JOSHUA
Verse 42. Did Joshua take at one time— That is, he defeated all those kings, and took all their cities, in ONE campaign; this appears to be the
rational construction of the Hebrew. But these conquests were so rapid and stupendous, that they cannot be attributed either to the generalship of Joshua, or the valor of the Israelites; and hence the author himself,
disclaiming the merit of them, modestly and piously adds, because the Lord Good of Israel fought for Israel. It was by this aid that Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time-in a single campaign. And when all the circumstances related in this chapter are properly weighed, we shall find that GOD alone could have performed these works, and that both reason and piety require that to HIM alone they should be attributed.
1. THE principal subjects of this important chapter have been
considered so much in detail in the preceding notes, that there is little room to add any thing to what has already been said. The principal subject is the miracle of the sun’s standing still; and to assert that all difficulties have been removed by the preceding notes and
observations, would be to say what the writer does not believe, and what few readers would perhaps feel disposed to credit. Yet it is hoped that the chief difficulties have been removed, and the miracle itself shown to have nothing contradictory in it. If, as is generally believed, the sun and moon were objects of the Canaanitish adoration, the miracle was graciously calculated to check this superstition, and to show the Israelites, as well as the Canaanites, the vanity of such worship, and the folly of such dependence. Even their gods at the command of a servant of JEHOVAH, were obliged to contribute to the destruction of their votaries. This method of checking superstition and destroying idolatry God adopted in the plagues which he inflicted upon the Egyptians; and by it at once showed his justice and his mercy. See the concluding observations on <021251>
Exodus 12:51.
2. The same God who appeared so signally in behalf of his people of old is still the governor of the heavens and the earth; and, if applied to, will do every thing essentially necessary for the extension of his truth
and the maintenance of his religion among men. How is it that faith is so rarely exercised in his power and goodness? We have not, because we ask not. Our experience of his goodness is contracted, because we pray little and believe less. To holy men of old the object of faith was more obscurely revealed than to us, and they had fewer helps to their faith; yet they believed more, and witnessed greater displays of the power and mercy of their Maker. Reader, have faith in God, and know that to excite, exercise, and crown this, he has given thee his word and his Spirit; and learn to know that without him thou canst do nothing.
CHAPTER 11
The Kings of Hazor, Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph, with those of the mountains, plains, etc., and various chiefs of the Canaanites and Amorites, confederate against Israel, 1-3. They pitch their tents at the waters of Merom, 4, 5. The Lord encourages Joshua, 6. He attacks and discomfits them, 7, 8. Houghs all their horses, and burns all their chariots, 9. Takes and burns several of their cities, 10-13. The Israelites take the spoils, 14, 15. An account of the country taken by Joshua, 16-18. The Gibeonites only make peace with Israel, 19. All the rest resist and are overcome, 20.
Joshua cuts off the Anakim, 21, 22. The conquered lands are given to Israel, and the war is concluded, 23,
NOTES ON CHAP. 11
Verse 1. Jabin king of Hazor— It is probable that Jabin was the common name of all the kings of Hazor. That king, by whom the Israelites were kept in a state of slavery for twenty years, and who was defeated by Deborah and Barak, was called by this name; see <070402>
Judges 4:2, 3, 23. The name signifies wise or intelligent. The city of Hazor was situated above the Lake Semechon, in Upper Galilee, according to Josephus, Antiq. lib. v., c.
6. It was given to the tribe of Naphtali, <061936>
Joshua 19:36, who it appears did not possess it long; for though it was burnt by Joshua, <061111>
Joshua 11:11, it is likely that the Canaanites rebuilt it, and restored the ancient government, as we find a powerful king there about one hundred and thirty years after the death of Joshua, <070401>
Judges 4:1. It is the same that was taken by Tiglath-pileser, together with Kadesh, to which it is contiguous; see
<121529>
2 Kings 15:29. It is supposed to have given name to the Valley or Plain of Hazor or Nasor, situated between it and Kadesh, where Jonathan and Mattathias defeated the armies of Demetrius, and slew three thousand of their men, 1Mac 11:63-74. It was in ancient times the metropolitan city of all that district, and a number of petty kings or chieftains were subject to its king, see <061110>
Joshua 11:10; and it is likely that it was those tributary kings who were summoned to attend the king of Hazor on this occasion;
for Joshua having conquered the southern part of the promised land, the northern parts seeing themselves exposed made now a common interest,
and, joining with Jabin, endeavored to put a stop to the progress of the Israelites. See Calmet
Jobab king of Madon— This royal city is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture except in <061219>
Joshua 12:19. The Vatican copy of the Septuagint reads marwn, Maron, which, if legitimate, Calmet thinks may mean Maronia or Merath in Phoenicia, to the north of Mount Libanus. The Hebrew text reads wrm Meron, <061220>
Joshua 12:20, after Shimron, which is probably the same with wdm Madon, <061119>
Joshua 11:19, the word having casually dropped out of the preceding place into the latter, and the r resh and d daleth being interchanged, which might have easily happened from the great similarity of the letters. Hence Calmet conjectures that it may be the same place with zwrm Meroz, <070523>
Judges 5:23, the z zain and final nun being interchanged, which they might easily, as they are so very similar.
King of Shimron— This city is supposed to be the same with Symira, in Coelosyria, joined to Maron or Marath, by Pliny and Pomponius Mela. It cannot be Samaria, as that had its name long after by Omri king of Israel.
See <111624>
1 Kings 16:24.
King of Achshaph— Calmet supposes this to have been the city of Ecdippe, mentioned by Pliny, Ptolemy, Josephus, and Eusebius. The latter places it within ten miles of Ptolemais, on the road to Tyre. It fell to the tribe of Asher. See <061926>
Joshua 19:26.
Verse 2. On the north of the mountains— Or the mountain, probably