A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 14-19 – Chapter 20
CHAP. XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX.
THE following Chapters to the 20th Chapter, are one entire Narrative how both God's Promiſe of giving Canaan, and his Precept for dividing the whole Land among the 12 Tribes were performed, therefore many Remarks may not be made upon them (as upon the foregoing Chapters) ſave only upon thoſe particular Hiſtorical paſſages concerning Caleb and Joſhua, contained in them. Before which, take theſe few Remarks upon the General Hiſtory.
The Firſt is, The high Encomium and commendation of the Country of Canaan is plainly demonſtrated here, for tho' its Circuit was ſo ſmall, as to be but an hundred and ſixty miles in length from Dan to Beerſheba, and only ſixty in breadth from Joppa to Jordan (not near the half of England, as good Authors compute it) yet was it ſo rich and fruitful, as plentifully to nouriſh one and thirty Kings, and ſuch a vaſt multitude of Inhabitants in theſe times, inſomuch that they came forth againſt Iſrael as the Sand on the Sea-ſhore, Joſh 11.4. and in the days of David there were above Thirteen Hundred Thouſand Fighting Men, beſides thoſe that were aged and unfit for War, and alſo Women, Young Youths, and Little Children, 2 Sam. 24.9. No wonder then if this Land be called the glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20.6. and this Character is given, that had God faſhioned the World like a Ring, as he did like a Globe▪ this Land had been the Gemm of it; yet was this beſt of Lands given to the worſt of mankind, the curſed Canaanites, who fill'd it with their Abominations from one end to the other, Ezr. 9.11. until their Land ſpewed them out, Levit. 18.25.28. and made room enough in this narrow neck of Earth to nouriſh all the Tribes of Iſrael, becauſe it was (as 'tis oft called) a Land that flowed with Milk and Honey; now hath it ſpewed out the Jews for the like Sins, and this fruitful Land is made Barren as if ſowed with Salt, &c. N. B Yet what was this Earthly Canaan in its greateſt Splendor and Glory comparable to the Heavenly Canaan, where that City of Pearl the New Jeruſalem is, and into which our Redeemer bleſſed Jeſus (the Anti type of this Joſhua) will aſſuredly bring all his Redeemed, Maugre the malice of all their Enemies, they ſhall ſurely and ſafely Sail through Chriſts blood into the Father's boſom; 'tis the Prayer of our Dear▪ Jeſus for us, [Father, I will, that where I am, there may they be alſo,] John 17.24. Where he ſpeaks with Authority, [Not Father I wiſh, but Father I will,] as one coequal and in joint Commiſſion with God, and this ought to be our Prayer with the Spouſe [Make haſt, Oh my Beloved, and bring me into thoſe Mountains of Spices, Cant. 8.14.
The Second General Remark is, Whereas, not only the Land that was already ſubdued was diſtributed among the Tribes of Iſrael, but alſo that part thereof which was not yet Conquered but Ʋnſubdued, for that was theirs likewiſe, but ſo, as they muſt win it, before they wear it: So muſt we win Heaven alſo, &c. The Kingdom of Heaven muſt be won by force and violence, Mat. 12.12.
N. B. No doubt but this diſtribution of the unſubdued Land to Iſrael did fortifie their Faith, and corroborate the conſidence of thoſe Tribes to whom by lot they belonged. They being thus aſſured of their Title to them, and of their intereſt in them, could not chuſe but encounter thoſe Countries with a moſt raiſed courage, ſeeing nothing could prevent their poſſeſſion of them, but only their being wanting to themſelves by their own diſobedience; accordingly, we having any Evidences for Heaven ſhould quit our ſelves like Men, be ſtrong and couragious, 1 Cor. 16.13. and the rather, becauſe we are already more than conquerors, Rom. 8.37. yea Triumphers in Chriſt. 2 Cor. 2.14. who, as our Head, hath already taken poſſeſſion of Heaven for all his Members, and is gone before to prepare Manſions for us, John 14.1, 2, 3.
The Third General Remark is, Every Tribe of Iſrael had their Inheritance aſſigned them by lot, ſave only the Tribe of Levi; the Tribe of Reuben, Gad, and the half Tribe of Manaſſah had their Inheritance aſſigned them beyond Jordan, Joſh. 14.4. according to the Divine direction, Joſh. 13.9. to 29. of all the other Nine Tribes and an half, the tribe of Judah hath the firſt portion on this ſide Jordan, Joſh. 15. throughout. His lot (ordered by the Lord, Prov. 16.33.) came forth firſt and fell out in the beſt of the Land, to ſhew God had a purpoſe to exalt that Tribe (out of which Shilo was to come, Gen. 49.16.) above the reſt: Next to Judah fell the Province of the of the Tribe of Ephraim, Joſh. 16. throughout, as Judah's portion fell on the South of Canaan, ſo this of Joſeph on the North by a ſpecial Providence, that theſe two, the Strongeſt and moſt Valiant Tribes might be as Bulwarks on both ſides to defend the whole Kingdom from the invaſion and incurſion of thoſe Foreign Enemies, a puiſſant and potent People who ſurrounded Canaan on every ſide. The next portion was that of Manaſſeh, Joſh. 17. ver. 1. to 14. for Joſeph being the Eldeſt Son of Rachel (Jacob's firſt intended Wife) was to have a double portion, Deut. 21.17. one for his Son Ephraim, and another for his Son Manaſſeh; and tho' Manaſſeh was indeed Joſeph's Firſt-Born, Gen. 41.52. and 46.20. yet the ſecond Son Ephraim had his Portion before him, becauſe by God's Decree, and Jacob's Bleſſing, Ephraim was preferred before him, Gen. 48.14.19. likewiſe becauſe this was but one half of the Tribe of Manaſſeh for the other half thereof had their portion aſſigned them by Moſes long before this on the other ſide of Jordan, Joſh. 13.29, 30. &c. Then follows the Inheritance of Benjamin, Joſh. 18. ver. 11. to the end: His Portion fell betwixt Judah and Joſeph, ver. 11. which Divine Providence ordered, being the only place in which that Prophecy Deut. 33.12. could have been accompliſhed: What could God do more for Jacob's Darling, than have his Temple built upon Mount Moriah, which belonged unto this Tribe, placed ſo near the place where God's honour dwelleth, &c.
In the laſt place, The poſſeſſion of the Six leſſer Tribes do follow, Joſh. 19. (1.) That of Simeon, ver. 1. to 10. (2.) That of Zabulon, ver. 10. to 17. (3.) That of Iſſachar, ver. 17. to 24. (4.) That of Aſher, ver. 24. to 32. (5.) That of Napthali, ver. 32. to 40. (6.) That of Dan, ver. 40. to 49.
The Fourth General Remark is, Still Levi is left out, and yet there be Twelve Tribes without him, becauſe Joſeph's double Portion maketh two Tribes of Ephraim and Manaſſeh, yet this is not the Reaſon why the Tribe of Levi had no Inheritance, that is, no Regions or Parts of the Country diſtinct from other portions of the Land, by which they might live by Tillage and Husbandry as the other. Tribes were to do, neither Moſes nor Joſhua gave Levi any ſuch Inheritance, but only ſome Cities to dwell in, and the Suburbs belonging to them, with ſome Circuit of ground for the feeding of their Cattel, Joſh. 21. throughout, and the Reaſon is rendred, becauſe the Lord himſelf was their Inheritance, Joſh. 13.14.33. therefore God gave unto the Tribe of Levi all that Remained of the Sacrifices of the Lord, to live upon, Numb. 18.8.10.23. Deut. 10.9. and 18.2. and this paſſage [The Lord is their Inheritance, his Sacrifice, &c.] is ſo oft urged, to prevent thoſe Calumnies which God foreſaw the Levites were likely to meet with from the Malice, Envy, or Covetouſneſs of their Brethren: And 'tis oft repeated to oblige all the other Tribes, that they might both conſcientiouſly and cheerfully give to the Levites their Dues, ſeeing they had as good a right and title to them, as their Brethren had to their ſeveral poſſeſſions.
Beſides, this was done for the accompliſhment of Jacob's Prophecy concerning Simeon and Levi [they ſhall be ſcattered among the other Tribes] Gen. 49.7. for the providence of God ordered ſo concerning Simeon, that he had no diſtinct part of his own, but became an Inmate to Judah, Joſh. 19.1. As this was in part a fulfilling of Jacob's Threatning, ſo there was this mercy in it to Simeon, that his weak Tribe ſhould be ſtrengthned by the ſtronger Tribe of Judah; and as to Levi, tho' he had his habitation ſcattered among all the other Tribes, yet this Curſe was afterwards turn'd into a bleſſing, when they were conſecrated as Prieſts to preſerve and preſent knowledge to their Brethren, to teach Jacob God's Judgments, and Iſrael his Law, Deut. 33.9, 10. Candles bound up in a pound give no light, but when each of them is lighted and ſet up in diſtinct Rooms, they give light unto all the Rooms of the Houſe: Thus did the ſcattered Levites give light unto all the Tribes of Iſrael on both ſides of Jordan, which they could not have done, had they been bound up in one pound or portion as all the other Tribes were, &c.
After the General Remarks upon the Diviſion of Canaan among the Twelve Tribes in general: Now the particular parts and portions of Caleb and Joſhua do follow to make particular Remarks upon: Firſt upon Caleb.
The Firſt Remark is, His Petition to Joſhua the General, the ſubject matter of his Petition was extraordinary, to wit, the Mountainous Territories not to be given him by the common lot (as the Land was dealt out to others) but a ſpecial deed of gift to him and his, and for promoting it the more, the chief of his Tribe came along with him as his Advocates to Joſhua, Joſh. 14.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. wherein he urgeth his own faithfulneſs in the matter of the Twelve Spies, Numb. 13.31, 32. and 14.24. He appeals to Joſhua himſelf (who then was his Copartner) concerning the truth hereof, and he alledgeth how he was ſtill compleatly qualified for ſo great an undertaking, ſo that this ſpecial gift was not like to be caſt away upon a ſupernatural and unſerviceable Perſon; but above all, he reminds Joſhua of God's particular promiſe to him, Numb. 14.24. Deut. 1.36. By vertuē of which promiſe he was kept allve to that day, as thou thy ſelf art alſo, to whom (together with me) God promis'd this Prerogative for a reward of our uprightneſs, and ſure I am God is no Auſteer Lord, but a liberal Pay-Maſter, who never ſends any of his Servants away, having any juſt cauſe to complain of an Hard bargain in his ſervice: No, he is an honourable Maſter, who imploys his Servants in honourable work, and will pay them moſt honourable wages. As it is no Ambition in me to require, ſo it can be no injuſtice in thee to beſtow on me this Mountainous Country, for as my feet have trodden upon, ſo my Faith hath Triumph'd over it, and over Hebron, and all the frightful Giants about it.
The Second Remark is, Joſhua's Anſwer to Caleb's Petition, Joſh. 14.13.14.15. wherein is related how Joſhua granted his requeſt, and prayed God to bleſs him with good ſucceſs, acknowledging withal his praiſe-worthy carriage in the buſineſs of the Spies, together with himſelf, and therefore his Requeſt was but reaſonable, and ſo might not be denied. Joſhua doth not here, as ſome Generals in the like caſe would have done, he doth not blame Caleb here for beeing too haſty, ſaying [let thy Betters be ſerved before thee,] He bids him not ſtay until himſelf were firſt ſerved, but grants him Hebron, helps him to gain it, Joſh. 10.37. and when gained, he wiſh'd him much joy, and a comfortable fruition of it: Caleb accordingly ſucceeded againſt the Anakims under Joſhua his General, Joſh. 11.21. and 15.13. and after Joſhua's death alſo, Judg. 1.9, 10. to be ſpoke unto after.
Secondly, The Grand Remark upon Joſhua here is his Marvelous Modesty and Holy Humility in this that he who had deſerved beſt, and therefore ſhould have been ſerved firſt, can be content to have his part and Portion laſt after all the Twelve Tribes had theirs aſſigned before him, Joſh. 19.49, 50, 51. nor is this all held forth here, that he was willing to be ſerved laſt, who had deſerved moſt, but that he could be content to chuſe for his portion (that he petition'd for) among the Barren Mountains, whereas he might have challeng'd the chiefeſt Lands in that Champian Country of thoſe Conquered Kingdoms wherein he had been the chief Actor, nor did he deſire this ſmall portion of barren Land that lay in his own Tribe becauſe of any ſtately Palace that ſtood there, or any Royal City adorned with Sumptuous Buildings contained therein, for the City Timnath-Serah (which he choſe, call'd Timnath heres, which ſignifies the Picture of the Sun, which was there worſhip'd, Judg. 2.9. in deteſtation whereof, the Name was altered by tranpoſition of Letters, Heres for Serah) was on old ruinous City, which he was forced to repair, before he could inhabit it, and Maſius tells a Story of Paula (whom Jerom writes to) how ſhe went to viſit Joſhua's Sepulchre in this City, Joſh. 24.30. and there wondered, that he who was the principal Divider of that fruitful Land to others, ſhould ſet out for himſelf no richer Revenues, but the meaneſt and barreneſt part thereof, as the Hebrew word Bethubem here ſignifieth yet lower, nor ſtill was this the whole of Joſhua's Condeſcenſion, for he receiv'd this poor pittance, not by Lot, as the Tribes did their Lands, but by Gift, [The Children of Iſrael gave an Inheritance to Joſhua] ver. 49. and 50. He acknowledged it a Gift to him from the People, over whom God had placed him their Governour and General, though it was only the People's free Aſſent unto the Lord's Promiſe or Precept, for undoubtedly the Lord ſaid the ſame to Moſes concerning Joſhua, as well as Caleb, Joſh. 14.6. ſeeing Joſhua had ſhewed the ſame Courage and Faithfulneſs in eſpying out the Land of Canaan, which Caleb did, Numb. 14.6.30. therefore muſt receive the ſame equal encouragement and comfort from God at that time; namely, to have ſuch parts of the Land (when it was Conquered) as they deſired: Oh ſweet Spirited, Modeſt, Humble, Low-condeſcending Joſhua, in all theſe aforementioned Particulars: But all this was done, that there might be the greater Congruity betwixt Joſhua the Type, and our bleſſed Jeſus, the Antitype, who did Exouthenize or empty'd himſelf, condeſcending to come in the form of a Servant to his Redeemed People, to whom he ſaith [concerning the work of my hands command ye me] Iſa. 45.11. Chriſt indeed became poor to make us rich, 2 Cor. 8.9. was born, lived and died poor, &c.
CHAP. XX.
JOſhua the Twentieth, appointeth the Cities of Refuge, according to God's Command, Exod. 21.13. Numb. 35.6.11.14, &c. Deut. 19.2.9.
The Remarks upon it are principally Three.
The Firſt Remark is, The end why God appointed thoſe Cities of Refuge was, for the preſervation of the Life of Man, ſo tender is the Lord of the Effuſion of Bloud, that he provides ſix Sanctuaries here to ſave Mans Life from the Avenger of Bloud, leaſt he ſhould take his private revenge while his Bloud waxed hot within him for the loſs of ſome near Kinſman, Deut. 19.5, 6. Well doth Job Characterize God, [The Preſerver of Men] Job 7.20, and well doth the Apostle Adore God's Philanthropy, or Love to Mankind, Tit. 3, 4. So precious is the Bloud (not only of his Saints, though that be chiefly, but) of all his Reaſonable Creatures in the ſight of God, Pſ. 72.14. and 116.15. compared with this care of God to Man in general; Here therefore all thoſe Cities of Refuge were placed in open view, and (as ſome ſay) paved all the way, as a Mark of Direction, yea and ſituated at a juſt diſtance, that the Innocent Party might repair from all parts in due time, without enquiring the way thither, leaſt the Purſuer thereby overtake the purſued.
The Second Remark is, The Form or priviledge of this Aſylum, or Sanctuary, teaching, (1.) Who were capable of it, not the wilful Murderer; ſuch (ſaith God) ſhall be Haled from the Horns of the Altar, Exod. 21.14. as Joab was, 1 Kings 2.31.34. but only Caſual Manſlayers, without any premeditated Malice, the Lord acting by them as meer Inſtruments in his hand, without any purpoſe, or intention on their part, Exod. 21.13. (2.) What was this Priviledge, namely, ſecurity from the Avenger, and a ſafe Judiciary Tryal, if his Slaughter be found Chance-Medley. The practice of Princes in protecting wilful Murderers, is quite contrary to this Law of God, much more the Pope's diſpenſing with ſuch, as if wiſer than Solomon, who ſaith [A Man that doth Violence to the Bloud of any Perſon, ſhall flee to the Pit, let no Man ſtay him] Prov. 28.17. God's Law is, [Draw ſuch from the Altar to the Halter] leaſt the Land be Defiled with Bloud.
The Third Remark is, How long they were to ſtay in thoſe Cities, and that was to the Death of the High-Prieſt, Numb. 35.25. Joſh. 20.6. then had he a Releaſe after a long confinement (which was his puniſhment for his careleſneſs, &c.) becauſe the High-Prieſt was a Type of Chriſt; and ſo this Releaſe was a ſhadow of our Redemption by the Death of Chriſt, who was alſo Typed out by all thoſe ſix Cities of Refuge (3 on this ſide Jordan, and 3 on that) if we run to this Rock for our Refuge, we are ſafe, Prov. 18.10. and none can pull us out of his, and his Fathers hands, Joh. 10.28, 29. He is our beſt Sanctuary, when purſued at the Heels by the Avenger of Blood, Divine Juſtice, and by the Guilt of our own Evil Conſciences, &c. If we be in Chriſt the Rock, Temptations and Oppoſitions do, as the Waves, daſh upon us indeed, but 'tis to break themſelves all aſunder, &c.