mh_parser/vol_split/6 - Joshua/Chapter 11.xml

<div2 id="Jos.xii" n="xii" next="Jos.xiii" prev="Jos.xi" progress="6.00%" title="Chapter XI">
<h2 id="Jos.xii-p0.1">J O S H U A</h2>
<h3 id="Jos.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jos.xii-p1">This chapter continues and concludes the history
of the conquest of Canaan; of the reduction of the southern parts
we had an account in the foregoing chapter, after which we may
suppose Joshua allowed his forces some breathing-time; now here we
have the story of the war in the north, and the happy success of
that war. I. The confederacy of the northern crowns against Israel,
<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.1-Josh.11.5" parsed="|Josh|11|1|11|5" passage="Jos 11:1-5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. The
encouragement which God gave to Joshua to engage them, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.6" parsed="|Josh|11|6|0|0" passage="Jos 11:6">ver. 6</scripRef>. III. His victory over them,
<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.7-Josh.11.9" parsed="|Josh|11|7|11|9" passage="Jos 11:7-9">ver. 7-9</scripRef>. IV. The taking
of their cities, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.10-Josh.11.15" parsed="|Josh|11|10|11|15" passage="Jos 11:10-15">ver.
10-15</scripRef>. V. The destruction of the Anakim, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.21-Josh.11.22" parsed="|Josh|11|21|11|22" passage="Jos 11:21,22">ver. 21, 22</scripRef>. VI. The general
conclusion of the story of this war, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.16-Josh.11.20 Bible:Josh.11.23" parsed="|Josh|11|16|11|20;|Josh|11|23|0|0" passage="Jos 11:16-20,23">ver. 16-20, 23</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jos.xii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11" parsed="|Josh|11|0|0|0" passage="Jos 11" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jos.xii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.1-Josh.11.9" parsed="|Josh|11|1|11|9" passage="Jos 11:1-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Josh.11.1-Josh.11.9">
<h4 id="Jos.xii-p1.9">Confederacy Against Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1450.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jos.xii-p2">1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor
had heard <i>those things,</i> that he sent to Jobab king of Madon,
and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,   2
And to the kings that <i>were</i> on the north of the mountains,
and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in
the borders of Dor on the west,   3 <i>And to</i> the
Canaanite on the east and on the west, and <i>to</i> the Amorite,
and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the
mountains, and <i>to</i> the Hivite under Hermon in the land of
Mizpeh.   4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with
them, much people, even as the sand that <i>is</i> upon the sea
shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.   5
And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched
together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.   6
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p2.1">Lord</span> said unto Joshua, Be
not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I
deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their
horses, and burn their chariots with fire.   7 So Joshua came,
and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of
Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.   8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p2.2">Lord</span> delivered them into the hand of
Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto
Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they
smote them, until they left them none remaining.   9 And
Joshua did unto them as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p2.3">Lord</span>
bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with
fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p3">We are here entering upon the story of
another campaign that Joshua made, and it was a glorious one, no
less illustrious than the former in the success of it, though in
respect of miracles it was inferior to it in glory. The wonders God
then wrought for them were to animate and encourage them to act
vigorously themselves. Thus the war carried on by the preaching of
the gospel against Satan's kingdom was at first forwarded by
miracles; but, the war being by them sufficiently proved to be of
God, the managers of it are now left to the ordinary assistance of
divine grace in the use of the sword of the Spirit, and must not
expect hail-stones nor the standing still of the sun. In this story
we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p4">I. The Canaanites taking the field against
Israel. They were the aggressors, God hardening their hearts to
begin the war, that Israel might be justified beyond exception in
destroying them. Joshua and all Israel had returned to the camp at
Gilgal, and perhaps these kings knew no other than that they
intended to sit down content with the conquest they had already
made, and yet they prepare war against them. Note, Sinners bring
ruin upon their own heads, so that <i>God will be justified when he
speaks,</i> and they alone shall bear the blame for ever. Judah had
now <i>couched as a lion gone up from the prey;</i> if the northern
kings rouse him up, it is at their peril, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.9" parsed="|Gen|49|9|0|0" passage="Ge 49:9">Gen. xlix. 9</scripRef>. Now, 1. Several nations joined
in this confederacy, some <i>in the mountains</i> and some <i>in
the plains,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.2" parsed="|Josh|11|2|0|0" passage="Jos 11:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Canaanites from east and west, Amorites, Hittites,
Perizzites, &amp;c. (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.3" parsed="|Josh|11|3|0|0" passage="Jos 11:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), of different constitutions and divided interests
among themselves, and yet they here unite against Israel as against
a common enemy. Thus are <i>the children of this world</i> more
unanimous, and therein <i>wiser, than the children of light.</i>
The oneness of the church's enemies should shame the church's
friends out of their discords and divisions, and engage them to be
one. 2. The head of this confederacy was <i>Jabin king of Hazor</i>
(<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.1" parsed="|Josh|11|1|0|0" passage="Jos 11:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), as
Adoni-zedec was of the former; it is said (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.10" parsed="|Josh|11|10|0|0" passage="Jos 11:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) Hazor had been the <i>head of
all those kingdoms,</i> which could not have revolted without
occasioning ill-will; but this was forgotten and laid aside upon
this occasion, by consent of parties, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:Luke.23.12" parsed="|Luke|23|12|0|0" passage="Lu 23:12">Luke xxiii. 12</scripRef>. When they had all drawn up
their forces together, every kingdom bringing in its quota, they
were a very great army, much greater than the former, <i>as the
sand on the sea shore in multitude,</i> and upon this account much
stronger and more formidable, that they had horses and chariots
very many, which we do not find the southern kings had; hereby they
had a great advantage against Israel, for their army consisted only
of foot, and they never brought horses nor chariots into the field.
Josephus tells us that the army of the Canaanites consisted of
300,000 foot, 10,000 horses, and 20,000 chariots. <i>Many there be
that rise up</i> against God's Israel; doubtless their numbers made
them very confident of success, but it proved that so much the
greater slaughter was made of them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p5">II. The encouragement God gave to Joshua to
give them the meeting, even upon the ground of their own choosing
(<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.6" parsed="|Josh|11|6|0|0" passage="Jos 11:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>Be not
afraid because of them.</i> Joshua was remarkable for his
courage—it was his master grace, and yet it seems he had need to
be again and again cautioned not to be afraid. Fresh dangers and
difficulties make it necessary to fetch in fresh supports and
comforts from the word of God, which we have always nigh unto us,
to be made use of in every time of need. Those that have God on
their side need not be disturbed at the number and power of their
enemies; <i>more are those that are with us than those that are
against us;</i> those have the hosts of the Lord that have the Lord
of hosts engaged for them. For his encouragement, 1. God assures
him of success, and fixes the hour: <i>To-morrow about this
time,</i> when an engagement (it is probable) was expected and
designed on both sides, <i>I will deliver them up slain.</i> Though
they were to be slain by the sword of Israel, yet it is spoken of
as God's work, that he would deliver them up. 2. He appoints him to
<i>hough their horses, hamstring</i> them, <i>lame</i> them, and
<i>burn their chariots,</i> not only that Israel might not use them
hereafter, but that they might not fear them now, their God
designing this contempt to be put upon them. Let Israel look upon
their chariots but as rotten wood designed for the fire, and their
horses of war as disabled things, scarcely good enough for the
cart. This encouragement which God here gave to Joshua no doubt he
communicated to the people, who perhaps were under some
apprehensions of danger from this vast army, notwithstanding the
experience they had had of God's power engaged for them. And the
wisdom and goodness of God are to be observed, (1.) In infatuating
the counsels of the enemy, that all the kings of Canaan, who were
not dispersed at such a distance from each other but that they
might have got all together in a body, did not at first confederate
against Israel, but were divided in to the southern and northern
combination, and so became the less formidable. And, (2.) In
preparing his people to encounter the greater force, by breaking
the less. They first engage with five kings together, and now with
many more. God proportions our trials to our strength and our
strength to our trials.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p6">III. Joshua's march against these
confederate forces, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.7" parsed="|Josh|11|7|0|0" passage="Jos 11:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. He <i>came upon them suddenly,</i> and surprised them
in their quarters. He made this haste, 1. That he might put them
into the greater confusion, by giving them an alarm, when they
little thought he was near them. 2. That he might be sure not to
come short of the honour God had fixed, to give him the meeting at
the enemies' camp, <i>to-morrow about this time.</i> It is fit we
should keep time with God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p7">IV. His success, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.8" parsed="|Josh|11|8|0|0" passage="Jos 11:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. He obtained the honour and
advantage of a complete victory; he smote them and chased them, in
the several ways they took in their flight; some fled towards
Zidon, which lay to the northwest, others towards Mizpeh, eastward,
but the parties Joshua sent out pursued them each way. So <i>the
Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel;</i> they would not
deliver themselves into the hands of Israel to be made proselytes
and tributaries, and so offered up to God's grace (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.16" parsed="|Rom|15|16|0|0" passage="Ro 15:16">Rom. xv. 16</scripRef>), and therefore God
delivered them into their hands to be made sacrifices to his
justice; for God will be honoured by us or upon us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p8">V. His obedience to the orders given him,
in destroying the horses and chariots (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.9" parsed="|Josh|11|9|0|0" passage="Jos 11:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), which was an instance, 1. Of
his subjection to the divine will, as one under authority, that
must do as he is bidden. 2. Of his self-denial, and crossing his
own genius and inclination in compliance with God's command. 3. Of
his confidence in the power of God engaged for Israel, which
enabled them to despise the chariots and horses which others
trusted in, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.7 Bible:Ps.33.17" parsed="|Ps|20|7|0|0;|Ps|33|17|0|0" passage="Ps 20:7,33:17">Ps. xx. 7; xxxiii.
17</scripRef>. 4. Of his care to keep up in the people the like
confidence in God, by taking that from them which they would be
tempted to trust too much to. This was <i>cutting of a right
hand.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Jos.xii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.10-Josh.11.14" parsed="|Josh|11|10|11|14" passage="Jos 11:10-14" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Josh.11.10-Josh.11.14">
<h4 id="Jos.xii-p8.4">Joshua's Victories. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p8.5">b. c.</span> 1450.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jos.xii-p9">10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took
Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor
beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.   11 And they
smote all the souls that <i>were</i> therein with the edge of the
sword, utterly destroying <i>them:</i> there was not any left to
breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.   12 And all the cities
of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and
smote them with the edge of the sword, <i>and</i> he utterly
destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p9.1">Lord</span> commanded.   13 But <i>as for</i> the
cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of
them, save Hazor only; <i>that</i> did Joshua burn.   14 And
all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of
Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote
with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither
left they any to breathe.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p10">We have here the same improvement made of
this victory as was made of that in the foregoing chapter. 1. The
destruction of Hazor is particularly recorded, because in it, and
by the king thereof, this daring design against Israel was laid,
<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.10-Josh.11.11" parsed="|Josh|11|10|11|11" passage="Jos 11:10,11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. The
king of Hazor, it seems, escaped with his life out of the battle,
and thought himself safe when he had got back into his own city,
and Joshua had gone in pursuit of the scattered troops another way.
But it proved that that which he thought would be for his welfare
was his trap; in it <i>he was taken as in an evil net;</i> there he
was slain, and his city, for his sake, burned. Yet we find that the
remains of it being not well looked after by Israel the Canaanites
rebuilt it, and settled there under another king of the same name,
<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.4.2" parsed="|Judg|4|2|0|0" passage="Jdg 4:2">Judg. iv. 2</scripRef>. 2. The rest of
the cities of that part of the country are spoken of only in
general, that Joshua got them all into his hands, but did not burn
them as he did Hazor, for Israel was to dwell in <i>great and
goodly cities which they builded not</i> (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10" parsed="|Deut|6|10|0|0" passage="De 6:10">Deut. vi. 10</scripRef>) and in these among the rest. And
here we find Israel rolling in blood and treasure. (1.) In the
blood of their enemies; <i>they smote all the souls</i> (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.1" parsed="|Josh|11|1|0|0" passage="Jos 11:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), <i>neither left they
any to breathe</i> (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.14" parsed="|Josh|11|14|0|0" passage="Jos 11:14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), that there might be none to infect them with the
abominations of Canaan, and none to disturb them in the possession
of it. The children were cut off, lest they should afterwards lay
claim to any part of this land in the right of their parents. (2.)
In the wealth of their enemies. The spoil, and the cattle, they
<i>took for a prey to themselves,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.14" parsed="|Josh|11|14|0|0" passage="Jos 11:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. As they were enriched with the
spoil of their oppressors when they came out of Egypt, wherewith to
defray the charges of their apprenticeship in the wilderness, so
they were now enriched with the spoil of their enemies for a stock
wherewith to set up in the land of Canaan. Thus is the wealth of
the sinner laid up for the just.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jos.xii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.15-Josh.11.23" parsed="|Josh|11|15|11|23" passage="Jos 11:15-23" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Josh.11.15-Josh.11.23">
<p class="passage" id="Jos.xii-p11">15 As the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p11.1">Lord</span>
commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so
did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p11.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses.   16 So Joshua took
all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the
land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of
Israel, and the valley of the same;   17 <i>Even</i> from the
mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the
valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took,
and smote them, and slew them.   18 Joshua made war a long
time with all those kings.   19 There was not a city that made
peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants
of Gibeon: all <i>other</i> they took in battle.   20 For it
was of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p11.3">Lord</span> to harden their
hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he
might destroy them utterly, <i>and</i> that they might have no
favour, but that he might destroy them, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p11.4">Lord</span> commanded Moses.   21 And at that time
came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from
Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah,
and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly
with their cities.   22 There was none of the Anakims left in
the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in
Ashdod, there remained.   23 So Joshua took the whole land,
according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jos.xii-p11.5">Lord</span> said
unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel
according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested
from war.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p12">We have here the conclusion of this whole
matter.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p13">I. A short account is here given of what
was done in four things:—1. The obstinacy of the Canaanites in
their opposition to the Israelites. It was strange that though it
appeared so manifestly that God fought for Israel, and in every
engagement the Canaanites had the worst of it, yet they stood it
out to the last; not one city made peace with Israel, but the
Gibeonites only, who understood the things that belonged to their
peace better than their neighbours, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.19" parsed="|Josh|11|19|0|0" passage="Jos 11:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. It is intimated that other
cities might have made as good terms for themselves, without ragged
clothes and clouted shoes, if they would have humbled themselves,
but they never so much as <i>desired conditions of peace.</i> We
here are told whence this unaccountable infatuation came: <i>It was
of the Lord to harden their hearts,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.20" parsed="|Josh|11|20|0|0" passage="Jos 11:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. As Pharaoh's heart was
hardened by his own pride and wilfulness first, and afterwards by
the righteous judgment of God, to his destruction, so were the
hearts of these Canaanites. To punish them for all their other
follies, God left them to this, to make those their enemies whom
they might have made their friends. This was it that ruined them:
they <i>came against Israel in battle,</i> and gave the first blow,
and therefore <i>might have no favour</i> shown them. Those know
not what they do who give the provocation to divine justice, or the
authorized instruments of it. <i>Are we stronger than God?</i>
Observe here, That hardness of heart is the ruin of sinners. Those
that are stupid and secure, and heedless of divine warnings, are
already marked for destruction. What hope is there of those
concerning whom God has said, <i>Go, make their hearts fat?</i> 2.
The constancy of the Israelites in prosecuting this war (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.18" parsed="|Josh|11|18|0|0" passage="Jos 11:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>Joshua made war a
long time;</i> some reckon it five years, others seven, that were
spent in subduing this land: so long God would train up Israel to
war, and give them repeated instances of his power and goodness in
every new victory that he gave them. 3. The conquest of the Anakim
at last, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.21-Josh.11.22" parsed="|Josh|11|21|11|22" passage="Jos 11:21,22"><i>v.</i> 21,
22</scripRef>. Either this was done as they met with them where
they were dispersed, as some think, or rather it should seem the
Anakim had retired to their fastnesses, and so were hunted out and
cut off at last, after all the rest of Israel's enemies. The
mountains of Judah and Israel were the habitations of those
mountains of men; but not their height, nor the strength of their
caves, nor the difficulty of the passes to them, could secure, no,
not these mighty men, from the sword of Joshua. The cutting off of
the sons of Anak is particularly mentioned because these had been
such a terror to the spies forty years before, and their bulk and
strength had been thought an insuperable difficulty in the way of
the reducing of Canaan, <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.28 Bible:Num.13.33" parsed="|Num|13|28|0|0;|Num|13|33|0|0" passage="Nu 13:28,33">Num. xiii.
28, 33</scripRef>. Even that opposition which seemed invincible was
got over. Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of
God, for even their day will come to fall. Giants are dwarfs to
Omnipotence; yet this struggle with the Anakim was reserved for the
latter end of the war, when the Israelites had become more expert
in the arts of war, and had had more experience of the power and
goodness of God. Note, God sometimes reserves the sharpest trials
of his people by affliction and temptation for the latter end of
their days. Therefore <i>let not him that girds on the harness
boast as he that puts it off.</i> Death, that tremendous son of
Anak, is the last enemy that is to be encountered; but it is <i>to
be destroyed,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.26" parsed="|1Cor|15|26|0|0" passage="1Co 15:26">1 Cor. xv.
26</scripRef>. Thanks be to God, who will give us the victory. 4.
The end and issue of this long war. The Canaanites were rooted out,
not perfectly (as we shall find after in the book of Judges), but
in a good measure; they were not able to make any head either, (1.)
So as to keep the Israelites out of possession of the land:
<i>Joshua took all that land,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.7" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.16-Josh.11.17" parsed="|Josh|11|16|11|17" passage="Jos 11:16,17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. And we may suppose the
people dispersed themselves and their families into the countries
they had conquered, at least those that lay nearest to the
head-quarters at Gilgal, until an orderly distribution should be
made by lot, that every man might know his own. Or, (2.) So as to
keep them in action, or give them any molestation (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p13.8" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.23" parsed="|Josh|11|23|0|0" passage="Jos 11:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>The land rested
from war.</i> It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites (that was
forbidden), but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from
war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter
when their warfare is accomplished.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jos.xii-p14">II. That which was now done is here
compared with that which had been said to Moses. God's word and his
works, if viewed and considered together, will mutually illustrate
each other. It is here observed in the close, 1. That all the
precepts God had given to Moses relating to the conquest of Canaan
were obeyed on the people's part, at least while Joshua lived. See
how solemnly this is remarked (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.15" parsed="|Josh|11|15|0|0" passage="Jos 11:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): <i>As the Lord commanded
Moses his servant,</i> by whose hand the law was given, <i>so did
Moses command Joshua,</i> for Moses was faithful, as a law-giver,
to him that appointed him; he did his part, and then he died: but
were the commands of Moses observed when he was in his grave? Yes,
they were: <i>So did Joshua,</i> who was, in his place, as faithful
as Moses in his. <i>He left nothing undone</i> (Heb. he <i>removed
nothing) of all that the Lord commanded Moses.</i> Those that leave
their duty undone do what they can to remove or make void the
command of God, by which they are bound to do it; but Joshua, by
performing the precept, <i>confirmed</i> it, as the expression is,
<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.26" parsed="|Deut|27|26|0|0" passage="De 27:26">Deut. xxvii. 26</scripRef>. Joshua was
himself a great commander, and yet nothing was more his praise than
his obedience. Those that rule others at their will must themselves
be ruled by the divine will; then their power is indeed their
honour, and not otherwise. The pious obedience for which Joshua is
here commended respects especially the command to destroy the
Canaanites, and to <i>break down their altars and burn their
images,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.2-Deut.7.5 Bible:Exod.23.24 Bible:Exod.34.13" parsed="|Deut|7|2|7|5;|Exod|23|24|0|0;|Exod|34|13|0|0" passage="De 7:2-5,Ex 23:24,34:13">Deut. vii.
2-5; Exod. xxiii. 24; xxxiv. 13</scripRef>. Joshua, in his zeal for
the Lord of hosts, spared neither the idols nor the idolaters.
Saul's disobedience, or rather his partial obedience, to the
command of God, for the utter destruction of the Amalekites, cost
him his kingdom. It should seem Joshua himself gives this account
of his most careful and punctual observance of his orders in the
execution of his commission, that in all respects he had done as
Moses commanded him; and then it intimates that he had more
pleasure and satisfaction in reflecting upon his obedience to the
commands of God in all this war, and valued himself more upon that,
than upon all the gains and triumphs with which he was enriched and
advanced. 2. That all the promises God had given to Moses relating
to this conquest were accomplished <i>on his part,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.23" parsed="|Josh|11|23|0|0" passage="Jos 11:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Joshua <i>took the
whole land,</i> conquered it, and took possession of it,
<i>according to all that the Lord said unto Moses.</i> God had
promised to drive out the nations before them (<scripRef id="Jos.xii-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.2 Bible:Exod.34.11" parsed="|Exod|33|2|0|0;|Exod|34|11|0|0" passage="Ex 33:2,34:11">Exod. xxxiii. 2; xxxiv. 11</scripRef>), and to
<i>bring them down,</i> <scripRef id="Jos.xii-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.3" parsed="|Deut|9|3|0|0" passage="De 9:3">Deut. ix.
3</scripRef>. And now it was done. There failed not one word of the
promise. Our successes and enjoyments are then doubly sweet and
comfortable to us when we see them flowing to us from the promise
(this is <i>according to what the Lord said</i>), as our obedience
is then acceptable to God when it has an eye to the precept. And,
if we make conscience of our duty, we need not question the
performance of the promise.</p>
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