptations to transgress it, these were strictly prohibited(Exo 34:12-16; Deu 7:3).With his eye, as it were, upon those prohibitions, Joshua threatensthem with the certain withdrawal of the divine aid in the furtherexpulsion of the Canaanites (a threat founded Exo 23:33;Num 33:55; Deu 7:16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Else if ye do in any wise go back,…. From the Lord and his worship, from his word and ordinances:
and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, [even] those that remain among you; in cities not taken, or in several which the Philistines were in possession of, or lived among them as tributaries to them, if they should take to them, and be free and familiar with them, which may lead on to nearer connections in civil and religious matters:
and shall make marriages with them; marry their daughters to the sons of Canaanites, or admit the daughters of Canaanites to be married to their sons:
and go in unto them, and they to you; which is expressive of the consummation of marriage, and of the performance of the conjugal duty,
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Warning, vs. 12-13
What Joshua is telling the Israelites at this time is a short reiteration of what Moses told them in his long farewells in the Book of Deuteronomy. If Israel should fail to cling to the Lord and should instead cling to the pagan people in the land and their gods all would be lost. They are especially warned against falling in love with the Canaanites and entering marriage relationships with them. This would be a most dangerous thing, for it would entice them to forsake the true God to please the wife of husband worshipper of the false gods. God expected His people to marry among their own people, (2Co 6:14).
The result of this will not be a mere threat on God’s part, but will be an absolute certainty. It will abrogate the Lord’s promise to drive out the nations before them. If the people begin to live like the pagan Canaanites, then the Lord will leave these people to whom they have turned among them. These will then be the source of much irritation and frustration, ultimately bring upon them much heartache and sorrow. They and their false ways of worship will ensnare, trap, and whip the people of Israel, and they will be destroyed and driven from the land. The land of milk and honey would expel them as it had the wicked Canaanites before them.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12. Else if you do in any wise go back, etc According to the usual method observed in the Law, he adds threatening, in order that if they are not sufficiently allured by the divine goodness, they may be aroused by fear to the performance of their duty. It is, indeed, disgraceful for men, when God graciously condescends to invite them, not at once to run forward and meet the invitation by prompt and alert obedience; but such is the lethargy of the flesh, that it always requires to be stimulated by threats. Joshua, therefore, adopts the usual method of the Law, while he reminds the Israelites of the terrors of the Lord, provided they do not of their own accord embrace his offered favor. Moreover, it is not once only that, he sets before them the denunciation that the nations of Canaan will be scourges to their sides and thorns in their eyes if they become familiar with them. First, inasmuch as God had consecrated the land to himself, he wished it to be purged of all impurities; and secondly, inasmuch as he saw how prone the people were to be corrupted by bad example, he wished also to provide a remedy for this evil. Then, while on the one hand the people counted it as nothing that the land should be contaminated by impious superstitions, and that idols should be worshipped in it instead of the true God, and on the other hand, eagerly contracted contagion from their vices, it was only a just punishment of this gross contempt that they should experience molestation and hostility from those whom they had improperly (191) spared.
That the threatening which both Moses and Joshua thus denounced were openly accomplished, is but too plain from the Book of Judges. And yet this promulgation of the divine vengeance was not altogether useless; for after Joshua was dead, they became courageous enough to engage in war. Their ardor, however, proved evanescent, (192) and they shortly after were initiated in nefarious Gentile rites. Hence, we perceive in the human mind an intemperate longing for perverse worship, a longing which no curbs are able to restrain.
It is now proper to consider how far this doctrine is applicable to us. It is true a special command was given to the ancient people to destroy the nations of Canaan, and keep aloof from all profane defilement’s. To us, in the present day, no certain region marks out our precise boundaries; nor are we armed with the sword to slay all the ungodly; we have only to beware of allowing ourselves to become involved in fellowship with wickedness, by not keeping at a sufficient distance from it. For it is almost impossible, if we mingle with it, spontaneously to avoid receiving some spot or blemish. But this point having been elsewhere expounded, I now merely advert to it in passing.
(191) Latin, “ Male.” French, “ A tort et contre leur devoir;” “Wrongfully and contrary to their duty.” — Ed.
(192) Latin, “ Verum evanidus fuit fervor ille.” French, “ Mais c’a este un feu de paille comme on dit: car leur ardeur n’a gueres dure;” “But it was a fire of straw, as it is called; for their ardor was not durable.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Warnings of Punishments for Disobedience Jos. 23:12-16
12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
13 Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.
14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the Lord your God promised you; so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.
16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
12.
What was the special danger posed by the remaining nations? Jos. 23:12
Joshua foresaw the day when the Israelites would intermarry with those among whom they dwelt. When they did this, he knew they could no longer remain a separate and peculiar people devoted completely to God. There would then be the danger of their making mention of the names of the gods of the Canaanites and swearing by them. Eventually they would serve them and bow down to them (Jos. 23:7). Such a state of idolatry would mean that they would perish from off the good land which the Lord their God had given to them. Moses had forbade such a condition of intermarriage as he spoke to the Israelites in his day and said, neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son (Deu. 7:3).
13.
What was the way of all the earth? Jos. 23:14
This was another way for Joshua to say that he was nearing the end of his earthly sojourn. The day of his death was at hand in his estimation. He knew that he was old and stricken in years and that his term of service could not be much longer. This fact made it imperative for him to give these final exhortations to the people among whom he had worked and served.
14.
What evil things would the Israelites suffer if they disobeyed God? Jos. 23:15
Moses had warned that God would send a terror, consumption, and burning ague among the people if they disobeyed God (Lev. 26:16). He further predicted that they would sow their seed in vain. In addition, he foresaw the land being overrun by wild beasts which would rob them of their children, destroy their cattle, make them few in number, and cause their highways to be desolate (Lev. 26:22). Moses had later pronounced five curses upon the peoplein the city, in the field, of basket and store, fruit of body and of land, and increase of kine and flocks. In short, he saw them being completely devoid of Gods blessings (Deu. 28:15-16). Joshua must have had a similar God-forsaken condition in mind when he warned his people about the results of disobedience. He said that they would be destroyed from off the good land which God had given them.
15.
What covenant had the Lord commanded? Jos. 23:16
The Old Testament was Gods covenant with the people of Israel. The epitome of its provisions was in the Ten Commandments. These people had received this covenant at Mount Sinai and had agreed to live by it. When they broke their part of the covenant, God could only punish them for their disobedience. The terrible prospect of their losing the Promised Land was held before them, Joshua wanted to encourage them to be faithful to Gods covenant, for this would insure their remaining in the land they had received as an inheritance.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(12,13) if ye . . . make marriages with them . . . the Lord your God will no more drive out.The common-sense of this warning is manifest. The God of Israel cannot treat as His enemies those whom Israel has united with itself, unless He also makes war on Israel. It was a long time before Israel learned the lesson how to live in the world without being of the world. It was not learnt until after the Babylonish captivity, and when learnt, it soon developed into a Pharisaical exclusiveness, which produced the very opposite effect to that which the law was intended to have.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Make marriages This most intimate form of alliance was forbidden in Exo 34:12-16, as a precaution against temptation. Thus Christians are forbidden to wed infidels or pagans. 2Co 6:14. The affections largely determine religious opinions and practice. The heart makes theology.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ Or else if you in any way go back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, those who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you, know for a certainty that YHWH your God will no more drive out these nations from before you, but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides, and a thorn in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land, which YHWH your God has given you.”
This was the alternative, to love the ways of Canaan, to intermarry with them, to trade with them, which would result in the destruction of their morality and of their faith. This was no idle threat. The Canaanites were a degraded people whose perversions and sexual excesses were a byword. To associate with them would finally result in becoming like them. Thus when we read that ‘they subjected them to tribute (or put them to taskwork) but did not drive them out’ (Jos 16:10; Jos 17:13; Jdg 1:28-30; Jdg 1:32) our hearts grow cold, for we know that it is the beginning of their downfall. And we are not surprised at what follows. Indeed the only thing that surprises us is that God did not desert them completely.
“Cleave to the remnant of those nations, those who remain among you.” The phrase stresses that the speaker is aware of the way they have decimated the Canaanites in their various battles (‘the remnant of those nations’), but warns that he is aware of how dangerous such a remnant can be when they are as sinful as the Canaanites. It was not enough to win the battles, they must win the war, and that involved a total driving out of the Canaanites. They were not fit to be lived among. See Exo 34:12-15.
“And make marriages with them.” Compare Exo 34:16; Deu 7:3-4. See also Num 25:1-2; 1Ki 11:1-8 for practical examples.
“And go in to them, and they to you.” Sharing companionship and relationship both in daily life and in trade. The result would be that they learned their ways and listened to their advice, and that would destroy them. How often would a Canaanite point out that if only they paid heed to Baal and made some kind of offering to him, their lands would be more fruitful and the rain would be more plentiful, for he was the god of rain and of the land. In times of drought that would seem an attractive option and it would lead into the degradations of Baalism.
“Know for a certainty that YHWH your God will no more drive out these nations from before you, but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides, and a thorn in your eyes,.” This vivid description pictures accurately what the Canaanites would become to them with their sophisticated ways and their perverted immorality, and the moment that Israel began to compromise with them they sealed their own doom. God would no longer be active on their behalf. His promises depended on cooperation. However in the last analysis God would fulfil His promises, for in the end they depended on His grace and not man’s deserving, and it would be by bringing about cooperation, but if they were unfaithful now that would be in the distant future.
“A snare and a trap”, and they walked into it as Samson walked in to Delilah. When it comes to morality compromise is fatal. That is why Paul said to Timothy, ‘flee youthful desires’ (2Ti 2:22). Do not stand and fight them, run!
These vivid pictures are mainly taken from Exo 23:33; Exo 34:12; Deu 7:16; Num 33:55. Joshua knew the Law well. The word for ‘scourge’ is used uniquely here and its meaning is uncertain, but it was clearly something unpleasant and is related to a word for whip (1Ki 12:11; 1Ki 12:14). LXX ‘nails in your heels’ is probably a guess. ‘A thorn in your eyes.’ Something pointed which pierces and therefore a thorn (Job 5:5; Pro 22:5), or possibly a hook or barb (Amo 4:2). But the idea is clear, they will cause grief and anguish.
“Until you perish from off this good land, which YHWH your God has given you.” It was the Canaanites who should perish off ‘this good land’ (Deu 7:20) but if Israel failed to obey God’s Law they would bring the curse on themselves (Deu 28:20; Deu 28:22). They were only sacrosanct because they were His people, and they must show it by their lives.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 12, 13. Else if ye do in any wise go back, &c. “But if, on the contrary, ye are capable of starting aside from God, and of giving way in any manner to idolatry; if ye cleave unto these nations, and communicate with them in their errors; if ye enter into any alliances, or mix yourselves with them by the tie of marriage; know, most assuredly, that from thenceforward the Lord will cease to drive out these nations, and to give you their inheritance; nay, they shall be snares and traps in your way. They shall subsist for your punishment, to be to you an occasion of falling and of sin; and continually more and more to draw you into their abominations: they shall be as scourges in your sides, as a whip, as a rod in the hand of Providence, grievously to wound and oppress you; and as thorns in your eyes, to afflict you; while, losing the favour of God, you shall finally draw down upon your heads the utmost inflictions of misery.”
Further Reflections.
In order to preserve them from that state of apostacy from God, which, with prophetic foresight, he justly apprehended,
1. Joshua exhorts them to take heed, and keep themselves in the love of God; carelessness about his service would quickly bring ruin on their souls, and nothing can preserve them from falling away, but a principle of love engaging their hearts to God. Note; (1.) When we are surrounded with Canaanites, temptations on every side, we need constantly watch and pray. (2.) The love of God is the great preservative from all evil.
2. He reminds them of God’s faithfulness, as the most powerful motive to engage their love; nothing had failed of all his promises, therefore they were inexcusable if they forsook him. Note; God is faithful, and all who trust in him will find him so.
3. He speaks of his own departure as at hand, when his warning voice would no more be heard among them; therefore the more attentively should it be now heard and pondered. He was going the way of all the earth. Death is the journey that we all must take; the greatest of God’s saints must tread this beaten road, in their removal from time into eternity. Happy they who, like Joshua, can speak of it with satisfaction, and are ready for their great change.
4. He warns them of the danger they were in, and the ruin which would ensue, if they joined the Canaanites in their abominations. The gradual steps of their departure from God he describes, in order that, avoiding the snare, they may keep from the danger: intercourse with the Canaanites would introduce more intimate connexions; profane marriages with these idolaters then would follow, and, as the necessary consequence of being yoked with unbelievers, they would serve their idols, and thus violate the sacred covenant established between God and them. The consequence of this must be, that God, in anger, would leave them to be ensnared in their own perverseness and folly; those neighbours whom they cherished would be snakes in their bosom to sting them to death, first leading them into sin, and then bringing wrath upon them; their tempters would turn their tormentors; and God, in just judgment, would give them up to their enemies, to the utter ruin of their church and nation; and the good land, wherein they dwelt so happily, should cast them out. Note; (1.) No snare so fatal as being unequally yoked with unbelievers. (2.) It is just in God, to make them instruments in our punishment, whom we have made instruments of our sin. (3.) The mercy which sinners have rejected will aggravate their misery, and the knowledge of the bliss they have lost increase the torment they feel.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jos 23:12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, [even] these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
Ver. 12. Else, if ye do in any wise go back. ] Apostates cannot choose to themselves a worse condition; there is martial law for such: they “draw back to perdition.” Heb 10:39
And cleave unto the remnant.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Else. The Hebrew accent (Legarmeh) puts the pause or emphasis on this word, as marking the solemn alternative.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
go back: Psa 36:3, Psa 125:5, Isa 1:4, Eze 18:24, Zep 1:6, Mat 12:45, Joh 6:66, Heb 10:38, Heb 10:39, 2Pe 2:18-22, 1Jo 2:9
cleave: Gen 2:24, Gen 34:3, 1Sa 18:1-3, 1Ki 11:2, Rom 12:9
shall make: Exo 34:12-16, Deu 7:3, 1Ki 11:4, Ezr 9:1, Ezr 9:2, Ezr 9:11, Ezr 9:12, Neh 13:23-26, 2Co 6:14-17
Reciprocal: Gen 6:2 – and they Num 33:55 – shall be pricks Jos 13:13 – expelled Jos 23:5 – he shall Jos 23:7 – That ye come Jos 24:20 – he will turn 1Ki 16:31 – took to wife Ezr 10:3 – at the commandment Psa 106:34 – did not Mal 2:10 – by Mal 2:12 – cut Rom 6:12 – Let not Heb 2:1 – the more
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 23:12-13. If ye in any wise go back From God, and from his worship and service. They shall be snares and traps to you By your converse with them, you will be drawn by degrees into their errors, and impieties, and brutish lusts. Thorns in your eyes When they have seduced, and thereby weakened you, then they will molest and vex you, no less than a severe scourge doth a mans sides which are lashed by it, or than a small thorn doth the eye when it is got within it. Till ye perish They shall so persecute you, and fight against you with such success, that you shall be forced to quit your own land, and wander, you know not whither. Which must needs have been very terrible to them to think of, when they compared their present ease, and plenty, and safety, with the pains, and weariness, and hazards, and wants of their former wanderings.