12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you-also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.
12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.
12 "I sent the Hornet ahead of you. It drove out the two Amorite kings - did your work for you. You didn't have to do a thing, not so much as raise a finger.
12 'I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow.
12 And I sent terror ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.
3 For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
3 When Israel planted its crops, Midian and Amalek, the easterners, would invade them,
3 So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,
(Read Judges 6:1-6)
Israel's sin was renewed, and Israel's troubles were repeated. Let all that sin expect to suffer. The Israelites hid themselves in dens and caves; such was the effect of a guilty conscience. Sin dispirits men. The invaders left no food for Israel, except what was taken into the caves. They prepared that for Baal with which God should have been served, now God justly sends an enemy to take it away in the season thereof.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 24:12
Commentary on Joshua 24:1-14
(Read Joshua 24:1-14)
We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done. If he lengthen out our days beyond what we expected, like those of Joshua, it is because he has some further service for us to do. He who aims at the same mind which was in Christ Jesus, will glory in bearing the last testimony to his Saviour's goodness, and in telling to all around, the obligations with which the unmerited goodness of God has bound him. The assembly came together in a solemn religious manner. Joshua spake to them in God's name, and as from him. His sermon consists of doctrine and application. The doctrinal part is a history of the great things God had done for his people, and for their fathers before them. The application of this history of God's mercies to them, is an exhortation to fear and serve God, in gratitude for his favour, and that it might be continued.