Copyright Page
2016 by Kenneth A. Mathews
Captions and Illustrating the Text sections 2016 by Baker Publishing Group
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 495166287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-0038-6
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan and Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com ; Biblica.com .
The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Offices by Biblica, Inc.
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007
Scripture quotations labeled HCSB are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations labeled NET are from the NET BIBLE, copyright 2003 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC. www.netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NJPS are from the New Jewish Publication Society Version 1985 by The Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Dedication
To My Dad
Charlie M. Mathews
December 22, 1915December 14, 2003
Contents
Cover
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Welcome to the Teach the Text Commentary Series
Introduction to the Teach the Text Commentary Series
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction to Joshua
Joshua 1:118
Preparing to Possess the Land
Joshua 2:124
Scouting the Land
Joshua 3:117
Crossing the Jordan
Joshua 4:124
Remembering Gods Grace
Joshua 5:112
New Life in Canaan
Joshua 5:1315
The Commander of Israels Armies
Joshua 6:127
Jericho Falls
Additional Insights
Joshuas Jihad?
Joshua 7:115
Defeat at Ai
Joshua 7:1626
Achans Punishment
Joshua 8:129
Victory at Ai
Joshua 8:3035
Gods Covenant Word in the Land
Joshua 9:127
Gibeonite Deception
Joshua 10:115
The Sun Stood Still
Additional Insights
The Sun Stood Still
Joshua 10:1643
Victory over the Southern Kings
Joshua 11:115
Defeat of the Northern Kings
Joshua 11:1612:24
Summing Up the Conquest
Joshua 13:133
The Transjordan Land
Joshua 14:115
Calebs Inheritance
Joshua 15:163
Judahs Inheritance and Calebs Family
Joshua 16:117:18
Josephs Inheritance
Joshua 18:119:51
Inheritance for the Remaining Tribes
Joshua 20:19
Cities of Refuge
The Levites Towns
Joshua 21:4345
Rest in the Land
Joshua 22:19
Transjordan Tribes Receive a Blessing
Joshua 22:1034
Threat to Unity
Joshua 23:111
A Call to Faithfulness
Joshua 23:1216
Words of Warning
Joshua 24:118
Covenant Renewal
Joshua 24:1928
Covenant Confirmed
Joshua 24:2933
Funerals in Faith
Notes
Bibliography
Image Credits
Contributors
Index
Back Ad
Back Cover
Welcome to the Teach the Text Commentary Series
Why another commentary series? That was the question the general editors posed when Baker Books asked us to produce this series. Is there something that we can offer to pastors and teachers that is not currently being offered by other commentary series, or that can be offered in a more helpful way? After carefully researching the needs of pastors who teach the text on a weekly basis, we concluded that yes, more can be done; the Teach the Text Commentary Series (TTCS) is carefully designed to fill an important gap.
The technicality of modern commentaries often overwhelms readers with details that are tangential to the main purpose of the text. Discussions of source and redaction criticism, as well as detailed surveys of secondary literature, seem far removed from preaching and teaching the Word. Rather than wade through technical discussions, pastors often turn to devotional commentaries, which may contain exegetical weaknesses, misuse the Greek and Hebrew languages, and lack hermeneutical sophistication. There is a need for a commentary that utilizes the best of biblical scholarship but also presents the material in a clear, concise, attractive, and user-friendly format.
This commentary is designed for that purposeto provide a ready reference for the exposition of the biblical text, giving easy access to information that a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. To that end, the commentary is divided into carefully selected preaching units, each covered in six pages (with carefully regulated word counts both in the passage as a whole and in each subsection). Pastors and teachers engaged in weekly preparation thus know that they will be reading approximately the same amount of material on a week-by-week basis.
Each passage begins with a concise summary of the central message, or Big Idea, of the passage and a list of its main themes. This is followed by a more detailed interpretation of the text, including the literary context of the passage, historical background material, and interpretive insights. While drawing on the best of biblical scholarship, this material is clear, concise, and to the point. Technical material is kept to a minimum, with endnotes pointing the reader to more detailed discussion and additional resources.