Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/60

56 for corroborating the proofs of the truth of sacred history.

But surely this stupendous miracle of the standing still of the sun, was intended for something more than merely to give Israel so much the more time to find out and kill their enemies, which, without this, might have been done the next day. First, God would hereby magnify Joshua, ch. 3. 7. as a particular favourite, and one whom he did delight to honour; being a type of Him who has all power both in heaven and in earth, and whom the winds and the seas obey. Secondly, He would hereby notify to all the world what he was doing for his people Israel here in Canaan; the sun, the eye of the world, must be fixed for some hours upon Gibeon, and the valley of Ajalon, as if to contemplate the great works of God there for Israel, and so to engage the children of men to look that way, and to inquire of this wonder done in the land, (2 Chron. 32. 31.) Proclamation was hereby made to all the neighbouring nations, Come, behold the works of the Lord, Ps. 46. 8. and say, "What nation is there so great as Israel is, who has God so nigh unto them?them?" [sic] One would have supposed this would have brought such real ambassadors as the Gibeonites pretended to be, from a very far country, to court the friendship of Israel because of the name of the Lord their God. Thirdly, He would hereby convince and confound those idolaters that worshipped the sun and moon, and gave divine honour to them, by demonstrating that they were subject to the command of the God of Israel, and that, as high as they were, he was above them; and thus he would fortify his people against the temptations to this idolatry, which he foresaw they would be addicted to, (Deut. 4. 19.) and which, notwithstanding this, they afterward corrupted themselves with. Fourthly, This miracle signified (it is the learned Bishop Pierson's notion) that in the latter days, when the light of the world was tending towards a night of darkness, the Sun of righteousness, even our Joshua, should arise, (Mal. 4. 2.) give check to the approaching night, and be the true light. To which let me add, that when Christ conquered our spiritual enemies upon the cross, the miracle wrought upon the sun was the reverse of this, it was then darkened as if it were gone down at noon, for Christ needed not the light of the sun to carry on his victories, he then made darkness his pavilion: and lastly, the arresting of the sun and moon in this day of battle, figured the turning of the sun into darkness, and the moon into blood, in the last great and terrible day of the Lord.

15. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 16. But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17. And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 18. And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19. And stay you not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the your God hath delivered them into your hand. 20. And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. 21. And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. 23. And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24. And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. 25. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 26. And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanged upon the trees until the evening. 27. And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

It was a brave appearance, no doubt, which the five kings made when they took the field, for the reducing of Gibeon, and a brave army they had following them; but they were all routed, put into disorder first, and then brought to destruction, by the hail-stones. And now Joshua thought, his work being done, he might go with his army into quarters of refreshment: accordingly it was resolved, perhaps in a council of war, that they should presently return to the camp to Gilgal, v. 15. till they should receive orders from God to take possession of the country they had now conquered; but he soon finds he has more work cut out for him, the victory must be pursued, that the spoils might be divided. Accordingly he applies himself to it with renewed vigour.

I. The force that had dispersed themselves, must be followed and smitten. When tidings are brought to Joshua where the kings were, he ordered a guard to be set upon them for the present, v. 18. reserving them for another day of destruction, and to be brought forth to a day of wrath, Job 21. 30. He directs his men to pursue the common soldiers, as much as might be, to prevent their escaping to the garrisons, which would strengthen them, and make the reduction of them the more difficult, v. 19. Like a prudent general, he does that first, which is most needful, and defers his triumphs till he has completed his conquests; nor was he in such haste to insult over the captive kings, but that he would first prevent the rallying again of their scattered forces. The success of this vigorous pursuit, was, 1. That a very great slaughter was made of the enemies of God and Israel. And, 2. The field was cleared of them, so that none remained but such as