Joshua 1

Chap. I. Ver. 1—18. Joshua commissioned to lead Israel Bible is important to all ranks and classes, even to military men, and we are happy to find that there are some who duly estimate its excellency, both in our army, and our navy. 3, That where the word of God is properly appreciated, it will give a relish to our conversation; it will be in our mouth. 4. That the Scriptures are not oniy to be read, but they must form the grand theme of our meditations, both by day and night. 5. That this is the way to prosperity in all our under- Chap. I. Ver.1—16. The conquest of Canaan resumed.— Joshua, before his death, had exhorted Israel to fresh activity in subduing the Canaanites, and after his death, his words seem to have made a greater impression upon them than before; they therefore inquire of the Lord, (probably by Urim and Thummim,) who should lead the attack; re’ the answer was Judah: and.

Judah invited Simeon to accompany him; which was the more proper, as the land of Simeon lay within the territory of Judah, and they had a common interest in the war. Their first attack was on Adoni-bezek, (or the lord of Bezek,) who, though he was not distinguished by the title of king, was a notorious tyrant, and delighted in maiming and torturing the neighbouring chiefs, (or kings of towns,) who fell into his hands; of whom he acknowledges that threescore and ten, deprived by him of their thumbs and sien toes, had been reduced to gather up their food, like ogs, beneath his table. The Hebrew general, knowing this, Chap. I. Ver. 4. Bezex.—[ Eusebius and Jerome mention two villages of this Bamie, near cach other, about 17 miles from Shechem, towards Scythopolis.

}—Bagster. Ver. 7. Having their thumbs and great toes cut off—Heb. ‘* The thumbs of their hands and of their feet.” [This was not an unusual act of cruelty in ancient times towards enemies.—/E£lian informs us, that ‘“the Athenians, at the instigation of Cleon, son of Cleenetus, made a decree that all the inhabitthe Canaanites and the Perizzites. b Nu.27.21. 6 But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued and in the * valley. retaliates his cruelty upon himself, who is indeed compelled to acknowledge, that he was justly served, and considers it as the righteous visitation of heaven upon his crimes. Judah next attacked Jerusalem, and having gained possession at least of some part of the city, set fire to it; and the troops having brought with them the miserable tyrant Adoni-beze probably left him to perish, with as little pity as he had been accustomed to show to others.

Some difficulty has been found in reconciling this account with other passages of Scripture on this subject, and particularly with the 21st verse of this chapter, which speaks of the city as jointly occupied by the Benjamites and the Jebusites. The fact appears to us thus: Jerusalem (or Jebus) bordered on the territories both of Judah and of Benjamin, and both seem to have had claims to it, or to different parts of it; for being situated on several hills, separately fortified, they might be possessed by different powers at the same time, and chia ee ee eee ants of the island of Hgina should have the thumb cut off from the right hand, so that they might ever after be disabled from holding a spear; yet might andle an oar.”

It was a custom among those Romans who did not like a military life, to cut off their thumbs, that they might be incapable of serving in the a; and for the same reason parents sometimes cut off the thumbs of their children. Suetonius, Vit. Aug. 24.|—Bagster. Ver. 8: The children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem.—This city