Lange Commentary - Judges 2:6

Lange Commentary - Judges 2:6 - 2:10

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Lange Commentary - Judges 2:6 - 2:10

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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

An extract from the Book of Joshua showing when and through what occasion the religious apostasy of Israel began

Jdg_2:6-10

⁶And when [omit: when] Joshua had [omit: had] let the people go, [and] the children [sons] of Israel went every man unto his inheritance, to possess [to take possession of] the land. ⁷And the people served the Lord [Jehovah] all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all ⁸the great works of the Lord [Jehovah], that he did for Israel. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord [Jehovah], died, being an hundred and ten years old. ⁹And they buried him in the border [district] of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount [mountains] of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill [north of Mount] Gaash. ¹⁰And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord [Jehovah], nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL

[¹ Jdg_2:7.— äֶàֱøִéêְ éָîִéí , to prolong one’s days, usually means, “to live long;” but here the addition “after Joshua” shows that the expression is not to be taken in this ordinary acceptation, but according to the proper sense of the words: “they prolonged days (life) after Joshua,” i. e. they survived him: not, “they lived long after Joshua,” cf. the remarks of Bachmann quoted on p. 15.—Tr.]

[² Jdg_2:10.—The sing. suf. in àֲáåֹúָéå , although the verb is plural, arises from the fact that the expression àֶìÎàֲáåֹúָéå ðֶàֱñַó , and others of like import, are generally used of individuals. Habit gets the better of strict grammatical propriety.—Tr.]

[³ Jdg_2:10.—Dr. Cassel: die Gott nicht kannten, und [also] auch seine That nicht; i. e. “who knew not God (Jehovah), nor [consequently], the works.” The explanation of this rendering is that he takes “knew” in the sense of “acknowledge,” see below; so that the clause gives him the following sense: “they acknowledged not what God had done for them, and of course did not rightly value his works. But, as Bachmann observes, “ ìֹà éָøְòåּ conveys no reproach, but only states the cause of the ensuing apostasy. The new generation did not know the Lord and his work, sc. as eye witnesses (cf. Jdg_2:7; Jdg_3:2); they only knew from hearsay.”—Tr.]

EXEGETICAL AND DOCTRINAL

Jdg_2:6-8. The penitence of the people at Bochim had shown that it had not yet fallen from its obedience to God, that it was still conscious of the blessings which had been bestowed upon it. The promise made to Joshua (Jos_24:24) had as yet been kept. They still served the Lord. Their position in this respect was the same as when he dismissed the tribes to take possession of their several inheritances. This dismission introduced Israel to the new epoch, in which it was no longer guided by Moses or Joshua. Hence, the insertion of these sentences, which are also found in Joshua 24, is entirely appropriate. They describe the whole period in which the people was submissive to the Word of God, although removed from under the direct guidance of Joshua. The people was faithful when left to itself by Joshua, faithful after his death, faithful still in the days of the elders who outlived Joshua. That whole generation, which had seen the mighty deeds that attended the conquest of Canaan, stood firm. Our passage says, “for they had seen,” whereas Jos_24:31 says, “they had known.” “To see” is more definite than “to know.” The facts of history may be known as the acts of God, without being witnessed and experienced. But this generation had stood in the midst of the events; the movements of the conflict and its results were still present in their memories Whoever has felt the enthusiasm inspired by such victories and conquests, can never forget them. The Scripture narrators are accustomed, like the chroniclers of the Middle Ages, to repeat literally what has already been said elsewhere, in cases where modern writers content themselves with a mere reference. While we should have deemed it sufficient to appeal to earlier histories for an account of the death of Joshua, the narrative before us takes the more accurate method of literal repetition. Hence, the interruption of the course of thought commenced Jdg_2:1-5, is only apparent. Jdg_2:6-10 explain the pious weeping of the people which Jdg_2:4-5 recorded. Joshua’s death, age, and burial are mentioned, because the writer wishes to indicate that Israel served God, not only after its dismission by the still living leader, but also after his decease. The less necessity there was for the statements of Jdg_2:8-9, the more evident it is that they are borrowed from Joshua 24. And we may congratulate ourselves that by this means the name of the place where Joshua was buried, has been handed down to us in a second form.

Jdg_2:9. And they buried him in Timnath-heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, north of Gaash. In Jos_24:30, the place is called Timnath-serah ( ñֶøַç for çֶøֶñ ). The most reverential regard for the Masoretic text will not refuse to acknowledge many variations in the names of places, arising especially from the transposition of letters (as çֶáֶì and çֵìֶá Jos_19:29). Jewish tradition, it is true, explains them as different names borne by the same place; but the name Cheres is that which, in Kefr Cheres, preserved itself in the country, as remarked by Esthor ha-Parchi (ii. 434) and other travellers (Carmoly, pp. 212, 368, 444, etc.). Eli Smith discovered the place, April 26, 1843. A short distance northwest of Bir-Zeit (already on Robinson’s earlier map, cf. the later), near Wady Belat, “there rose up a gentle hill, which was covered with the ruins or rather foundations of what was once a town of considerable size.” The spot was still called Tibneh (for Timnah, just as the southern Timnath is at present called Tibneh). The city lay to the north of “a much higher hill, on the north side of which (thus facing the city), appeared several sepulchral excavations.” No other place than this can have been intended by the Jewish travellers, who describe several graves found there, and identify them as those of Joshua, his father, and Caleb (Carmoly, p. 387). The antiquity of the decorations of these sepulchres may indeed be questioned, but not that of the sepulchres themselves. Smith was of opinion that hitherto no graves like these had been discovered in Palestine. Tibneh lies on the eastern side of Mount Ephraim, the same side on which, farther south, Beth-horon and Sârîs are found. “Mount Heres,” which not the tribe of Dan, but only the strength of Ephraim, could render tributary, must have lain near Sârîs, east of Aijalon. It is evident, therefore, that the name Heres must have been borne by this whole division of the mountains of Ephraim; and that the Timnath in which Joshua was buried, was by the addition of Heres distinguished from other places of the same name. In this way, the peculiar interest which led Ephraim to administer justice on Mount Heres (cf. on Jdg_1:35) explains itself.

Jdg_2:10. And also all that generation, etc. Time vanishes. One generation goes, another comes. Joshua, who had died weary with years, was followed into the grave by his younger contemporaries. The generation that had borne arms with him, had been buried in the soil of the promised land; and another, younger generation lived. It had already grown up in the land which the fathers had won. It inherited from them only possession and enjoyment. It already felt itself at home in the life of abundance to which it was born. It could not be counted as a reproach to them that they had not seen the mighty works of God in connection with the conquest (hence it is not said ìàֹøָàåּ ); but in the triteness of possession they utterly failed to acknowledge ( ìֹà éָøְòåּ ) their indebtedness for it to God. How Israel came into the land, they must indeed have known; but to “know Jehovah” is something higher. They did not acknowledge that it was through God that they had come thither. Their fathers had seen and felt that victory and freedom came to them from the Lord. But they, as they did eat, built goodly houses, and dwelt in them (Deu_8:12), forgat God, and said (Deu_8:17): “Our power and the might of our hands hath gotten us this wealth.” Modern German history furnishes an instructive illustration. The generation which broke the yoke of servitude imposed by Napoleon, “felt their God,” as E. M. Arndt sang and prayed. The succeeding age enjoys the fruits and says: “Our skill and arms have smitten him.” The living enthusiasm of action and strength, feels that its source is in the living God. It looks upon itself as the instrument of a Spirit who gives to truth and freedom their places in history. The children want the strength which comes of faith in that Spirit who in the fathers accomplished everything—and want it the more, the less they have done. Everything foretold by Moses goes into fulfillment. The later Israel had forgotten (Deu_8:14) what God had done for their fathers—in Egypt, in the desert, in Canaan. The phraseology is very suggestive; they “knew not Jehovah, nor, consequently, the works which he had done for Israel.” Among the people, the one is closely connected with the other, as is shown by what follows.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

One generation goes and another comes, but the word of God abides forever. It holds good for fathers and children; it judges ancestors and descendants. The new Israel had not beheld the deeds of Joshua and Caleb; but the God in whose spirit they were accomplished, still lived. They had not witnessed the recompense which was visited upon Adoni-bezek; but the Word which promises reward and punishment, was still living. Israel apostatized not because it had forgotten, but because sin is ever forgetful. When the blind man sins, it is not because he does not see the creation which God created, but because sin is blind both in those who see and in those who see not.

Therefore, no one can excuse himself, when he falls away into idolatry. Creation is visible to all, all have come up out of Egypt, all enjoy the favor of their God. Inexperience, satanic arts of temptation, temperament, can explain many a fall; yet, no one falls save by his own evil lusts, and all wickedness is done before the eyes of God (Jdg_2:11).

Starke: Constantly to remember and meditate on the works of God promotes piety, causing us to fear God, to believe in Him, and to serve Him.

Lisco: As long as the remembrance of the mighty works of God continued alive, so long also did active gratitude, covenant faithfulness, endure.

Footnotes:

[Jdg_2:7.— äֶàֱøִéêְ éָîִéí , to prolong one’s days, usually means, “to live long;” but here the addition “after Joshua” shows that the expression is not to be taken in this ordinary acceptation, but according to the proper sense of the words: “they prolonged days (life) after Joshua,” i. e. they survived him: not, “they lived long after Joshua,” cf. the remarks of Bachmann quoted on p. 15.—Tr.]

[Jdg_2:10.—The sing. suf. in àֲáåֹúָéå , although the verb is plural, arises from the fact that the expression àֶìÎàֲáåֹúָéå ðֶàֱñַó , and others of like import, are generally used of individuals. Habit gets the better of strict grammatical propriety.—Tr.]

[Jdg_2:10.—Dr. Cassel: die Gott nicht kannten, und [also] auch seine That nicht; i. e. “who knew not God (Jehovah), nor [consequently], the works.” The explanation of this rendering is that he takes “knew” in the sense of “acknowledge,” see below; so that the clause gives him the following sense: “they acknowledged not what God had done for them, and of course did not rightly value his works. But, as Bachmann observes, “ ìֹà éָøְòåּ conveys no reproach, but only states the cause of the ensuing apostasy. The new generation did not know the Lord and his work, sc. as eye witnesses (cf. Jdg_2:7; Jdg_3:2); they only knew from hearsay.”—Tr.]

As úåּùִׁéí and àַìְâּåּîִּéí , ùׁåּúָí and ùַׁìְîַé àַìְîֻðּéí and ùׁîְìַé . Cf. Bochart, Hierozoicon, lib. 1. cap. 20. tom. 2, p. 137.

Ritter 16:562, Gage’s Transl. 4:246; [Smith’s “Visit to Antipatris,” in Bibliotheca Sacra for 1843 (published at New York) p. 484.—Tr.] On the desire of the Bedouins to be buried on mountains, cf. Wetzstein, Hauran, p. 26.