Joshua, Judges, Ruth

by Harris, J. Gordon

• ISBN13: 9781565632141
• ISBN10: 1565632141
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-09-01
• Publisher: Hendrickson Pub

Summary

The authors of this commentary take a canonical-historical approach to the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, three books that are diverse, yet share the common historical context of the tribal settlement of Canaan. They examine Joshua, Judges, and Ruth as narratives with dynamic theological messages about the dynamic relationship between God s people and the powerful God who gives land and provides deliverers for the people.

"The three commentaries in this volume will be of great help to laypeople, busy students, and pastors looking for simple, clear expositions of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. They offer many valuable insights into individual passages as well as the overall messages of these books. The authors are informed biblical scholars who do not clutter their work with technical discussions only distantly related to the text's meaning. Their goal" of clarifying the original meaning of these important (yet often-neglected) books for today's readers-is admirably accomplished."
" David M Howard Jr., professor of Old Testament, Bethel Theological Seminary

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Abbreviations	xi
General Introduction	xv
Joshua
J. Gordon Harris
Introduction: Joshua	3	(120)
Joshua: A New Leader Takes Over (Josh 1:1-9)	17	(3)
Excursus: Joshua in the Canon	20	(3)
Preparation to Cross the River and a Threat to Joshua's Leadership (Josh. 1:10-18)	23	(4)
Spies and Rahab the Prostitute (Josh. 2:1-24)	27	(5)
Crossing Over the Jordan (Josh. 3:1-17)	32	(5)
Memorials for the Crossing of the Jordan (Josh. 4:1-24)	37	(3)
Religious Preparation for War (Josh. 5:1-15)	40	(5)
Excursus: Holy War in Israel	45	(2)
Possessing Jericho and Rescuing Rahab (Josh. 6:1-27)	47	(5)
Spies, Achan, and Failure at Ai (Josh. 7:1-26)	52	(5)
Ambush and Victory at Ai (Josh. 8:1-29)	57	(2)
Worship at Mount Ebal (Josh. 8:30-35)	59	(2)
The Gibeonite Treaty of Deception (Josh. 9:1-27)	61	(3)
Five Kings Attack Gibeon and Joshua Counterattacks (Josh. 10:1-28)	64	(3)
Report on Southern Victories (Josh. 10:29-43)	67	(1)
Report on Northern Victories (Josh. 11:1-15)	68	(3)
Summaries of Victories in the Land (Josh. 11:16-23)	71	(3)
A List of Defeated Kings (Josh. 12:1-24)	74	(2)
Instructions about Land Remaining to Be Conquered (Josh. 13:1-6)	76	(2)
Division of Land East of the Jordan (Josh. 13:7-33)	78	(1)
Excursus: Gad, Reuben, and the Half Tribe of Manasseh	79	(3)
Inheritance of Tribes West of the Jordan (Josh. 14:1-5)	82	(2)
Excursus: Boundary Lists	84	(2)
Inheritance for the Calebites (Josh. 14:6-15)	86	(2)
Inheritance of Judah (Josh. 15:1-63)	88	(4)
Inheritance of Ephraim and Manasseh (Josh. 16:1-17:18)	92	(5)
Allotments at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1-10)	97	(2)
Territory of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulon, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan (Josh. 18:11-19:48)	99	(3)
Territory for the House of (Josh. 19:49-51)	102	(1)
Cities of Refuge (Josh. 20:1-9)	103	(2)
Levitical Cities (Josh. 21:1-40)	105	(1)
Summary: Rest in the Land (Josh. 21:41-45)	106	(1)
An Altar Crisis on the Eastern Side of the Jordan River (Josh. 22:1-34)	107	(5)
Farewell Speech of Joshua (Josh. 23:1-16)	112	(3)
Convenant Renewal Ceremony at Shechem (Josh. 24:1-28)	115	(3)
Burial in the Promised Land (Josh. 24:29-33)	118	(1)
Excursus: Divergences between the Old Greek Text and the Masoretic Text (Josh. 24:29-33)	119	(4)
Judges
Cheryl A. Brown
Introduction: Judges	123	(170)
Southern Tribes' Settlement (Judg. 1:1-21)	139	(8)
Northern Tribes' Settlement (Judg. 1:22-36)	147	(4)
Reproof and Response (Judg. 2:1-5)	151	(4)
Survey of Israel's Early History: Joshua to Judges (Judg. 2:6-3:6)	155	(7)
Othniel (Judg. 3:7-11)	162	(3)
Ethud and Shamgar (Judg. 3:12-31)	165	(6)
Deborah and Barak (Judg. 4:1-24)	171	(7)
The Song of Deborah (Judg. 5:1-31)	178	(6)
The Call of Gideon (Judg. 6:1-24)	184	(5)
Gideon: Fearless and Fearful (Judg. 6:25-40)	189	(5)
Gideon Delivers Israel (Judg. 7:1-25)	194	(4)
Gideon's Revenge (Judg. 8:1-21)	198	(4)
Gideon's Ephod and Death (Judg. 8:22-35)	202	(4)
The Rise of Abimelech (Judg. 9:1-21)	206	(4)
The Fall of Abimelech (Judg. 9:22-57)	210	(6)
Minor Judges (Judg. 10:1-5)	216	(2)
Jephthah: Ammonite Oppression (Judg. 10:6-18)	218	(4)
Jephthah: Surprise Leader! (Judg. 11:1-28)	222	(5)
Jephthah: Bittersweet Victory (Judg. 11:29-40)	227	(6)
Jephthah: Civil War in Israel and His Death (Judg. 12:1-7)	233	(3)
Other Minor Judges (Judg. 12:8-15)	236	(2)
Samson's Miraculous Birth (Judg. 13:1-25)	238	(5)
Samson's First Encounter with a ``Foreign Woman'' (Judg. 14:1-20)	243	(6)
Samson's Vengeance on the Philistines (Judg. 15:1-20)	249	(5)
Samson's Downfall and Death (Judg. 16:1-31)	254	(8)
Micah's Idolatry (Judg. 17:1-13)	262	(3)
The Danites Take Their Own Inheritance (Judg. 18:1-31)	265	(5)
Atrocities in Gibeah (Judg. 19:1-30)	270	(8)
Civil War in Israel (Judg. 20:1-48)	278	(5)
Israel Preserved Intact (Judg. 21:1-25)	283	(5)
Excursus: The Story of Judges	288	(5)
Ruth
Michael S. Moore
Introduction: Ruth	293	(82)
Judah's Famine and Elimelech's Death (Ruth 1:1-3a)	309	(3)
Naomi's Survival (Ruth 1:3b-5)	312	(3)
Naomi's Decision (Ruth 1:6-13)	315	(5)
Orpah's Decision and Ruth's Decision (Ruth 1:14-22)	320	(6)
Naomi's Reality (Ruth 2:1-2a)	326	(2)
Ruth's Ministry (Ruth 2:2b-7)	328	(4)
Boaz's Character (Ruth 2:8-12)	332	(5)
Excursus: Yahweh, God of Grace	337	(2)
Ruth's Introduction to Bethlehem (Ruth 2:13-19)	339	(2)
Naomi's Surprise (Ruth 2:20-23)	341	(3)
Excursus: The Redeemer as Cultural Gyroscope	344	(3)
Naomi's Strategy (Ruth 3:1-4)	347	(4)
Ruth's Submission (Ruth 3:5-6)	351	(3)
Boaz's Leadership (Ruth 3:7-18)	354	(5)
Excursus: On Patriarchal Leadership	359	(2)
Boaz's Transaction (Ruth 4:1-8)	361	(6)
Bethlehem's Joy (Ruth 4:9-13)	367	(2)
Naomi's Commission (Ruth 4:14-17a)	369	(3)
Yahweh's Promise (Ruth 4:17b-22)	372	(3)
For Further Reading	375	(9)
Subject Index	384	(8)
Scripture Index	392