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JOSHUA 10 COMMETARYEDITED BY GLE
PEASE
The Sun Stands Still
1 ow Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken
Ai and totally destroyed[a] it, doing to Ai and its king as he had
done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had
made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies.
BARES, "Adoni-zedec - i. e Lord of righteousness (compare
Melchizedek, King of righteousness); probably an official title of
the Jebusite kings.
Jerusalem - i. e. foundation of peace, compare Gen_14:18. The
city belonged to the inheritance of Benjamin Jos_18:28, but was on
the very edge of the territory of Judah Jos_15:8. Hence, it was the
strong and war-like tribe of Judah which eventually captured the
lower part of the city, most likely in the days of Joshuas later
conquests Jdg_1:8, and after the warlike strength of the Jebusites
had been weakened by the defeat in the open field, recorded in this
chapter. The upper town, more especially the fortified hill of
Zion, remained in the hands of the Jebusites, who accordingly kept
a footing in the place, along with the men of Judah and Benjamin,
even after the conquest Jos_15:63; Jdg_1:21; and would seem,
indeed, to have so far, and no doubt gradually, regained possession
of the whole, that Jerusalem was spoken of in the days of the
Judges as a Jebusite city. David finally stormed the stronghold of
Zion, and called it the City of David 2Sa_5:6-9. It was, probably,
only after this conquest and the adoption by David of the city as
the religious and political metropolis of the whole nation, that
the name Jerusalem came into use 2Sa_5:5 in substitution for
Jehus.
CLARKE, "Adoni-zedec - This name signifies the Lord of justice
or righteousness; and it has been conjectured that the Canaanitish
kings assumed this name in imitation
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of that of the ancient patriarchal king of this city,
Melchizedek, whose name signifies king of righteousness, or my
righteous king: a supposition that is not improbable, when the
celebrity of Melchizedek is considered.
Jerusalem - Yerushalam. This word has been variously explained;
if it be
compounded of shalam, peace, perfection, etc., and raah, he saw,
it may signify the vision of peace - or, he shall see peace or
perfection.
GILL, "Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of
Jerusalem,.... So called, perhaps by anticipation, Jerusalem, since
it seems to have had this name given it by the Israelites, when
they had got possession of it: and Jerusalem signifies "the
possession of Salem" (w), and in memory of this its ancient name,
the Jews say (x), they do not put "jod" in Jerusalem between
"lamed" and "mem"; though some make the signification of it, "they
shall see peace" (y); and others, nearer to its old name, and with
respect to it, "fear Salem", O ye enemies. Now the king of this
place
had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it;
which, being nearer to him than Jericho, the more alarmed him:
as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and
her king; burnt the one, and slew the other; and this terrified
him, lest he and his city should undergo the same fate:
and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel,
and were among them; which as it weakened the interest of the kings
of Canaan, might set an example to other places to do the like.
Abarbinel suggests, that the Gibeonites making peace with Israel
secretly, without the knowledge of their king, as he supposes, made
Adonizedek fearful, lest his subjects should do the like; the
Jewish chronologers say (z), that these three acts respecting
Jericho, Ai, and Gibeon, were all finished within three months.
HERY 1-6, "Joshua and the hosts of Israel had now been a good
while in the land of Canaan, and no great matters were effected;
they were made masters of Jericho by a miracle, of Ai by stratagem,
and of Gibeon by surrender, and that was all; hitherto the progress
of their victories had not seemed proportionable to the
magnificence of their entry and the glory of their beginnings.
Those among them that were impatient of delays, it is probable,
complained of Joshua's slowness, and asked why they did not
immediately penetrate into the heart of the country, before the
enemy could rally their forces to make head against them, why they
stood trifling, while they were so confident both of their title
and of their success. Thus Joshua's prudence, perhaps, was censured
as slothfulness, cowardice, and want of spirit. But, 1. Canaan was
not to be conquered in a day. God had said that by little and
little he would drive out the Canaanites, Exo_23:30. He that
believeth will not make haste, or conclude that the promise will
never be performed because it is not performed so soon as he
expected. 2. Joshua waited for the Canaanites to be the aggressors;
let them first make an onset upon Israel, or the allies of Israel,
and then their destruction will be, or at least will appear to be,
the more just and more justifiable. Joshua had warrant sufficient
to set upon them, yet he stays till they strike the first stroke,
that he might provide for honest things in the sight, not only of
God, but of men; and they would be the more inexcusable in their
resistance, now that
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they had seen what favour the Gibeonites found with Israel. 3.
It was for the advantage of Israel to sit still awhile, that the
forces of these little kings might unite in one body, and so might
the more easily be cut off at one blow. This God had in his eye
when he put it into their hearts to combine against Israel; though
they designed thereby to strengthen one another, that which he
intended was to gather them as sheaves into the floor, to fall
together under the flail, Mic_4:12. Thus oftentimes that seeming
paradox proves wholesome counsel, Stay awhile, and we shall have
done the sooner.
After Israel had waited awhile for an occasion to make war upon
the Canaanites, a fair one offers itself. 1. Five kings combine
against the Gibeonites. Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem was the first
mover and ring-leader of this confederacy. He had a good name (it
signifies lord of righteousness), being a descendant perhaps from
Melchizedek, king of righteousness; but, notwithstanding the
goodness of his name and family, it seems he was a bad man, and an
implacable enemy to the posterity of that Abraham to whom his
predecessor, Melchizedek, was such a faithful friend. He called
upon his neighbours to join against Israel either because he was
the most honourable prince, and had the precedency among these
kings (perhaps they had some dependence upon him, at least they
paid a deference to him, as the most public, powerful, and active
man they had among them), or because he was first or most
apprehensive of the danger his country was in, not only by the
conquest of Jericho and Ai, but the surrender of Gibeon, which, it
seems, was the chief thing that alarmed him, it being one of the
most considerable frontier towns they had. Against Gibeon therefore
all the force he would raise must be leveled. Come, says he, and
help me, that we may smite Gibeon. This he resolves to do, either,
(1.) In policy, that he might retake the city, because it was a
strong city, and of great consequence to this country in whose
hands it was; or, (2.) In passion, that he might chastise the
citizens for making peace with Joshua, pretending that they had
perfidiously betrayed their country and strengthened the common
enemy, whereas they had really done the greatest kindness
imaginable to their country, by setting them a good example, if
they would have followed it. Thus Satan and his instruments make
war upon those that make peace with God. Marvel not if the world
hate you, and treat those as deserters who are converts to Christ.
2. The Gibeonites send notice to Joshua of the distress and danger
they are in, Jos_10:6. Now they expect benefit from the league they
had made with Israel, because, though it was obtained by deceit, it
was afterwards confirmed when the truth came out. They think Joshua
obliged to help them, (1.) In conscience, because they were his
servants; not in compliment, as they had said in their first
address (Jos_9:8), We are thy servants, but in reality made
servants to the congregation; and it is the duty of masters to take
care of the poorest and meanest of their servants, and not to see
them wronged when it is in the power of their hand to right them.
Those that pay allegiance may reasonably expect protection. Thus
David pleads with God (Psa_119:94), I am thine, save me; and so may
we, if indeed we be his. (2.) In honour, because the ground of
their enemies' quarrel with them was the respect they had shown to
Israel, and the confidence they had in a covenant with them. Joshua
cannot refuse to help them when it is for their affection to him,
and to the name of his God, that they are attacked. David thinks it
a good plea with God (Psa_69:7), For thy sake I have borne
reproach. When our spiritual enemies set themselves in array
against us, and threaten to swallow us up, let us, by faith and
prayer, apply to Christ, our Joshua, for strength and succour, as
Paul did, and we shall receive the same answer of peace, My grace
is sufficient for thee, 2Co_12:8, 2Co_12:9.
JAMISO,"Jos_10:1-5. Five kings war against Gibeon.
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Adoni-zedek lord of righteousness - nearly synonymous with
Melchizedek, king of righteousness. These names were common titles
of the Jebusite kings.
Jerusalem The original name, Salem (Gen_14:18; Psa_76:2), was
superseded by that here given, which signifies a peaceful
possession, or a vision of peace, in allusion, as some think, to
the strikingly symbolic scene (Gen_22:14) represented on the mount
whereon that city was afterwards built.
inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among
them that is, the Israelites; had made an alliance with that
people, and acknowledging their supremacy, were living on terms of
friendly intercourse with them.
K&D 1-4, "The report that Joshua had taken Ai, and put it,
like Jericho, under the ban, and that the Gibeonites had concluded
a treaty with Israel, filled Adonizedek the king of Jerusalem with
alarm, as Gibeon was a large town, like one of the king's towns,
even larger than Ai, and its inhabitants were brave men. He
therefore joined with the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and
Eglon, to make a common attack upon Gibeon, and punish it for its
alliance with the Israelites, and at the same time to put a check
upon the further conquests of Israel. Adonizedek, i.e., lord of
righteousness, is synonymous with Melchizedek (king of
righteousness), and was a title of the Jebusite kings, as Pharaoh
was of the Egyptian. Jerusalem, i.e., the founding or possession of
peace, called Salem in the time of Abraham (Gen_14:18), was the
proper name of the town, which was also frequently called by the
name of its Canaanitish inhabitants Jebus (Jdg_19:10-11; 1Ch_11:4),
or city of the Jebusite (Ir-Jebusi, Jdg_19:11), sometimes also in
a
contracted form, Jebusi (, Jos_18:16, Jos_18:28; Jos_15:8;
2Sa_5:8).
(Note: In our English version, we have the Hebrew word itself
simply transposed in Jos_18:16, Jos_18:28; whilst it is rendered
the Jebusite in Jos_15:8, and the Jebusites in 2Sa_5:8. - Tr.)
On the division of the land it was allotted to the tribe of
Benjamin (Jos_18:28); but being situated upon the border of Judah
(Jos_15:8), it was conquered, and burned by the sons of Judah after
the death of Joshua (Jdg_1:8). It was very soon taken again and
rebuilt by the Jebusites, whom the sons of Judah were unable to
destroy (Jos_15:63; Jdg_19:10-12), so that both Benjaminites and
Judahites lived there along with the Jebusites (Jdg_1:21;
Jos_15:63); and the upper town especially, upon the summit of Mount
Zion, remained as a fortification in the possession of the
Jebusites, until David conquered it (2Sa_5:6.), made it the capital
of his kingdom, and called it by his own name, the city of David,
after which the old name of Jebus fell into disuse. Hebron, the
town of Arba the Anakite (Jos_14:15, etc.; see at Gen_23:2), was
twenty-two Roman miles south of Jerusalem, in a deep and narrow
valley upon the mountains of Judah, a town of the greatest
antiquity (Num_13:22), now called el Khalil, i.e., the friend (of
God), with reference to Abraham's sojourn there. The ruins of an
ancient heathen temple are still to be seen there, as well as the
Haram, built of colossal blocks, which contains, according to
Mohammedan tradition, the burial-place of the patriarchs (see at
Gen_23:17). Jarmuth, in the lowlands of Judah (Jos_15:35;
Neh_11:29), according to the
Onom. (s. v. Jermus) a hamlet, Jermucha (), ten Roman miles from
Eleutheropolis, on the road to Jerusalem, is the modern Jarmuk, a
village on a lofty hill, with the remains of walls and cisterns of
a very ancient date, the name of which, according to Van de Velde
(Mem. pp. 115-6), is pronounced Tell 'Armuth by the Arabs (see Rob.
Pal. ii. p. 344). Lachish, in the lowlands of Judah (Jos_15:39),
was fortified by Rehoboam (2Ch_11:9), and besieged by Sennacherib
and Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki_18:14;
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2Ki_19:8; Jer_34:7), and was still inhabited by Jews after the
return from the captivity (Neh_11:30). It is probably to be found
in Um Lakis, an old place upon a low round hill, covered with heaps
of small round stones thrown together in great confusion,
containing relics of marble columns; it is about an hour and a
quarter to the west of Ajlun, and seven hours to the west of
Eleutheropolis.
(Note: It is true that Robinson dispute the identity of Um Lakis
with the ancient Lachish (Pal. ii. p. 388), but not on any
reasonable ground (Van de Velde, Mem. p. 320). The statement in the
Onom. (s. v. Lochis), that it was seven Roman miles to the south of
Eleutheropolis, cannot prove much, as it may easily contain an
error in the number, and Robinson does not admit its authority even
in the case of Eglon (Pal. ii. p. 392). Still less can Knobel's
conjecture be correct, that it is to be found in the old place
called Sukkarijeh, two hours and a half to the south-west of Beit
Jibrin (Eleutheropolis), as Sukkarijeh is on the east of Ajlun,
whereas, according to Jos_10:31-36, Lachish is to be sought for on
the west of Eglon.)
Eglon: also in the lowlands of Judah (Jos_15:39). The present
name is Ajln, a heap of ruins, about three-quarters of an hour to
the east of Um Lakis (see Rob. Pal. ii. p. 392, and Van de Velde,
Mem. p. 308). In the Onom. (s. v. Eglon) it is erroneously
identified with Odollam; whereas the situation of Agla, at the
tenth stone, as you go from
Eleutheropolis to Gaza (Onom. s. v. , Bethagla), suits Eglon
exactly.
CALVI, "1.ow it came to pass, etc He had formerly briefly
glanced at, but now more fully details the conspiracy of the kings,
who dwelt both in the mountains and in the plain. For after
mentioning that they were struck with fear, and leagued together to
make common war, he had broken off abruptly, and proceeded to speak
of the Gibeonites. But what he had previously said of the kings in
general, he now applies only to one individual; not because
Adoni-zedek alone was afraid, but because he stirred up all the
others, and was the principal originator and leader in carrying on
the war against the Israelites. This is sufficiently expressed by
the plural number of the verb; for it is said, When Adoni-zedek had
heard they feared greatly. From this it appears that they were all
of the same mind, but that while some of them held back from fear,
he who possessed greater authority, and was nearer the danger,
invited the four others to arms. (90)
In the beginning of the chapter it is again told, how the five
kings formed an alliance to meet the Israelites, and ward off the
overthrow with which they were all threatened. But as the
Gibeonites had meanwhile surrendered, they first turned their arms
against them, both that by inflicting punishment upon them, as the
betrayers of their country, they might make them an example to all
their neighbors, and that by striking terror into those vanquished
enemies, they might also inspire their own soldiers with
confidence. They resolve, therefore, to attack the Gibeonites who,
by their embassy, had made a disruption and opened a passage to the
Israelites. They had, indeed, a fair pretext for war, in resolving
to punish the effeminacy of those who had chosen to give their
sanction to strangers, about to lay the whole country waste, rather
than faithfully defend their neighbors. And the Gibeonites
experienced how useless their crafty counsel must have been, had
they not been saved in pity by the Israelites. Meanwhile the Lord
allowed them to be
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involved in danger, in order that, being twice freed, they might
more willingly and meekly submit to the yoke.
ELLICOTT, "COQUEST OF THE SOUTHER COFEDERACY OF THE
ATIOS OF CAAA.
(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 Genesis 14:18 is Jerusalem (see
otes). The title Lord or King of Righteousness may have belonged to
the king of Jerusalem, not only as a local title, but also in
relation to the surrounding tribes, over whom he may have been a
suzerain. But we know nothing of the matter beyond what we find in
the sacred text.
TRAPP, "Joshua 10:1 ow it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of
Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly
destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had
done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made
peace with Israel, and were among them;
Ver. 1. When Adonizedec king of Jerusalem.] A glorious name,
fitter for Messiah the Prince, - for it signifieth the same in
effect with Melchizedek, "which is by interpretation King of
righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of
peace," - than [Hebrews 7:2] for such a tyrant. [ 1:7] But it is
nothing new for that kind of men to affect glorious titles, as did
Antiochus Soter, Ptolomeus Euergetes, &c. The great Turk
styleth himself at this day, Awlem Penawh, that is, the worlds
refuge. (a)
Had heard that Joshua had taken Ai, &c.] And that now their
turn was not far off -
Iam tun res agitur, paries cure proximus ardet.
This they hardly, and not till needs must, take notice of: sin
and Satan having cast them into a dead lethargy, out of which they
are hardly roused.
And were among them.] Having embraced their religion, and glad
to do them service. This caused the devil and his imps to set up
their bristles, and to seek their destruction.
PETT, "Chapter 10. Defeat of the Canaanite Confederacy - The
Invasion of the South.
In this chapter we read of an alliance of five Canaanite kings
against the Gibeonites, who then appeal to Joshua for assistance,
in virtue of their treaty rights, something which has to Joshua
grant. This is followed by the slaughter of the Canaanite armies by
the forces of Israel, chiefly as a result of hailstones from
heaven, and of the
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standing still or silence of the sun and of the moon while
vengeance was being taken on them. The five kings then hide in a
cave, and we learn of what was done to them when they were taken.
This is followed by the taking of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon,
Hebron, and Debir, which indicated the initial conquest of the
southern part of the hill country and lowlands.
Verse 1Chapter 10. Defeat of the Canaanite Confederacy - The
Invasion of the South.
In this chapter we read of an alliance of five Canaanite kings
against the Gibeonites, who then appeal to Joshua for assistance,
in virtue of their treaty rights, something which has to Joshua
grant. This is followed by the slaughter of the Canaanite armies by
the forces of Israel, chiefly as a result of hailstones from
heaven, and of the standing still or silence of the sun and of the
moon while vengeance was being taken on them. The five kings then
hide in a cave, and we learn of what was done to them when they
were taken. This is followed by the taking of Makkedah, Libnah,
Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir, which indicated the initial
conquest of the southern part of the hill country and lowlands.
Joshua 10:1
ow it happened that, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem, heard
how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it, for as he
had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her
king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel,
and were among them.
ews soon reached surrounding city states about what had
happened. One of these was Jerusalem, whose king was made aware of
the full situation. Israel had captured both Jericho and Ai and had
totally destroyed them and annihilated their inhabitants, and had
now entered into a treaty-covenant with the Gibeonite confederacy.
There is total silence about the treaty-covenant with Shechem. That
is because the writer was concentrating on conveying the picture of
the capture of the land by Joshua, and did not want the picture to
be affected by such an idea. He was writing a record of the triumph
of YHWH, not the history of the conquest. The Gibeonite treaty was
a different matter as it was obtained by subterfuge and resulted in
the total submission of Gibeon to slavery. However, the total
picture is clear. The way into Canaan over the Jordan and the
central hill country was now mainly in the hands of the Israelites,
while the way had been laid open for the settling of the southern
hill country and lowlands..
Adoni-zedek. The name means my lord is righteous or Zedek is my
lord. We can compare the former king of Jerusalem Melchizedek - my
king is righteous or Zedek is my king. There is not sufficient
evidence for a god Zedek in Canaan so that the other meanings may
well be the right ones. At the time of the Amarna letters the king
of Jerusalem was Abdi-heba. The letters also referred to Uru-salim
as the name of the city.
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BESO, "Joshua 10:1. Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem Who seems to
have been the most powerful prince in Canaan, and carried in his
name, which signifies The Lord of righteousness, an honourable
title, such as had been anciently given to the kings of this place,
who had been famous for doing justice. So Melchizedek undoubtedly
was, of whom we have such honourable mention, Genesis 14:18. King
of Jerusalem It is thought by many, that this city retained the
name of Salem, which they suppose it had in Abrahams time, till the
Israelites came into the land of Canaan, and took possession of it,
when they called it Jerusalem, from , Jarash, and , Shalum, to
possess peace: or from Jerus, the same as Jebus, with the change of
one letter only, and Shalem, the place having belonged to the
Jebusites. How the inhabitants of Gibeon were among them Among the
Israelites, that is, were conversant with them, had submitted to
their laws, and mingled interests with them.
COFFMA, "Verse 1Here we have the record of the conquest of
Southern Canaan in which is featured the great third and final
miracle of the Book of Joshua, the miracle of Beth-horon, the
mighty hailstorm and the very long day. Commonly called "the
Miracle of the Sun Standing Still," the event described in this
chapter is one of the most talked-about occurrences in the O.T. A
great deal of the scholarly comments focus on skillful attempts to
avoid the acceptance, as fact, of what is related here. We shall
give careful attention to these. It is impossible, of course, for
anyone to profess a knowledge of exactly WHAT happened at
Beth-horon, or precisely HOW it occurred, but there is no good
reason whatever for denying God's intervention on behalf of the
Gibeonites and of Israel in this most decisive battle in the
conquest of Canaan. Given the fact that it was GOD who intervened
here, where is any problem? Is anything TOO HARD for God?
We shall turn our attention at once to the text.
"ow it came to pass when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem heard how
Joshua had taken Ai, and utterly destroyed it (as he had done to
Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king), and how
the inhabitants of Gibeon, had made peace with Israel, and were
among them; that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great
city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than
Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. Wherefore Adonizedek king
of Jerusalem sent unto Hotham 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, and let us smite
Gibeon; for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of
Israel. 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 against Gibeon, and made
war against it."
"Adonizedek ..." (Joshua 10:1). This king of Jerusalem, unlike
his famous predecessor, Melchizedek, the king of Salem (Salem here
being understood as an earlier name for Jerusalem), was an evil
man. And like every wicked man, he was
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utterly blind to the presence and purpose of God which
promulgated the invasion of Canaan. otice that Adonizedek did not
fear God, but only Joshua. He failed to see that Joshua was not his
primary enemy, but that God Himself was the Person who would drive
the wicked Canaanites out of Palestine, and that Joshua was only
God's ISTRUMET in that operation.
REGARDIG ZEDEK
The word "Zedek" means "righteousness." Adonizedek has the
meaning of "lord of righteousness, nearly synonymous with
Melchizedek, which means `king of righteousness.'"[1] There cannot
be any doubt that Melchizedek was a "Priest of God Most High," as
emphatically declared in Genesis 14:18, making it absolutely
certain that Melchizedek was a monotheist and a worshipper of the
One True and Almighty God. Otherwise, Abraham's paying tithes to
him, and his being singled out in the .T. as a Great Type of the
Son of God Himself (Hebrews 7:1ff) would make no sense at all. The
expression "God Most High" receives further light in the
.T., where the expression is found five times: (1) in Mark 5:7,
where a demon protested an order from Christ, addressing Jesus
Christ as, "Jesus, thou Son of God Most High"; (2) Luke 8:28 states
that a demon, pleading with Christ not to torment him, addressed
Our Lord as, "Thou Son of the Most High God"; (3) the Christian
martyr Stephen declared that, "The Most High dwelleth not in
temples made with hands"; (4) the demon-possessed girl who followed
Paul and Silas for days at Philippi, continually cried out, "These
men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the
way of salvation"; and (5) the passage in Hebrews 7:1 affirms that,
"Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God."
The critical community, however, have long accepted the false
view that monotheism was unknown until the Jews "developed" the
idea, and, therefore, as a rule, the critical scholars deny that
Melchizedek was a priest of the one and only God Almighty, despite
the passage in Hebrews that affirms flatly that he was a worshipper
of "God Most High," which in Biblical history never referred to
anyone else, other than the One True God.
How do they manage to claim this? It is done simply by that old
trick of false teachers, namely, the device of finding some
off-beat, unusual use, or alternative meaning of some well-known
word, and then ramming such a bizarre meaning into the Sacred Text.
We gave a classical example of this in our exegesis of 1 Peter
3:21. (See Vol. 11 of my .T. series of commentaries, pp.
236-237).
How is this wicked device implemented here? ote the following:
"Some have suggested that Zedek was originally the name of a deity.
This would make the meaning of Adonizedek to be, `My lord is
Zedek.'"[2] Therefore, unbelievers will reject what the text
plainly declares and announce the postulation that both Melchizedek
and Adonizedek were not worshippers of the One God at all, but
worshippers of Zedek! We need to remember, however, that "There is
no sufficient evidence for this suggestion."[3] Very recent
scholars like Boling and Wright have pointed out that, "The form
and meaning of this name (Zedek) tell nothing with
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certainty about the identity of this (alleged) Jerusalem
deity."[4] Morton attempted to make a big thing out of the Zedek
suggestion, as follows: "Since Zedek is known to have been a
Canaanite divine name, its earlier meaning probably was `My lord
(the god) Zedek.' The same element appears also in the name
Melchizedek."[5] ote that Morton uses the word probably, which
means that there is no solid evidence whatever to sustain this evil
suggestion. Absolutely nothing is known of any Canaanite god called
Zedek! For generations, the meaning of Zedek has been understood as
"righteous", or "righteousness".[6] Similar efforts have been made
to corrupt the plain meaning of "Most High God" through the
`discovery' of a Babylonian pagan god called Elyon, or "the Most
High."[7] In all such cases, the Biblical usage of "God Most High"
(all three of these titles have the same meaning) squarely denies
the aberrations that men would impose upon the word Zedek or
Adonizedek and Melchizedek.
"They feared greatly ... etc." (Joshua 10:2). ot only had the
victories of Israel at Jordan and Ai demonstrated the need for this
fear, there was the additional fact that Gibeon, a powerful city,
with some of the most magnificent fighting men of ancient history
enrolled among them, had defected to Israel and was now an ally of
the invaders. As Boling said, "The awareness of the opposition had
increased enormously!"[8] The fact of Gibeon having no king and its
related monarchical system to support enabled them to develop a
powerful middle class, many of whom were prosperous enough to
provide armament, and a squire, and the leisure to become skilled
in the use of such equipment. The Hebrew word here rendered
"mighty" is translated "knights" by Boling.[9]
Bible students once had to contend with the bald, unsupported
assertions of Biblical enemies that the account in this chapter is
"unhistorical." Samuel Holmes, for example said: "This section
(Joshua 10:28-40) is quite unhistorical."[10] The spade of the
archeologist has proved the historical nature of this account.
Unger noted that:
"When Israel entered Canaan (about 1400 B.C.), there were more
than 25 of these city-states (like the ones mentioned in this
chapter), but by 1390 B.C., Israel had swallowed up many of them.
The Tel El-Amarna letters reveal that by 1375 B.C., there remained
only four main independent states."[11]"Hebron ..." (Joshua 10:3).
This was indeed a powerful city from very ancient times. Moses
tells us that "Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt"
(umbers 13:22). And who, we might ask, could ever have known a fact
like that except Moses? F. F. Bruce identified Hebron as having the
highest elevation of any city in Palestine 3,040 feet above sea
level, situated 19 miles south-southwest of Jerusalem. The date of
its founding was about 1720 B.C.[12] Dating from the times of
Abraham when that patriarch pitched his tent under the Oaks of
Mamre near there, Hebron was destined to play a major role in
Jewish history:
(1) There is the cave of Machpelah, purchased from the sons of
Heth, where many of the patriarchs are buried.
-
(2) When the spies were sent out by Moses, they reported on
Hebron.
(3) In this chapter Hebron joins the group of five allies who
attack Gibeon and were defeated by Joshua.
(4) Caleb finally took possession of the city and received it as
his possession.
(5) In Hebron, David was anointed king of Judah (2 Samuel
2:4).
(6) It remained as David's capital for seven years.
(7) It was also Absalom's capital when he rebelled against
David.
(8) It was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:10).
(9) Exiles returning from Babylon settled here (ehemiah
11:25).
(10) Today, under the name of El Hilil, it is one of the four
sacred cities of the Muslims.
(11) The most ancient name of the place was Kiriath-arba.
"Jarmuth ..." (Joshua 10:3). "The low hill tract between the
high central mountains and the coastal plain of Palestine was
called the Shephelah;[13] and one of the principal fortified towns
on this intermediate strip was called Jarmuth. About the time of
the Israelite invasion of Canaan, Jarmuth was fortified, occupied a
site of about eight acres, and is supposed to have had a population
of between 1,500,2,000.[14]
"Lachish ..." (Joshua 10:3). At one time larger than Jerusalem,
Lachish was an important fortified city guarding the main road up
to Jerusalem from Egypt. It was about 30 miles southwest of
Jerusalem.[15] Paganism was thoroughly entrenched here, and through
Lachish, "The idolatry of the orthern Israel was successfully
imported into Judah (Micah 1:13)."[16] (See further comment on this
town in Vol. 2 of my series of commentaries on the minor prophets,
pp. 291,292).
"Eglon ..." (Joshua 10:3). Little is known of this place except
what may be gleaned from this chapter. W. F. Albright has
identified the place as Tel el-Hesi, which was once thought to be
Lachish.[17]
"Come up unto me ... (Joshua 10:4). Since, most of these kings
were on the Shephelah, or even the lowlands, it was
circumstantially accurate for the king of Jerusalem to say, "Come
up" unto me, Jerusalem being on much higher ground (except in the
case of Hebron). ote also that Adonizedek did not dare to propose
that they fight Joshua, but only that they smite Gibeon. All such
details as these, which are numerous in this chapter, are in
keeping with the whole geography and
-
history and of those times; and, collectively, they constitute
an eloquent and convincing testimonial to the truth and historical
accuracy of the whole passage.
Joseph R. Sizoo commented on the illogical and inaccurate
allegations of scholars who would like to deny the historical
nature of this narrative, identifying Martin
oth, especially, as having carried out his etiological
explanation of the five kings in the cave (Joshua 10:27) to "a
reductio ad absurdum."[18] It is refreshing, although surprising,
to find a comment like that in the Interpreter's Bible!
BI 1-5, "Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon:
for it hath made peace with Joshua.
To arms! To arms!
The greatest poet of Greece has sung in stately numbers the
deeds of heroes whom his race adored. We listen to their counsels,
we hear their battle shouts, we see their awful blows. Yet after
all this plain, unvarnished tale depicts with more fidelity and
power the progress and results of a conflict, the most sublime in
its accompaniments that this earth has ever seen. In this chapter
we have recorded not only one of Joshuas most brilliant victories,
but one of the worlds greatest battles: a struggle surpassing in
importance and interest Issus or Arbela, Marathon or Cannae, and
affecting to an incalculable extent the religious and political,
the moral and the material, welfare of mankind. First of all we
listen to the summonsCome up unto me, and help me, that we may
smite Gibeon, &c. Notice from whom the summons comes. From
Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem. This is a strange thing. From this
mans name, Lord of Righteousness, and from his heritage, Jerusalem,
we would have expected something very different. He is certainly
the successor, probably the descendant, of Melchizedek. Here is a
man who bears the best of titles, but is, alas! unworthy of it.
Nothing could be better than his name; few things are worse than
his fame. Learn from this sad lesson that piety is not hereditary.
The descendants of the righteous may be a wicked seed. This is a
sad thing. A noble ancestry is not a thing to be despised. It is
unwise and ungrateful to ignore the records and the glories of the
past. This is also a dangerous thing. The opposition of those who
have thus fallen is always most dangerous. None are so bitter and
remorseless, so vehement and virulent, so venomous and subtle, as
renegades. Notice to whom Adoni-zedeks message was sent. It was not
sent to all the members of the great national league. That was
impossible, because the submission of the Gibeonites had split the
confederacy into two unequal parts. Instead of one vast army
marching to crush the invader there must now be two: one in the
south, the other in the north. That of the south is smaller,
therefore more easily set in motion; and it is also placed nearer
the centre of attack. Thus we see how God has restrained the wrath
of the enemy and deprived him of half his might. Even so all
coalition against Him must fall to pieces. Transgressors are always
lacking in cohesion. It was to Gibeon that Adoni-zedek summoned his
confederates. Thus his enmity was manifested against their
defection. Still this summons of Adoni-zedek betokens fear. It is
to some extent the blustering of a bully who is at heart a craven.
We know this, for we are told that When Adoni-zedek king of
Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly
destroyed it . . . that they feared greatly. Therefore because they
fear they do not come alone. They keep their courage up by company.
How many are like them. They do fear when spiritual truths are
brought before them, when Gods judgment stares them in the face;
yet they try to find comfort in the thought, Well, if I am lost a
great many will be badly off. Nay! nay! It is a vain thing to
banish fear by such thoughts. Such a fear as that works
destruction; because being
-
accompanied, by a rebellious heart and a darkened mind it led to
union against God. Hatred against the Gibeonites is a very distinct
characteristic of Adoni-zedeks message. Yet, after all, what right
had they to be thus angry with their old friends? Had not the
Gibeonites a right to have a mind of their own, especially in a
matter that concerned their very existence? But the human heart
remains the same. When the sinner turns from his rebellion and
humbles himself before God, then is the time for the wrath of man
to be revealed. This hatred is most unreasonable, for, like these
Gibeonites, the penitents in throwing down the weapons of their
rebellion set an example which it is the highest wisdom to follow.
The cunning and the impiety of these Canaanites are also revealed
by this confederation. They will prevent further defection; they
will gain one of the most important strongholds in the land; they
will make the old league possible. Thus they displayed their craft.
And in doing so they proved their impiety. (A. B. Mackay.)
Rage of the world against deserters from its ranks
It is thus in the spiritual life. Upon no outer enemy does the
world turn with such rage and resentment as upon those who desert
their ranks to join the Lords host. All the legions of hell are
marshalled forth against the young believer who has newly signed
the terms of treaty with the Joshua of the better covenant. As
Bishop Hall says, If a convert come home, the angels welcome him
with song, the devils follow him with uproar and fury, his old
partners with scorn and obloquy. In spite of all this, let not
those who have become allied to the Israel of God quail; but let
the sequel here before us reassure them. (G. W. Butler, M. A.)
Combinations against the Church
What combinations have been formed, what artifices practised
against the Church!one wile to allure, another to frighten, and
sometimes to destroy. As against the Lord Himself, so against His
people, the great and the mighty of the earth have consulted their
ruin, and for a season availed to harass and distress the saints;
nor can this be matter of surprise to those who know their own
character, and remember what themselves were till converted by the
grace of God. The Churchs gain is the worlds grief, as it is the
worlds loss. Oh, what oppositions in families, what combinations
out of old connections and associates, have been raised against
those who, no longer of the world, have been chosen out of it, and
through grace enabled to turn their backs upon its vanities and
pursuits! No sooner is it known that any have made peace with our
spiritual Joshua than the world is up in arms, and war declared,
lasting as the irreconcilable enmity of fallen nature. Not one who
openly declares himself on the Lords side, and is inwardly devoted
to His glory, but, according to the station he occupies, and the
influence of those around him, will experience a full measure. (W.
Seaton.)
PIK, "Peacemaking
As its opening verse shows, the tenth of Joshua is closely
connected with chapters 6, 8, and 9, and this needs to be duly
heeded by us if we are to discover and appropriate the spiritual
lessons which it has for the Lords people today--which
-
should ever be one of our principal quests when reading Gods
Word. In chapters 6 and 8, we have an account of Israels conquest
of the cities of Jericho and Ai, but in the ninth something quite
different is presented. Following the fighting at Ai there came a
lull, and the capitulation of the Gibeonites unto Israel without
any strenuous efforts on the part of the latter. It is often thus
in the experience of Christians. When they have been particularly
active in engaging the enemy and a notable victory has been
obtained, the Lord grants a brief season of rest and comparative
quietness. Yet they are not to conclude therefrom that the hardest
part of their conflict is now over, so that it is safe for them to
relax a little. What we are about to ponder indicates the contrary,
and warns us that Satan does not readily admit defeat. ot only was
Israels warfare far from being ended, but a more determined and
concerted resistance was to be encountered. Instead of having to
meet the force of a single king, the massed armies of five of them
had now to be defeated. The same thing appears in the history of
our Savior: the farther His gracious ministry proceeded, the
greater and fiercer the opposition reel with. Sufficient for the
disciple to be as his Master.
Proceeding from the general to the particular, we observe that
the opening verses of Joshua 10 confirm the typical application
which we made of the concluding portion of the preceding chapter.
At the close of our last we pointed out that what is there recorded
of the Gibeonites adumbrated sinners surrendering themselves unto
Christ, or, to use an expression which was freely employed by the
Puritans, their "making peace with God." More recently, some have
taken decided exception to that expression. It is affirmed that the
sinner can do nothing whatever to make peace with God, and that it
is quite unnecessary for him to essay doing so, seeing that Christ
has "made peace through the blood of His cross. But that is to
confound things which differ, confusing what Christ purchased, and
when the same is actually applied unto us. The questionand a most
important one toois, What does God require from the sinner in order
for him to become a personal partaker of the benefits of that legal
"peace" which Christ made with God? To which some make answer,
othing but faithsimply believing that Christ has fully atoned for
all our sins and relying upon the sufficiency of His sacrifice. But
that is only half the answer, the second half, for it leaves out an
essential requirement which must precede believing.
"Repent ye, and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15), "Testifying
both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God,
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). It is very
clear from these passages that repentance is as necessary as faith.
ay, we go farther, and declare that an impenitent heart is
incapable of exercising a saving faith. Christ complained to
Israels leaders, "Ye repented not afterward, that ye might believe
in him" (Matthew 21:32)they responded not to the ministry of His
forerunner because they had no realization of their sinful and lost
condition. Those "dispensationalists" who state that repentance is
required only of the Jews evince their ignorance of the most
elementary truths of Scripture, for in "the great commission"
Christ ordered His servants "that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47), and His apostle announced that God
"now
-
[in this Christian era!] commandeth all men everywhere to
repent" (Acts 17:30). Of course He does, for such a call is the
pressing of His holy claims upon those who have ignored the samewho
have disregarded His authority, slighted His law, and lived
entirely to please themselves. It is because so little repentance
has been preached that Christendom is now crowded with empty
professors.
Repentance is a taking sides with God against myself. It is the
laying aside of my awful enmity against Him. It is the privative
side of conversion, for there must be a turning from something
before there can be a turning unto God. Repentance consists of a
holy horror and hatred of sin, a complete heart-forsaking of it, a
sincere confessing of it unto God. True repentance is always
accompanied by a deep longing and a genuine determination to
abandon that coarse which is displeasing to God. It is impossible,
in the very nature of the case, that a soul could seek Gods pardon
with any honesty while he continued to defy Him and persist in what
He forbids. Thus, repentance is the sinners making his peace with
Godthe throwing down of the weapons of his rebellion, ceasing his
warfare against Him. or is there anything in the least degree
"legalistic" or meritorious about this, for repentance or making
peace with God neither atones for our vile misconduct of the past
nor moves God to be gracious unto us. Repentance no more purchases
salvation than does faith, yet the one is as indispensable as the
other. The wicked is required to "forsake his way . . . and return
unto the Lord" before He will have mercy upon him and abundantly
pardon (Isa. 55:7, and cf. 1 Kings 8:47-50; Acts 3:19).
"ow it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard
how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had
done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king;
and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and
were among them; that they feared greatly" (Josh. 10:1, 2). Once
more we would note the very varied effects upon different ones of
what they had "heard" of Israels exploits, and how some of them
attributed their successes unto Jehovah, while others did not so.
Rahab (Josh. 2:9-11) and the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:9) were examples
of the former, and the kings of Joshua 9:1, and this Adonizedek of
the latter. The king of Jerusalem, despite his high-sounding name,
gave God no place in his thoughts; yet he was thoroughly alarmed at
Israels progress. His fear was cumulative. He was rendered uneasy
at the tidings of Jerichos overthrow, still more so at the news of
the destruction of Ai; but when he and his subjects learned of the
Gibeonites having concluded a league of peace with Joshua, "they
feared greatly"most probably because he had counted on their
considerable support in resisting these aggressors.
We would also attentively heed the Spirits emphasis here on the
time-mark: "It came to pass, when Adonizedek . . . heard." There is
nothing meaningless or superfluous in the Scriptures, and it is by
noting such a detail as this that we often obtain the key which
opens to us the spiritual significance of what follows. In this
instance the immediate sequel was the banding together of four
others with the king of Jerusalem against Gibeon, and in the light
of the closing verses of chapter 9, the typical force of this is
not difficult to perceive. It is when sinners renounce the service
of their former master, and the friendship of the world, in order
to make
-
their peace with God and join interests with His people, that
they must be prepared to encounter persecution from the ungodly.
That is why the Saviour bade all would-be disciples of His to sit
down first and "count the cost" (Luke 14:28-33), and His servant
warned believers, "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you"
(1 John 3:13). In Adonizedeks determination to slay the Gibeonites
we have adumbrated the inveterate enmity of the serpent against the
Redeemers "seed" Previously, while Satan keepeth his palace, "his
goods are in peace" (Luke 11:21), but when he loses any of his
captives, his rage against them knows no bounds.
Ere passing on let us ponder one other detail in our opening
verse, namely Israels "utter destruction" of Jericho and Ai, for a
most important lesson is inculcated by that adjective. In its
application to the spiritual warfare of the Christian it tells us
that we must be ruthlessly thorough in the work of mortification. o
half measures are to be taken against the things which hinder the
present possession Of our heritage. There must be no compromising
with our lusts, no trifling with temptation, no flirting with the
world. True, inward corruptions will strongly resist our onslaughts
upon them, as the men of Ai did when Israel came against it. For a
time the king of Ai had the better of the contest, so that Israel
were dismayed; but they did not abandon the fight, instead they
humbled themselves before the Lord, and He graciously undertook for
them. ot that they were released from the discharge of their
responsibilities, so that they could passively witness His
operations on their behalf. o, indeed. They were required to
perform their duty and employ different tactics. Accordingly, as
they implicitly followed His instruction, the Lord prospered them
and Ai was utterly destroyed": in other words, complete victory was
theirs.
But the overthrowing and destroying of Ai proved to be neither
an easy nor a pleasant task to Israel, for in the course thereof
they passed through both a humiliating and distressing experience.
So it is in that work of unsparing mortification to which the
Christian is called. Our Lord likened it unto the plucking out of a
right eye and the cutting off of a right hand (Matthew 5:29, 30).
By such language He intimated the difficulty and severity of the
work He has assigned us. The "eye" represents that which is dearest
to the natural man, and the "hand" what is the most useful to him.
The plucking out of the one and the cutting off of the other
signify that we are to exercise the most rigorous denying of self,
that however precious an idol or profitable any unrighteous course
may be unto the carnal nature, they must be sacrificed for Christs
sake. o matter how unwelcome it proves to the flesh, its lusts are
not to be spared; for unless they be brought into subjection to
God, the soul is gravely imperiled. By Divine grace this difficult
task is not impossible. The "utter destruction" of Ai, then, is
recorded both for our emulation and for our encouragement. Yet
remember that, though a brief lull may follow such a victory, the
surrender of our remaining enemies is not to be looked for; rather
must we expect a yet more determined resistance from them, seeking
to prevent any further spiritual advance by us.
"They feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of
the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the
men thereof were mighty" (v. 2). We
-
believe the Holy Spirits design in giving us these particulars
about the Gibeonites was at least threefold: to magnify the grace
of God in subduing them unto Himself, to account for the subsequent
actions of Adonizedek, and to cast light upon the typical
significance of the sequel. In view of what we are here told about
the Gibeonites, it is the more remarkable that they had not only
made peaceful overtures unto Joshua, but had offered no demur at
taking upon them the yoke of servitude and becoming hewers of wood
and drawers of water unto Israel. Therein we should discern a
people, hostile to Him by nature, "made willing" in the day of Gods
power, and the might of His grace in bringing them to submit
readily to the most exacting and pride-abasing terms. Such is the
nature of the miracle of conversion in every case: the slaying of
mans awful enmity against God, the humbling of his haughty heart,
the bending of his stubborn will, the bringing of hint to a
complete surrender unto the lordship of Christ, making him an
"obedient child" (1 Pet. 1:14).
"They feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of
the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the
men thereof were mighty" (v. 2). Gibeon was not only a formidable
frontier town but also the capital of that section, and such a city
and territory yielding so tamely to Israel much alarmed the king of
Jerusalem.
ot only had he lost what he probably counted upon as being a
powerful ally, but he feared that other cities would follow suit,
so that he now began to tremble for his own skin. If so powerful a
people had capitulated without striking a blow, who could be
expected to take a resolute stand against Joshua and his men? ot
only was he much alarmed, but greatly chagrined and incensed
against the Gibeonites, and so resolved upon their destruction (vv.
4, 5), which indicates the third design of the Spirit here. The
"greater" the trophy which grace secures for Christ, the more
"royal" his status, the fiercer will be the opposition which he
meets with from his enemies. That is why those whom the Lord makes
the ministers of His Gospel are the chief marks of Satans malice.
But let them not be dismayed thereby. ot only is it a high honor to
suffer for Christs sake, but the opposition a faithful preacher
encounters is a good sign that God is using him to make inroads
into the Devils kingdom.
"Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of
Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of
Lachich. and unto Debit 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" (vv. 3, 4). It will be
remembered that the Canaanitish kings whose territories lay farther
to the north and the west had previously decided to federate
themselves against Israel (Josh. 9:2), and by this time would
probably be engaged in mustering their forces for a combined
assault upon them. But the tidings of Gibeons alliance with Joshua
so intimidated and enraged these five kings, whose cities were
nearer the point which Israel had then reached, that they decided
to anticipate the plan of their remoter fellows by falling upon
Gibeon. It is likely that the king of Jerusalem reckoned upon
Joshua having his hands so full in making his arrangements and
deploying his forces to meet the impending attack of the northern
anti western armies of the Canaanites that he would be unable to
come to the relief of the Gibeonites. It
-
therefore appeared to be a favorable opportunity and a safe
venture for these five kings to fall upon those whom they regarded
as their renegade countrymen; yet in so doing they but accelerated
their own destruction.
Verse 2 opens by saving, "That they feared greatly," yet the
preceding verse mentions no one save the king of Jerusalem, and so
we would expect it to read that "he feared greatly." While it is
likely that the plural number is designed to include his subjects,
it is also highly probable that the "they" looks forward to the
four kings mentioned in the next verse, and it intimates why they
were willing to respond to Adonizedeks call. Thus we behold again
how widespread was the terror inspired by the news of Israels
victories. ot only was this a further fulfillment of what the Lord
had announced in Exodus 23:27, and Deuteronomy 11:25, but we may
perceive therein a shadowing forth of what takes place under the
proclamation of the Gospel. As we pointed out above, the hearing of
what the mighty arm of Jehovah had wrought reacted very differently
in them than in others. There was the same opportunity for rhose
kings to make their peace with Joshua as the Gibeonites had. and
their fatal refusal to do so supplies a solemn illustration of the
fact that the Gospel is "the savor of life unto life" to those who
believe and are saved, but" the savor of death unto death" to those
who reject it and are lost (2 Cor. 2:15, 16). or is fear sufficient
to move a sinner to throw down the weapons of his warfare against
God, as appears not only from the case before us, but also from
that of Pharaoh and of Felix who "trembled" as he listened to Paul
speaking on "judgment to come" (Acts 24:25).
ot only was Adonizedek unwilling to humble himself and make
peace with Joshua, but he was determined that none of his near
neighbors should do so, and in his persuading them to follow his
policy we have a sad instance of a strong character being able to
influence others to evil. To be a personal transgressor is bad
enough, but to be a ringleader in wickedness evinces a high degree
of depravity and is doubly damnable. Adonizedeks "Come up unto me,
and help me" is to be understood in the light of "that we may smite
Gibeon," thereby signifying that it was a duty devolving equally
upon all of them. At first one wonders what they thought would be
gained by such a course: would it not be more prudent to husband
their forces for self-defense when the army of Joshua should invade
their section? Probably their purpose was to make an object lesson
of Gibeon and thereby intimidate other cities from following their
example. But the inspiring motive which prompted the prime mover is
clearly seen in the ground of his appeal unto his fellows: "For it
[Gibeon] hath made peace with Joshua and with Israel," and as the
closing words of verse 1 add, "and were among them." Thus it was
something more than an instinct of self-preservation which moved
them to act, namely a malignant spirit against those who had united
themselves with the people of God. Thereby they had alienated
themselves from their original associates and evoked their
wrath.
COKE, "Ver. 1. owwhen Adoni-zedec, &c. Adoni-zedec,
signifies lord of righteousness, which is nearly the same as
Melchizedec. As these kings were both kings of Salem, or Jerusalem,
some suppose, that the successors of Melchi-zedec
-
affected a name like his to give themselves more dignity, by
resembling in some measure that famous monarch. But while he
assumed a name which called forth so many virtues, Adoni-zedec was
not careful to imitate them. Contented to adorn himself with an
amiable appellation, he limited his wishes to the being called
just, without any endeavour to merit so excellent a sirname by just
actions. It is very evident, that Jerusalem retained its ancient
name of Salem till the Israelites took possession of it, and called
it Jeru-salem. But the Benjamites, to whose lot it fell, being
unable entirely to dislodge the Jebusites who occupied it, Judges
1:21 and the latter having at length driven off the former, the
Jebusites continued to call it Jebus, (Judges 19:10.) while the
Israelites on their part called it
Jerusalem, says Bishop Patrick. It must, however, be
acknowledged, that all this is but conjecture. It is neither
proved, that Jerusalem is precisely the same city as the ancient
Salem, nor that the Israelites gave it the name of Jerusalem when
they made the conquest of it. This latter name did not begin to
supplant those of Jebus, Sion, and city of David, till the time of
Solomon. Whatever is urged to account for this change is dubious;
nor are authors agreed respecting the true signification of the
name Jerusalem. The Massoretes pronounce it Jerushalaim; but,
according to the method in which the Chaldees pronounce the Hebrew,
it should be read Jeroushelem, which come nearer to the Jerousalem
of the Greeks, and our Jerusalem. This name is probably composed of
Shalum, or Shalem, i.e. peace, and, as many persons think, of
jarab, which signifies to fear, or from jarash, to inherit, to
possess, (see Reland. Palaest. lib. 3: p. 834.) or from jerus, the
same word as jebus, with the change only of a single letter.
COSTABLE, "Verses 1-5Israel"s continuing success led her enemies
to exert increasing opposition against the people of God. This
chapter records the Canaanites" first aggressive action against the
Israelites.
The Jebusites lived in and around Jebus, ancient Salem ( Genesis
14:18). The writer called this town Jerusalem here for the first
time in Scripture. "Jerusalem" means "the founding (or possession)
of peace." Adonizedek (lit. lord of righteousness) and Melchizedek
(king of righteousness, Genesis 14:18) were titles of the Jebusite
kings, as Pharaoh was a title of the Egyptian kings. Jerusalem lay
closer to Gibeon than any of the other towns that allied with
Jerusalem against Gibeon. Probably for this reason Adonizedek took
the initiative in this alliance.
"The Amarna letters indicate that Jerusalem was the center of
political activity in the fourteenth century B.C. and was always
conscious of its own security." [ote: Davis and Whitcomb, p63.]
EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMETARY
THE BATTLE OF BETHHORO.
-
Joshua 10:1-43.
OUT of the larger confederacy of the whole Canaanite chiefs
against Joshua and his people recorded in the beginning of chap 9,
a smaller number, headed by Adonizedec, undertook the special task
of chastising the Gibeonites, who had not only refused to join the
confederacy, but, as it was thought, basely and treacherously
surrendered to Joshua. It is interesting to find the King of
Jerusalem, Adonizedec, bearing a name so similar to that of
Melchizedek, King of Salem, in the days of Abraham. o doubt, since
the days of Jerome, there have been some who have denied that the
Salem of Melchizedek was Jerusalem. But the great mass of opinion
is in favour of the identity of the two places. Melchizedek means
King of Righteousness; Adonizedec, Lord of Righteousness; in
substance the same. It was a striking name for a ruler, and it was
remarkable that it should have been kept up so long, although in
the time of Adonizedec its significance had probably been
forgotten. Jerusalem was but five miles south of Gibeon; the other
four capitals, whose chiefs joined in the expedition, were farther
off. Hebron, eighteen miles south of Jerusalem, was memorable in
patriarchal history as the dwelling-place of Abraham and the
burial-place of his family; Jarmuth, hardly mentioned in the
subsequent history, is now represented by Yarmuk, six miles from
Jerusalem; Lachish, of which we have frequent mention in Scripture,
is probably represented by Um Lakis, about fifteen miles south-west
of Jerusalem; and Eglon by Ajlan, a little farther west. The five
little kingdoms embraced most of the territory afterwards known as
the tribe of Judah, and they must have been far more than a match
for Gibeon. Their chiefs are called ''the five Amorite kings," but
this does not imply that they were exclusively of the Amorite race,
for "Amorite," like "Canaanite," is often used generically to
denote the whole inhabitants (as in Genesis 15:16). The five chiefs
were so near Gibeon that it was quite natural for them to undertake
this expedition. o doubt they reckoned that, by making a treaty
with Joshua, the Gibeonites had strengthened his hands and weakened
those of his opponents; they had made resistance to Joshua more
difficult for the confederacy, and therefore they deserved to be
chastised. To turn their arms against Gibeon, when they had Joshua
to deal with, was probably an unwise proceeding; but to their
resources it would seem a very easy task. Gibeon enjoyed nothing of
that aid from a great unseen Power that made Joshua so formidable;
little could they have dreamt that Joshua would come to the
assistance of his new allies, and with God's help inflict on them a
crushing defeat. "The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to
nought, He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The
counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to
all generations."
The case was very serious for the Gibeonites. As Gibeon lay so
near Jerusalem and the cities of the other confederates, it is
likely that the appearance of the enemy before its walls was the
first, or nearly the first, intimation of the coming attack. In
their extremity they sent to Joshua imploring help, and the terms
in which they besought him not to lose a moment, but come to them
at his utmost speed, show the urgency of their danger. To appeal to
Joshua at all after their shameful fraud was a piece of
presumption, unless - and this is very unlikely - the treaty
between them had promised protection from enemies. Had Joshua been
of a mean nature he would
-
have chuckled over their distress, and congratulated himself
that now he would get rid of these Gibeonites without trouble on
his part. But the same generosity that had refused to take
advantage of their fraud when it was detected showed itself in this
their time of need. Joshua was encamped at Gilgal on the banks of
the Jordan; for the arguments that suppose him to have been at
another Gilgal are not consistent with the terms used in the
narrative (e.g. Joshua 10:9, "went up from Gilgal all night"). From
Gilgal to Gibeon the distance is upwards of twenty miles, and a
great part of the way is steep and difficult.
Encouraged by the assurance of Divine protection and favoured by
the moonlight, Joshua, by a marvellous act of pluck and energy,
went up by night, reached Gibeon in the morning, fell upon the army
of the assembled kings, possibly while it was yet dark, and utterly
discomfited them. It would have been natural for the routed armies
to make for Jerusalem, only five miles off, by the south road, but
either Joshua had occupied that road, or it was too difficult for a
retreat. The way by which they did retreat, running west from
Gibeon, is carefully described. First they took the way "that goeth
up to Bethhoron." As soon as they had traversed the plain of
Gibeon, they ascended a gentle slope leading towards Bethhoron the
upper, then fled down the well-known pass, through the two
Bethhorons, upper and nether, making for Jarmuth, Lachish, and
other towns at the bottom of the hills. In the course of their
descent a hailstorm overtook them, one of those terrific storms
which seem hardly credible to us, but are abundantly authenticated
both in ancient and modern times, and "they which died with
hailstones were more than they whom the children of Israel slew
with the sword." The Israelites, exhausted, no doubt, with their
night march and morning exertions, seem to have been outstripped by
the flying army, and in this way to have escaped the shower of
hail. By the time the five kings, who had had to fly on foot,
reached Makkedah at the foot of the mountains, they were unable to
go farther and hid themselves in a cave. As Joshua passed he was
informed of this, but, unwilling to stop the pursuit of the
fugitives, he ordered large stones to be rolled to the door of the
cave, locking the kings up as it were in a prison, and no doubt
leaving a guard in charge. Then, when the pursuit had been carried
to the very gates of the walled cities, he returned to the cave.
The five kings were brought out, and the chiefs of the Israelite
army put their feet upon their necks. The kings were slain, and
their bodies hanged on trees till the evening. Thereafter Joshua
attacked the chief cities of the confederates, and took in
succession Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir.
othing is said of his taking Jerusalem; indeed it appears from the
after history that the stronghold of Jerusalem on Mount Zion
remained in Jebusite hands up to the time of David. Many of the
inhabitants were able to escape destruction, but substantially
Joshua was now in possession of the whole southern division of the
land, from the Jordan on the east to the borders of the Philistines
on the west, and from Gibeon on the north to the wilderness on the
south. It does not appear, however, that he retained full
possession; while he was occupied in other parts of the country the
people returned and occupied their cities. The clemency of Joshua
in not destroying the inhabitants proved the source of much future
trouble.
In all the subsequent history of the country, the victory of
Gibeon was looked back
-
on, and justly, as one of the most memorable that had ever been
known. For promptitude, dash, and daring it was never eclipsed by
any event of the kind; while the strength of the confederate army,
the completeness of its defeat, and the picturesqueness of the
whole situation constantly supplied materials for wonder and
delight. Moreover, the hand of God had been conspicuous shown in
more ways than one. The hailstorm that wrought such havoc was
ascribed to His friendly hand, but a far more memorable token of
His interest and support lay in the miracle that arrested the
movements of the sun and the moon, in order that victorious Israel
might have time to finish his work. And after the victory the
capture of the fortified towns became comparatively easy. The
remnant that had escaped could have no heart to defend them, Joshua
must have smiled at the fate of the ''cities walled up to heaven"
that had so greatly distressed his brother spies when they came up
to examine the land. And as he found them one by one yield to his
army, as though their defence had really departed from them, he
must have felt with fresh gratitude the faithfulness and
loving-kindness of the Lord, and earnestly breathed the prayer that
neither his faith nor that of his people might ever fail until the
whole campaign was brought to an end.
In some respects this victory had a special significance. In the
first place, it had a most important bearing on the success of the
whole enterprise; its suddenness, its completeness, its manifold
grandeur being admirably fitted to paralyse the enemy in other
parts of the country, and open the whole region to Joshua. By some
it has been compared to the battle of Marathon, not only on account
of the suddenness with which the decisive blow was struck, but also
on account of the importance of the interests involved. It was a
battle for freedom, for purity, for true religion, in opposition to
tyranny, idolatry, and abominable sensuality; for all that is
wholesome in human life, in opposition to all that is corrupt; for
all that makes for peaceful progress, in opposition to all that
entails degradation and misery. The prospects of the whole world
were brighter after that victory of Bethhoron. The relation of
heaven to earth was more auspicious, and more full of promise for
the days to come. Had any hitch occurred in the arrangements; had
Israel halted half-way up the eastern slopes, and the troops of
Adonizedec driven them back; had the tug of war in the plain of
Gibeon proved too much for them after their toilsome night march;
had no hailstorm broken out on the retreating enemy; had he been
able to form again at the western foot of the hills and arrest the
progress of Joshua in pursuit, the whole enterprise would have had
a different complexion. o doubt the Divine arm might have been
stretched out for Israel in some other way; but the remarkable
thing was, that no such supplementary mode of achieving the desired
result was required. At every point the success of Israel was
complete, and every obstacle opposed to him by the enemy was swept
away for the time being as smoke before the wind.
In the next place, the tokens of Divine aid were very
impressive. After the experience which Joshua had had of the
consequences of failing to ask God for direction when first the
Gibeonites came to him, we may be very sure that on the present
occasion he would be peculiarly careful to seek Divine counsel. And
he was well rewarded. For "the sun stood still, and the moon
stayed, until the people had
-
avenged themselves upon their enemies." It does not need to be
said that this miraculous incident has from first to last given
birth to an immensity of perplexity and discussion. It will be
observed that the record of it does not come in as part of the
narrative, but as a quotation from a pre-existing book. Concerning
that book we know very little. From its name, Jashar, ''The
upright," we may believe it to have been a record of memorable
deeds of righteous men. In form it was poetical, the extract in the
present case being of that rhythmical structure which was the mark
of Hebrew poetry. The only other occasion on which it is mentioned
is in connection with the song composed by David, after the death
of Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:18). ''David " (as the Revised
Version puts it) ''bade them teach the children of Israel the song
of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar." As to the
origin and nature of this book we can only conjecture. It may have
been a public record, contributed to from time to time by various
writers, under conditions and arrangements which at this distance
of time, and under the obscurity of the whole subject, we cannot
ascertain.
Then as to the miracle of the sun and the moon standing still.
It is well known that this was one of the passages brought forward
by the Church of Rome to condemn Galileo, when he affirmed that the
earth and the moon revolved round the sun, and that it was not the
motion of the sun round the earth, but the rotation of the earth on
her own axis that produced the change of day and night. o one would
dream now of making use of this passage for any such purpose.
Whatever theory of inspiration men may hold, it is admitted
universally that the inspired writers used the popular language of
the day in matters of science, and did not anticipate discoveries
which were not made till many centuries later. That expressions
occur in Scripture which are not in accord with the best
established conclusions of modern science would never be regarded
by any intelligent person as an argument against the Scriptures as
the inspired records of God's will, designed especially to reveal
to us the way of life and salvation through Jesus Christ, and to be
an infallible guide to us on all that ''man is to believe
concerning God, and the duty that God requires of man."
A far more serious question has been raised as to whether this
miracle ever occurred, or could have occurred. To those who believe
in the possibility of miracles, it can be no conclusive argument
that it could not have occurred without producing injurious
consequences the end of which can hardly be conceived. For if the
rotation of the earth on its axis was suddenly arrested, all human
beings on its surface, and all loose objects whatever must have
been flung forward with prodigious violence; just as, on a small
scale, on the sudden stoppage of a carriage, we find ourselves
thrown forward, the motion of the carriage having been communicated
to our bodies. But really this is a paltry objection; for surely
the Divine power that can control the rotation of the earth is
abundantly able to obviate such effects as these. We can understand
the objection that God, having adjusted all the forces of nature,
leaves them to operate by themselves in a uniform way without
disturbance or interference; but we can hardly comprehend the
reasonableness of the position that if it is His pleasure
miraculously to modify one arrangement, he is unable to adjust all
relative arrangements, and make all conspire harmoniously to the
end desired.
-
But was it a miracle? The narrative, as we have it, implies not
only that it was, but that there was something in it stupendous and
unprecedented. It comes in as a part of that supernatural process
in which God had been engaged ever since the deliverance of His
people from Egypt, and which was to go on till they should be
finally settled in the land. It naturally joins on to the
miraculous division of the Jordan, and the miraculous fall of the
walls of Jericho. We must remember that the work in which God was
now engaged was one of peculiar spiritual importance and
significance. He was not merely finding a home for His covenant
people; He was making arrangements for advancing the highest
interests of humanity; He was guarding against the extinction on
earth of the Divine light which alone could guide man in safety
through the life that now is, and in preparation for that which is
to come. He was taking steps to prevent a final and fatal severance
of the relation between God and man, and He was even preparing the
way for a far more complete and glorious development of that
relation - to be seen in the person of His Incarnate Son, the
spiritual Joshua, and made possible for men through that great work
of propitiation which He was to accomplish on the cross. Who will
take upon him to say that at an important crisis in the progress of
the events which were to prepare the way for this grand
consummation, it was not fitting for the Almighty to suspend for a
time even the ordinances of heaven, in order that a day's work,
carrying such vast consequences, might not be interrupted before
its triumphant close?
There are commentators worthy of high respect who have thought
that the fact of this incident being noticed in the form of a
quotation from the Book of Jashar somewhat diminishes the credit
due to it. It looks as if it had not formed part of the original
narrative, but had been inserted by a subsequent editor from a book
of poetry, expressed with poetic licence, and perhaps of later
date. They are disposed to regard the words of Joshua, "Sun, stand
thou still upon Gibeon; and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon," as
a mere expression of his desire that the light would last long
enough to allow the decisive work of the day to be brought to a
thorough conclusion. They look on it as akin to the prayer of
Agamemnon (''Iliad," 2:412 sq.) that the sun might not go down till
he had sacked Troy; and the form of words they consider to be
suited to poetical composition, like some of the expressions in the
eighteenth psalm - "There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and
fire out of His mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed
the heavens also, and did come down: He rode upon a cherub, and did
fly."
But whatever allowance we may make for poetical licence of
speech, it is hardly possible not to perceive that the words as
they stand imply a miracle of extraordinary sublimity; nor do we
see any sufficient ground for resisting the common belief that in
whatsoever way it was effected, there was a supernatural extension
of the period of light, to allow Joshua to finish his work.*
*It seems hardly necessary to notice an explanation of the
phenomenon that has been made lately - to the effect that it was in
the morning, not the evening of the day, that Joshua expressed his
wish. It was to prevent the allied kings about Gibeon knowing of
his approach that he desired the sun to delay his rising in the
east, a
-
desire which was virtually fulfilled by that dark, cloudy
condition of the sky which precedes a thunderstorm. The natural
sense of the narrative admits neither of this explanation of the
time nor of the miracle itself.
One other notable feature in the transaction of this day was the
completeness of the defeat inflicted by Joshua on the enemy. This
defeat went on in successive stages from early morning till late at
night. First, there was the slaughter in the plain of Gibeon. Then
the havoc produced by the hail and by Joshua on the retreating
army. Then the destruction caused as Joshua followed the enemy to
their cities. And the work of the day was wound up by the execution
of the five kings. Moreover, there followed a succession of similar
scenes at the taking and sacking of their cities. When we try to
realize all this in detail, we are confronted with a terrible scene
of blood and death, and possibly we may find ourselves asking, Was
there a particle of humanity in Joshua, that he was capable of such
a series of transactions? Certainly Joshua was a great soldier, and
a great religious soldier, but he was in many ways like his time.
He had many of the qualities of Oriental commanders, and one of
these qualities has ever been to carry slaughter to the utmost
limit that the occasion allows. His treatment of the conquered
kings, too, was marked by characteristic Oriental barbarity, for he
caused his captains to put their feet upon their necks, needlessly
embittering their dying moments, and he exposed their dead bodies
to the needless humiliation of being hanged on a tree. But it must
be said, and said firmly for Joshua, that there is no evidence of
his acting on this or on other such occasions in order to gratify
personal feelings; it was not done either to gratify a thirst for
blood, or to gratify the pride of a conqueror. Joshua all through
gives us the impression of a man carrying out the will of another;
inflicting a judicial sentence, and inflicting it thoroughly at the
first so that there might be no need for a constant series of petty
executions afterwards. This certainly was his aim; but the enemy
showed themselves more vital than he had supposed.
And when we turn to ourselves and think what we may learn from
this transaction, we see a valuable application of his method to
the spiritual warfare. God has enemies still, within and without,
with whom we are called to contend. "For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places." When we are fighting with the enemy within our own
hearts leniency is our great temptation, but at the same time our
greatest snare. What we need here is, courage to slay. We content
ourselves with confessions and regrets, but the enemy lives,
returns to the attack, and keeps us in perpetual discomfort. Oh
that in this battle we resembled Joshua, aiming at killing the
enemy outright, and leaving nothing belonging to him that
breathes!
And in reference to the outside world, want of thoroughness in
warfare is still our besetting sin. We play at missions; we trifle
with the awful drunkenness and sensuality around us; we look on,
and we see rural districts gradually depopulated; and we wring our
hands at the mass of poverty, vice, and misery in our great crowded
cities. How rare is it for any one to arise among us like General
Booth, to face prevailing evils in all their magnitude, and even
attempt to do battle with them
-
along the whole line! Why should not such a spirit be universal
in the Christian Church? Who can tell the evil done by want of
faith, by languor, by unwillingness to be disturbed in our quiet,
self-indulged life, by our fear of rousing against us the scorn and
rage of the world? If only the Church had more faith, and, as the
fruit of faith, more courage and more enterprise, what help from
heaven might not come to her! True, she would not see the enemy
crushed by hailstones, nor the sun standing in Gibeon, nor the moon
in the valley of Ajalon; but she would see grander sights; she
would see men of spiritual might raised up in her ranks; she would
see tides of strong spiritual influence overwhelming her enemies.
Jerichos dismantled, Ai captured, and the champions of evil falling
like Lucifer from heaven to make way for the King of kings and Lord
of lords. Let us go to the cross of Jesus to revive our faith and
recruit our energies. The Captain of our salvation has not only
achieved salvation for us, but He has set us a blessed example of
the spirit and life of true Christian warriors.
"At the ame of Jesus, Satan's legions flee; On then, Christian
soldiers, On to victory. Hell's foundations quiver At the shout of
praise; Brothers, lift our voices, Loud your anthems raise!"
PULPIT, "THE BATTLE OF BETH-HORO, AD THE SUBJUGATIO OF SOUTHER
PALESTIE.
Joshua 10:1
Adoni-zedec (cf. Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18). The name given
to the king of Jerusalem was good enough, and no doubt was a
survival of earlier and purer times. In the days of Melchizedek the
name corresponded to the character. Jerusalem. Hebrew, Jerushalaim,
with the usual dual termination. It has been generally supposed to
be the same with Salem, or rather Shalem, the city of which
Melehizedek was king, and this is supported by the fact that the
name of Salem is given to Jerusalem in Psalms 76:2. But it is by no
means certain that this is the case. The first to dispute the
identity of the two places was St. Jerome, who declares that the
Salem of Melchizedek was eight miles from Scythopolis, and that the
ruins of the palace of Melchizedek could still be seen there (see
also Genesis 33:18). The term Salem, as indicative of the security
and strength of Jerusalem, might not unnaturally be applied to it
by the Psalmist; while; on the other hand, the dual form of
Jerusalem seems difficult to account for on the theory of the
identity of Jerusalem and Salem. This dual form has been a
difficulty to critics; and Mr. Grove, in the 'Dictionary of the
Bible,' conjectures that it may have arisen from an attempt to
twist the archaic Phoenician form into agreement with the more
modern Hebrew idiom, just as the Greeks afterwards twisted the name
into Hierosolyma, or the holy Solyma. But a simpler explanation may
be found in the fact that Jerusalem, like many other cities,
consisted of two parts, the upper and the lower town (cf. 1:8 with
1:1, 1:7 and 1:21, and 2 Samuel 5:6-8), while in earlier times the
upper or lower town alone existed. Plural names of cities were not
uncommon in later ages, as Athenae and Thebae. The name has been
variously derived. Some have thought that as it is also called
Jebus (Joshua 18:28; 19:10), from its being the chief city of
the
-
Jebusites, it was originally Jebus-salem, and hence by a
corruption Jerusalem. But this derivation has now been abandoned,
and opinions differ as to whether it is derived from and signifying
"peaceful inheritance" (Ewald, Keil), or from peaceful settlement"
(Gesenius, Lee). Gesenius objects to the former" and derivation
that it would require dagesh in the . The fathers and mediaeval
divines, misled by Origen, translate it "vision of peace." This
translation is alluded to in the well-known hymns Urbs beata Sion
and O quanta qualia. Origen supposed it to come from . Another
difficult question is when the name was given, for there can be
little doubt that the Book of Joshua was written before the time of
David. It is possible that the name may have been given by the
Jebusites themselves in consequence of their secure possession of
it, notwithstanding the subjugation of the surrounding country by
the Israelites. And when David had seized upon it and made it his
capital, he would not be likely to change so suitable a name. For
the Jebusites, evidently by their invariable position last among
the nations of Canaan, the most insignificant among them, were
enabled to defy the Israelite power long after their more powerful
neighbours had succumbed. and David no doubt chose the situation of
Jerusalem for his capital not only because, unlike Hebron, it
enabled him to dwell among his own people without cutting himself
off from intercourse with the other tribes of Israel; but because,
as a mountain fastness remote from the plains of Esdraelon and the
Orontes, which were the great highways of the Egyptian and Assyrian
kings on their military expeditions, it would enable him to
consolidate his power, and to secure that empire which became his
from the force of his genius and the favour of God. We may remark
upon the antecedent probability of the fact that the king of a
place situated as Jerusalem is should stand at the head of this
league.
2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because
Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was
larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters.
CLARKE, "As one of the royal cities - Not a regal city, but
great, well inhabited
-
and well fortified, as those cities which served for the royal
residence generally were. It does not appear that the Gibeonites
had any king - they seem to have been a small but powerful
republic, all the men thereof were mighty, merely governed by their
elders: for in their address to Joshua, Jos_9:11, they mention no
king, but simply state that they were sent by their elders and the
inhabitants of their country; nor do we any where read of their
king; and therefore we may naturally suppose that they had
none.
GILL, "That they feared greatly,.... The king of Jerusalem and
his people, lest they should fall into the hands of the Israelites,
and be used as Jericho and Ai, and the kings and inhabitants of
them were, and that they would be the next that should fall a
sacrifice to them; for Gibeon was fifty furlongs from Jerusalem, as
Josephus says (a); and in another place he says (b) but forty,
which were but five miles; and if f