Why the Righteous Waited Until the Edge of Death to Rebuke

"If it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). Joshua did not rebuke Israel until close to his death. And for four reasons one does not rebuke a person except close to death: so that he not have to rebuke him and then rebuke him again; so that his fellow not see him and be shamed before him; so that he not bear it against him in his heart; and so that the one rebuked may depart in peace, for rebuke brings about peace. And so you find with Abraham, "And Abraham rebuked Abimelech" (Genesis 21:25). And so it says of Isaac, "Why have you come to me" (Genesis 26:27). And so you find with Jacob, "And Jacob called to his sons" (Genesis 49:1); to Reuben he says, in effect: For what reason did I not rebuke you all these years? So that you would not leave me and cling to Esau my brother. And so you find with Moses, "And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month" and so forth (Deuteronomy 1:3). And so you find with Samuel, as it is said, "Here I am, testify against me before the LORD and before His anointed" (1 Samuel 12:3). And so you find with David, that he did not rebuke Solomon except close to death, as it is said, "And the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying" and so forth (1 Kings 2:1).