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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J O S H U A</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. X.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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We have in this chapter an account of the conquest of the kings and
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kingdoms of the southern part of the land of Canaan, as, in the next
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chapter, of the reduction of the northern parts, which together
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completed the glorious successes of the wars of Canaan. In this chapter
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we have an account,
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I. Of the routing of their forces in the field, in which observe,
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1. Their confederacy against the Gibeonites,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:1-5">ver. 1-5</A>.
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2. The Gibeonites' request to Joshua to assist them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:6">ver. 6</A>.
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3. Joshua's speeds march under divine encouragement for their relief,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:7-9">ver. 7-9</A>.
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4. The defeat of the armies of these confederate kings,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:10,11">ver. 10, 11</A>.
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5. The miraculous prolonging of the day by the standing still of the
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sun in favour of the conquerors,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:12-14">ver. 12-14</A>.
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II. Of the execution of the kings that escaped out of the battle,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:15-27">ver. 15-27</A>.
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III. Of the taking of the particular cities, and the total destruction
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of all that were found in them.
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Makkedah,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:28">ver. 28</A>.
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Libnah,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:29,30">ver. 29, 30</A>.
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Lachish,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:31,32">ver. 31, 32</A>,
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and the king of Gezer that attempted its rescue,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:33">ver. 33</A>.
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Eglon,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:34,35">ver. 34, 35</A>.
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Hebron,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:36,37">ver. 36, 37</A>.
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Debir,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:38,39">ver. 38, 39</A>.
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And the bringing of all that country into the hands of Israel,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:40-42">ver. 40-42</A>.
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And, lastly, the return of the army to the head-quarters,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:43">ver. 43</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Jos10_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Combination Against Gibeon.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1450.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem had
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heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as
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he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her
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king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with
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Israel, and were among them;
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2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon <I>was</I> a great city,
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as one of the royal cities, and because it <I>was</I> greater than Ai,
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and all the men thereof <I>were</I> mighty.
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3 Wherefore Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king
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of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king
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of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
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4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for
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it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
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5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of
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Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of
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Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and
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went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon,
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and made war against it.
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6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal,
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saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us
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quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the
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Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together
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against us.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Joshua and the hosts of Israel had now been a good while in the land of
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Canaan, and no great matters were effected; they were made masters of
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Jericho by a miracle, of Ai by stratagem, and of Gibeon by surrender,
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and that was all; hitherto the progress of their victories had not
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seemed proportionable to the magnificence of their entry and the glory
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of their beginnings. Those among them that were impatient of delays, it
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is probable, complained of Joshua's slowness, and asked why they did
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not immediately penetrate into the heart of the country, before the
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enemy could rally their forces to make head against them, why they
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stood trifling, while they were so confident both of their title and of
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their success. Thus Joshua's prudence, perhaps, was censured as
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slothfulness, cowardice, and want of spirit. But,
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1. Canaan was not to be conquered in a day. God had said that <I>by
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little and little</I> he would drive out the Canaanites,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+23:30">Exod. xxiii. 30</A>.
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He that believeth will not make haste, or conclude that the promise
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will never be performed because it is not performed so soon as he
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expected.
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2. Joshua waited for the Canaanites to be the aggressors; let them
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first make an onset upon Israel, or the allies of Israel, and then
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their destruction will be, or at least will appear to be, the more just
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and more justifiable. Joshua had warrant sufficient to set upon them,
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yet he stays till they strike the first stroke, that he might provide
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for honest things in the sight, not only of God, but of men; and they
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would be the more inexcusable in their resistance, now that they had
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seen what favour the Gibeonites found with Israel.
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3. It was for the advantage of Israel to sit still awhile, that the
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forces of these little kings might unite in one body, and so might the
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more easily be cut off at one blow. This God had in his eye when he put
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it into their hearts to combine against Israel; though they designed
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thereby to strengthen one another, that which he intended was to gather
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them as sheaves into the floor, to fall together under the flail,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+4:12">Mic. iv. 12</A>.
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Thus oftentimes that seeming paradox proves wholesome counsel, <I>Stay
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awhile, and we shall have done the sooner.</I></P>
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<P>
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After Israel had waited awhile for an occasion to make war upon the
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Canaanites, a fair one offers itself.
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1. Five kings combine against the Gibeonites. Adoni-zedec king of
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Jerusalem was the first mover and ring-leader of this confederacy. He
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had a good name (it signifies <I>lord of righteousness</I>), being a
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descendant perhaps from Melchizedek, <I>king of righteousness;</I> but,
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notwithstanding the goodness of his name and family, it seems he was a
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bad man, and an implacable enemy to the posterity of that Abraham to
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whom his predecessor, Melchizedek, was such a faithful friend. He
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called upon his neighbours to join against Israel either because he was
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the most honourable prince, and had the precedency among these kings
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(perhaps they had some dependence upon him, at least they paid a
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deference to him, as the most public, powerful, and active man they had
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among them), or because he was first or most apprehensive of the danger
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his country was in, not only by the conquest of Jericho and Ai, but the
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surrender of Gibeon, which, it seems, was the chief thing that alarmed
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him, it being one of the most considerable frontier towns they had.
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Against Gibeon therefore all the force he would raise must be leveled.
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<I>Come,</I> says he, <I>and help me, that we may smite Gibeon.</I>
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This he resolves to do, either,
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(1.) In policy, that he might retake the city, because it was a strong
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city, and of great consequence to this country in whose hands it was;
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or,
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(2.) In passion, that he might chastise the citizens for making peace
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with Joshua, pretending that they had perfidiously betrayed their
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country and strengthened the common enemy, whereas they had really done
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the greatest kindness imaginable to their country, by setting them a
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good example, if they would have followed it. Thus Satan and his
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instruments make war upon those that make peace with God. <I>Marvel not
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if the world hate you,</I> and treat those as deserters who are
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converts to Christ.
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2. The Gibeonites send notice to Joshua of the distress and danger
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they are in,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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Now they expect benefit from the league they had made with Israel,
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because, though it was obtained by deceit, it was afterwards confirmed
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when the truth came out. They think Joshua obliged to help them,
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(1.) In conscience, because they were his servants; not in compliment,
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as they had said in their first address
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+9:8"><I>ch.</I> ix. 8</A>),
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<I>We are thy servants,</I> but in reality made servants to the
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congregation; and it is the duty of masters to take care of the poorest
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and meanest of their servants, and not to see them wronged when it is
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in the power of their hand to right them. Those that pay allegiance may
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reasonably expect protection. Thus David pleads with God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+119:94">Ps. cxix. 94</A>),
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<I>I am thine, save me;</I> and so may we, if indeed we be his.
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(2.) In honour, because the ground of their enemies' quarrel with them
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was the respect they had shown to Israel, and the confidence they had
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in a covenant with them. Joshua cannot refuse to help them when it is
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for their affection to him, and to the name of his God, that they are
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attacked. David thinks it a good plea with God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+69:7">Ps. lxix. 7</A>),
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<I>For thy sake I have borne reproach.</I> When our spiritual enemies
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set themselves in array against us, and threaten to swallow us up, let
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us, by faith and prayer, apply to Christ, our Joshua, for strength and
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succour, as Paul did, and we shall receive the same answer of peace,
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<I>My grace is sufficient for thee,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+12:8,9">2 Cor. xii. 8, 9</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Jos10_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos10_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Sun and Moon Stand Still.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1450.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war
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with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
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8 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have
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delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them
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stand before thee.
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9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, <I>and</I> went up from
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Gilgal all night.
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10 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> discomfited them before Israel, and slew them
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with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way
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that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto
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Makkedah.
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11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, <I>and</I>
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were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> cast down
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great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:
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<I>they were</I> more which died with hailstones than <I>they</I> whom the
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children of Israel slew with the sword.
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12 Then spake Joshua to the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> in the day when the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he
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said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;
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and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
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13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the
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people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. <I>Is</I> not this
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written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the
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midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
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14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> fought
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for Israel.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here,
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I. Joshua resolves to assist the Gibeonites, and God encourages him in
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this resolve.
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1. He ascended from Gilgal
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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that is, he designed, determined, and prepared for, this expedition to
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relieve Gibeon, for it is probable it was before he stirred a step that
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God spoke to him to encourage him. It was generous and just in Joshua
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to help his new allies, though perhaps the king of Jerusalem, when he
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attacked them, little thought that Joshua would be so ready to help
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them, but expected he would abandon them as Canaanites, the rather
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because they had obtained their league with him by fraud; therefore he
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speaks with assurance
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>)
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of smiting Gibeon. But Joshua knew that his promise to let them live
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obliged him, not only not to slay them himself, but not to stand by and
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see them slain when it was in the power of his hand to prevent it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+24:11,12">Prov. xxiv. 11, 12</A>.
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He knew that when they embraced the faith and worship of the God of
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Israel they came to trust under the shadow of his wings
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ru+2:12">Ruth ii. 12</A>),
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and therefore, as his servants, he was bound to protect them.
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2. God animated him for his undertaking,
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>):
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<I>Fear not,</I> that is,
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(1.) "Doubt not of the goodness of thy cause and the clearness of thy
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call; though it be to assist Gibeonites, thou art in the way of duty,
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and God is with thee of a truth."
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(2.) "Dread not the power of the enemy; though so many kings are
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confederate against thee, and are resolved to make their utmost efforts
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for the reduction of Gibeon, and it may be will fight desperately in a
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desperate cause, yet let not this discourage thee, <I>I have delivered
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them into thy hand;</I>" and those can make neither resistance nor
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escape whom God has marked for destruction.</P>
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<P>
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II. Joshua applies himself to execute this resolve, and God assists him
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in the execution. Here we have,</P>
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<P>
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1. The great industry of Joshua, and the power of God working with it
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for the defeat of the enemy. In this action,
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(1.) Joshua showed his good-will in the haste he made for the relief of
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Gibeon
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>):
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<I>He came unto them suddenly,</I> for the extremity was such as would
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not admit delay. If one of the tribes of Israel had been in danger, he
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could not have shown more care or zeal for its relief than here for
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Gibeon, remembering in this, as in other cases, there must be one law
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for the stranger that was proselyted and for him that was born in the
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land. Scarcely had the confederate princes got their forces together,
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and sat down before Gibeon, when Joshua was upon them, the surprise of
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which would put them into the greatest confusion. Now that the enemy
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were actually drawn up into a body, which had all as it were but one
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neck, despatch was as serviceable to his cause as before delay was,
|
|
while he waited for this general rendezvous; and now that things were
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ripe for execution no man more expeditious than Joshua, who before had
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seemed slow. Now it shall never be said, <I>He left that to be done
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to-morrow which he could do to-day.</I> When Joshua found he could not
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reach Gibeon in a day, lest he should lose any real advantages against
|
|
the enemy, or so much as seem to come short or to neglect his new
|
|
allies, he marched all night, resolving not to give sleep to his eyes,
|
|
nor slumber to his eye-lids, till he had accomplished this enterprise.
|
|
It was well the forces he took with him were mighty men of valour, not
|
|
only able-bodied men, but men of spirit and resolution, and hearty in
|
|
the cause, else they neither could nor would have borne this fatigue,
|
|
but would have murmured at their leader and would have asked, "Is this
|
|
the rest we were promised in Canaan?" But they well considered that the
|
|
present toil was in order to a happy settlement, and therefore were
|
|
reconciled to it. Let the <I>good soldiers of Jesus Christ</I> learn
|
|
hence to <I>endure hardness, in following the Lamb whithersoever he
|
|
goes,</I> and not think themselves undone if their religion lose them
|
|
now and then a night's sleep; it will be enough to rest when we come to
|
|
heaven. But why needed Joshua to put himself and his men so much to the
|
|
stretch? Had not God promised him that without fail he would <I>deliver
|
|
the enemies into his hand?</I> It is true he had; but God's promises
|
|
are intended, not to slacken and supersede, but to quicken and
|
|
encourage our endeavours. He that believeth doth not make haste to
|
|
anticipate providence, but doth make haste to attend it, with a
|
|
diligent, not a distrustful, speed.
|
|
|
|
(2.) God showed his great power in defeating the enemies whom Joshua so
|
|
vigorously attacked,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:10,11"><I>v.</I> 10, 11</A>.
|
|
|
|
Joshua had a very numerous and powerful army with him, hands enough to
|
|
despatch a dispirited enemy, so that the enemy might have been
|
|
scattered by the ordinary fate of war; but God himself would appear in
|
|
this great and decisive battle, and draw up the artillery of heaven
|
|
against the Canaanites, to demonstrate to this people that they <I>got
|
|
not this land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own
|
|
arm save them, but God's right hand and his arm,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+44:3">Ps. xliv. 3</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>The Lord discomfited them before Israel.</I> Israel did what they
|
|
could, and yet God did all.
|
|
|
|
[1.] It must needs be a very great terror and confusion to the enemy to
|
|
perceive that heaven itself fought against them; for who can contest
|
|
with, flee from, or fence against, the powers of heaven? They had
|
|
affronted the true God and robbed him of his honour by worshipping the
|
|
host of heaven, giving that worship to the creature which is due to the
|
|
Creator only; and now the host of heaven fights against them, and even
|
|
that part of the creation which they had idolized is at war with them,
|
|
and even triumphs in their ruin,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+8:2">Jer. viii. 2</A>.
|
|
|
|
There is no way of making any creature propitious to us, no, not by
|
|
sacrifice nor offering, but only by making our peace with God and
|
|
keeping ourselves in his love. This had been enough to make them an
|
|
easy prey to the victorious Israelites, yet this was not all.
|
|
|
|
[2.] Besides the terror struck upon them, there was a great slaughter
|
|
made of them by hail-stones, which were so large, and came down with
|
|
such a force, that more were killed by the hail-stones than by the
|
|
sword of the Israelites, though no doubt they were busy. God himself
|
|
speaks to Job of treasures, or magazines, of snow and hail, which he
|
|
has <I>reserved for the day of battle and war</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+38:22,23">Job xxxviii. 22, 23</A>),
|
|
|
|
and here they are made use of to destroy the Canaanites. Here was hail,
|
|
shot from God's great ordnance, that, against whomsoever it was
|
|
directed, was sure to hit (and never glanced upon the Israelites mixed
|
|
with them), and wherever it hit was sure to kill. See here how
|
|
miserable those are that have God for their enemy, and how sure to
|
|
perish; it is a fearful thing to fall into his hands, for there is no
|
|
fleeing out of them. Some observe that Beth-horon lay north of Gibeon,
|
|
Azekah and Makkedah lay south, so that they fled each way but, which
|
|
way soever they fled, the hail-stones pursued them, and met them at
|
|
every turn.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. The great faith of Joshua, and the power of God crowning it with the
|
|
miraculous arrest of the sun, that the day of Israel's victories might
|
|
be prolonged, and so the enemy totally defeated. The hail-stones had
|
|
their rise no higher than the clouds, but, to show that Israel's help
|
|
came from above the clouds, the sun itself, who by his constant motion
|
|
serves the whole earth, by halting when there was occasion served the
|
|
Israelites, and did them a kindness. <I>The sun and moon stood still in
|
|
their habitation, at the light of thy arrows</I> which gave the signal,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Hab+3:11">Hab. iii. 11</A>.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(1.) Here is the prayer of Joshua that the sun might stand still. I
|
|
call it his prayer, because it is said
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>)
|
|
|
|
<I>he spoke to the Lord;</I> as Elijah, though we read
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+17:1">1 Kings xvii. 1</A>)
|
|
|
|
only of his prophesying of the drought, yet is said
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jam+5:17">James v. 17</A>)
|
|
|
|
to pray for it. Observe,
|
|
|
|
[1.] An instance of Joshua's unwearied activity in the service of God
|
|
and Israel, that though he had marched all night and fought all day,
|
|
and, one might expect, would be inclined to repose himself and get a
|
|
little sleep, and give his army some time to rest--that, like the
|
|
hireling, he would earnestly desire the shadow, and bid the night
|
|
welcome, when he had done such a good day's work--yet, instead of this,
|
|
he wishes for nothing so much as the prolonging of the day. Note, Those
|
|
that <I>wait on the Lord</I> and work for him <I>shall renew their
|
|
strength, shall run and not be weary, shall walk and not faint,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+40:31">Isa. xl. 31</A>.
|
|
|
|
[2.] An instance of his great faith in the almighty power of God, as
|
|
above the power of nature, and able to control and alter the usual
|
|
course of it. No doubt Joshua had an extraordinary impulse or
|
|
impression upon his spirit, which he knew to be of divine origin,
|
|
prompting him to desire that this miracle might be wrought upon this
|
|
occasion, else it would have been presumption in him to desire or
|
|
expect; the prayer would not have been granted by the divine power, if
|
|
it had not been dictated by the divine grace. God wrought this faith in
|
|
him, and then said, "<I>According to thy faith,</I> and thy prayer of
|
|
faith, <I>be it unto thee.</I>" It cannot be imagined, however, that
|
|
such a thing as this should have entered into his mind if God had not
|
|
put it there; a man would have had a thousand projects in his head for
|
|
the completing of the victory before he would have thought of desiring
|
|
the sun to stand still; but even in the Old-Testament saints <I>the
|
|
Spirit made intercession according to the will of God.</I> What God
|
|
will give he inclines the hearts of his praying people to ask, and for
|
|
what he will do he will be enquired of,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+36:37">Ezek. xxxvi. 37</A>.
|
|
|
|
Now, <I>First,</I> It looked great for Joshua to say, <I>Sun, stand
|
|
thou still.</I> His ancestor Joseph had indeed dreamed that the sun and
|
|
moon did homage to him; but who would have thought that, after it had
|
|
been fulfilled in the figure, it should be again fulfilled in the
|
|
letter to one of his posterity? The prayer is thus expressed with
|
|
authority, because it was not an ordinary prayer, such as is directed
|
|
and supported only by God's common providence or promise, but the
|
|
prayer of a prophet at this time divinely inspired for this purpose;
|
|
and yet it intimates to us the prevalency of prayer in general, so far
|
|
as it is regulated by the word of God, and may remind us of that honour
|
|
put upon prayer
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+45:11">Isa. xlv. 11</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>Concerning the work of my hands command you me.</I> He bids the sun
|
|
stand still upon Gibeon, the place of action and the seat of war,
|
|
intimating that what he designed in this request was the advantage of
|
|
Israel against their enemies; it is probable that the sun was now
|
|
declining, and that he did not call for the lengthening out of the day
|
|
until he observed it hastening towards it period. He does likewise, in
|
|
the name of the King of kings, arrest the moon, perhaps because it was
|
|
requisite for the preserving of the harmony and good order of the
|
|
spheres that the course of the rest of the heavenly bodies should be
|
|
stayed likewise, otherwise, while the sun shone, he needed not the
|
|
moon; and here he mentions the valley of Ajalon, which was near to
|
|
Gibeon, because there he was at that time. <I>Secondly,</I> It was
|
|
bold indeed to say so before Israel, and argues a very strong assurance
|
|
of faith. If the event had not answered the demand, nothing could have
|
|
been a greater slur upon him; the Israelites would have concluded he
|
|
was certainly going mad, or he would never have talked so
|
|
extravagantly. But he knew very well God would own and answer a
|
|
petition which he himself directed to be drawn up and presented, and
|
|
therefore was not afraid to say before all Israel, calling them to
|
|
observe this work of wonder, <I>Sun, stand thou still,</I> for he was
|
|
confident in him whom he had trusted. He believed the almighty power of
|
|
God, else he could not have expected that the sun, going on in its
|
|
strength, driving in a full career, and <I>rejoicing as a strong man to
|
|
run a race,</I> should be stopped in an instant. He believed the
|
|
sovereignty of God in the kingdom of nature, else he could not have
|
|
expected that the established law and course of nature should be
|
|
changed and interrupted, the ordinances of heaven, and the constant
|
|
usage according to these ordinances, broken in upon. And he believed
|
|
God's particular favour to Israel above all people under the sun, else
|
|
he could not have expected that, to favour them upon an emergency with
|
|
a double day, he should (which must follow of course) amaze and terrify
|
|
so great a part of the terrestrial globe with a double night at the
|
|
same time. It is true, he <I>causeth the sun to shine upon the just and
|
|
the unjust;</I> but for this once the unjust shall wait for it beyond
|
|
the usual time, while, in favour to righteous Israel, it stands
|
|
still.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(2.) The wonderful answer to this prayer. No sooner said than done
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>The sun stood still, and the moon staid.</I> Notwithstanding the
|
|
vast distance between the earth and the sun, at the word of Joshua the
|
|
sun stopped immediately; for the same God that rules in heaven above
|
|
rules at the same time on this earth, and, when he pleases, even <I>the
|
|
heavens shall hear the earth,</I> as here. Concerning this great
|
|
miracle it is here said,
|
|
|
|
[1.] <I>That it continued a whole day,</I> that is, the sun continued
|
|
as long again above the horizon as otherwise it would have done. It is
|
|
commonly supposed to have been about the middle of summer that this
|
|
happened, when, in that country, it was about fourteen hours between
|
|
sun and sun, so that this day was about twenty-eight hours long; yet,
|
|
if we suppose it to have been at that time of the year when the days
|
|
are at the shortest, it will be the more probable that Joshua should
|
|
desire and pray for the prolonging of the day.
|
|
|
|
[2.] That hereby the people had full time to avenge themselves of their
|
|
enemies, and to give them a total defeat. We often read in history of
|
|
battles which the night put an end to, the shadows of which favoured
|
|
the retreat of the conquered; to prevent this advantage to the enemy in
|
|
their flight, the day was doubled, that the hand of Israel might
|
|
<I>find out all their enemies;</I> but the eye and hand of God can find
|
|
them out without the help of the sun's light, for to him <I>the night
|
|
shineth as the day,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+139:12">Ps. cxxxix. 12</A>.
|
|
|
|
Note, Sometimes God completes a great salvation in a little time, and
|
|
makes but one day's work of it. Perhaps this miracle is alluded to
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+14:6,7">Zech. xiv. 6, 7</A>,
|
|
|
|
where the day of God's fighting against the nations is said to be
|
|
<I>one day,</I> and that <I>at evening time it shall be light,</I> as
|
|
here. And,
|
|
|
|
[3.] That there was <I>never any day like it,</I> before or since, in
|
|
which God put such an honour upon faith and prayer, and upon Israel's
|
|
cause; never did he so wonderfully comply with the request of a man,
|
|
nor so wonderfully fight for his people.
|
|
|
|
[4.] This is said to be written <I>in the book of Jasher,</I> a
|
|
collection of state-poems, in which the poem made upon this occasion
|
|
was preserved among the rest; probably the same with that <I>book of
|
|
the wars of the Lord</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+21:14">Num. xxi. 14</A>),
|
|
|
|
which afterwards was continued and carried on by one Jasher. Those
|
|
words, <I>Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou moon in the
|
|
valley of Ajalon,</I> sounding metrical, are supposed to be taken from
|
|
the narrative of this event as it was found in the book of Jasher. Not
|
|
that the divine testimony of the book of Joshua needed confirmation
|
|
from the book of Jasher, a human composition; but to those who had that
|
|
book in their hands it would be of use to compare this history with it,
|
|
which warrants the appeals the learned make to profane history for
|
|
corroborating the proofs of the truth of sacred history.
|
|
|
|
[5.] But surely this stupendous miracle of the standing still of the
|
|
sun was intended for something more than merely to give Israel so much
|
|
the more time to find out and kill their enemies, which, without this,
|
|
might have been done the next day. <I>First,</I> God would hereby
|
|
magnify Joshua
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+3:7"><I>ch.</I> iii. 7</A>),
|
|
|
|
as a particular favourite, and one whom he did delight to honour, being
|
|
a type of him who has all power both in heaven and in earth and whom
|
|
the winds and the seas obey. <I>Secondly,</I> He would hereby notify to
|
|
all the world what he was doing for his people Israel here in Canaan;
|
|
the sun, the eye of the world, must be fixed for some hours upon Gibeon
|
|
and the valley of Ajalon, as if to contemplate the great works of God
|
|
there for Israel, and so to engage the children of men to look that
|
|
way, and to <I>enquire of this wonder done in the land,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+32:31">2 Chron. xxxii. 31</A>.
|
|
|
|
Proclamation was hereby made to all the neighbouring nations. <I>Come,
|
|
behold the works of the Lord</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+46:8">Ps. xlvi. 8</A>),
|
|
|
|
and say, <I>What nation is there so great as Israel is, who has God so
|
|
nigh unto them?</I> One would have supposed that this would bring such
|
|
real ambassadors as the Gibeonites pretended to be from a very far
|
|
country, to court the friendship of Israel because of the name of the
|
|
Lord their God. <I>Thirdly,</I> He would hereby convince and confound
|
|
those idolaters that worshipped the sun and moon and gave divine
|
|
honours to them, by demonstrating that they were subject to the command
|
|
of the God of Israel, and that, as high as they were, he was above
|
|
them; and thus he would fortify his people against temptations to this
|
|
idolatry, which he foresaw they would be addicted to
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+4:19">Deut. iv. 19</A>),
|
|
|
|
and which, notwithstanding this, they afterwards corrupted themselves
|
|
with. <I>Fourthly,</I> This miracle signified (it is the learned
|
|
bishop Pierson's notion) that in the latter days, when the light of the
|
|
world was tending towards a light of darkness, the <I>Sun of
|
|
righteousness,</I> even our Joshua, should arise
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mal+4:2">Mal. iv. 2</A>),
|
|
|
|
give check to the approaching night, and be the true light. To which
|
|
let me add that when Christ conquered our spiritual enemies upon the
|
|
cross the miracle wrought on the sun was the reverse of this; it was
|
|
then darkened as if it had gone down at noon, for Christ needed not the
|
|
light of the sun to carry on his victories: he then made darkness his
|
|
pavilion. And, <I>Lastly,</I> The arresting of the sun and moon in this
|
|
day of battle prefigured the turning of the sun into darkness, and the
|
|
moon into blood, in the last great and terrible day of the Lord.</P>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_15"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_16"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_17"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_18"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_19"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_20"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_21"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_22"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_23"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_24"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_25"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_26"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_27"> </A>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Five Kings Slain.</I></FONT></TD>
|
|
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1450.</TD></TR>
|
|
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
|
</TABLE>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp
|
|
to Gilgal.
|
|
16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at
|
|
Makkedah.
|
|
17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid
|
|
in a cave at Makkedah.
|
|
18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the
|
|
cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
|
|
19 And stay ye not, <I>but</I> pursue after your enemies, and smite
|
|
the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities:
|
|
for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> your God hath delivered them into your hand.
|
|
20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel
|
|
had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till
|
|
they were consumed, that the rest <I>which</I> remained of them
|
|
entered into fenced cities.
|
|
21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at
|
|
Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the
|
|
children of Israel.
|
|
22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out
|
|
those five kings unto me out of the cave.
|
|
23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him
|
|
out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the
|
|
king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, <I>and</I> the king of Eglon.
|
|
24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto
|
|
Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said
|
|
unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come
|
|
near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came
|
|
near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
|
|
25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be
|
|
strong and of good courage: for thus shall the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> do to all
|
|
your enemies against whom ye fight.
|
|
26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged
|
|
them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until
|
|
the evening.
|
|
27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the
|
|
sun, <I>that</I> Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the
|
|
trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and
|
|
laid great stones in the cave's mouth, <I>which remain</I> until this
|
|
very day.
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
It was a brave appearance, no doubt, which the five kings made when
|
|
they took the field for the reducing of Gibeon, and a brave army they
|
|
had following them; but they were all routed, put into disorder first,
|
|
and then brought to destruction by the hail-stones. And now Joshua
|
|
thought, his work being done, he might go with his army into quarters
|
|
of refreshment. Accordingly it was resolved, perhaps in a council of
|
|
war, that they should presently return <I>to the camp at Gilgal</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
till they should receive orders from God to take possession of the
|
|
country they had now conquered; but he soon finds he has more work cut
|
|
out for him. The victory must be pursued, that the spoils might be
|
|
divided. Accordingly he applies himself to it with renewed vigour.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. The forces that had dispersed themselves must be followed and
|
|
smitten. When tidings were brought to Joshua where the kings were he
|
|
ordered a guard to be set upon them for the present
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>reserving them</I> for another <I>day of destruction,</I> and to be
|
|
<I>brought forth to a day of wrath,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+21:30">Job xxi. 30</A>.
|
|
|
|
He directs his men to pursue the common soldiers, as much as might be,
|
|
to prevent their escaping to the garrisons, which would strengthen
|
|
them, and make the reduction of them the more difficult,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
|
|
|
|
Like a prudent general, he does that first which is most needful, and
|
|
defers his triumphs till he has completed his conquests; nor was he in
|
|
such haste to insult over the captive kings but that he would first
|
|
prevent the rallying again of their scattered forces. The result of
|
|
this vigorous pursuit was,
|
|
|
|
1. That a very great slaughter was made of the enemies of God and
|
|
Israel. And,
|
|
|
|
2. The field was cleared of them, so that none remained but such as got
|
|
into fenced cities, where they would not long be safe themselves, nor
|
|
were they capable of doing any service to the cities that sheltered
|
|
them, unless they could have left their fears behind them.
|
|
|
|
3. <I>None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
|
|
|
|
This expression intimates,
|
|
|
|
(1.) Their perfect safety and tranquillity; some think it should be
|
|
read (from
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+11:7">Exod. xi. 7</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>Against any of the children of Israel did not a dog move his
|
|
tongue;</I> no, not against any one man of them. They were not
|
|
threatened by any danger at all after their victory, no, not so much as
|
|
the barking of a dog. Not one single Israelite (for the original makes
|
|
it so particular) was brought into any distress, either in the battle
|
|
or in the pursuit.
|
|
|
|
(2.) Their honour and reputation; no man had any reproach to cast upon
|
|
them, nor an ill word to give them. God not only tied the hands, but
|
|
stopped the mouths, of their enraged enemies, and put lying lips to
|
|
silence.
|
|
|
|
(3.) The Chaldee paraphrase makes it an expression of their unalloyed
|
|
joy for this victory, reading it, <I>There was no hurt nor loss to the
|
|
children of Israel, for which any man should afflict his soul.</I> When
|
|
the army came to be reviewed after the battle, there was none slain,
|
|
none wounded, none missing. Not one Israelite had occasion to lament
|
|
either the loss of a friend or the loss of a limb, so cheap, so easy,
|
|
so glorious, was this victory.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. The kings that had hidden themselves must now be called to an
|
|
account, as rebels against the Israel of God, to whom, by the divine
|
|
promise and grant, this land did of right belong and should have been
|
|
surrendered upon demand. See here,</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. How they were secured. The cave which they fled to, and trusted in
|
|
for a refuge, became their prison, in which they were clapped up, till
|
|
Joshua sat in judgment on them,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
It seems they all escaped both the hail-stones and the sword, God so
|
|
ordering it, not in kindness to them, but that they might be reserved
|
|
for a more solemn and terrible execution; as, for this cause, Pharaoh
|
|
survived the plagues of Egypt, and was made to stand, that God might in
|
|
him <I>show his power,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+9:16">Exod. ix. 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
They all fled, and met at the same place, Providence directing them;
|
|
and now those who were lately consulting against Israel were put upon
|
|
new counsels to preserve themselves and agreed to take shelter in the
|
|
same cave. The information brought to Joshua of this is an evidence
|
|
that there were those of the country, who knew the holes and fastnesses
|
|
of it, that were in his interests. And the care Joshua took to keep
|
|
them there when they were there, as it is an instance of his policy and
|
|
presence of mind, even in the heat of action, so, in the result of
|
|
their project, it shows how those not only deceive themselves, but
|
|
destroy themselves, who think to hide themselves from God. Their refuge
|
|
of lies will but bind them over to God's judgment.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. How they were triumphed over. Joshua ordered them to be brought
|
|
forth out of the cave, set before him as at the bar, and their names
|
|
called over,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:22,23"><I>v.</I> 22, 23</A>.
|
|
|
|
And when they either were bound and cast upon the ground unable to help
|
|
themselves, or threw themselves upon the ground, humbly to beg for
|
|
their lives, he called for the general officers and great men, and
|
|
commanded them to trample upon these kings, and set their feet upon
|
|
their necks, not in sport and to make themselves and the company merry,
|
|
but with the gravity and decorum that became the ministers of the
|
|
divine justice who were not herein to gratify any pride or passion of
|
|
their own, but to give glory to the God of Israel as higher than the
|
|
highest, who <I>treads upon princes as mortar</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+41:25">Isa. xli. 25</A>),
|
|
|
|
and <I>is terrible to the kings of the earth,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+76:12">Ps. lxxvi. 12</A>.
|
|
|
|
The thing does indeed look barbarous, thus to insult over men in
|
|
misery, who had suddenly fallen from the highest pitch of honour into
|
|
this disgrace. It was hard for crowned heads to be thus trodden upon,
|
|
not by Joshua himself (that might better have been borne), at least not
|
|
by him only, but by all the captains of the army. Certainly it ought
|
|
not to be drawn into a precedent, for the case was extraordinary, and
|
|
we have reason to think it was by divine direction and impulse that
|
|
Joshua did this.
|
|
|
|
(1.) God would hereby punish the abominable wickedness of these kings,
|
|
the measure of whose iniquity was now full. And, by this public act of
|
|
justice done upon these ringleaders of the Canaanites in sin, he would
|
|
possess his people with the greater dread and detestation of those sins
|
|
of <I>the nations that God cast out from before them,</I> which they
|
|
would be tempted to imitate.
|
|
|
|
(2.) He would hereby have the promise by Moses made good
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+33:29">Deut. xxxiii. 29</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>Thou shalt tread upon their high places,</I> that is, their great
|
|
men, which should the rather be speedily fulfilled in the letter
|
|
because they are the very last words of Moses that we find upon record.
|
|
|
|
(3.) He would hereby encourage the faith and hope of his people Israel
|
|
in reference to the wars that were yet before them. Therefore Joshua
|
|
said
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:25"><I>v.</I> 25</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Fear not, nor be dismayed.</I>
|
|
|
|
[1.] "Fear not these kings, nor any of theirs, as if there were any
|
|
danger of having this affront now put upon them in after-time revenged
|
|
upon yourselves, a consideration which keeps many from being insolent
|
|
towards those they have at their mercy, because they know not how soon
|
|
the uncertain fate of war may turn the same wheel upon themselves; but
|
|
you need not fear that any should rise up ever to revenge this
|
|
quarrel."
|
|
|
|
[2.] "Fear not any other kings, who may at any time be in confederacy
|
|
against you, for you see these brought down, whom you thought
|
|
formidable. <I>Thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies;</I> now that
|
|
they begin to fall, to fall so low that you may set your feet on their
|
|
necks, you may be confident that they shall not prevail, but shall
|
|
<I>surely fall before you,</I>"
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+6:13">Esth. vi. 13</A>.
|
|
|
|
(4.) He would hereby give a type and figure of Christ's victories over
|
|
the powers of darkness, and believers' victories through him. All the
|
|
enemies of the Redeemer shall be <I>made his footstool,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+110:1">Ps. cx. 1</A>.
|
|
|
|
And see
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+18:40">Ps. xviii. 40</A>.
|
|
|
|
The <I>kings of the earth set themselves</I> against him
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+2:2">Ps. ii. 2</A>),
|
|
|
|
but sooner or later we shall see all things put under Him
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+2:8">Heb. ii. 8</A>),
|
|
|
|
and <I>principalities and powers</I> made a show of,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Col+2:15">Col. ii. 15</A>.
|
|
|
|
And in these triumphs we are more than conquerors, may <I>tread upon
|
|
the lion and adder</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+91:13">Ps. xci. 13</A>),
|
|
|
|
may <I>ride on the high places of the earth</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+58:14">Isa. lviii. 14</A>),
|
|
|
|
and may be confident that <I>the God of peace shall tread Satan under
|
|
our feet,</I> shall do it shortly and do it effectually,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+16:20">Rom. xvi. 20</A>.
|
|
|
|
See
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+149:8,9">Ps. cxlix. 8, 9</A>.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
3. How they were put to death. Perhaps, when they had undergone that
|
|
terrible mortification of being trodden upon by the captains of Israel,
|
|
they were ready to say, as Agag, <I>Surely the bitterness of death is
|
|
past,</I> and that <I>sufficient unto them was this punishment which
|
|
was inflicted by many;</I> but their honours cannot excuse their lives,
|
|
their forfeited devoted lives. Joshua smote them with the sword, and
|
|
then hanged up their bodies till evening, when they were taken down,
|
|
and thrown <I>into the cave in which they had hidden themselves,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:26,27"><I>v.</I> 26, 27</A>.
|
|
|
|
That which they thought would have been their shelter was made their
|
|
prison first and then their grave; so shall we be disappointed in that
|
|
which we flee to from God: yet to good people the grave is still <I>a
|
|
hiding-place,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+14:13">Job xiv. 13</A>.
|
|
|
|
If these five kings had humbled themselves in time, and had begged
|
|
peace instead of waging war, they might have saved their lives; but now
|
|
the decree had gone forth, and they <I>found no place for
|
|
repentance,</I> or the reversal of the judgment; it was too late to
|
|
expect it, though perhaps <I>they sought it carefully with
|
|
tears.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_28"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_29"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_30"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_31"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_32"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_33"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_34"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_35"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_36"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_37"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_38"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_39"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_40"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_41"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_42"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Jos10_43"> </A>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Sec4"> </A>
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Seven Kings Defeated and Slain.</I></FONT></TD>
|
|
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1450.</TD></TR>
|
|
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
|
</TABLE>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the
|
|
edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed,
|
|
them, and all the souls that <I>were</I> therein; he let none remain:
|
|
and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of
|
|
Jericho.
|
|
29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him,
|
|
unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:
|
|
30 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> delivered it also, and the king thereof, into
|
|
the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword,
|
|
and all the souls that <I>were</I> therein; he let none remain in it;
|
|
but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
|
|
31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto
|
|
Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:
|
|
32 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel,
|
|
which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of
|
|
the sword, and all the souls that <I>were</I> therein, according to
|
|
all that he had done to Libnah.
|
|
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua
|
|
smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
|
|
34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel
|
|
with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
|
|
35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of
|
|
the sword, and all the souls that <I>were</I> therein he utterly
|
|
destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
|
|
36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto
|
|
Hebron; and they fought against it:
|
|
37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword,
|
|
and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the
|
|
souls that <I>were</I> therein; he left none remaining, according to
|
|
all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all
|
|
the souls that <I>were</I> therein.
|
|
38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and
|
|
fought against it:
|
|
39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities
|
|
thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and
|
|
utterly destroyed all the souls that <I>were</I> therein; he left none
|
|
remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to
|
|
the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
|
|
40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the
|
|
south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings:
|
|
he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed,
|
|
as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of Israel commanded.
|
|
41 And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and
|
|
all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
|
|
42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one
|
|
time, because the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of Israel fought for Israel.
|
|
43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp
|
|
to Gilgal.
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
We are here informed how Joshua improved the late glorious victory he
|
|
had obtained and the advantages he had gained by it, and to do this
|
|
well is a general's praise.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. Here is a particular account of the several cities which he
|
|
immediately made himself master of.
|
|
|
|
1. The cities of three of the kings whom he had conquered in the field
|
|
he went and took possession of, Lachish
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:31,32"><I>v.</I> 31, 32</A>),
|
|
|
|
Eglon
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:34,35"><I>v.</I> 34, 35</A>),
|
|
|
|
and Hebron,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:36,37"><I>v.</I> 36, 37</A>.
|
|
|
|
The other two, Jerusalem and Jarmuth, were not taken at this time;
|
|
perhaps his forces were either so much fatigued with what they had done
|
|
or so well content with what they had got that they had no mind to
|
|
attack those places, and so they let slip the fairest opportunity they
|
|
could ever expect of reducing them with ease, which afterwards was not
|
|
done without difficulty,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+1:8,2Sa+5:6">Judg. i. 8; 2 Sam. v. 6</A>.
|
|
|
|
2. Three other cities, and royal cities too, he took: Makkedah, into
|
|
the neighbourhood of which the five kings had fled, which brought
|
|
Joshua and his forces thither in pursuit of them, and so hastened its
|
|
ruin
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:28"><I>v.</I> 28</A>),
|
|
|
|
Libnah
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:29,30"><I>v.</I> 29, 30</A>),
|
|
|
|
and Debir,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:38,39"><I>v.</I> 38, 39</A>.
|
|
|
|
3. One king that brought in his forces for the relief of Lachish, that
|
|
had lost its king, proved to meddle to his own hurt; it was Horam king
|
|
of Gezer, who, either in friendship to his neighbours or for his own
|
|
security, offered to stop the progress of Joshua's arms, and was cut
|
|
off with all his forces,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:33"><I>v.</I> 33</A>.
|
|
|
|
Thus wicked men are often snared in their counsels, and, by opposing
|
|
God in the way of his judgments, bring them the sooner on their own
|
|
heads.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. A general account of the country which was hereby reduced and
|
|
brought into Israel's hands
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:40-42"><I>v.</I> 40-42</A>),
|
|
|
|
that part of the land of Canaan of which they first got possession,
|
|
which lay south of Jerusalem, and afterwards fell, for the most part,
|
|
to the lot of the tribe of Judah. Observe in this narrative,</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. The great speed Joshua made in taking these cities, which, some
|
|
think, is intimated in the manner of relating it, which is quick and
|
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concise. He flew like lightning from place to place; and though they
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all stood it out to the last extremity, and none of these cities opened
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their gates to him, yet in a little time he got them all into his
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hands, summoned them, and seized them, the same day
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:28"><I>v.</I> 28</A>),
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or in two days,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:32"><I>v.</I> 32</A>.
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Now that they were struck with fear, by the defeat of their armies and
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the death of their kings, Joshua prudently followed his blow. See what
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a great deal of work may be done in a little time, if we will but be
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busy and improve our opportunities.</P>
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<P>
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2. The great severity Joshua used towards those he conquered. He gave
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no quarter to man, woman, nor child, put to the sword <I>all the
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souls</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:28,30,32,35"><I>v.</I> 28, 30, 32, 35</A>,
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&c.), <I>utterly destroyed all that breathed</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:40"><I>v.</I> 40</A>),
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and <I>left none remaining.</I> Nothing could justify this military
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execution but that herein they did <I>as the Lord God of Israel
|
|
commanded</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:40"><I>v.</I> 40</A>),
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which was sufficient not only to bear them out, and save them for the
|
|
imputation of cruelty, but to sanctify what they did, and make it an
|
|
acceptable piece of service to his justice. God would hereby,
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(1.) Manifest his hatred of the idolatries and other abominations which
|
|
the Canaanites had been guilty of, and leave us to judge how great the
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|
provocation was which they had given him by the greatness of the
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|
destruction which was brought upon them when the measure of their
|
|
iniquity was full.
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(2.) He would hereby magnify his love to his people Israel, in giving
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so many men for them, and <I>people for their life,</I>
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+43:4">Isa. xliii. 4</A>.
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When the <I>heathen are to be cast out to make room for this vine</I>
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|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:8">Ps. lxxx. 8</A>)
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divine justice appears more prodigal than ever of human blood, that the
|
|
Israelites might find themselves for ever obliged to spend their lives
|
|
to the glory of that God who had sacrificed so many of the lives of his
|
|
creatures to their interest.
|
|
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(3.) Hereby was typified the final and eternal destruction of all the
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|
impenitent implacable enemies of the Lord Jesus, who, having slighted
|
|
the riches of his grace, must for ever feel the weight of his wrath,
|
|
and shall <I>have judgment without mercy. Nations that forget God
|
|
shall be turned into hell,</I> and no reproach at all to God's infinite
|
|
goodness.</P>
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<P>
|
|
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|
3. The great success of this expedition. The spoil of these cities was
|
|
now divided among the men of war that plundered them; and the cities
|
|
themselves, with the land about them, were shortly to be divided among
|
|
the tribes, for the Lord <I>fought for Israel,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:42"><I>v.</I> 42</A>.
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They could not have gotten the victory if God had not undertaken the
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|
battle; then we conquer when God fights for us; and, <I>if he be for
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|
us, who can be against us?</I></P>
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