Joshua 5:1--7:26
kings ............. kings <04428> [all the kings.]
Canaanite <03669> [Canaanites.]
west ............. seacoast <03220> [which were by.]
When <08085> [heard.]
breathe <07307> [neither was.]
flint knives <02719 06697> [sharp knives. or, knives of flints.]
Before the use of iron was common, all the nations of the earth had their edge tools made of stones, flints, etc. Our ancestors had their arrows and spearheads made of flint; which are frequently turned up by the plough. And even when iron became more common, stone knives seem to have been preferred for making incisions in the human body. The Egyptians used such to open the bodies for embalming; and the tribe of Alnajab in Ethiopia, who follow the Mosaic institution, perform the rite of circumcision, according to Ludolf, {cultris lapidibus,} with knives made of stone.
circumcise <04135> [circumcise.]
Joshua <03091> [Joshua.]
Hill .... Foreskins <06190 01389> [the hill of the foreskins. or, Gibeah haaraloth.]
circumcised .................. uncircumcised <04135> [they had not.]
traveled <01980> [walked.]
sworn ............. see ...... sworn <07650 07200> [sware that.]
land ........... land <0776> [a land.]
sons <01121> [their children.]
<08552> [when they, etc. Heb. when the people had made an end to be circumcised. till they were whole.]
taken away <01556> [I rolled away.]
Gilgal <01537> [Gilgal.]
That is, rolling.
celebrated ... Passover <06453 06213> [kept the passover.]
produce <05669> [old corn.]
The people would find abundance of old corn in the deserted granaries of the affrighted inhabitants: and the barley harvest being ripe, after offering the sheaf of first-fruits, they ate also new parched corn; and thus the manna being no longer necessary, ceased, after having been sent them regularly for almost forty years. To Christians the manna for their souls shall never fail, till they arrive at the Canaan above, to feast on its rich and inexhaustible provisions.
unleavened bread <04682> [unleavened cakes.]
manna ................... manna <04478> [the manna.]
ate ............ ate <0398> [but they did eat.]
looked <05375> [he lifted.]
man <0376> [a man.]
sword <02719> [his sword.]
enemies <06862> [Art thou for us.]
commander <08269> [but as captain. or, Prince.]
bowed ..... face <05307 06440> [fell on his.]
say <01696> [What saith.]
<0113> [my lord.]
<05394> [Loose.]
Joshua ................ Joshua <03091> [And Joshua.]
Many persons have been puzzled to know what was intended by this extraordinary appearance of the angel to Joshua, because they supposed that the whole business ends with the chapter; whereas it is continued in the succeeding one, the first verse of which is a mere parenthesis, simply relating to the state of Jericho at the time when Joshua was favoured with this encouraging vision; by which he was shewn that their help came from God alone, and that it was not by human might or power, but by the Lord of hosts they were to obtain the victory.
shut tightly <05462> [was straitly. Heb. did shut up, and was shut up.]
because <06440> [because.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
See <07200 05414> [See, I have.]
king <04428> [the king.]
around <05437> [ye shall.]
horns ...................... horns <07782> [trumpets of rams'.]
The words {shopheroth hyyovelim,} should rather be rendered jubilee, trumpets, i.e., such as were used on the jubilee, which were probably made of horn or silver: for the entrance of the Israelites into Canaan was indeed a jubilee to them (See Note on Le 25:11): instead of the dreadful trumpet of war, they were ordered to sound the trumpet of joy, as already conquerors.
seven .... seven ................. seven times <07651 06471> [seven times.]
<04900> [make a long.]
army ............... warriors <05971> [the people.]
wall <02346> [and the wall.]
The words {wenaphelah chomath hair tachteyha,} are literally, "and the wall of the city shall fall down under itself;" which appears simply to mean, that the wall shall fall down from its very foundation; which was probably the case in every part, though large breaches in different places might have been amply sufficient first to admit the armed men, after whom the host might enter to destroy the city. There is no ground for the supposition that the walls sunk into the earth.
<08478> [flat. Heb. under it.]
Pick up ... ark ......... carry ......... ark <0727 05375> [Take up the ark.]
armed <02502> [that is armed.]
before ... Lord ................ Lord <06440 03068> [before the Lord.]
guard <0622> [and the rereward. Heb. gathering. host.]
raise ... voices <06963 08085> [any noise with your voice. Heb. your voice to be heard.]
day <03117> [until the day.]
early ..... Joshua <03091 07925> [Joshua rose.]
priests <03548> [the priests.]
marched along ....... marched ......... followed <01980> [went on.]
<05927> [about the dawning.]
On .... day ................... time <03117> [only on that day.]
cry <07321> [Shout.]
<02764> [accursed. or, devoted.]
Rahab <07343> [only Rahab.]
hid <02244> [because.]
But <07535> [in any wise.]
setting apart <02763> [lest ye make.]
make .... camp <04264 07760> [make the camp.]
disaster <05916> [and trouble it.]
silver <03701> [all the silver.]
<06944> [consecrated. Heb. holiness.]
treasury <0214> [the treasury.]
wall <02346> [the wall.]
collapsed <05307> [flat. Heb. under it.]
annihilated <02763> [And they.]
The Canaanites were ripe for destruction; and God was pleased, instead of destroying them by a pestilence, a famine, or an earthquake, to employ the Israelites as the executioners of his vengeance. Had an angel been commissioned to slay them, who would have charged him with iniquity or cruelty? In all public calamities infants are involved; and tens of thousands of infants die in great agony every year. Now, either God is not the agent in these calamities, (which opinion, though often implied in men's reasonings on these subjects, is not far from atheism;) or they must consist with the most perfect justice and goodness.
annihilated <02763> [utterly.]
Joshua <03091> [Joshua.]
promised <07650> [as ye sware unto her.]
brought out Rahab ............. brought out <07343 03318> [out Rahab.]
family <04940> [kindred. Heb. families. left them.]
burned <08313> [burnt.]
silver <03701> [only the silver.]
Rahab <07343> [Rahab.]
lives <03427> [she dwelleth.]
day <03117> [unto.]
hid <02244> [because.]
solemn <07650> [adjured.]
This is to be regarded as a prediction, that he who rebuilded this city should lose all his children in the interim between the laying of the foundation to the completion of the walls.
declaration <0779> [Cursed.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
famous <08089> [his fame.]
disobeyed <04603> [committed.]
Achan <05912> [for Achan.]
[Achar, Zimri. took.]
furious <0639> [the anger.]
Ai ............................. Ai <05857> [to Ai.]
[Hai.]
[Aija. Beth-aven.]
Go up .......... went up <05927> [Go up.]
three <07969> [about two. Heb. about 2,000 men, or about 3,000 men. labour.]
fled <05127> [fled.]
chased <07291> [for they.]
steep slope <04174> [the going down. or, Morad. wherefore.]
tore <07167> [rent.]
lay ... down <05307> [fell.]
evening <06153> [until the eventide.]
threw dirt <06083 05927> [put dust.]
Rending the clothes, beating the breast, tearing the hair, throwing dust upon the head, and falling prostrate, were usual signs of deep affliction and distress among the ancient Israelites. In illustration of this custom, see 1 Sa 4:12, when the messenger brought tidings to Eli of the discomfiture of the armies of Israel by the Philistines; again, in the case of Tamar, 2 Sa 13:19, and in Ne 9:1, when a whole nation, "assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them." See also the case of Mordecai, Es 4:1, and Job 2:12, where his friends abased themselves to comfort him; refer also to Eze 27:30. Jon 3:6. Mic 1:10. In each of these instances it is worthy of remark, that putting dust on the head generally follows rending of the clothes, and was the usual mode of evincing poignant sorrow.
bring .... across <05674> [wherefore.]
hand ... over <05414> [to deliver.]
<03863> [would to.]
<03427> [and dwelt.]
say <0559> [what shall.]
[back. Heb. necks.]
When <08085> [shall hear.]
turn <05437> [environ.]
do <06213> [what wilt thou.]
lying <05307> [wherefore.]
lying <05307> [liest. Heb. fallest.]
Israel <03478> [Israel.]
violated <05674> [transgressed.]
riches <02764> [the accursed.]
stolen <01589> [stolen.]
<03584> [dissembled.]
possessions <03627> [among.]
Israelites <01121> [the children.]
annihilation .............. contaminated <02764> [they were.]
longer <03254> [neither.]
consecrate ......... consecrate <06942> [sanctify.]
contaminated ................... contaminating <02764> [an accursed.]
remove <05493> [take away.]
tribal .... tribe <07626> [the tribe.]
caught <03920> [he that is.]
violated ...... did <05674 06213> [he hath.]
did <06213> [wrought.]
disgraceful thing <05039> [folly. or, wickedness.]
early <07925> [rose up.]
approach <07126> [and brought.]
[Zarah.]
<03920> [was taken.]
son <01121> [My son.]
<07760> [give.]
give <05414> [make.]
Tell ..... did <05046 06213> [tell me.]
It is true <0546> [Indeed.]
saw <07200> [I saw.]
robe ... Babylon <08152 0155> [Babylonish garment.]
{Addereth shinÆ’r,} "a splendid or costly robe of Shinar," the plain in which Babylon stood. Bochart and Calmet have shewn at large, that Babylonish robes were very splendid, and in high reputation. Calmet says, they are generally allowed to have been of various colours, though some suppose they were woven thus; others, that they were embroidered with the needle; and others, that they were painted. Silius Italicus seems to think they were woven. Martial supposes them to have been embroidered with the needle; and Pliny and Apuleius speak of them as painted.
bar <03956> [wedge. Heb. tongue. I coveted.]
took ..... hidden <03947 02934> [took them.]
hidden <02934> [they are hid.]
placed <03332> [laid them out. Heb. poured.]
took Achan <05912 03947> [took Achan.]
son ............... sons <01121> [his sons.]
Valley <06010> [the valley.]
Why .... brought disaster ....... bring disaster <04100 05916> [Why hast.]
Israel <03478> [all Israel.]
burned <08313> [burned.]
erected <06965> [raised.]
Lord's <03068> [So the Lord.]
Valley <06010> [The valley.]
Disaster <05911> [Achor. that is, Trouble.]
