Ver. 1. When Adonizedec king of Jerusalem.] A glorious name, fitter for Messiah the Prince, —- for it signifieth the same in effect with Melchizedek, “which is by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace,” -than (Hebrews 7:2) for such a tyrant. (Judges 1:7) But it is nothing new for that kind of men to affect glorious titles, as did Antiochus Soter, Ptolomeus Euergetes, &c. The great Turk styleth himself at this day, Awlem Penawh, that is, the world’s refuge. Had heard that Joshua had taken Ai, &c.] And that now their turn was not far off—- “ Iam tun res agitur, paries cure proximus ardet. ” This they hardly, and not till needs must, take notice of: sin and Satan having cast them into a dead lethargy, out of which they are hardly roused. And were among them.] Having embraced their religion, and glad to do them service. This caused the devil and his imps to set up their bristles, and to seek their destruction. Grand Sign. Serag., 148.
Ver. 2. That they feared greatly.] And great cause they had, considering what supply and shelter the Israelites might have from thence, and how other cities might revolt by their example.
Ver. 3. Sent unto Hoham king of Hebron.] “Sic squamae Satan ita cohaerent ut earum opere textili densato quasi loricatus incedat Satan et cataphractus: quod de Faedere Concordiae qua malignantes ecclesiae membra se complexa muniebant et circumvallabant,“—elegantissime Lutherus, et vere. Persecutors conspire and complot against God’s people, who may boldly say unto them, as Isaiah 8:9,10, “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces: take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; for God is with us:…the enemy is come into the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.” These words Basil bade the persecuted Christians use to the heathen princes, Animo praesenti et intrepido, with an undaunted spirit and well-knit resolution.
Ver. 4. That we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua.] This was the quarrel: and to be revenged upon the Gibeonites, these kings would not care to weaken themselves by wasting their forces upon them: as the bee, for like cause, loseth her sting and becometh a drone, if not her life.
Ver. 5. And encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.] Opposition is evangelii genius, saith Calvin: and the Church is haeres crucis, the heir of the Cross, saith Luther. “All that will live godly shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) But Christ, the true Joshua, will rescue and deliver them that call to him for help as these did.
Ver. 6. Come up to us quickly.] Haste, haste, haste, cito, citius, citissime. a little delay may be the loss of all. Charles, king of Sicily, was called Cunctator, for his lingering to his loss.
Ver. 7. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal.] Having first consulted with God, and received encouragement from him, as Joshua 10:8.
Ver. 8. Fear them not, &c.] Joshua, though valiant, had his fears and frailties. Of Charles V, emperor, it is storied, that while he was putting on his armour to go into the battle, his countenance was pale and perplexed: but when the battle was once begun, he was bold as a lion, and did great exploits.
Ver. 9. And went up from Gilgal all night.] He marched all night, and fought all day for these Gibeonites; of whose faithfulness he might well have doubted. They took not so much pains in coming to deceive him as he in going to deliver them. It is the noblest victory to “overcome evil with good.”
Ver. 10. And the Lord discomfited them.] It is he that giveth victory, as the Romans also acknowledged by presenting a palm, in that case, to their Jupiter, so other nations,
Ver. 11. The Lord cast down great stones from heaven.] Huge hailstones that brained the Canaanites, but hurt not the Israelites, that were at the heels of them. See the like in mystery, (Revelation 16:21) and perhaps it shall be fulfilled upon the antichristian rabble according to the letter.
Ver. 12. Then spake Joshua to the Lord.] He first prayed, and then laid his commands on sun and moon to stand still, and not stir, till he had achieved a full victory, Hereupon one crieth out, O admirabilem piarum precum vim ac potentiam quibus etiam caelestia cedunt! O fidem heroicam, cuius virtutem ipsa astra sentiunt! quos non hostes terreret, feriret, fugaret illa manus quae victoriae suae trophaea etiam in ipsis caeli orbibus figit? O the power of prayer! O the force of faith! How could that hand do less than confound his enemies, which had set trophies of victory in the very celestial orbs?
Ver. 13. And the sun stood still.] Heb., Was silent. The whole body of the movable heaven stopped its course, and made a halt. Neither need it offend us that there is no record of this miracle in heathen histories; for Diodorus Siculus confesseth, that all heathen antiquities before the Theban and Trojan wars are either fabulous narrations, or little better. Is not this written in the book of Jasher?] Which Jerome will have to be Genesis: but it seemeth rather to have been some civil history or continued chronicle, such as are amongst us the Chronicles of England, which is now lost, as are also some other books, (1 Chronicles 29:29 2 Chronicles 12:15 9:29) and was therefore, we may be sure, no part of the holy canon: God, by his providence, taking care and course that no one hair of that sacred head should fall to the ground. This book of Jasher, or the upright, together with Solomon’s Physics, (1 Kings 4:32,33) the book of his Acts, (1 Kings 11:41) the books of Nathan and Gad, (1 Chronicles 29:29) of Shemaiah, (2 Chronicles 12:15) of Jehu, (2 Chronicles 20:34) the books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Judah, &c., were not testamentary or canonical: and are now taken away, not because they contained matter either above human capacity, or else corrupt and unsound, as Origen determineth: but rather, as Augustine hath it, we are to know, that although they were both pious and profitable, yet were they written out of a historical diligence for more plentiful knowledge; not by divine inspiration, for the authority of religion. In Ezek. xviii. Prolog. in Cant., ad finem. De Civ. Dei, lib. xviii, cap. 38.
Ver. 14. And there was no day llke that.] No, not Hezekiah’s long day, when the sun went backward ten degrees in the dial of Ahaz. Our forefathers had a long Sunday, as they called it, when King Edgar ordained that the Sabbath should be solemnised from Saturday nine of the clock till Monday morning. The Jews likewise, in sanctifying the Sabbath, used to add, de profano ad sacrum, &c. That the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man.] So he did when at the cry of blind Bartimaeus, Jesus stood still, (Mark 10:49) that Sun of righteousness. (Malachi 4:2) Act. and Mon.
Ver. 15. And Joshua returned,] viz., After he had finished all that is related in this whole chapter, as in Joshua 10:43. Some render it, Itaque reditum adornabat Ioshua.
Ver. 16. But these five kings fled, and hid themselves.] But their covering was too short; divine vengeance discovered them, and brought out to condign punishment. Nemo scelus gerit in pictore, qui non idem Nemesin in tergo. See Amos 9:2 Ps 139:8-10. [See Trapp on “Am 9:2”] [See Trapp on “Ps 139:8”] [See Trapp on “Ps 139:9”] [See Trapp on “Ps 139:10”]
Ver. 17. In a cave at Makkedah.] In the confines and country adjacent, and belonging to this city.
Ver. 18. Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave.] Where now, as in a trap, the mice might well gnaw, but get out they could not.
Ver. 19. Smote the hindmost of them.] Heb., Caudate eos, cut off the tail, fall upon the rear.
Ver. 20. Entered into their fenced cities.] Which yet could not long secure them: their preservation was but a reservation.
Ver. 21. None moved his tongue, &c.] No dead dog durst once bark at them: their condition was very quiet, without any disturbance of man or beast. See Exodus 11:7 Job 5:23. “Iniquity shall” one day “stop her mouth.” (Job 5:16)
Ver. 22. bring out those five kings.] So shall Christ one day say of all, whether kings or prisoners, lords or rag-a-muffins, that will not have him to reign over them. Those that will not now obey that sweet voice, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden,” shall then have no other voice to obey but “Go, ye cursed,” &c.
Ver. 23. [See Trapp on “Jos 10:22”]
Ver. 24. Put your feet upon the necks of these kings.] Not as proudly insulting over them, as that pope did over the emperor at Venice; but to show that he had quite subdued them, as Christ also hath all our spiritual enemies, (Romans 8:37) and will tread Satan himself under our feet shortly. (Romans 16:20) What, then, though that old serpent shoot his sting into our heel, and make us halt, as that martyr said? yet let us go on, though halting, to heaven, whence the devil is cast down. (Revelation 12:9)
Ver. 25. Fear not, nor be dismayed, &c.] To the like sense saith the Captain of our salvation to his spiritual soldiers, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13) For thus shall the Lord do,] sc., If you do not the work of the Lord deceitfully or slothfully. (Jeremiah 48:10)
Ver. 26. Hanged them on five trees.] See Joshua 8:26.
Ver. 27. They took them down.] See Joshua 8:29.
Ver. 28. And the king thereof he utterly destroyed.] Because his sins had done much harm: (1.) By imitation, for Magnates magnetes; (2.) By imputation, for plectunter Achivi.
Ver. 29. Then Joshua passed, &c.] Like a wise general he pursueth his victories; which if Hannibal had done after the battle at Cannae, he might have taken Rome, which afterwards he would have done but could not. Hence one said of him, Vincere scis Hannibal, victoria uti nescis: Hannibal knew how to get a victory, but not how to use it.
Ver. 30. But did unto the king thereof.] See Joshua 10:28.
Ver. 31. And Joshua passed.] See Joshua 10:29.
Ver. 32. On the second day,] viz., After he had besieged it. For Joshua took towns faster than did Timotheus the Athenian, into whose toils they were said to come while he slept, till such time as he began to sacrifice to his own net; for then he lost them again as fast. Plut., in Syll.
Ver. 33. Then Horam king of Gezer.] Whereof read 1 Chronicles 14:16. It lay near to Lachish, and sped the worse for its neighbourhood: as did Hamath for Damascus. (Zechariah 9:2)
Ver. 34. , On that day.] Venit, vidit, vicit. See Joshua 10:28,29.
Ver. 35. [See Trapp on “Jos 10:34”]
Ver. 36. Unto Hebron.] See more of this victory in Joshua 14:13-15 15:13
Ver. 37. And the king thereof.] The new king for the old king was hanged among those five that came up against Gibeon. (Joshua 10:5,23,26) He might have as short a reign as had Marius in Rome, whom one day saw an emperor, the next day he ruled, and the third day he was slain by a soldier, with the same sword which himself had made when he was a cutler.
Ver. 38. To Debir.] Formerly called Kirjathsepher. (Judges 1:12)
Ver. 39. All the souls,] i.e., All the people: the cattle they had for a prey.
Ver. 40. As the Lord God of Israel commanded.] It was not therefore cruelty, but obedience, to slay so many thousands. There is a pious cruelty, saith one. And Magna quidem est in ilia severitate pietas per quam tollitur peccandi libertas, saith another: there is great piety in that severity which taketh away licentious liberty. Gregory.