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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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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. XII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This chapter is a summary of Israel's conquests.
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I. Their conquests under Moses, on the other side Jordan (for we now
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suppose ourselves in Canaan) eastward, which we had the history of,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+21:24-35">Num. xxi. 24</A>,
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&c. And here the abridgment of that history,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:1-6">ver. 1-6</A>.
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II. Their conquests under Joshua, on this side Jordan, westward.
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1. The country they reduced,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:7,8">ver. 7, 8</A>.
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2. The kings they subdued, thirty-one in all,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:9-24">ver. 9-24</A>.
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And this comes in here, not only as a conclusion of the history of the
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wars of Canaan (that we might at one view see what they had got), but
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as a preface to the history of the dividing of Canaan, that all that
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might be put together which they were not to make a distribution
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of.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Jos12_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_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>Summary of Israel's Conquests.</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>
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1 Now these <I>are</I> the kings of the land, which the children of
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Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan
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toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount
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Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
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2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, <I>and</I> ruled
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from Aroer, which <I>is</I> upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from
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the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the
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river Jabbok, <I>which is</I> the border of the children of Ammon;
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3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and
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unto the sea of the plain, <I>even</I> the salt sea on the east, the
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way to Beth-jeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdoth-pisgah:
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4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan, <I>which was</I> of the
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remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
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5 And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all
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Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites,
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and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
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6 Them did Moses the servant of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> and the children of
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Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> gave it <I>for</I> a
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possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half
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tribe of Manasseh.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Joshua, or whoever else is the historian before he comes to sum up the
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new conquests Israel had made, in these verses receives their former
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conquests in Moses's time, under whom they became masters of the great
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and potent kingdoms of Sihon and Og. Note, Fresh mercies must not
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drown the remembrance of former mercies, nor must the glory of the
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present instruments of good to the church be suffered to eclipse and
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diminish the just honour of those who have gone before them, and who
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were the blessings and ornaments of their day. Joshua's services and
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achievements are confessedly great, but let not those under Moses be
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overlooked and forgotten, since God was the same who wrought both, and
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both put together proclaim him the Alpha and Omega of Israel's great
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salvation. Here is,
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1. A description of this conquered country, the measure and bounds of
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it in general
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>):
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<I>From the river Arnon</I> in the south, to <I>Mount Hermon</I> in the
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north. In particular, here is a description of the kingdom of Sihon
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:2,3"><I>v.</I> 2, 3</A>),
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and that of Og,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:4,5"><I>v.</I> 4, 5</A>.
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Moses had described this country very particularly
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+2:36,3:4">Deut. ii. 36; iii. 4</A>,
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&c.), and this description here agrees with his. King Og is said to
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dwell at Ashtaroth and Edrei
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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probably because they were both his royal cities; he had palaces in
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both, and resided sometimes in one and sometimes in the other; one
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perhaps was his summer seat and the other his winter seat. But Israel
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took both from him, and made one grave to serve him that could not be
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content with one palace.
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2. The distribution of this country. Moses assigned it to the two
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tribes and a half, at their request, and divided it among them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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of which we had the story at large,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+32:1-42">Num. xxxii</A>.
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The dividing of it when it was conquered by Moses is here mentioned as
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an example to Joshua what he must do now that he had conquered the
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country on this side Jordan. Moses, in his time, gave to one part of
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Israel a very rich and fruitful country, but it was on the outside of
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Jordan; but Joshua gave to all Israel the holy land, the mountain of
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God's sanctuary, within Jordan: so the law conferred upon some few of
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God's spiritual Israel external temporal blessings, which were earnests
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of good things to come; but our Lord Jesus, the true Joshua, has
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provided for all the children of promise spiritual blessings--the
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privileges of the sanctuary, and the heavenly Canaan. The triumphs and
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grants of the law were glorious, but those of the gospel far exceed in
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glory.</P>
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<A NAME="Jos12_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos12_24"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>7 And these <I>are</I> the kings of the country which Joshua and the
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children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from
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Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that
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goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel
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<I>for</I> a possession according to their divisions;
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8 In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and
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in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country;
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the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites,
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the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
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9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which <I>is</I> beside
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Beth-el, one;
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10 The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
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11 The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
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12 The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
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13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
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14 The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
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15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
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16 The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beth-el, one;
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17 The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
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18 The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
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19 The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
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20 The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
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21 The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
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22 The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;
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23 The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the
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nations of Gilgal, one;
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24 The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here a breviate of Joshua's conquests.</P>
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<P>
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I. The limits of the country he conquered. It lay between Jordan on the
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east and the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and extended from Baal-gad
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near Lebanon in the north to Halak, which lay upon the country of Edom
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in the south,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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The boundaries are more largely described,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+34:2-12">Num. xxxiv. 2</A>,
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&c. But what is here said is enough to show that God had been as
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good as his word, and had given them possession of all he had promised
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them by Moses, if they would but have kept it.</P>
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<P>
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II. The various kinds of land that were found in this country, which
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contributed both to its pleasantness and to its fruitfulness,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+12:8">v. 8</A>.
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There were mountains, not craggy, and rocky, and barren, which are
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frightful to the traveller and useless to the inhabitants, but fruitful
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hills, such as put forth <I>precious things</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+33:15">Deut. xxxiii. 15</A>),
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which charmed the spectator's eye and filled the owner's hand. And
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valleys, not mossy and boggy, but <I>covered with corn,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+65:13">Ps. lxv. 13</A>.
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There were plains, and springs to water them; and even in that rich
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land there were wildernesses too, or forests, which were not so thickly
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inhabited as other parts, yet had towns and houses in them, but served
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as foils to set off the more pleasant and fruitful countries.</P>
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<P>
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III. The several nations that had been in possession of this
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country--Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, &c., all of them descended from
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Canaan, the accursed son of Ham,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+10:15-18">Gen. x. 15-18</A>.
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Seven nations they are called
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+7:1">Deut. vii. 1</A>),
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and so many are there reckoned up, but here six only are mentioned, the
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Girgashites being either lost or left out, though we find them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+10:16,15:21">Gen. x. 16 and xv. 21</A>.
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Either they were incorporated with some other of these nations, or, as
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the tradition of the Jews is, upon the approach of Israel under Joshua
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they all withdrew and went into Africa, leaving their country to be
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possessed by Israel, with whom they saw it was to no purpose to
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contend, and therefore they are not named among the nations that Joshua
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subdued.</P>
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<P>
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IV. A list of the kings that were conquered and subdued by the sword of
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Israel, some in the field, others in their own cities, thirty-one in
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all, and very particularly named and counted, it should seem, in the
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order in which they were conquered; for the catalogue begins with the
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kings of Jericho and Ai, then takes in the king of Jerusalem and the
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princes of the south that were in confederacy with him, and then
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proceeds to those of the northern association. Now,
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1. This shows what a very fruitful country Canaan then was, which could
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support so many kingdoms, and in which so many kings chose to throng
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together rather than disperse themselves into other countries, which we
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may suppose not yet inhabited, but where, though they might find more
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room, they could not expect such plenty and pleasure: this was the land
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God spied out for Israel; and yet at this day it is one of the most
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barren, despicable, and unprofitable countries in the world: such is
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the effect of the curse it lies under, since its possessors rejected
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Christ and his gospel, as was foretold by Moses,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+29:23">Deut. xxix. 23</A>.
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2. It shows what narrow limits men's ambition was then confined to.
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These kings contented themselves with the government, each of them, of
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one city and the towns and villages that pertained to it; and no one of
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them, for aught that appears, aimed to make himself master of the rest,
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but, when there was occasion, all united for the common safety. Yet it
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should seem that what was wanting in the extent of their territories
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was made up in the absoluteness of their power, their subjects being
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all their tenants and vassals, and entirely at their command.
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3. It shows how good God was to Israel, in giving them victory over all
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these kings, and possession of all these kingdoms, and what obligations
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he hereby laid upon them to <I>observe his statutes and to keep his
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laws,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+105:44,45">Ps. cv. 44, 45</A>.
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Here were thirty-one kingdoms, or seigniories, to be divided among nine
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tribes and a half of Israel. Of these there fell to the lot of Judah
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the kingdoms of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Debir, Arad, Libnah,
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and Adullam, eight in all, besides part of the kingdom of Jerusalem and
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part of Geder. Benjamin had the kingdoms of Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem,
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Makkedah, Beth-el, and the nations of Gilgal, six in all. Simeon had
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the kingdom of Hormah and part of Geder. Ephraim had the kingdoms of
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Gezer and Tirzah. Manasseh (that half-tribe) had the kingdoms of
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Tappuah and Hepher, Taanach and Megiddo. Asher had the kingdoms of
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Aphek and Achshaph. Zebulun had the kingdoms of Lasharon,
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Shimron-meron, and Jokneam. Naphtali had the kingdoms of Madon, Hazor,
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and Kedesh. And Issachar had that of Dor. These were some of the great
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and famous kings that God smote, <I>for his mercy endureth for ever;
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and gave their land for a heritage, even a heritage unto Israel his
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servant, for his mercy endureth for ever,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+136:17-24">Ps. cxxxvi. 17</A>,
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&c.</P>
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