Joshua-Chap-23
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Remember the following truth
from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
In Joshua Chapter 23, we encounter the aged
leader Joshua preparing to depart from the people of
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Let us read Joshua Chapter 23,
verses 1-16: Below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version of the
Torah).
Verse 1: “And it came to pass after many
days, when יְהוָה - the LORD had given
rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and
well stricken in years;
Explanation Verse 1: This opening sets the
historical context. The “rest” mentioned is not merely a ceasefire but the
fulfilment of the Divine promise of peace in the land, marking the transition
from a time of war to a time of settled spiritual responsibility.
Verse 2: that Joshua called for all
Explanation Verse 2: Joshua gathers the leadership
hierarchy to ensure his message is transmitted through the formal structures of
the community. By acknowledging his own frailty, he emphasizes that while
leaders are temporary, the Law they uphold is eternal.
Verse 3: And ye have seen all that יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem (God) hath done
unto all these nations because of you; for יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem, He it is that
hath fought for you.
Explanation Verse 3: He
immediately redirects their attention away from his own strategic brilliance
and toward the Divine. The victory was not a result of human might but a
manifestation of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
intervention on behalf of the nation.
Verse 4-5: Behold: I have allotted unto you for an inheritance, according to your tribes,
these nations that remain, from the
Explanation Verses 4-5: Joshua links the physical
geography of the inheritance from the
Verse 6: Therefore be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is
written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
Explanation Verse 6: True courage is defined here
not as bravery in battle, but as the moral fortitude required to adhere
strictly to the Torah. To turn “to the right or to the left” suggests that even
well-intentioned deviations from the Law can lead to spiritual ruin.
Verse 7-8: that ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you;
neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them,
neither serve them, nor worship them; but cleave unto יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem, as ye have done
unto this day;
Explanation Verses 7-8: These verses warn against
cultural and religious assimilation. The Hebrew word for “cleave” (davek) implies a profound, inseparable attachment to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, which
serves as the only effective shield against the surrounding pagan influences.
Verses 9-10: wherefore יְהוָה - the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and mighty; but
as for you, no man hath stood against you unto this day. One man
of you hath chased a thousand; for יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem, He it is that
fought for you, as He spoke unto you.
Explanation Verses 9-10: Joshua uses a hyperbole to
illustrate that spiritual merit creates a disproportionate advantage. When the
nation is aligned with the Divine Will, they operate beyond the standard laws
of military physics.
Verse 11: Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem.
Explanation Verse 11: This is a call for internal
vigilance. The Hebrew text emphasizes “your souls” (l’nafshoteichem),
suggesting that the love of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is not
just an intellectual concept but a total emotional and spiritual commitment.
Verse 12-13: Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of
these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them,
and go in unto them, and they to you; know for a certainty
that יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem will no more drive
these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap unto
you, and a scourge in your sides, and pricks in your eyes, until ye perish from
off this good land which יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem hath given you.
Explanation Verses 12-13: Joshua outlines the
consequences of intermingling. The very nations they failed to distance
themselves from will become instruments of their own suffering. The “good land”
is a conditional gift; its possession is dependent on the people maintaining
their distinct identity.
Verse 14: And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth;
consider ye therefore in all your heart and in all your soul, that not one
thing hath failed of all the good things which יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem spoke concerning
you; all are come to pass unto you, not one thing hath failed thereof.
Explanation Verse 14: Joshua offers his own life’s
experience as testimony. He confirms that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
promises are reliable and absolute, leaving the people with no excuse for
future doubt or faithlessness.
Verses 15-16: And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come
upon you of which יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem spoke unto you, so
shall יְהוָה - the LORD bring upon you all the evil things, until He have destroyed
you from off this good land which יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem hath given you. When ye transgress the covenant of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem, which He
commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them; then shall the
anger of יְהוָה - the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off
the good land which He hath given unto you’”.
Explanation Verses
15-16: The chapter concludes with a sobering symmetry: just as אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is
faithful to His promises of reward, He is equally faithful to His warnings of
consequence. Exile is presented not as a random misfortune, but as the natural
result of breaking the covenantal bond.
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My Closing Message:
Joshua’s final words are a timeless reminder that our
environment and our choices are deeply interconnected. He teaches us that
holiness is not a static achievement but a constant pursuit that requires active
boundaries and intentional “cleaving” to the Divine. As we reflect on these
verses, let us realize that the "rest" we seek in our own lives is
found not through the absence of challenge, but through the presence of
unwavering integrity to our spiritual values.
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