Things That Were Written Aforetime...

A Hornet? Joshua 24:12

The book of Joshua is one portraying the power of God in fulfilling His promises to His people. After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, the Israelites were poised to enter the land and seize that which God had provided them. What should have been a success story forty years before ended in failure due to the faithlessness of ten of the spies. One of the two spies manifesting faith on that occasion, Joshua, would now lead the people to victory, if they would seize that victory in their faithful response to God’s will.

In his farewell address, Joshua rehearsed that which God had accomplished on their behalf. In that address he delivered God’s word as to what had transpired in their taking the land. Included in that message God said, “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” (Josh. 24:12) (NKJV). Clearly, God was active in bringing about the victory realized by God’s people in taking the land, as well as in their journey there.

In what sense is the word “hornet” used in this context? A perusal of numerous commentaries reveals at least three possible explanations. First, it could refer to God’s possible use of Egypt. Those espousing this view indicate that Egypt waged campaigns into this land that resulted in the weakening of their forces before God’s forces approached. However, this is not likely, for even if such campaigns were waged, Egypt is not mentioned as being used by God in this fashion. A second view is a literal one in which it is claimed that insects were used in such ways. Several passages make this claim including Exodus 23:28, Deuteronomy 7:20, Joshua 24:12Joshua 24:12 and Isaiah 7:18-20. A literal explanation would do no harm to the meaning of these texts so it will remain a consideration. However, we must note here that in the passages listed above, the plural noun “hornets” is used. However, in Joshua 24:12Joshua 24:12, the singular “hornet” is used. This results in a more difficult explanation as to the ability of one hornet to accomplish this feat.

This fact leads this writer to look to the third possibility. The word “hornet” could well be used in a figurative sense depicting that which preceded the Israelite invasion on the land. In Exodus 23:20-28 there are at least three phrases portraying essentially the same basic message: “I send an angel...I will send my fear (terror in other translations)...I will send hornets.” A similar passage that might shed light on this discussion is found in Isaiah 7:18. There Isaiah is warning God’s people regarding events that will occur regarding an attack by the King of Assyria.

The exact phrases are that God will “whistle for the fly that is in Egypt” and “the bee that is in Assyria.” Clearly military forces are being discussed, but the fly and the bee are used to represent, in some fashion, the nature of those forces.

As to the meaning in Joshua 24:12, the literal meaning seems to be the most difficult to make fit both in this passage and in the remote context of the book of Joshua. The figurative meaning appears to be more true to the context and can be defended by

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