Joshua sends messengers A. M. 2553. JOSHUA. weight, then I coveted them, and An. Exod. Isr. took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of 40. Anno ante I. Olymp. 675. 23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. Heb. poured.-- Ver. 26; chap. xv. 7. for the stolen articles. A. M. 2553. 40. Anno ante 1. Olymp. 675. 24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. * And all Israel stoned him with stones, and iChap. vi. 18; 1 Chron. ii. 7; Gal. v. 12. Deut. xvii. 5. but as Babylon or Babel was built in the plain of Shi-ruption of the word lingot, signifying a little tongue, nar, the word has in general been translated Babylon of fifty shekels weight. These fifty shekels, in weight in this place. It is very probable that this was the 29 oz. 15 gr., at 21. 5s. 2 d. per shekel, would robe of the king of Jericho, for the same word is used, be worth about 1137. Qs. 10d. Jonah iii. 6, to express the royal robe, of the king of This verse gives us a notable instance of the proNineveh, which he laid aside in order to humble him-gress of sin. It 1. enters by the eye; 2. sinks into self before God. the heart; 3. actuates the hand; and, 4. leads to seBochart and Calmet have shown at large that Ba-crecy and dissimulation. I saw, &c. I coveted, &c. bylonish robes were very splendid, and in high repu- I took and hid them in the earth. Thus says St. tation. "They are," says Calmet, "generally allowed James: "When lust (evil desire) is conceived it to have been of various colours, though some suppose bringeth forth sin; and when sin is finished it bringeth they were woven thus; others, that they were embroi-forth death," chap. i. 15. dered with the needle; and others, that they were painted. SILIUS ITALICUS appears to think they were woven thus: Vestis spirantes referens subtemine vultus, Punic. lib. xiv., ver. 657. MARTIAL seems to say they were embroidered with the needle: Non ego prætulerim BABYLONICA PIcta superbe Lib. viii., E. 28, ver. 17. PLINY (lib. viii., c. 48) and APULEIUS (Florid. lib. i.) speak of them as if painted: "Colores diversos pictura intexere Babylon maxime celebravit, et nomen imposuit." Thus far Calmet: but it may be observed that the clothes woven of divers colours at Babylon, which were so greatly celebrated, and hence called Babylonish garments, appear rather to have had the pictures woven or embroidered in them than painted on them, as Calmet supposes, though it is most likely the figures referred to were the work of the needle after the cloth came from the loom. Verse 24. Joshua-took Achan-and all that he had] He and his cattle and substance were brought to the valley to be consumed; his sons and his daughters, probably, to witness the judgments of God inflicted on their disobedient parent. See ver. 25. Verse 25. Why hast thou troubled us?] Here is a reference to the meaning of Achan's or Achar's name, 1 meh ACHAR-tanu; and as y achar is used here, and not achan, and the valley is called the valley of Achor, and not the valley of Achan, hence some have supposed that Achar was his proper name, as it is read in 1 Chron. ii. 7, and in some MSS. and ancient versions. See the note on ver. 17. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.] With great deference to the judgment of others, I ask, Can it be fairly proved from the text that the sons and daughters of Achan were stoned to death and burnt as well as their father? The text certainly leaves it doubtful, but seems rather to intimate that Achan alone was stoned, and that his substance was burnt with fire. The reading of the present HEBREW text is, They stoned HIM with stones, and burnt THEM with fire, after they had stoned THEM with stones. The singular number being used in the first clause of the verse, and . AQUILA translates the original, addereth the plural in the last, leaves the matter doubtful. The shinar, by orohηv Baßvλoviny, a Babylonish robe; VULGATE is very clear: Lapidavitque EUM omnis IsSYMMACHUS, evovμa ovvap, a robe of Synar; the SEP-rael; et cuncta quæ illius erant, igne consumpta sunt, TUAGINT, in πоikihηv, a fine garment of different colours; and the VULGATE, pallium coccineum, a scarlet cloak. There is no doubt it was both beautiful and costly, and on these grounds it was coveted by Achan. Two hundred shekels of silver] At three shillings per shekel, amount to about 301. sterling. A wedge of gold] A tongue of gold, leshon zahab what we commonly call an ingot of gold, a cor "All Israel stoned him; and all that he had was consumed with fire." The SEPTUAGINT add this and the first clause of the next verse together: Kai 200ßoλησαν αυτον λίθοις πας Ισραηλ, και επέστησαν αυτῷ owpov howv peyav: And all Israel stoned HIM with stones, and raised over HIM a great heap of stones. The Syriac says simply, They stoned HIM with stones, and burned what pertained to HIM with fire. The TARGUM is the same as the Hebrew. The ANGLOSAXON seems to refer the whole to Achan and his GOODS And hing pær seændon, and his ping forbæɲinden, And HIM they stoned there, and burnt his goods. The ARABIC version alone says, They stoned HIM and his Instead هو و بنیه و ماله CHILDREN, and his goods of burnt THEM, Dr's otham, two of De Rossi's MSS. read notho, HIM; which reading, if genuine, would make the different members of the verse agree better. It is possible that Achan, his 'oxen, asses, sheep, tent, and all his household goods, were destroyed, but his sons and daughters left uninjured. But it may be asked, Why are they brought out into the valley with the rest? Why, that they might see and fear, and be for ever deterred by their father's punishment from imitating his example. I have gone thus far into this important transaction, in which the justice and mercy of God are so much concerned, that I might be able to assign to each its due. That Achan's life was forfeited to justice by his transgression, no one doubts: he sinned against a known and positive law. His children could not suffer with him, because of the law, Deut. xxiv. 16, unless they had been accomplices in his guilt of this there is no evidence; and the text in question, which speaks of Achan's punishment, is extremely dubious, as far as it relates to this point. One circumstance that strengthens the supposition that the children were not included, is the command of the Lord, ver. 15 "He that is taken with the accursed thing, shall be burnt with fire; he, and all that he hath." Now, all that he hath may certainly refer to his goods, and not to his children; and his punishment, and the destruction of his property would answer every purpose of public justice, both as a punishment and preventive of the crime; and both mercy and justice require that the innocent shall not suffer with the guilty, unless in very extraordinary cases, where God may permit the righteous or the innocent to be involved in those public calamities by which the ungodly are swept away from the face of the earth: but in the case before us, n called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. Ver. 24; Isa. lxv. 10; Hos. ii. 15:trouble. 40. Anno ante I. Olymp. 675. Lo That is, no necessity of this kind urged it, and therefore I conclude that Achan alone suffered, and that his repentance and confession were genuine and sincere; and that, while, JUSTICE required. his life, MERCY was extended to the salvation of his soul. Verse 26. They raised over him a great heap of stones] The burial-places, both of heroes and eminent culprits, were anciently thus distinguished; and transactions of this kind gave rise to those great piles of stones called cairns, that are so frequently to be met with, especially in northern countries. FROM the whole of this account we may see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the great danger of not withstanding its first approaches. By covetousness many lives and many souls have been destroyed, and yet the living lay it not to heart! Who fears the love of money, provided he can get riches? Through the intensity of this desire, every part of the surface of the earth, and as far as possible its bowels, are ransacked in order to get wealth; and God alone can tell, who sees all things, to how many private crimes, frauds, and dissimulations, this gives birth; by which the wrath of God is brought down upon the community at large! Who is an enemy to his country? The sinner against his God. An open foe may be resisted and repelled, because he is known; but the covetous man, who, as far as his personal safety will admit, is outraging all the requisitions of justice, is an unseen pestilence, sowing the seeds of desolation and ruin in society. Achan's covetousness, which led him to break the law of God, had nearly proved the destruction of the Israelitish camp; nor would the Lord turn away from his displeasure till the evil was detected, and. the critninal punished. ་་ Reader, is the face of God turned against thee, because of some private transgression? Are not thy circumstances and family suffering in consequence of something in thy private life? O search and try thy ways, return to God, and humble thyself before him, lest thy iniquity instantly find thee out! CHAPTER VIII: The Lord encourages Joshua, and promises to deliver Ai into his hands, and instructs him how he is to proceed against it, 1, 2. Joshua takes thirty thousand of his best troops, and gives them instructions concerning his intention of taking Ai by stratagem, 3-8. The men dispose themselves according to these directions, 9-13. The king of Ai attacks the Israelites, who, feigning to be beaten, fly before him, in consequence of which all the troops of Ai issue out, and pursue the Israelites, 14-17. Joshua, at the command of God, stretches out his spear towards Ai, and then five thousand men that he had placed in ambush in the valley rise up, enter the city, and set it on fire, 18, 19. Then Joshua and his men turned against the men of Ai, and, at the same time, those who had taken the city sallied forth and attacked them in the rear; thus the men of Ai were defeated, their king taken prisoner, the city sacked, and twelve thousand persons șlain, 20–26. VOL. II. ( 3 ) 33 b Joshua is encouraged JOSHUA. to proceed against A1. The Israelites take the spoils, and hang the king of Ai, 27–29. Joshua builds an altar to God on Mount Ebal, and writes on it a copy of the law of Moses, 30-32. The elders, officers, and judges, stand on each side of the ark, one half over against Mount Gerizim, and the other against Mount Ebal, and read all the blessings and curses of the law, according to the command of Moses, 33-35. A. M. 2553. An. Exod. Isr. AND the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war 1. Olymp. 675. with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land. 2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king only d the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it. Chap. vi. 2. a Deut. i. 21; vii. 18; xxxi. 8; chap. i. 9.NOTES ON CHAP. VIII. Verse 1. Fear not] The iniquity being now purged away, because of which God had turned his hand against Israel, there was now no cause to dread any other disaster, and therefore Joshua is ordered to take courage. Take all the people of war with thee] From the letter of this verse it appears that all that were capable of carrying arms were to march out of the camp on this occasion: thirty thousand chosen men formed an ambuscade in one place; five thousand he placed in another, who had all gained their positions in the night season with the rest of the army he appeared the next morning before Ai, which the men of that city would naturally suppose were the whole of the Israelitish forces; and consequently be the more emboldened to come out and attack them. But some think that thirty thousand men were the whole that were employed on this occasion; five thousand of whom were placed as an ambuscade on the west side of the city between Beth-el and Ai, ver. 12, and with the rest he, appeared before the city in the morning. The king of Ai seeing but about twenty-five thousand coming against him, and being determined to defend his city and crown to the last extremity, though he had but twelve thousand persons in the whole city, ver. 25, scarcely one half of whom we can suppose to be effective men, he was determined to risk a battle; and accordingly issued out, and was defeated by the stratagem mentioned in the preceding part of this chapter. с Chap. vi. 21. d Deut. xx. 14. Judg. xx. 29. thousand were directed to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the city, ver. 12; the twenty-five thousand having taken à position on the north side of the city, ver. 11. 5. That the whole of the troops employed against Ai on this occasion were those on the north and west, ver, 13, which we know from the preceding verses were composed of thirty thousand chosen men. 6. That Joshua went in the course of the night, probably before daybreak, into the valley between Beth-el and Ai, where the ambuscade of five thousand men was placed, ver. 13, and gave them the proper directions how they were to proceed, and agreed on the sign he was to give them at the moment he wished them to act, see ver. 18: and that, after having done so, he put himself at the head of the twenty-five thousand men on the north side of the city for we find him among them when the men of Af issued out, ver. 15, though he was the night before in the valley on the west side, where the ambuscade lay, ver. 13. 7. That as Ai was but a small city, containing only twelve thousand inhabitants, it would have been absurd to have employed an army of several hundred thousand men against them. 8. This is confirmed by the opinion of the spies, chap. vii. 3, who, from the smallness of the place, the fewness of its inhabitants, and the panic-struck state in which they found them, judged that three thousand troops would be quite sufficient to reduce the place. 9. That it appears this judgment was correctly enough formed, as the whole population of the place amounted only to twelve thousand persons, as we have already seen, Several eminent commentators are of opinion that ver. 25. 10. That even a less force might have been the whole Israelitish force was employed on this occa- sufficient for the reduction of this place, had they been sion, because of what is said in the first verse; but supplied with battering-rams, and such like instruments, this is not at all likely. 1. It appears that but thirty which it does not appear the Israelites possessed. thousand were chosen out of the whole camp for this 11. That this is the reason why Joshua employed the expedition, the rest being drawn up in readiness should stratagems detailed in this chapter: having no proper their co-operation be necessary. See verses 3 and 10. instruments or machines by means of which he might 2. That all the people were mustered in order to make hope to take the city by assault, (and to reduce it by this selection, ver. 1. 3. That these thirty thousand famine, which was quite possible, would have conwere sent off by night, ver. 3, Joshua himself continu-sumed too much time,) he used the feigned flight, ver. ing in the camp a part of that night, ver. 9, with the design of putting himself at the head of the army next morning. 4. That of the thirty thousand men five b 34. 19, to draw the inhabitants from the city, that the ambush, ver. 12, 15, might then enter, and take possession of it. 12. That had he advanced with a ( 3 ) come to pass, when they come 6 (For they will come out after us,) till we have 5 drawn them from the city: for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first therefore we will flee before them. 7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. The men of Ai meet Israel. and set them to lie in ambush A. M. 2553. An. Exod. Isr. 40. Anno ante I. Olymp. 675. 13 And when they had set the people, even all the hosts that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. 14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and 8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the the men of the city went out against Israel to city, that ye shall set the city on fire: accord-battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, ing to the commandment of the LORD shall ye before the plain; but he m wist not that there do. were liers in ambush against him behind the city." 15 And Joshua and all Israel " made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness See, I have commanded you. 9 Joshua therefore sent them forth and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ar: but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai." 12 And he took about five thousand men, Judg. xx. 32. - Heb. pulled.- h2 Sam. xiii. 28. Ver. 5. Or, of Ai. greater force against the city the inhabitants would have had no confidence in risking a battle, and consequently would have kept within their walls, which would have defeated the design of the Israelites, which was to get them to issue from their city. 13. That, all these circumstances considered, thirty thousand men, disposed as above, were amply sufficient for the reduction of the city, and were the whole of the Israelitish troops which were employed on the occasion. 16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. m 17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. 18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua Heb. their lying in wait, ver, 4.- Judg. xx. 34; Eccles. ix. 12. n Judg. xx. 36, &c. remove a part of the difficulty which arises from verses 1, 3, and 10, collated with other parts of this chapter. Had he brought all his troops in sight, the people of Ai would not have attempted to risk a battle, and would consequently have kept within their walls, from which it was the object of Joshua to decoy them. See the preceding observations, particularly 10, 11, and 12. Verse 17. There was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el] It is very likely that the principal strength of Beth-el Verse 8. Ye shall set the city on fire]. Probably had been previously brought into Ai, as the strongest this means no more than that they should kindle a fire place to make a stand in; Beth-el being but about in the city, the smoke of which should be an indica-three miles distant from Ai, and probably not greatly tion that they had taken it. For as the spoils of the fortified. Therefore Ai contained on this occasion all city were to be divided among the people, had they the men of Beth-el-all the warriors of that city, as at this time set fire to the city itself, all the property must have been consumed, for the five thousand men did not wait to save any thing, as they immediately issued out to attack the men of Ai in the rear. Verse 10. Numbered the people] Dynp vaiyiphkod eth haam, he visited the people-inspected their ranks to see whether every thing was in perfect readiness, that in case they should be needed they might be led on to the attack. There is no doubt that Joshua had left the rest of the army so disposed and ready, part of it having probably advanced towards Ai, that he might easily receive reinforcements in case of any disaster to the thirty thousand which had advanced against the city; and this consideration will serve to well as its own troops and inhabitants. Others think that the Beth-elites, seeing the Israelites fly, sallied out of their city as against a common enemy; but that, finding the men of Ai discomfited, and the city taken, they returned to Beth-el, which Joshua did not think proper to attack at this time. From Judges i. 24 we find that Beth-el was then a walled city, in the hands of the Canaanites, and was taken by the house of Joseph. Verse 18. Stretch out the spear] It is very probable that Joshua had a flag or ensign at the end of his spear, which might be easily seen at a considerable distance; and that the unfurling or waving of this was the sign agreed on between him and the ambush, (see ver. 13, and the preceding observations on verse Ai is taken by stratagem, A. M. 2553. B. C. 1451. An. Exod. Isr. 40. Anno ante JOSHUA. stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. 19 And the ambush arose 1. Olymp. 675. quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. 20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. 21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. 1, observation 6;) and on seeing this flag or ensign unfurled, the men who lay in ambush arose and entered the city, making the fire previously agreed on. See ver. 8. Verse 19. Set the city on fire.] See on ver. 8. Verse 20. They had no power to flee this way or that way] They were in utter consternation; they saw that the city was taken, they found themselves in the midst of their foes; that their wives, children, and property, had fallen a prey to their enemies, in consequence of which they were so utterly panic-struck as to be incapable of making any resistance. Verse 24. Returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.] This must refer to the women, children, and old persons, left behind; for it is likely that all the effective men had sallied out when they imagined the Israelites had fled. See ver. 16.* Verse 26. Joshua drew not his hand back] He was not only the general, but the standard-bearer or ensign of his own army, and continued in this employment during the whole of the battle. See on ver. 18. Some commentators understand this and ver. 18 figuratively, as if they implied that Joshua continued in prayer to God for the success of his troops; nor did he cease till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed. The Hebrew word kidon, which we render spear, is rendered by the Vulgate clypeum, buckler; and it must be owned that it seems to have this signification in several passages of Scripture (see 1 Sam. xvii 6, 45; Job xxxix. 23) but it is clear enough also that it means a spear, or some kind of offensive armour, in other places: see and all its inhabitants slain. when A. M. 2553. An. Exod. isr. 40. Anno ante 1. Olymp. 675. 24 And it came to pass, Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. 25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. 26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which her commanded Joshua. 28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day. 29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: " and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should Chap. x. 26; Psalm cvii. 40; cx. 5. "Deut. xxi. 23; chap. x. 27. Deut. xiii. 16. Job xli. 29; Jer. vi. 23. I cannot therefore think that it has any metaphorical meaning, such as that attributed to the holding up of Moses's hands, Exod. xvii. 10-12, which is generally allowed to have a spiritual meaning, though it might be understood as the act of Joshua is here; and to this meaning an indirect glance is given in the note on the above place. But however the place in Exodus may be understood, that before us does not appear to have any metaphorical or equivocal meaning; Joshua continued to hold up or stretch out his spear, and did not slack from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Verse 27. Only the cattle and the spoil]. In the case of Jericho these were all consigned to destruction; and therefore it was criminal to take any thing pertaining to the city, as we have already seen} but in the case before us the cattle and spoils were expressly given to the conquerors by the order of God. See ver. 2. Verse 28. Unto this day.]. This last clause was probably added by a later hand. Verse 29. The king of Ai he hanged on a tree] He had gone out at the head of his men, and had been taken prisoner, ver. 23; and the battle being over, he was ordered to be hanged, probably after having been strangled, or in some way deprived of life, as in the case mentioned chap. x. 26, for in those times it was not customary to hang people alive. As soon as the sun was down] It was not lawful to let the bodies remain all night upon the tree. See the note on Deut. xxi. 23. The Septuagint say the king of Ai was hanged en vhov didvμov, upon a double |