CHAP. XXIV.
HEre againe Joshua yet living, to shew his sollicitude for the peoples good, assembleth them in Sechem before the Lord, and maketh his last exhorta∣tion to them. Calvin thinketh this assembling of them, to bee the same with * 1.1 that, Ch. 23. and that here is onely set forth how he dealt with them more at large. And Comestor joyneth this and that together as one. But Lyra and Ferus, * 1.2 and others hold it to have been done at another time, when Ioshua was yet nea∣rer the time of his death, and the History seemeth to make it plaine that it was so. But why did he assemble them in Sechem, seeing the Tabernacle was in [Qu.] Shiloh? Answ. The Arke was at this time brought thither, that the people stan∣ding before it, might be moved with the more reverence, and the more careful∣ly keep the Covenant now to be renewed. For the standing place of it was in Shiloh, where the Tabernacle was, but now it seemeth that the Arke was in Sechem; for when a great stone was set up there for a remembrance of this re∣newed Covenant, it is said to have been set up by the Sanctuary, v. 26. and Jo∣shua wrote this Covenant there in the book of the Law, which book was kept in the side of the Arke, Deut. 31. 26. One Sept. Copy for Sechem here hath Shi∣loh, but all others Sechem. Some thinke Sechem and Shiloh to be all one, but they are deceived; for Sechem was 36 miles from Ierusalem, and Shiloh but 4, see * 1.3 Ch. 18. Sechem was neare to mount Ephraim, where Ioshua dwelt and in mount Gerizim, where the blessings and curses had been read, Iosh. 8. 33. wherefore they are in this place now specially assembled.
Your Father dwelt on the other side of the flood, &c. that is, of Euphrates in Chal∣dea, * 1.4 and they served other Gods, of this see Gen. 11. & 12. To move them the more to obedience, hee recounteth Gods benefits towards them, and beginneth with Terah and Abraham, shewing what they were, and what his singular favour was to Abraham, I multiplyed his seed, saith he, and gave him Isaac; that is, first causing Isaac to come of him, and of Isaac Jacob, whose seed was so multiplyed. The * 1.5 benefits recounted are 13, as Ferus numbreth them. But how is it said, v. 11. The men of Jericho fought against you, when as they kept within their walls, till that * 1.6 they were miraculously throwne downe? Answ. Because they prepared to fight, and fortified their City against them.
And I sent the bornet before you, which drove them out; of this promised, see Exod. * 1.7 23. 28. and how it is to be understood. This thing, although we read not of it before, as performed according to the Letter, when they subdued the Kings of the Amorites, Numb. 21. yet here it is shewed to have been done, and that they subdued them not with their sword and their bow.
The foundation of remembring Gods benefits being laid, he now exhorteth * 1.8 them therefore to feare God, and to serve him, and to put away the strange