X. CONQUEST OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY OF THE NATIONS OF CANAAN. (1) ADONI-ZEDEC KING OF JERUSALEM. — We may compare this name (Lord of Righteousness) with Melchizedek (King of Righteousness). (See Genesis 14:18 and Hebrews 7:1.) The similarity of the names makes _it_ probable that the Salem of G... [ Continue Reading ]
AS ONE OF THE ROYAL CITIES. — One of the cities of the kingdom. Gibeon was afterwards the city of the first king of Israel, Saul (1 Chronicles 8:29; 1 Chronicles 8:33).... [ Continue Reading ]
HEBRON, JARMUTH, LACHISH, AND EGLON. — Hebron, _i.e.,_ el-Khalil, Jarmuth is identified as el-Yarmûk. Lachish is still uncertain; but see Note on Terse 32. Eglon is identified as Aglân in Philistia.... [ Continue Reading ]
COME UP... THAT _WE_ MAY SMITE GIBEON. — It is remarkable that we do not read of one direct attack upon Joshua and his army in all the wars of Canaan. The Canaanites seem to have acted strictly upon the defensive: and this fact tallies with what we read of the alarm and depression that spread among... [ Continue Reading ]
THE AMORITES THAT DWELL IN THE MOUNTAINS — i.e., in the mountainous district lying on the south of Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA. — A distinct command is given for the commencement of this attack, as for all the important steps in the conquest of Canaan.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WENT UP. — Better thus, _And Joshua came upon them suddenly;_ (for) _all the night he had marched_ (come up) _from Gilgal._ The expression “went up” is geographically correct, because the line of march from Gilgal to Gibeon is an ascent the whole way.... [ Continue Reading ]
BETH-HORON — is identified as Beit’ Ur. AZEKAH — is unknown. MAKKEDAH. — Probably el-Moghâr. (11) GREAT STONES FROM HEAVEN. — Compare Job 38:22, “Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” The employment of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SUN STOOD STILL, AND THE MOON STAYED. — Literally, _the sun was silent, and the moon stopped._ THE SUN STOOD still (_i.e.,_ stopped) IN THE MIDST OF HEAVEN. — Literally, _in the half of the heavens_ — _i.e.,_ either “in the midst of heaven,” or “in the same hemisphere” (in the one-half of t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS NO DAY LIKE THAT BEFORE IT OR AFTER IT. — These words are meaningless, unless the writer intended to convey the idea that there was really a great miracle. We may compare the prophecy in Isaiah 30:26, “Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of t... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE CAMP TO GILGAL. — This verse relates by anticipation, in the words of the Book of Jasher (Heb., _Yâshar,_ upright), what we find in the narrative of Joshua at Joshua 10:43, viz., the return to Gilgal at the close of this campaign. The immediate return, at the end of the miraculous day’s ope... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A CAVE. — Literally, _in the cave in Makkedah,_ and so Joshua 10:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
SMITE THE HINDMOST OF THEM. — See Deuteronomy 25:18, the only other place where the same Hebrew verb occurs. FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH DELIVERED THEM INTO YOUR HAND. — It is worth while to observe that the command given to Israel to exterminate the Canaanites, though perfectly general, is notwithst... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CAPTAINS. — The original word occurs here for the first time (see Judges 11:6; Judges 11:11), and seems to mean the _actual leaders,_ not merely the official heads, of the people, who had borne the brunt of the battle. These men having laboured, deserved to see the fruits of their labour; and th... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT, NOR BE DISMAYED, BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE. — The very words spoken to Joshua by Jehovah (Joshua 1:9) with the exception of the word for _fear,_ which is stronger in Joshua 1:9. Even ordinary fear is needless. Alarm is not to be thought of.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HANGED THEM. — Here the hanging appears to have been a token of disgrace after death. Upon the cross of the true Joshua, the enemies of the Israel of God are exhibited. “He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSHUA TOOK MAKKEDAH. — Perhaps better. _had taken — i.e.,_ before the execution of the five kings.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN. — Better, simply _and._ The operations against Libnah are the commencement of a further stage of the campaign. Libnah has not been identified; but see Joshua 15:42.... [ Continue Reading ]
LACHISH has been variously identified, (1) as Um-Lâkis; (2) Zukkanjek; (3) Tell-el-Hesy, near Eglon. It cannot have been far from this latter place.... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE SECOND DAY. — With this fact we may connect two other facts of later history. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, “came up against all the fenced cities of Judah and took them” (2 Kings 18:13), although he “laid siege to Lachish, and all his power with him” (2 Chronicles 32:9), he had to aband... [ Continue Reading ]
GEZER is identified as Tell-Jezer or Tel-el-Jezar, about four miles from Amwâs or Emmaus.... [ Continue Reading ]
DEBIR is not identified.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE HILLS — i.e., the mountains of Judah and Ephraim. THE SOUTH — i.e., the Nêgeb. THE VALE — i.e., Shephêlah, the plain of the coast, but not apparently including the Philistine territory, which was not conquered by Joshua. THE SPRINGS — or _Áshdoth._ Some render it the slopes or declivities,... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM KADESH-BARNEA (on the south-east) EVEN UNTO GAZA (on the west, now Ghazzeh in Philistia), AND ALL THE COUNTRY OF GOSHEN (from the south to Gibeon in a northerly direction). AND ALL THE COUNTRY OF GOSHEN. — This expression creates some difficulty. Goshen has been thought to be the town of that n... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CAMP TO GILGAL. — A central position, with Jordan and the conquered territory of the two and a half tribes in the rear.... [ Continue Reading ]