Chapter 23
In this and the following chapter we have two farewell sermons, which Joshua preached to the people of Israel a little before his death. Had he designed to gratify the curiosity of succeeding ages, he would rather have recorded the method of Israel?s settlement in their new conquests, their husbandry, manufacturers, trade, customs, courts of justice, and the constitutions of their infant commonwealth, which one would wish to be informed of; but that which he intended in the registers of this book was to entail on posterity a sense of religion and their duty to God; and therefore, overlooking these things which are the usual subjects of a common history, he here transmits to his reader the methods he took to persuade Israel to be faithful to their covenant with their God, which might have a good influence on the generations to come who should read those reasonings, as we may hope they had on that generation which then heard them. In this chapter we have, I. A convention of the states called (v. 1, 2), probably to consult about the common concerns of their land, and to set in order that which, after some years? trial, being left to their prudence, was found wanting. II. Joshua?s speech to them as the opening, or perhaps at the concluding, of the sessions, to hear which was the principal design of their coming together. In it, 1. Joshua reminds them of what God had done for them (v. 3, 4, 9, 14), and what he was ready to do yet further (v. 5, 10). 2. He exhorts them carefully and resolutely to persevere in their duty to God (v. 6, 8, 11). III. He cautions them against all familiarity with their idolatrous neighbours (v. 7). IV. He gives them fair warning of the fatal consequences of it, if they should revolt from God and turn to idols (v. 12, 13, 15, 16). In all this he showed himself zealous for his God, and jealous over Israel with a godly jealousy.
Chapter 24
This chapter concludes the life and reign of Joshua, in which we have, I. The great care and pains he took to confirm the people of Israel in the true faith and worship of God, that they might, after his death, persevere therein. In order to this he called another general assembly of the heads of the congregation of Israel (v. 1) and dealt with them. 1. By way of narrative, recounting the great things God had done for them and their fathers (v. 2?13). 2. By way of charge to them, in consideration thereof, to serve God (v. 14). 3. By way of treaty with them, wherein he aims to bring them, (1.) To make religion their deliberate choice; and they did so, with reasons for their choice (v. 15?18). (2.) To make it their determinate choice, and to resolve to adhere to it (v. 19?24). 4. By way of covenant upon that treaty (v. 25?28). II. The conclusion of this history, with, 1. The death and burial of Joshua (v. 29, 30) and Eleazar (v. 33), and the mention of the burial of Joseph?s bones upon that occasion (v. 32). 2. A general account of the state of Israel at that time (v. 31).
The Book of Ruth
Chapter 1
In this chapter we have Naomi?s afflictions. I. As a distressed housekeeper, forced by famine to remove into the land of Moab (v. 1, 2). II. As a mournful widow and mother, bewailing the death of her husband and her two sons (v. 3-5). III. As a careful mother-in-law, desirous to be kind to her two daughters, but at a loss how to be so when she returns to her own country (v. 6?13). Orpah she parts with in sorrow (v. 14). Ruth she takes with her in fear (v. 15?18). IV. As a poor woman sent back to the place of her first settlement, to be supported by the kindness of her friends (v. 19?22). All these things were melancholy and seemed against her, and yet all were working for good.
Chapter 2
There is scarcely any chapter in all the sacred history that stoops so low as this to take cognizance of so mean a person as Ruth, a poor Moabitish widow, so mean an action as her gleaning corn in a neighbour?s field, and the minute circumstances thereof. But all this was in order to her being grafted into the line of Christ and taken in among his ancestors, that she might be a figure of the espousals of the Gentile church to Christ, Isa. 54:1. This makes the story remarkable; and many of the passages of it are instructive and very improvable. Here we have, I. Ruth?s humility and industry in gleaming corn, Providence directing her to Boaz?s field (v. 1-3). II. The great favour which Boaz showed to her in many instances (v. 4?16). III. The return of Ruth to her mother-in-law (v. 18?23).
Chapter 3
We found it very easy, in the former chapter, to applaud the decency of Ruth?s behaviour, and to show what good use we may make of the account given us of it; but in this chapter we shall have much ado to vindicate it from the imputation of indecency, and to save it from having an ill use made of it; but the goodness of those times was such as saved what is recorded here from being ill done, and yet the badness of these times is such as that it will not justify any now in doing the like. Here is, I. The directions Naomi gave to her daughter-in-law how to claim Boaz for her husband (v. 1-5). II. Ruth?s punctual observance of those directions (v. 6, 7). III. The kind and honourable treatment Boaz gave her (v. 8?15). IV. Her return to her mother-in-law (v. 16?18).
Chapter 4
In this chapter we have the wedding between Boaz and Ruth, in the circumstances of which there was something uncommon, which is kept upon record for the illustration, not only of the law concerning the marrying of a brother?s widow (Deu. 25:5, etc.), for cases help to expound laws, but of the gospel too, for from this marriage descended David, and the Son of David, whose espousals to the Gentile church were hereby typified. We are here told, I. How Boaz got clear of his rival, and fairly shook him off (v. 1-8). II. How his marriage with Ruth was publicly solemnized, and attended with the good wishes of his neighbours (v. 9?12). III. The happy issue that descended from this marriage, Obed, the grandfather of David (v. 13?17). And so the book concludes with the pedigree of David (v. 18?22). Perhaps it was to oblige him that the blessed Spirit directed the inserting of this story in the sacred canon, he being desirous that the virtues of his great-grandmother Ruth, together with her Gentile extraction and the singular providences that attended her, should be transmitted to posterity.
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