The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  24:6–13 Joshua reviewed the history recorded in Ex. 12 to Josh. 22.

  24:8, 15 Amorites. Sometimes this is used as a general term for the entire pagan populace (cf. v. 11) in Canaan, as elsewhere (Gen. 15:16; Judg. 1:34, 35). At other times, the name has a narrower reference to people of the hill country (Num. 13:29), distinct from others.

  24:9, 10 Balaam. See note on Josh. 13:22 about the unsavory nature of Balaam in Num. 21–25.

  24:12 I sent the hornet before you. This description, as also in Ex. 23:28, is a picturesque figure (cf. also 23:13) portraying God’s own fighting to assist Israel (23:3, 5, 10, 18). This awesome force put the enemy to flight, as the feared hornets lit. can do (Deut. 7:20, 21).

  24:15 choose…this day whom you will serve. Joshua’s fatherly model (reminiscent of Abraham’s, Gen. 18:19) was for himself and his family to serve the Lord, not false gods. He called others in Israel to this, and they committed themselves to serve the Lord also (vv. 21, 24).

  24:18 The population joined Joshua in claiming total commitment to serve the Lord (cf. Ex. 19:8).

  24:26 Book of the Law. Joshua expands the first 5 books of Moses, as the canon of revealed Scripture develops. by the sanctuary. God’s tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, was at Shiloh (21:2). The stone of witness by the holy place (sanctuary) here was at Shechem (24:1). This holy place is not a formal tent or building, but a sacred place by a tree (cf. Gen. 12:6; 35:4), as other places had significance in the past for worship to God (Gen. 21:33).

  24:29–33 Joshua…Eleazar. Three prominent leaders were buried as the conquering generation was passing on: Joseph, Joshua, and the High-Priest Eleazar.

  24:29 one hundred and ten years old. This was ca. 1383 B.C. (cf. 14:7–10).

  24:31 Faithfulness to God extended only one generation (cf. Judg. 2:6–13).

  24:32 The bones of Joseph. These had been carried by the Israelites in the Exodus (Ex. 13:19) as Joseph had made them promise (Gen. 50:25). He wanted his remains to lie in the Land of covenant pledge. So now his people laid them to rest at Shechem, in the Land God had guaranteed (Gen. 12:7).

  Joshua 1

  1:1 a Ex. 24:13; Num. 13:16; 14:6, 29, 30, 37, 38; Deut. 1:38; Acts 7:45

  1:2 b Num. 12:7; Deut. 34:5

  1:3 c Deut. 11:24; Josh. 11:23

  1:4 d Gen. 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Num. 34:3–12

  1:5 e Deut. 7:24

  1:5 f Ex. 3:12

  1:5 g Deut. 31:8, 23

  1:5 h Deut. 31:6, 7; Heb. 13:5

  1:6 i Deut. 31:7, 23

  1:6 1 give as a possession

  1:7 j Num. 27:23; Deut. 31:7; Josh. 11:15

  1:7 k Deut. 5:32

  1:7 2 have success or act wisely

  1:8 l Deut. 17:18, 19; 31:24, 26; Josh. 8:34

  1:8 m Deut. 29:9; Ps. 1:1–3

  1:8 3 you shall be constantly in

  1:9 n Deut. 31:7

  1:9 o Ps. 27:1

  1:11 p Deut. 9:1; Josh. 3:17

  1:13 q Num. 32:20–28

  1:14 4 cross over ahead of

  1:15 r Josh. 22:1–4

  1:17 s 1 Sam. 20:13; 1 Kin. 1:37

  Joshua 2

  2:1 a Num. 25:1; Josh. 3:1

  2:1 b Heb. 11:31; James 2:25

  2:1 c Matt. 1:5

  2:1 1 Heb. Shittim

  2:1 2 Lit. lay down

  2:2 d Josh. 2:22

  2:4 e 2 Sam. 17:19, 20

  2:6 f Ex. 1:17; 2 Sam. 17:19

  2:9 g Deut. 1:8

  2:9 h Gen. 35:5; Ex. 23:27; Deut. 2:25; 11:25; Josh. 9:9, 10

  2:9 i Ex. 15:15; Josh. 5:1

  2:10 j Ex. 14:21; Josh. 4:23

  2:10 k Num. 21:21–35

  2:10 l Deut. 20:17; Josh. 6:21

  2:11 m Ex. 15:14, 15

  2:11 n Josh. 5:1; 7:5; Ps. 22:14; Is. 13:7

  2:11 o Deut. 4:39

  2:12 p 1 Sam. 20:14, 15, 17

  2:12 q 1 Tim. 5:8

  2:12 r Ex. 12:13; Josh. 2:18

  2:12 3 a pledge of truth

  2:13 s Josh. 6:23–25

  2:14 t Gen. 47:29; Judg. 1:24; (Matt. 5:7)

  2:15 u Acts 9:25

  2:17 v Ex. 20:7

  2:17 4 free from obligation to this oath

  2:18 w Josh. 2:12

  2:18 x Josh. 6:23

  2:18 5 Lit. gather

  2:19 y 1 Kin. 2:32; Matt. 27:25

  2:19 6 free from obligation

  2:19 7 guilt of bloodshed

  2:20 8 free from obligation to

  2:24 z Ex. 23:31; Josh. 6:2; 21:44

  Joshua 3

  3:1 a Josh. 2:1

  3:1 1 Heb. Shittim

  3:2 b Josh. 1:10, 11

  3:3 c Num. 10:33

  3:3 d Deut. 31:9, 25

  3:3 2 carrying

  3:4 e Ex. 19:12

  3:5 f Ex. 19:10, 14, 15; Lev. 20:7; Num. 11:18; Josh. 7:13; 1 Sam. 16:5; Job 1:5; Joel 2:16

  3:5 3 Consecrate

  3:6 g Num. 4:15

  3:7 h Josh. 4:14; 1 Chr. 29:25; 2 Chr. 1:1

  3:7 i Josh. 1:5, 9

  3:7 4 make you great

  3:8 j Josh. 3:3

  3:8 k Josh. 3:17

  3:10 l Deut. 5:26; Josh. 11:23; 1 Sam. 17:26; 2 Kin. 19:4; Hos. 1:10; Matt. 16:16; 1 Thess. 1:9

  3:10 m Ex. 33:2; Deut. 7:1; 18:12; Ps. 44:2

  3:10 n Acts 13:19

  3:11 o Josh. 3:13; Job 41:11; Ps. 24:1; Mic. 4:13; Zech. 4:14; 6:5

  3:12 p Josh. 4:2, 4

  3:13 q Josh. 3:15, 16

  3:13 r Josh. 3:11

  3:13 s Ps. 78:13; 114:3

  3:14 t Ps. 132:8; Acts 7:44, 45

  3:15 u Josh. 3:13

  3:15 v 1 Chr. 12:15; Jer. 12:5; 49:19

  3:15 w Josh. 4:18; 5:10, 12

  3:16 x 1 Kin. 4:12; 7:46

  3:16 y Deut. 3:17

  3:16 z Gen. 14:3; Num. 34:3

  3:16 5 Qr., many mss. and vss. from Adam

  3:17 a Gen. 50:24; Ex. 3:8; 6:1–8; 14:21, 22, 29; 33:1; Deut. 6:10; Heb. 11:29

  Joshua 4

  4:1 a Deut. 27:2; Josh. 3:17

  4:2 b Josh. 3:12

  4:3 c Josh. 3:13

  4:3 d Josh. 4:19, 20

  4:6 e Deut. 27:2; Ps. 103:2

  4:6 f Ex. 12:26; 13:14; Deut. 6:20

  4:7 g Josh. 3:13, 16

  4:7 h Ex. 12:14; Num. 16:40

  4:11 i Josh. 3:11; 6:11

  4:12 j Num. 32:17, 20, 27, 28; Josh. 1:14

  4:13 1 equipped

  4:14 k Josh. 3:7; 1 Chr. 29:25

  4:14 2 made Joshua great

  4:16 l Ex. 25:16, 22

  4:18 m Josh. 3:15; 1 Chr. 12:15

  4:19 n Josh. 5:9

  4:20 o Deut. 11:30; Josh. 4:3; 5:9, 10

  4:21 p Josh. 4:6

  4:22 q Ex. 12:26, 27; 13:8–14; Deut. 26:5–9

  4:22 r Josh. 3:17

  4:23 s Ex. 14:21

  4:24 t 1 Kin. 8:42; 2 Kin. 19:19; Ps. 106:8

  4:24 u Ex. 15:16; 1 Chr. 29:12; Ps. 89:13

  4:24 v Ex. 14:31; Deut. 6:2; Ps. 76:7; Jer. 10:7

  4:24 3 Lit. all days

  Joshua 5

  5:1 a Num. 13:29

  5:1 b Ex. 15:14, 15

  5:1 c Josh. 2:10, 11; 9:9; 1 Kin. 10:5

  5:1 1 So with Kt.; Qr., some Heb. mss. and editions, LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. they

  5:1 2 their courage failed

  5:2 d Ex. 4:25

  5:3 3 Heb. Gibeath Haaraloth

  5:4 e Num. 14:29; 26:64, 65; Deut. 2:14–16

  5:6 f Num. 14:33; Deut. 1:3; 29:5

  5:6 g Num. 14:23, 29–35; 26:23–65; Heb. 3:11

  5:6 h Ex. 3:8

  5:6 4 destroyed

  5:7 i Num. 14:31; Deut. 1:39

  5:8 j Gen. 34:25

  5:9 k Gen. 34:14

  5:9 l Josh. 4:19

  5:9 5 Lit. Rolling

  5:10 m Ex. 12:6; Num. 9:5

  5:11 6 roasted

  5:12 n Ex. 16:35

  5:13 o Gen. 18:1, 2; 32:24, 30; Ex. 23:23; Num. 22:31; Zech. 1:8; Acts 1:10

  5:13 p Num. 22:23; 1 Chr. 21:16


  5:14 q Gen. 17:3; Num. 20:6

  5:14 r Ex. 34:8

  5:15 s Ex. 3:5; Acts 7:33

  Joshua 6

  6:1 a Josh. 2:1

  6:2 b Josh. 2:9, 24; 8:1

  6:2 c Deut. 7:24

  6:4 d Lev. 25:9; Judg. 7:16, 22

  6:4 e 1 Kin. 18:43; 2 Kin. 4:35; 5:10

  6:4 f Num. 10:8

  6:9 g Num. 10:25

  6:11 h Josh. 4:11

  6:11 1 spent the night

  6:12 i Deut. 31:25

  6:17 j Deut. 13:17; Josh. 7:1

  6:17 k Josh. 2:1; Matt. 1:5

  6:17 l Josh. 2:4, 6

  6:18 m Deut. 7:26

  6:18 n Josh. 7:1, 12, 25; 1 Kin. 18:17, 18; (Jon. 1:12)

  6:19 2 set apart

  6:19 3 shall go

  6:20 o Heb. 11:30

  6:21 p Deut. 7:2; 20:16, 17

  6:22 q Josh. 2:12–19; Heb. 11:31

  6:23 r Josh. 2:13

  6:25 s (Matt. 1:5)

  6:26 t 1 Kin. 16:34

  6:26 4 warned

  Joshua 7

  7:1 a Josh. 7:20, 21

  7:1 b Josh. 6:17–19

  7:1 c Josh. 22:20

  7:1 1 acted unfaithfully

  7:1 2 devoted

  7:1 3 Zimri, 1 Chr. 2:6

  7:4 d Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25

  7:5 e Lev. 26:36; Josh. 2:9, 11

  7:5 4 the people’s courage failed

  7:6 f Gen. 37:29, 34

  7:6 g 1 Sam. 4:12

  7:7 h Ex. 17:3; Num. 21:5

  7:7 5 Heb. YHWH, LORD

  7:8 6 Lit. neck

  7:9 i Deut. 32:26

  7:9 j Ex. 32:12; Num. 14:13

  7:11 k Josh. 6:17–19

  7:11 l Acts 5:1, 2

  7:11 7 devoted

  7:12 m Judg. 2:14

  7:12 n Deut. 7:26; (Hag. 2:13, 14)

  7:13 o Ex. 19:10

  7:13 p Josh. 3:5

  7:13 8 set apart

  7:14 q (Prov. 16:33)

  7:15 r 1 Sam. 14:38, 39

  7:15 s Josh. 7:11

  7:15 t Gen. 34:7; Judg. 20:6

  7:15 9 overstepped

  7:18 u 1 Sam. 14:42

  7:19 v 1 Sam. 6:5; Jer. 13:16; John 9:24

  7:19 w Num. 5:6, 7; 2 Chr. 30:22; Ezra 10:10, 11; Ps. 32:5; Prov. 28:13; Jer. 3:12, 13; Dan. 9:4

  7:19 x 1 Sam. 14:43

  7:20 y Num. 22:34; 1 Sam. 15:24

  7:21 10 desired

  7:24 z Num. 16:32, 33; Dan. 6:24

  7:24 a Josh. 7:26; 15:7

  7:25 b Josh. 6:18; 1 Chr. 2:7; (Gal. 5:12)

  7:25 c Deut. 17:5

  7:26 d Josh. 8:29; 2 Sam. 18:17; Lam. 3:53

  7:26 e Deut. 13:17

  7:26 f Josh. 7:24; Is. 65:10; Hos. 2:15

  7:26 11 Lit. Trouble

  Joshua 8

  8:1 a Deut. 1:21; 7:18; 31:8; Josh. 1:9; 10:8

  8:1 b Josh. 6:2

  8:2 c Josh. 6:21

  8:2 d Deut. 20:14; Josh. 8:27

  8:4 e Judg. 20:29

  8:5 f Josh. 7:5; Judg. 20:32

  8:8 g 2 Sam. 13:28

  8:11 h Josh. 8:5

  8:12 1 Ai

  8:14 i Judg. 20:34; Eccl. 9:12

  8:15 j Judg. 20:36

  8:22 k Deut. 7:2

  8:26 l Josh. 6:21

  8:27 m Num. 31:22, 26

  8:27 n Josh. 8:2

  8:28 o Deut. 13:16

  8:29 p Josh. 10:26

  8:29 q Deut. 21:22, 23; Josh. 10:27

  8:29 r Josh. 7:26; 10:27

  8:30 s Deut. 27:4–8

  8:31 t Ex. 20:25; Deut. 27:5, 6

  8:31 u Ex. 20:24

  8:32 v Deut. 27:2, 3, 8

  8:33 w Deut. 31:9, 25

  8:33 x Deut. 31:12

  8:33 y Deut. 11:29; 27:12

  8:34 z Deut. 31:11; Neh. 8:3

  8:34 a Deut. 28:2, 15, 45; 29:20, 21; 30:19

  8:34 b Josh. 1:8

  8:35 c Ex. 12:38; Deut. 31:12

  8:35 d Josh. 8:33

  Joshua 9

  9:1 a Num. 13:29; Josh. 3:10

  9:1 b Num. 34:6

  9:1 c Ex. 3:17; 23:23

  9:2 d Josh. 10:5; Ps. 83:3, 5

  9:2 1 Lit. mouth

  9:3 e Josh. 9:17, 22; 10:2; 21:17; 2 Sam. 21:1, 2

  9:3 f Josh. 6:27

  9:4 2 acted as envoys

  9:4 3 Lit. tied up

  9:6 g Josh. 5:10

  9:6 4 treaty

  9:7 h Josh. 9:1; 11:19

  9:7 i Ex. 23:32; Deut. 7:2

  9:8 j Deut. 20:11; 2 Kin. 10:5

  9:9 k Deut. 20:15

  9:9 l Ex. 15:14; Josh. 2:9, 10; 5:1

  9:10 m Num. 21:24, 33

  9:14 n Num. 27:21; Is. 30:1

  9:14 5 Lit. did not inquire at the mouth of

  9:15 o 2 Sam. 21:2

  9:17 p Josh. 18:25

  9:18 q Ps. 15:4

  9:18 6 strike

  9:20 r 2 Sam. 21:1, 2, 6; Ezek. 17:13, 15

  9:21 s Deut. 29:11

  9:21 t Josh. 9:15

  9:22 u Josh. 9:6, 9

  9:22 v Josh. 9:16

  9:23 w Gen. 9:25

  9:24 x Ex. 23:31–33; Deut. 7:1, 2

  9:24 y Ex. 15:14

  9:25 z Gen. 16:6

  9:27 a Josh. 9:21, 23

  9:27 b Deut. 12:5

  Joshua 10

  10:1 a Josh. 9:1

  10:1 b Josh. 8:1

  10:1 c Josh. 6:21

  10:1 d Josh. 8:22, 26, 28

  10:1 e Josh. 9:15

  10:2 f Ex. 15:14–16; Deut. 11:25; 1 Chr. 14:17

  10:4 g Josh. 9:15; 10:1

  10:5 h Num. 13:29

  10:5 i Josh. 9:2

  10:6 j Josh. 5:10; 9:6

  10:7 k Josh. 8:1

  10:8 l Josh. 11:6; Judg. 4:14

  10:8 m Josh. 1:5, 9

  10:8 n Josh. 21:44

  10:10 o Judg. 4:15; 1 Sam. 7:10, 12; Is. 28:21

  10:10 p Josh. 16:3, 5

  10:10 q Josh. 15:35

  10:11 r Is. 30:30; Rev. 16:21

  10:12 s Is. 28:21; Hab. 3:11

  10:12 t Judg. 12:12

  10:13 u 2 Sam. 1:18

  10:14 v Is. 38:7, 8

  10:14 w Ex. 14:14; Deut. 1:30; 20:4; Josh. 10:42; 23:3

  10:15 x Josh. 10:43

  10:21 y Ex. 11:7

  10:21 1 criticized, lit. sharpened his tongue

  10:24 z Ps. 107:40; Is. 26:5, 6; Mal. 4:3

  10:25 a Deut. 31:6–8; Josh. 1:9

  10:25 b Deut. 3:21; 7:19

  10:25 2 The captains

  10:26 c Josh. 8:29; 2 Sam. 21:9

  10:26 3 The kings

  10:27 d Deut. 21:22, 23; Josh. 8:29

  10:28 e Deut. 7:2, 16

  10:28 f Josh. 6:21

  10:28 4 So with MT and most authorities; many Heb. mss., some LXX mss., and some Tg. mss. it

  10:29 g Josh. 15:42; 21:13; 2 Kin. 8:22; 19:8

  10:36 h Num. 13:22; Josh. 14:13–15; 15:13; Judg. 1:10, 20; 2 Sam. 5:1, 3, 5, 13; 2 Chr. 11:10

  10:38 i Josh. 15:15; Judg. 1:11; 1 Chr. 6:58

  10:40 j Deut. 1:7

  10:40 k Deut. 7:24

  10:40 l Deut. 20:16, 17

  10:40 5 Heb. Negev, and so throughout the book

  10:41 m Num. 13:26; Deut. 9:23

  10:41 n Gen. 10:19; Josh. 11:22

  10:41 o Josh. 11:16; 15:51

  10:42 p Josh. 10:14

  Joshua 11

  11:1 a Josh. 10:3

  11:1 b Josh. 19:15

  11:2 c Num. 34:11

  11:2 d Josh. 17:11; Judg. 1:27; 1 Kin. 4:11

  11:3 e Josh. 9:1

  11:3 f Deut. 7:1; Judg. 3:3, 5; 1 Kin. 9:20

  11:3 g Josh. 11:17; 13:5, 11

  11:3 h Gen. 31:49

  11:4 i Gen. 22:17; 32:12; Judg. 7:12; 1 Sam. 13:5

  11:5 1 Lit. assembled by appointment

  11:6 j Josh. 10:8

  11:6 k 2 Sam. 8:4

  11:8 l Gen. 49:13

  11:8 m Josh. 13:6

  11:8 2 Heb. Sidon Rabbah

  11:8 3 Heb. Misrephoth Maim
, lit. Burnings of Water

  11:11 n Deut. 20:16

  11:11 o Josh. 10:40

  11:12 p Num. 33:50–56; Deut. 7:2; 20:16

  11:13 4 Heb. tel, a heap of successive city ruins

  11:14 q Deut. 20:14–18

  11:15 r Ex. 34:10–17

  11:15 s Deut. 31:7, 8

  11:15 t Josh. 1:7

  11:15 5 Lit. He turned aside from nothing

  11:16 u Josh. 12:8

  11:16 v Josh. 10:40, 41

  11:16 6 Heb. arabah

  11:17 w Josh. 12:7

  11:17 x Deut. 7:24

  11:17 7 Lit. The Smooth or Bald Mountain

  11:19 y Josh. 9:3–7

  11:20 z Deut. 2:30

  11:20 a Deut. 20:16, 17

  11:20 8 Lit. to make strong

  11:21 b Num. 13:22, 33; Deut. 1:28; 9:2; Josh. 15:13, 14

  11:22 c 1 Sam. 17:4

  11:22 d Josh. 15:46; 1 Sam. 5:1; Is. 20:1

  11:23 e Ex. 33:2; Num. 34:2–15

  11:23 f Num. 26:53; Josh. 14; 15

  11:23 g Deut. 12:9, 10; 25:19; (Heb. 4:8)

  Joshua 12

  12:1 a Num. 21:24

  12:1 b Deut. 3:8

  12:2 c Num. 21:24; Deut. 2:24–27

  12:3 d Deut. 3:17

  12:3 e Josh. 13:20

  12:3 f Deut. 3:17; 4:49

  12:3 1 Sea of Galilee

  12:3 2 Lit. Sea of the Plain, the Dead Sea

  12:3 3 Or Teman

  12:3 4 Or Ashdoth Pisgah

  12:4 g Num. 21:33; Deut. 3:4, 10

  12:4 h Deut. 3:11; Josh. 13:12

  12:4 i Deut. 1:4

  12:5 j Deut. 3:8

  12:5 k Deut. 3:10; Josh. 13:11; 1 Chr. 5:11

  12:5 l Deut. 3:14; 1 Sam. 27:8

  12:6 m Num. 21:24, 35

  12:6 n Num. 32:29–33; Deut. 3:12; Josh. 13:8

  12:7 o Josh. 11:17

  12:7 p Gen. 14:6; 32:3; Deut. 2:1, 4

  12:7 q Josh. 11:23

  12:7 5 Lit. The Bald Mountain

  12:8 r Josh. 10:40; 11:16

  12:8 s Ex. 3:8; 23:23; Josh. 9:1

  12:9 t Josh. 6:2

  12:9 u Josh. 8:29

  12:10 v Josh. 10:23

  12:12 w Josh. 10:33

  12:13 x Josh. 10:38, 39

  12:15 y Josh. 10:29, 30

  12:16 z Josh. 10:28

  12:16 a Josh. 8:17; Judg. 1:22

  12:17 b 1 Kin. 4:10

  12:18 6 Or Sharon

  12:19 c Josh. 11:10

  12:20 d Josh. 11:1; 19:15

  12:22 e Josh. 19:37; 20:7; 21:32

  12:23 f Josh. 11:2

  12:23 g Gen. 14:1, 2; Is. 9:1

  12:24 h Deut. 7:24

  Joshua 13

  13:1 a Josh. 14:10; 23:1, 2

  13:2 b Judg. 3:1–3

  13:2 c Joel 3:4

  13:2 d Josh. 13:13; 2 Sam. 3:3

  13:3 e 1 Chr. 13:5; Jer. 2:18

  13:3 f Judg. 3:3

  13:3 g Deut. 2:23

  13:4 h Josh. 12:18; 19:30; 1 Sam. 4:1; 1 Kin. 20:26, 30

  13:4 i Judg. 1:34

  13:5 j 1 Kin. 5:18; Ezek. 27:9