Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/31

Rh wilderness, is now come up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved, and looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners: how terrible she was in the eyes of her enemies, we are here told, v. 1. how fair and clear she was made in the eyes of her friends, by the rolling away of the reproach of Egypt, we are told in the following verses.

I. Here is the fright which the Canaanites were put into by their miraculous passing over Jordan, v. 1. The news of it was soon dispersed all the country over, not only as a prodigy in itself, but as an alarm to all the kings and kingdoms of Canaan. Now, as when Babvlon was taken, One post runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to carry the amazing tidings to every corner of their land, Jer. 51. 31. And here we are told what impressions the tidings made upon the kings of this land, their heart melted like wax before the fire, neither was there spirit in them any more. This intimates that though the heart of the people generally had fainted before, as Rahab owned, ch. 2. 9. yet the kings had till now kept up their spirits pretty well, had promised themselves that, being in possession, their country populous, and their cities fortified, they should be able to make their part good against the invaders; but when they heard, not only that they were come over Jordan, and that that defence of their country was broken through, but that they were come over by a miracle, the God of nature manifestly fighting for them, their hearts failed them too, they gave up the cause for gone, and were now at their wits' end. And, 1. They had reason enough to be afraid; Israel itself was a formidable body, and much more so when God was its head, a God of almighty power. What can make head against them, if Jordan be driven back before them? 2. God impressed these fears upon them, and dispirited them, as he had promised, Exod. 23. 27, I will send my fear before thee. God can make the wicked to fear where no fear is, Ps. 53. 5. much more where there is such cause for fear as was here. He that made the soul, can, when he pleases, make his sword thus to approach to it and kill it with his terrors.

II. The opportunity which this gave to the Israelites to circumcise those among them that were uncircumcised, At that time, (v. 2.) when the country about them was in that great consternation, God ordered Joshua to circumcise the children of Israel, for at that time it might be done with safety even in an enemy's country; their hearts being melted, their hands were tied, that they could not take this advantage against them as Simeon and Levi did against the Shechemites, to come upon them when they were sore. Joshua could not be sure of this, and therefore if he had ordered this general circumcision just at this time of his own head, he might justly have been censured as imprudent, for how good soever the thing was in itself, in the eye of reason it was not seasonable at this time, and might have been of dangerous consequence; but when God commanded him to do it, he must not consult with flesh and blood: he that bid them do it, no doubt, would protect them and bear them out in it Now observe,

1. The occasion there was for this general circumcision. (1.) All that came out of Egypt were circumcised, v. 5. While they had peace in Egypt, doubtless, they circumcised their children the eighth day, according to the law. But after they began to be oppressed, especially when the edict was made for the destruction of their male infants, the administration of this ordinance was interrupted; many of them were uncircumcised, of whom there was a general circumcision, either during the time of the three days' darkness, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, or a year after, just before their eating a second passover at mount Sinai, and in order to that solemnity, Numb. 9. 2. as many think. And it is with reference to that general circumcision, that this here is called a second; v. 2. But the learned Masius thinks it refers to the general circumcision of Abraham's Family, when that ordinance was first instituted, Gen. 17. 23. That first confirmed the promise of the land of Canaan, this second was a thankful celebration of the performance of that promise. But, (2.) All that were born in the wilderness, namely, after their walking in the wilderness, became by the divine sentence a judgment upon them for their disobedience, as is intimated by that repetition of the sentence, v. 6. all that were born since that fatal day, on which God swore in his wrath that none of that generation should enter into his rest, were uncircumcised.

But what shall we say to this? Had not God enjoined it to Abraham under a very severe penalty, that every man-child of his seed should be circumcised, on the eighth day? Gen. 17. 9··14. Was it not the seal of the everlasting covenant? Was not so great a stress laid upon it then when they were coming out of Egypt, that when immediately after the first passover the law concerning that feast was made perpetual, this was one clause of it, that ho uncircumcised person should eat of it, but should be deemed as a stranger? And yet under the government of Moses himself, to have all their children that were born for thirty-eight years together left uncircumcised, is unaccountable. So great an omission could not be generally but by divine direction.

Now, [1.] Some think circumcision was omitted because it was needless: it was appointed to be a mark of distinction between the Israelites and other nations, and therefore, in the wilderness, where they were so perfectly separated from all, and mingled with none, there was no occasion for it. [2.] Others think that they did not look upon the precept of circumcision as obligatory till they came to settle in Canaan, for in the covenant made with them at mount Sinai, nothing was said about circumcision, neither was it of Moses but of the fathers, John 7. 22. and with particular reference to the grant of the land of Canaan, Gen. 17. 8. [3.] Others think that God favourably dispensed with the omission of this ordinance in consideration of the unsettledness of their state, and their frequent removes while they were in the wilderness. It was requisite that children after they were circumcised, should rest for some time while they were sore, and stirring them might be dangerous to them; God therefore would have mercy and not sacrifice. This reason is generally acquiesced in, but to me it is not satisfactory, for sometimes they stayed a year in a place, Numb. 9. 22. if not much longer; and in their removes the little children, though sore, might be wrapt so warm, and carried so easy, as to receive no damage, and might certainly be much better accommodated than the mothers in travail or while lying-in. Therefore, [4.] To me it seems to have been a continued token of God's displeasure against them for their unbelief and murmuring. Circumcision was originally a seal of the promise of the land of Canaan, as we observed before. It was in the believing hope of that good land, that the patriarchs circumcised their children: but when God had sworn in his wrath concerning the men of war which came out of Egypt, that they should be consumed in the wilderness, and never enter Canaan, nor come within sight of it, (as that sentence is here repeated, v. 6. reference being made to it,) as a further ratification of that sentence, and to be a constant memorandum of it to them, all that fell under that sentence, and were to fall by it, were forbidden to circumcise their children; by which they were plainly told, that