_JOSHUA, BY THE DIVINE COMMAND, ORDERS THE CITY OF JERICHO TO BE SURROUNDED SEVEN DAYS, THE PRIESTS BLOWING WITH SEVEN TRUMPETS: ON THE SEVENTH DAY, AT JOSHUA'S WORD, THE PEOPLE SHOUT, WHILE THE TRUMPETS BLOW, AND THE WALLS OF JERICHO FALL DOWN; THE CITY IS DEVOTED, RAHAB ONLY, WITH HER HOUSE, BEING... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1. _NOW JERICHO WAS STRAITLY SHUT UP_— While every necessary preparation was making in the camp of Joshua for the attack of Jericho, the king of that city, on his part, took all possible precautions for his security. Having refused the offers of peace, which were doubtless made him by the Heb... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 2. _AND THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA, SEE,_ &C.— The same person, who in the preceding chapter is called the _Captain of the host of the Lord,_ is here named _the_ LORD. There is no doubt, therefore, that this was a divine personage, the angel of the covenant, the Son of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 4. _AND SEVEN PRIESTS SHALL BEAR BEFORE THE ARK SEVEN TRUMPETS OF RAMS' HORNS_— Some have observed, that rams' horns cannot be bored, and made so as to give any thing of a strong sound; and therefore by _rams' horns_ here, they would understand trumpets made in the shape of rams' horns. But t... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 5. _THE WALL OF THE CITY SHALL FALL DOWN FLAT_— The Hebrew literally is, _shall fall under itself._ The LXX render it, _the walls shall fall down of themselves;_ and Onkelos has it, _the wall shall fall, and be swallowed up under itself._ If we are to believe the Jews, the walls of Jericho su... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 7-9. _AND HE SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, PASS ON_— We apprehend, that it was not only the soldiers who formed this procession, but that all the people joined in it; that the armed men went before the ark; and that after it came the rest of the people, making as it were the _rear-ward._ It is certai... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 13-15. _AND SEVEN PRIESTS,_ &C.— Whether Jericho was taken on a sabbath-day, as the Jews pretend, or on another day of the week, it is very certain, that the procession was made on the sabbath round about the city; and, consequently, that the rest of that solemn day was then infringed. _He,_... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 16. _AND—AT THE SEVENTH TIME—JOSHUA SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, SHOUT,_ &C.— This shouting might be made in a two-fold view. It might be designed to terrify the enemy, and to animate at the same time the Israelitish soldiery; and, doubtless, it was also to express the faith of the whole people, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 17. _THE CITY SHALL BE ACCURSED,—AND ALL THAT ARE THEREIN, TO THE LORD_— That is, Jericho, and whatever it contains, shall be devoted to utter destruction, save what is expressly excepted in this and the 19th verse. Respecting the _Cherem,_ we refer to the _Reflections_ at the end of Deut. ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 18. _IN ANY WISE KEEP YOURSELVES FROM THE ACCURSED THING,_ &C.— "Be sure not to carry off for your private emolument any of the spoil of your enemy: ye are to consider it as _a thing devoted to the Lord,_ and which you are not to touch, on pain of being yourselves _devoted to death;_ of drawi... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 19. _BUT ALL THE SILVER, AND GOLD,—ARE CONSECRATED UNTO THE LORD_— God requires, that all the silver, gold, brass, iron, and all other metal found in Jericho, should be consecrated to the use of his sanctuary, and carried into his tabernacle, to supply the wants of that sacred house; but, dou... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 20. _AND—WHEN THE PEOPLE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET, AND—SHOUTED WITH A GREAT SHOUT, THAT THE WALL FELL DOWN FLAT_— _When therefore the priests blew the trumpets, the people, hearing the sound thereof, shouted with a great shout, and the walls,_ &c. Houb. The miraculous nature of this eve... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 23. _AND LEFT THEM WITHOUT THE CAMP_— They were brought out of the house, because that was to be burned with the rest of the city; but being unclean they could not be received into the camp, as being a holy place, till they had abjured paganism, embraced the religion of the true God, and been... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 25. _AND SHE DWELLETH IN ISRAEL EVEN UNTO THIS DAY_— Rahab, incorporated with the people of God, was still living there when this was written. See ch. Joshua 4:9. Her family, doubtless, were initiated in like manner; and all who belonged to her embraced the religion of Israel, or at least, re... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 26. _AND JOSHUA ADJURED THEM AT THAT TIME, SAYING,_ &C.— As soon as the city of Jericho was razed and destroyed, Joshua convened the chiefs and elders of the tribes, to signify to them the divine intention that this idolatrous city should never be rebuilt. Accordingly, he engaged them by oath... [ Continue Reading ]