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Bible Commentaries
Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible Coke's Commentary
- Joshua
by Thomas Coke
THE BOOK of JOSHUA.
THE book of Joshua seems to have been written after the time of Joshua; because in chap. Jos 16:10 it is said, they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day. But it was written before the time of Solomon; because 1 Kings 9:16 it is said, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had taken Gezer, and burned it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife. This book, according to Abarbanel, was written by Samuel; and a further proof that it was written after Joshua's time, is chap. Joshua 4:9; Joshua 19:47. The allotment of the Danites, there mentioned, was after Joshua's time. See Judges 18:0. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law, chap. Jos 24:26 is an addition. The book might very properly be called Joshua, from the hero of it, though it was not immediately penned by him; and there can arise no objection against it, whether it was written by Samuel, Ezra, or any other inspired writer. But for a full discussion of the question, we refer to Calmet's Preliminary Dissertation, and to Allix on the sacred Scriptures.
