Joshua 10

Chap. X. Ver. 1—14. Five kings defeated.— The Sun and Moon stand still.—The Gibeonites having made peace with Israel, five confederate kings of the Canaanites combine to attack them; in consequence of which, they apply to Joshua for protection and defence, which he considers himself bound to afford them, and, therefore, immediately flies with a powerful army to their relief. These five kings are in consequence defeated, and their armies destroyed; But in this narrative there are two circumstances which infidel writers have treated with a great deal of unfounded ridicule and contempt; namely, the shower of stones, and the standing still of the sun and moon. We have already mentioned, (introduction to ceremony,) that the Israelites, in their attack upon the Canaanites, had not only the divine command, but the divine co-operation; the Lord did actually, on this occasion, destroy more of the Canaanites, than “the children of Israel slew with the sword.”

Some have supposed that the shower of stones here mentioned, was composed of aerolites, or air-stones, of which Dr. Clarke has collected many authentic and well-attested instances; but as they are immediately after called “hail-stones,” we are not warranted to look for any others, nor need we. The learned commentator just referred to, cites authority for stating, that Baldwin I., in his expedition to the Holy Land, in the vicinity of the Dead sea, suffered extremely from “horrible hail,” frost, rain, and snow, insomuch that thirty of his men perished thereby. Dr. C. also mentions having in his possession a pane of glass perforated by a hail-stone, in 1780, as true as if cut with a diamond, three inches and a half in diameter, which certainly implies a prodigious force; and when these dreadful weapons of destruction were directed by a miraculous power, how terrible must have been the consequences!

But what shall we say to the stopping of the sun and moon? In the first place, we need feel no alarm for the safety of the solar system. Bishop Watson well observes, ‘The machine of the universe is in the hand of God; he can stop the motion of any part, or of the whole, with less trouble, and less danger of injuring it, than we can stop our watch.” There is, however, no reason to believe it was at all disturbed by this miracle, which regarded, not the bodies of either sun or moon, but the light only that issued from them, whereby that day was probably united to the following, without an intervening night. By the sun being “in the midst of heaven,” we understand the horizon; for had it been in the meridian, the moon would not have appeared, nor could Joshua, at noon-day, have felt any uneasiness about the sun going down: but supposing the sun to be nearly in the horizon, on the point of setting, as the moon was rising in another direction, by a miraculous detention of the light of those luminaries in the same quarter, the Israelites would be able to pursue their victory, and their enemies find no refuge under the veil of night.

This, in fact, agrees exactly with the language of the prophet Zechariah, who evidently alludes to this event, ((Joshua 14:6-7).) when speaking of the victories, and the glory of Messiah in the latter days: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear (as in mid-day,) nor dark (as at night:) But it shall be one day (that is, perhaps, two days united in one) which shall be known unto the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at even-time it shall be light.” That is, the light shall be continued, as in this case in the history of Joshua. Seven more kings are conquered.—This is a Ver. 15—43. painful narrative, as indeed are all military annals, to a philanthropic mind; it may afford, however, some valuable instruction.

There is no doubt but the system of warfare here exhibited, was that practised at this time by all nations; there was therefore an instance of the just judgment of God in retaliating upon them their own barbarities; an instance of which we find acknowledged in the case of Adoni-bezek, who, upon his thumbs and great toes being cut off, frankly confessed, “Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me.” (Judges 1. 7.) Though retaliation be not allowed to us, it is an essential feature in the divine government: “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord, and I will repay it.” Some little difficulties arise in this chapter, which may be removed without having recourse to criticism.

The king of Hebron was one of the five kings that were slain and hung upon a tree, as we read in ver. 26. Yet in the latter part of the chapter (ver. 36.) we read again of the king of Hebron being slain; how could this be? A well known maxim in English law will explain this. “The king never dies:” that is, one king is no sooner dead than his successor reigns: this second king of Hebron was doubtless the successor of the former. But it is evident from (Judges 1:10). that Hebron must have been repossessed by the Canaanites, from whom it was again taken, as was the case with Debir and other places:—a circumstance for which Calmet thus satisfactorily accounts: Joshua, in his rapid conquests, contented himself with taking, demolishing, and burning those cities; but did not garrison any of them for fear of weakening his army.

In several instances, no doubt, the scattered Canaanites returned, re-peopled, and put those cities in a state of defence. Hence the Israelites had to conquer them a second time. The rapid progress now made by Israel, contrasted with their previous slow procedure, may be accounted for by greater faith and confidence in God. They were not tried with defeats or disappointments, and therefore betrayed no discontent or murmuring, (ver. 21.) “None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.” In applying the circumstances of this history to the life and spiritual conflict of the Christian, we may remark, that our progress in the divine life is always in proportion to our faith in the divine promises; and nothing more frequently retards this, than a murmuring and discontented temper.

When Israel repined and murmured, they died in the wilderness; when they obeyed and trusted the divine promises, they went on conquering and to conquer.

Notes on the verses

Chap. X. Ver. 1. Jerusalem.—This is the first time this name occurs: at this period and long after, it seems this place was called Jebus, and its inhabitants Jebusites, (Joshua 15:8).; xviii. 28. (Judges 19:10). Ver. 2. Gibeon.—[Gibeon was situated on an eminence, as its name imports, 40 furlongs north from Jerusalem, according to Josephus.]—Bagster. Ver. 3, Hebron.—[Hebron was situated on an eminence, 20 miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beersheba. It is now called El Khalil, “the well beloved,” the usual epithet which the Turks and Arabs apply to Abraham, whose sepulchral cave they still show; over which Helena built a magnificent church. Its original site was on an eminence, at the southern foot of which the present village is pleasantly situated, on which are the remains of an ancient castle, its sole defence.]—Bagster. Ver. 12. Sun, stand thou still he Gibeon.—By this it should appear, that the sun was now about to set behind the mountains of Gibeon. The late learned Editor of Calmet remarks, (as Hutchinson had done long before,) that the Hebrew words Shemesh, (Sun,) and Yareach, (Moon,) were not used for the orbs of the sun and moon, (for which the language has different names,) but for their light only. ((Isaiah 60:20).) The word (dum) rendered stand still, he would explain, remain level—as the sunbeams shoot every morning and evening only, which determines the time of the miracle. Joshua doubtless acted, on this occasion, by an immediate impulse upon his mind from the Spirit of God. It would have been improper either that he should speak, or that the miracle should be recorded, according to the terms of modern astronomy.

The sun appeared to the Israelites over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Ajalon, which is supposed to have been situated in a different direction: and there they appeared to be stayed in their course for “a whole day;” either for the space of about 12 or 14 hours, or for the time of one diurnal revolution. Many inquiries have been made concerning the way in which this miracle was wrought, and many difficulties and objections have been argued against understanding it literally. But the fact is authenticated by the divine testimony; and the manner in which it was accomplished, lies entirely out of our province, because beyond our comprehension.—Bagster. But, says T. Paine, “the tradition of it would have been universal; whereas there is not a nation in the world that knows any thing about it.”

Had this writer said that he “knew not any thing about it,” he would have been believed. It is true that there are no collateral records which reach so high as this period. Bishop Watson remarks, however, that ‘a confused tradition concerning this miracle, and a similar one in the time of Ahaz, has been preserved among one of the most ancient nations,” the Egyptians; and, he might have added, the Chinese. Ver. 13. In the book of Jasher.—It has been asked, What book was this? The book is lost, and if we cannot describe it, it is a matter of no consequence. Jasher means “the upright,” and, according to the Hebrew idiom, may very properly be understood to mean, “upright or authentic records, or chronicles;” those of the high priest, from which most of the Old Testament history was compiled. See (Numbers 21:14).—In the midst of heaven.—This phrase does not mean the meridian, but simply the atmosphere. See (Genesis 1:3). Parkhurst explains it of the horizon, which divides the heavens into the upper and lower hemisphere. Ver. 15. And Joshua returned to Gilgal.—That is, after the conflict was all over, see ver. 43, which is the same verbatim, and some learned men think was inserted here by mistake in copying. Scott admits this. See Dr. Wall’s Notes, and Dr. Clarke’s Comment. Ver. 24. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.—This was, in those early times, a very common method of triumphing over a conquered enemy.

Q. Curtius relates, that “Dioxippus seized Horatas, tripped up his heels, and threw him with great violence to the ground. He then put his foot on his neck, drew out his sword, and lifting up his club, was about to dash out the brains of the overthrown champion, had he not been prevented by the king.” Ver. 26. Smote… and hanged.—See note on (Deuteronomy 21:23). Ver. 28. Makkedah.—[Situated, according to Eusebius, 8 miles east from Eleutheropolis. It was afterwards assigned to the tribe of Judah.]—Bagster. Ver. 29. Libnah.—(This city was situated in the south of Judah; and in the district of Eleutheropolis, according to Eusebius and Jerome. It is probably the Libnah in the neighbourhood of which the Israelites encamped.)—Bagster. Ver. 31. Lachish.—[Lachish was also situated in the south of Judah, seven miles south from Eleutheropolis, according to Eusebius and Jerome. It appears to have been anciently a very strong place; for though the people were panic struck, and the Israelites flushed with success, yet Joshua could not reduce it till the second day; and the king of Assyria afterwards was obliged to raise the siege.]—Bagster. Ver. 33. Gezer.—[Gezer was situated on the confines of Ephraim and Manasseh, between Beth-horon and the sea; and is evidently the village of Gazara mentioned by Eusebius, 4 miles (north) from Nicopolis or Emmaus.]— Ver. 34. Eglon.—[This town appears to have been no great distance from Lachish, with which it is mentioned, ch. xv. 39. as one of the cities given to Judah.]—Bagster. Ver. 38. Debir.—[Debir was situated in the south of the tribe of Judah, near Hebron. The expression of Joshua’s returning to Debir, probably denotes, that having carried his conquests in the southern parts as far as Gaza, (ver. 41.) which was in the south-west angle of Canaan, he then marched back to besiege Debir.]—Bagster. Ver. 41. Goshen.—[The country of Goshen, mentioned here, seems to have been in the south of Judah; and to have taken its name from the city Goshen situated in the same tribe.]—Bagster.