Chapter commentary
Joshua Chapter 1
1
Jos 1:1-18.
繁體中文
English original
Jos 1:1-18.
THE LORD APPOINTS JOSHUA TO SUCCEED MOSES.
1. Now after the death of Moses--Joshua, having been already appointed and designated leader of Israel
(Nu 27:18-23),
in all probability assumed the reins of government immediately "after the death of Moses."
the servant of the Lord--This was the official title of Moses as invested with a special mission to make known the will of God; and it conferred great honor and authority.
the Lord spake unto Joshua--probably during the period of public mourning, and either by a direct revelation to the mind of Joshua, or by means of Urim and Thummim
(Nu 27:21).
This first communication gave a pledge that the divine instructions which, according to the provisions of the theocracy, had been imparted to Moses, would be continued to the new leader, though God might not perhaps speak to him "mouth to mouth"
(Nu 12:8).
Joshua--The original name, Oshea,
(Nu 13:8),
which had been, according to Eastern usage, changed like those of Abram and Sarai
(Ge 17:5-15)
into Jehoshua or Joshua (that is, "God's salvation") was significant of the services he was to render, and typified those of a greater Saviour
(Heb 4:8).
Moses' minister--that is, his official attendant, who, from being constantly employed in important services and early initiated into the principles of the government, would be well trained for undertaking the leadership of Israel.
2
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繁體中文
2-9. 現在你要起來，過這約旦河——約書亞的使命乃是一位軍事將領的使命。本段記載了他蒙召開始這工；這番話中所含的應許，逐字重複了對摩西所說的應許
(申 11:24、25；31:6-8、23)。
English original
2-9. now therefore arise, go over this Jordan--Joshua's mission was that of a military leader. This passage records his call to begin the work, and the address contains a literal repetition of the promise made to Moses
(De 11:24, 25; 31:6-8, 23).
3
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繁體中文
3、4. 凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都……賜給你們了——當然，所指並非普世的統治權，而是限定在此處所劃疆界之內的地方
(參
申 19:8)。
English original
3, 4. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given you--meaning, of course, not universal dominion, but only the territory comprised within the boundaries here specified (see on
De 19:8).
4
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繁體中文
4. 赫人的全地——赫人居住在迦南的南端，是迦南諸族中為首的一支。他們勢力強盛、疆域遼闊，這從亞述碑文中所稱 Khita 之名可見，更屢見於埃及第十八、十九王朝的碑銘之中。約書亞的百姓素來對那龐然巨族心懷驚懼；如今神既應許他們必得「赫人的全地」，這話對於約書亞該是何等的激勵、何等的振奮！
English original
4. all the land of the Hittites--These occupied the southern extremities and were the dominant tribe of Canaan. Their superior power and the extent of their dominions are attested by the mention of them under the name of Khita, on the Assyrian inscriptions, and still more frequently on the Egyptian inscriptions of the eighteenth and nineteenth Dynasties. What life and encouragement must have been imparted to Joshua by the assurance that his people, who had been overwhelmed with fear of that gigantic race, were to possess "all the land of the Hittites"!
5
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繁體中文
5-9. 你平生的日子，必無一人能在你面前站立得住——迦南既是神所賜，在約書亞即將率民進入此地之際，神又重新確認這一恩賜，便意味著征服不僅是必然的，更是輕易的。然而值得注意的是，他的勇氣與得勝的指望，竟繫於他對神律法堅定不渝的持守
(參
申 17:18)，
那不僅是關乎滅絕迦南人的律例，而是全部的神聖律典。
English original
5-9. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee--Canaan was theirs by a divine grant; and the renewed confirmation of that grant to Joshua when about to lead the people into it, intimated not only a certain but an easy conquest. It is remarkable, however, that his courage and hope of victory were made to depend (see on
De 17:18)
on his firm and inflexible adherence to the law of God, not only that regarding the extirpation of the Canaanites, but the whole divine code.
10
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繁體中文
10-18. 於是約書亞吩咐百姓的官長說——這些官長就是 Shoterim
(參
出 5:6；
申 20:5)。
English original
10-18. Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people--These were the Shoterim (see on
Ex 5:6;
De 20:5).
11
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繁體中文
11-13. 吩咐百姓說：你們要預備食物——不是嗎哪，嗎哪雖仍在降下，卻不能久存；而是穀物、羊隻，以及可在已征服之地獲得的各樣食品。
因為三日之內你們要過這約旦河——即第三日，按希伯來文的用法——這是給他們預備的期限，好在亞伯什亭的營盤起行、移往河邊那無物可食的礦野岸邊之前，把所需辦妥。與此同時，約書亞親自召集那已定居約旦河東的兩個半支派，提醒他們當初的應許
(民 32:1-42)——
要協助弟兄征服迦南西部。他們樂意履行所許的願，回答約書亞時所用的言辭，充分顯出他們在如此緊要關頭那愛國敬虔的心腸。
English original
11-13. command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals--not manna, which, though it still fell, would not keep; but corn, sheep, and articles of food procurable in the conquered countries.
for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan--that is, the third day, according to Hebrew idiom--the time allotted for getting ready before the encampment in Abel-Shittim broke up and they removed to the desert bank of the river where no victuals were available. At the same time Joshua himself convened the two and a half tribes which had settled east of Jordan, to remind them of their promise
(Nu 32:1-42)
to assist their brethren in the conquest of western Canaan. Their readiness to redeem their pledge and the terms in which they answered the appeal of Joshua displayed to great advantage their patriotic and pious feelings at so interesting a crisis.
14
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繁體中文
14. 你們要……帶着兵器過去——意即在五位首領率領下，按古時通行、為人稱許的商隊次序編組成隊
(參
出 13:18)。
一切大能的勇士——這話不可嚴格地解作全部，而只是指戰士中的精銳和精選
(參
書 4:12)。
English original
14. ye shall pass . . . armed--that is, officered or marshalled under five leaders in the old and approved caravan order (see on
Ex 13:18).
all the mighty men of valour--The words are not to be interpreted strictly as meaning the whole, but only the flower or choice of the fighting men (see on
Jos 4:12).
書 1:1-18。
主任命約書亞接續摩西
1. 耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後——約書亞既已被任命、被指定為以色列的領袖
(民 27:18-23)，
很可能在摩西死後便立即執掌了政權。
耶和華的僕人——這是摩西的正式頭銜，表明他受託一項特殊使命，要傳揚神的旨意；這頭銜賜予他極大的尊榮和權柄。
耶和華曉諭約書亞——大概是在公開哀悼的期間，或是藉著對約書亞心思的直接啟示，或是藉著烏陵和土明
(民 27:21)。
這頭一次的啟示，便是一項保證：按著神政體的安排，從前賜給摩西的神聖指示，也將延續給這位新領袖，雖然神未必「面對面」地對他說話
(民 12:8)。
約書亞——他原名何西阿
(民 13:8)，
按東方的習俗，一如亞伯蘭和撒萊
(創 17:5-15)
那樣，被改為約書亞或耶和書亞（意即「神的拯救」）；這名字預表了他將要成就的服事，也預表了那位更偉大之救主的服事
(來 4:8)。
摩西的幫手——即他的正式侍從，因他常被派作重要的差事，又早早被引入政務的原則之中，自然受過良好的訓練，足以承擔率領以色列的重任。