Joshua 22:5

22:1-9 Joshua dismisses the tribes with good counsel. Those who have the commandment have it in vain, unless they do the commandment; and it will not be done aright unless we take diligent heed. In particular to love the Lord our God, as the best of beings, and the best of friends; and as far as that principle rules in the heart, there will be constant care and endeavour to walk in his ways, even those that are narrow and up-hill. In every instance to keep his commandments. At all times, and in all conditions, with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord, and to serve him and his kingdom among men, with all our heart, and with all our soul. This good counsel is given to all; may God give us grace to take it!

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,.... The ten commandments, and all other laws, both ceremonial and civil: which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you; in the name of the Lord, to keep and observe: to love the Lord your God; of which keeping the commands of God is an evidence, and which is the true principle and motive of hearty, sincere, and cheerful obedience to them: and to walk in all his ways; which he has prescribed, all his ways of worship, paths of duty, faith, truth, holiness, and righteousness: and to keep his commandments; whether moral, ceremonial, or judicial: whether of natural and moral obligation, or of positive institution: and to cleave unto him; and not depart from his ways, worship, word, and ordinances: and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul: in the most strict and affectionate manner. This advice Joshua thought proper to give them, and inculcate into them, now they were about to leave their brethren, and go on the other side Jordan; where they would be at a distance from the tabernacle, altar, and service of God, and might be under temptation to relinquish it, and set up another form of worship elsewhere.

5 . But take diligent heed ] “Se onli that зe kepen attentifly.” Wyclif. In their natural isolation in their eastern homes from their brethren of the west, it was above all things necessary that they should remember Him from whom their success and prosperity had proceeded. Comp. the counsels of Moses, Deuteronomy 6:6 ; Deuteronomy 6:17 ; Deuteronomy 11:22 .

Take diligent heed; watch over yourselves and all your actions. The commandment and the law; two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses. With all your heart and with all your soul; with the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to {c} love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. (c) He shows where fulfilling the Law consists.

The events of this chap. are no doubt recorded in their proper historical order. The auxiliary forces of the trans-Jordanic tribes were not sent away immediately after the campaigns against the Canaanites were over. They set forth from Shiloh, Joshua 22:9 , to which place the sanctuary had been removed Joshua 18:1 after the conquest and the settlement of the children of Judah and of Joseph in their possessions, and after the appointment of the Levitical cities.

Verse 5. - But take diligent heed. This passage is a quotation from the Book of Deuteronomy ( Joshua 6:5 ; Joshua 10:12 ; Joshua 11:13, 22 ; 30:6, 16, 20, etc.) The expressions, as Keil well remarks, are "crowded together, so that obedience to God's commands may be the more deeply impressed on their hearts." It is worthy of remark, that while beginning with the love of God, Joshua does not end there. The best proof of love is our conduct towards the person loved. If love be genuine, it is the practical principle which produces diligent service, punctual obedience, faithful attachment, the devotion of the heart and soul. Commandment and law. The first of these words, derived from a root signifying to set up , has rather the force of what we call a positive precept, referring to single acts. The word translated law , derived from the root to cast , hence to stretch out the hand, to point out, refers rather to moral precepts. The Greek νόμος and our law are used in the same sense. Cleave unto Him. The Hebrew is stronger, cleave into Him, as though regarding not so much isolated actions as principles of life. Our life was to be "rooted and grounded," to use an apostolic phrase, in His. But the full significance of these words could not be understood till One had come who enabled us by faith to "eat His flesh and drink His blood," and so be united to Him as the branch to its root. Joshua 22:5

Remembering, however, the changeableness of the human heart, Joshua appends to the acknowledgment of their fidelity in the performance of their duty the pressing admonition, to continue still to observe the law of Moses faithfully, to walk in the ways of the Lord and serve Him with the whole heart, which was simply a repetition of what Moses had impressed in a fatherly way upon the hearts of the people (see Deuteronomy 4:4 , Deuteronomy 4:29 ; Deuteronomy 6:5 ; Deuteronomy 10:12 ; Deuteronomy 11:13 , etc.).

20 . See on Deuteronomy 6:13 , which this repeats (with LXX, Sam., read, as there, and him ) but adds another clause, and to him shalt thou cleave ] This verb dabaḳ is used in J of close and warm affection from man to woman ( Genesis 2:24 ; Genesis 34:3 ), and in J and D of the adhesion of evil ( Genesis 19:19 ; Deuteronomy 13:17 (18) of the devoted thing, Deuteronomy 28:21 ; Deuteronomy 28:60 of diseases). It is not applied to the relation of Israel to God in the Pent, except in D, Deuteronomy 10:20 , Deuteronomy 11:22 , Deuteronomy 13:4 (5), Deuteronomy 30:20 , in which passages it is combined with some or other of the verbs love, fear, obey, serve, walk after. In Deuteronomy 4:4 the adj. dabeḳ is used by itself. Cp. deuteronomic passages in Joshua 22:5 ; Joshua 23:8 .

[Reformed Biblical] Sincerely and heartily, as in God’s presence. Or rather, 2. Before the ark, which was the token of God’s presence. He alludes either to the order of the tribes in their march, whereby Reuben and Gad marched next and immediately before the ark, as ## appears from Num_2:10 ,14,16,17 ; or to the manner of their passage over Jordan, wherein the ark went first into Jordan, and stood there whilst all the tribes marched over Jordan by and before it, Jos 3 Jos 5 , and these amongst the rest, as is expressly noted in these very words, that they passed over before the Lord , Jos_4:13. Numbers 32:21 Numbers 32:22 ## Before the Lord, i.e. by his presence, and gracious and powerful assistance. Numbers 32:23 i.e. The punishment of your sin; as that word is very oft used. Numbers 32:24 Which you have uttered and promised to do. See this or the like phrase Num_20:2 Mat_15:8. Numbers 32:25 Numbers 32:26 ## Largely so called, as that word is oft used, for that whole country beyond Jordan, as in other places it is taken more strictly for a part of it, as here below, Num_32:39 ,40 , and elsewhere. Numbers 32:27 Numbers 32:28 Numbers 32:29 Numbers 32:30 They shall forfeit and lose their possessions in Gilead, and shall be constrained to go over Jordan, and to seek possessions there among their brethren. Numbers 32:31 ## As the Lord hath said; either at this time by thy mouth; or formerly, where he commandeth us as well as our brethren to go into Canaan and possess it. Numbers 32:32 Numbers 32:33 ## Ha