Commentary on the Holy Bible

ia, the atone itself from ita permaaenCT, sliall be, in all succeeding agea, as competent and as subatantial a wiinea^ as one who had been present at the transaction, and heard all the words, wbkb, on both sides, weie spuEOi on the occasion.

Verae 29. Josftua the eon qf Ifun—died] llua event Drobably took place abortly after this public assembly he WM old and stricken in year; when he held assembly mentioned chap, zziii. 1. aotd, as hia work was now all doi^e, and hia soul ripened for a alate of blessedneaa, God took him to himaeli^ being one hundred and ten years of age; exactly the same age as that <tf dw pstrisroh Josepb. See Oen. 1. 26.

Verse 30, And Atg buried Asm in "nmioA-oerah} This was his own inheritance, as we have seen <diap. zix. 60. The Septuagint add here, "And tbey put wiui bim there, in the tomb, in which they buried him, ihe knives of ■lone with which be urcuincised the children of Israel in GilgaL according as tbe Lcvd commanded, when bs brouslit tnem out of Egypt, and ^ey are then unto this di^." St. Augustine quotes the same passage in his Ihbo tieth question on the book of Joahua; which, in sll nrolNir bility, be took from SMM copy of the Septnaarint. Itisveiy strange that then is no aecount of any publio mourning for tbe death of this eminent general; probably, aa be was buried in hia own inheritanoe, be bad forbidden all funual pomp, and, it ia hkely, was privately interred.

Verse 31. And leraet eerted the Lord, &o.] Though there was priWa idolatry among them, for ihty bad strsagB gods, yet tbsn was no pubue idolatry all the di^ of Josbus-aniaof Ibe eldon that overlived Joahuai mosttrf whom must have been advanced in years at tbe death of this f^eu. man. Hence Calmet supposes that the whole of this time might amount lo about fifteen years. It has already been noted that this verae ia placed by tbe Septuagint after ver. 28.

Verse 32. Ajid the bonee qf Joeijili] See the note on Gen. 1. 26. and on Exod. xiii. 19. Thia burying of dts bones of Joseph probably took place when tbe conquest of tbe land was completed, and each tribe had received its inheritance; for it is not likely that this was -defernd till aAer the death of Joshua.

Verse 33. And Eleaxar—died] Probably abo«t the ■ame time, or soon after Joshua; though some think be ouUiv^ him six yean. Thus, nearly aU the persons who had witnessed die miracles of God in ibe wilderness^ wars gathered to their fethen: and tbeir deseendanu left in possession of tbe great inheritance, with the law of God la their handa; and the bright example of their illustrious anoeslon befon dwir eyea. It muai be added, that they possessed every advantage neeesaary to make them a gies^ a wise, aitd a holy people. How they used, or rather, bow tbay sbused these advantages, their subsequent history, gtrca in dte ssorsd books, sm^testifisib

J. Mil dHt pemioed 10 PMfM&o^ M« «Mt] lliutntm WM probablj made to Pbinehaa aa a t<^en of the reapect tfT the whole Dotioa, for bU zeid, coungo, ud uiefuloeu; fv the priosti had properly no inhoritanoe. At ibe end of thw vena, th« Sepuisciot add,

"ladtatday, the children of Inael, taking up the ark et the covenant of God, carried it about wiu them, and niinehaa succeeded to the high priest's ofliee, in the place cS his fother, until bis death; and be was buried in Gubaat^wbich belonged to hinuelt

" llien the tdiildren of lanel went vnry man to hia own p)aee, and to his own cigr,

« And the children of biSal worshipped Aatarta and Ashtwoth, and the gods of the aurroundiDf nation^ and the Lord delivered them into the hands of ^lon, king of Hoab, and be ^raoniied over them for eighteen Tears."

The last six verses in this chapter were, doubtless, not written bv JoAua; for no man can give au account of hia 'om deatn and barialt Bieazar, Pnineha% or Samuel, mi^t bave added them, to bring down die namtion, so as to conneet it with their own timeiti and thw presem tbe thread of tbe bistory unbroken. TiuM is a common oaae; many men write histories of their own lives, which, in the lost circumstances, are finished by others: and who has ever thought of impeaching the authenticity of the preceding part, because the subsequent was the work of a different nana? Mrtiu*" enpplement has never invalidated die Bothenticity of the ComvutUarieg ttf Cmar, nor the work of Qui'nf us SmymauM, that ct tbe Ilia* and Odyttty vf Burner. We should be tbankfiil, that an adequate and futhful hand has supplied those droumstanMi irtdch the original author could not write; and without wfaiofa Ibt work would have been imperfecL

Mr. Sanrin has an excellent diasertation on tb» grand Meral act, formed by Joehua and the people of ImtwH on this very solemn oceasioD; of the substance of which tlM reader will not be displeased to find the following very iliort outline, which may be easily filled up by any wluwe business it is to inaHuet the publio: tor mob a dreumatanoe ■lay, with great pwprisqr, be brougbt befcre a CkritHan eoiUT^ation.

''sBvair thinga are tobe eonaidaradio tUa noewalof the covenant.

L l%e d^Oy of the mscUotor. n. lyttJHtdom of those who contnetmL HL The necessity of the cAotce. IV. TYm estmt of tbe eanHtimu. T. Tbe peri/ of the etuvgvmenf. VI. Tbe wUmnify of the aeaptamt. VII. Tile nsnmess of the eonmpisnea. "I. Hu dignify of Ibe ntdiator. — Take a view of hia namee. HoBta and.Ahos&uo. Ood will save: he will save. Hw first is like a promi»»: the second the fitlfiltnentof that;>Pim«*s. Ood will save eomeiime or othort^ (fak is tbe wy person bywbom he will accomplish bia pnnise. Takea view of Joshua's life: bisfiuth, courage, eonatancy, heroism, and soeeeas. — ^A remarkable type of Christ. See Heb. iv. a

**n. "nieyrSMiOTnofthosewboaonfrBeCsd — ^lUceaway tbe gods which your fathers served beyond the flood t and in Kgypt, <tc. ver. 14, Ac. Joshua exhibits to the Israelites all the ruigiona which were then known; 1. That of the Qtaideana, whioh consisted in the adoration of fire. 2. nat of die SgypHane, which eonststed in the wwrsbip <^ As Of, Apt*, eale, and terpeitte: whioh had bean iweoeded ny bawmhui even of vrntaNtt, sueb as Iba oHim, &C. 3L That of tbe people at Canaan, the principal obieete oif which were Attarte, fVenus,) and BaaJ' peor, (PriapuB.) Blake remarks on the libniy of ohoioe which every man has, and which God, in matters of leligioR, applies to, and calls into action.

'IlL Tbe neeeuity of tbe <Aoiee.— To be without reUjffan, ia to be without b■^q>^leBa here, and without any title to the khudom of Ood. To have a fal** religion, is the broad roaa to pentidon; and to have uie true religion, and live agreeably to it, is the high road to heaven. Life is precanons: death is at the door: die judge calls: mu(di is to be doni^ and perhaps little time to do it int Eternity depends on the present moment. — Choose — i^oose speedily — determinately, Ac

" IV. TV extent iff tke eondilUme. — Fear the Lord, and ssrw Mm in truth and righteoumeee. Fear the Lord. Coonder his ftein^, him poieer^nolineM9,Jiuti4x, Ac This is the gate to religion. Religion itself consists of two parts.—!. TatTTB. 1. In opposiaon to the detestable idotefry of the forementioned nations. 2. In reibrence to that revsiaHen wfateh God gave of himself. 3. In reference to that solid peace and comfort which false religions mi^proniM^ bot cannot give, and which the true religion eommti- Biealas to all urtM properly embrace H. H. UFHoimaaa, or iftltft^, ia omoiiiian tolboae abominable Tioea, wIb^ themselves, and the neighbouring natioo^ had been defiled. 1. The major part of men have one religion for youtA, another ior oMo^; bat be who serves God intnt^-ity, serveshimwithallhisheartitneverypartof life, 2. Moat men have a religion of tinua, plcKee, and eireunutaneee. This is a (ie/iK^ive religion. Integrity takea in every time, every place, and every circumstance. God's law beiqg ever kept before the e^es, and his love in the bean, dictating punty and perfecuon to every thought, word, and work. 3. Many content themselves with abstaining fhmi viae, ud think themselves sureof tbe kingdom of CM, because ifacy do not sin as others. But be who serves God in inttgritif, not only abataipa from tbe act, and the apptaranee of erS, but steadily performs every monl good. < llaay thidt if they practise some kind of virtues, to wfaich tnay Heal less <n a natural repugnaooe, that ihey bid fur for tfaeluogdom; but this iaommnla toufHjgjUnssB. IbenUgiomif God equally fortnta every apeciee of no^andreenamcada •vanr kind of virtue.

** T. Hie peril of the engagement. — Tlis covenant bad in it the nature of an oath; for so much the phraise, kefore the Lord, implies: therefore, those who entered into this covenant, bound themselves by oath unto the Lord, to be steady and fiuthfiil in iL But it may be ashed, 'as human nature ia very eiHfupt, and exceedingly fickle, is there not the greatest danger of breaking such a covenant; and is it not better not to make it, than to run the ride of breaking it, and exposing oneself to siqperadded punishment, «b that account V Answer, He who makes sudi a covenant in God's strength, will have that strength to enable bim to prove foithfiil to iL Beside^ if the soul do not feel itself under the most solemn oblisation to live to God, it will liva lo Ibe world and titJb. Nm- is aueh a covenant as diia more aotenin and otrio^ than that whidi we have oAoi made; first, in our hmtim; and ofien afterwanl in die eacrament of tbe Lordfaeumer, Ac. Joehua allows tbera is a great daiwer in making this covenant. Ye cannot serve the I.onl, for he is a holv, strong, and jealous God, Ac. But this sumosca only, tnat nothing could be done n^tt, but in bis Spirit, and lir hia strength. Hie energy of the Holy Spirit iaevual toeveiy requiailionof Ood'tfiwy law, aa nr aa it r^anu the nnal coitf net of a believer in CbrisL "VI. Theso^Mnnityof the oec^ifanee.— Notwithstanding Joshua fiuthfiilly laid down the dreadftU evils which those might expect who dwuld abondon tbe L<»d) yvt they entered solemnly into Ibe covenant. Oodjorbidl ikat wt tkouldJbreaketheLordi butwewiUeervetkeLord. Tlwty seonea to thinly that not to covenant is thia oaa^ was (• refeeL

" Vn. Ibe ntarneet of the anuequum. — ^Tliere wen folse gods among them, and these must be immediately put away. As ye have taken the Lord for your God, then nU away the etrangegodetBldchareamtmgyoa, ver. 23. nie moment die covenant is nmiks that same moment the ocnditioos of it come into force. He who makee this oo«a> nant widi Ood, Aould immediately break off froa •very evil design, oompanion, word^ and work, Finally JoArn erected two moaumenia this aolemn transaction: 1. He caused the word to be written in the book of dte law, ver. 26. 2. He erected a stone underan oak, ver.27. that these two things might be witnesses against them, if they broke the covenant which they then made, Ac."

TTiere is tbe same indispensable necessity, for every one who professes Chriatiani^, to enter into a covenant with God oirongh Christ. He who is not de/ermiRecf to be on God's side, will be found on the aide of the world, the devil, and the fiesh. And he wfao does not turn firom all bis iniquitiee, cannot make such a covenanL And be who doea not make it note, may probably never have another oppertuni^. Reader, detM is at the door, and etemify m ai hand, "nieae are truths which are every wher« proclained— every where profeasedly believed — every where no. knowledged to be important — and perhaps no where IsmJ to heart as diey should be. And yet all grant that tlisy are bom to die I

On the ehanKter and emtduet of Jo«diua, mucb has already been said in the notes, and partiralarly in ihe/r^hss to this book. A few partioulars may be added.

It does not appear that Joshua Was ever married, or that he had any children. That he was high in the estimatioa of God, we learn from his being chosen to succeed Mooea in the government of tbe people. He wBsthepersonaleaet of all die host of Israel, who was deemed every way quati- Red to go out beforethe congregation, and to goin: totead them out and bring Btem In: and be the thepherd ot the people, becanae Aefi^sMf^OMfiMwinkiin. SeeNuoA. xzviL 17, Ac. Ha ia ealM As aerMnf 1S«d, as wa» Moaeat and waa,of all men of that genoaiioi^ next in eniBence to that great legUator.

Like h» grtM master, he neither providad for hiituelf, nor his rtlaSoea, though M had it eonataiuly ia his power M to do. He was the head and leader of the peoplet the dtief and foremost in all fatigues and duigers; wiUiout whose pie^, prudeoee, wisdom, and intliiery skil], the whole tribes ot Israel, humanly speakiDg, must hsvie been mined. And yet this eooqueror of toe nadonsditl not reserve to binself agoodlf iahnitaoca, anoUeci^tnoranypart id the sp(^ ot those be had vaoquidied. Hie 00011117- ■aan, it ia true, gave him an inberitanoe among them, chap. TIT BO. tbm, we mi^t suppose, was in consideration of hia eminent serrccee; and this, we miriit naturallr expect, was the beat inheritance in the land I No 1 they gave him 7\wuiai/M»raA, in the barren mountains of Ephraim, and even this he tuiitd, chap. six. 50. But was not this the bestoity in the land? No — it was even nocifyt evideiuly so more (turn the naiui of oiw that had stood in that plaoe j udhtsM it iamidthtbuUdidtkt city, and dwetttka-tin — bck with MHne Benoaa of hia own tnwL levived the stones cuiaf 4fa» I iHi 1*. wwto it haWlafcli,

Joshua belteved there was a God; be loved, and acted under bis iuSuenee; and endeavoured, to the utmost of Us power, to promote the glor^ of his Bfakerj and the wel&re of man iumI be ft'tpected us recompeiiaem another world.

LikaHattrit whom be was an illustrious 4^ ba Isda pataful and laborious UC^davolinrhinnelfenwe^ to tht auiilss al Qoi, and tba public good. How unolu was JoAua to mm nen, who^ for eertain serricek get elevated to the lugbsst honours; bui^ not eontem wftA reflompnae thus awarded tibem by their coUnUr, use their new mwence for the tether aggrandisontDtM ifaemselvesaiid

Jodiua retires onW from labour vdiea dwo ia no man work 10 be dmw, and tw mora dangen to ba encountered. He was the Jbvt in the Jleld, and the last out of it) and never attempted to take rest till all the tribes of Israel bad

S[ their poseessions, and were settled in their inheritaaeee 1 him U might be truly a^ as of Csaar, be oeDtiauel to work, lutactumrifitlant^ nqiudnipmmtt agendum t for *■ he eooadscad nothii«doM| whikanj tiling iMBHaed undtme."

BebeM this man leturingflroBKAeeandfroMiybl wjtbout any kind of emolument — the greatest man of all the tribes of Israel t the awat palrioti^ and the most servioea^ bld(.aad yet the wont nvvided nr. StaUmnMt lunat and mihtary ooamandersl took Joshua ia tbe fiwt^ nad his hisiofy,andlearafroaam what twayjawoTWMiitsanfc

Tliiii II iilmiii. iiitiii imlj BiiUMlliiiianniMiwdilaliis revelatiof^ and is made a partaker of hia Spui^ is tMr paMa of perfefmng iHttHUfttltd OBWiesa tB na MHBtt^ »nri to mankind 1

The number of wrsss in tba book of Joshua is 6t$ (ihouM be tSSf aaa at <bap. zzi. 3^ Ac.) of which tba wp»briiafauBit»thawwdpw*ai<aiw,frndritaflsiBft) Isai. xjocT, 6.

Ila wttddU 9tn» is tba SBdi of chap. xiiL

Its MoMorOio sooUm* an 14 1 the symbol of which k foi«idin4iewordTtMid;<ihehaiid,>&ek.x»vfi.L 8m the note at the end of Oeneai^ and tito AfiUorM at 4* end of tla» Pmtalea^

Md p^nahaveteettifared in eons^eting tbsniap^ which aocompaniea this book. AlltheaneienCaadiaodeniinqa wi^ readi, and they were not a fowj have bean conaolled, in order to make h aa correct as poosiUai It ia fetdjr sai» prising to ftu such disccrdaneea Alative to places comfHuanvely at home, and so often Tinted by die most learnad aM intaUigeni uavelltrs. No two of them t^ree in die poeitioo of die fdaeea in general: and gnetteen and bocdn of geogmr fibft compiled from the accounts of ancient and medem travellers, are as aiseordaQt among themselves as tbe eonstruiy lora of UBjiB. In tbe main, I have followed Dr. Poeoeb and £'»m Calmtt, who appeared to be the moat correct Tb* former visiled tnaay oi the phees in person t and Aie latter baa collated all the aocounu within his reacb, with tba Mm il tezt) nd has displ^>ed, in his iaqoiries, each a mintiienees of noeanit, and extensive critical invcstigatton, as acewordffitf diehigbeaioaaunendatton. As a ^«n«pa/ dtredory relative to the position of the most fenarksMei^aeai tn dw BafyZiUid and SgriOt it is hoped itM map will be found wfficiently accurate: tether dton this, Dotfamg cap ba oramised: nor can the r«aderbedire(«d toany other quarter, from which he can expect greater or more aeeumte satisadton. Emsrienoe has tau«^ roe, that maps in^nenl, artie—to he trualtdt^ mananvoA&rvuaiu tufitrmO' tio^ Mr. Whiston, from iniom mudi accuracy night be expected on such a sulnect, after baviiw laid down a map ot die jpromised land, constructed for his History of Jotephu, wisely gives an mtphabalictU UmI of all the principal plaeai in Jndea, with tbcar /oiiJudM and icm^^ifudM, not as tbey ore foisod m the great mm in ais map. TboM the table refers you to the uap^ and the map to the table, and uins Mr. Wbiston cheeks hiiaseU| aol is4Kool«ilroof of hia own accuracy 1 lluaisiiotaealitarTeaae: everyataptrf this land isincoowti anddioreaaeriff rrpnitiil Tn nriinlTlt-f nf-j-hiirnirinrTiirini thrT-ir-* — 1^" rp "* etodonr and indulgence.

Beiw » Sntentatie Armngement of Evebte; from the CrtaHan of Adam, A. M. 1, to tbe BirOi qf Pdeg, A. K. 17S7, ud of cad) sueceaaive Year, from the Diapenion of Mankind M the Birth tjf Peltg, to the SeUlement of ibe lawb&um in ib« Land of Canaan, at the Death Joahua, A. H. 2561, indunyei Syiwhronized Tvith the principal Epocha in use amcmg the different Natiou of dw WorM, vis. "Rm Year of Ae World— the Tear before Chriat— Year beto* and after the Deluxe— the Year of dke Julian Period— and the Year before the Pint Olynqnad. T» ^riiich are added, the Reigna of tiw contemporary Sovireigns of the moat remarkable Honarchiea; togMher with ibe Tear of the Life of all the Ante and Poaldihivian Patriarcha on record, correaponding with the Years of the principal Epocha mentioned above. Deeifi^ed to aave the curioua Reader trouble of reoucln^ die Yeara of aay particular Epoch to ihoae of another, in which be may wiah to fix ainr Evott that taakplBee within the Uraila at mm

. Tahleat and to prevent die neoesaity of reciuretice to SjallBWtio CbrontAofiaa fkv Hiatom in 1117—= aeeMd widi Ihoae menlioMd in the Sacred Writinga.

A CMonolof y of the Btnb and Death of all the Patriaidia, from Adam, A. H. 1, to Sen, tbe ton of Fdei, A. H. TtBt.

B algaUai ilie year or tbe HrU, aad the D ofiba tatt «acb patttanb.

TABLE n. Cauowlogy of jueient Engdoufc

TABLE n.— OnMroton or Anctcnr EnwDOiu.

TABLE U.— Chko»olog» or iuicunrr Knnnoiii.

Table tl. — Chronology op ahciemt itinaDOKB.

TABLE H— Cu&oHOLOOV of auciint ICanoem.

TABL£ n.— CHBOiTOLOttir or Axcvtm Kiamota.

la Dm ftnfoliig ebraa^ofical uUea, th* ntuaban la Um difltacBt coImhw ira ■ytbrontol. Mhen ootUtenllf, n that Viy eraal that hai bappeBad witUa Xka Ibniu of tba UUm, Mar be fnamd in from 19 to 1? dUhraat «poeha. Tbas, If t)w reader wMie* lo know in wbai vear of the TUioiu epoclw the deatk of Nabor tbt ftther of Abraban happened, be will at oneo ee* bj a referaoce to Table It. that tbli event took place In the year flvm the Cr*aii»n, aeaordinr to Arcbbiebop UMher, 1907, tta

490th mrof ikMX ot Mkmn-Om IMlk of AyteM^i-lkeMtli of Ma>-lha mtt of tTttkof *ntf j-udltaallOlhyevitf thelMof XML p.—lb« aUttof JIni.-— Iht

Ml B.— The unmben In Table TL pointing out the fcan of the llh of the dtObrant patriareha, an all adopted 10 tbe eoap McMuaCof Ibe corretpoDdiDK tabular feara of tbe worM; to that tbe rearofttw blrUi of any pauiartb it not to be referwd eoneMondlat to the Uttalar rear at Ui Hfc, 1, b«t to tberear Iramedlatelr wemam. Hum Aaron waa bom ia A.M.9IS0t hat at the tigtmmiagU A.M. ML T«He n. itaowa Mm 10 bare been In thaintt yeeiorUa ifaretbeooMlMtMorUHtrHrhtMimd mfm Hi mh^ yw, thaielbn A. H. 9439 coRMfM* 10 the mMbt

THE penona called Judge*, OWv Staph^m, from esv AapkiU, to judge, diaoern, nwulate, and direct, wen die heads or chiefa of the Israelkea who governed the Hebrew Republic from the days of Hoaea and Joshua, till the time of Saul. Tbit v<ai Judge is not to be talcen here in its usual significfttion, {. e. one who determines controverate^ aad denouoeefl dw judgptentm ihe law in crimiiud cases t but one who direcu and rules a state or natioD with soverdgn power, administers jusuce, makes peace or war, and leads the armies of the people over whom he presides. OSctn, with the same power, and nearly with the same name, were established by the Tyhaos in new Tyre, after iIib dettnietioo of old Tyre, and the tenninatim of iu r^al staUk The Carthagsniaii iS^e& aMear tt> have been the aana as the Hebrew S/upheUm; as were also the ArAmu among the Atheniana and the Diaaton among the ancient Romans. But they were neither hereditary govemors, nor were they chosen by the people: thnr were properly vicegerentSjOr lieutenants of the supreme God; and were always among the Israelites, chosen by nim, in a supemaural way. They had no power to make or change the laws; they were only to execute them under the direction of the Host High. God, theretore, was King in Israel: the government was a iheoeraey: and the judges were bis deputies. Tit* «ffice, however, was not continual, as there appear intervals in iriiicb there was no judge in IsiaeL And, as they wen axtraordiaary penons, they were only raised up on eztraordinaTy ocoasiims, to be inatniment* in the haiMla of God of ddlvering tbeir nation txom the oppression and tynnny of the Dw^ibooring powers. TTiey had neitber pomp nor ■tate T DOT does it appear that they had any kind of emoluments.

liie Chronology of the Book of Judges ia extremely embarrassed and difficult; and there is no sgreement amo^ learned men concerning it When the deliverances, and consequent periods of rat, so frequently mentione>i in ilus book, took place, cannot be satis&ustorily ascertained. Archbishop U»ektr, and those who follow him, suppose tliat the reeto, or timet ^ peace, should be reckoned, not from the time in which a particular judge gave them deliverance; but from tlw period of the jn-eceding deliverance, & j*. It is said that Otkniei^ son of Kenaz, defrated Ciuulum-ritiwtkaimi Judges iit. 9. and' the land bad rest forty years. After the death of Othntel tlie Israelites again did wickedly, and Goa delivered them into the hands of die MoabiUa, Ammonites, and AmaMiiet; and this oppression continued et^teea years, Judxes lii 15. Then God raised up Ehud, who, by killing Eglon, king of Hoab, and gainine a great victory over the Hoabttes, in which he slew ten thousand of their best soldiers, obtained a rest for the luid, which lasted for^ year^ Judge* iiL IB, 30. which rat is not counted from this deliverance wrou^t by Ehud, but from that wrou^t bgr OOaUei, mentioned above; leaving out the ei^teen years of ora>reseion under Eghn, king of Hoab: and so of the reA- His is a most violent manner of settlitig chrMoltwical difficulties: a total perversion of the ordinary -"""ipg of leroM, and not likely to be intended by the writer of this book.