In consideration of divers principal benefits here recited, 14. Josue exhorteth the people to serve God sincerely, seeing it is in their choice to do well or evil. 16. they promise all true service and obedience to God. 25. Whereupon he reneweth the pact between God and them, writing it in the volume of the law, and erecting a great stone in testimony. 29. He dieth and is buried in mount Ephraim. 32. Joseph's bones are buried in Sichem. 33. Eleazar the high priest also dieth and is buried in Ephraim.In consideration of divers principal benefites here recited, 14. Iosue exorteth the people to serue God sincerely, seing it is in their choise to do wel or euil. 16. they promise al true seruice and obedience to God. 25. Wherupon he reneweth the pact betwen God and them, writing it in the volume of the law, and erecting a great stone in testimonie. 29. He dieth and is buried in mount Ephraim. 32. Iosephs bones are buried in Sichem. 33. Eleazar the high priest also dieth and is buried in Ephraim.
And Josue gathered together all the tribes of Israel into Sichem, and called the the elders, the senior men in council, not aged persons generally · Vulgate: majores natu, and princes, and judges, and magistrates, officers of justice set over the people, not schoolmasters or employers · Vulgate: magistros: and they stood in the sight of our Lord:ANd Iosue gathered together al the tribes of Israel into Sichem, and called the ancientes, and princes, and iudges, and maisters: and they stoode in the sight of our Lord:Congregavitque Josue omnes tribus Israël in Sichem, et vocavit majores natu, ac principes, et judices, et magistros : steteruntque in conspectu Domini,
2and to the people he spake in this manner: Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel: Beyond the river did your fathers dwell from the beginning, Thare the father of Abraham, and of Nachor: and they served strange gods.and to the people he spake in this maner: Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel: Beyond the riuer did your fathers dwel from the beginning, Thare the father of Abraham, and of Nachor : and they serued strange goddes.et ad populum sic locutus est : Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël : Trans fluvium habitaverunt patres vestri ab initio, Thare pater Abraham et Nachor : servieruntque diis alienis.
3I took therefore your father Abraham from the coasts of Mesopotamia: and brought him into the Land of Chanaan: and multiplied his seed,I tooke therfore your father Abraham from the coastes of Mesopotamia : and brought him into the Land of Chanaan : and multiplied his seede,Tuli ergo patrem vestrum Abraham de Mesopotamiæ finibus, et adduxi eum in terram Chanaan, multiplicavique semen ejus,
4and gave him Isaac: and again to him I gave Jacob and Esau. Of whom, to Esau I gave mount Seir to possess: but Jacob, and his children went down into Egypt.and gaue him Isaac: and againe to him I gaue Iacob and Esau. Of whom, to Esau I gaue mount Seir to possesse: but Iacob, and his children went downe into Ægypt.et dedi ei Isaac : illique rursum dedi Jacob et Esau. E quibus, Esau dedi montem Seir ad possidendum : Jacob vero et filii ejus descenderunt in Ægyptum.
5And I sent Moyses and Aaron, and struck, smote (preterite of strike) · Vulgate: percussi Egypt with many signs and wonders.And I sent Moyses and Aaron, and stroke Ægypt with many signes and wonders.Misique Moysen et Aaron, et percussi Ægyptum multis signis atque portentis.
6And I brought you and your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea: and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen, as far as the Red sea.And I brought you and your fathers out of Ægypt, and you came to the sea: and the Ægyptians pursewed your fathers with chariotes and horsemen, as farre as the Red sea.Eduxique vos et patres vestros de Ægypto, et venistis ad mare : persecutique sunt Ægyptii patres vestros cum curribus et equitatu, usque ad mare Rubrum.
7And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: who did put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, & overwhelmed them. Your eyes saw all things that I did in Egypt, and you dwelt in the wilderness a great time:And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: who did put darkenes betwen you and the Ægyptians, and brought the sea vpon them, & ouerwhelmed them. Your eies saw al thinges that I did in Ægypt, and you dwelt in the wildernes a great time:Clamaverunt autem ad Dominum filii Israël : qui posuit tenebras inter vos et Ægyptios, et adduxit super eos mare, et operuit eos. Viderunt oculi vestri cuncta quæ in Ægypto fecerim, et habitastis in solitudine multo tempore :
8and I brought you into the Land of the Amorrhite, which dwelt beyond Jordan. And when they fought against you, I delivered them into your hands, and you possessed their Land, and slew them.and I brought you into the Land of the Amorrhite, which dwelt beyond Iordan. And when they fought against you, I deliuered them into your handes, and you possessed their Land, and slew them.et introduxi vos in terram Amorrhæi, qui habitabat trans Jordanem. Cumque pugnarent contra vos, tradidi eos in manus vestras, et possedistis terram eorum, atque interfecistis eos.
9And there rose Balac the son of Sephor king of Moab, and fought against Israel. And he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor, that he might curse you:And there rose Balac the sonne of Sephor king of Moab, and fought against Israel. And he sent and called Balaam the sonne of Beor, that he might curse you:Surrexit autem Balac filius Sephor rex Moab, et pugnavit contra Israëlem. Misitque et vocavit Balaam filium Beor, ut malediceret vobis :
10and I would not hear him, but contrariwise by him I blessed you, and delivered you out of his hand.and I would not heare him, but contrariwise by him I blessed you, and deliuered you out of his hand.et ego nolui audire eum, sed e contrario per illum benedixi vobis, et liberavi vos de manu ejus.
11And you passed Jordan, and came to Jericho. And the men of that city fought against you, the Amorrheite, and Pherezeite and Chananeite, and the Hetheite, and Gergeseite, and the Heveite, and Jebuseite: and I delivered them into your hands.And you passed Iordan, and came to Iericho. And the men of that citie fought against you, the Amorrheite, and Pherezeite and Chananeite, and the Hetheite, and Gergeseite, and the Heueite, and Iebuseite : and I deliuered them into your handes.Transistisque Jordanem, et venistis ad Jericho. Pugnaveruntque contra vos viri civitatis ejus, Amorrhæus et Pherezæus, et Chananæus, et Hethæus, et Gergezæus, et Hevæus, et Jebusæus : et tradidi illos in manus vestras.
12And I sent before you hornets: and I cast them forth out of their places, the two Kings of the Amorrheites, not in thy sword and bow.And I sent before you hornettes : and I cast them forth out of their places, the two Kinges of the Amorrheites, not in thy sword and bow.Misique ante vos crabrones : et ejeci eos de locis suis, duos reges Amorrhæorum, non in gladio nec in arcu tuo.
13And I gave you the Land, wherein you laboured not, and the cities which you built not, to dwell in them: vineyards and olive trees, which you planted not.And I gaue you the Land, wherein you laboured not, and the cities which you built not, to dwel in them : vineyardes and oliue trees, which you planted not.Dedique vobis terram, in qua non laborastis, et urbes quas non ædificastis, ut habitaretis in eis : vineas, et oliveta, quæ non plantastis.
14Now therefore fear our Lord and serve him with a perfect and very true heart: and take away the gods, which your fathers served in Mesopotamia and in Egypt, and serve our Lord.Now therfore feare our Lord and serue him with a perfecte and verie true hart: and take away the goddes, which your fathers serued in Mesopotamia and in Ægypt, and serue our Lord.Nunc ergo timete Dominum, et servite ei perfecto corde atque verissimo : et auferte deos quibus servierunt patres vestri in Mesopotamia et in Ægypto, ac servite Domino.
15But if it like you not to serve our Lord, choice is given you: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you ought, especially to serve, whether the gods, which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorrheites, in whose Land you dwell: but I and my house will serve our Lord.But if it like you not to serue our Lord, choise is geuen you: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you ought, especially to serue, whether the goddes, which your fathers serued in Mesopotamia, or the goddes of the Amorrheites, in whose Land you dwel: but I and my house wil serue our Lord.Sin autem malum vobis videtur ut Domino serviatis, optio vobis datur : eligite hodie quod placet, cui servire potissimum debeatis : utrum diis, quibus servierunt patres vestri in Mesopotamia, an diis Amorrhæorum, in quorum terra habitatis : ego autem et domus mea serviemus Domino.
16And the people answered, and said: God forbid we should leave our Lord, and serve strange gods.And the people answered, and said: God forbid we should leaue our Lord, and serue strange goddes.Responditque populus, et ait : Absit a nobis ut relinquamus Dominum, et serviamus diis alienis.
17Our Lord God he brought us, and our fathers out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of servitude: and did in our sight great signs, and kept us in all the way, by the which we walked, and among all the peoples, through which we passed.Our Lord God he brought vs, and our fathers out of the Land of Ægypt, out of the house of seruitude: and did in our sight great signes, and kept vs in al the way, by the which we walked, and among al the peoples, through which we passed.Dominus Deus noster, ipse eduxit nos et patres nostros de terra Ægypti, de domo servitutis : fecitque videntibus nobis signa ingentia, et custodivit nos in omni via per quam ambulavimus, et in cunctis populis per quos transivimus.
18And he hath cast out all the nations, the Amorrheite inhabiter of the Land, which we have entered. We therefore will serve our Lord, because he is our God.And he hath cast out al the nations, the Amorrheite inhabiter of the Land, which we haue entred. We therfore wil serue our Lord, because he is our God.Et ejecit universas gentes, Amorrhæum habitatorem terræ quam nos intravimus. Serviemus igitur Domino, quia ipse est Deus noster.
19And Josue said to the people: You can not serve our Lord: for God is holy, and a mighty a jealous God, a zealous avenger of his own honour, brooking no rival in worship, not a modern "emulator," an imitator or rival device · Vulgate: æmulator, neither will he pardon your wickedness and sins.And Iosue said to the people: You can not serue our Lord: for God is holie, and a mightie æmulator, neither wil he pardon your wickednes and sinnes.Dixitque Josue ad populum : Non poteritis servire Domino : Deus enim sanctus et fortis æmulator est, nec ignoscet sceleribus vestris atque peccatis.
20If you leave our Lord, and serve strange gods, he will turn himself, and will afflict you, and overthrow you after he hath given you good things.If you leaue our Lord, and serue strange goddes, he wil turne him self, and wil afflict you, and ouerthrow you after he hath geuen you good thinges.Si dimiseritis Dominum, et servieritis diis alienis, convertet se, et affliget vos atque subvertet, postquam vobis præstiterit bona.
21And the people said to Josue: No, it shall not be so as thou speakest, but we will serve our Lord.And the people said to Iosue: No, it shal not be so as thou speakest, but we wil serue our Lord.Dixitque populus ad Josue : Nequaquam ita ut loqueris erit, sed Domino serviemus.
22And Josue said to the people: You are witnesses, that your selves have chosen to you our Lord for to serve him. And they answered: Witnesses.And Iosue said to the people: You are witnesses, that your selues haue chosen to you our Lord for to serue him. And they answered: Witnesses.Et Josue ad populum : Testes, inquit, vos estis, quia ipsi elegeritis vobis Dominum ut serviatis ei. Responderuntque : Testes.
23Now therefore, quoth he, take away strange gods out of the midst of you, and incline your hearts to our Lord God of Israel.Now therfore, quoth he, take away strange goddes out of the middes of you, and incline your hartes to our Lord God of Israel.Nunc ergo, ait, auferte deos alienos de medio vestri, et inclinate corda vestra ad Dominum Deum Israël.
24And the people said to Josue: We will serve our Lord God, and will be obedient to his precepts.And the people said to Iosue: We wil serue our Lord God, and wil be obedient to his preceptes.Dixitque populus ad Josue : Domino Deo nostro serviemus, et obedientes erimus præceptis ejus.
25Josue therefore in that day made a covenant, and proposed to the people precepts and judgments in Sichem.Iosue therfore in that day made a couenant, and proposed to the people preceptes and iudgementes in Sichem.Percussit ergo Josue in die illo fœdus, et proposuit populo præcepta atque judicia in Sichem.
26He wrote also all these words in the volume of the law of our Lord, and he took a very great stone, and put it under the oak, that was in the Sanctuary of our Lord:He wrote also al these wordes in the volume of the law of our Lord, and he tooke a very great stone, and put it vnder the oke, that was in the Sanctuarie of our Lord:Scripsit quoque omnia verba hæc in volumine legis Domini : et tulit lapidem pergrandem, posuitque eum subter quercum, quæ erat in sanctuario Domini :
27and said to all the people: Behold this stone shall be a testimony for you, that it hath heard all the words of our Lord, which he hath spoken to you: lest perhaps hereafter you will deny, and lie to our Lord your God.and said to al the people: Behold this stone shal be a testimonie for you, that it hath heard al the wordes of our Lord, which he hath spoken to you: lest perhaps hereafter you wil denie, and lye to our Lord your God.et dixit ad omnem populum : En lapis iste erit vobis in testimonium, quod audierit omnia verba Domini, quæ locutus est vobis : ne forte postea negare velitis, et mentiri Domino Deo vestro.
28And he dismissed the people, every one into their possession.And he dismist the people, euerie one into their possession.Dimisitque populum, singulos in possessionem suam.
29And after these things Josue the son of Nun the servant of our Lord died, being a hundred and ten years old:And after these thinges Iosue the sonne of Nun the seruant of our Lord died, being a hundred and ten yeares old:Et post hæc mortuus est Josue filius Nun servus Domini, centum et decem annorum :
30and they buried him in the coasts of his possession in Thamnathsare, which is situated in the mountain of Ephraim, on the North part of mount Gaas.and they buried him in the coastes of his possession in Thamnathsare, which is situated in the mountaine of Ephraim, on the North parte of mount Gaas.sepelieruntque eum in finibus possessionis suæ in Thamnathsare, quæ est sita in monte Ephraim, a septentrionali parte montis Gaas.
31And Israel served our Lord all the days of Josue, and of the ancients, that lived a long time after Josue, and that had known all the works of our Lord which he had done in Israel.And Israel serued our Lord al the dayes of Iosue, and of the ancientes, that liued a long time after Iosue, and that had knowen al the workes of our Lord which he had done in Israel.Servivitque Israël Domino cunctis diebus Josue et seniorum, qui longo vixerunt tempore post Josue, et qui noverunt omnia opera Domini quæ fecerat in Israël.
32The bones also of Joseph which the children of Israel had taken out of Egypt, they buried in Sichem, in part of the field, which Jacob had bought of the sons of Hemor the father of Sichem, for a hundred young ewes, and it was in the possession of the sons of Joseph.The bones also of Ioseph which the children of Israel had taken out of Ægypt, they buried in Sichem, in part of the field, which Iacob had bought of the sonnes of Hemor the father of Sichem, for a hundred yong ewes, and it was in the possession of the sonnes of Ioseph.Ossa quoque Joseph, quæ tulerant filii Israël de Ægypto, sepelierunt in Sichem, in parte agri quem emerat Jacob a filiis Hemor patris Sichem, centum novellis ovibus, et fuit in possessionem filiorum Joseph.
33Eleazar also the son of Aaron died: and they buried him in Gabaath of Phinees his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.Eleazar also the sonne of Aaron died: and they buried him in Gabaath of Phinees his sonne, which was geuen him in mount Ephraim.Eleazar quoque filius Aaron mortuus est : et sepelierunt eum in Gabaath Phinees filii ejus, quæ data est ei in monte Ephraim.
Annotations
1They served false gods. It is evident by this place, that Thare, and some other progenitors of Israel sometimes served false gods, from which they were reduced: but Abraham was ever preserved in true religion; and the whole family of Thare was therefore persecuted in Chaldea. as St. Augustine showeth li. 16. c. 13. de civit. Likewise Theodoret, q. 18. in Josue, and other both ancient and late writers teach the same. as is already noted. pag. 103.
30They buried. In that no mention is made of mourning for Josue, St. Jerome noteth a mystery, and a special point of Christian doctrine: It seemeth to me (saith he Epist. de 42. Mans. mans. 33.) that in Mary prophecy is dead, in Moyses and Aaron, and is put to the law and priesthood of the Jews. For so much as they could neither pass into the land of promise, nor bring the believing people out of the wilderness of this world. And (Mans. 34.) Aaron (saith he) was mourned, (and so was Moyses) Jesus is not mourned, that is, in the law was descent into hell (called limbus) in the Gospel is passage to paradise.