Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

The waters of Jordan are divided,

A. M. 2553.
B. C. 1451.
An. Exod. Isr.
40.
Anno ante

I. Olymp. 675.

CHAP. IV.

sea of the plain, even
sea, failed, and were cut off
and the people passed over right
against Jericho.

and the people pass over.

the salt | covenant of the LORD stood firm
on dry ground in the midst of
Jordan, and all the Israelites
passed over on dry ground, until

A. M. 2555.
B. C. 1451.

An. Exod. 1sr.

40. Anno ante

1. Olymp. 675.

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

a Gen. xiv. 3; Num. xxxiv. 3.

b See Exod. xiv. 29.

1. Is it not surprising that the Canaanites did not dispute this passage with the Israelites? It is likely they would, had they had any expectation that such a passage would have been attempted. They must have

of the Jordan, but could they have supposed that a passage for such a host was possible when the banks of the Jordan were quite overflowed? It was not merely because they were panic-struck that they did ́ not dispute this passage, but because they must have supposed it impossible; and when they found the attempt was made, the passage was effected before they could prepare to prevent it.

2. GOD now appears in such a way, and works in such a manner, as to leave no doubt concerning his presence or his power, or of his love to Israel. After this, was it possible for this people ever to doubt his being or his bounty? This, with the miraculous passage of the Red Sea, were well calculated to have established their faith for ever; and those who did not yield to the evidence afforded by these two miracles were incapable of rational conviction.

channel toward the source, and the adjacent ground over which they were now spread, to a much greater depth, the power of God giving a contrary direction to the current. We need not suppose them to be gathered up like a mountain, instar montis, as the Vul-known that the Israelitish camp was on the other side gale expresses it, but that they continued to flow back in the course of the channel; and ere they could have reached the lake of Gennesareth, where they might have been easily accumulated, the whole Israelitish army would have all got safely to the opposite side. Very far from the city Adam-beside Zaretan] Where these places were it is difficult to say. The city Adam is wholly unknown. From 1 Kings iv. 12 we learn that Zartanah was below Jezreel near Bethshean, or Scythopolis, and not far from Succoth, 1 Kings vii. 46. And it appears from Gen. xxxiii. 17, Josh. xiii. 27, that Succoth lay on the east side of Jordan, not far from the lake of Gennesareth; and probably Adam was on the same side to the north of Succoth. It is probable that the Israelites crossed the Jordan near Bethabara, where John baptized, John i. 28, and which probably had its name, the house of passage, from this very circumstance. After all, it is extremely difficult to ascertain the exact situation of these places, as in the lapse of upwards of 3,000 years the face of the country must have been materially changed. Seas, rivers, and mountains, change not; and though we cannot ascertain the spot, it is sufficiently evident that we can come near to the place. It has been considered a lame objection against the truth of the Iliad that the situation of Troy cannot now be exactly ascertained. There are even many ancient cities and considerable towns in Europe, that, though they still bear their former names, do not occupy the same spot. There are not a few of those even in England; among such Norwich, Salisbury, &c., may be ranked, neither of which is in its primitive situation.

Right against Jericho.] It would be impossible for the whole camp to pass over in the space opposite to Jericho, as they must have taken up some miles in breadth, besides the 2,000 cubits which were left on the right between them and the ark; but the river was divided opposite to Jericho, and there the camp began to pass over.

Verse 17. The priests-stood firm on dry ground] They stood in the mid channel, and shifted not their position till the camp, consisting of nearly 600,000 effective men, besides women, children, &c., had passed over.

3. In some respects the passage of the Jordan was more strikingly miraculous than that even of the Red Sea. In the latter God was pleased to employ an agent; the sea went back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, Exod. xiv. 21. Nothing of this kind appeared in the passage of the Jordan; a very rapid river (for so all travellers allow it to be) went back to its source without any kind of agency but the invisible hand of the invisible God.

4. Through the whole period of the Jewish history these miracles, so circumstantially related, were never denied by any, but on the contrary conscientiously believed by all. Nor did any of them in their revolts from God, which were both foul and frequent, ever call these great facts in question, when even so full of enmity against God as to blaspheme his name, and give his glory to dumb idols! Is not this a manifest proof that these facts were incontestable and that Jehovah had so done his marvellous works that they should be had in everlasting remembrance ? Reader, the same God who is over all is rich in mercy to all that call upon him.. He changes not, neither is he weary trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength; and HE ever saves his followers out of the hands of all their enemies, and, having guided them by his counsel, will receive them into his glory.

CHAPTER IV.

When the people are passed over, Joshua commands twelve men, one taken out of each tribe, to take up a stone on his shoulder out of the midst of the river, and carry it to the other side, to be set up as a memorial of this miraculous passage, 1–7. They do so, and set up the stones in the place where they encamp the first

VOL. II.

( 2 )

17

b

Twelve stones, taken out of Jordan,

JOSHUA.

are set up as a memorial. night, 8, 9. The priests stand in the river, till all the people are passed over, 10, 11. Of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 40,000 fighting men pass over with the other tribes, 12,

13.

Joshua is magnified in the sight of the people, and they fear him as they did Moses, 14. The priests are commanded to come up out of the river, which, on their leaving it, immediately returns, and overflows its banks as before, 15-18. This miraculous passage takes place the tenth day of the first month, 19. The stones are set up in Gilgal, and Joshua teaches the people what use they are to make of them, 20-24. 6 That this may be a sign AND it came to pass, when all the people were clean among you, that when your passed over Jordan, that the children ask their fathers fin

[ocr errors]

A. M. 2553.

B. C. 1451.

An. Exod. Isr.

I.

40.

Anno ante

b

a

1. Olymp. 675. LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,

с

3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' fect stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.

4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:

5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;

[blocks in formation]

time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

A. M. 2553.
B. C. 1451.

An. Exod. Isr.

40. Anno ante

I. Olymp. 675.

the

7 Then ye shall answer them, That waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for h a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

8 And the children of Israel did so, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the cove Deut. vi. 20; Psa. xliv. 1; lxxviii. 3, 4, 5, 6.- f Heb. to-mor row.- - Chap. iii. 13, 16.- - Exod. xii. 14; Num. xvi. 40.

the Israelites over Jordan, he was commanded to take twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, to be a me

Verse 2. Take you twelve men] From chap. iii. 12, it appears that the twelve men had been before ap-morial that the ground in the very midst of that river pointed, one taken out of each of the twelve tribes; and now they are employed for that purpose for which they had been before selected.

Verse 3. Where ye shall lodge this night.] This was in the place that was afterwards called Gilgal. See ver. 19.

Verse 4. Twelve men, whom he had prepared] This must refer to their appointment, chap. iii. 12. Verse 6. This may be a sign] Stand as a continual memorial of this miraculous passage, and consequently a proof of their lasting obligation to God.

Verse 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan] It seems from this chapter that there were two sels of stones erected as a memorial of this great event; twelve at Gilgal, ver. 20, and twelve in the bed of Jordan, ver. 9. The twelve stones in the bed of Jordan might have been so placed on a base of strong stone-work so high as always to be visible, and serve to mark the very spot where the priests stood with the ark. The twelve stones set up at Gilgal would stand as a monument of the place of the first encampment after this miraculous passage. Though this appears to me to be the meaning of this place, yet Dr. Kennicott's criticism here should not be passed by. "It is well known," says he, "that when Joshua led

had been made dry. But where was this memorial to be set up? The ninth verse says; Joshua set up these stones IN the midst of Jordan. But is it likely that the stones should be placed or set down where they were taken up ; and that the memorial should be erected there where, when the river was again united, it would be concealed, and of course could be no memorial at all? This however flatly contradicts the rest of the chapter, which says these stones were pitched in Gilgal, where Israel lodged in Canaan for the first time. The solution of this difficulty is, that a bethoch IN the midst, should be here n mittoch, FROM the midst, as in ver. 3, 8, 20, and as the word is here also in the Syriac version. The true rendering therefore is, And Joshua set up the twelve stones (taken) FROM the midst of Jordan," &c. I confess I see no need for this criticism, which is not supported by a single MS. either in his own or De Rossi's collection, though they amount to four hundred and ninety-four in number. Twelve stones might be gathered in different parts of the bed of the Jordan, and be set up as a pillar in another, and be a continual visible memorial of this grand event. And if twelve were set up in Gilgal as a memorial of their first encampment in Canaan, it is still more likely that twelve would be set up in the bed of the river to

Joshua is magnified in the

A. M. 2553. B. C. 1451. An. Exod. Isr.

CHAP. IV.

nant stood and they are there unto this day.

40. Anno ante 10 For the priests which bare 1. Olymp. 675. the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.

12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

Num. xxxii. 20, 27, 28.- -k Or, ready armed.—1 Chap. iii. 7. Exod. xxv. 16, 22.

show where it had been divided, and the place where the whole Israelitish host had passed over dry-shod. The reader may follow the opinion he judges most likely.

sight of all the people.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. Hebrew, plucked up.

0 Chapter iii. 15.- Hebrew, went. 9 Chap. v. 9.

entered into Canaan the tenth of the first month, A. M. 2553, it is evident that forty years, wanting five days, had elapsed from the time of their exodus from Egypt to their entrance into the promised inheritance.

Encamped in Gilgal That is, in the place that was afterwards called Gilgal, see chap. v. 9; for here the name is given it by anticipation. In Hebrew, gal signifies to roll; and the doubling of the root, ha galgal or gilgal, signifies rolling round and round, or rolling off or away, because, in circumcising the chil

Verse 10. And the people hasted and passed over.] How very natural is this circumstance ! The people seeing the waters divided, and Jordan running back, might be apprehensive that it would soon resume its wonted course; and this would naturally lead them to hasten to get over, with as much speed as possible. The circumstance itself thus marked is a proof that the relater was an eyewitness of this miraculous pas-dren that had been born in the wilderness, Joshua rolled sage.

Verse 12. The children of Reuben, and-Gad] Concerning the numbers of these tribes that stayed behind to take care of the women, children, and cattle, and which amounted to 70,580 men, see the note on Num. xxxii. 17.

Passed over armed] See the note on chap. i. 14. Verse 14. The Lord magnified Joshua] See the note on chap. iii. 7.

Verse 18. The waters of Jordan returned unto their place] It is particularly remarked by the sacred historian, that as soon as the soles of the priests' feet touched the water, the stream of the Jordan was cut off, chap. iii. 15, and the course of the river continued to be inverted all the time they continued in its channel; and that as soon as the soles of their feet had touched the dry land, on their return from the bed of the river, the waters immediately resumed their natural course. All this was done by the sovereign influence of that God whose presence was represented by the ark of the covenant.

Verse 19. On the tenth day of the first month] As the Israelites left Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first month, A. M. 2513, (see Exod. xiv.,) and they

3.

away, rolled off completely, the reproach of the people. From this time Gilgal became a place of considerable eminence in the sacred history. 1. It was the place where the Israelitish camp rested the first night of their entering into that land, which had been promised to their fathers from the days of Abraham. 2. It was the place in which Joshua circumcised all the people who had been born in the wilderness, during the forty years of their wandering, after they left Egypt. It was the place in which Joshua had what we might term his fortified camp, and to which he and his army constantly returned after each of their expeditions against the inhabitants of the land. 4. It appears to have been the place where all the women, children, cattle, and goods, &c., were lodged, probably during the whole of the Canaanitish war. 5. It was the place where they celebrated the first passover they kept in the promised land. 6. It was the place where Saul, the first king of Israel, was proclaimed. 7. There the manna ceased to fall. And, 8. There the ark was fixed till, after the conquest of the country, it was removed to Shiloh.

Gilgal was about ten furlongs from Jericho, and fifty from Jordan: Jericho being on the west, and Jordan

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Ver. 3. Ver. 6. Heb. to-morrow. Chap. iii. 17. Exod. xiv. 21.- 1 Kings viii. 42, 43; 2 Kings xix. 19; Psa. cvi. on the east, Gilgal being between both. See Josephus, De Bello, &c., lib. v., c. 4, and Calmet on this place. Calmet supposes there was neither city nor town here before the arrival of the Israelites.

Verse 20. Those twelve stones] It is very likely that a base of mason-work was erected of some considerable height, and then the twelve stones placed on the top of it; and that this was the case both in Jordan and in Gilgal: for twelve such stones as a man could carry a considerable way on his shoulder, see ver. 5, could scarcely have made any observable altar, or pillar of memorial: but erected on a high base of mason-work they would be very conspicuous, and thus properly answer the end for which God ordered them to be set up.

on hearing of the late miracle

A. M. 2553.
B. C. 1451.
An. Exod Isr.
40.
Anno ante
I. Olymp. 675.

23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

W

V

24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for

ever.

y

8. Exod. xv. 16; 1 Chron. xxix. 12; Psa. lxxxix. 13.- Ex. xiv. 31; Deut. vi. 2; Psa. lxxxix. 7; Jer. x. 7. Heb. all days. heathen, were well calculated to make these things known.

1. GOD intends that his religion should be maintained and propagated in the earth; therefore he has given a revelation of himself to men, that it may be taught in the world; and he particularly requires that parents should be diligent and fervent in teaching their children the knowledge of his name. 2. This is one great use of the ordinances of the Gospel, and the rites of religion. They are all significators of sacred things, and point out matters of infinite importance beyond themselves. 3. A spirit of inquiry is common to every child: the human heart is ever panting after knowledge; and if not rightly directed when young, will, like that of our first mother, go astray after forbidden science. 4. If we wish our children to be happy, we should show them where happiness is to be found.. If we wish them to be wise, we should lead them unto God by means of his word and ordinances. It is natuVerse 24. That all the people of the earth might|ral for a child to inquire, "What do you mean by this know] It is very likely that by col ammey baptism?-by this sacrament ?-by praying?—by singhaarets means simply, all the people of this land-all ing psalms and hymns ?" &c. And what fine opporthe Canaanitish nations, to whom, by the miracles tunities do such questions give pious and intelligent wrought in behalf of his people, he intended to show parents to instruct their children in every article of his eternal power and Godhead, the excellence of the Christian faith, and in every fact on which these his protection, and the unavailableness of human articles are established! Oh why is this neglected, might against his omnipotence; and the miracles while the command of God is before our eyes, and the he wrought for this people, in the sight of the importance of the measure so strikingly obvious?

Verse 22. Then ye shall let your children know] The necessity of an early religious education is inculcated through the whole oracles of God. The parents who neglect it have an awful account to give to the Judge of quick and dead.

[ocr errors]

CHAPTER V.

The effect produced on the minds of the Canaanites by the late miracle, 1. Joshua is commanded to circumcise the Israelites, 2. He obeys, 3. Who they were that were circumcised, and why it was now done, 4-7. They abide in the camp till they are whole, 8. The place is called Gilgal, and why, 9. They keep the passover in the same place, 10. They eat unleavened cakes and parched corn, on the morrow after the passover, 11. The manna ceases, 12. The captain of the Lord's host appears to Joshua, 13-15.

A. M. 2553.

B. C. 1451. AND it came

An. Exod. Isr.

40.

Anno ante
I. Olymp. 675.

a

[blocks in formation]

AND it came to pass, when kings of the Canaanites, all the kings of the Amo- were by the sea, heard that the An. Exod. Isr. rites, which were on the side LORD had dried the waters up of Jordan westward, and all the of Jordan from before the chil- Olymp. 675. Num. xiii. 29.b Exod. xv. 14, 15; chap. ii. 9, 10, NOTES ON CHAP. V. Verse 1. The Amorites which were on the side of Jordan westward] It has already been remarked that

11; Psa. xlviii. 6 Ezek. xxi. 7.
the term Amorite is applied sometimes to signify all
the nations or tribes of Canaan. It appears from this
verse that there were people thus denominated that

Joshua is commanded to

A. M. 2553.

B. C. 1451.

40.

Anno ante

[blocks in formation]

dren of Israel, until we were again the children of Israel the

An. Eod. Isr. passed over, that their heart melted, neither was their spirit in them any more, because the children of Israel.

I. Olymp. 675.

of

2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise

1 Kings x. 5. Or, knives of flints.- Le Exodus iv. 25.

dwelt on both sides of the Jordan. Those on the east side had already been destroyed in the war which the Israelites had with Sihon and Og; with those on the west side Joshua had not yet waged war. It is possible however that the Amorites, of whom we read in this verse, were the remains of those who dwelt on the east side of the Jordan, and who had taken refuge here on the defeat of Og and Sihon.

Verse 2. Make thee sharp knives] D

mon case.

char

second time.

A. M. 2553.
B. C. 1451.

An. Exod. Isr.

40. Anno ante

3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the chil- I. Olymp. 675. dren of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Or, Gibeath-haaraloth.- - Num. xiv. 29; xxvi. 64, 65; Deut. ii. 16.

f

The great aptitude of iron to be oxidized, i. e., to be converted to rust, is well known; but how far this reasoning, thus applied, may be supported by fact, I cannot pretend to determine it is sufficiently evident that it was a common custom to use knives of stone in circumcision, and in all operations on those parts of the human body. I shall give a few examples. Pliny says, when they amputate certain parts they do it with a sharp stone, because nothing else could be employed without danger. Samia testa virilitatem amputabant : nec aliter citra perniciem.

Ovid, Fast. lib. iv., ver. 237, relates a circumstance where the saxum acutum, or sharp stone, was used about those parts :

Ille etiam SAXO corpus laniavit ACUTO,

Longaque in immundo pulvere tracta coma est.
Voxque fuit, Merui; meritas dem sanguine pœnas;
Ah! pereant partes, quæ nocuere mihi;
Ah! pereant; dicebat adhuc, onus inguinis aufert;
Nullaque sunt subito signa relicta viri.

This quotation is produced in order to prove that a knife made of a sharp stone was used in making in

cisions and amputations of certain parts of the body, even when the use of iron was well known; but a translation of the verse is not necessary, and would be improper. The

.

Mollia qui RAPTA secuit GENITALIA TESTA of Juvenal (Sat. vi., ver. 513) is a farther proof of this. Many other proofs might be produced; but those who wish for more may consult Calmet and Scheuchzer.

both tsurim, knives of rock, stone, or flint. Before the use of iron was common, all the nations of the earth had their edge-tools made of stones, flints, &c. In the lately discovered islands. this is found to be a comOur ancestors in these countries made their arrow and spear-heads of flint: these I have often seen turned up by the plough. But we cannot suppose that at the time here referred to the Israelites were destitute of iron, and were therefore obliged to use knives made of stone or flint; their different manufactures in the wilderness prove that they must have had both iron and steel. Why then use knives made of stone? Probably it was unlawful to use metal of any kind in this religious rite; and indeed this seems likely from the circumstance of Zipporah (Exod. iv. 25) taking a sharp stone and circumcising her son; and we find, from the most ancient and authentic accounts, that the Egyptians considered it unlawful or profane to use any kind of metal to make incisions in the human body, when preparing it for embalming; see the note on Gen. 1. 2, and on Exod. iv. 25. That it was deemed improper to use any other kind of instrument in circumcision we have a proof in the tribe Alnajab, in Ethiopia, who follow the Mosaic institution, and perform the rite of circumcision, according to Ludolf, cultris lapidibus, with knives made of stone.-Hist. Æthiop., lib. iii., c. 1. And as God commanded the people to make him an altar of unhewn stone, on which no tool of iron had been lifted up, because this would pollute it, (see Exod. xx. 25, and Deut. xxvii. 5,) he might require that no instrument of iron should be used in a rite by which the body and soul of the person were in the most solemn and sacred manner dedicated to him to be his house and temple, the heart itself being the altar on which continual sacrifices to God must be of fered. A physical reason has been given for preferring knives of stone in this operation, "the wound suffers less through inflammation, and is sooner healed." For this a reason may be given. It is almost impos-into the promised land. Owing to their unsettled state, sible to get an edge made so even and firm as not to leave particles of the metal in the incisions made even in the most delicate flesh; these particles would soon become oxidized by the action of the air, and extra inflammation in the part would be the consequence.

[ocr errors]

Circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.] This certainly does not mean that they should repeat circumcision on those who had already received it. This would have been as absurd as impracticable. But the command implies that they were to renew the observance of a rite which had been neglected in their travels in the desert: this is sufficiently evident from the following verses.

Verse 4. This is the cause why Joshua did circumcise] The text here explains itself. Before the Israelites left Egypt all the males were circumcised; and some learned men think that all those who were born during their encampment at Sinai were circumcised also, because there they celebrated the passover; but after that time, during the whole of their stay in the wilderness, there were none circumcised till they entered

God appears to have dispensed, for the time being, with this rite; but as they were about to celebrate another passover, it was necessary that all the males should be circumcised; for without this they could not be considered within the covenant, and could not keep the

« AnteriorContinuar »