Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
Knobel maintains that there is great confusion in the order of succession of the events described in ch. 1-
3, that Josh 1:11 is irreconcilable with ch. 3:1-6, and that accounts written by three different authors have
been mixed up together in these chapters. (For the different attempts to reconcile the accounts, see Keil's
<strong>Commentary</strong> on Joshua, pp. 72-75, note, Eng. trans. Clark, 1857.))
Verse 12-18. Joshua's appeal to the two tribes and a half, to remember the condition
on which Moses gave them the land on the east of the Jordan for an inheritance, and
to fulfil it, met with a ready response; to that these tribes not only promised to obey
his commandments in every respect, but threatened every one with death who should
refuse obedience. In recalling this condition to the recollection of the tribes referred
to, Joshua follows the expressions in Deut 3:18-20, where Moses himself
recapitulates his former command, rather than the original passage in Num 32. The
expression "this land" shows that the speaker was still on the other side of the Jordan.
chamushiym (OT:2571), with the loins girded , i.e., prepared for war, synonymous
with chalutsiym in Deut 3:18 and Num 32:32 (see at Ex 13:18). chayil kaalgibowreey
, all the mighty men of valour , i.e., the grave warriors (as in Josh 6:2; 8:3;
10:7, and very frequently in the later books), is not common to this book and
Deuteronomy, as Knobel maintains, but is altogether strange to the Pentateuch (see p.
15).
The word "all" (v. 14, like Num 32:21,27) must not be pressed. According to Josh
4:13, there were only about 40,000 men belonging to the two tribes and a half who
crossed the Jordan to take part in the war; whereas, according to Num 26:7,18,34,
there were 110,000 men in these tribes who were capable of bearing arms, so that
70,000 must have remained behind for the protection of the women and children and
of the flocks and herds, and to defend the land of which they had taken possession.
On v. 15 see Deut 3:18; and on the more minute definition of "on this side ( lit.
beyond) Jordan" by "toward the sun-rising," compare the remarks on Num 32:19.
The answer of the two tribes and a half, in which they not only most cheerfully
promise their help in the conquest of Canaan, but also express the wish that Joshua
may have the help of the Lord (v. 17 compared with v. 4), and after threatening all
who refuse obedience with death, close with the divine admonition, "only be strong
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