Commentary on the book of Joshua

Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 According to the division of Old Testament books according to content accepted in the Greek-Slavic and Latin Bibles, the books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, two Chronicles, 1st book of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are considered historical (canonical) books. A similar calculation is found already in the 85th apostolic canon 1, the fourth catechtal teaching of Cyril of Jerusalem, the Sinai list of the LXX translation and partly in the 60th canon of the Council of Laodicea in 350: Esther is placed in it between the books of Ruth and Kings 2. Likewise, the term “historical books” is known from the same fourth catechumen teaching of Cyril of Jerusalem and the work of Gregory the Theologian “On what is due to the honor of a prince. Old and New Testaments" (book of Rules, pp. 372–373). Among the named church fathers, it has, however, a slightly different meaning than now: the name “historical books” is given by them not only to the “historical books” of the Greek-Slavic and Latin translation, but also to the entire Pentateuch. “There are twelve historical books of ancient Jewish wisdom,” says Gregory the Theologian. The first is Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, then Numbers, Deuteronomy, then Jesus and Judges, the eighth is Ruth. The ninth and tenth books are Acts of Kings, Chronicles, and lastly you have Ezra.” “Read,” answers Cyril of Jerusalem, “the divine writings of the Old Testament, 22 books translated by LXX interpreters, and do not confuse them with the Apocrypha... These twenty-two books are the essence of the Law of Moses, the first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Then Joshua the son of Nun, Judges and Ruth make up one seventh book. Other historical books include the first and second Kings, which among the Jews constitute one book, and the third and fourth, which constitute one book. Likewise, they count the first and second Chronicles as one book, and the first and second Esdras (according to our Nehemiah) count as one book. The twelfth book is Esther. That's what history books are like." As for the Hebrew Bible, both the very section of “historical books” and their Greek-Slavic and Latin distribution are alien to it. The books of Joshua, Judges and the four books of Kings are classified in it as “prophets”, and Ruth, two books of Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are classified as “kegubim”, the sacred scriptures. The first ones, i.e. book. Joshua, Judges, and Kings occupy the first place among the prophets, Ruth the fifth, Esther the eighth, and Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles the last places among the “scriptures.” Much closer to the LXX division is the order of the books in Josephus. His words “From the death of Moses to the reign of Artaxerxes, the prophets after Moses wrote down in 13 books what happened under them” (Against Appion, I, 8), make it clear that he considered the book. Joshua - Esther books of a historical nature. Jesus, the son of Sirach, apparently held the same view. In the “scriptures” section, he distinguishes between “wise words and stories” (Sir 44:3–5), that is, educational and historical books. The last ones could only be Ruth, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. The inclusion of them in the “scriptures” section of the Hebrew Bible is partly explained by the fact that the authors of some of them, for example Ezra-Nehemiah, did not accept the title “prophet” in Jewish theology, partly by their character, they are seen as a historian, teacher and preacher. In accordance with this, the entire third section is called “wisdom” in some Talmudic treatises. Attributing one part of our historical books to the section of the prophets, “who learned by inspiration from God the early things, and wrote with wisdom about the things that happened with them” (Josephus. Against Appion I, 7), and the other to the “scriptures,” which is the name given to the entire composition of the Old Testament canonical books, the Jewish church thereby recognized them as inspired works. This view is quite definitely and clearly expressed in the words of Josephus: “Among the Jews, not every person can be a sacred writer, but only a prophet who writes according to the Divine with inspiration, which is why all the sacred Jewish books (22 in number) can rightly be called Divine” (Against Appion I, 8). Later, as can be seen from the Talmudic treatise Megillah, a dispute arose about the inspiration of the books of Ruth and Esther; but as a result they are recognized as written by the Holy Spirit. The New Testament church also holds the same view as the Old Testament church on the inspiration of historical books (see above, 85th Apostolic Canon). In accordance with their name, historical books set out the history of the religious, moral and civil life of the Jewish people, starting with the conquest of Canaan under Joshua (1480–1442 BC) and ending with the return of the Jews from Babylon led by Nehemiah under Artaxerxes I (445 BC), during whose reign the events described in the book of Esther also fall. The facts that took place during a given period are presented in historical books either completely objectively, or are considered from a theocratic point of view. The latter established, on the one hand, a strict distinction between proper and improper phenomena in the field of religion, and on the other, recognized the complete dependence of civil and political life on faith in the true God. Depending on this, the history of the Jewish people, presented in the light of the idea of ​​theocracy, presents a series of normal and abnormal religious phenomena, accompanied either by an elevation, a rise in political life, or by its complete decline. This point of view is characteristic mainly of books 3–4. Kingdoms, book. Chronicles and some parts of the book. Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh.9:1). The thousand-year period of life of the Jewish people covered by historical books falls apart, depending on the internal, causal connection of phenomena, into several separate eras. Of these, the time of Joshua, marked by the conquest of Palestine, represents a transitional moment from nomadic to sedentary life. Her first steps during the period of the Judges (1442–1094) were not particularly successful. Having lost their political leader with the death of Joshua, the Jews broke up into twelve independent republics that lost consciousness of national unity. It was replaced by tribal strife, and, moreover, so strong that the tribes do not take part in the general political life of the country, they live so isolated and closed that they do not want to help each other even in days of misfortune (Judges 5:15–17,6:35,8:1). Religious and moral life was in exactly the same pitiful state. Immorality became so universal that adulterous cohabitation was considered commonplace and, as it were, replaced marriage, and in some cities the vile vices of the times of Sodom and Gomorrah were divorced (Judges 19). At the same time, true religion was forgotten: its place was taken by superstitions spread by wandering Levites (Judges 17). The absence of restraining principles in the form of religion and permanent secular power during the period of the judges ultimately ended in complete unbridledness: “everyone did what seemed fair to him” (Judges 21:25). But these same negative aspects and phenomena turned out to be beneficial in the sense that they prepared the establishment of royal power; The period of judges turned out to be a transitional time to the period of kings. Tribal strife and the impotence it caused told the people about the need for permanent, lasting power, the benefit of which was proven by the activities of each judge and especially Samuel, who managed to unite all the Israelis with his personality (1 Samuel 7:15-17). And since, on the other hand, religion could not be such a force restraining the people - they were still underdeveloped to be guided by the spiritual principle - then the unification could come from earthly power, such as royal power. And, indeed, the accession of Saul put an end, albeit briefly, to the tribal strife of the Jews: at his call, “the sons of Israel and the men of Judah” gathered to fight against Koash of Ammon (1 Sam. 11:8). More of a military leader than a ruler, Saul justified the popular desire to see a strong military leader in the king (1 Samuel 8.20), he won a number of victories over the surrounding nations (1 Samuel 14:47–48) and died as a hero in the battle on the mountains of Gilboa (1 Samuel 31). With his death, the tribal discord of the period of the Judges was reflected in full force: the tribe of Judah, which had previously stood alone from the others, now recognized David as their king (2 Samuel 2:4), and the rest submitted to Saul’s son Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 2:8–9). Seven and a half years after this, power over Judah and Israel passed into the hands of David (2 Samuel 5:1-3), and the purpose of his reign is the destruction of tribal strife, through which he expects to retain the throne for himself and his house. Constant wars also contribute to its achievement. As a national cause, they support the consciousness of national unity and divert attention from matters of internal life, which can always give rise to discord and a whole series of reforms aimed at equalizing all tribes before the law. Thus, the establishment of a standing army, divided according to the number of tribes into twelve parts, each performing monthly service in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 27:1), equalizes the people in relation to military service. The transformation of the neutral city of Jerusalem into a religious and civic center does not elevate any tribe in religious and civic terms. The appointment of identical Levitical judges for the entire people (1 Chronicles 26:29–30) and the preservation of local tribal self-government for each tribe (1 Chronicles 27:16–22) equalizes everyone before the court. While maintaining the equality of the tribes and thus not giving rise to tribal discord, David remains at the same time a fully autocratic monarch. Military and civil power is concentrated in his hands: the first through the commander-in-chief of the army Joab subordinate to him (1 Chronicles 27:34), the second through the high priest Zadok, the chief of the Levite judges. The reign of David's son and successor Solomon reversed the result of his father's reign. The extraordinary luxury of Solomon's court required enormous expenses and corresponding taxes on the people. His funds were now used not for the national cause, as under David, but to satisfy the personal needs of the king and his courtiers. At the same time, the rightful court of David’s time turned out to be perverted: the equality of everyone before the law disappeared. On this basis (1 Kings 12:4), popular discontent arose, which then turned into open indignation (1 Kings 11:26). Suppressed by Solomon, it reasserted itself under Rehoboam (1 Kings 12) and this time was resolved by the separation of 10 tribes from the house of David (1 Kings 12:20). The immediate reason for it was dissatisfaction with Solomon, who imposed a heavy yoke on the people (1 Kings 12:4), and Rehoboam’s reluctance to ease it. But judging by the words of the separated tribes: “we have no share in the son of Jesse” (1 Kings 12:16), i.e. we have nothing in common with him; we do not belong to him, like Judas, by origin, the reason for the division is in that tribal, tribal strife that passed through the entire period of the Judges and subsided for a while under Saul, David and Solomon. The division of the single kingdom (980 BC) into two - Judah and Israel - marked the beginning of the weakening of the power of the Jewish people. The consequences of this kind were reflected primarily in the history of the ten-tribe kingdom. His forces are dealt a sensitive blow by the war with Judah. Started by Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:21,14:30; 2 Chronicles 11:1,12:15), they continue under Abijah, who killed 500,000 Israelites (2 Chronicles 13:17) and took a number of cities from Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:19), and for a time end under Asa, who destroyed with the help of Ben-hadad of Syria, the population of Ain, Dan, Abel-Beth-Moacah and all the land of Naphtali (1 Kings 15:20). The mutual harm from this almost 60-year war was finally recognized in both states: Ahab and Jehoshaphat entered into an alliance, consolidating it with the kinship of the reigning houses (2 Chronicles 18:1), and the marriage of Jehoshaphat’s son Joram to Ahab’s daughter Athaliah (2 Chronicles 21:6). But before the wounds inflicted by this war had time to heal, wars between the Israelis and the Syrians began. With interruptions (1 Kings 22:1) and varying happiness they pass through the reigns of Ahab (1 Kings 20), Jehoram (2 Kings 8:16–28), Jehu (2 Kings 10:5–36), Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:1–9) and Joash (2 Kings 13:10–13) and so weaken military strength of the Israelites, that Johaz has only 50 horsemen, 10 chariots and 10,000 infantry left (2 Kings 13:7). Hazael the Syrian scattered everything else like dust (Ibid: cf. 2 Kings 8:12). Simultaneously with the Syrians, the Israelites wage war with the Jews under Joash (2 Kings 14:9-14; 2 Chronicles 25:17-24) and under Jeroboam II they return, of course, not without losses in people, the limits of their former possessions from the edge of Hamath to the desert sea (2 Kings 14:25). Exhausted by a number of these wars, the Israelis finally find themselves unable to withstand the onslaught of their last enemies - the Assyrians, who put an end to the existence of the ten-tribe kingdom. As an independent state, the ten-tribe kingdom existed for 259 years (960–721). It fell, having exhausted its strength in a series of continuous wars. During this time, the state of the two-tribe kingdom appears in a different light. It not only does not weaken, but rather intensifies. Indeed, at the beginning of its existence, the two-generation kingdom had only 120,000 or, according to the Alexandrian list, 180,000 warriors and therefore, naturally, could not repel the invasions of the Egyptian pharaoh Susakim. He took the fortified cities of Judah, sacked Jerusalem itself and made the Jews his tributaries (2 Chron. 12:4,8-9). Subsequently, the number of those armed and capable of war was increased by those Israelis dissatisfied with the religious reform of Jeroboam I (not counting the Levites), who went over to the side of Rehoboam, strengthened and supported his kingdom (2 Chronicles 11:17). The two-tribe kingdom and its wars with the ten-tribe kingdom responded relatively favorably. At the very least, Abijah takes Bethel, Jeshon and Ephron with their dependent cities from Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:19), and his successor Asa is able to field 580,000 soldiers against Zarai the Ethiopian (2 Chronicles 14:8). The relative weakness of the two-tribe kingdom is reflected only in the fact that Asa cannot alone wage war with Baasha and invites Benhadad of Syria to help (1 Kings 15:18–19). Under Asa's son and successor Jehoshaphat, the two-tribe kingdom strengthens even more. Without being carried away by the thirst for conquest, he devotes his activities to streamlining the internal life of the state, makes an attempt to correct the religious and moral life of the people, takes care of their education (2 Chronicles 17:7-10), the regulation of the court and judicial institutions (2 Chronicles 19:5-11), builds new fortresses (2 Chronicles 17:12), etc. The implementation of these plans required, of course, peace with neighbors. Of these, the Philistines and Edomites are pacified by force of arms (2 Chronicles 17:10–11), and a political and kinship alliance is concluded with the ten-tribe kingdom (2 Chronicles 18:1). Necessary for Jehoshaphat as a means to carry out the above reforms, this latter became over time a source of disasters and misfortunes for the two-tribe kingdom. According to the author of Chronicles (2 Chronicles 21), they were expressed in the fall of Judah under Jehoram into Idumea conquered by Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 21:10), in the happy raid on Judea and Jerusalem itself by the Philistines and Arabian tribes (2 Chronicles 21:16–17), in the indignation of the inhabitants of the priestly city of Libno (2 Chronicles 21:10). ) and in a useless war with the Syrians (2 Chronicles 22:5). The disintegration of the two-tribe kingdom, which was reflected in these facts (see also 2 Chronicles 21:2–4, 22:10), was stopped by the activity of the high priest Joddai, the teacher of Ahaziah’s son Joash, but with his death it was reflected with renewed vigor. Having not had time to strengthen itself from the disasters and turmoil of past reigns, it is now being attacked by its neighbors. It is the Philistines who capture the Jews and trade them as slaves (Joel.3:6; Am.1:9); the Edomites make frequent incursions into the borders of Judea and brutally deal with captives (Am.1:6, Joel.3:19); finally, Hazael the Syrian, having taken away Gath, takes his weapon to Jerusalem itself, and again the kingdom of Judah buys its freedom at the dear price of the treasures of the royal house and church (2 Kings 12:18). The reign of Joash's son Amaziah ends the time of disasters (the unfortunate war with the ten-tribe kingdom - 2 Kings 14:9-14, 2 Chronicles 25:17-24 and the invasion of the Edomites - Amaziah 9:12), and under his successors Uzziah the Leper and Jotham, the two-tribe kingdom returns to the glory of the times of David and Solomon. The first subdues the Edomites in the south and takes possession of the harbor of Elath, in the west he crushes the power of the Philistines, and in the east the Ammonites pay him tribute (2 Chronicles 26:6-8). The power of Uzziah was so significant that, according to the evidence of the wedge-shaped inscriptions, he withstood the onslaught of Tiglaphelasser III. The two-tribe kingdom, secured from the outside, now widely and freely developed its internal economic well-being, and the king himself was the first and zealous patron of the national economy (2 Chronicles 26:10). With the development of internal well-being, trade also developed widely, which served as a source of national enrichment (Isa. 2.7). The glorious predecessor was followed by an equally glorious and worthy successor, Jotham. During their reign, the kingdom of Judah seemed to be gathering strength for the upcoming fight against the Assyrians. The inevitability of the latter becomes clear already under Ahaz, who invited Tiglaphelassar to protect him from the attacks of Rezin, Pekah, the Edomites and Philistines (2 Chronicles 28:5-18). As Vigouroux puts it, he, without noticing it, asked the wolf to devour his flock (Die Bibel und die neueren Entdeckungen. S. 98). And indeed, Tiglathelassar freed Ahaz from his enemies, but at the same time imposed tribute on him (2 Chronicles 28:21). It is unknown how dependence on Assyria would have affected the further history of the two-tribe kingdom, if not for the fall of Samaria and the refusal of Ahaz’s successor Hezekiah to pay tribute to the Assyrians and his transition, contrary to the advice of the prophet Isaiah, to the side of the Egyptians (Isa. 30: 7, 15, 31: 1–3). The first event deprived the kingdom of Judah of its last cover from Assyria; Now access to its borders is open, and the path to the borders has been paved. The second finally sealed the fate of Judea. The alliance with Egypt, which over time turned into vassalage, forced her to take part first in the fight against Assyria, and then against Babylon. She emerged from the first one exhausted, and the second one led her to her final death. As an ally of Egypt, with whom the Assyrians fought under Hezekiah, Judah was subjected to the invasion of Sennacherib. According to the inscription he left, he conquered 46 cities, captured a lot of supplies and war materials, and took 200,150 people captive (Schrader jbid S. 302–4; 298). In addition, he imposed a huge tribute on Judea (2 Kings 18:14–16). The alliance with Egypt and the hope for its help did not bring any benefit to the two-tribe kingdom. And yet, Hezekiah's successor Manasseh remains a supporter of the Egyptians. As such, during Assargadon’s campaign against Egypt, he becomes his tributary, is put in chains and sent to Babylon (2 Chronicles 33:11). The weakening of Assyria, which began under Assargadon's successor Assurbanipal, made an alliance with Egypt unnecessary for Judea. Not only that, but Josiah, a contemporary of this event, tries to stop the aggressive aspirations of the Egyptian pharaoh Necho (2 Chronicles 35:20), but dies in the battle of Megiddon (2 Chronicles 35:23). With his death, Judah becomes a vassal of Egypt (2 Kings 23:33; 2 Chronicles 36:1–4), and the latter circumstance involves it in the fight against Babylon. Necho's desire to establish himself, taking advantage of the fall of Nineveh, in the Ephrates regions met with rebuff from Nabopolassar's son Nebuchadnezzar. In 605 BC, Necho was defeated by him at the Battle of Karchemish. Four years after this, Nebuchadnezzar himself undertook a campaign against Egypt and, in order to secure his rear, subjugated the kings subject to him, including Jehoiakim of Judah (2 Kings 24:1; 2 Chronicles 36:5). From Egypt, Judea passed into the hands of the Babylonians and, under the condition of their loyalty, could have preserved its existence. But her hope for the same Egypt ruined her. Confident of his help, Jehoiakim's second successor Zedekiah (Jer.37:5; Ezek.17:15) broke away from Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:20; 2 Chronicles 36:13), brought on the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:1; 2 Chronicles 36:17) and, having received no support from the Egyptian pharaoh Ophra (Jer.37:7), he himself died and destroyed the country. If the international relations of Judea boil down to continuous wars, then internal life is characterized by the fight against paganism. Lasting throughout the history of the two-tribe kingdom, it did not bring about the triumph of true religion. It began its existence as a pagan under Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:22–24; 2 Chronicles 11:13–17), and as a pagan it ended its political life (2 Kings 24:19, 2 Chronicles 36:12). The reasons for this phenomenon were, first of all, that the fight against paganism was carried out by purely external means and was reduced to the destruction of monuments of paganism. The only exception in this regard is the activities of Jehoshaphat, Josiah and partly Hezekiah. The first constitutes a special commission of princes, priests and Levites, instructs it to go through all the cities of Judah and teach the people (2 Chronicles 17:7-10); the second undertakes a public reading of the law (2 Kings 23:1–2; 2 Chronicles 34:30) and the third arranges a solemn celebration of the Passover (2 Chronicles 30:26). The rest of the kings limit themselves to the destruction of idols, cutting down sacred oak forests, etc. And even if Jehoshaphat’s activities did not bring significant benefit: “the people had not yet firmly turned their hearts to the God of their fathers” (2 Chronicles 20:33), then it goes without saying that external measures alone could not destroy the pagan mood of the people, the attraction of their hearts and minds to the gods of the surrounding nations. Therefore, as soon as the king, the persecutor of paganism, died, the pagan nation restored what was destroyed and erected new temples for their idols; the zealots of Jehovah's religion again had to begin the work of their pious predecessors (2 Chronicles 14:3,15:8,17:6, etc.). Thanks to such circumstances, the religion of Jehovah and paganism turned out to be far unequal forces. The latter had the sympathy of the people on his side; it was absorbed by the Jew as if with mother's milk, from youth it entered into his flesh and blood; the first had kings for itself and was forcibly imposed on the nation by them. It is not surprising, therefore, that it was not only completely alien to her, but also seemed downright hostile. Repressive measures only supported this feeling, united the pagan masses, did not lead to submission, but, on the contrary, provoked them to fight against Jehovah’s law. This, by the way, is the result of the reforms of Hezekiah and Josiah. Under the successor of the first Manasseh, “innocent blood was shed, and Jerusalem was filled with it... from edge to edge” (2 Kings 21:16), i.e., the beating of Jehovah’s servants began with the strengthening of the pagan party. In the same way, the reform of Josiah, carried out with rare decisiveness, helped to concentrate the forces of the pagans, and in the struggle that then began with the supporters of religion, they undermined all the foundations of theocracy, among other things, prophecy and the priesthood. In order to weaken the first, the pagan party elected and promoted false prophets who promised peace and assured that no evil would befall the state (Jer. 23:6). The priesthood was also undermined by it: it put forward only unworthy representatives (Jer. 23:2). Josiah's reform was the last act of the age-old struggle between piety and paganism. After it there were no more attempts to maintain true religion; and the Jews went into Babylonian captivity as real pagans. The Babylonian captivity, having deprived the Jews of political independence, had a sobering effect on them religiously. His contemporaries were convinced with their own eyes of the truth of the prophetic threats and admonitions, of the justice of the position that the whole life of Israel depends on God, on fidelity to His law. As a direct and immediate result of such consciousness, there arises a desire for a return to the ancient and eternal truths and forces that once created society, which at all times gave salvation and, although often forgotten and neglected, were always recognized as capable of giving salvation. The community that arrived in Judea took this path. As a preparatory condition for implementing the religion of Jehovah, she fulfilled the requirement of the Law of Moses for the complete and complete separation of the Jews from the surrounding peoples (dissolution of mixed marriages under Ezra and Nehemiah). The basis of further life and history is now based on the principle of isolation, isolation. Selected bibliography of domestic and foreign works on biblical historical books Bogorodsky - Bogorodsky Ya. Jewish kings. Kazan, 1884. Glagolev A. Old Testament biblical teaching about angels. Kiev, 1900. Olesnitsky [1895] – Olesnitsky A.A. Megalithic monuments of the Holy Land. St. Petersburg, 1895. Palmov - Palmov M. Idolatry among the ancient Jews. St. Petersburg, 1897. Pokrovsky - Pokrovsky E.Ya. Division of the Jewish kingdom into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Kiev, 1885. Popov - Popov T. Biblical data on various diseases. St. Petersburg, 1904. Troitsky - Troitsky I. G. Religious, social and state condition of the Jews during the time of the Judges. St. Petersburg, 1885. Baedecker – Baedecker K. Palastina und Syrien: die Hauptrouten Mesopotamiens und Babyloniens und die Insel Cypern; Handbuch fur Reisende; mit 21 Karten, 56 Planen und Grundrissen und einem Panorama. Leipzig, 1910. Bähr – Bähr K.Chr.W.Fr. Die Bucher der Konige theologisch$homiletisch bearbeitet // Theologisch$homiletisches Bibelwerk: Das Alte Testament, 7. Bielefeld$Leipzig, 1868. Bahr. Symbolik – Bähr K.Chr.W. Fr. Symbolik des Mosaischen Cultus. 2 Bde. Heidelberg, 1837–1839. Benzinger – Benzinger I. Die Bücher der Könige. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1899. Bertholet – Bertholet A. Die Stellung der Israeliten und der Juden zu den Fremden. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1896. Böttcher – Böttcher Fr. Regum-Psalmi // Neue exegetisch$kritische Aerenlese zum Alten Testament. Abteilung 2. Leipzig, 1864. Buddeus – Buddeus J.F. Historia Ecclesiastica Veteris Testamenti ab Orbe Condito usque ad Christum Natum variis Observationibus illustrata. Halae Magdeburgicae, 1726. Buhl - Buhl Fr. Die socialen Verhaltnisse der Israeliten. Berlin, 1899. Burckhardt – Burckhardt J.L. Reisen in Syrien, Palastina und der Gegend des Berges Sinai. Weimar, 1823. Cook - Cook F.C. The Holy Bible, according to the authorized version (A. D. 1611): with an explanatory and critical commentary. Vol. III: Kings – Esther. Murray, 1873. Cornely-Knabenbauer-Hummela uer – Cornely R., Knabenbauer J., Hummelauer Fr. von. Cursus Scripturae sacrae. Vol. 2: Introductio specialis in historicos Veteris Testamenti libros. Parisiis, 1897. De Lagarde – Lagarde P. de. Librorum Veteris Testamenti canonicorum pars prior Graece. Gottingae, 1883. Dillmann – Dillmann A. Die Bucher Numeri, Deuteronomium und Josua. Leipzig, 1886. Field – Origenis Hexaplorum quae supersunt: sive veterum interpretum Graecorum in totum Vetus Testamentum; fragmenta / Post Flaminium Nobilium, Drusium, et Montefalconium, adhibita etiam versione Syro-Hexaplari, concinnavit, emendavit, et multis partibus auxit Fridericus Field. Oxford, 1875. Geßner – Geßner Th. Über das Zahlen der Worter in hebraischen Dichtungen, ein zweiter Beitrag zum Verstandniss alttestamentlicher Poesie. Quakenbrück, 1873. Glaire – Glaire J.B. Introduction historique et critique aux livres de l'Ancien et du Nouveau Testament. T. 1$6. Paris, 1839–1841. Graetz – Graetz H. Volkstümliche Geschichte der Jüden. Bd. 1: Von der Entstehung des judischen Volkes. Leipzig, 1914. Guerin – Guerin V. Description géographique, historique et archéologique de la Palestine. Part I: Judee. Paris, 1868; Part II: Samarie. Paris, 1875. Hävernick – Hävernick H.A.Ch. Handbuch der historisch$kritischen Einleitung in das Alte Testament. Theil II, Abteilung 1. Erlangen, 1839. Hengstenberg – Hengstenberg E.W. Beitrage zur Einleitung ins Alte Testament. Bd. 2: Die Authentie des Pentateuches. Berlin, 1836. Henry-Scott – Joshua to Esther // A Commentary upon the Holy Bible from Henry and Scott. London, 1836. Hummelauer - see Cornely-Knabenbauer-Hummelauer. Jastrow – Jastrow M. Die Religion Babyloniens und Assyriens. Bd. 1. Giessen, 1905; Bd. 2, Häften 1–2. Giessen, 1912. Keil [1847] – Keil C.F. Commentar uber das Buch Josua. Erlangen, 1847. Keil [1859] – Keil C.F. Lehrbuch der historisch$kritischen Einleitung in die kanonischen und apokryphischen Schriften des Alten Testamentes. Gütersloh, 1859. Keil [1863] – Keil C.F. Biblischer Commentar über die Prophetischen Geschichtsbücher des Alten Testaments // Biblischer Commentar über das Alte Testament. Bd. 1. Leipzig, 1863. Keil [1876] – Keil C.F. Die Bucher der Konige // Biblischer Commentar über das Alte Testament. Bd. 3. Leipzig, 1876. Kessler – Kessler J.K.A. Chronologia Judicum et primorum regum Israelitarum quomodo recte constituatur. Lipsiae, 1882. Kittel R. Die Bucher der Konige // Handkommentar zum Alten Testament, 5. Göttingen, 1900. Knobel – Knobel A.W. Die Bücher Numeri, Deuteronomium und Josua. Nebst einer Kritik des Pentateuch und Josua // Kurzgefaßtes exegetisches Handbuch zum Alten Testament. Lieferung 13. Leipzig, 1861. Köhler – Köhler A. Lehrbuch der Biblischen Geschichte Alten Testamentes. Bd. 1. Leipzig, 1875. Lagrange – Lagrange J. Le livre des juges. Paris, 1903. Nowack – Nowack W. Lehrbuch der hebräischen Archäologie. Bd. 1: Privat- und Staatsalterthumer; Bd. 2: Sacralalterthumer. Freiburg im Breisgau – Leipzig, 1894. Oettli – Oettli S. Das Deuteronomium und Josua und Richter // Kurzgefasster Kommentar zu den heiligen Schriften Altes und Neues Testament / Hrsg. von Hermann Strack und Otto Zöckler, 2. München, 1893. Philippson – Philippson L. Die Propheten // Die israelitische Bibel. Th. 2. Leipzig, 1858. Raumer – Raumer K. von. Palästina. Leipzig, 1860. Riehm – Riehm E.K.A. Handworterbuch des biblischen Altertums fur gebildete Bibelleser. Bd. 1: A – L. Bielefeld, 1893; Bd. 2: M – Z. Bielefeld, 1894. Riess – Riess R. Bibel$Atlas: in zehn Karten; nebst geographischem Index. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1895. Robinson - Robinson Ed. Palästina und die angrenzenden Lander: Tagebuch einer Reise im Jahre 1838. 3 Bde. Halle, 1841. Scholz – Scholz J.M.A. Einleitung in die Heiligen Schriften. 2-er Theil: Die specielle Einleitung in die historischen Bücher des Alten Testaments. Cologne, 1845. Smith – Smith W. Dictionary of the Bible. 4 Vols. Boston, 1885. Schrader – Schrader E. Die Keilinschriften und das Alte Testament. Berlin, 1903. Stade – Stade B. Geschichte des Volkes Israel. Berlin, 1887. Stanley – Stanley A.P. Lectures on the History of the Jewish Church. 3 Vols. (s.l.) 1893. Swete – Swete H.B. The Old Testament in Greek According to The Septuagint. Vol. 1: Genesis – IV Kings. Cambridge, 1909. Tristram – Tristram H.B. The Natural History of the Bible Being a Review of the Physical Geography, Geology and Meteorology of the Holy Land. London, 1868. Tristram [1870] – Tristram H.B. Scenes in the East. Consisting of twelve colored photographic views of places mentioned in the Bible, with descriptive letter$press. London, 1870. Trumbull - Trumbull H.C. KadeshCarnea, its importance and probable site with the story of a hunt for it including studies of the route of the exodus and the southern boundary of the Holy Land. New$York, 1884. Trusen – Trusen J.P. Die Sitten, Gebrauche und Krankheiten der alten Hebraer: Nach der Heiligen Schrift historisch und kritisch dargestellt. Breslau, 1853. Ubaldi – Ubaldi U. I Introductio in Sacram Scripturam ad usum scholarum Pontificii Seminarii Romani, et Collegii Urbani. T. 1–3. Roma, 1877–1886. Vigouroux – Vigouroux F. Manuel biblique ou cours d’Écriture Sainte a l’usage des séminares. T. 1–2. Paris, 1878. Vigouroux. Bibel – Vigouroux F. Die Bibel und die neueren Entdeckungen in Palästina, in Ägypten und in Assyrien. Bde 1$2. Mainz, 1885; Bde. 3–4. Mainz, 1886. Winer – Winer G.B. Biblisches Realworterbuch zum Handgebrauch für Studirende, Kandidaten, Gymnasiallehrer und Prediger. Bd. 1: A – K. Leipzig, 1833; Bd. 2: L – Z. Leipzig, 1838. The inscription of a book and its writer. A number of historical books of the Old Testament begin with the book of Joshua 3. In the Hebrew text, the book of Joshua is inscribed: “Yehoshua,” in the Greek translation of the LXX interpreters: “Jesus.” This inscription is given to it “because it contains the history and deeds of Joshua, the successor of Moses.” This is what it says in the “Synopsis of the Holy Books,” attributed to St. Athanasius of Alexandria 4 . The well-known Jewish legend 5 that “Yehoshua” wrote his book and eight verses in the Law (Deut. 34:5-12) was not generally accepted among the fathers and teachers of the Christian church 6 and does not correspond to the content of some places in the book. The book itself only says that Joshua, during the last public meeting with him, after the conclusion of the Covenant, “wrote these words in the book of the law” (Joshua 24:26), that is, he wrote the admonition to the people set out in Joshua 24 and the latter’s promise to serve the Lord. The conclusion drawn from this that Joshua himself wrote other sections could be correct if the contents of this sacred book were fully consistent with the time of Joshua. But in fact there are places in it that indicate the time that followed his death. Blessed Theodoret paid attention to one of these places and came to the conclusion that Joshua was not the writer of the book that bears his name. Citing the words “is this not written in a book found” (Joshua 10:13), Blessed Theodoret says: “The writer, having told us about such a power of the prophet, that with one word he forbade the great luminaries to continue their course... and fearing that others would not believe this legend, he says that this was found in ancient scripture. From this it is clear that this book was written by someone else who lived later, having drawn it from this book” 7 . The same idea about the writer of this book is inspired by other events described in it, among which the following are of particular importance in this regard. Joshua 15:14–19 tells of Caleb's conquest of the cities of Hebron and Debir. This conquest is described in the same detail in the book. Judges (Judges 1:10–15) between the events that took place after the death of Joshua (Judges 1:1). The words read there in Joshua 15:63: “but the sons of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem...” also indicate the time following the death of Joshua, since the conquest of Jerusalem by the sons of Judah, according to Judges 1:1,8,21, occurred after the death of Joshua. A similar remark was made in Joshua 16:10, about the Ephraimites, who “did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer.” This event in Judges 1:29 is also included among those that occurred or became clear and came to attention after the death of Joshua (Judges 1:1). Likewise, the writer of the book of Joshua was also aware of the conquest of Lasem by the tribe of Dan, which was then called Dan (Joshua 19:47). This event is described with detail in the book. Judges (Judges 18:1) as the conquest of Laish, which also received the name “Dan”, took place at a time when “Israel had no king” (Judges 18:1), i.e. during the time of Judges (Judges 19:1,21:25) 8. The idea expressed by some of the compilers of study guides 9 on the Holy Scriptures that these passages were subsequently introduced in the form of additions cannot be considered plausible due to the fact that passages of this kind are read without omissions in the Hebrew text and in ancient translations; and this idea in itself about additions to the biblical text is not reliable, since, according to the fair remark of one of the Russian biblical scholars, “it can and does lead to sad, false results” 10. With the elimination of the idea of ​​late insertions, to which the above passages of the book seem to owe their origin. Joshua, the latter, together with some others, similar to them in content 11, should have the meaning of indicating the origin of the book of Joshua after his death, and at what approximately time - this can be seen from other places in this book. Thus, it was written earlier than the first years of Solomon’s reign, because Joshua 16:10 speaks of the Canaanites “living in Gezer... to this day,” meanwhile, during the reign of Solomon, this city was conquered by the Egyptian Pharaoh and the Canaanites living in it were exterminated (1 Kings 9:16). Its writing - further - must be attributed to the time that preceded the conquest of Jerusalem by David, when the Jebusites who lived in it (Joshua 15:63) were destroyed (2 Sam. 5:6-8); before the reign of Saul, when the Canaanites living in Gibeon were beaten (2 Samuel 21:1-2), while in the book. Joshua (Joshua 9) speaks of them as being spared from destruction by virtue of an oath agreement concluded with them with the obligation to deliver water and “wood... for the altar of the Lord... in the place... whatever... [the Lord] chooses” (Joshua 9:27). This kind of indication of the book leads to the end of the reign of the Judges, as to the time when it, in all likelihood, received its origin. Moreover, the writer of it in its entirety, in which it currently exists, with the inclusion of the last verses of Joshua 24, could be Samuel or another prophet from the prophetic society he founded 12. Subject, division and historical character of the book. Joshua. As setting out the position of what the Lord did to establish His Kingdom on earth, the book. Joshua is closely connected with the Pentateuch, as indicated by its initial words according to the Greek-Slavic translation, which serves as a literal translation of the words of the Hebrew text: “And it came to pass after the end of Moses the servant of the Lord” (Joshua 1:1). But as outlining special events from the Old Testament history of the Kingdom of God, it has a separate, independent meaning. Its subject is what happened in the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, and through it the fulfillment of divine promises about the gift of the land of Canaan to the chosen people. This fulfillment consisted of conquering the land and dividing it among the tribes that made up the people of Israel. Accordingly, the book of Joshua is divided into two equal parts. The first part, from chapters I to XII, describes the conquest, and the 2nd part, from chapters XIII to XXII, describes the division of the land. The last two chapters contain a statement of what Joshua did in fulfilling the work of God entrusted to him for the unshakable future of his existence. The information contained in this sacred book about those individual events that do not go beyond the normal course of life does not raise doubts about historical authenticity. Information about such events is presented in such detail regarding the places where they took place, the persons who acted in them, the individual remarkable words spoken by these persons (for example, Joshua 10:12, 14:7, etc.), with such archaeological accuracy that show that the writer of the book had detailed, accurate, not only oral, but also written information about what was happening at the time he described. Archaeological accuracy is evident from the fact that when presenting events, he highlights ancient views, when, for example, in Joshua 13:6, the Sidonians are included in those tribes that were expelled from their possessions, and these latter are included in the inheritance of the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:28). Meanwhile, under the first Israeli kings, the thought of this was already abandoned and replaced by friendly relations with the Phoenician kings (2 Kings 5:11; 1 Kings 5:1, etc.). The writer also shows an accurate knowledge of the modern historical situation in the fact that he calls Sidon great (Joshua 11:8, 19:28), and Tire only a “fortified city” (Joshua 19:29), meanwhile, in subsequent times, the primacy between the Phoenician cities passed to Tire, which became the “mother of the Sidonians”; further, that instead of the usual designation of the borders of the Israeli land since the time of the Judges with the words: “from Dan to Beersheba” (Judges 20:1; 2 Chronicles 30:5), he chooses Mount Halak in the south and Baal-Gad in the north (Joshua 11:17, 12:7) to designate the extent of the conquered land. The writer of the book showed a close acquaintance with the state of Canaan at the time of the conquest in that he introduced into the presentation of events the ancient Canaanite names of some of the cities that later fell into disuse, such as Kiriath-Arba (Joshua 14:15), Kiriath-Sepher (Joshua 15:15), Kiriath-Sanna (Joshua 15:49), Kiriath-Jearim and Kiriath-Baal (Joshua 15:9,60). The historical accuracy of the writer manifested in all this inspires natural confidence in all the other information he provides in the book. Some commentators are perplexed and doubtful only by information about those events that are depicted in the book as taking place under the action of divine omnipotence. The belief, inspired by the canonical dignity of the book of Joshua, that these events happened exactly this way and not otherwise, finds support for itself in understanding the expediency of what and how happened in the time of Joshua. In his actions as the leader of the Israeli people, special divine help was needed because he, like the entire Israeli people, was only an instrument for the fulfillment of divine promises about endowing the descendants of Abraham with the land to which he was called, and in which he, together with his closest descendants, made wanderings. If the people of Israel and their leader were deprived of this help, they would be powerless to carry out what was entrusted to them. No matter how the Canaanite tribes weakened themselves with their vices and disunity, they, even with an incomplete unification of their forces, could offer strong resistance thanks especially to their warlike spirit, fortified cities (Num. 13:29; Deut. 1:28) and war chariots (Josh. 11:4). How insufficient the strength of the Israelites was in itself to conquer Canaan can be seen from the fact that even after the Canaanite tribes were defeated, they felt unable to complete the conquest (Joshua 17:16). If the people of Israel, in order to invade Canaan, were forced to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan until the flood ended, they would, of course, be met by the Canaanite kings with a large army and would block their further path. If this did not happen, it was precisely because the miraculously drained bed of the Jordan during the flood gave the Israelites the opportunity to invade Canaan at a time when they did not expect this, and therefore did not take measures to repel the attackers. The fact that the establishment of the Israeli people in Canaan was achieved not only through his efforts, but mainly through the miraculous power of God, has significance not only for that time, but for the future, not only specific, but also more broadly. This method of bringing the Israelis into the Promised Land serves as a prototype of the grace-filled path that was opened by our Lord Jesus Christ. In this regard, it is significant for the believer that, just as the Israelites were led into a land abundant with milk and honey by none other than the one who bore the name Jesus (as the son of Nun is called in Acts 7:45, Heb. 4:8), so the path to the Kingdom of Heaven is open to all mankind by Jesus the Son of God 13. “For all of you, belonging to the clergy and laity, let the books of the Old Testament be revered and holy: Mosaic five (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), Joshua one, Judges one, Ruth one, Kings four, Chronicles two, Ezra two, Esther one.” “It is proper to read the books of the Old Testament: Genesis of the World, Exodus from Egypt, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Ruth, Esther, Kings 1 and 2, Kings 3 and 4, Chronicles 1 and 2, Ezra 1 and 2.” See Volume I of the Explanatory Bible, p. 12–14. Prof. A. L. Olesnitsky. Guiding information about the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments from the works of the Holy Fathers and teachers of the church. 1894, p. 26–27. Of course, this is a legend found in the Talmudic treatise “Baraita”, which was not included in the Mishnah. The origin of the treatise dates back to the 2nd Christian century. The text of the tale, together with a Latin translation and analysis of its contents, was set out by Marx in Traditio rabbinorum veterrima de librorum Veteris Testamenti ordine atque origine. 1884. See the above work by Mr. Olesnitsky, p. 29, where the following words are given from the said “Synopsis”: “Starting from the book of Joshua even to the book of Ezra, not all of them were written, but they have their writings and remember them, but it is narrated that it was written by the prophets who were at one time.” Works of Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus. Moscow, 1855, vol. I, p. 281. Blessed Jerome, however, attributed the writing of his book to Joshua himself. See the above op. A. A. Olesnitsky, p. 29. To the above passages from the book. Joshua as evidence that “Jesus did not write this book” is indicated in our domestic biblical literature by Metropolitan Ambrose. See his A Short Guide to Reading the Books of the Old and New Testaments. New edition. In Moscow 1803, p. 43. In the outline of church-biblical history, the writing of the book of Joshua is attributed to him: at the same time, the inclusion of the story of the conquest of Laish in its composition is recognized as an addition made at a later time. See, for example, prot. M. Kheraskova. Review of historical books of the Old Testament. Prot. P. A. Vladimirsky. An experience of a brief interpretation of the book of Joshua, Judges, Ruth and the 12 initial chapters of Book I. Kingdoms Biblical Science. Book three. Historical books of the Old Testament. Academic readings by Bishop Michael. Ed. edited by N.I. Troitsky. Page 9. The correctness of the above words is confirmed by the various exclusions of certain passages from the Old Testament books, which are made by supporters of negative criticism, eliminating from the biblical text everything that does not agree with their views on the history of the Old Testament religion. What are: Joshua 13:2–3, about the remaining unconquered Philistine districts and the land of Geshur, which are depicted in the same situation in Judges 3:3, Joshua 17:11–12, about the Canaanites in 5 cities of the Manasseh tribe, which is also said in the same way in Judges 1:27–28. See the above-mentioned “Quick Guide” by M. Ambrose, p. 43. Creations of Blessed Theodoret. I, 270. You might be interested in: