Joshua 22:5

Jos 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to 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.

Ver. 5. But take diligent heed to do the commandment.] He had commended them before for this, that they had "kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord their God," {Jos 22:3} but he would have them to "abound more and more." {1Th 4:1 1Jn 5:13}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jos 22:5. Take diligent heed — Watch over yourselves and all your actions. Commandment and law — Two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses. All your heart and soul — With the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:5 all your heart and all your soul: See Deut 6:5.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He showeth wherein consisteth the fulfilling of the Law.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 5. But take diligent heed, c.] Let us examine the force of this excellent advice they must ever consider that their prosperity and continued possession of the land depended on their fidelity and obedience to God; to this they must take diligent heed.

Do the commandment] They must pay the strictest regard to every moral precept.

And the law] They must observe all the rites and ceremonies of their holy religion.

Love the Lord your God] Without an affectionate filial attachment to their Maker, duty would be irksome, grievous, and impossible.

Walk in all his ways] They must not only believe and love, but obey: walk not in your own ways, but walk in those which GOD has pointed out.

Keep his commandments] They must love him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and their neighbour as themselves.

Cleave unto him] They must be cemented to him, in a union that should never be dissolved.

Serve him] They must consider him as their Master, having an absolute right to appoint them when, where, how, and in what measure they should do his work.

With all your heart] Having all their affections and passions sanctified and united to him.

And with all your soul.] Giving up their whole life to him, and employing their understanding, judgment, and will, in the contemplation and adoration of his perfections; that their love and obedience might increase in proportion to the cultivation and improvement of their understanding.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. But take diligent heed, etc He thus releases and frees them from temporary service, that he may bind them for ever to the authority of the one true God. He therefore permits them to return home, but on the condition that wherever they may be they are to be the soldiers of God; and he at the same time prescribes the mode, namely, the observance of his Law. But since such is the vanity and inconstancy of the human mind, that religion easily fades away from the heart, while carelessness and contempt creep in, he requires of them zeal and diligence in executing the Law. He calls it the Law of Moses, that they may not be carried to and fro by airy speculations, but remain fixed in the doctrine which they had learned from the faithful servant of God. He touches also on the end and sum of the Law, love to God, and adherence to him, because outward worship would otherwise be of little value. He confirms the same thing by other words, by which sincerity is denoted, namely, serving the Lord with their whole heart and soul.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

5. But take diligent heed] “Se onli that çe 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, Deu_6:6; Deu_6:17; Deu_11:22.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away,.... Dismissed them from his presence with a blessing, in order to go to their own country; this he did by wishing them well, praying to God for a blessing on them, their persons, and families, who had been so useful in assisting their brethren to get possession of the land of Canaan. Some think this blessing includes gifts and presents he bestowed on them:

and they went unto their tents; here the word means their military tents in the camp of Israel, to which they returned, in order to take with them their goods, their substance and riches, their part of the spoil of the enemy, which of right belonged to them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. And the law — The Torah. In note on chap. Jos_1:8, we have shown that the Torah was already called a book. We have in this verse grounds for inferring that there was more than one copy. The Eastern tribes could not have been commanded to take diligent heed to obey the Torah if they were now to be excluded from its constant perusal.

With all your heart and with all your soul — The words heart and soul indicate the affectional and emotional nature, and are used to intensify the exhortation to sincere and heartfelt obedience unto Jehovah. As if foreseeing the decay of national feeling which the separation of the deep trench of the Jordan would tend to create, Joshua tenderly and earnestly presses upon the departing tribes the duty of a faithful study of the law and a scrupulous obedience to its requirements. He well knew that the Hebrew could be a patriot only as he was an Israelite indeed; a lover of his nation only as a lover of his nation’s God. With a clear vision did Joshua see that both individual and national prosperity must arise from obedience to the moral law. The redundancy of the language evinces the intense earnestness of the great leader.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But take diligent heed. This passage is a quotation from the Book of Deuteronomy (Deu_6:5 Deu_10:12 Deu_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 nomov 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.

Loyalty to God in separation from the Church.

I THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF TRIAL.

1. Isolation. The Reubenites and their associates had chosen an inheritance which would separate them from their brethren. There was danger lest the separation should injure their fidelity to God. The influence of Christian example and the sympathy of the Church are great aids to devotion. When these are lost special care is needed to prevent devotion from growing cold. This applies

(a) to those who go from their homes to business occupations which separate them from old religious associations,

(b) to those who leave their country for the colonies. etc.

1. Evil surroundings. These tribes were about to settle amongst a heathen population. In addition to the loss of the good example of their brethren"s devotion, they would become liable to the injurious influence of bad associates. If duty calls us to live amongst those whose lives are unchristian we need to be watchful against the fatal influence of their example. Lot was injured by living in Sodom.

2. The cost of religious ordinances. Though these tribes established worship for themselves, they must have missed the good of the tabernacle services. They who live beyond the reach of such religious ordinances as they have found profitable in the past as in lonely country places, or the backwoods of colonies should be on their guard against the spiritual deadness which may result unless they are assiduous in private devotion. The proximity of a suitable place of worship should be a first consideration in the choice of an abode. Convenience, society, health, beauty of situation are too often considered to the neglect of this important requisite. Heads of families should know how much this affects the character and destinies of their children.

I THE DUTY OF LOYALTY. The duty is illustrated in various phrases that it may be made clear and be well insisted on. This is no small matter. It should engage our chief attention. Several points are here included, viz.,

1. Devotion of heart. This is the root of true loyalty. It springs

a. from personal love to God, and cleaving to Him;

b. from the service of inward desire serving with the heart;

c. from thoroughness serving with the whole heart.

2. Obedience in life. This is "to walk in all His ways." True loyalty does not confine itself to the secret desires of the heart. It comes out in the life. There it is not only seen in definite acts but in the general course of conduct. We are not to be faithful only in supreme moments, but to walk obediently to continue a constant course of obedience.

3. Diligence in fulfilling God"s commands.

(a) These tribes were to take heed. We need thought to consider what is God"s will, and care to see that we are doing it.

(b) They were to keep God"s commandments. The details of duty must be observed after we have cultivated the general spirit of devotion. W.F.A.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Take heed - Watch over yourselves and all your actions. Commandment and law - Two words expressing the same thing, the law of commandments delivered by Moses. All your heart and soul - With the whole strength of your minds, and wills, and affections.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.