Joshua 1:1

JOSHUA’S DIVINE COMMISSION, Joshua 1:1-9.

The date of these events is, according to the common chronology, 1451 years before Christ. The place was Shittim, in the plains of Moab, about seven miles east of the Jordan, and opposite Jericho. Numbers 33:49. Here, in the shade of the acacia groves, Israel had been beguiled to licentiousness by the Midianites, “in the matter of Peor,” (Numbers 25:0;) here they had been visited by the Divine judgments for their sin; and here they had witnessed the last works and received the last counsels of Moses.

1. Now More properly, and it came to pass. Hebrews ויהי . With this formula most of the historical books begin. It indicates in each case an intimate connection of the narrative with what immediately precedes. Perhaps the Book of Joshua originally began with the last chapter of Deuteronomy, and, for the purpose of completing the biography of Moses, that chapter, containing the details of his death and burial, was accustomed to be read with the scroll of Deuteronomy, and finally, for convenience, was appended to it.

After the death of Moses These words include the thirty days of mourning in honour of the great lawgiver. Deuteronomy 34:8. At the end of these days the succession to the leadership was revealed by the Lord. A long interregnum would have been perilous to a people so inexperienced in the art of self-government.

The Lord spake Whether by a direct communication through his angel, as in Joshua 5:13-15, (see Joshua 6:2,) or by the urim of the high priest, is uncertain, but probably the latter, inasmuch as this manner of speaking is prescribed to him in Numbers 27:21. The urim ( lights) and thummim ( perfections) are always alluded to as well known, but nowhere described. They were a part of the ephod, the sacred robe of the high priest, and were either the twelve gems on the breastplate or some objects intimately connected with them, and were a divinely appointed medium of revelation. Whether the gems became luminous, or whether there was an audible voice, or whether the priest when arrayed in the ephod was endowed with a miraculous insight similar to the vision of the inspired prophet, cannot now be determined, See note on Exodus 28:30.

Joshua Before the death of Moses this great warrior had been clothed with authority and designated as the commander-in-chief of the Israelitish armies. See Introduction.

Son of Nun Nothing more is known of Nun than that he was of the tribe of Ephraim. Great military genius is often cradled in obscurity. Nun lived and died undistinguished from the thousands of his brethren, who passed all their days in the Egyptian bondage; but his son, by his valour and piety, rescued his father’s servile name from oblivion. So the poet Horace, by his genius, immortalized the Roman bondman who begat him.

Moses’ minister Not his menial, but his premier in peace, his lieutenant in war. It was customary for great prophets to be thus attended by ministers or servants, as Elijah was ministered to by Elisha. In this relation Joshua had witnessed Moses’ conversation face to face with Jehovah, (Exodus 33:11,) and had been pavilioned with his master in the cloud of Sinai. Exodus 24:13. Thus had he been trained in the best possible school, and the people were prepared, by the public honour bestowed upon him, to yield him obedience when their great emancipator was taken away.

[In this verse we notice that Moses is called the servant of Jehovah, and Joshua minister of Moses. A servant is less honourable than a minister, but it is unspeakably greater to be Jehovah’s servant than merely the prime minister of any earthly potentate however good and mighty. The phrase servant of Jehovah is applied in the Old Testament to patriarchs, prophets, kings, the whole body of the chosen people, and in some prophetical passages to Messiah. The highest type of man under the Law was a servant of God; it was reserved for the Gospel to develop the son of God, and perfect man in Christ. ]