26. he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, &c.] He shall lose his firstborn on beginning the work. In the progress of it, the rest of his children shall die: and when he has finished it, (which is, when he has "set up the gates,") he shall lose the last of them. This was punctually fulfilled in the reign of Ahab upon Hiel, who ventured to rebuild Jericho. 1. Kings xvi. 34.

CHAP. VII.

Verse 1.-the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing:] That is, one among them committed a trespass. It is not an unusual form of speech in Scripture, to ascribe that to many, wherein one only is concerned. "Took of the accursed thing;" that is, Achan purloined to his own use some of the spoils which were devoted to destruction, or appropriated to God's treasury.

5.-smote them in the going down:] In the descent from the hill on which Ai stood, to the plains of Jericho.

7.-wherefore hast thou at all brought this people &c.] This is not a sinful expostulation with God, but only a confession of his ignorance why these events were permitted. "Would to God," he adds, we had been content." As far as he could apprehend, they had better have rested satisfied with what they had in possession, than be defeated in the attempt to acquire more.

9.-what wilt thou do unto thy great name?] He feared that God would suffer the glory of all His miracles to be lost, and be thought unable to accomplish what He had begun to do for His people.

12. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,] Because they had among them, a man who was fallen under the curse of God, and till he was destroyed, the whole congregation justly continued to suffer. For knowing that such a crime had been committed among them, they were as guilty as Achan, if they did not punish it.

14.-the tribe which the Lord taketh] That is, fixes upon as the tribe containing the guilty person. This is supposed to have been done by casting lots, God directing the lot to fall on the right person.

19.-give,-glory to the Lord God] By confessing thy sin, and acknowledging that nothing can be hid from Him who knoweth the greatest

secrets.

24.-his sons, and his daughters,] These were punished, because, perhaps, they were privy to their father's stealth, and concealed it. But some think Achan alone was stoned, (as we read in the Bext verse," all Israel stoned him with stones,")

and that his children were brought forth to be spectators; and when it is said, " they stoned them with stones," it relates to his oxen, asses and sheep which were stoned with him,

CHAP. VIII.

Verse 2.-only the spoil thereof,-shall ye take for a prey] Only with this difference, that, whereas they were not to meddle with any of the spoil of Jericho for their own use, in this instance they were permitted to take it for a prey unto themselves.

14.-when the king of Ai saw it,] When he was informed that the city was invested on the north side.

32. he wrote upon the stones a copy of the law] He wrote the chief heads of the Law upon them, with the blessings and curses.

CHAP. IX.

Verse 4.-did work wilily,—and made as if they had been ambassadors,] They acted cunningly, and pretended they were sent on an embassy from some distant country.

wine bottles, old, and rent,] These were leathern bottles; such are still used in the East. When these bottles are old or torn, they mend them either by sewing in a piece, or by gathering up the broken place in the manner of a purse.

5.-old shoes and clouted] Shoes which had the appearance of being worn out by long travel, and were patched up.

7.-Peradventure ye dwell among us;] Their first question is, whether they were not of the country of Canaan, and belonged not to any of those idolatrous princes, who had already refused terms of peace; for if they were, it was expressly against the Law of God to make any alliance, or have any dealings with them.

14. And the men took of their victuals,] That is, the men of Israel ate with them probably in token of friendship and by way of covenant.

asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.] In this consisted the fault of the Israelites on this occasion, that they depended on their own judg ment, and did not consult the Divine oracle, which was at hand. It is no wonder that God should suffer them to be deluded by the Gibeonites, when they had an infallible Director so near them, and yet, in a matter of such moment, neglected to consult Him.

23.-ye are cursed,] Though they escaped being cut off with the rest of the Canaanites, yet there was a curse still reserved for them; namely, a certain degree of servitude to be entailed on them and their posterity.

27.-in the place which he should choose.] In the place which the Lord should choose for His tabernacle; which was now at Gilgal, afterwards at Shiloh.

CHAP. X.

Verse 1.—and were among them;] Were come into the interest of the Israelites.

2.-because Gibeon was a great city,] So that if the Gibeonites had reason to submit out of fear to the Israelites, Adoni zedec and his people had likewise reason to be alarmed and to provide for their safety.

11.-the Lord cast down great stones] Great "hailstones," as is explained in the succeeding part of the verse.

Joshua fought, but God discomfited the Amorites: the praise is to the Workman, not to the instrument.

12.

Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;] Joshua, no doubt, was divinely inspired to make this extraordinary request. God answered the petition, and caused the sun to stand still, hereby prolonging the daylight, to give the Israelites time to overcome their enemies.

This miracle was well adapted to the circumstances of the persons concerned in it. The sun, moon, and lights of heaven, were the deities at that time worshipped by the inhabitants of Canaan; but the Israelites were the servants of the true God, by whose command, and under whose protection, they were to war against these nations, and against their gods: and what greater demonstration could be given of the power of their God to support them, and the inability of the false deities of the Canaanites to assist their worshippers, than to see that the God of Israel could cause these to contribute to, instead of preventing, the ruin that was coming en those who served them?

13. the book of Jasher?] "The book of upright or righteous men" in which probably were recorded the wonderful things done by or for religious heroes.

24.-put your feet upon the necks of these kings.] Joshua gave this conimand, not from insolence and pride, but in token of the complete fulfilment of the Divine promise, in bringing these kings and their countries under absolute subjection to the Israelites.

37.-the king thereof,] The king of Hebron had been before mentioned as one of the five whom Joshua lately slew; it appears that the inhabitants had now set up a new king.

40.-utterly destroyed all that breathed,] It is here expressly said, that they did this" as the Lord God of Israel commanded;" this being a complete justification of the Israelites from all imputation of cruelty; in fact they only executed a

Divine sentence against the Canaanites for their abominable wickedness, with which they themselves were in danger of being infected. See note on Deut. vii. 2.

From the accounts of Joshua's victories, we learn that, while our success on every occasion depends on the Divine assisance, it is our duty always to join our own care and utmost endeavours to our trust in God.

CHAP. XI.

Verse 6-thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.] Because they were not to be used by the Israelites.

13.-the cities that stood still in their strength,] The Israelites forbore to destroy those cities, whose walls were not battered down, or which were seated on an eminence, and of greater strength; reserving them for habitations for themselves.

20. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts,] God left these thoughtless and irreclaimable people to the impulse of their own passions, and the effects of those judgments which Moses had formerly pronounced upon them.

CHAP. XII.

Verse 1. Now these are the kings of the land,] The inspired writer, before he gives an account of the division of the land, thinks fit to lay down, as in a table, before the reader's eyes, the lands which had been conquered, and were now to be divided.

24.- all the kings thirty and one.] As so small a country was divided among so many kings, it is evident, that by the term "kings," we are merely to understand petty princes, or lords perhaps of some single cities, with a few dependent villages.

CHAP. XIII.

Verse 6.—them will I drive out from before the children of Israel:] The promise made by God of driving out the old inhabitants, was conditional, and depended on the adherence of the Israelites, to His worship and service. Accordingly, in consequence of their flagrant and repeated disobedience, the promise was at first only partially fulfilled, some parts of the land remaining unconquered till the days of David and Solomon.

CHAP. XIV.

Verse 4. For the children of Joseph were two tribes,] The privilege of the firstborn was transferred from Reuben to Joseph, 1 Chron. v. 1, 2; so that a double portion was given to his descendants, as two tribes sprang from his two sons,

Verse 18.-she lighted off her ass;] This she did in reverence to her father. The alighting of those that ride is considered in the East as an expression of great respect.

Caleb's daughter asked him for "a blessing," that is, for a gift or favour; he had given, as she describes, a south land, that is, probably, a dry land towards the south, exposed to the scorching heat of the sun, and she now begs for a field with some springs of water.

63.-the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah &c.] The Jebusites the old inhabitants of Jerusalem (descended from Jebus, the son of Canaan) possessed the town of Jerusalem till after the death of Joshua.

CHAP. XVI.

Verse 9. And the separate cities] That is, the cities which were possessed by the Ephraimites, although they lay in the portion of Manasseh; on which account they are here called “ separate cities."

CHAP. XVII.

Verse 12.-could not drive out the inhabitants] Either through sloth or covetousness, or distrust of God's power, they did not attempt to drive out those people that were stronger than ordinary; or, through want of faith in God, and of obedience to His commands, they failed in the attempt.

13.-they put the Canaanites to tribute;] Herein they grievously offended against the Divine command, Deut. xx. 16, 17; by which they were peremptorily commanded to destroy the Canaanites when they were able.

14. Why hast thou given me but one lot &c.] The children of Joseph, that is, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, complain to Joshua of the narrowness of their allotment, which was increased by the Canaanites still retaining so large a portion of it. Joshua, though a descendant himself of Joseph, remained perfectly impartial; and told them, they must enlarge the country by their valour, by driving out their enemies from the woody and mountainous parts, and thus making them habitable for themselves.

CHAP. XVIII.

Verse 1.-at Shiloh,] This place was situated in the south part of the tribe of Ephraim, at no great distance from Jerusalem. The ark, which was now removed to this place, continued there till the time of Samuel. Some suppose, from what is said at Deut. xii. 10, 11, that the ark was placed here by the immediate direction of God; but this seems rather to refer to Jerusalem, which is throughout Scripture mentioned, as the place where God caused, "His name to dwell." The real reason of the ark being placed in the tribe of Ephraim, was probably, because Joshua himself belonged to this tribe; and as he was the chief administrator of the government, it was proper that the tabernacle and ark should be in the same tribe.

CHAP. XIX.

Verse 47.-the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them:] That is, they were kept out of some parts of their inheritance, by the old inhabitants, whom, for some time they were unable to subdue.

50. According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked,] Thus the Lord granted to Joshua a peculiar privilege of choosing his portion, as He had done to Caleb.

CHAP. XX.

Verse 2.-Appoint out for you cities of refuge,] See Numb. xxxv. 6, 11, 14. These cities of refu ge were not only seated on high and eminent places, so that they might be seen afar off, but they were appointed at such distances from each other, that all the country might more easily have the benefit of one or other of them.

CHAP. XXI.

Verse 2.-The Lord commanded-to give us cities to dwell in,] Although no division of the land was assigned to the tribe of Levi, yet abundant compensation was made to them, in having the priesthood of the Lord for their inheritance: and they were wisely distributed among the rest of the tribes, in order to maintain the national worship, and to superintend the education of youth. Thus forty-eight cities were appropriated throughout all the tribes, for the residence of the Levites.

43.- the Lord gave unto Israel all the land] That is, He gave them a right to the whole country, which was distributed among them, as He appointed, by a lot which He ordered and directed; and He gave them the actual possession of the greater part of it, with power to subdue the rest provided they continued in obedience.

CHAP. XXII.

Verse 12.- the whole congregation-gathered themselves together to go up to war against them.] They thought this altar to be built, either in imitation of heathen high places, or as a separate place of sacrifice and publick worship, distinct from that of the tabernacle, and consequently to imply a plain revolt from the express law of God.

17. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us,] Is the iniquity, of which so many of us were guilty in worshipping Peor, too small a provocation committed by us towards God, from which we are not cleansed until this day? there being some remaining, they feared, infected with those idolatrous inclinations, whom God might justly cut off, although there was on the former occasion a plague which destroyed 24,000. Numb. xxv. 9.

19.-if the land of your possession be unclean,] If you think that your own land is unclean, or less holy, for want of an altar among you, then " ye over" unto our land.

pass

25.-ye have no part in the Lord :] Ye are none of the Lord's people, as not living within the bounds of the promised Land.

28.-but it is a witness between us and you.] The altar was intended as a memorial, that the two tribes and half, though separated from the rest by the river, were of the same religion with the other tribes, and had an equal right to the tabernacle at Shiloh, and the worship of God there performed.

The altar was called " Ed," verse 34. that is, a witness, namely, "that the Lord is God,” that He was their God, and that they would worship Him only.

CHAP. XXIII.

Verse 7.-neither make mention of the name of their gods,] That is, do not mention their names, as objects of worship, with any sort of reverence.

–nor cause to swear by then, This being a peculiar mark of respect, as implying an acknowledgment, that he, in whose name the oath was taken, had power to punish those who forswore themselves.

13.-they shall be snares and traps unto you,] They shall remain in the land to seduce you to fur.ther impiety. “ And scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes," They shall be the means of bringing the sorest punishments and most grievous afflictions upon you.

CHAP. XXIV.

Verse 3.-from the other side of the flood,] From the other side of the river Euphrates.

12. And I sent the hornet before you,] The meaning may either be, that, before the Israelites came

into those parts, God sent hornets which so infested them, that many of the inhabitants were forced to leave the country and fly into other parts; or that, when the Israelites were come into the country, these hornets by assailing the inhabitants, made the victory over them the more easy. God had before promised to "send the hornets" at Exod. xxiii. 28. Deut. vii. 20. and here Joshua recites how faithful He had been to His promise.

15.-if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, &c.] He could not think they would turn Atheists, and have no God at all; and he was unwilling to suppose they would prefer any other God to Him who had obliged them by so many benefits. He expresses this in a rhetorical form of speech, which is as much as to say, If ye like not God's service, tell me whom ye will serve?

- as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.] We have here a double pattern for us: first, of the brave resolution of a good man, that if there were occasion, and things were brought to that extremity, he would stand alone in the profession and practice of true religion. Secondly, of the pious care of a good father and master of a family, to train up those under his charge in the true religion and worship of God. From the first, we should learn to hold fast the profession of our faith, and to take up the same pious resolution which Joshua did, under any trials to which God may be pleased to expose us; from the second, to exert the greatest possible diligence to make our "houses serve the Lord," to have our children carefully educated, and our families regularly and religiously ordered.

19.-Ye cannot serve the Lord:] This expression is far from implying an utter impossibility of their serving God; but is employed to intimate, that such was their extreme proneness to idolatry, they would never be able to persevere steadfast in their resolution, unless they constantly reflected upon the many great considerations, which obliged them to implicit obedience. "For He is an holy God," or One who will not be served with the impure rites of the Heathen; "a jealous God" who endures no rival, not suffering men to serve other gods as well as Him; " He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins" in giving to another the worship due to Him alone, but will severely punish such offenders.

27.-for it hath heard all the words] By a figure of speech, the stone is said to have heard, what had passed, because it would remain to all posterity to testify the engagements here contracted.

Nothing is more frequent in Scripture than expressions, which cannot be understood in a literal, and therefore must be in a metaphorical or figurative sense of which this language of Joshua is an example.