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Deuteronomy ⇐ ⇒ Judges
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For more great commentaries on Joshua, be sure to check:
Commentaries on the Whole Old Testament
& Whole Bible Commentaries
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Order of Contents
Best 7
Commentaries 8
Early Church 2
Christ in 1
Chapters
Authenticity 4
Bible Characters
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Th Best Commentaries on Joshua
Medium Level
Reformer
Calvin, John – Commentary on Joshua
*** – We have said enough upon Calvin in general. His expositions are more equal in excellence than those of other men; other men rise and fall, but he is almost uniformly good.’ – Spurgeon
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1800’s
Blaikie, William – The Book of Joshua (1893)
Blaikie (1820-1899) was of the Free Church of Scotland.
‘One of the most capable treatments available today. Reverent, practical, and revealing the writer’s knowledge of the history, geography, customs, and culture of the times.’ ‘Few writers have bequeathed to posterity such a legacy of devout expoition and reverent scholarship as William Garden Blaikie. Towards the end of the nineteenth centtury, when Sir. William Robertson Nicoll began work on The Expositor’s Bible, he wisely invited Dr. Blaikie to contribute commentaries on the Book of Joshua and the Books of First and Second Samuel. Blaikie’s studies of these portions of the Old Testament rank among the finest ever produced.’ – Cyril J. Barber
Bush, George
Notes, Critical & Practical on the Book of Joshua
Bush was a Biblical scholar, a professor of oriental literature in New York City University, and initially a presbyterian minister.
*** – ‘Bush is a careful illustrator of the Word, and apt at giving the practical lesson. His works are well compiled.’ – Spurgeon
Scripture Questions Designed Principally for Adult Bible Classes: Deut.-Esther
Douglas, George C.M. – The Book of Joshua in Hand-Books for Bible Classes, ed. Dods & Whyte (1882)
Douglas (1826-1904) was a Hebraist in the Free Church of Scotland, having studied under Thomas Chalmers and came to be a Principle of the Free Church College. “He was a scholarly conservative, skeptical of higher critical views.” – DoSCH&T
Smith, Thornley – The History of Joshua, viewed in connection with the Topography of Canaan, and the Customs of the Times in which he lived (1870) 310 pp.
*** – ‘Although not a commentary, it will answer the same purpose; for almost every event is fully illustrated. A capital work.’ – Spurgeon
‘While making use of the topography of Canaan and the customs of the times in which Joshua lived, the chief value of this work now lies in its devotional content.’ – Cyril J. Barber
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1900’s
Davis, John
‘Joshua’ in Conquest & Crisis: Studies in Joshua, Judges & Ruth Buy (1969), pp. 17-92 ToC
‘A systematic consideration of the central themes of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, incorporating into its material the latest archaeological findings in the Near East. Deals with the difficult problems, including Joshua’s ‘long day’ and the supernatural collapse of the walls of Jericoh. A commendable volume.’ – Cyril J. Barber
Israel from Conquest to Exile: a Commentary on Joshua to 2 Kings Buy (1994)
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Advanced
Keil, Karl F. – Joshua late-1800’s
** – ‘Let our Biblical students not only master the facts and logic, but catch the spirit of these commentaries, and we can have no fear for the issue of that conflict with Rationalism and Popery united, by which Protestantism in this country seems to be threatened.’ – Wesleyan Mehodist Magazine, quoted by Surgeon
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More Commentaries on Joshua
Practical & Devotional
Cumming, John – Readings on Joshua & Judges (1857)
** “Dr. Cumming keeps up to his average of value.” – Spurgeon
De Graaf, S.G. – ‘In Canaan’ ToC in Promise & Deliverance, vol. 1: From Creation to the Conquest of Canaan (1977), pp. 391-423
De Graff is a Dutch Reformed author who focuses on the unfolding of the Covenant through history. He writes in an easy to read, but insightful style.
Meyer, F.B. – Joshua & the Land of Promise (1893)
Meyer (1847–1929) was an English, baptist pastor who wrote numerous, very good devotional works.
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Medium Level
Allen, John – A Spiritual Exposition of the Old Testament: from Joshua to the End of the Psalms (1816)
‘Spiritual reflections after the high Calvinistic school. Some preachers cannot see Christ where He is, but Allen finds Him where He is not. There is in these reflections much godly savor, but very little exposition.’ – Spurgeon
This Allen was not the one that translated Calvin’s Institutes. James Darling said that Allen was an Antinomian (one who believes that Christians are not bound by moral injunctions). Antinomians, not believing that moral injunctions should be derived from God’s Word, often replaced this large aspect of Scripture’s teaching with finding Christ everywhere in the Bible, especially the Old Testament.
Groser, W.H. – Joshua & his Successors: an Introduction to Joshua, Judges, Ruth & 1 Samuel, with Notes Critical & Illustrative, vol. 1 (Joshua), 2 (Judges-Ruth-Samuel 1-12) (1874) ToC 1
** “A very useful condensed book for teachers.” – Spurgeon
Lange’s Commentary – Joshua by F.R. Fay
*** – ‘This is a standard work. No minister’s library is furnished without the whole set. Joshua however is inferior to Judges.’ – Spurgeon
Marchant, F.G. – The Preacher’s Commentary on the Book of Joshua, with Critical & Explanatory Notes (1875)
** “While writing this we have only one number before us, but it promises well, and we feel sure its quality will be sustained, for we know the author’s industrious habits.” – Spurgeon
Pink, A.W. – Gleanings in Joshua (1964)
‘Among the last writings of the author, with chapters 20-23 completed by James Gunn of Ontario. Deeply devotional, manifests a comprehensive grasp of Scripture, contains clear outlines, and abounds in edifying material.’ – Cyril J. Barber
Seaton, W. – The Church in Canaan; or, Heirs in Possession Receiving the Promises, vol. 1 Ref (1823) 12 pp.
Seaton was a minister in Wadsworth Chapel.
** “A sequel to [his work: The Church in the Wilderness]” – Spurgeon
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The Early Church on Joshua
Compilation
Franke, John – Joshua in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel Buy (InterVarsity Press, 2005), pp. 1-99 ToC
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An Individual Father
Origen – Homilies on Joshua Buy
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Christ in Joshua
Browne, Robert – Christ in the Prophets: Joshua (1873)
* “Of the High Church order, and praised by the Saturday Review. What worse need be said? Yet will we add that the savor of Christ in these books saves them from unqualified condemnation.” – Spurgeon
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On Chapters in Joshua
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Joshua 1-5
Blackwood, Stevenson – Heavenly Places, Addresses on the Book of Joshua (1873)
** “Mr. Blackwood has illustrated passages from the first five chapters only. He has a beautifully quiet way of saying very sweet things. This little book will be useful if it shows the young preacher how to expound Scripture with unction and power.” – Spurgeon
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Joshua 1
Cooper, Thomas – The Exposition upon the 1st Chapter of Joshua in A Brief Exposition of such Chapters of the Old Testament as Usually are Read in the Church at Common Prayer on the Sundays d. 1594 English reformer
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Joshua 7
Burton, Henry – Israel’s Fast, or a Meditation upon the Seventh Chapter of Joshua, a Fair Precedent for these Times ([London, 1628])
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Joshua 8
Whyte, Alexander – Achan in Bible Characters, vol. 1 (d. 1921)
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Joshua 10
Cooper, Thomas – The Exposition upon the 10th Chapter of Joshua in A Brief Exposition of such Chapters of the Old Testament as Usually are Read in the Church at Common Prayer on the Sundays d. 1594 English reformer
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Joshua 23
Cooper, Thomas – The Exposition upon the 23rd Chapter of Joshua in A Brief Exposition of such Chapters of the Old Testament as Usually are Read in the Church at Common Prayer on the Sundays d. 1594 English reformer
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The Authenticity of Joshua
1800’s
Stuart, Alexander Moody – Our Old Bible: Moses on the Plains of Moab n.d.
Stuart was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland.
See also works written in response to Bishop Colenso’s The Pentateuch & Joshua Critically Examined (1888) which book argued ‘the unhistorical character, the later origin, and the compound authorship of the five books usually attributed to Moses [as well as the book of Joshua].’
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1900’s
Young, E.J. – ‘The Alleged Secondary Deuteronomic Passages in the Book of Joshua’ The Evangelical Quarterly 25.3 (1953), pp. 142-57
Climer, Phillip – ‘Archaeology & the Bible’ (1999) originally published in the Trinity Review, and reprinted as an appendix to Ussher’s Annals of the World
This very easy to read article gives the basic reasons (which are extremely inconclusive) why contemporary archeologists largely believe that the battle of Jericoh did not happen, and shows the overwhelming inconclusiveness of the data and methodology in general that reaches this and similar conclusions. Climer is a reformed Christian.
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Life of Joshua
Guthrie, Thomas – Joshua the Colonist in Studies of Character from the Old Testament (1872) Free Church of Scotland
Whyte, Alexander – Joshua in Bible Characters, vol. 1 (d. 1921) United Free Church of Scotland
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Achan, Josh. 8
Whyte, Alexander – Achan in Bible Characters, vol. 1 (d. 1921)
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