The History of the Old Testament Methodized

SECT. XCIII.

MOses now having spoken all that he intended to speak to the Children of Israel, [Ch. XXXIV] and having pronounced his last blessing upon them, and (as 'tis like) taken his solemn leave of them, went up from the Plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the highest top whereof called Pisgah, lay over against Jericho, Joshua and Eleazar (as some think) accompanying him. And as a weary Labourer at night goes to his Chamber to take his rest, so this holy man, after all his great and wearisome Labors in the Governing this people, at the Commandment of God went up to Mount Nebo there to die, and so to rest from his Labors. But before he died, the Lord was pleased to give him a sight of the promised Land. And first, He shown him all the Land of Gilead unto Dan. Gilead was on the outside of Jordan, Dan was a City in the furthest part of the Land within Jordan Northward; Then He shown him the portion of Naphtali which was near unto it; Then the Land of Ephraim and Manasseh which was in the midst of Canaan; Then the Land of Judah which was the Southern part of the Country, and then the Plain and Valley of Jericho which was on the East-Coast, and the Midland-Sea (called the Outmost-Sea ) which was the Western-Coast. This view therefore that Moses had of the whole Land was by the miraculous power of God strengthening his sight so wonderfully; for by the ordinary power of Nature, it was not possible that from one place he should have beheld so large a Country, therefore verse. 4. 'tis said, God caused him to see it with his eyes, and told him, This was the Land which he sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give it unto their Seed. Moses having had a full prospect of this earthly Canaan, there died, and his Soul went to the heavenly, being an 120 years old, his eyes not being dim, nor his radical moisture abated. Of this time he had spent near a full third part in his Government of this people, departing this life in the last month of the Year called Adar, and the seventh day of it. Moses 's Soul being gone to Heaven, Jehovah or Michael the Son of God [ Jude, v. 9.] translated his body out of the place where he died, into a Valley of the Land of Moab over against Beth-Peor, and there buried it; Neither doth any man know the place where he laid it to this day. And this the Lord seems to have done, that the Israelites might not in a preposterous Zeal give superstitious honor either to his dead body or Sepulcher. Indeed 'tis said, Jude, v. 9. That Michael the Arch-Angel contended with the Devil, and disputed about the body of Moses, whereby it appears that the Devil would have had the place of his burial made known, that it might have been the occasion of Idolatry, as Chrysostom in his First Homily on Matthew and Theodoret upon Deut. quest. 43. with others do conjecture, but the Lord prevented the Devils design herein. And possibly God foresaw that if the Israelites had known the place where the body of Moses was buried, they would in an unwarrantable way have taken it up, and carried it with them into the Land of Canaan (as they did Joseph 's bones) whereas God had declared, He should not come thither.

Moses being dead, the Israelites mourned for him 30 days. And there was great reason for it; for there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face; that is, spake to in a wondrous familiar manner, with an audible articulate Voice as one friend speaketh to another, and discovered to him more of his Glory than ever he did to the eye of mortal man, see Exod. 33.20. There was none like unto him, if we consider the great Miracles which the Lord enabled him to do in the Land of Egypt, before Pharaoh and his Servants, and the wonderful Works of mighty Power which he since performed in the Wilderness in the sight of all Israel, whereby the Lord magnified his own Majesty and Power, and put a great honor on his Servant Moses, and his Ministry. But though this great Moses was gone, yet God left not his people without a Governor, for He had beforehand appointed Joshua to succeed him, who was a man endued with a great measure of wisdom, which the Holy Ghost had given him, for the right execution of his Office. For Moses had laid his hands on him according to God's Command, Numb. 27.18. by that Ceremony consecrating him unto God, and engaging him faithfully to administer the Charge and Office He was appointed unto. And the Children of Israel hearkened unto him, and obeyed him as the Lord commanded Moses to enjoin them.

SECT. XCIV.

WE are now come to the Book of Joshua, which was not probably written by himself, at least not all of it, though it contains his Acts and Atchievements. Indeed Joshua either wrote himself, or ordered some of the Priests to write the words of the Covenant (which he caused the people to enter into) with all the Circumstances of it [ Ch. 24.26.] in the Book of the Law of God which was written by Moses, and put in the side of the Ark, that so it might be a Witness against them if they transgressed it. But there are some things contained in this Book which are thought to be done after Joshua 's death, as the conquering of Leshem or Laish by the Danites; [Ch. 19.47. Judge. 18.7. to 29.] and Ch. 24. from 29. to 32. his death and burial are mentioned; Some other things seem to argue that it was written by some Prophet long after his death, as that phrase [remains unto this day] so frequently used doth intimate. And the Book of Jasher is here named, Ch. 10.13. which seems written at soonest in David 's time, as recording an Act of his, 2 Sam. 1.18. unless we should suppose (which is not improbable) that this Book of Jasher was begun in Moses 's time, and continued on, and enlarged afterwards by adding several memorable Acts and Passages unto it.

Joshua was of the Tribe of Ephraim, Numb. 13.8. He was six full years in Conquering the Land, and in the seventh divided it by lot among the nine Tribes and an half. And divers years he lived and governed after that time, but how many is uncertain; yet it is supposed to be about ten years. And so this Book contains an History of seventeen years from the beginning of Joshua 's Government to his death, which happened when he was an hundred and ten years old, Ch. 24.29. And so much by way of Preface. We now come to the History itself.

After the death of Moses the Lord spake to Joshua, Moses 's Minister, who had for many years daily and continual conversation with him, and so could not but have learned much thereby to fit him for this great Service.

But whither the Lord spake to him by audible Voice, or the secret instinct of his Spirit, or in some Dream, or by the High Priests inquiring for him by Urim and Thummim, we cannot determine. But however it was he spake to him, and commanded him to arise and lead His people over into the Land of Canaan, which he had before promised them, and intended now actually to give them.

He tells him, That every place in the Land which the sole of their foot should tread upon, from the Wilderness of Zin, which was the South-bound, to Lebanon which was the North-bound, and the great Sea, or Midland-Sea, which was the Western-bound, and the River Euphrates which was the Eastern-bound, even all the Land of the Hittites (which seem here mentioned by a Synecdoche for all the seven Nations ) should be their Coast. The Lord tells him, That not a man should be able to stand before him all the days of his life, but as He was with Moses, so He would be with him, and would never leave him, nor forsake him. He bids him therefore be strong and of a good courage, for he should divide the Land of Canaan to the people of Israel for an Inheritance. Only that he should be careful to observe the Law that Moses gave him, and not turn from it to the right hand or to the left.

He commands him to read over diligently the Copy of this Law, and to meditate thereon day and night, that his heart being filled with the knowledge thereof, in all his Judgments he might be able readily to judge and pronounce as it is in that Law determined, and in all things might order himself according to the directions there given, and this would be the way to prosper and have good success in all that he went about.

Joshua having received these Commands from God, He sent out two Spies from Shittim, where the Camp now lay, to view the City of Jericho, and the Country about it, to see how the City was fortified, and in what posture the people thereabout were. The Spies passing over the Fords of Jordan, and coming thither, betook themselves to the house of Rahab an Hostess or Victualler. The news of this being brought to the King of Jericho, he presently sent Messengers to Rahab, charging her to bring forth the men that were come into her house. But she having some intimation (possibly by the muttering of her Neighbors) that her house would be searched, she presently took the two men and carried them to the roof of her house (that was flat ) and there hid them under stalks of Flax. It seems she had heard of the great things the Lord had done for the Israelites, and by a special and extraordinary persuasion of God's Spirit she did verily believe that God had determined that this people should destroy the Inhabitants of Canaan, and dwell in their room; and therefore resolved to do what she could for the preserving of these Spies (with whom 'tis like she had had some Conference before, and had been instructed about these matters) though it were with the hazard of herself. When the Kings Messengers came to her, the told them, There had been indeed two men in her house, but whence they came she knew not. They went away from her house a little before the shutting of the Gates when it was dark. They were but newly gone, and if they immediately pursued after them, she supposed they would quickly overtake them. The Messengers accordingly went presently in pursuit of them towards the Fords of Jordan. Rahab, before the Spies had been long laid down among the Flax, came up to them, and told them what had passed. Then she said unto them, I am persuaded that the Lord hath given you this Land; your Terror is fallen upon us, and the hearts of this people faint before you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red-Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og. The Report of these things hath made our hearts melt within us. For the Lord your God He is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and there is none like him. Now therefore I pray you swear unto me by the Lord, that since I have shown you kindness, you will show kindness to my Fathers house, and that ye will save alive my Father and Mother, my Brethren and Sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And give me a sign or token whereby we may make ourselves known to you when you shall take this City, and upon sight whereof you will be true and faithful to us, and will save us from the general destruction. The men answered, Our life for yours; This they spake (as it seems) by way of Oath or Execration, as Rahab had desired of them, verse. 12. As if they should have said, May destruction light upon us if we take not such order that you and yours shall be preserved, provided none of you reveal this our business; that is, this our agreement and compact with you to spare your lives. Rahab having obtained these terms of them, she let them down by a Cord or Line made of Scarlet-thread thorough the Window (her house being upon the City-Wall) and bad them to get them to the Mountain, lest the Pursuers should meet them, and to hide themselves there three days. These Spies thus let down, giving Rahab (as 'tis like) many thanks for her kindness to them, told her, That they would faithfully observe this Oath she had made them swear to her, when they came to besiege the City, provided she performed these three Conditions: 1. The Line of Scarlet-thread, whereby she had let them down, should be tied to the Window of her house, as a Token by which the house should be known from others. 2. Her Father, and Mother, and Kindred, should come to her house, and abide there, and not stir out of doors. 3. She should not discover this Agreement or Compact to any others whatsoever, lest the Israelites should be deluded by others hanging out Scarlet-lines at their Windows as well as they. She agrees to all, and says, According to your words so let it be. Thus these two Spies escaped, and came to Joshua, and told him all that had happened to them, and farther said, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the Land of Canaan, for the hearts of the people faint for fear of us.

Joshua hearing these things, He commands the Officers to go thorough the Camp, and to tell the people, That within three days they should pass over Jordan, and therefore they should prepare themselves Victuals, viz. all provisions fit for such a Journey excepting bread, for Manna was yet continued to them, and ceased not till after they came into Canaan. He puts the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-Tribe of Manasseh in mind of their promise made to Moses, That they would assist their Brethren in the Conquering of the Land; They promise a ready compliance with his Commands, telling him, That as they had hearkened unto Moses, so they would hearken unto him, and prayed unto the Lord to prosper him in all his proceedings, as he prospered Moses. And they tell him, That if any man refuse to obey his Commands he shall be put to death, therefore they entreat him to be of good courage.

Joshua, Ch. 1. whole Chapter.

Joshua, Ch. 2. whole Chapter.

SECT. XCV.

THe next morning after this preparation they removed from Shittim, and marched near to the River Jordan, and there Encamped that night. Joshua commands them to sanctify and prepare themselves, by bringing their hearts into an holy frame, that with reverence they might observe the great things God would do for them the next day. He also gave Orders to the people that when they saw the Ark of the Covenant (born by the Priests) to remove, they should then prepare to follow it, but yet so as there should be a space of about 2000 Cubits interposed between it and them, to teach them to fear the Lord their God, of whose presence among them the Ark was a sign, and that the Lord by the Ark that went before them might show them a safe way for them to go in, before they set one foot in the Channel; and intimates to them they needed this Guidance, having never passed this way before.

Now the Lord tells Joshua, That He would that day magnify him in the sight of all Israel, that they might know that He was with him as He was with Moses. Joshua then commanded the Priests to take up the Ark, and when they came to the brink of the waters of Jordan, they should make a little stand upon their first setting their feet into the waters which then overflowed the Banks, verse. 15. (it being the time of Barley-Harvest, which in that Country was in the month Abib, ) namely, till of the Lord had miraculously divided the waters, and opened a passage for them, and the people to go thorough. Then Joshua called the people together, and said to them, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Nations that now possess this Land of Canaan; behold the Ark of the Covenant, even the Ark of the Lord of all the Earth passeth over before you into Jordan. And take ye twelve men out of the Tribes of Israel, out of every Tribe a man, that they may go along with the Priests, and may be present and Eye-witnesses of this miraculous Work of God's dividing the River of Jordan. For as soon as the soles of the Priests feet (that bear the Ark) shall rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters that are above shall stand upon an heap, firm as a wall, swelling continually and rising higher and higher, even as far backward as from the City Adam, that is besides Zaretan unto the place where you are to pass over. And by reason of the successive coming down of the waters from above, and their stay in that place, you will discern that they were bounded and barred up by the Almighty Power of God. And as for the waters below, according to their ordinary course, they shall pass away, and run towards the Dead-Sea, and so shall fail, being cut off as it were from, and not supplied by the waters from above. And accordingly it came to pass, as Joshua foretold them. And on the tenth day of the first month the Israelites by the leading of Joshua (a Type of Jesus Christ) went up out of the River of Jordan into the promised Land of Canaan (a Type of Heaven. ) In this passage the people hasted and passed over immediately to the other side, right against Jericho. But the Priests (that bare the Ark) stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, till all the people were passed over; which commends the strength of their Faith, Patience, and Obedience, in that they stirred not till Joshua called them to come up out of the River, notwithstanding the dreadful sight of those hideous Mountains of water which were every minute ready to overwhelm them, unless they had been miraculously stayed by the Hand of God. When the people were all passed over, Joshua, by God's direction, appoints the twelve men (before mentioned, verse. 12.) to take out of the River of Jordan (where the Priests feet stood) twelve great stones, and carrying them upon their Shoulders to Gilgal (where they were to Incamp that night) there to set them up in that place. He also ordered twelve great stones to be set up in the midst of Jordan where the Priests stood, which possibly at a low Ebb might be seen afterwards on the Shore. Both these were to be a Monument to the Children of Israel, that when their Children in after-times should ask their Fathers the meaning of them, they should tell them, These were a Memorial of this great Miracle which the Lord was pleased to work, when he divided Jordan before the Ark, that the twelve Tribes might pass over. And they should say to them, The Lord dried up the waters of Jordan before you, verse. 23. until ye were passed over, as the Lord did formerly at the Red-Sea; that is, in as much as he did it for your Ancestors he did it for you, who were then in their Loins. And He did it that all the Earth might know his Almighty Power, and that ye might fear the Lord your God forever. Thus as Moses had commanded Joshua to see that all things should be done according to the direction of the Lord, so Joshua in this their passage over Jordan did all things as the Lord commanded. The Children of Reuben and Gad and the half-Tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the Children of Israel as they had promised Moses they would do, Numb. 32.27. About forty thousand of them ready armed for battle passed over, which were but few more than one third part of their military men, see Numb. 26.7, 18, 34. The rest stayed behind to defend their Wives and Children, and to look to their Cattle. In that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they feared and reverenc'd him as they did Moses all the days of his life. All these things being done, Joshua commanded the Priests (that bare the Ark) to come up out of Jordan, which as soon as they had done, the waters that were before restrained and kept back by the power of God, flowed down according to their ordinary course, and at last flowed over all the Banks as they did before. When the Kings of the Amorites and Canaanites heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan for the Children of Israel to pass over, their hearts fainted, neither was there anymore spirit or courage in them.

Joshua, Ch. 3. whole Chapter.

Joshua, Ch. 4. whole Chapter, and Ch. 5. v. 1.

SECT. XCVI.

THe next day Joshua is commanded by God to renew the use of Circumcision, which had been forborne and intermitted these forty years last past, and to Circumcise those that were born in their Travels thorough the Wilderness, who had not been hitherto circumcised. And the Reasons why it was now enjoined (as we may suppose) were these: 1. That this might signify to them that it was by virtue of that Covenant which God had made with their Fathers (whereof Circumcision was an outward Seal ) that they were now put into the possession of the Land of Canaan. 2ly, That they might more courageously Encounter the Canaanites, having upon them this Badge of their Adoption. 3ly, Because on the fourteenth day of this month at even they were to eat the Passover, of which none might eat that were not circumcised, Exod. 12.48. 4ly, When they came into the Land of Canaan they were to observe all the Precepts of the Ceremonial Law, [ Deut. 12.8, 9, 10.] and therefore this of Circumcision among the rest. 5ly, Circumcision was now enjoin'd them, that hereby God might make trial of their Faith and Obedience. And indeed a very hard trial it was, if we consider that those that were the very flower and strength of their Armies were now to be circumcised, (viz. all that were under forty years of age) and when they lay sore, how easy had it been for their Enemies to have overcome them, as may appear from the slaughter Simeon and Levi made upon the Shechemites, when they lay in the same condition, Gen. 34.25, 26. So that nothing could be more dangerous in the eye of reason than that which God now enjoin'd them. But thus God was pleased to try their Faith, viz. whither in confidence of his Protection they would do what he enjoin'd them, though it seemed in itself so exceeding perilous. Joshua therefore in Obedience to God's Command, and for these Reasons before-mentioned, renewed now this Sacrament of Circumcision, and 'tis probable that all that were before circumcised were employed in this Service, that it might be the sooner dispatched; and so the place where this was done was upon this occasion called the Hill of Fore-skins, because there they did cast away or bury the Fore-skins of those that were that day circumcised. The Israelites thus circumcised abode in their places in the Camp till they were whole, no Enemy attempting anything against them, or once offering to molest them; no not so much as to scare them, or put them in any fright. This being done, the Lord said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away from you the Reproach of Egypt; as if he should have said, Had these Israelites continued in their Uncircumcision, they would rather have seemed to be uncircumcised Egyptians than the Israel of God, but now being circumcised, this Reproach of Egypt is rolled away from them, [see 1 Sam. 17.26. Gen. 34.14.]

Josh. Ch. 5. from 1. to 10.

SECT. XCVII.

UPon the fourteenth day of this first month in the evening the Israelites celebrated their first Passover in the Land of Canaan, and on the morrow after did eat both unleavened Cakes of the old Corn, and parched Corn of the new, even the very same day whereon the Sheaf of the first-fruits of their Harvest was offered to the Lord; after the offering whereof they might lawfully eat of the new Corn, and not till then. And Manna ceased the very day after they began to eat of the Fruits of the Land, so that after that they saw it no more. By which it was evident to them, that Manna came not all that time they had enjoyed it, from any natural Cause in the Clouds, but was provided for them in an extraordinary way by the Almighty Power of God.

Josh. Ch. 5. verse. 10, 11, 12.

SECT. XCVIII.

JOshua now approaching nearer to Jericho, possibly to observe the Country about it, and to contrive how he might best assail it, and perhaps retiring a little alone to pray unto the Lord for direction in this matter, on a sudden he beheld a man standing over against him with his Sword drawn in his hand; Joshua went to him and said, Art thou for us or for our Adversaries? The man said, Nay but as a Captain of the Host of the Lord am I come unto thee. Then Joshua fell on his face to the Earth, and worshipping him, said, What saith my Lord to his Servant. And he said, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest his holy; and Joshua did so. This Captain of the Lord's Host was not Gabriel, or any other created Angel, but Michael the Arch-Angel, [Jude v. 9.] the great Prince of God's people, [Dan. 10.21. & 12.1.] the Angel of the Covenant, [Mal. 3.1.] Christ, the eternal Son of God, who appeared here and sundry other times in the shape of a man, as a foregoing Presage and pre-signification of his future Incarnation, and this appeareth by Joshua 's adoring him as the Lord Jehovah, [Ch. 6.2.] and his acceptance of it, which a created Angel would have refused, [ Rev. 19.10.] and by his commanding Joshua to put off his shoes, because the place was holy, [like to that, Exod. 3.5.] not that the place was capable of any inherent holiness in itself, but hallowed by God's holy presence in it, and in relation to that only to be so esteemed, and which ceased to be so when his appearance was withdrawn from it. This Captain instructs Joshua about the manner of besieging and conquering Jericho. He commands him for six days together to march his Army round about the City, that the Priests should carry the Ark about it, and seven Priests with Trumpets of Rams-horns should blow before it, and on the seventh day to do it seven several times; At the last of which when the Priests blew with a long blast, all the people should give a great shout, at which the Walls of Jericho should fall down, and so the Israelites should enter into it, and destroy it. Joshua having received these Directions from the Lord, acquaints the people with them, who believed the Lord would work this Miracle for them, (as he had newly divided the waters of Jordan ) and therefore the Apostle says, Heb. 11.30. By Faith the walls of Jericho fell down. Joshua tells them, That the Lord would give the City into their hands, but it should be accursed, or devoted, (even it, and all that was therein) to the Lord, (except Rahab and her Family who hid the Spies ) that is, shall be offered to divine Justice as a kind of First-fruits, thereby intimating that the whole Land was his, but that he was pleased to give it them. He tells them, All the Silver, and Gold, and Vessels of Brass and Iron were to be consecrated to the Lord, and brought into his Treasury. Therefore (says he) keep yourselves, all of you, from the accursed thing; Take none of the accursed, banned things to your own use, lest you bring a Curse upon yourselves, and upon the Camp of Israel thereby. Joshua having given the people these Instructions, he gave order to the Army to march round about the City seven days, in the manner that was prescribed, the Sabbath-day being one of them, and that by Command of him who is Lord of the Sabbath. The armed-men marched before the Ark, and the remainder of the people that were in the Rear (not armed) followed after; and thus they did six days; on the seventh day they rose early, and compassed the City after the same manner seven times; and at the seventh time when the Priests (that blew with the Trumpets ) made a long blast, Joshua bad them shout, for the Lord had given them the City. The people hereupon gave a great shout, and the wall of the City fell down flat, viz. all that part of it, over against which the Israelites in a long train marched, and so all the armed men went up every man right from the place where they were, and entered in at the breach into the City. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the City, Men, Women, young and old, and the Oxen, and Asses, and Sheep, and what ever they met with, excepting Rahab and her Family, whom Joshua sent the two Spies unto (whom she had preserved) to bring them forth, and to leave them without the Camp, till they were cleansed from their former pollutions (according to the Law, Numb. 31.19.) and were instructed in the Israelites Religion, and admitted into the Congregation; and so they and their Posterity continued among the Israelites, and Rahab was afterwards married to Salmon, a Prince of the Tribe of Judah, one of Christ's Progenitors, Matth. 1.5. Luke 3.32. Then they burnt the City with fire, and all that was therein, excepting only the Silver, and Gold, and Iron, and Brass, which were reserved to be put into the Treasury of the House of the Lord, none of them offering to meddle with one jot of the Spoil, save only Achan, of whom more presently. In the judgment of reason one would have thought it must needs be grievous to the Israelites to destroy so brave a City, and so goodly Houses (wherein they might so conveniently have settled themselves) and the Prey and Spoil of so fair and rich a City, whereby they might have so greatly enriched themselves. The more remarkable therefore and commendable was their ready Obedience herein to God's Commands. And Joshua by a special Inspiration of the Holy Ghost adjured them not to go about to build that City again, and pronounced a Curse upon that man that by rebuilding it, should (as it were) endeavor to blot out the memorial of this miraculous Work of God in giving this Idolatrous City, after so strange a manner, into their hands. Whosoever shall go about to do it (says He) he shall lay the Foundation thereof in his First-born, and in his youngest Son shall he set up the Gates thereof; that is, it shall cost him the loss of his Children; of the first when he begins it, of the other as he goeth forward with the work, and of the youngest when he finisheth it, and hangeth up the Gates thereof. This Curse afterwards fell upon Hiel the Bethelite, who in Ahab 's Reign built this City again, 1 Kings 16.34. This man was very ignorant if he knew not of this Curse, but if he did know of it, he was very audacious, and impudently profane in not regarding it. But though he was in his own particular severely punished for thus transgressing God's Command, and neglecting this Curse, yet the City being rebuilt, it was afterward allowed for a fit Habitation even for good men to lodge in, as Elijah and Elisha, 2 Kings 2.4, 18. yea our Savior himself did honor this City with his presence, and Miracles, Luke 19.1, 5.

Josh. Ch. 5. from 13. to the end.

Josh. Ch. 6. whole Chapter.

SECT. XCIX.

JOshua now sent Spies to Ai, not to go into it (as those sent to Jericho did) but to bring him Intelligence in what posture the City and Country thereabout was. The Spies return, and make a Report as if the place were of no great strength, and might easily be taken by a few of the Israelites; and therefore there was no need to carry up the whole Host of Israel against it. Let only about two or three thousand (say they) go up and finite it. Joshua accordingly sent up about three thousand against it. But the men of Ai courageously sallying out upon them, the Israelites fled presently before them, which plainly shown that God being offended with them for something amiss among them, did in an extraordinary manner strike them with fear and astonishment. The men of Ai chased them from their City Gates to Shebarim, and killed 36 of them in the going down of the Hill, so that it seems the Israelies fled at the first On-set, and were slain only in flying. The whole people of Israel were extremely terrified and dismayed at this. For God seemed to have withdrawn his supporting Hand from them, and in such a case the most stout and valiant will soon shrink and be afraid. Joshua and the Elders of Israel hereupon rent their Clothes, put dust upon their Heads, and fell to the earth on their faces before the Ark. Neither was it their loss so much as the apprehension of God's displeasure that so much afflicted them. God had promised that no man should stand before them, [Ch. 1.5.] and that they should drive out the Inhabitants out of the Land. Their flying therefore now before the Enemy, especially in such an inglorious manner, was a plain Demonstration that God was offended with them, and had withdrawn his gracious presence from them. And the smallest Affliction if it be looked upon as an effect of God's anger, is very dreadful. Joshua lying thus prostrate before the Lord, said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. I wish we had been content to have staid and dwelt on the other side Jordan. O Lord what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their Enemies.

For the Canaanites, the Inhabitants of this Land will hear of it, and will inviron us round, and cut off our Name and Memorial from off the Earth, and what wilt thou then do to thy great Name? How wilt thou preserve thy Glory, when the Canaanites shall say, Thou hadst not power to subdue them, nor defend us against them, and thou wast not able to give us this Land which thou hadst promised us. See Deut. 33.27.

Then the Lord spake to Joshua, saying, Get thee up, why liest thou prostrate on thy face? Thou mayest be sure that something is amiss among you, that hath provoked Me to forsake you. Know therefore, that one of the Children of Israel hath committed a high Trespass against Me; He hath reserved a part of the Spoils of Jericho, which as accursed things should have been burnt; He hath taken of that which I reserved to my Self, viz. Gold and Silver, and hath done this closely, and cunningly, carrying the matter so, as if he had done no such thing, or had not considered or regarded my Omniscience; and he hath put what he stole among his own stuff, the more to conceal it. And this is the cause why the Children of Israel could not stand before their Enemies, because one of them hath transgressed in the accursed thing; And you must know, that I have always just cause to punish any of my people for Sin in themselves, though I take occasion to strike them sometimes for the sins of those among whom they live. Therefore I tell you, there is an accursed thing in the midst of you, and you cannot stand before your Enemies till it be taken away; I will not be with you anymore, except you destroy from among you the person that is found guilty of stealing the accursed thing, and who is thereby become accursed himself. He commands Joshua therefore to go and call upon the people to sanctify themselves, by legal Purifications, washing their Clothes, Abstinence, Prayers, Devotions, and much more by purity of Heart and Affections, [see Exod. 19.10.] that they being thus prepared to appear in God's presence, the Offender might be discovered, and punished, and the people freed from the Curse which he had brought upon them.

The Lord further directs Joshua how to find out the Offendor, viz. by casting lots, first to find out his Tribe; then to cast lots upon the several Families in that Tribe, to find the guilty Family; then to cast lots to find the particular Household in that Family; and lastly, to find out the particular person in that Household that had offended, whom he orders, when discovered, to be burnt with fire, (as the things anathematiz'd and accursed were to be) after he hath been stoned as a presumptuous Transgressor of God's Commandment, [see Numb. 15.30, 35.] and that he and all that he hath shall be so served, because he hath trangressed the Covenant of the Lord, viz. the Commandment that he gave them, [Ch. 6.18.] and which they accepted of with a voluntary submission to the punishment therein threatened in case of Transgression, and because he had wrought folly and wickedness in Israel. And possibly the Lord was pleased to appoint this long way of trial, to try whither Achan would come in voluntarily, and confess his sin; and therefore by his holding out so long, even till the lot fell upon his own person, there was a notable discovery made, how hardly men are brought to confess their secret sins, and how prone they are to flatter themselves, that their secret sins shall not be discovered. Hereby also the Lord made known how the most casual things, even casting of lots, are governed by his Providence, [see Prov. 16.33.] a truth the fitter to be cleared to this people, because the Land was shortly to be divided to them by lot. Joshua the next morning calling the Tribes together, and proceeding in the way and method before prescribed, Achan the Son of Carmi, the Son of Zabdi, the Son of Zerah, of the Tribe of Judah was taken.

Achan being thus taken, Joshua said unto him, My Son give I pray thee Glory to the Lord God of Israel, in acknowledging his Omniscience, and make an humble and penitent confession to him of thy sin, and tell me truly what thou hast done, hide it not from me. Achan said, I have sinned against the Lord; when I saw among the Spoils of Jericho a goodly Babylonish-Garment, and two hundred Shekels of Silver, and a Wedge of Gold of fifty Shekels, then I coveted them; and took them, and behold they are hid in the earth, and the Silver under the Garment. Joshua sent Messengers to the Tent, and they found the things which Achan had confessed, and brought them to Joshua and the Elders of Israel, and exposed them to the view of all before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, where the Ark was the Emblem of God's presence among them. Then Joshua and the Israelites took Achan with the things he had stolen, together with his Children, and his Oxen, Asses and Sheep, his Tent, and all that he had, and carried them down to the Valley, (called afterwards upon this occasion) the Valley of Achor. And Joshua then said to him, Why hast thou troubled us; the Lord shall trouble thee this day. Then they stoned him and his Children, (who 'tis probable either assisted him in what He did, or living in the same Tent with him, knew what he had stolen, and hidden, and concealed it, and so tacitly consented to it,) and afterwards burnt him, and his Children, and his Cattle, and all that he had stolen, and all that he had, and they raised over him a great heap of stones, as a Monument to warn Posterity not to provoke God by transgressing his Commandments, as Achan had done; which Monument remained when this History was written. And thus the Anger of the Lord was turned away from Israel.

Ch. 7. whole Chapter.

SECT. C.

THe Lord now encourages Joshua, and commands him to take the whole Army with him, (for the better heartening of the people) and to go against Ai, for he would give the City and the Land belonging to it into his hands; And he should utterly destroy it, and the King, and the Inhabitants thereof, as they did to Jericho, only the Spoil thereof, and the Cattle thereof they should take to themselves. And possibly the whole Army was commanded to go up; because they were all to participate in the Spoil of the City: But God would not have them as yet possess any fortified Towns or Cities, lest they should put confidence in the strength of those places, and not wholly rest and rely on his Providence.

Joshua hereupon marched with all the men of War from Gilgal, till they were come so near Ai, that they might the following night go up to it. Then he sent from thence that night thirty thousand of his choicest men with a Charge, that taking the advantage of the night, they should lay an Ambush of five thousand in the West part of the City, between Bethel and Ai, and the other 25 thousand should stay somewhere near them, that they might assist them, in case the Inhabitants of the City should discover them, and come out with all their Power against them. Joshua lodged that night with the rest of the Army, and early next morning before it was day, he went up after this thirty thousand, and joining (as it is probable) with the 25 thousand, pitched on the North-side of Ai, but in a place where the men of Ai could not yet discover them, there being a Valley between them and the City, verse. 10, 11. Having thus set the Ambush on the West-side, and the body of the Army on the North-side of the City; Joshua early in the morning visited his Army, to fee if they were all ready, and in good array, and then went presently himself into the midst of the Valley with a small party with him, purposing that as soon as it was day to show themselves to the men of Ai, that they might thereupon be the more encouraged to sally out against them. The King of Ai hearing of this small Party in the Valley, He gave Order, that all the Garrison-Soldiers should be presently got ready at such a time, and accordingly they all met, and together with their King sallied forth, and set upon the Israelites. Joshua and the rest that were with him designedly fled before them towards the body of their Army (left on the Hill beyond the Plain) to draw them off from the City. It being once noised that the Israelites fled, all that could bear Arms in Ai were instantly called to pursue after them, there was not a Soldier left in Ai or Bethel (for it seems the Inhabitants of that Town being near Ai had joined with them) but all ran eagerly after the Israelites leaving the City open. Joshua with his Party being retired to the body of the Army, he turned his face and stretched his Spear towards Ai, upon which Signal his Soldiers (as 'tis probable) gave a mighty Shout, which the Ambush of 5000 men hearing, knew thereby it was time for them to run, and take the City; which accordingly they did, and presently set some one or more houses therein on fire, that by the smoke ascending, the Israelites might perceive the City was taken; the men of Ai that pursued Joshua looking back, and seeing the smoke of their City ascending, were quite disheartened. Then Joshua and his Army fell upon them, and the five thousand that had entered the City issued out upon their backs, so that they were hemm'd in behind and before, and so the Israelites made a vast Slaughter of them, and spared none they could lay their hands on, save only their King, whom they took alive, and brought to Joshua. Then the Israelites went up to Ai, and smote it with the edge of the Sword, so that all that fell that day, both in the Field and in the City, were about twelve thousand. For Joshua drew not his hand back, but with his Spear stretched forth, led them on in the Chase and Slaughter of their Enemies, till they were destroyed. The Cattle and Spoil of the City the Israelites took to themselves, as God had commanded. But Joshua burnt the City, and made it an heap and a desolation for a very long time, though afterwards in the days of Nehemiah it was rebuilt, and inhabited by the Benjamites, as we find Neh. 11.31. and then it was not called Ai, but Aijah, above a thousand years after it was demolished. Joshua hanged the King of Ai upon a Tree till eventide, and when the Sun was set, he commanded him to be taken down, and to be cast at the entrance of the Gate of the City, and that a great heap of Stones should be raised over Him.

Josh. 8. from 1. to 30.

SECT. CI.

MOses having before his death charged the Israelites, that when they came into the Land of Canaan, they should buid a Monument of great Stones, and write the Law thereon, and at the same time should build an Altar of whole stones, and offer Sacrifices thereon, and that on Mount Gerizim, and Mount Ebal, (where this was to be done) the people should in a solemn manner give their consent to certain Blessings and Curses, that should be read in their hearing; Therefore Joshua after the taking of Ai, finding the way to these Mountains clear and open, (by reason of the terror wherewith the Enemy was now stricken) took this time to go up with the people thither to perform this Service, which upon the first opportunity he knew they were bound to perform. And accordingly going thither, He built there this Monument, and writ the Law thereon, and built the Altar, and offered Sacrifices thereon, and the people of Israel, according to God's Command, having assembled themselves together with their Women, little Ones, and Strangers, half of them stood over against Mount Gerizim, and half of them over against Mount Ebal, (that is, not upon the top of these Mountains, but upon their ascent near unto the bottom) that they might be the nearer one to another, and both of them to the Ark, which was placed in the Valley between them, and might the more conveniently hear the Blessings and Cursings pronounced by the Priests at Joshua 's appointment. These things being done accordingly, the people gave their assent unto the Blessings and Cursings, and performed all things according to Moses 's direction given, Deut. 11.29. and Deut. 27. from 2. to 9.

Josh. Ch. 8. from 30. to the end.

SECT. CII.

THe Kings of Canaan affrighted at this great Success of the Israelites, now at last begin to combine together, and to make War against them. But the Inhabitants of Gibeon (which was a great and strong City, having other Neighbouring-Towns under its Government,) hearing of the Israelites taking Jericho and Ai, and what they did to them, yet their hearts were not so hardened as the hearts of the other Canaanites were to fight against Israel, but they were willing to submit to them, and to sue to them for Conditions of Peace; which plainly shows that it was of God, and not of themselves that these Gibeonites were thus wise and careful to provide for their own safety. They concluded there was no resisting such a people for whom God himself fought, and therefore they determined to try if they could by any means make Peace with them. And whence could this be but from God, who taught them to make a better use of the Successes he had given his people than their Neighbors did? Accordingly they sent some of their City unto Joshua (as if they had been Ambassadors from a far Country) with old Sacks upon their Asses, and old Wine Bottles patched and mended, with old clouted Shoes on their Feet, and old Garments upon their Backs, and old mouldy and dry Bread; and they came to Joshua at Gilgal, and told him, They were come from a far Country (for they had heard, as it seems, that God had forbidden the Israelites to make Peace with the Inhabitants of Cannan, verse. 24.) to desire him to make a League with them, which the Israelites might do with the Inhabitants of remote Countries, provided they would submit to become Tributaries unto them, see Deut. 20.11. The men of Israel replied, That peradventure they dwelled near them, in that very Land that they were come to take possession of, and then they might not make a League with them, nor let them dwell among them, see Deut. 20.15, 16. The Gibeonites applying themselves to Joshua (whom they discovered to be the General of the Army ) said unto him, We are thy Servants; We pray thee look upon us not as Enemies to thee as the Canaanites are, but as those that are willing to be thy faithful Allies, yea thy Servants, and wholly to submit themselves to thy pleasure, and to accept of any Conditions thou shalt please to impose on us. Joshua asks them, Whence they came? They replied, They came from a very far Country, where they had heard of the Glory of the God of Israel, and the mighty Works He had done in Egypt, and to Sihon and Og (but they mention nothing of the taking Jericho or Ai, lest the taking notice of these things might have discovered them to be near Neighbors,) therefore (say they) our Elders and the Inhabitants of our Country spake to us to take Victuals for our long Journey, and to come and address ourselves to you, and to desire you to make a League with us on what terms you please. And you may the rather be induced to believe that we came from a far Country; for this Bread of ours that you see now to be dry and mouldy, we took hot out of our Houses on the day we came out; and these leathern Wine-sacks or Bottles which we filled with Wine were new when we came out, and behold they are now rent and torn; and our very Garments and Shoes you see are become old by reason of our very long Journey. Then the men of Israel took and looked on their Victuals, and thorough too much Credulity judged by their mouldy Bread, that they were indeed come from a far Country, never inquiring of the Lord by the High Priest what Answer they should give them. Hereupon Joshua made Peace with them, and a League, promising that they should live, and not be destroyed by them, and the Princes of the Congregation sware to them to perform this Covenant. This they might lawfully do (as we said before) to Cities that were far off, and not of the Cities of the Canaanites. But after three days they understood these Gibeonites were their Neighbors, and that their Cities were nigh unto them: upon this the people murmured against their Princes for this rash and hasty League. But the Princes told them, They had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel to perform that Covenant, and therefore might not destroy them, lest wrath from the Lord should come upon them, if they should violate their Oath, as it happened afterwards in the days of Saul, who 400 years after this slew some of the Gibeonites, and so brake the Oath which their Fathers had made with them, upon which God sent a Famine upon the Land, see 2 Sam. 21.1, 2. Joshua and the Israelites finding themselves thus deceived by the Gibeonites, they marched up to them, but smote them not. Joshua highly expostulates with them, and asks them, Why they had thus beguiled them? They replied, It was certainly told thy Servants that the Lord thy God commanded his Servant Moses to bring you to this Land, and to give it you in his Name, and that you should destroy all the Inhabitants thereof before you; therefore we were sore afraid of our lives, and upon that account we have done what we have done. And now behold (say they) we are in thy hands, being willing to submit unto thee; so that thou mayest do with us, and impose upon us what Service thou pleasest. Joshua tells them, They were cursed, that is, of those cursed Nations whom God commanded them to destroy; but yet because of the Oath they had made to them, this Curse should be upon them only in bondage, and should not extend to the taking away their lives. He tells them, That none of them should be freed from being bondmen; they should be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the House of God. And so the Curse was literally and particularly fulfilled on the Gibeonites, which Noah pronounced against the Canaanites in general, Gen. 9.25. Cursed be Canaan, a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren. But yet this Curse, thorough God's mercy, became in some respects a great Blessing to these Gibeonites, seeing by these Services (though base in themselves) they had a near approach to God in the Service of the Sanctuary, for the good of their Souls, and were in a sort given and consecrated to God as the Name Nethinims (afterwards given them) doth import, see 1 Chron. 9.2. and Ezra 8.20.

Josh. Ch. 9. whole Chapter.

SECT. CIII.

ADoni-zedek King of Jerusalem, with the Kings of Hebron, Jarmath, Lachish and Eglon hearing Gibeon was fallen off from them (which was a great City ) and that the Inhabitants thereof were among the Children of Israel; that is, had incorporated themselves with them to be one people with them, and to live under the same Laws and Government, and that the Israelites and Gibeonites had daily free intercourse one with another, they joined their Forces together, and came and besieged Gibeon, resolving to Chastize it for its falling off from them, and thereby to prevent the like Revolt of other Cities. The Gibeonites immediately dispatch away Messengers to Joshua, imploring him not to slack his hand, but to come up speedily with his Forces to save and help them; for these five Neighbouring Kings (whose Cities were situate on Hills and Mountains) were come up against them. The Lord appears to Joshua, and bids him not fear them, for He had delivered them into his hand, they should not be able to stand before him. Joshua accordingly made hast, and marching his Army all night, came upon them suddenly, and the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and they slew them with a very great Slaughter near to Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth to Bethhoron and smote them unto Azehah and Makkedah. And as they fled some towards the upper, and some towards the nether Bethhoron, the Lord cast down great and prodigious Hail-stones upon them, which destroyed more of them, than the Israelites had killed with the Sword. This storm of Hail was miraculous, not only in regard of the exceeding greatness of the stones, but in that they fell only on the Canaanites, and not on the Israelites who pursued after them. Joshua being now with his Army in the heat of pursuit, and execution of their Enemies, and fearing he should want day-light to finish his Work, His spirit was excited humbly to beg of God that the Sun and Moon might stand still in the Heavens, and give them light, till they had done their work. The Lord was pleased by some special instinct of his Spirit to assure him that his Request was granted; whereupon in the presence of his Soldiers, and for their future Encouragement, looking up to Heaven, He said, Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon. And accordingly the Sun and Moon stood still, and the whole frame of the Heavens by the space of almost an whole day, till they had avenged themselves on their Enemies. So that both these great Lights beginning and ending their standing still together, the Astronomical Account was no way confounded by this stay, even as in Music the Harmony is not in any sort broken if all the Voices rest at the same time, and then begin again every man in his own part going on until the end of the Lesson, as Laurentius Codomannus observes. This is written in the Book of Jasher, which seems to be some continued Chronicle of the memorable Acts of God's Worthies in those times; which Book is since lost, though 'tis mentioned again 2 Sam. 1.18. see also Numb. 21.14. And there was no day like this either before it or after it wherein God at the prayer of a man made the Sun and Moon to stand still, and made the day twice as long as it should have been. Indeed in Hezekiah 's time the day was miraculously lengthened by the Suns 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 Dial of Ahaz; and yet it was not lengthened so much by far then, as it was now; to wit, not above two hours and an half; Neither was that done in such a manner as this was, viz. upon Joshua 's prayer to God, first desiring it, and then commanding in his Name that it should be done, see Hab. 3.11. Joshua having the day thus miraculously lengthened out for him, and following the Chase, those five Kings fled to a Cave in the Country belonging to Makkedah, and there hid themselves. Joshua being informed thereof, commanded that the entrance into the Cave should be rammed up with great stones, and a Guard set upon it, but that the rest of the Army should pursue after their Enemies, and smite the hindmost of them, and not suffer them to get into their fenced Cities, lest they should put them to a new trouble. For (says he) God fights for us, and hath delivered these our Enemies into our hands, therefore let us not by sloth and negligence lose this opportunity of destroying them which he now affordeth us. Accordingly Joshua and his Soldiers made that day a great Slaughter of their Enemies, so that only a few of them escaped, which got into their fenced Cities. [For though he at present destroyed the Enemy in the Field, yet (it seems) he did not take their fenced Cities till some time after, though they are related in this Chapter as taken presently, because the Writer of this Book did resolve to give (as it were) one short Draught of the War.] Now those whom Joshua had sent forth to pursue the Enemy returned to him in peace, (that is, sound and safe, ) to Makkedah where his Camp was at present. And now the Canaanites were very quiet, and durst not offer the Israelites the least Disturbance, no not so much as a Dog barked against them, to allude to that proverbial Speech, Exod. 11.7. Then Joshua caused the five Kings to be brought out of the Cave to him, and He called for his Captains and chief Commanders, and bad them put their feet upon their Necks, not in a proud insulting manner, but to teach them that they were to show no mercy to this people, and to intimate to them that thus they should tread all their Enemies under their feet. Then Joshua commanded that these five Kings should be slain, and hanged on five Trees, where they hung till evening, and then they took them down and cast them into the Cave where they had been hid, and laid great stones in the Caves mouth, which remained when this History was written. See Josh. 8.29. and Psal. 91.13. and Psal. 149.8. & 110.1.

Joshua 10. from 1. to 27.

SECT. CIV.

JOshua like a prudent General pursueth his Victory, while the Canaanites were under so great a terror and consternation, upon the defeat of the five Kings and their Armies. And therefore now He resolves to set upon their Cities. And first He took Makkedah, and destroyed all the people therein, Men, Women, and Children, reserving the Cattle to themselves for a Prey, see Ch. 11.14. And he did unto the King thereof as he had done unto the King of Jericho; that is, He hanged him. From Makkedah he marched the whole Army that was with him to Libnah, and the Lord delivered that City also into his hands, and he put all to the Sword he found therein, and did unto their King as he did unto the King of Makkedah. From Libnah he marched to Lachish and besieged it. Horam King of Gezer (a City near to Lachish ) understanding this, comes forth with his Forces to relieve it, but Joshua utterly routed and defeated him, and then the day after the Lord delivered Lachish into his hands, whose Inhabitants he utterly destroyed, as he had done those of Libnah. Then he marched to Eglon and took it the very day he encamped against it, and put all to the Sword he found there. From thence he marched to Hebron, and took it with the new King thereof, (for the old one was lately hanged at Makkedah ) and all the Cities it had under its Jurisdiction, and utterly destroyed all the Inhabitants thereof. Joshua then bending his Course towards Gilgal, he took Debir, and the King thereof, and all the Towns belonging to it, utterly destroying all the people therein; and as he had done to the King of Libnah, so he did to the King of Debir. All these Kings and their Land did Joshua take in one Expedition, because the Lord fought for Israel. He subdued also all that part of the Country which lay to the South, both those Cities that were built on Hills, and those that were seated in the Plains. He subdued and vanquished all from Kadesh-Barnea, the utmost Southern bound, unto Gaza upon the Sea-Coast, and all the Country of Goshen in the mountainous parts of Judah, even to Gibeon, and destroyed their Inhabitants to a vast number, doing therein according to what the Lord God of Israel had commanded him, Deut. 20.16, 17. Then Joshua returned with his Army to the Camp at Gilgal.

Joshua, Ch. 10. from 28. to the end.

SECT. CV.

FRom the Autumn of this year (wherein after the failing of Manna, they began to till the Ground, and sow it,) is to be reckoned the first year of their Tillage, and the rise of the Sabhatical year is hence to be taken, Exod. 23.10, 11. Levite. 25. from 2. to 7.

SECT. CVI.

THe five Southern Kings being thus destroyed, all the rest of the Northern Kings combined together against the Israelites, and with them Joshua had a long War, [see verse. 18.] which lasted till about the end of the sixth year of his Government, by which time He subdued them. Very observable was the Providence of God, that he did not suffer all the Kings of the Canaanites at once to join their Forces together against the Israelites, but ordered it so that only some of them fought against Israel at one time, and some at another; by which means the Israelites were heartened with frequent Victories, and had leisure to refresh themselves between them. And though Joshua 's wonderful Successes and Victories are succinctly related in this Chapter one after another, yet these Wars lasted a great while after the Battle of the waters of Merom; and there were about six years spent in the subduing these Nations, as may appear by considering Caleb 's age, of which more afterwards, see Ch. 14. from verse. 6. to 15. 'It is true, God could have subdued these Nations in a shorter time, but he was pleased to have it done by degrees, that the greater Opposition and Difficulty the Israelites met with in the Work, the more they might own his Power and Providence in carrying them thorough All. The Lord also hereby exercised their Faith and Patience, and stirred up the Spirit of prayer in them, and drew forth their Dependance and Reliance on Himself. And hereby also He discovered the obstinacy of the Canaanites, which rendered them the more inexcusable. The Lord also had determined that they should drive out these Nations by little and littl • and not consume them all at once, lest the wild Beasts might increase upon them for want of people to inhabit the Land, see Deut. 7.22. And we may add this as a reason to all the former, why the War continued so long; namely, God leaving these Canaanites to the hardness of their own hearts, none of them besides the Gibeonites desired to make Peace with the Israelites, but desperately and obstinately resolved to fight with them, and to oppose them to the uttermost; and God did judicially thus suffer them to harden their hearts more and more, that so they might have no favor, but be utterly destroyed, verse. 20.

But to return. The Northern Kings that had combined against Israel were Jabin King of Hazor (a City lying in the upper Galilee, not far from Kadesh, ) who sent to Jobab King of Madon, and to the King of Shimron, and to the King of Ackshaph, and to the Kings that were towards the North on the Mountains, and those that were in the Plains, that lay on the South-side of the Country of Cinneroth, called afterwards Tiberias and Genne-sereth, and in the Valley or low Grounds, and in the Borders of Dor, on the West, and to the Canaanites that dwelt both on the East and West, and to the Amorite, Hittite, Perizzite, and Jebusite in the Mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon (a Hill in the North of Canaan ) which were another sort of Hivites much differing from those of Gibeon, who had submitted to Joshua. All these upon Jabin 's Sollicitation combined together, and went out against Israel with a mighty Army, (even like the sand that is upon the Sea-shore for multitude; that is, with such a vast number as was not easily to be numbered,) and they had Horses and Chariots very many. They pitched together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. Joshua might possibly be now in some apprehension how the Israelites that were all Foot should be able to encounter so vast an Army as this, which consisted so much of Horse, and had so many Iron-Chariots. But the Lord bad him not be afraid of them, for on the morrow by that time he would deliver them up into his hands, and He should hough their Horses, (that is, cut their hamstrings, and so make them unserviceable, either in War, or for any other use,) and burn their Chariots. Accordingly Joshua very early next morning fell upon them with his whole Army, probably before they were in any Order, and made a vast Slaughter among them, and chased them to Zidon the Great, and to Misrephothmaim, a place near Zidon, and to the Valley of Mizpah near Mount Hermon, and they smote them till they left none of them remaining in the Field. And Joshua did unto them as the Lord commanded him, both as to houghing their Horses, and burning their Chariots. Then Joshua turned back with his Army and took Hazor the Head of all those Kingdoms, and slew the King thereof, and the Inhabitants thereof, and burned the City. And the rest of the Cities of those Kings that combined against him Joshua took them, and utterly destroyed them, as Moses the Servant of the Lord had commanded, Numb. 33.52, 53. Deut. 7.2. & 20.16, 17. But as for those Cities that yielded themselves, or were not beaten down and ruined by the violence of War, in the taking of them the Israelites burned not, but reserved for their own use. So Joshua in the compass of about six years took all the places of Canaan before-mentioned, and the Hills, and all the South-Country, and the Land of Goshen, (situate in the mountainous parts of Judah, famous for the Land about it,) and the Valley and the Plain, and the Mountain of Israel, and the Valley of the same, that is the Mountain where old Jacob once lived (and so called from Him) and the Valley thereunto belonging. He took all the Land from the Mountain Halak that goeth up to Seir (which is the Frontier of Edom ) unto Baal-Gad in the Valley of Lebanon, which lieth under the Hill Hermon.

Joshua, Ch. 11. from 1. to 21.

SECT. CVII.

JOshua having now so far subdued the Land, that none of the Inhabitants durst anymore take up Arms against them, though there were some Places that the Canaanites had still in their possession, (as is show'n, Ch. 13.) yet they durst not stir against the Israelites. So that now the Land had rest from open Wars, therefore in the Twelfth Chapter there is presented briefly as in a Table or Map the several Countries and Kings vanquished by Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites, that so beholding them all together, God's goodness and faithfulness to his people might the more eminently appear. In that Chapter 'tis said, That Moses took two Kings on the East-side of Jordan, viz. Sihon and Og, and disposed of their Countries to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the Tribe of Manasseh; and that Joshua took 31 Kings on the West-side. Of these some were not mentioned in the Victories before related, which showeth that not every particular, but only the general Heads of things were touched before. Now whereas here are mentioned 31 Kings subdued by Joshua, many of which reigned over divers Towns, besides their chief Cities; this may show us the wonderful fertility and fruitfulness of this Soil, that in so small a compass of Land, which was but an 160 miles in length from Dan to Beersheba, and only 60 in breadth from Joppa to Jordan, there should such a vast multitude of people so plentifully be provided for.

Josh. Ch. 12. whole Chapter.

SECT. CVIII.

JOshua having so far conquered the Land, as we have shown, and being now well in years, God calls him to divide the Land by lot among the nine Tribes and an half, for he had promised he should do it, Ch. 1.6. And therefore he commands him to go about it now, and not to defer it till they were possessed of all, as possibly Joshua thought he must have done. He commands him to divide those parts that were not subdued, nor should be in his life time, as if they were already conquered. He tells him, He had not promised him that he should Conquer the whole Land which he had given to his people, but only that he should bring them into it, [Deut. 31.23.] and divide it for an Inheritance among them. He tells him how much of the Land remained yet unconquered, which notwithstanding he intended should be divided among them, and they should have it in their Charter, and it should be given them in the division; and this might be a spur to them to endeavor the gaining of it, and to drive out the old Inhabitants. Now the Land yet unconquered He tells him was this, first the Land of the Philistines that lay a long the Coasts of the Midland-Sea from Sihor, which divides Palestine from Egypt, and the Land of Geshuri in Syria, and bordering on the Northern part of Canaan. This Land of the Philistines He shows him belongs to Canaan, and consequently to the Israelites, though as yet they have not taken it. For the Philistines (called Caphtorim, because they came from Caphtor, Amos 9.7.) entered upon this part of Canaan, drave out the old Inhabitants, and dwelt in it themselves, Deut. 2.23. and now this Land was under five Lord's of the Philistines yet unsubdued. There were also the Avites, who being expelled out of their Land by the Philistines, did yet (it seems) continue in some portion of their Land, adjoining to the Philistines. All this Land lying along the Sea-Coasts from the South unto Mearah, or the Cave which is by the Sidonians and Aphek (a Town not far from Sidon ) and so to the Borders of the Amorites; for there were Amorites on both sides of Jordan. And the Land of the Giblites, a people that inhabited Gebal, Psal. 83.7. a Promontory near Sidon, and all Lebanon towards the East was not conquered, and so easterly as far as Hamath, where even in David 's time there was a Canaanitish King, 2 Sam. 8.9. All these God promises to drive out before the Children of Israel, provided they continued faithful in keeping Covenant with Him. But they failing herein, never came to possess the Lands of all those Nations, though in David 's and Solomon 's time they brought them to be Tributary to them. However God enjoins Joshua to divide that Land before spoken of (though not yet conquered) among the nine Tribes, and the half Tribe of Manasseh on the West-side of Jordan; for the Reubenites and Gadites with the other half Tribe of Manasseh had already received their Inheritance on the other side, which Moses had given them. And having mentioned their Inheritance, he first describes the whole Land without Jordan from Arnon to Lebanon, and then shows what each of them severally had. The border of the Geshurites and Maachathites are here mentioned as a part of the Land without Jordan, belonging to the two Tribes and half planted there, because given to them by Moses with the rest, but they did not drive them out. For these Geshurites and Maachathites dwelling in the out-skirts of their Country, and they having Land enough for their present use, out of an act of base sloth suffered them to roost among them, and did not endeavor to drive them out. Moses in the division of that Land without Jordan gave no part to the Tribe of Levi; that is, no Regions or Parts of the Country as he did to the other Tribes upon which they might live by Tillage and Husbandry, but only some Cities to dwell in, and the Suburbs belonging to them with some circuit of Ground for the feeding of their Cattle, because God himself was to be their Portion, and the Sacrifices, and other Oblations due unto God, were to be for their Maintenance. Now the bounds of the Lands given to each Tribe beyond Jordan by Moses, are particularly set down to prevent all strife and division among them for the future.

Joshua 13. whole Chapter.

SECT. CIX.

JOshua now with Eleazar the High Spirit, and the Elders of the Tribes (who were expressly chosen and named by the Lord for this purpose, Numb. 34.17, &c. ) at Gilgal set upon this great Work of dividing the Land on this side Jordan among the nine Tribes and an half. And accordingly first they cast the Land into so many several Portions or Provinces as were the number of the Tribes that were to inhabit it, yet so as the certain bounds of each Portion or Province were not certainly limited, and appointed till they knew which Tribes the Lord would by the designation of the lot settle in each of them; and then they were to enlarge or lessen the Portion, according as the number of the Tribe that was there to be settled was greater or less; so that the lots were only to determine in what part of the Country each Tribe should be planted, and afterwards the quantity of the Land which each Tribe was to enjoy, was to be set out by Joshua, Eleazar, and the Heads of the Tribes as was appointed, Numb. 26.55, 56. What manner of Lottery they used in this business is nowhere expressed. The common Opinion of the Hebrew Writers is, That there were two Pots or Urnes set before the Tabernacle, the one having the Names of the Tribes in it, that were to have their portion of Land assigned to them; the other had just so many lots, in each of which such and such a part of the Land was described, and that some man appointed to that Service (probably Eleazar the High Priest ) drew out first out of one Pot, one of the Tribes, then out of the other Pot, one of the lots there, and so that Tribe had their portion assigned them in that part of the Land, described and set forth in that lot, and accordingly they did by the rest. And though this way and method be not anywhere particularly expressed in this Book, yet the phrase that is often used in the following Chapters, that such a lot came out, and such a lot came up, may seem covertly to imply it, see Ch. 19.1, 10, 17. And herein the Hand of God in ordering the lots was the more wonderful, and the Prophesies of Jacob and Moses concerning the several Inheritances of the Tribes were more evidenced to be of God. Joshua therefore and the Elders now setting upon this Work, the first lot came out for the Tribe of Judah, and his lot fell out in the richest and best part of the Kingdom, whereby the purpose of God in exalting this Tribe above the rest was made very apparent. The largeness of Judah 's lot, and the bounds of it, and the Cities thereof are set forth, Chap. 15. The next two lots that were drawn were for Ephraim and Manasseh, the Sons of Joseph, immediately one after the other, upon whom God transferred a part of Reuben 's Birth-right, as is expressed, 1 Chron. 5.1, 2. The Writer of this Book first shows jointly where the Inheritance of those two Tribes lay, and then afterwards shows severally what each of them had for their portion, Chap. 16. at verse. 5. He begins the Discription of Ephraim 's lot, which came out before the other. For though he was younger than Manasseh, yet he was preferred before him by Jacob 's appointment, Gen. 48, 19. and besides the Cities that stood within his own lot, he had many Cities allotted him within the portion of Manasseh, verse. 9. The lot that fell to Manasseh is described Ch. 17. and 'tis said to be for Machir, the only Son of Manasseh, whence the whole Tribe beareth the Name of Machir, Judge. 5.14. and because Machir, that is the Machirites his Posterity, were a Warlike people, they had Gilead and Bashan allotted to them; that is, half of it, which they did win by dispossessing the Enemy of it, see Numb. 32.39, 40. Therefore half of the Posterity of Machir being settled on the East-side of Jordan, the other half were according to God's appointment to have their portion and lot on the West-side. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh; that is, their Land was divided into six parts, according to the number of the Sons of Gilead, mentioned verse. 2. And Hepher 's part (who was one of them) was divided into five parts or portions, and given to his Son Zelophehad 's five Daughters, and so they were ten portions in all, see Numb. 26.33. The Cities and Country of Ephraim and Manasseh were much intermixed one with the other. These two Tribes complained to Joshua, that the quantity of Land assigned to them for their portion was not sufficient for them; They alleged that it was no more than might have been well assigned to one Tribe; Why hast thou (say they) given us but one lot, and one portion to inherit, seeing we are a great people? But Joshua and the rest of the Commissioners had not given them too little circuit of Land to inhabit, but indeed part of it was over-grown with Woods, and a great part of it was yet in the possession of the Canaanites, who had the advantage of Iron-Chariots to fight with; Also in their portion there were the Perizzites (a wild and savage people much given to Spoil and Prey) and the Rephaims or Giants with whom they were not very willing to encounter: These things considered, these two Tribes thought they had reason to allege, That they had no more given them than would well serve for one populous Tribe. Joshua retorts the strength of their argument upon themselves. If (says he) ye be so great a people as you allege, then you are the more able to drive out the Canaanites out of those places allotted to you for your portion, and the greater will be your shame if you let them alone, and yet complain of the narrowness of your lot; If you are so great a people, get you up to the Wood-Country and cut down the Woods, and make the ground fit for Tillage, and build Houses and Cities upon it, and drive out and destroy the Canaanites that lurk there; and so you may have Land enough to dwell in, and need not complain that your portion is too straight for you. The Children of Joseph reply, That if those woody Hills and Mountains were made fit to inhabit, and were added to their portion, yet there would not be Land enough for them. And as for the Canaanites that dwelt in the Valleys and Champion-Countries, they were not so easily to be conquered, for they were a formidable people, and used Iron-Chariots in their Wars, which having Hooks and Sythes fastened to them, did usually do great Execution in a Fight, and mowed down all before them. Joshua tells them, He could give them no other Answer than he had done. They were a great people, and had great Power, they excelled in number and strength, and had no cause to complain that they had but only one lot, or that their portion was too straight for them; for if their own Sloth, Cowardize and Diffidence of God's Power and Providence did not hinder them, they might enlarge it when they would; If they were not wanting to themselves, they would find the portion allotted to them was more than one lot; for if they took the course he prescribed them, the mountainous Country would be theirs, they might plant it and possess it from one end to the other, and all the adjacent Valleys and Champion-Country would be theirs also, seeing if they did with Courage and Faith in God attempt to gain it, God would surely enable them to drive out the Canaanites, notwithstanding all their strength, and the advantage they had by their Iron-Chariots. Thus we see how uprightly Joshua carried himself in this matter, being no ways partial to his own Tribe, (the Tribe of Ephraim ) nor to that of Manasseh, so nearly allied to him.

Joshua 14.1. to 6. Ch. 15. from 1. to 13. and from 20. to 63. Ch. 16. from 1. to 10.

Ch. 17. from 1. to 12. from verse. 14. to the end.

SECT. CX.

WE return now to the Tribe of Judah, whose lot (as we have shewn) falling to them in the richest and best part of Canaan, an eminent Person of this Tribe, namely, Caleb (descended of Kenaz, 1 Chron. 4.13, 15.) attended with the chief Men and Elders of Judah, made his Address to Joshua, and spake to him after this manner; Thou mayest remember the thing that the Lord spake to Moses, the Man of God, at Kadesh-Barnea concerning thee and me, when we returned thither from searching the Land; namely, that we only of all those that were above twenty years old at that time should see this good Land, [Numb. 14.30.] I was forty years old when I was sent by Moses to spy out the Land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart, I told him faithfully what I thought of the Land, and did neither for fear nor favor of any man speak otherwise than I thought in my Conscience. My Brethren that went up with me ( viz. ten of them,) made the hearts of the people melt and faint within them, by telling them of the invincible strength of the Canaanites; but I wholly followed the Lord my God (as thou also didst) and shown my Obedience to him faithfully, and persuaded the people without fear to enter into the Land, resting upon the Promises and powerful Assistance of the Almighty. And Moses sware to me on that day, (to wit, by the motion and direction of God,) saying, Surely the Land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine Inheritance, and thy Children's forever, (namely, some special part of it, and particularly that wherein Hebron