_JOSHUA BEING DEAD, THE ISRAELITES REVOLT TO STRANGE GODS: ARE OPPRESSED BY THE CANAANITES, AND WEEP, BEING REBUKED BY AN ANGEL: GOD AFTERWARDS SENDETH THEM JUDGES, WHO SUBDUE THE CANAANITES; BUT AFTER THEIR DEATH THE ISRAELITES RETURN TO THEIR WICKEDNESS, AND ARE PUNISHED._ _Before Christ 1432._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JOSHUA HAD LET THE PEOPLE GO— This is an important passage, and by some interpreters misunderstood; they have fancied, that in it the historian continues the relation of what had happened since the death of Joshua: upon this foundation, Houbigant conceives that there is a transposition; and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALSO ALL THAT GENERATION WERE GATHERED UNTO THEIR FATHERS— The sacred writer means evidently to speak not only of those of the Israelites who had seen the _works of God_ in Egypt, and in the wilderness, but those also who had seen the Jordan crossed over with dry feet, the walls of Jericho overt... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SERVED BAALIM— The objects of false worship were called by the general name _Baalim,_ or _Lords;_ and indeed, as St. Paul remarks, the Pagans had _gods many and lords many;_ the first and chief of which, and from whom the rest seem to have derived this name, was _Baal,_ or the Lord, the Sun; as... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT REPENTED THE LORD, BECAUSE OF THEIR GROANINGS— That is, the Lord acted as men do when they repent; he changed his conduct towards them. Seeing them afflicted for their offences, and returning to duty, he heard their voice, ch. Judges 3:9; Judges 3:15.; He _broke_ their chains, and restored th... [ Continue Reading ]
I ALSO WILL NOT HENCEFORTH DRIVE OUT— We have in these verses the great reason why the Lord did not wholly extirpate the people of Canaan. They were suffered to remain, in punishment of his people's infidelity and disobedience, and to prove and exercise their faith in future. REFLECTIONS.—We have h... [ Continue Reading ]