Notes on Joshua

Name: Notes on Joshua
Author: Origen of Alexandria

Adnotationes in Iesum Nave

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 254 AD) · de La Rue (1857)

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 254) wrote these notes on Joshua. They are not his homilies on Joshua, and they are not his selections on Joshua.

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Contents3 passages

3The Jordan piled like a heap of wheat as a type of the apostles
6Why Jericho was devoted to destruction
8Plunder at Ai and Joshua's outstretched spear

Author

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 254 AD) — Teacher at Alexandria and later Caesarea, and the first great Christian scholar of the Bible. He wrote commentaries, sermons and treatises on nearly every book of Scripture and compiled the Hexapla, a six-column Old Testament. He was tortured in the Decian persecution and died soon after.

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About this text

Origen's short notes on Joshua, from the crossing of the Jordan to the fall of Jericho and Ai.

He takes up the Jordan, heaped like a heap of wheat and read as a type of the apostles, and the question why Jericho was devoted to destruction. It was the first city taken, offered like first spoils, and it fell by trumpets alone.

At Ai the plunder of the cattle is not devoted as Jericho was. Joshua holds out the spear so the men in ambush can see it and take the city. The citations use the old names of the biblical books.

New English from the Greek base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from de La Rue, Origen's Works, vol. 7 (Migne PG 17, Paris 1857) (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.

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The Jordan piled like a heap of wheat as a type of the apostles§3

Origen begins his commentary on Joshua 3:14, explaining what the departure of the people from their tents means.

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3“And all the people departed from their tents” (Joshua 3:14). That is, as a threshing floor is full. For the water was not merely congealed, as at the Red Sea, but was heaped up like a heap of wheat—clearly as a type of the apostles.

Greek · §3

The Greek is on each section page: §3

Why Jericho was devoted to destruction§6

Origen is commenting on Joshua 6:15-16, where the people shout and the Lord gives them the city, and he asks why Joshua commanded Jericho to be devoted to destruction.

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6"Shout! For the Lord has handed the city over to you" (Joshua 6:16).

Why did he command that Jericho be devoted to destruction? This was the first city they took after crossing the river. Just as he commanded them to offer the firstfruits of the crops, so he ordered them to offer the first spoils of the plunder. In addition to this, he trains them through these laws so that they will keep the necessary laws. And to show them his own power, he arranged for the first city to be taken without weapons or siege engines, and he destroyed it by the sound of trumpets alone—so that when they are defeated in battle, they will know that they themselves provided the causes of their defeat by despising the divine laws.

Greek · §6

The Greek is on each section page: §6

Plunder at Ai and Joshua's outstretched spear§8

Origen is explaining two verses from Joshua: the command about plundering livestock at Ai, and Joshua holding out his spear and hand as a signal.

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8"And the plunder of the cattle you shall plunder for yourself" (Joshua 8:2). This was because it was not necessary for everything to be devoted as it had been at Jericho.

"And Joshua stretched out the spear, and his hand" (Joshua 8:26). For Joshua remained with his hand stretched out, so that when those of the ambush saw it, they might seize the city first.

Greek · §8

The Greek is on each section page: §8

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