Bible Commentaries
Joshua 23

Verse 3

23:3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations {a} because of you; for the LORD your God [is] he that hath fought for you.

(a) Your eyes bearing witness.

Verse 5

23:5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel {b} 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.

(b) Which yet remain and are not overcome, as in Joshua 13:2.

Verse 7

23:7 That ye come not among these nations, these that {c} remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, {d} nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

(c) And not yet subdued.

(d) Let not the judges admit an oath which any shall swear by their idols.

Verse 13

23:13 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 {e} eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

(e) Meaning, they will be a continual grief to you, and so the cause of your destruction.

Verse 14

23:14 And, behold, this day I [am] {f} going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your {g} 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.

(f) I die according to the course of nature.

(g) Most certainly.

Verse 16

23:16 When ye have {h} 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.

(h) He shows that no evil can come to man, except he offend God by disobedience.