Joshua · Chapter 6

Verse 1. Now Jericho was straitly shut up] The king of Jericho, finding that the spies had escaped, though the city was always kept shut by night, took the most proper precaution to prevent every thing of the kind in future, by keeping the city shut both day and night, having, no doubt, laid in a sufficiency of provisions to stand a siege, being determined to defend himself to the uttermost.

Verses 1, 2. Jericho was straitly shut up — They had shut up all their gates, and kept a very strict guard at them, for fear of the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto Joshua — There is great reason to believe, and indeed most commentators agree, that this was spoken by the divine person who is said in the preceding chapter to have appeared to Joshua in the form of a man, but who styled himself captain of the host of the Lord, and is here called Jehovah, which shows that he was not of the angelic order. It is probable that the king and people of Jericho had refused the offers of peace which God ordered to be first sent to every city before they besieged it, Deuteronomy 20:10; and, trusting to their forces, had taken up a desperate resolution not to yield on any terms.

1. Now Jericho was straitly shut up — Heb, shutting (the gates) and firmly shut up. The active participle may describe the act of the people within, and the passive that of the besiegers without. Or the sense may be: Jericho closed her gates, and fastened them up with bolts and bars. Both expressions also indicate the continuance of this condition, which is further explained by the words None went out, and none came in — The city was effectually blockaded. On Jericho see note at Joshua 2:1.

Verse 2. And the Lord said unto Joshua] This is the same person who in the preceding chapter is called the captain or prince of the Lord’s host, the discourse being here continued that was begun at the conclusion of the preceding chapter, from which the first verses of this are unnaturally divided.

I have given into thine hand Jericho, &c.] From Joshua 24:11, it seems as if there had been persons of all the seven Canaanitish nations then in Jericho, who might have come together at this time to help the king of Jericho against the invading Israelites. The Targum intimates that the place was very strong, having “gates of iron and bars of brass; and was shut up so closely that none came out, either to combat or make offers of peace.”

Verses 1, 2. Jericho was straitly shut up — They had shut up all their gates, and kept a very strict guard at them, for fear of the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto Joshua — There is great reason to believe, and indeed most commentators agree, that this was spoken by the divine person who is said in the preceding chapter to have appeared to Joshua in the form of a man, but who styled himself captain of the host of the Lord, and is here called Jehovah, which shows that he was not of the angelic order. It is probable that the king and people of Jericho had refused the offers of peace which God ordered to be first sent to every city before they besieged it, Deuteronomy 20:10; and, trusting to their forces, had taken up a desperate resolution not to yield on any terms.

2. The Lord said — The Hebrew word for Lord is Jehovah. The identity of Jehovah with the Captain of the host of the Lord is too plain to be disputed by any sound biblical scholar. See Joshua 5:14, note. I have given — The past tense here strongly expresses the certainty of the future event. In the divine mind the act is already accomplished. Mighty men of valour — Heroes of might. An appositive of Jericho and its king. Their warlike character is here attested by Jehovah.

V. 3. Round about the city once-At a convenient distance, out of the reach of their arrows. Six days-Every day once. This and the following course might seem ridiculous and absurd, and is therefore prescribed by God, that they might learn to take new measures of things, and to expect success not from their own valour, or skill, but merely from God’s appointment and blessing; and in general, not to judge of any of God’s institutions by mere carnal reason, to which divers of their ceremonies would seem no less foolish than this action.

Verse 3. Ye shall compass the city] In what order the people marched round the city does not exactly appear from the text. Some think they observed the same order as in their ordinary marches in the desert; (see Clarke’s note on “Numbers 10:14”, and see the plans, Numbers 2:2;) others think that the soldiers marched first, then the priests who blew the trumpets, then those who carried the ark, and lastly the people.

Verse 3. Round about the city once — At a convenient distance, out of the reach of their arrows. Six days — Every day once. This and the following course might seem ridiculous and absurd, and is therefore prescribed by God, that they might learn to take new measures of things, and to expect success, not from their own valour, or skill, but merely from God’s appointment and blessing; and in general, not to judge of any of God’s institutions by mere carnal reason, to which divers of their ceremonies would seem no less foolish than this action.

3. Ye shall compass the city — Here is a peculiar and unprecedented mode of reducing a walled town — to carry a small chest containing, not the enginery of death, but a few religious relics, attended by a band of priests blowing on their trumpets, and followed by the whole army marching in procession. We may not assign with certainty the reason of this strange command, but we plainly see at least four objects attained: (1) The whole army is honoured as a subordinate agent in the conquest of the city.

(2) God, the efficient cause, is magnified before all men. (3) His ark and his ministers, by their prominence at the head of the procession, are especially honoured in the eyes of Israelite and Canaanite. (4) A course of proceeding so unmilitary and apparently absurd was a severe test of the faith of the Israelites in Jehovah.

Verse 4. Seven trumpets of rams’ horns] The Hebrew word יובלים yobelim does not signify rams’ horns; (see Clarke’s note on “Leviticus 25:11”;) nor do any of the ancient versions, the Chaldee excepted, give it this meaning. The instruments used on this occasion were evidently of the same kind with those used on the jubilee, and were probably made of horn or of silver; and the text in this place may be translated, And seven priests shall bear before the ark the seven jubilee trumpets, for they appear to have been the same kind as those used on the jubilee.

Seven times] The time was thus lengthened out that the besiegers and the besieged might be the more deeply impressed with that supernatural power by which alone the walls fell.

Verse 4. Seven trumpets of rams’ horns. Josephus uses this term, “rams’ horns:” but in most versions it is holy trumpets, or trumpets used in the Jubilee, as seems to be implied by the Hebrew word Jobel.

4. Seven trumpets of rams’ horns — [Or, seven trumpets of alarms; that is, signal trumpets. The Hebrew word here rendered rams’ horns is lbwy, yobel, and Furst still adheres to this explanation, which is also that of the Targum and the Rabbins. But according to Gesenius yobel is an onomatopoetic word, signifying a joyful sound, (jubilum,) and hence some scholars hold that the trumpet of yobel was so called because it was used to proclaim through the land the return of the year of jubilee. Leviticus 25:9-13. But long before the sabbatical year was instituted the trumpet that sounded from Sinai was called the yobel, (Exodus 19:13,) and hence it is but natural to infer that the year of jubilee took its name from the trumpet, not the trumpet from the year. The best supported etymology of yobel is that which gives it the sense of a loud and startling sound, and hence we adopt the rendering signal trumpet. In verse 5 occurs the expression horn of yobel, so that the words trumpet (shophar) and horn (keren) are here used interchangeably. The common opinion is that the shophar was a long straight instrument, and the keren a crooked one.] Eustathius says that an instrument in the form of a bent trumpet was in use among the Egyptians for the purpose of calling the people together to the sacrifices. It is not quite certain whether the trumpet of jubilee was made of the horn of an ox or of metal; but the latter seems the more probable, since a much larger instrument could be made of metal. The priests on this occasion carried “sonorous metal, blowing martial sounds.” “The seven days” procession, the sevenfold repetition of it on the seventh day by seven priests, and the use of seven trumpets, are unmistakable proofs of the importance of the number seven.” — Keil. This may be best explained by observing that the word for seven is radically the same as the word for oath. Seven, then, was a sacred number, the seal of the covenant. “By this march of seven days, and the sevenfold repetition on the seventh day, with the seven priests blowing the seven trumpets, the host of Israel were to show that they were the people of the covenant.” [The seventh day — These seven days of marching must have included one Sabbath, and perhaps, as the Rabbins have assumed, the last day of the seven, on which the city fell, was itself the Sabbath. But this solemn marching and carrying of the ark about the doomed city was no ordinary work, such as that contemplated in the prohibition in the fourth commandment. It was rather a service of obedience to a special Divine mandate, and the grand triumph given on the seventh day was, even in that age, a sublime indication that “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”] Seven times — We have no means of knowing the circumference of Jericho, but allowing that it was five miles, a not unreasonable estimate, the seven marches around it would be thirty-five miles, a distance not exceedingly difficult for a host all aglow with intense enthusiasm, and disciplined to the route by having travelled it for six preceding days. Then, too, they began their travel early in the morning. Verse 15.

V. 5. The wall-Not all of it; which was unnecessary, and might have given the people better opportunity of escaping, but only a considerable part of it, where the Israelites might fitly enter: for Rahab’s house was not overthrown, ver. 22. Flat-Heb. under it, it was not battered down with engines which would have made part of it fall out of its place; but it fell of its own accord, and therefore in the place it did formerly stand in. God chose this way, to try the faith and obedience of the people: whether they would observe a precept, which to human policy seemed foolish, and believe a promise, which seemed impossible to be performed: whether they could patiently bear the reproaches of their enemies, and patiently wait for the salvation of God. Thus by faith, not by force, the walls of Jericho fell down.

Verse 5. The wall of the city shall fall down flat] Several commentators, both Jews and Christians, have supposed that the ground under the foundation of the walls opened, and the wall sunk into the chasm, so that there remained nothing but plain ground for the Israelites to walk over. Of this the text says nothing:- תחתיה העיר חומת ונפלה venaphelah chomath hair tachteyha, literally translated, is, The wall of the city shall fall down UNDER ITSELF; which appears to mean no more than, The wall shall fall down FROM ITS VERY FOUNDATIONS. And this probably was the case in every part, though large breaches in different places might be amply sufficient to admit the armed men first, after whom the whole host might enter, in order to destroy the city.

Verse 5. The wall — Not all of it; which was unnecessary, and might have given the people better opportunity of escaping; but only a considerable part of it, where the Israelites might fitly enter: for Rahab’s house was not overthrown, verse 22. Flat — Hebrew, under it. It was not battered down with engines, which would have made part of it fall out of its place, but it fell of its own accord, and therefore in the place it did formerly stand in. God chose this way to try the faith and obedience of the people; whether they would observe a precept which, to human policy, seemed foolish, and believe a promise which seemed impossible to be performed; whether they could patiently bear the reproaches of their enemies, and patiently wait for the salvation of God. Thus, by faith, not by force, the walls of Jericho fell down.

5. All the people shall shout — This was to take place during the seventh circuit, at a concerted signal. Previous to that signal they were prohibited from uttering a word; the twelve circumambulations were to be in perfect silence, save the sound of the trumpets. The wall of the city shall fall down flat — Hebrews, shall fall under itself, that is, to its very foundations. The portion of the wall which constituted the rear wall of Rahab’s house must have been spared. See verse 22. Ascend up every man straight before him — The moving column of men was so long that it completely encircled the city. When the wall fell there was a wall of soldiers surrounding it on every side. The command is that this living wall contract by each man’s marching over the ruins towards the centre of the city. Escape would be impossible.

V. 6. Of rams horns-Of the basest matter, and the dullest sound, that the excellency of the power might be of God.

Verse 6. Of rams’ horns — Of the basest matter and the dullest sound, that the excellence of the power might be of God. The original words, however, here and verse 4, µwlbwy twrpwv, shoperoth jobelim, may be properly rendered, trumpets of jubilee; that is, such trumpets as were to be blown in the year of jubilee. And many prefer this translation, alleging that, as the horns of rams are not hollow, trumpets cannot be made of them, even when bored, capable of giving any thing of a strong sound. They would, therefore, understand the words here as signifying trumpets made in the shape of rams’ horns. But others have urged that there is no difficulty in making such an instrument of a ram’s horn as may give a pretty strong sound: “it being certain that the inside of these horns is no ways hard, and may easily be taken out, excepting a space at the point of about four or five inches, part of which is sawed off, in order to proportionate the aperture to the mouth; after which, the rest is easily pierced. And we can assure our readers,” say the authors of the Universal History, “that we have seen some of these trumpets, thus made, used by the shepherds in the southern parts of Germany.”

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO, 6-21.

6. And Joshua… called the priests — The promptness of his unquestioning obedience to a command so unexpected, and so little in accordance with human reason, attests Joshua’s unfaltering faith in his great Captain, with whom he had just been in counsel. It is the province of reason to ask who speaks; but when reason acknowledges it is the voice of God, it is her highest function not to sit in judgment upon the message, but to obey.

V. 7. Him that is armed-God would have them armed both for the defense of themselves and the ark, in case the enemies should make a sally upon them, and for the execution of the Lord’s vengeance upon that city.

Verses 7-10. Let him that is armed pass on — God would have them armed, both for the defence of themselves and the ark, in case the enemies should make a sally upon them, and for the execution of the Lord’s vengeance upon that city. The rereward — Which, being opposed to the armed men, may seem to denote the unarmed people, who were desirous to be spectators of this wonderful work. Ye shall not shout — Because shouting before the time appointed would be ineffectual, and so might give them some discouragement, and their enemies matter of insulting.

7. And he said — Such in the Hebrew is the marginal reading, while the text is plural, and they said; that is, the subordinate officers, to whom Joshua made known the divine plan of the conquest. See chap. 1:10, note. Him that is armed — Literally, the armed one. The reference is collectively to the armed host of forty thousand from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Eastern Manasseh. These, according to chap. 4:13, marched before the ark of the Lord.

Verses 7-10. Let him that is armed pass on — God would have them armed, both for the defence of themselves and the ark, in case the enemies should make a sally upon them, and for the execution of the Lord’s vengeance upon that city. The rereward — Which, being opposed to the armed men, may seem to denote the unarmed people, who were desirous to be spectators of this wonderful work. Ye shall not shout — Because shouting before the time appointed would be ineffectual, and so might give them some discouragement, and their enemies matter of insulting.

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO, 6-21.

6. And Joshua… called the priests — The promptness of his unquestioning obedience to a command so unexpected, and so little in accordance with human reason, attests Joshua’s unfaltering faith in his great Captain, with whom he had just been in counsel. It is the province of reason to ask who speaks; but when reason acknowledges it is the voice of God, it is her highest function not to sit in judgment upon the message, but to obey.

V. 9. The rereward-Which being opposed to the armed men, may seem to note the unarmed people, who were desirous to be spectators of this wonderful work.

Verse 9. The rereward came after the ark] The word ãsam measseph, from psa asaph, to collect or gather up, may signify either the rereward, as our translation understands it, or the people who carried the baggage of the army; for on the seventh day this was necessary, as much fighting might be naturally expected in the assault, and they would need a supply of arms, darts, &c., as well as conveniences for those who might happen to be wounded: or the persons here intended might be such as carried the sacred articles belonging to the ark, or merely such people as might follow in the procession, without observing any particular order. The Jews think the division of Dan is meant, which always brought up the rear. See Numbers 10:25.

Verses 7-10. Let him that is armed pass on — God would have them armed, both for the defence of themselves and the ark, in case the enemies should make a sally upon them, and for the execution of the Lord’s vengeance upon that city. The rereward — Which, being opposed to the armed men, may seem to denote the unarmed people, who were desirous to be spectators of this wonderful work. Ye shall not shout — Because shouting before the time appointed would be ineffectual, and so might give them some discouragement, and their enemies matter of insulting.

9. The rearward — Margin, the gathering host; that part of the army which occupies the last place on the march, protecting the front columns, and gathering up the faint and sick. The tribe of Dan had this position in the wilderness. Numbers 10:25. Had the ark been at the head of the column, its usual place, it would have been more exposed to capture by a sudden sally of the enemy.

V. 10. Ye shall not shout-Because shouting before the time appointed, would be ineffectual, and so might give them some discouragement, and their enemies matter of insulting.

Verses 7-10. Let him that is armed pass on — God would have them armed, both for the defence of themselves and the ark, in case the enemies should make a sally upon them, and for the execution of the Lord’s vengeance upon that city. The rereward — Which, being opposed to the armed men, may seem to denote the unarmed people, who were desirous to be spectators of this wonderful work. Ye shall not shout — Because shouting before the time appointed would be ineffectual, and so might give them some discouragement, and their enemies matter of insulting.

Ver. 10. Ye shall not shout. Men are apt to shout in war, and animals raise their cries when they fight.

10. Neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth — The injunction of silence was necessary that they might distinctly hear the signal for the shout in concert. Moreover, the very silence of a vast army marching in stillness around the city would either lull the inhabitants into a feeling of security, or fill their minds with fearful forebodings of approaching doom.

{14. Six days — Is there any parallelism between the seven trumpets and downfall of Jericho, and the apocalyptic seven trumpets and overthrow, by Messianic power, of the Mystical Babylon? This, in our view, was the apocalypse of the overthrow of, not the Antichrist, but the anti-Jehovism of Canaan. It is performed at Jericho, the first great Canaanite city taken. And that is utterly destroyed, as token of what was by divine justice due to all the rest.}

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO, 6-21.

6. And Joshua… called the priests — The promptness of his unquestioning obedience to a command so unexpected, and so little in accordance with human reason, attests Joshua’s unfaltering faith in his great Captain, with whom he had just been in counsel. It is the province of reason to ask who speaks; but when reason acknowledges it is the voice of God, it is her highest function not to sit in judgment upon the message, but to obey.

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO, 6-21.

6. And Joshua… called the priests — The promptness of his unquestioning obedience to a command so unexpected, and so little in accordance with human reason, attests Joshua’s unfaltering faith in his great Captain, with whom he had just been in counsel. It is the province of reason to ask who speaks; but when reason acknowledges it is the voice of God, it is her highest function not to sit in judgment upon the message, but to obey.

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO, 6-21.

6. And Joshua… called the priests — The promptness of his unquestioning obedience to a command so unexpected, and so little in accordance with human reason, attests Joshua’s unfaltering faith in his great Captain, with whom he had just been in counsel. It is the province of reason to ask who speaks; but when reason acknowledges it is the voice of God, it is her highest function not to sit in judgment upon the message, but to obey.

Verse 14. So they did six days.] It is not likely that the whole Israelitish host went each day round the city. This would have been utterly impossible: the fighting men alone amounted to nearly 600,000, independently of the people, who must have amounted at least to two or three millions; we may therefore safely assert that only a select number, such as was deemed necessary for the occasion, were employed. Jericho could not have been a large city: and to reduce it could not have required a hundredth part of the armed force under the command of Joshua.

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO, 6-21.

6. And Joshua… called the priests — The promptness of his unquestioning obedience to a command so unexpected, and so little in accordance with human reason, attests Joshua’s unfaltering faith in his great Captain, with whom he had just been in counsel. It is the province of reason to ask who speaks; but when reason acknowledges it is the voice of God, it is her highest function not to sit in judgment upon the message, but to obey.

Verse 15. The seventh day-they rose early] Because on this day they had to encompass the city seven times; a proof that the city could not have been very extensive, else this going round it seven times, and having time sufficient left to sack and destroy it, would have been impossible. It is evident that in the course of these seven days there must have been a Sabbath, and that on this Sabbath the host must have encompassed the city as on the other days: the Jews themselves allow this, and Rab. Deuteronomy Kimchi says “He who had ordained the observance of the Sabbath commanded it to be broken for the destruction of Jericho.” But it does not appear that there could be any breach in the Sabbath by the people simply going round the city, the ark in company, and the priests sounding the sacred trumpets. This was a mere religious procession, performed at the command of God, in which no servile work was done. Therefore Marcion’s objection, that the God of the Hebrews showed a changeableness of disposition in commanding the Sabbath to be kept sacred at one time, and then to be broken at another, is without foundation; for I must contend that no breach took place on this occasion, unless it could be made to appear that the day on which Jericho was taken was the Sabbath which is very unlikely, and which none can prove. But if even this were to be conceded, it is a sufficient answer to all such cavils, that the God who commanded the Sabbath to be set apart for rest and religious purposes, has always authority to suspend for a season the operation of merely ceremonial laws, or to abrogate them entirely, when the purpose of their institution is fulfilled. The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

15. About the dawning of the day — Here not only Joshua rises early, as in verse 12, but also the whole army, because a great day’s work was before them. It is not to be supposed that the entire camp, several millions in number, marched together in this service, but it is probable that the entire military force was engaged.

V. 16. Shout-To testify your faith in God’s promise, and thankfulness for this glorious mercy; to encourage yourselves and brethren, and to strike a terror into your enemies. Given you the city-It is given to them, to be devoted to God, as the first, and perhaps the worst of all the cities of Canaan.

Verse 16. At the seventh time Joshua said, Shout — To testify your faith in God’s promise, and thankfulness for this glorious mercy; to encourage yourselves and brethren, and to strike a terror into your enemies. The Lord hath given you the city — It is given to you to be devoted to God, as the first (and perhaps the worst) of all the cities of Canaan.

16. Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city — They were to praise the Lord for what he was about to do. Up to this moment it is probable that the soldiers knew nothing of the mode by which the city was to be taken, yet they obeyed with alacrity orders which must have been totally dark with mystery. Verily this is worthy of enrolment among the signal victories of faith. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” Hebrews 11:30.

V. 17. Accursed-That is, devoted to utter destruction. This he speaks by direction from God, as is evident from 1 Kings 16:34. To the Lord-Partly because the first-fruits were appropriated to God; partly lest the soldiers being glutted with the spoil of the rich city, should grow sluggish in their work; and partly to strike the greater terror into the rest of their enemies.

Verse 17. The city shall be accursed] That is, it shall be devoted to destruction; ye shall take no spoils, and put all that resist to the sword. Though this may be the meaning of the word חרם cherem in some places, see Clarke’s note on “Leviticus 27:29”, yet here it seems to imply the total destruction of all the inhabitants, see Joshua 6:21; but it is likely that peace was offered to this city, and that the extermination of the inhabitants was in consequence of the rejection of this offer.

Verse 17. The city shall be accursed — to the Lord — That is, devoted to destruction, by the right which God has to punish such as offend against him. This he speaks by direction from God, (see 1 Kings 16:34,) whose will it was that every thing in Jericho should be utterly destroyed, as well inanimate things by burning them, &c, as men and cattle, by the edge of the sword; excepting only the things that were found in the house of Rahab, and the vessels of silver and gold, brass and iron, which were to be consecrated to the Lord, and put into the treasury of the tabernacle. God seems to have caused the first spoils made in the land of Canaan to be dedicated to his use, 1st, Because the first-fruits were appropriated to him as his due; 2d, To signify that he was their leader, and that these victories were owing to him; 3d, Lest the soldiers, being glutted with the spoil of this rich city, should grow sluggish in their work; and, 4th, That on entering the land of Canaan they might be made thoroughly to understand that they had no right to the riches of that country but what he gave them; and that he would always keep to himself the power of restraining that right as he should see proper. In the mean time the severity enjoined to be exercised toward the persons of the people of the city, in putting them to the sword, was undoubtedly worthy of his infinite wisdom, as well as suitable to his holiness and justice: while it struck a terror into the rest of their enemies, it might determine them to prevent, by accepting of peace, or by flight, a punishment which their enormous and wilful crimes had otherwise rendered unavoidable.

17. The city shall be accursed — The city, with all its immense wealth, was now put under the ban, and devoted to destruction. To many of the besieging host this was the severest test of their faith and obedience. In oriental usage when a city is stormed the maxim is “To the victors belong the spoils.” As symbol of the utter destruction which the Canaanite race had deserved, this first great representative city is made an example of just doom. For the doom of first things, see note on Acts 5:1-11. The anathema was the devotion of any person or thing to God as irredeemable property; the person or animal was to be killed, and the inanimate thing was either completely destroyed, or set apart forever for the purposes of the sanctuary. The exact idea of the anathema, in the words of Hengstenberg, “is the forced dedication to God of those who have obstinately refused to dedicate themselves to him of their own accord, and the manifestation of his glory in the destruction of those who would not, while they lived, serve as a mirror to reflect it, and thus answer the purpose for which the world was created, and for which especially man was formed.” Compare Leviticus 27:28: note. In the last day all the wicked of the earth shall fall beneath the anathema of the Judge. Only Rahab and her kindred were exempt from the curse, for the oath of the spies had now become the oath of their entire nation.

V. 18. A curse-By provoking God to punish them for your sin, in which they may be one way or other involved; or the whole camp having sins of their own, God might take what occasion he saw fit to inflict this punishment.

Verse 18. Keep yourselves from the accursed thing — It should rather be rendered, the devoted thing, meaning the spoils devoted to the Lord. These they were not to touch, on pain of being themselves devoted to death. Lest ye make yourselves accursed — Lest you draw upon yourselves the immediate curse of God, and so bring yourselves under the same sentence of destruction as the inhabitants and things of Jericho are under. And make the camp of Israel a curse — By provoking God to punish them for your sin, in which they may be one way or other involved; for the whole camp having sins of their own, God might take what occasion he saw fit to inflict this punishment.

18. Lest ye make yourselves accursed — Hebrew, lest ye both devote and appropriate the accursed thing. The two acts could not be harmonized. It would be sacrilege to dedicate the whole to Jehovah and then to take possession of a part for their own use. And make the camp of Israel a curse — God will not be defrauded. If any one of the camp takes for personal use any thing dedicated to Himself, He will devote the camp to Himself, that is, to destruction. And trouble it — By bringing distress, and humiliating defeat in battle.

V. 19. Vessels of brass and iron-Except that of which images were made, which were to be utterly destroyed. Unto the Lord-Being first made to pass through the fire, Numbers 31:22,23. Treasury of the Lord-To be employed wholly for the uses of the tabernacle, not to be applied to the use of any private person or priest.

Verse 19. But all the silver, and gold-shall come into the treasury] The Brahmins will receive from any caste, however degraded, gold, silver, &c.: but to receive from Shoodras food, garments, &c., would be considered a great degradation.-Ward.

Verse 19. Vessels of brass and iron — Except that of which images were made, which were utterly to be destroyed. Unto the Lord — Being first made to pass through the fire, Numbers 31:22, 23. Treasury of the Lord — To be employed wholly for the uses of the tabernacle, not to be applied to the use of any private person or priest.

19. But all the silver, and gold — Because the precious metals and vessels of brass and iron were regarded as indestructible by fire, and were needed in the service of the tabernacle, they were put into the treasury of the tabernacle. Consecrated unto the Lord — Literally this and the following sentence read: Holiness is it to Jehovah, a treasure of Jehovah shall it go. In Numbers 31:21-23, the method is prescribed of purifying metals by fire in order to consecrate them to the service of God.

Verse 20. The people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down] There has been much learned labour spent to prove that the shouting of the people might be the natural cause that the wall fell down! To wait here, either to detail or refute any such arguments, would be lost time: enough of them may be seen in Scheuchzer. The whole relation evidently supposes it to have been a supernatural interference, as the blowing of the trumpets, and the shouting of the people, were too contemptible to be used even as instruments in this work, with the expectation of accomplishing it in a natural way.

20. So the people shouted — The trumpets gave the signal and then the people shouted. The trumpets had been silent during the speech of Joshua, (verses 17-19,) then came the signal, and the war-cry, and the downfall. How vain the attempt of some to strip this event of the miraculous by ascribing it to an earthquake! How came Joshua to know that an earthquake would occur at that particular juncture? Such knowledge would be a greater miracle. Equally untenable is the theory that the walls had been extensively mined by a people brought up in the desert, in utter ignorance of that method of conducting war. How absurd to imagine that even the most skilful engineer could so undermine a wall that it would stand till a shout should topple it down! Verily, sceptics are the most credulous people in the world. This miracle put into the hand of Joshua the key to Canaan, the strongest city in the land. With no experience in the art of besieging and storming cities, they could not immediately, without the divine aid, have reduced this stronghold. It also gave both Israel and Canaan overwhelming proof of the omnipotence of Jehovah and of his alliance with Joshua.

V. 21. Young and old-Being commanded to do so by the sovereign Lord of every man’s life; and being informed by God before that the Canaanites were abominably wicked, and deserved the severest punishments. As for the infants, they were guilty of original sin, and otherwise at the disposal of their creator; but if they had been wholly innocent, it was a great favour to them to take them away in infancy, rather than reserve them to those dreadful calamities which those who survived them were liable to.

Verse 21. They utterly destroyed-both man, and woman, &c.] As this act was ordered by God himself, who is the Maker and Judge of all men, it must be right: for the Judge of all the earth cannot do wrong. Nothing that breathed was permitted to live; hence the oxen, sheep, and asses, were destroyed, as well as the inhabitants.

Verse 21. Young and old — Being commanded to do so by the sovereign Lord of every man’s life; and being informed by God before that the Canaanites were abominably wicked, and deserved the severest punishments. As for the infants, they were at the disposal of their Creator; and it was a great favour to them to take them away in their infancy, rather than reserve them to those dreadful calamities to which those who survived them were exposed.

Ver. 21. They utterly destroyed—young and old. Moses commanded them in future wars to spare the women and the little ones, when storming a city. Deuteronomy 20:14. But the Lord, the arbiter of life and death, had commanded these to be destroyed, and all the Canaanites to be utterly driven out. What can we say, when the last hour of vengeance is come? “Happy shall he be,” oh bloody Babylon, “that dasheth thy children against the wall.” Psalm 137:9. Oh when shall crimes and wars subside!

21. They utterly destroyed all that was in the city — The Israelites in this indiscriminate massacre were simply obeying a plain command of God, (Deuteronomy 20:16, 17,) and hence the charge of cruelty, if any, must be brought not against Israel, but God. And there have not been wanting men to urge the question, On what principles can the righteousness of God in this case be vindicated? A sufficient answer is furnished in the following considerations, condensed from Dr. Paley’s sermon in justification of God’s dealings with the Canaanites: (1.) They were destroyed for their excessive, wilful, habitual, and incurable wickedness. Leviticus 18:24-30. Their “abominable customs” show that the grossest vices had become inherent, in their national character, and constituted even a part of their religion, for they were “done unto their gods.” Because of these heinous sins, and not to make way for the Israelites, they were cut off. (2.) God’s treatment of these crimes was impartial. The Jews, the chosen and favoured people, are told that for like sins the land shall “vomit you out also.” “As the nations which the Lord destroyed before your face, so shall ye perish.” (3.) God suffered long with the Canaanites. In the days of Abraham, four generations before, it was said, “The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full;” (Genesis 15:16;) for this reason that patriarch was not put in possession of their country. They had not profited by the pure example of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, nor had they taken warning from the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. (4.) If the destruction be just, the manner is of little importance, whether by earthquake, pestilence, or famine, which spare neither age nor sex, or by the hand of their enemies. In all national punishments the innocent are of necessity confounded with the guilty. The Israelites were God’s sheriffs, charged with the duty of inflicting capital punishment upon an incorrigible nation. Without the command from God they would have sinned in this act, the same as a man would sin who should kill a fellow man from motives of private resentment, and not by a warrant from the chief magistrate. (5.) There was a peculiar fitness in the destruction of the Canaanites by the agency of Joshua. The people of those ages were affected by no proof of the power of their gods so deeply as by their giving them victory in war. All the neighbouring nations, for whose admonition this dreadful example was intended, were hereby convinced not only of the supreme power of the God of Israel, but also of his utter abhorrence of the abominations for which the Canaanites were destroyed. (6.) Vices of all kinds, especially licentiousness, are astonishingly infectious. If any of these idolatrous tribes were spared they would taint the Hebrews. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Hence, “Thou shall utterly destroy them, that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods.” Deuteronomy 20:17, 18. Moreover, this growing corruption might have polluted the whole ancient world if it had not received this signal and public demonstration of God’s indignation.

V. 22. Harlot’s house-Which together with the wall upon which it leaned, was left standing, by a special favour of God to her.

Verses 22-25. The harlot’s house — Which, together with the wall upon which it leaned, was left standing, by a special favour of God to her. Left them without the camp of Israel — Till they were cleansed from the impurities of their Gentile state, and instructed in the Jewish religion, and solemnly admitted into that church, for which Rahab’s good counsel and example had doubtless prepared them. Joshua saved Rahab alive — For that general command to root out the Canaanites seems to have had some exceptions, in case any of them had sincerely and seasonably cast off their idolatry and wickedness, submitted to the Israelites, and become members of the church of God. She dwelleth in Israel unto this day — This shows that the book of Joshua was written while Rahab was alive.

THE SALVATION OF RAHAB, 22-25.

22. Joshua had said — The indefinite past tense of the original is here very properly rendered by our pluperfect, had said. See verse 17, where these instructions are given.

V. 23. Without the camp of Israel-‘Till they were cleansed from the impurities of their Gentile state, and instructed in the Jewish religion, and solemnly admitted into that church, for which Rahab’s good counsel and example had doubtless prepared them.

Verse 23. Brought out Rahab, and her father, &c.] Rahab having been faithful to her vow of secrecy, the Israelites were bound by the oath of the spies, who acted as their representatives in this business, to preserve her and her family alive.

And left them without the camp] They were considered as persons unclean, and consequently left without the camp; (see Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 12:14.) When they had abjured heathenism, were purified, and the males had received circumcision, they were doubtless admitted into the camp, and became incorporated with Israel.

Verses 22-25. The harlot’s house — Which, together with the wall upon which it leaned, was left standing, by a special favour of God to her. Left them without the camp of Israel — Till they were cleansed from the impurities of their Gentile state, and instructed in the Jewish religion, and solemnly admitted into that church, for which Rahab’s good counsel and example had doubtless prepared them. Joshua saved Rahab alive — For that general command to root out the Canaanites seems to have had some exceptions, in case any of them had sincerely and seasonably cast off their idolatry and wickedness, submitted to the Israelites, and become members of the church of God. She dwelleth in Israel unto this day — This shows that the book of Joshua was written while Rahab was alive.

23. And her brethren — This term must be understood to include the sisters spoken of in Joshua 2:13. All that she had — This expression seems most naturally to include goods, and not kindred only. The neuter gender in the Septuagint and Vulgate supports this interpretation, and why should we deny that they were permitted to save all their portable possessions? We suppose that the spies had with them a large company of assistants, to carry her household furniture to the camp. It was honourable on the part of Joshua that she should suffer no loss, and that her faith should be profitable for the life that now is. All her kindred — Hebrews, all her families; that is, all who were related to Rahab, and also their families. God honours the family institution which he has ordained. He saves by families not only in the Old Dispensation, as in this case, and Noah, and many others, but also in the New, as in the case of whole households admitted to baptism. Left them without the camp — They were not prepared ceremonially to dwell among the Hebrews. It was not lawful for uncircumcised men, nor for females who had not publicly espoused the Jewish faith, to enter the camp, which was regarded as sacred because of the ark. This separation for a season would induce them to lay aside all their pagan habits, which an immediate reception might have confirmed.

Verse 24. Only the silver, and the gold-they put into the treasury, &c.] The people were to have no share of the spoils, because they had no hand in the conquest. God alone overthrew the city; and into his treasury only the spoils were brought. This is one proof that the agitation of the air, by the sound of the people’s voice, was not the cause of the fall of the city walls.

Vessels of brass and of iron.-Instead of ylk keley, VESSELS, the Septuagint, in the Alexandrian copy, evidently have read lk col, ALL, with the omission of the y yod; for in Joshua 6:19 they translate pav calkov kai sidhrov, ALL the brass and iron: but this reading does not appear in any of Kennicott’s or Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS.

Verses 22-25. The harlot’s house — Which, together with the wall upon which it leaned, was left standing, by a special favour of God to her. Left them without the camp of Israel — Till they were cleansed from the impurities of their Gentile state, and instructed in the Jewish religion, and solemnly admitted into that church, for which Rahab’s good counsel and example had doubtless prepared them. Joshua saved Rahab alive — For that general command to root out the Canaanites seems to have had some exceptions, in case any of them had sincerely and seasonably cast off their idolatry and wickedness, submitted to the Israelites, and become members of the church of God. She dwelleth in Israel unto this day — This shows that the book of Joshua was written while Rahab was alive.

THE SALVATION OF RAHAB, 22-25.

22. Joshua had said — The indefinite past tense of the original is here very properly rendered by our pluperfect, had said. See verse 17, where these instructions are given.

V. 25. The harlot alive-For that general command of rooting out the Canaanites seems to have had some exception, in case any of them had sincerely and seasonably cast off their wickedness, and submitted to the Israelites.

Verse 25. And she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day] This is one proof that the book was written in the time to which it is commonly referred; and certainly might have been done by the hand of Joshua himself, though doubtless many marginal notes may have since crept into the text, which, to superficial observers, give it the appearance of having been written after the days of Joshua. See the preface to this book.

Verses 22-25. The harlot’s house — Which, together with the wall upon which it leaned, was left standing, by a special favour of God to her. Left them without the camp of Israel — Till they were cleansed from the impurities of their Gentile state, and instructed in the Jewish religion, and solemnly admitted into that church, for which Rahab’s good counsel and example had doubtless prepared them. Joshua saved Rahab alive — For that general command to root out the Canaanites seems to have had some exceptions, in case any of them had sincerely and seasonably cast off their idolatry and wickedness, submitted to the Israelites, and become members of the church of God. She dwelleth in Israel unto this day — This shows that the book of Joshua was written while Rahab was alive.

25. She dwelleth in Israel even unto this day — This account must have been written during the lifetime of Rahab, when many were living who could have disputed the miracles if they had not occurred. Those who assert that this book was written several centuries later are driven to such an arbitrary interpretation as that her descendants continued to dwell in Israel unto this day.

[Rahab was the first Canaanite convert to the Hebrew faith, and is, accordingly, highly honoured in Hebrew history and Jewish tradition. She was married to Salmon, whom a romantic imagination has very plausibly identified with one of the two spies whose lives she saved at Jericho. She became an honoured mother in Israel, from whom sprang David and his Messianic son. Matthew 1:5. The prominence given by Matthew to the adoption of Gentile women, like Rahab and Ruth, into the Messiah’s genealogy, is a prophetic indication of the Gospel catholicity, in which Jew and Gentile, bond and free, are seen to be one in Christ.]

V. 26. Adjured them-Or, made them to fear; caused the people, or some in the name of all, to swear for the present and succeeding generations, and to confirm their oath by a curse. Before the Lord-That is, from God’s presence, and by his sentence, as they are said to cast lots before the Lord, Joshua 18:8,10, that is, expecting the design from God. He intimates, that he doth not utter this upon a particular dislike of that place, but by divine inspiration. God would have the ruins of this city remain as a standing monument of God’s justice against this wicked and idolatrous people, and of his almighty power in destroying so great and strong a city by such contemptible means. Buildeth-That is, that shall attempt to build it. So this curse is restrained to the builder, but no way belongs to those who should inhabit it after it was built, as is evident from 2 Kings 4:18 Luke 19:1,5. In his youngest son-That is, he shall lose all his children in the work, the first at the beginning, others in the progress of it by degrees, and the youngest in the close of it, when the gates use to be set up. This was fulfilled, 1 Kings 16:34.

Verse 26. And Joshua adjured them at that time] It appears that he had received intimations from God that this idolatrous city should continue a monument of the Divine displeasure: and having convened the princes and elders of the people, he bound them by an oath that they should never rebuild it; and then, in their presence, pronounced a curse upon the person who should attempt it. The ruins of this city continuing would be a permanent proof, not only of God’s displeasure against idolatry, but of the miracle which he had wrought in behalf of the Israelites; and for these reasons God willed that it should not be rebuilt: nevertheless, he left men to the operation of their own free will, and recorded the penalty which those must pay who should disobey him.

He shall lay the foundation thereof, &c.] This is a strange execration; but it may rather be considered in the light of a prediction. It seems to intimate that he who should attempt to rebuild this city, should lose all his children in the interim, from laying the foundation to the completion of the walls; which the author of 1 Kings 16:34 says was accomplished in Hiel the Beth-elite, who rebuilt Jericho under the reign of Ahab, and laid the foundation of it in Abiram, his first-born, and set up its gates in his youngest son Segub: this was 550 years after Joshua pronounced the curse. But we are not sure that this means that the children either died a natural or violent death on this occasion for we may understand the history as relating to the slow progress of the work. Hiel having begun the work at the birth of his first-born, was not able to conclude before the birth of his last child, who was born many years after: and as their names are mentioned, it is very likely that the distance of time between the birth of each was well known when this history was written; and that the extraordinary length of time spent in the work, in which a multitude of vexatious delays had taken place, is that to which the prophetic execration relates. Yet the first opinion is the most probable. We must not suppose that Jericho had been wholly neglected from its overthrow by Joshua to the days of Hiel; if it be the same with the city of palm trees, mentioned Deuteronomy 34:3. We find it mentioned as an inhabited place in the beginning of Judges 1:16, a short time after the death of Joshua: And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees, with the children of Judah, &c.; and this said city (if the same with the city of palm trees) was taken from the Israelites by Eglon king of Moab, Judges 3:13. The ambassadors of David, who were disgracefully treated by Hanun king of the Ammonites, were commanded to tarry at Jericho till their beards should grow, 2 Samuel 10:4, 5. It appears, therefore, that there was a city which went under this name long before the time of Hiel, unless we can suppose that the city of palm trees was a different place from Jericho, or that the name Jericho was given to some part of the circumjacent country after the city was destroyed, which is very probable.

After Hiel had rebuilt this city, it became of considerable consequence in the land of Judea: the courses of priests lodged there, who served in their turns at the temple; see Luke 10:30. There was a school of the prophets there, which was visited by Elijah and Elisha, 2 Kings 2:4, 5, 18; and it was at this city that our Lord miraculously healed blind Bartimeus, Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35, &c. At present, Jericho is almost entirely deserted, having but thirty or forty miserable cabins in it, which serve for a place of refuge to some wretched Moors and Arabs, who live there like beasts. The plain of Jericho, formerly so celebrated for its fertility, is at present uncultivated, producing nothing but a few wild trees, and some very indifferent fruits. See Calmet.

Verse 26. Joshua adjured them at that time — Hebrew, [bvy, jashbang, he made them to swear. As soon as the city was destroyed, it seems, he convened the heads of the tribes, to signify to them that it was the will of God this idolatrous city should never be rebuilt, and then engaged them to take an oath that they would leave it in ruins. And they doubtless bound the people in like manner not to rebuild it, on pain of the divine malediction. Cursed be the man before the Lord — That is, from God’s presence, and by his sentence, as Joshua is said (Joshua 18:8, 10) to cast lots before the Lord, expecting the decision from God. He intimates that he does not utter this of himself, or in consequence of any particular dislike of that place; but from Jehovah, and by divine inspiration. God would have the ruins of this city remain as a standing monument of his justice against this wicked and idolatrous people, and of his almighty power in destroying so great and strong a city by such contemptible means. Thus Maimonides, the Jewish rabbi: “Joshua pronounced a curse against those who should build up Jericho, that the remembrance of the miracle which God had wrought by destroying it might never be effaced; for all who looked on these ruins, thus sunk into the earth,” (he thought the walls were swallowed up rather than overthrown,) “clearly saw them to be the ruins of a city destroyed by a miracle, and not by the hand of men.” Cursed be the man that buildeth this city — That is, that shall attempt to build it. So this curse was restrained to the builder, but no way belonged to those who should inhabit it after it was built, as is evident from 2 Kings 2:18; Luke 19:5. In his youngest son — That is, he shall lose all his children in the work, the first at the beginning, others in the progress of it, and the youngest in the close, when the gates were wont to be set up. This was exactly fulfilled, as we read, (1 Kings 16:34,) Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, who died in the beginning of the work, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, who died when it was finished, and the gates were setting up.

Ver. 26. Cursed be the man that buildeth Jericho. During the wicked reign of Ahab, Hiel the Bethelite, presumptuously built this city. No sooner had he laid the foundation, than Abiram his firstborn died; and no sooner had he begun to set up the gates, than Segub his youngest son gave up the ghost. It was awful to Hiel, as well as to Achan, to meddle with the accursed thing. See on Genesis 9:25. God has often punished crimes against the church by the privation of children. Two hundred years have now elapsed since any king of France was succeeded by a son! Heaven will not forgive the massacre of the protestants.

JOSHUA’S ADJURATION AND FAME, 26-27.

26. And Joshua adjured them — Bound them with an oath; caused them to swear. This solemn charge, attended with all the solemnity of an adjuration, was designed to prevent Israel and his posterity from erecting again the walls which had been thrown down by the power of Jehovah. Joshua would have these prostrate defences of the wicked city a perpetual and impressive memorial of punished sin, and of the power and justice of Jehovah. We do not understand that the oath bound the Hebrews not to erect houses, but simply the walls and gates: for we find, in Judges 3:13, the city of palms — the usual appellation of Jericho — spoken of as inhabited. Also, that in 2 Samuel 10:5, David orders his outraged embassy to “tarry in Jericho until their beards be grown.” Cursed be the man before the Lord — That is, Jehovah beholding and being judge. The curse is pronounced by divine sanction, and will fall at his command upon the daring man who shall attempt to restore these fallen walls, and thereby destroy their monumental significance. In his firstborn — That is, at the expense of his life. The meaning, evidently, of this strong poetic expression is, that the builder of the walls would suffer the loss of all his offspring, from the oldest to the youngest. [The words of the curse are in the form of poetic parallelisms, and may be rendered thus:

Cursed be the man before Jehovah,

Who rises up and builds this city of Jericho.

In his firstborn shall he lay its foundation,

And in his younger son shall he set up its gates.

Possibly this rhythmical passage, like that cited in Joshua 10:13, was taken from the book of Jasher.] For a striking fulfilment of this prophetic curse, see 1 Kings 16:34, where we find that Hiel accomplished this work, and suffered the penalty predicted five hundred and fifty years before.

V. 27. The word of the Lord was with him-(So the Chaldee:) Even Christ himself, the same that was with Moses. Nothing makes a man appear more truly great, than to have the evidences of God’s presence with him.

Verse 27. So the Lord was with Joshua] Giving him miraculous assistance in all his enterprises; and this was what he was naturally led to expect from the communication made to him by the captain of the Lord’s host, Joshua 5:14, &c.

1. MANY attempts have been made either to deny the miracle in the fall of Jericho, or to account for it on natural causes. Reference has already been made to some of these in the note on Joshua 6:20. But to those who believe the Divine authenticity of the New Testament, every objection of this kind is removed by the authority of the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebrews 11:30: By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about seven days. Hence we find that it was a miraculous interference; and that Joshua’s faith in the promise made to him by the captain of the Lord’s host, was the instrument which God chose to employ in the accomplishment of this important purpose.

2. The same is said of Rahab: By FAITH the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace, Hebrews 11:31. She believed that the true God was on the side of the Hebrews, and that all opposition to them must be in vain; and this faith led her to put herself under the Divine protection, and in virtue of it she escaped the destruction that fell on her countrymen. Thus God has ever chosen to put honour on faith, as the instrument by which he will perform his greatest miracles of justice and mercy. God, who cannot lie, has given the promise; he that believes shall have it accomplished; for with God nothing shall be impossible, and all things are possible to him that believes. These are Scriptural maxims, and God cannot deny himself.

3. On the curse pronounced by Joshua on those who should rebuild Jericho, it may be necessary to make a few remarks. In ancient history we have many instances of execrations against those who should rebuild those cities which had been destroyed in war, the revival of whose power and influence was dreaded; especially such cities as had been remarkable for oppression, insolence, or perfidy. Strabo observes, lib. xiii., p. 898, ed. 1707, that Agamemnon pronounced execrations on those who should rebuild Troy, as Crœsus did against those who should rebuild Sidena, in which the tyrant Glaucias had taken refuge; and this mode of execrating cities, according to Strabo, was an ancient custom-Eite kai katarasamenou tou Agamemnonov kata palaion eqov, kaqaper kai o Kroisov exelwn thn Sidhnhn, eiv hn o turannov katefuge Glaukiav, arav eqeto kata twn teiciountwn palin ton topon. The Romans made a decree full of execrations against those who should rebuild Carthage, which had been the rival of their empire; and which, from its advantageous situation, might again become formidable should it be rebuilt. See Zonaras, Anal.

The Ionians, according to Isocrates, pronounced the most awful execrations on those who should rebuild the temples destroyed by the Persians, that they might remain to posterity an endless monument of the impiety of those barbarians; and that none might put confidence in a people who were so wicked as to make war on the gods themselves. The other Greeks who had suffered by the Persians acted in the same way, leaving the desolated temples as a public monument of the enmity that should ever subsist between the two nations. See Calmet, and see Clarke’s notes on “Numbers 22:6”.

JOSHUA

Verse 27. So the Lord was with Joshua — The Chaldee interprets it, The Word of the Lord was with him, even Christ, the eternal Word, the same that was with Moses. Nothing makes a man more truly great than to have evidences that God is with him.

27. So the Lord was with Joshua — The promise made to Joshua in chap. 1 is fulfilled. His fame was noised — True fame has been styled the shadow of greatness. He who demonstrates that God is with him cannot dwell in obscurity.