A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 11 – Chapter 12
CHAP. XI, XII.
CHapter the Eleventh and Twelfth of Joſhua, hold forth how the Conqueſt of Canaan was compleated by Joſhua in his Conquering one and thirty Kings, together with the Five aforeſaid. Joſhuah the Eleventh gives a Deſcription of the Battle with them in its Antecedents, Concomitants, and Conſequents; and Joſhuah the Twelfth gives a Catalogue of the Conquer'd King's in relating the Expeditions of Iſrael, under the former Conduct of Moſes againſt King Sihon and King Og, beyond Jordan, and now under the preſent Conduct of Joſhua on this ſide Jordan.
The Remarks upon the Battle in Chap. 11. be,
Firſt, The Antecedents to it, namely, the Preparation on both ſides.
1. The Enemy enters into an Univerſal Confederacy, takes the Field, and Incamps, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Mark here the Marvelous Infatuation God caſt upon thoſe Curſed Canaanites, for facilitating Iſrael's Conqueſt of their Country: Otherwiſe this Jabin King of Hazor (the Metropolis of thoſe Northern petty Kingdoms, ver. 10.) ſhould according to common Politicks, have commanded this Confederacy ſooner, before the Five Southern Kings had been deſtroyed. This had aſſuredly been done at Iſrael's firſt entrance into their Land, had not the great God confounded the Counſels of thoſe wicked Kings: God's Holy Hand orders it thus, that Jabin (who had probably a Juriſdiction over all the other Kings in the North, Eaſt and Weſt) muſt be an Epimetheus, a Poſt-Maſter, an After-witted Monarch, and wiſe too late, leaſt Iſrael ſhould be diſheartened, and overmatched, had thoſe many Kings Confederated with the Five Kings at the firſt, theſe Five Kings muſt firſt be Conquered, and Iſrael muſt have time for Reſt and Recruit, before they be call'd forth to encounter this Numerous Hoſt, which was [Even as the Sand upon the Sea-Shore] ver. 4. and thus doth our Lord ſtill deal with his People, they ſhall have their Tryals and Troubles, not by whole Buſhels at once, but by Peck and by Peck (as the Hebrew Reading is) Iſa. 27.8. he Corrects in meaſure, Jer. 30.11. and as his People can bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. not ruſhing in upon them in Multitudes, but in Mercy and Moderation.
2. The Preparation on Iſrael's ſide, then the Lord of Hoſts took care and came to encourage Joſhua ſaying, ver. 6. fear not their Many and Mighty, yea, and Malicious Chariots and Horſemen, though thou have only a company of raw and unexperienc'd Footmen, yet will I make thee Maſter of them all, and for the farther ſtrengthning of Joſhua's Faith againſt his Fears, God gives him before the Battle ſuch particular Directions what he ſhall do to the Chariots and Horſes after the Battel, as if already he had got the Victory.
The Second Remark is, The Battle it ſelf in its Concomitants, by whom, where, when, in what manner, and with what Event, ver. 7, 8, 9. Though Joſhua had God's Infallible Promiſe of Victory, yet dares he not neglect any politick means in ſubſerviency to God's Providence for obtaining the Victory promiſed, but in ſublime Prudence ſets upon the Enemy ſuddenly, ver. 7. when they leaſt expected him; they, being weary with their March to the Rendezvous, were Refreſhing themſelves, and probably to Debauchery, for joy of ſo vaſt an Hoſt, and deſign'd to Aſſault Iſrael firſt, this made them ſecure, when Joſhua came firſt and ſurprized them.
The Third Remark is, Joſhua's Victory according to God's Promiſe both obtained, ver. 8. and Improved ver. 9. the ſame God who was the promiſer of Victory, ver. 7. was the performer of it alſo, ver. 8. where 'tis ſaid, [The Lord delivered this vast Hoſt into Iſrael's Hands] as if God had taken them all up into his Almighty Hand, and handed them over to Joſhua, bidding him to take poſſeſſion of them: No doubt, but the Dread of God was upon them, which made them flee ſeveral ways; Hence Iſrael divides into two Bodies to purſue the Vanquiſhed, both thoſe that fled Eaſtward, and thoſe Weſtward alſo. Seeing Sidon lay Weſt, as Mizpeh did Eaſt of the place of the Battle; and Joſhua improved his Victory according to God's Precept, ver. 6. for he Houghed their Horſes, (rendering them thereby altogether unſerviceable for War) and burnt their Chariots with fire, ver. 9. Neither of which Utenſils of War did God permit Iſrael to uſe in their Wars, that they might learn to trust in him alone for all their following Victories: Iſrael muſt not ſay [Mine own hand hath ſaved me.] Judg. 7.2. [Some truſt in Chariots. and ſome in Horſes, but Iſrael muſt truſt in the Name of the Lord.] Pſal. 20.7. Hereupon God forbad the Kings of Iſrael to multiply Horſes, Deut. 17.16. and what Joſhua doth here, David hereupon did afterward, 2 Sam. 8.4.
The Fourth Remark is, The Conſequents of the Victory relating to the Cities and Countries which Joſhua Conquer'd after this Battle. They are all deſcribed, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, &c. He began with the Metropolis, Hazor, the Head of thoſe Countries that were conquered in this Expedition, deſtroyed all of Humane kind in it, and burnt it down to the ground, ver. 10.13. becauſe this City (with its King) began this War, ver. 1. and being the Royal City, might renew the War, ſhould the Canaanites have recovered it, as they did in the Judges time after it was rebuilt, when the Canaanites recover'd ſtrength by the ſins of Iſrael, Judg. 4.2, 3. but all the Minor Cities, whoſe Walls were not Batter'd down by the fury of War in ſtorming them, Joſhua ſtill preſerved entire for Iſrael's uſe, that they might afterwards more ſafely dwell in them; And in this War did Joſhua deſtroy the Anakins, ver. 21. whom the Ten Spyes had formerly repreſented, and reported invincible, Numb. 13.28, 32, 33.
N. B. All this doth our Joſhua and Jeſus for us, ſubduing our Gyant-like Corruptions, Houghing thoſe Chariot Horſes (that would hurry away our Souls to Hell) by the Spirit of Mortification in us.
The Fifth Remark is, Though we have a ſhort Narrative of all thoſe great and many Conqueſts recorded together in this Eleventh Chapter, yet ver. 18. gives an account, That it was a long War, that laſted Seven Years: As Jericho had been Seven Days Beſieged, ſo in Seven Years is Canaan Conquered. That this was the term of time which Joſhua's Wars continued, appeareth by the Words of Caleb to Joſhua, Joſh. 14.7.10. He was ſent one of the Spies of the Land in the ſecond Year of their coming out of Egypt, and had lived Five and Forty Years ſince that time: Namely, Eight and Thirty Years in the Wilderneſs, and Seven in Canaan, which make up the Number, &c.
CHAP. XII, XIII.
JOſhua the Twelfth, is plainly an Epilogue, or Concluſion of Iſrael's Wars, both under Moſes, and under Joſhua's Conduct; and 'tis likewiſe a Catalogue of all thoſe Countreys, which theſe two Generals Conquered; together with the Names of all thoſe Kings whom they killed; upon all which many Remarks have been already. It may therefore ſuffice to ſay only this here, that the Divinely Inſpired Writer of this Book of Joſhua, purpoſing in the next place to relate how the whole Land of Canaan was diſtributed, and divided among the Twelve Tribes of Iſrael, in order hereunto be firſt propoſed a proſpect of all thoſe places which did belong to that Diviſion and diſtribution, and this he doth, by naming the Kings rather than their Kingdoms, for that was a more compendious Method for a Narrative of that Nature, not only becauſe many places were under one King, and becauſe the Conqueſt of Kings gave a luſtre to the glory of all thoſe Victories; but alſo becauſe the Name and Dignity of Kings was had in the higheſt Veneration amongſt all Nations, therefore doth this Chapter give us a brief Epitome, a ſhort Compendium, Firſt, Of Moſes Conquering the two Kings, Sihon and Og, from ver. 2. to 6. And Secondly, Of Joſhua's Conquering other Nine and Twenty Kings, making up the Number to be Thirty one, from ver. 7. to 24. a Number that is accounted a Compleat Hitter among Card-Gameſters.
Joſhua the Thirteenth, brings in God's Command for dividing the Conquered Land unto Joſhua, when old Age was come upon him, ver. 1. 'tis very credible, that Joſhua thought that all the Canaanites muſt be rooted out, before any Diviſion of their Lands among the Tribes ſhould be begun, now when Joſhua felt the Inconveniences of Old Age creep faſt upon him, he could not chuſe but have many Anxious Thoughts of Heart, therefore God comes to comfort him, and to quiet his fluctuating Mind, ſaying, as it were, Let not thy heart be troubled, as John 14.1. though many Canaanites remain ſtill Ʋnconquered, yet the farther work I have to employ thee in, the ſhort remainder of thy Days, is in dividing the Land already Conquered, and though the Conqueſt of all Canaan be not now accompliſh'd, yet this ſhall be no reaſon to hinder the diſtribution of the Land of Promiſe at this time, it ſhall be delay'd no longer, for I will ſurely ſubdue the reſt that are unſubdued. Hereupon Joſhua divides the Land already ſubdued, and not only ſo, but diſtributes by lot all thoſe Lands alſo that were not yet ſubdued, as if they had been already in Joſhua's hands to beſtow. Some Canaanites were reſerv'd for Iſrael's Exerciſe: Nor had God promis'd, that Joſhua ſhould Conquer Canaan wholly; but only, that he ſhould bring Iſrael into it, Deut. 31.23. and divide the Land as their Inheritance, Joſh. 1.6.