“And it came to pass after many days, when the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their
enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years; that Joshua called for all
Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said
unto them: I am old and well stricken in years.”
Joshua’s illustrious life was rapidly winding down; his pivotal role in the Hebrew’s history, about
to conclude. Joshua 23 records the speech on the eve of his death (continued in Joshua 24, the
book’s final chapter).
Abravanel paints the scene of Joshua’s farewell to his countrymen. For backdrop, Jews had
experienced years of security and calm in the Holy Land. As for the nation’s leader, he “was old
and well stricken in years.” “Old” refers to the passage of time; Joshua reached a ripe old age.
“Well stricken in years” suggests something other than his age. The phrase describes his
medical and emotional condition. Joshua was weak and infirm. A body that fought to liberate
Canaan showed the stress and hardships that he had endured year after year. Spent, the
leader’s health was in marked decline.
“Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads…” “Elders”, says Abravanel,
means those men sitting on Israel’s highest court. As for “their heads”, that includes the tribes’
dignitaries, both on the tribal level as well as the municipal heads.
Of course, it was no secret to the Jews that their leader and mentor was on his last leg, per se.
Nonetheless, he had truths he wanted to instill before his demise. They had nothing to worry
about when he would be gone. The people heard their venerable commander in chief comfort
them, imparting a fact of life: Hebrew military victories had precious little to do with him. He
gave credit where credit was due: “And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done
unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God, He it is that has fought for you.”
Canaan and its mighty walls crumbled before Him.
Subsequent to the stunning strings of wins, Joshua divided up the Holy Land: “Behold, I have
allotted unto you for an inheritance, according to your tribes, these nations that remain, from
the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the Great Sea toward the going
down of the sun.” The divine driving force, Joshua continued, would always be there for the
Jews: “And the LORD your God, He shall thrust them out from before you, and drive them from
out of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God spoke unto you.”
Joshua reiterated the message that needed to be internalized by each and every person, for all
time. They had to be true to their calling, mission. “That you 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.” At bottom was commitment to God
and His commandments. “But cleave unto the LORD your God, as you have done unto this day.”
“But cleave unto the LORD your God”, for Abravanel, teaches conditionality. That is, if the
Hebrews continue to throw their lot with the Maker, and as a result benefit accrues to the
people for having cleaved to God, more good tidings would be in store for them. “Wherefore
the LORD has driven out from before you great nations and mighty; but as for you, no man has
stood against you unto this day.” The formula, explains Abravanel, will always prevail. “But
cleave unto the LORD your God” is key. Just as in the past, Joshua reminds his brethren, the
Creator had bestowed blessing for the nation’s fealty to Him, so too God underwrites the same
going forward. “One man of you has chased a thousand; for the LORD your God, He it is that
fought for you, as He spoke unto you.”
In sum, Joshua’s parting message to the people and leaders couldn’t have been clearer. Loyalty
to God brings boon. Just as that had been the case in Joshua’s lifetime, so too would the model
remain in force down the road. Explicit at the end of our chapter is the obverse side. “When
you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and
serve other gods, and worship them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you,
and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which He has given unto you.”