Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
"that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage," call to mind the words appended to the first commandment (Ex 20:2; Deut
5:6), which they hereby promise to observe. With the clause which follows, "who did
those great signs in our sight," etc., they declare their assent to all that Joshua had
called to their mind in vv. 3-13. "We also" (v. 18), as well as thou and thy house (v.
15).
Joshua 24:19-20
And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy
God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
But in order to place most vividly before the minds of the people to what it was that
they bound themselves by this declaration, that they might not inconsiderately vow
what they would not afterwards observe, Joshua adds, "Ye cannot serve Jehovah," sc.,
in the state of mind in which ye are at present, or "by your own resolution only, and
without the assistance of divine grace, without solid and serious conversion from all
idols, and without true repentance and faith" ( J. H. Michaelis ). For Jehovah is "a
holy God," etc. Elohim , used to denote the Supreme Being (see at Gen 2:4), is
construed with the predicate in the plural. On the holiness of God, see the exposition
of Ex 19:6. On the expression "a jealous God," see Ex 20:5; and on lªpesha`
(OT:6588) naasaa' (OT:5375), Ex 23:21. The only other place in which the form
qanow' (OT:7072) is used for qanaa' (OT:7067) is Nah 1:2. "If ye forsake the Lord
and serve strange gods, He will turn (i.e., assume a different attitude towards you)
and do you hurt, after He has done you good," i.e., He will not spare you, in spite of
the blessings which He has conferred upon you. heera` (OT:7489) is used to denote
the judgments threatened in the law against transgressors.
Joshua 24:21
And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
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