mighty. (3) Wherefore Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, (*) Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. (5) Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

(6) And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are

gathered together against us. (7) So

(3) Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.Hebron, i.e., el-Khalil.

Jarmuth is identified as el-Yarmûk. Lachish is still uncertain; but see Note on verse 32. Eglon is identified as Aglân in Philistia. (4) 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 them at the passage of Jordan by Israel. And the armies which did take the field were attacked by Joshua in each instance before they had ventured to attack him. In the present instance it was thought necessary to smite Gibeon, not only to make an example of the inhabitants, but also because of its importance as a stronghold in the hands of Israel. The position of the Hivite tetrapolis was strong enough to command the country. The fact that a man of Gibeon was afterwards selected to reign over Israel, and that the tabernacle was stationed there, so that Gibeon became a sort of metropolis during the latter portion of Saul's reign, is a significant comment upon this.

(6) The Amorites that dwell in the mountains-i.e., in the mountainous district lying on the south of Jerusalem.

(8) 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.

(9) 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.

(10) Beth-horon-is identified as Beit' Ur.

Azekah-is unknown.

Makkedah.-Probably el-Moghår.

Five Kings Defeated.

Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. (8) And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. (9) Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. (10) And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. (11) And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

(12) Then spake Joshua to the LORD in

66

(11) Great stones from heaven.--Compare Job xxxviii. 22, 23, 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 artillery of heaven against Jehovah's enemies was there foretold by Himself.

(12-15)—The whole of this paragraph appears to be a quotation from the Book of Jasher. That book is mentioned also in 2 Sam. i. 18, where the lament of David over Saul and Jonathan appears to be a citation from it. We may compare Num. xxi. 14 and 27, where reference is made to poetical passages either current among the people (as national ballads) or actually written. The name Jasher (upright) is not taken as the name of an author, and what it refers to no one knows. From the fact that all the passages cited in this way are more or less poetical, we may infer that there was a poetical literature among the Hebrews (partly written, partly unwritten) from which the inspired writers occasionally made extracts. The songs of Moses, including the ninetieth Psalm, belong to this literature.

The fact that the great miracle of the Book of Joshua is recorded in this form is, to those who believe that Joshua was the original author of the book, a remarkable proof of the impression which the miracle had made upon the minds of the people. Even before the death of the hero of the story, it had come to be told in a set form of words, in which the ear could tolerate no alteration. As in later times they sang, "Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands," so they appear to have recited the deed of Joshua. "Then spake Joshua to the Lord." The form of the original sentence, "Then speaketh Joshua," &c., is suitable to this view.

(12) And he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still -It is not impossible to read thus: "And he said, In the sight of Israel sun in Gibeon be thou still (dumb); and, moon, in the valley of

!

24

Stand Still at Joshua's Word.

Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. (14) And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. (15) And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp

Ajalon." But we do not seem to gain anything by supposing that the miracle was only apparent-i.e., that the light of the sun and moon was retained in its position, while the heavenly bodies themselves-viz., earth, moon, and sun-maintained their actual course (for the sun moves). Nor, again, can we accept the view of some, that it was the night, not the day, that was specially prolonged. The word used for the sun's standing still is peculiar, and signifies to be dumb or silent. We may compare with this metaphor the words of Ps. xix. 3, 4, "There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Joshua's command was that the sun should for the time silence that penetrating_voice, and be dumb from those all-prevailing words. Translated into technical language, the command would be to suspend the motion of the earth round its axis, and that of the moon round the earth. At the same time the earth was left free to move round the sun, and the moon to revolve (if it does revolve) on its own axis. The objection which we sometimes hear, that if the earth had stopped in its orbit it would have fallen into the sun, is nothing to the purpose (supposing its Maker to have arrested its motion in such an imperfect and clumsy manner), for Joshua did not ask that it should cease to move in its orbit, only that it should cease the revolution which causes day and night to succeed each other at fixed intervals. Gravitation does not touch this.

How the miracle was done we are not informed. But if we understand the narrative literally, the problem is, How to suspend the motion of the earth upon its axis, and the motion of the moon round the earth, for twelve hours, the earth being free to move round the sun, and the moon free to revolve upon her axis, if these motions are independent of the others. And if they are not independent, it is not easy to say why a perfect solilunar cycle is not more readily obtained. This problem should be solved before men can assert the thing to be impossible. The late Professor Mozley has well shown, in his Bampton Lectures, that the presumption against a miracle of this kind is not a reasonable presumption. For, on the other hand, the presumption that the sun will rise to-morrow, and that the day will be of a given length, is not based upon reason at all, however strongly it may be felt by mankind. But many who do not doubt that the Creator could perform the miracle (as easily as an engine-driver can stop an engine at full speed, or a skilful finger arrest the progress of a watch without injury to the works), nevertheless hesitate to believe that He would have done such a thing under the stated circumstances and for the proposed end. The answer to this objection is, that the history of the chosen people in Holy Scripture is a series of miracles. The miracles of Moses and Elijah and Elisha are not less wonderful than this. The three days' darkness in Egypt, the sign that was given to Hezekiah, which

brought inquirers from Babylon (2 Chron. xxxii. 31), the star that conducted the wise men from the East to Bethlehem, and the miraculous darkness at the crucifixion, were wonders of the same kind. Holy Scripture expressly informs us that there will be "signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars." Astronomers speak calmly of the possibility of the extinction of the solar fires. Can they tell us what would be the effect of a partial, gradual, or momentary extinction? At least Holy Scripture is consistent throughout, in the view that the God of Israel never spared a sign or a wonder that might further His purposes towards His people. As for the remark made by one commentator, that the silence of other contemporary records is a presumption against the miracle in its literal sense, we ask, Where are the contemporary records that are silent ?

At the same time, if any one finds it easier to believe that the motions of the earth, sun, and moon were continued, and the light only was arrested in its course, the Scripture does not forbid that view. But there is still a question left unsolved even then. Why did Joshua bid the moon stand still as well as the sun to be silent? In any case, indeed, this is a remarkable feature of the story. It must not be forgotten that while we know the law and rate of the earth's motion, we do not entirely understand what the CAUSE of the motion is, and therefore it is impossible to state what must be done in order to arrest the motion for a time. Upon Gibeon; and in the valley of Ajalon. The two prepositions are the same in Hebrew. It seems to be an order that the sun should not go down, and the moon cease to rise.

(13) 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 the heavens).

And hasted not to go down (or to go in) about a whole day.-The word cannot mean to rise, or ascend, and thus these words absolutely exclude the view that what Joshua desired was to prevent the sun from rising, in order to complete a night attack upon the Amorites.

(14) 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 xxx. 26," Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound."

(15) Unto the camp to Gilgal.-This verse relates by anticipation, in the words of the Book of Jasher

Slaughter of the

(16) But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. (17) And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. (18) And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep

Five Kings at Makkedah.

called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. (25) And Joshua said unto them, Fear

after your enemies, and 1 smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. (20) And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were

tail.

good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. (26) And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. (27) And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua com

a

of them entered into fenced cities. (21) And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

(22) Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. (23) And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. (24) And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua

29.

b ch. 6. 21.

(Heb., Yashar, upright), what we find in the narrative of Joshua at verse 43, viz., the return to Gilgal at the close of this campaign. The immediate return, at the end of the miraculous day's operations, was to Makkedah, not to Gilgal (see verse 21).

(16) In a cave.-Literally, in the cave in Makkedah, and so verse 17.

(19) Smite the hindmost of them.-See Deut. XXV. 18, the only other place where the same Hebrew verb occurs.

before thee

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 notwithstanding limited as to time and circumstances by this very condition, in Deut. vii., verses 1, 2, "when the Lord thy God shall bring thee in, and hath cast out seven nations, and when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them." Again, verse 16, "Thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee," and verse 22, "The Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little; thou mayest not consume them at once." The extermination of each particular army or nation was to be determined (as to time and circumstances) by the mandate of Jehovah, whose guidance Israel must follow on all occasions. The present occasion was one for pursuit and slaughter 45

without respite or delay. But though the army, as an army, was annihilated, a remnant of fugitives escaped into fortified places (verse 20).

(24) The captains.-The original word occurs here for the first time (see Judges xi. 6, 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 the action of Joshua was well calculated to inspirit them, and to fire them with courage to lead their followers to the charge in battles that were yet to come.

Put your feet upon the necks of these kings. -Comp. 2 Sam. xxii. 41, "Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies ;" and Gen. xlix. 8.

(25) Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage.-The very words spoken to Joshua by Jehovah (chap. i. 9) with the exception of the word for fear, which is stronger in chap. i. 9. Even ordinary fear is needless. Alarm is not to be thought of.

(26) 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" (Col. ii. 15).

(28) Joshua took Makkedah. Perhaps better, had taken―i.e., before the execution of the five kings. (29) Then.-Better, simply and. The operations against Libnah are the commencement of a further

Various Conquests

(30) and the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

(31) And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: (32) and the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

(33) Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

(34) And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: (35) and they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done. to Lachish.

(36) And Joshua went up from Eglon,

stage of the campaign. Libnah has not been identified; but see chap. xv. 42.

(31) 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.

(32) 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 xviii. 13), although he "laid siege to Lachish, and all his power with him" (2 Chron. xxxii. 9), he had to abandon the siege (2 Kings xix. 8). Again, when Nebuchadnezzar invaded the kingdom of Judah in the reign of Zedekiah, the last king, we read (Jer. xxxiv. 7) of his army fighting "against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah, for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah." All these notices of Lachish point to its being a fortress of considerable strength. And the undesigned and indirect agreement of these three passages, which lie so far asunder, is worthy of obser

vation.

(33) Gezer is identified as Tell-Jezer or Tel-elJezar, about four miles from Amwâs or Emmaus. (38) Debir is not identified.

(40) 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.

of Joshua. and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it: (37) and they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.

(38) And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it: (39) and he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.

(40) So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel "commanded. (41) And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon. (42) And all these kings and their land

The springs-or Ashdoth. Some render it the slopes or declivities, the country between the high hills and the low plain of the coast.

(41) From Kadesh-barnea (on the south-east) even unto Gaza (on the west, now Ghazzeh in Phil. istia), 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 name mentioned in chap. xv. 51; but it is inconceivable that a single place of no importance in the mountains of Judah should give the name to an extensive district, which is manifestly intended here. If we knew the exact northern boundary of the land of Goshen assigned for a distinct residence to Joseph's brethren in Egypt, it might help to clear up the meaning of this passage. That Goshen, at its Egyptian end, bordered upon the Delta is clear. But how far did Goshen extend towards the north? In 1 Chron. vii. 21, 22, we find that Ephraim's children in his lifetime made an incursion into Canaan as far as Gath. But this was during the time that Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen. Did they suppose that they were in the land of Goshen when they plundered the men of Gath? If Goshen (frontier) could be the general name for the borderland between Egypt and Palestine, we can understand that the borders might vary with the power of the Egyptian monarchy for the time being. The country of Goshen, unto Gibeon, seems to be described from south to north; Gibeon being intended as the northern boundary.