Joshua 10:2
_Cities. Yet we read not of its king, chap. ix. 11. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "It was like a royal metropolis." (Haydock) --- Valiant. Prudence therefore, and not fear, had influenced them to take this step._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cities. Yet we read not of its king, chap. ix. 11. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "It was like a royal metropolis." (Haydock) --- Valiant. Prudence therefore, and not fear, had influenced them to take this step._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hebron was about 24 miles south of Jerusalem, and Jerimoth 16. Lachis was a very famous city, (4 Kings xiv., and xviii. 14,) about nine miles south of Eleutheropolis, which was itself situated about 20,000 paces towards the south of Jerusalem; (Itin. Anton.) though some assert it was 22 or 32 miles... [ Continue Reading ]
_Amorrhites is a generical term, as well as Chanaanite, to denote the people of the country. The other kings did not come to the assistance (Calmet) of these five, ver. 40. (Haydock) --- Yet the people of Gabaon might suspect the worst, or exaggerate, in order to make Josue come with greater expedit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Troubled them. Septuagint, "filled them with consternation;" so that they knew not what to do, Exodus xxiii. 17. --- Bethoron. There were two cities of this name in the tribe of Ephraim, rebuilt by Sara, 1 Paralipomenon vii.. 24. The lower was twelve miles from Jerusalem. Maceda was eight from Eleu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Azeca, for the space of twelve miles. --- Hailstones, of an uncommon size, accompanied with thunder and lightning, Habacuc iii. 11. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] v. 1.) (Calmet) (Ecclesiasticus xlvi. 6.) --- Of the same nature was the seventh plague of Egypt, Exodus ix. 23. (Menochius) --- Real stones... [ Continue Reading ]
Them. This may be considered as a canticle of victory, containing a fervent prayer, which was presently followed with the desired effect. --- Aialon. Hebrew, "Sun, in Gabaon, be silent; (moved not) and thou, moon, in the valley of Aialon," or "of the wood," which was probably not far from Gabaon. Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
The book of the just. In Hebrew Sepher hayashar; an ancient book long since lost. (Challoner) --- It was probably of the same nature with that of the wars of the Lord, (Numbers xxi. 4,) containing an account of the most memorable occurrences which concerned the people of Israel, the just, or Ischuro... [ Continue Reading ]
Long. This word is not found in Hebrew, "and there was no day like that, before it, or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto," &c. But God had often wrought miracles before, at the prayer of his servants. The difference between this day and all others, must be therefore in the length, or in the sto... [ Continue Reading ]
_Galgal. Masius supposes, that here the quotation from the book of the just terminates. The Roman and Alexandrian Septuagint place this verse at the end of the chapter. (Calmet) --- Grabe has it in both places with a star, to shew that it is taken from Theodotion. (Haydock) --- In effect, Josue did... [ Continue Reading ]
_City, or territory. (Calmet) --- The kings had sought their own safety in flight, leaving their people to make their escape as well as they could. But their cowardly behaviour only brought upon them a more dishonourable death. Josue and some of the forces stopped in the environs of Maceda, while th... [ Continue Reading ]
_No man, ( nullus.) some supply canis, "dog," alluding to the proverbial expression, Exodus xi. 7. (Masius, &c.) --- Septuagint, "not one of the Israelites moved his tongue." (Calmet) --- All was profound silence, in expectation of what would be determined respecting the unfortunate kings. (Haydock)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Feet, as Moses had foretold, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 29. The conduct of Josue would appear cruel, if we did not reflect that he was only the executioner of the divine justice, which was pleased thus to punish these proud and impious princes, that others might not imitate their example._... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER X. Ver 1. _Adonisedec means, "Lord of justice," as Melchisedec denotes "the king of justice;" perhaps Salem was originally styled Zedec. (Masius) --- This king had probably some control over the neighbouring cities. (Menochius) --- He was also in the greatest danger; and not daring to attac... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remains of inhabitants. (Calmet) --- The king was gibbeted and stoned. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lebna, not far from Eleutheropolis. From before this city Sennacherib dispatched his menacing order to Ezechias, 4 Kings xix. 8. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lachis was still farther south. Josue took it the second day of the siege._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gazer, near Azotus, in the country of the Philistines. It is not said that Josue took this city. It was given long after to Solomon by the king of Egypt, 3 Kings ix. 15., and Josue xvi. 10. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king, viz., the new king, who succeeded him that was slain, ver. 26. (Challoner) --- Caleb afterwards took Hebron, which, it seems, the Chanaanites had seized again and fortified, while Josue was conquering other parts of the country. He could not leave garrisons in all the cities which he took... [ Continue Reading ]
_Dabir, which was formerly called Cariath sepher, "the city of the book," (chap. xv. 15,) or of Senna, (chap. xv. 45,) near Hebron. It was taken again by Othoniel and Caleb._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hills of Judea. --- South of the promised land. --- Plain. Hebrew, Sephela, a flat country near Eleutheropolis. (St. Jerome in Abd. i. 19; 1 Machabees xii. 38.) --- Asedoth, "of the springs." --- Remains. God ordered these people to be utterly destroyed, in punishment of their manifold abominations... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gaza. These cities were on the southern limits of the land of Chanaan, and of the Philistines. --- Gosen, or Gessen, where the Hebrews had formerly dwelt. It was then very fertile, chap. xiii. 3. The territory of Juda extended as far as the Nile; (Calmet) or this country may have resembled the coun... [ Continue Reading ]