_Men. Masius and Salien (Haydock) suppose that Josue selected out of them 30,000; 5000 of whom were to be placed in ambush, and the rest were to pretend that they were terrified at the approach of the king of Hai, and to flee with Josue. But the text seems to assert that all accompanied their genera... [ Continue Reading ]
King. There was this difference, that the king of Hai was to be gibbeted, and his corpse stoned, while the city was to be plundered by the Israelites. --- It. This mode of warfare is equally just, as if the enemy was attacked in the open field. Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat? (Virgil) --- Go... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ready to enter the city, when its soldiers are all in pursuit of us. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And turn, &c. Josue had not fled before. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "against us, as at the first, we will flee before them."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fire. They were to set some houses on fire for a signal, but the whole city was not to be destroyed (Calmet) till the Israelites had collected the plunder. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ancients, who had a command in the army, and assisted Josue with their counsel. They gave him an account of the state and numbers of the army. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Five thousand. These were part of the 30,000 mentioned above, ver. 3. (Challoner) --- Josue had given orders to have them placed in ambush apart; (Calmet) unless, perhaps, he places these himself in some secret place. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Night. He spent the forepart of it at Galgal, to prevent any suspicion, ver. 9. But setting out very early, (ver. 10,) he arrived at Hai before sun-rise._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Desert of Bethel, fit only for pasturage, chap. xviii. 12._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Afraid. Hebrew, "made as if they were beaten before them, and fled." Thus they drew on the king of Hai, so as to leave the ambush in his rear. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Not one fit to bear arms. (Worthington) --- Bethel. As soon as the people of this city perceived the Israelites fleeing, they rushed out to assist the king of Hai in the pursuit. But when they saw the former rally, before they had joined their friends, (Calmet) they very prudently retired, and left... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shield, as Moses lifted up his hands, Exodus xvii. 11. Some translate, "dart, spear," or "sword." (Septuagint; Ecclesiasticus xvi. 3.) (Calmet) --- The buckler might be suspended on a spear, (Menochius) that it might be seen afar off (Worthington) by some appointed to keep watch on purpose. (Haydoc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Josue. This king was reserved for greater torments and ignominy. It was the ancient custom to present kings and chief commanders to the victorious general, who rewarded those who brought them. (Grotius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER VIII.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For ever, or for a long time. It was rebuilt before the captivity, 2 Esdras vii. 31._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gibbet. Septuagint, "a cross." Some say that the king was first killed; but that assertion is destitute of proof. The corpse was taken down before night, Deuteronomy xxi. 22._... [ Continue Reading ]
Hebal. The Samaritan Chronicle says on Mount Garizim. No doubt Josue complied with the injunctions of Moses: but we have seen that there are reasons to doubt which mountain he pitched upon, Deuteronomy xxvii. 4. (Haydock) --- It seems more probable that the altar would be upon Garizim, where the ble... [ Continue Reading ]
Iron. Spencer complains that the Protestants have not translated barzel, "iron tool," as [in] Deuteronomy xxvii. 5. This translation is found in their more ancient editions of 1537-49, &c. (Kennicott) --- But the difference is very unimportant. The reason of this prohibition is given, Exodus xx. 25.... [ Continue Reading ]
Stones, of which the altar was formed, (Calmet) or on a separate monument, (Masius) consisting of two stones of black marble, so as to leave the letters prominent, and to fill up the vacuities with white plaster, that they might be seen more plainly, and might, at the same time, be more durable than... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hebal. "Gerizim and Ebal, says Maundrell, p. 59, are separated by a narrow valley, not above a furlong broad; and Naplosa, (the ancient Sychem) consisting chiefly of two streets lying parallel, is built at the foot of, and under Gerizim." The princes, representing the different tribes, were station... [ Continue Reading ]
_Words. Hebrew, "words of the law, the blessings," &c. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Repeated. Coverdale's Bible has "Josua caused it to be proclaimed." "It is very common in Scripture to represent a person as doing that which is done by another, in his name and by his authority." (Kennicott) --- Josue might be in the midst to preside, (Calmet) or rather he would be along with the... [ Continue Reading ]