John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. From the wilderness , etc.] The wilderness of Kadesh and Sin, on the border of Edom; in the southeast corner, as Jarchi says, (see Numbers 34:3); and this Lebanon ; which though on the other side Jordan, and at a considerable distance, being the northern border of the land towards Syria, might be seen afar off; or it is expressed, because it was a well known place, as Kimchi remarks: even unto the great river, the river Euphrates ; which was the eastern border of the land, and to which it reached in the times of Solomon, whose dominion extended thither, ( 1 Kings 4:21); according to Jarchi, this was its breadth from south to north: all the land of the Hittites : who, though only one of the seven nations of Canaan, are put for the rest, and the rather mentioned, because, as their name signifies, they were very formidable and terrible; among them dwelt the Anakim, and they themselves were very warlike and populous; or they are taken notice of particularly here, because they dwelt in the western part of the land described by them, so Kimchi thinks; according to Jarchi, this was its length from east to west: and unto the great sea : the Mediterranean sea, which was the western border of the land of Canaan, called great, in comparison of the sea of Tiberias, and the salt sea, which were in it: toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast ; the western coast, (see Gill on “ Deuteronomy 11:24”); this will be more fully verified in Christ, when his kingdom is from sea to sea, ( Psalm 72:8).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Joshua had attended upon Moses. He who was called to honour, had bee long used to business. Our Lord Jesus took upon him the form of servant. Joshua was trained up under command. Those are fittest to rule, who have learned to obey. The removal of useful men shoul quicken survivors to be the more diligent in doing good. Arise, go ove Jordan. At this place and at this time the banks were overflowed Joshua had no bridge or boats, and yet he must believe that God, havin ordered the people over, would open a way.
Original Hebrew מהמדבר4057 והלבנון3844 הזה2088 ועד5704 הנהר5104 הגדול1419 נהר5104 פרת6578 כל3605 ארץ776 החתים2850 ועד5704 הים3220 הגדול1419 מבוא3996 השׁמשׁ8121 יהיה1961 גבולכם׃1366
