Joshua 3:10

10. The living God is among you The adjective living is here and elsewhere applied to God in the sense of true, in opposition to the false pagan gods; and also in the sense of efficient, in opposition to the dead idols of the heathen world. In Psalms 106:28, the heathen are spoken of as eating the sacrifices of the dead that is, dead idol gods. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:3-10) gives a detailed account of the process of manufacturing an idol, and then, in striking contrast, sets forth Jehovah as the living God. We may also with equal truth affirm that the attribute living signifies the providential care of the personal God, instead of the blind, impersonal force, the nondescript agency, which, entombed in matter, is indifferent to the wants and progress of men. The design of Joshua is to inspire faith and courage in the hearts of his people. Hence he represents to them that God will demonstrate by a series of astonishing miracles that he dwells not in serene repose, careless of their good, but that he is alive to their interests, and will overrule the laws of nature to secure their triumph.

Without fail drive out A strong promise, yet not unconditional. When man fails, God refuses. See notes on Joshua 1:4-6.

Seven tribes are now enumerated, who shall, by the faithful co-operation of Israel with Jehovah, be driven from the Land of Promise. All of these tribes are of the same stock as the Phenicians. “It is startling to be reminded that the detested and accursed race, as it appears in the books of Joshua and Judges, is the same as that to which from Greece we look back as the parent of letters, of commerce, of civilization.” Stanley. See note on Acts 8:40. Their character, as portrayed by Gentile writers, coincides substantially with that delineated by the Scriptures their dusky complexion, their southern origin, their preservation of monarchical, federal, and aristocratic institutions, their superiority to surrounding nations in social arts, and their human sacrifices, licentious orgies, and multitudes of gods. In Genesis 15:19-21, ten nations are mentioned, whose land was promised to the seed of Abraham. It is impossible at present to tell the exact location of all these tribes. Some of them seem to have become divided, and, like the tribes of Dan and Manasseh in Israel, become settled in different parts of the land. The Canaanites were, strictly speaking, the lowlanders, who inhabited the lower tracts of Palestine, on the sea-coast and western bank of the Jordan. Numbers 13:29. But this term is often used in a wider sense, including all the tribes west of the Jordan and in Phenicia deriving their descent from Canaan. Genesis 10:15-18.

Hittites Or, Chittites. Of these Abraham purchased Machpelah, (Genesis 23:10,) and among them Esau married two wives. Genesis 26:34. See note on Joshua 1:4.

Hivites Or, the Chivite. The Hebrew name is always in the singular. This tribe dwelt at the foot of Hermon, (Joshua 11:3,) and “in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.” (Judges 3:3;) also at Gibeon (Joshua 9:7; Joshua 11:19) and at Shechem. Genesis 34:2. Gesenius and Furst explain the name as villagers. [Ewald explains it as mid-landers, and supposes that “they loved peaceful occupations and trading pursuits in well-ordered communities and fortified cities, and located themselves principally in districts the most suitable for peaceful civil life, and such as have from the earliest times possessed the most flourishing inland cities.”]

Perizzites Hebrews, rustics or countrymen. They inhabited the mountainous regions subsequently allotted to Judah and Ephraim, a part of which was afterwards called Samaria. Joshua 11:13; Joshua 17:15. They were engaged in agricultural pursuits. Hence in a wider sense the term Perizzites sometimes includes all the agricultural Canaanites, in distinction from those engaged in trade and commerce.

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Girgashites The residence of this tribe is not distinctly specified in the Old Testament. Eusebius affirms that they dwelt east of the Jordan, and many writers incline to locate them east of lake Gennesaret. For here, according to Matthew 8:28, lay “the country of the Gergesenes,” identical with the name of this tribe, as given in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions.]

Amorites The mountaineers; the largest, most powerful, and wide-spread tribe of all. Therefore their name is sometimes taken in a wide sense, to include all the Canaanitish tribes, as in Joshua 24:18. A part of them dwelt in the mountainous tract afterwards allotted to Judah, and were subject to five kings. Joshua 10:5. Another part had possession of the region east of the Jordan, between the Arnon and the Jabbok. See note on Joshua 2:10. The Jebusites inhabited the city and neighbouring mountains of Jebus ancient Jerusalem. They were not expelled from the city till the time of David. 2Sa 5:6 ; 2 Samuel 5:8.