Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Joshua · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
NOw Jericho was shut up straitly, because of the children of Israel, &c. And V. 1, 2.the Lord said to Joshua, see, I have given into thine hand Jericho, &c.
Jericho was two miles from Gilgal, being otherwise called the City of Palms for the abundance that grew there. It is said, that none went in or out. They durst not, saith Lyra, either goe in to defend Jericho, or they that were within flee out to save themselves. But the Lord now appearing to Joshua, instructed him how he should subdue it. He and all the men of Warre must goe about V. 3, 4.the City once a day, six dayes together, and seven times upon the seventh day, seven Priests blowing with Trumpets of Rams hornes before the Arke, promising that thus the walls should fall downe.
The men of Jericho, saith Ferus, omitted no worldly meanes to defend themselves, but all in vaine, seing God was against them, against whose judgements Ferus.they could not bee fenced, although they were fenced against men. And thus doe all carnall men, in the time of danger, they flee to carnall meanes, but that which should chiefly be intended, is by them neglected, viz. the pacifying Note. of Gods wrath by repentance; and therefore all their preparations are in vaine. To expugne this City, no Warlike preparation is appointed, but onelyonly to compasse it about, that the Victory might bee acknowledged to come of the Lord, and so we must confesse doth every good thing. For these words Jericho was straitly shut up, Hebr. is foreign shutting, and shut up; that is, as Masius hath it, shutting up those that were within, that none could goe out, and shut up against all others, that none could enter. The Chaldee, shut Masius Chal. paraphra. Calvin.up with Iron doores, and strengthened with brazen barres. This, saith Calvin, is thus exactly set downe: that the miracle in opening the way, the walls being cast downe, might be the more magnified, and that the stupidity of that people might appeare, thinking that gates and barres could defend them against his power which dryed up the waters of Jordan.
In compassing the City, the men of Warre went before, then the Priests with Trumpets, and after them the Arke, which all the people followed, v. 9, 10. and every of the six dayes they did thus once, the Priests onelyonly sounding, but no voice else being uttered by any; but upon the seventh, having compassed the City seven times, at the last sounding with Trumpets, all the people shouted, and the walls fell downe. In mans reason this was no way to subdue a strong City, for what could going about it doe, and sounding with Trumpets, all the rest being silent, as though they were affraid; and the seventh day going seven times about, being a meanes to weary them, and to make them unfit for the assault? But herein God both tryed their faith and obedience, and provided the more for the glorifying of his owne power. The Hebrews, saith Lyra, by the men of War, understand only those of the two Tribes and an half; Lyra.but the Text saith, All yee men of Warre; and therefore that assertion is without ground. Some others, because it is said, v. 9. The rereward came after the Arke, say that the Danites, Asher, and Nephthalim are meant; and therefore all the armed men went not before, but Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, according to the order prescribed, when they marched in the Wildernesse, Numb. 10. 15. halfe the Army going before the Arke, and the other halfe after, which half that followed, is set forth by the same word that is here used foreign. But because this word signifieth the gathering, or Congregation shutting up the whole troope behinde, it may better here be understood of all the people; because it is expressely said, that all the armed, or Warriers should goe before. And whereas, Numb. 10. that part of the Army which followed the Arke, is set forth by this Word, it is because together with them went all the weaker sort, the aged, women and children. And therefore foreign is here rendred by Jerome, reliquum vulgus. Yet Lyra argueth against this, holding, that onelyonly the Tribe of Dan, and the rest of the rereward of souldiers, are hereby meant; because the Lord biddeth that all the armed men should compasse the City, and not the Women, &c. Let the Reader follow which of these he pleaseth. Whereas it is added in our Translation, The Priests going on and blowing with Trumpets, Hebr. it is, The rereward followed the Arke, going on, and blowing with Trumpets. But because it is certaine that none blew with Trumpets but the Priests, the word Priests is inserted for more expression; or it may be rendred, The Arke going on, and the blowing with Trumpets, which was by the Priests going before it. For Trumpets of Rams horns wherwith they sounded, Hebr. is foreign Trumpets of Jubilees, of which, that they were of Rams hornes, see Levit. 25. Note here, how easie it is with the Lord to beat downe the Walls of any City, Note. so that there is no resistance to be made against him. And when he caused such weake meanes to be used, the Inhabitants, when this was done from day to day, and nothing else, waxed now secure when their destruction was nearest, and so it is with all the wicked, when they thinke the evill day furthest off, it shall suddenly come upon them.
The people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell downe flat. For these words V. 20.fall downe flat, Hebr. is fall downe under it; and so it is rendred by the Septuagint and Chaldee, fell downe, and was swallowed up under it. Hereupon the Rabbini.Rabbins hold, that it sunke into the ground: But rather it is meant, that it fell, the foundation under it being dissolved, and falling away, or it fell into the ditch wtthout it, said to be under it because it was much lower, and so the ditch being filled up with the wall, the passage into the City was made plaine. Now when the wall is said to have falne downe, it must not be imagined that every part of it fell, but so much as whereby a sufficient way was made for all the men of Warre immediately to enter in, for Rahabs house stood upon the wall, which must needs be excepted from this ruine. And this was upon the seventh day, but whether upon the Sabbath day or no, as the Rabbins hold, is uncertaine, but in one of these seven dayes of compassing the City, it is certaine that there was a Sabbath, upon which no man might travaile; but God, who is above his owne laws, could at this time dispense with the rest of the Sabbath at his pleasure. For the seven Priests, seven Trumpets, seven dayes compassing Jericho, and seven times blowing with Trumpets upon the seventh day; this was all done to make the number of seven the more famous, that the day of this number sanctified from the beginning, might still be had in more honour.
When Joshua had taken order for this great shout making, by all the people at the last sounding, he withall told them that the City of Jericho with all in V. 17.it, should be accursed to the Lord, onelyonly Rahab and her company excepted, warning them to take heed that they tooke not any accursed thing upon paine of V. 18.making themselves accursed, and the whole Campe, and troubling it.
But all the silver and gold, and Ʋessels of brasse and iron are consecrated to the Lord, V. 19.and they shall come into the Lords treasury. Ioshua could not speake to be heard, saith Lyra, when it is said he bade them shout, because the people were so many, and the Trumpets continually sounded; therefore it is to be understood, that he spake unto them by giving some signes. The word rendred accursed here, is foreign, cut off, so that the meaning is, it should be destroyed to the glory of God, the glory of his justice in taking revenge upon so sinfull a place, to the utter destruction thereof for ever; and if any presumed to take any thing in it to his owne use, it should bee a foreign, or cutting off to him. Of this word see more, Levit. 27. 28. and Deut. 13. 17. For the mettall, silver and gold, brasse and iron reserved for the Lords Treasury, the meaning is, that they should be brought into the Tabernacle to bee used for the service therein, or to be laid up as Monuments of this miraculous victory, and that none should convert any of them to their private use, no not the Priests themselves, as they might doe other devoted things called by this name of foreign, Numb. 18. 14. Besides these mettalls, Tinne and Lead are mentioned, as reserved out of the spoiles common use, this for the Tabernacle onelyonly; and therefore there being herein, or in the Temple built afterwards no use of these mettals, they are not reserved. The word foreign saith Lyra, signifieth both accursed and consecrated, and so it is here to be taken; for the best and most precious things were consecrated to God, the rest devoted to destruction.
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the City, both men and women, young and V. 21.old, &c. They did not thus to other Cities of the Canaanites which they tooke afterwards, but preserved them for their owne habitation; why then was this severity used against Jericho above all other Cities? Answ. Because it is most Ferus.probable that this place was the most wicked of all others; and here it seemeth were a miscellany multitude of all the peoples to destroyed, ready first of all others to resist the Israelites, as appeareth Josh. 24. 11. and because this was the first City of Canaan subdued, it was necessary that the richest spoiles thereof should be consecrated to the Lord, before they tooke any for themselves; and that all things that had life should bee killed, and the rest burnt with fire for the greater terrour of the rest; so Ferus. Here was a great temptation, saith Calvin, to the Israelites, in that expecting now to bee inriched with the spoiles of Jericho, they are thus prevented, and likewise when they were made to goe about the City seven dayes, and to doe nothing but blow, and that not with the silver Trumpets, but Trumpets of Rams hornes, wherein they might thinke themselves mocked, but they obeyed in all things to prevaile.
And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that V. 26.riseth up, and buildeth Jericho, be shall lay the foundation thereof in his first born, and in his youngest he shall set up the gates thereof. This City was thus severely proceeded against, as for the reasons before rendered, so that herein the utter destruction of the wicked world for ever at the last day might be figured out. This prophesie is noted to have taken effect in Hiel, 1 King. 16. 34. who was deprived of his children, when hee presumed to build Jericho againe, both eldest and youngest, and so most probably had his name put out in Israel therefore, according to the meaning of this curse against such a builder. To this effect Calvin saith, he shall lay the foundation in his first borne, being overwhelmed Calvin.with the stones of this building, so audaciously erected without regard to so solemne a curse, &c. and thus he shall be deprived of his issue, and thus all others understand it also: For God would have Jericho to lye in the ruines for a monument of this miraculous overthrow, that his people might always hereby be put in minde of that which he had done for them, and bee accor dingly thankfull. And touching Rahab and all hers now preserved according to the oath taken by the searchers, he saith that Joshua did nothing herein contrary to the will of God, for he acknowledged God moderating in all that businesse, and so although he was not sworne, yet that hee was bound by that oath to shew this humanity to her, in whom such faith had appeared: Whereas shee and her kindred being brought out from this destruction are said, v. 23, to be left without the Campe of Israel, this was because of their uncleannesse, they being yet Gentiles, till they should by being made Proselytes bee fit to come into the Assembly of Gods people, and bee made one with them.
Mystically by Jericho the world is set forth, as both Lyra, Origen, Isidor, and The mystery.Ferus: for Jericho signifieth the Moone, like unto which the World is, for the mutability thereof, and therefore Christ restored to sight the blind in Jericho, and called Zacheus the Publican there, and hereby he instituteth that parable of one travailing from Jerusalem to Jericho. This Jericho is strongly fenced with riches, power and glory, and hath for King, the Devill, for he is the God of this world. To subdue this Jericho, Jesus sendeth seven Priests to sound with Trumpets of the Jubilee, that is, base ones of Rammes hornes, and not with silver ones instituted Numb. 10. which was done, when the Apostles were sent out to Preach the Gospel to all Nations, which was the sounding with Trumpets of a Jubilee indeed, but this was counted as poore and ridiculous a meanes to subdue Nations to the Gospel, as going about Jericho with such blowing to overthrow the walls thereof, and after the Trumpets the Arke is carryed, when Christ figured hereby is present to his faithfull Ministers, and is born by them in heart and mouth: Lastly, a shouting of all the people is added, when Prayers are made unto God by his people with one consent, and so the walls of this Jericho fall down, the pride, and pompe and errours of the world. That Preaching may well bee understood by blowing with Trumpets, wee may see in Esa. Cry aloud, lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet. The people following the Arke must make no noise to bee heard, that is, no tumultuating noise, but in shouting the seventh day, that is, in Prayer; or they must not break out through zeale in any action, but by direction from the Word of God, as Calvin hath it. When the walls of Jericho fall down, all are destroyed, but Rahab and her house, because shee received the Spyes, so when at the sounding of the last Trumpet the world shall fall, all shall bee destroyed, but the Church converted from spirituall whoredome with divers lusts to the true Faith, and these are such as receive the Ministers of the Word, they being sometime of the city of the devill are now joyned unto and inherit with the Israel of God. Jericho is made an Anathema to God, by killing all things living, and burning the rest, but dedicating the best things unto him, to shew, that whatsoever evill liveth in us must bee mortifyed, whatsoever is dead, must have the fire of the spirit put to it, and whatsoever is good, must bee offered to God. Nothing of Jericho is taken by us, when wee have no communion with the wicked world in the evill manners and fashions thereof. And lastly, the builder of Jericho again, is accursed, God would never have it built again, as neither Sodome nor Babylon, to set forth hereby the perishing of the wicked for ever in hell fire, as their sudden destruction, by the sudden falling of these walls. And morally hee is accursed, saith Ferus, that bringeth in Idolatry, cherisheth superstition, nourisheth impiety, defends injustice, or brings in carnall living. And in speaking of their compassing Jericho seven dayes, he saith also it is morally taught, how wee should compasse the world to destroy it in our selves. 1. By meditating upon the vanity of worldly things. 2. Upon their instability. 3. Their brevity. 4. Their taking of us from God. 5. From ablessed life. 6. Upon the labour in getting them, and care in keeping. 7. By hearing the Word of God and Prayer.