But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. Ver. 1. _But the children of Israel commit... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which [is] beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. Ver. 2. _To Ai._] Called elsewhere Hai, and Aija; Gen 12:8 Neh 11:31 by the Septuagint, Gae; by Sulpitius, Geth... [ Continue Reading ]
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; [and] make not all the people to labour thither; for they [are but] few. Ver. 3. _Let not all the people go up._] But better they had, as it happened, in some re... [ Continue Reading ]
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. Ver. 4. _And they fled before the men of Ai._] Their sins having betrayed them into the hands of divine justice, the victory was abandoned, and sent away to the enemy; as that noble General Trajan t... [ Continue Reading ]
And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them [from] before the gate [even] unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. Ver. 5. _And the men of Ai smote of them._] Not in fight, but in flight; for... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. Ver. 6. _And Joshua rent his clothes._] In token that his heart was rent with grief and anguish. “ _Sic faciles motus mens gen... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!_ Ver. 7. _Alas! O Lord God, wherefore, &c._] This expostulation, though o... [ Continue Reading ]
O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! Ver. 8. _O Lord! what shall I say? &c._] How shall I stop the open mouths of our reproachers? Thus he filleth his mouth with arguments; rousing up himself and wrestling with God.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it], and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? Ver. 9. _And what wilt thou do unto thy great name?_] This was Joshua's chief care, - lest God should suffer in the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Ver. 10. Get thee up: wherefore liest thou? &c.,] _q.d., _ It is well to pray thus, but it is not all; something else is to be done. _Ora et labora,_ pray and search, pray and fight, up and be doing, for "I will su... [ Continue Reading ]
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff. Ver. 11. _Israel hath sinned._] See Joshua 7:1 . _ For they have eve... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Ver. 12. _Therefore the children of Israel could not stand._] Sin i... [ Continue Reading ]
Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [There is] an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. Ver. 13. _Up, sanctify the pe... [ Continue Reading ]
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, [that] the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families [thereof]; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall be, [that] he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. Ver. 15. _Shall be burnt with fire._] After that he is first stoned with stones as... [ Continue Reading ]
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: Ver. 16. _So Joshua rose up early._] See chap. vi. 12. Long lying in bed is reckoned among the works of the flesh, and forbidden as such. Rom 13:13 _See Trapp on "_ Rom 13:13 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: Ver. 17. _And Zabdi was taken._] Yet all this while Achan repenteth not, confesseth not his fault. The devil had gagged him, and his heart was harde... [ Continue Reading ]
And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. Ver. 18. _And Achan, the son of Carmi._] Secret sinners are loath to be discovered, but their sin shall find them out, and iniquity, if unrepented of, be their... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide [it] not from me. Ver. 19. _My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord._] See for explication of this expression, 1Sa 6:5 Jer 13:16 John... [ Continue Reading ]
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: Ver. 20. _Indeed I have sinned._] Now at length he confesseth. _Nunquam sero si serio._ Satan knoweth that there is no way to purge the sin sick soul but upwards. He therefore ho... [ Continue Reading ]
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they [are] hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. Ver. 21. _When I saw, &c._] Million... [ Continue Reading ]
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, [it was] hid in his tent, and the silver under it. Ver. 22. _And they ran unto the tent._] It was a matter of haste, that justice might be speedily executed, and God's favour re-obtained.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. Ver. 23. _And they took them out of the midst of the tent._] Sin not therefore in hope of secrecy: or if you have, take up the matter in God's privy... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. Ver. 24. _Took Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. Ver. 25. _Why hast thou troubled us?_] There was a young man among the Suitzers that went about to trouble and... [ Continue Reading ]
And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. Ver. 26. _And they raised over him._] For a warning to others. _Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio._ It i... [ Continue Reading ]