Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Joshua · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 1. ANd how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Iſrael, and were among them.] This is mentioned as the laſt and greateſt cauſe of the fear of the king of Jeruſalem and his people, to wit, the report they had newly heard, that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Iſrael, and were among them. Now by theſe laſt words, and were among them, two things may be implyed, to wit, Firſt, that they were not onelyonly confederate with them, but alſo had become one people with them, having incorporated themſelves with the Iſraelites, to live under the ſame laws and government with them: And ſecondly, that hereupon they had peaceable intercourſe one with another, the Iſraelites having free admiſſion into their cities mentioned chap. 9.17. and the Gibeonites having liberty to go and come to and from the Iſraelites, as being now reputed their ſubjects and ſervants.
Verſ. 2. They feared greatly, becauſe Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royall cities, &c.] That is, both the king of Jeruſalem and his people were exceedingly afraid, becauſe Gibeon was a very great city, very little inferiour to any of the cities that had kings reigning in them. And indeed, conſidering firſt, what an advantage it might be to the Iſraelites to have theſe cities delivered up to them, both for the ſupply they might have from thence of all things requiſite for them, and the ſhelter they might have there, from thence to infeſt the neighbouring cities: and ſecondly, what full information they might receive from the Gibeonites, concerning the ſtate of the whole land, and all the cities therein: and thirdly, how dangerous their revolt might be, to move other cities to do the like, no wonder it is though theſe tydings concerning the Gibeonites did greatly diſmay them.
Verſ. 4. Come up unto me and help me, that I may ſmite Gibeon, &c.] Theſe kings together with others inhabiting in other parts of Canaan, had before entred into a confederacy to go with their united forces againſt the Iſraelites, chap. 9.1. But now theſe that dwelt …igh to Gibeon, hearing that the Gibeonites were fallen off to the Iſraelites, are firſt called together to go againſt Gibeon. Nor need it ſeem ſtrange that they ſhould reſolve thus firſt to begin with them; Firſt, becauſe as the timely ſurpriſing of theſe cities of the Gibeonites would be a notable means to ſecure their own cities; ſo the delivering them up to the Iſraelites would open a way to their certain ruine. Secondly, becauſe it was fit that ſome ſpeedy courſe ſhould be taken to make all other cities afraid to fall off to the Iſraelites as the Gibeonites had done. Thirdly, becauſe they were not ſo afraid to encounter with theſe their neighbours, as with the Iſraelites, and hope that by prevailing againſt theſe, they ſhould both daunt the Iſraelites, and encourage their own people: and, Fourthly, becauſe their wrath againſt theſe neighbours for revolting from them was ſo exceeding great, that in caſe they ſhould weaken themſelves by ſpending their forces upon them, yet ſo they might be revenged upon them firſt, they did not ſo much care.
Verſ. 6. And the men of Gibeon ſent to Joſhua to the camp to Gilgal, ſaying, Slack not thy hand, &c.] To wit, before they were beſieged, ſo ſoon as they heard theſe kings were coming againſt them.
Verſ. 7. So Joſhua aſcended from Gilgal, he and all the people of warre with him, &c.] Conſidering how little aſſurance Joſhua could have that the Gibeonites would not ſome way deal treacherouſly with him, and what cauſe he had to fear leſt his own ſouldiers ſhould not be very chearfully forward to fight for the defence of thoſe, whom themſelves ere-while would have deſtroyed, it is much that Joſhua ſhould thus readily go to aid the Gibeonites. But then on the other ſide, if we conſider of how great importance it was for the Iſraelites, to get the cities of the Gibeonites into their power, and how alſo in point of conſcience Joſhua was bound to relieve them, that had now yielded up themſelves to be their ſervants, it will eaſily appear that Joſhua was bound with all ſpeed to go up and raiſe the ſiege of Gibeon, and when he had done his duty herein, to leave the ſucceſſe to God. Yea, and it may be too he enquired of God, and received from him that encouragement ſet down in the following verſe, before he undertook this expedition for the relief of Gibeon, And the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Fear them not; for I have delivered them into thine hand, &c.
Verſ. 9. Joſhua therefore came unto them ſuddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.] To wit, that he might ſurpriſe them ſuddenly; but yet from hence we cannot conclude, that they were but one night a marching from Gilgal to Gibeon.
Verſ. 11. And it came to paſſe, as they fled from before Iſrael, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great ſtones from heaven upon them, &c.] It is ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that the Lord chaſed them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and yet here now it is added, that the Lord ſlew them with hailſtones as they were in the going down to Beth-horon: the reaſon whereof may be, becauſe there was an upper and a nether Beth-horon, 1. Chron. 7.24. by both which it ſeems the Canaanites fled at this time, when they were chaſed by the Iſraelites: for though it be ſaid in that place of the Chronicles, that theſe towns were after built by one Sherah a famous woman of the ſtock of Ephraim, yet we muſt know, that it is uſuall in this ſtory to ſpeak of places in the land of Canaan by the names that were afterwards given them by the Iſraelites; yea, and perhaps too there might be at this time an upper and a nether Beth-horon, though by that Sherah they were afterwards rebuilt, beautified, and fortified: as for this ſtorm of hail that fell upon the Canaanites, it was miraculous in a twofold regard; firſt, in regard of the exceeding greatneſſe of the hailſtones, which were of ſuch a mighty bigneſſe and weight, that they brained and killed the Canaanites upon whom they fell, ſo that they were more which died with the hailstones, then they which the children of Iſrael ſlew with the ſword: and ſecondly, in regard they were ſo ordered and levelled as I may ſay, by the hand of Gods providence, that though the Iſraelites purſued the Canaanites ſo cloſely, that here and there they muſt needs be mingled amongſt them, yet they onelyonly fell upon the Canaanites, and touched not one of the Iſraelites.
Verſ. 12. Then spake Joſhua unto the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites, &c.] For the better underſtanding of this miraculous paſſage concerning Joſhuas commanding the ſunne to ſtand ſtill, we muſt know, firſt, That whereas it is ſaid in the firſt place, that Joſhua spake to the Lord, thereby is meant, that he did firſt pray unto the Lord, that this miracle might be wrought, and that to the end they might have the more time to purſue and deſtroy the Amorites, and then by the ſame ſpeciall inſtinct of Gods ſpirit that moved him to deſire this of God, being fully aſſured that God had heard his prayer, and that what he deſired ſhould be done, he commanded the ſunne to ſtand ſtill, &c. ſecondly, That whereas in the next clauſe it follows, and he ſaid in the ſight of all Iſrael, Sunne ſtand thou ſtill, &c. this is added to ſhew the aſſurance of his faith; becauſe he was ſo undoubtedly perſwaded that God would certainly do what he had prayed for, and deſired the people ſhould take notice of it for their future encouragement, openly in the preſence of all the people he looked up to the heavens, and ſpeaking as it were to the ſunne, ſaid, Sunne stand thou ſtill, &c. and happely with relation to the peoples gazing upon him, when in ſo ſtrange a manner they ſaw him look up to the ſunne and command the ſunne to ſtand ſtill, this phraſe is uſed, and he ſaid, not in the audience but in the ſight of all Iſrael, Sunne ſtand thou ſtill, &c. thirdly, That for the words themſelves which Joſhua ſpake, Sunne ſtand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon; there is nothing can be certainly concluded, but that he did as it were adjure the ſunne and moon by the Almighty power of God, to ſtand ſtill juſt in the place wherein they were when he ſpake unto them, that ſo the ſunne might ſtill give light till they had made an end of purſuing and deſtroying their enemies, and that hereby muſt needs be intended the ſtay of the whole body of the moveable heaven, together with the ſunne and the moon; for it cannot be meant of ſtaying that peculiar motion of the Orbs of the ſunne and moon, whereby they move ſeverally from the weſt to the eaſt (for the lengthening of the day could not depend upon that) but it muſt be meant of the motion of the heaven, whereby the ſunne and moon together with all the other heavenly Orbs, are carried about by the motion of the ſupreme Sphere, in the ſpace of foure and twenty houres from the eaſt to the weſt: Some indeed would conclude from theſe words, that it was at noon day when Joſhua commanded the ſunne to ſtand ſtill, namely, becauſe it was when the ſunne was right over Gibeon, as the words they ſay implie, Sunne stand thou ſtill upon Gibeon; and that therefore alſo it is ſaid verſ. 13. ſo the ſunne ſtood ſtill in the midſt of heaven, and then they take the next clauſe to be added, and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon, by way of expreſſing the ſame thing in other words, to wit, that the moon alſo ſhould ſtand ſtill and not bring in night upon them. Again, others would inferre from theſe words that it was towards ſunneſet when Joſhua commanded the ſunne to ſtand ſtill; and that firſt, Becauſe it is moſt probable that the fear of want of daylight to purſue the enemie when he ſaw the ſunne decline apace towards its ſetting, was the occaſion that moved Joſhua to deſire this miraculous ſtay of the ſunne: and ſecondly, Becauſe the words ſeem to implie that he ſaw the moon alſo, when he ſaid, and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon; as indeed about the new of the moon it is uſually ſeen towards ſunne-ſetting. But I ſay, neither of theſe can be gathered from the text. The drift doubtleſſe of Joſhua was onelyonly to expreſſe that the heavenly Orbs ſhould ſtand ſtill to the end the ſunne might not ſet but continue ſtill to give them light in thoſe parts, onelyonly the more rhetorically to ſet forth the wonder of the miracle, he mentions both ſunne and moon the two great lights of heaven together with Gibeon and Ajalon two places not farre diſtant one from another; Sunne ſtand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon.
Verſ. 13. Is it not written in the book of Jaſher.] That is, in the book of the upright, which ſeemeth to have been ſome hiſtorie, or continued chronicle of the memorable acts of Gods worthies in thoſe times, which is now loſt; it is mentioned again, 2. Sam. 1.18.
So the ſunne ſtood ſtill in the midſt of heaven, and haſted not to go down a whole day.] So that this day was twice as long as it ſhould otherwiſe have been.
Verſ. 14. And there was no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened to the voyce of a man, &c.] For though in Hezekiahs time the day was miraculouſly lengthened by the ſunnes going backward, 2. Kings 20.11. And Iſaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord; and he brought the ſhadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the diall of Ahaz; yet it was not lengthened ſo much by farre as this was, to wit, not above two houres and a half; and beſides that was not done upon the motion of a man deſiring it, and after prayer commanding as it were, that it ſhould be ſo, as this was, which is that which is here principally intended: and therefore is it that the prophets do often allude to this where they ſpeak of the great things which God had done or would do for his people, Hab. 3.11. The ſunne and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the ſhining of thy glittering spear, and Iſa. 28.21. For the Lord ſhall riſe up in mount Perazim, he ſhall be wrath as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his ſtrange work▪ and bring to paſſe his act, his ſtrange act.
Verſ. 15. And Joſhua returned, and all Iſrael with him unto the camp at Gilgal.] It is evident, that the ſeverall paſſages related in the ſequel of this chapter were done before they returned to the camp at Gilgal. We muſt therefore know, that here is ſet down beforehand the iſſue of this warre, and then afterward the Authour proceeds to relate the particulars, and then concludes with theſe very words again, verſ. 43. And Joſhua returned, and all Iſrael with them unto the camp at Gilgal.
Verſ. 21. And all the people returned to the camp to Joſhua at Makkedah in peace.] The ſettled camp of the Iſraelites was in Gilgal, as is evident by that which is ſaid before, verſ. 15. And Joſhua returned, and all Iſrael with him, to the camp at Gilgal. But becauſe Joſhua, with the greateſt part of the armie, which he had brought out to raiſe the ſiege at Gibeon, was now encamped before Makkedah, whilſt the reſt went further in the purſuit of the flying Canaanites, therefore it is ſaid here of thoſe that had been in that purſuit of the Canaanites, that they returned to the camp to Joſhua at Makkedah.
None moved his tongue againſt any of the children of Iſrael.] This is a proverbiall ſpeech; but the meaning is, that the Canaanites durſt not make the leaſt reſiſtance againſt the Iſraelites that purſued them: ſo farre they were from lifting up a hand againſt them, that they ſcarſe durſt mutter againſt them. See the note upon Exodus, 11.7.
Verſ. 24. Come near, put your feet upon the necks of theſe kings.] This Joſhua enjoyned his Captains to do, not out of a cruel proud inſulting mind, but firſt, to teach them that they were to ſhew no mercy to this people: ſecondly, to encourage and hearten the Captains for the time to come, as by intimating that thus they ſhould tread all their enemies under their feet, verſ. 25. And Joſhua ſaid unto them, Fear not not nor be diſmaid, be ſtrong and of good courage: for thus ſhall the Lord do to all your enemies, againſt whom ye fight: thirdly, to manifeſt Gods ſingular love to them, and precious eſteem of them, who was pleaſed to let them tread upon the necks of kings: and fourthly, that this formidable ſight might make them fear to imitate the manners of this people againſt whom God had ſhown ſuch ſeverity. Yea, in this was Joſhua a type of Chriſt, who doth tread Satan under the feet of his people, Rom. 16.20. in and through whom we are more then conquerours, Rom. 8.37. yea, even over thoſe principalities and powers, whom having ſpoyled, he made a ſhew of them, openly triumphing over them, Col. 2.15.
Verſ. 26. And afterwards Joſhua ſmote them, and ſlew them, and hanged them on five trees.] See the note upon chap. 8.29.
Verſ. 28. And that day Joſhua took Makkedah, &c.] The ſame day wherein the ſunne ſtood ſtill; for whilſt ſome of his ſouldiers were purſuing the broken troops of their enemies, he with the chief ſtrength of his armie had encamped about Makkedah, verſ. 21. And all the people returned to the camp to Joſhua at Makkedah in peace: and therefore if withall we conſider, what a terrour they might be ſtricken with, by the report of thoſe that fled into their cities, and told them of his vanquiſhing of the five kings, I ſee not why it may not be thought, that it was ſurpriſed that very day.
Verſ. 31. And Joſhua paſſed from Libnah, and all Iſrael with him, unto Lachiſh, &c.] Whoſe king was one of the five that came up againſt Gibeon, verſ. 5.
Verſ. 32. And the Lord delivered Lachiſh into the hand of Iſrael, which took it on the ſecond day.] To wit, the ſecond day after he had beſieged it.
Verſ. 34. And from Lachiſh Joſhua paſſed unto Eglon, &c.] Whoſe king was alſo one of the five that came againſt Gibeon, verſ. 5.
Verſ. 35. And they took it on that day.] That is, on the day they ſhowed themſelves firſt before it.
Verſ. 37. And they took it, and ſmote it with the edge of the ſword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, &c.] This Hebron doubtleſſe was one of their chiefeſt cities, as appears by the mention that is here made of other cities that were under the juriſdiction of this city, and taken together with it. The King of this citie was alſo one of the five that came up againſt Gibeon, as we may ſee verſ. 5. ſo that he was ſlain, and hanged at Makkedah with the other, verſ. 23, 26. either therefore his death is here onelyonly again repeated, in this relation of the ſacking of this city, or elſe upon the tidings of the death of their King, they choſe another who was alſo now ſlain with the reſt of the people. How this city is ſaid afterwards to have been taken by Caleb, ſee in the note upon chap. 15.13, 14.
Verſ. 38. And Joſhua returned and all Iſrael with him to Debir, and fought againſt it.] Concerning this alſo, ſee the note upon chap. 15.14.
Verſ. 40. He left none remaining, but utterly deſtroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Iſrael commanded.] Many thouſands of men, women and children, were doubtleſſe ſlain in deſtroying all theſe cities, and the countrey there about, leſt therefore it ſhould be thought an act of crueltie, and inhumanity, thus without pitty to ſhed the bloud of this people, the juſt warrant that he had from Gods command is here expreſſed, to wit, that he did in all this as the Lord God of Iſrael commanded.