Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XXIIII.

Vers. 1. ANd Joshua gathered all the tribes to Shechem, &c.] The assembly mentioned in the foregoing chapter, vers. 2. (concerning which, see the note there) and the exhortation which Joshua used then to the people, was when Joshua apprehended he had not long to live, chap. 23.14. And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth; yet it seems that after that, fearing much what the people world do after his death, he resolved again to call another assembly of the re∣presentative body of the kingdome, that he might there again presse them to continue constant in their obedience to God after his death; and to that purpose might cause them to renew their covenant with God, which accordingly he did at Shechem, as it is here said. Many Expositours understand this of Shiloh, where indeed the taber∣nacle was seated, chap. 18.1. (which they say is here called Shechem because it stood in the field of Shechem) and that because it is said in this verse, that the assembly presented themselves before God, and because vers. 26. there is mention of the San∣ctuary, near which under an oke there was a stone erected as a witnesse of the cove∣nant which the people had made with God. But it is more probable, that this as∣sembly was in Shechem, and that the Tabernacle and Ark were removed hither up∣on this occasion: 1. Because Shechem was in the tribe of Ephraim, as well as Shi∣loh, and perhaps nearer unto Joshua his city, and so the more convenient for him to come thither. 2. Because we no where reade that Shiloh is called Shechem (which is the onely ground of the other opinion.) 3. Because it is evident that upon speciall extraordinary occasions they were wont sometimes to remove the Ark, 1. Sam. 4.4. So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the Ark of the cove∣nant of the Lord of hosts. But why should they not have met at Shiloh, that so there might be no need to remove the Ark? I answer, that Shechem was a city of great note, a city of refuge, chap. 21.21. a place famous for the abode of the Patri∣archs there: yea, and there God did at first enter into a covenant with Abraham, Gen. 12.6 7. and the people there had lately renewed their covenant with God, upon mount Gerizim and mount Ebal: in which regard Joshua might think it the fitter to bring the people now to renew it again in the same place. And then besides, there might be some other speciall occasion for some other businesse that was to be done at Shechem; as happely the buriall of Josephs bones there, whereof mention is made in the 32. verse of this chapter.

Vers. 2. Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the floud in old time, even Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor.] That is, Euphrates, which is by way of eminency usually in the Scripture called the river.

And they served other gods.] That is, their fathers, to wit, Terah, and Abram, and Nachor (of whom they were descended by the mothers side) for they are all mentioned in the foregoing words. Neither need it seem strange unto us that Abra∣ham should serve other Gods before his calling; for therein was Gods mercy the more magnified. And indeed if Abraham had continued incorrupt in an idolatrous family, the posterity of Abraham might have boasted in this, whereas the drift of Joshua in these words is quite contrary, even to set forth Gods goodnesse in rescuing him out of that way of danger, and chusing him to be the father of his peculiar people, when there was nothing in him to move the Lord to shew him such speciall favour.

Vers. 3. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the floud, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan.] The mention which is here made of Gods leading Abraham through the severall parts of Canaan, is to intimate Gods goodnesse to him, that he did not onely preserve him being in a strange land in the midst of so many barbarous people; but also blesse and prosper him, and cause him to be so greatly esteemed amongst them.

And multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.] That is, gave him severall sonnes (to wit, Ishmael, and the sonnes of Keturah) and amongst the rest, Isaac; and there∣fore, I conceive, mention is made of his other children, to illustrate Gods singular favour to the Israelites, in passing by so many of Abrahams issue, and choosing their father to be the heir of promise.

Vers. 4. And I gave unto Isaac, Jacob and Esau; and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, &c.] Esau is here also mentioned, to intimate the free grace of God, in passing by Esau (though his posterity grew presently great, and inhabited mount Seir) and establishing his covenant with their father Jacob his younger brother.

Vers. 7. And your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt.] Many might be now living as well as Joshua and Eleazar, that came out of Egypt; for onely those that were above twenty years old when they came out of Egypt, did the Lord threat∣en to destroy in the wildernesse, Num. 14.29. As for the next clause, and ye dwelt in the wildernesse a long season, it is added, to intimate Gods wonderfull providence, in feeding them and preserving them for so many years in their travels there.

Vers. 9. Then Balak the sonne of Zippor king of Moab, rose and warred a∣gainst Israel, &c.] That is, prepared to make warre against them, intending to have set upon them, if he could have gotten Balaam to curse them, Num. 22.11. Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt which covereth the face of the earth, Come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

Vers. 11. And the men of Jericho fought with you, &c.] That is, made prepa∣ration to resist you, shutting up their city against you, and fortifying themselves, which is a kind of defensive warre; though indeed they never durst stir out of their gates to fight against the Israelites, nor had the heart once to lift a weapon in defence of themselves, when they saw their walls so miraculously to fall down before them.

Vers. 12. And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, &c.] See the note upon Exod. 23.28.

Vers. 14. And put away the gods which your fathers served, &c.] So likewise vers. 23. he sayes, Put away the strange gods that are among you. Their zeal against their brethren for building that altar on the banks of Jordan, chap. 22.16. Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespasse is this which ye have commit∣ted against the God of Israel, to turn this day from following the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebell this day against the Lord, and that which is said of them in this chapter, vers. 31. And Israel served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua, sh••ws plainly, that for the generall they were not yet corrupted, and that there was no idolatry publickly allowed. Besides, had Joshua known any particular families or persons that had worshipped idols, no doubt he would have punished them according to the Law: but it seems in his government he had found that many of them were still lingring after these superstitions of their fathers, and

therefore feared that though they durst not openly do it, there were some that secret∣ly were worshippers of idols, whence it is that he admonisheth them in this wise, to put away the strange gods from amongst them; and indeed, that in the wildernesse many secretly did worship idols is evident by that place, Amos 5.25, 26. which is cited by S. Stephen, Acts 7.42, 43. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets, O ye house of Isra∣el, have ye offered to me any beasts and sacrifices, by the space of fourty years in the wildernesse? Yea, ye took up the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your God Remphan, figures which you made, to worship them.

Vers. 15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve, &c.] Not that Joshua did now lay the reins upon their necks and give them liberty to change their Religion, and to serve strange gods if that way liked them best: Had they revolted from God doubtlesse he would have punished them severely: But he useth this kind of speech, first, as a powerfull perswasion to keep them constant to God, by implying that there is such a difference betwixt these two, the worshipping the Lord that had delivered them out of Egypt and done so many great things for them, and bowing to Idol-gods, that one would not think it possi∣ble that they should forsake the Lord to follow them, though it should be left to their choice: as if one should say, choose you whether you will go to heaven or to hell. So that this is much like that speech of Elijahs, 1. Kings 18.21. How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. Secondly, to sift them how they stood inwardly affected, and to imply that unlesse they served God willingly without any constraint, so that if it were left to their choice, they would take no other way, God would not regard their outward obedience. And thirdly, that having now of their own accord accepted the Lord to be their God, they might hereby be the more tyed to cleave constantly unto him.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.] This Joshua added, not so much to make known to them what he was resolved to do, to wit, that though they should all forsake the Lord, yet that should not one whit move him; but prin∣cipally, that his resolute determination herein, of whose wisdome and piety they had had so great experience might covertly, but yet sweetly and effectually, perswade them to keep constant in that way of religion wherein they found him so zealously and settledly resolved to continue.

Vers. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God: He is a jealous God, &c.] This is spoken upon supposition, not onely of Gods holinesse and severe jea∣lousie against all those that are not faithfull in keeping covenant with him, but also of the perverse refractary disposition, and untamed stubbornesse of this rebellious people; as if he should have said, Consider well what you say, God will not be con∣tent with a profession of being his people, if ye take liberty to live as you list, as you have done; No, God is a holy God, &c. so that this is added not to discourage them, but rather by way of caution, to awake them out of their security, and to let them know that they must be more carefull of walking uprightly with God, if they meant to serve him; as if when a company of souldiers that had not so well behaved themselves in former times, should untertake some speciall service, and the Generall should answer (not to beat them off from it, but rather to enflame them and make

them go through it with the more courage and care) why should you think of undertaking such a piece of service? you cannot do it; implying onely thus much, that they must be more valiant and constant then they had been, if they would med∣dle with it.

Vers. 23. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange Gods which are among you, &c.] See the note above, verse 13.

Vers. 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.] That is, as Gods servant and minister he caused the people to renew their covenant with God (and doubtlesse it was done in a solemn manner, being accompanied with sacrifices and other usuall rites of that sa∣cred service) and so he set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem, that is, he established it as a thing fully settled and ratified for future times, that they should constantly continue in the service of the Lord God alone, as became his peculiar people, and to that end did fully make known and confirm all the conditions of the covenant which they had made with God. To which purpose happely the whole law of God was at this time distinctly read amongst them; which some conceive is one of the principall things intended in this last clause.

Vers. 26. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God.] That is, these promises of the people and the whole carriage of this businesse when they did with such solemnity renew their covenant with God, that knowing there was such a record kept of this businesse even in Gods Tabernacle, they might be care∣full to keep their covenant. But yet withall, hereby may be meant that this book of Joshua was now added to the book of Moses law which was laid up long since be∣fore the ark, Deut. 31.26. (saving onely those passages which are apparently since inserted;) for no doubt that which Joshua wrote was written for all future times; Now we have in the Church no other records, of it but this book of Joshua.

And took a great stone and set it up there under an oke that was by the San∣ctuary of the Lord.] This stone was also set up as a memoriall of this covenant now thus solemnly renewed between God and the people. The place where it was set, to wit, under an oke that was by the Sanctuary is thus precisely expressed for the better evidencing of the certain truth of that which is here related. Some indeed suppose that this was the very oke under which Jacob had many years since buried all the Idolatrous trash which he found amongst those of his family, Gen. 35.4. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods that were in their hand, and all the ear-rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oke which was by Shechem; and that Joshua for that cause did purposely set up this stone under that oke. But though it be certain and well known that okes will continue many hundred years, yet that this was that oke we cannot certainly determine. As for the Sanctuary of the Lord here mentioned, some conceive it is the place onely where all this was done, that is so called, and that because of the ark that was there; but I think it is farre more probable, that the Tabernacle was brought thither together with the ark, and that this it is which is here called the Sanctuary of the Lord. However certain it is, that in future times this place where this stone was set up by Joshua was from hence called the plain of the pillar, or the oke of the pillar, Judges 9.6.

Vers. 27. Behold this stone shall be a witnesse unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us.] This is a figurative speech, and im∣plies thus much, that it should as truly witnesse against them if they should falsifie their promise, as if it had heard the words that were spoken; an expression this is therefore much like that, Jer. 2.12. Be ye astonished O ye heavens at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.

Vers. 29. Joshua the sonne of Nun the servant of the Lord dyed, being an hun∣dred and ten years old.] It is manifest there were but foure hundred and eighty years betwixt the building of the Temple and the Israelites coming out of Egypt, 1. Kings 6.1. And it came to passe in the foure hundred and fourescore years, af∣ter the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth yeare of Solomons reigne over Israel, in the moneth Zif, which is the second moneth, that he began to build the house of the Lord, of which yielding fourty years to their travels in the wildernesse, and then to Othniels government fourty years, Judges 3.11. to Ehuds eighty years, verse 30. to Shamgars some few moneths, vers. 31. to Deborah and Barak fourty, Judges 5.31. to Gideon fourty, Judges 8.28. to Abimelech three, Judges 9.22. to Tolah three and twenty, Judges 10.2. and to Jair two and twenty years, verse 3. to Jephthe six, Judges 12.7. and Ibzan seven, verse 9. and Elon ten, verse 11. and Abdon eight, verse 14. to Samson twenty, Judges 15.20. to Elie fourty, 1. Sam. 4.18. to Samuel and Saul fourty years, Acts 13.21. to David fourty, 1. Kings 2.11. and then foure to Solomon ere he began the temple, all together, make foure hundred sixty and three, and then the most left for Joshua will be seventeen, though there should be no interregnum be∣tween the Judges.

Vers. 32. And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, &c.] Joseph had commanded the Israelites to carry his bones with them out of Egypt, Gen. 50.25. which accordingly they did, Exod. 13.19. Here now we are told where they buried his bones, to wit, in She∣chem, in a parcell of ground which Jacob bought of the sonnes of Hamor, the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver. Which was doubtlesse the parcell of a field, mentioned Gen. 33.19. which Jacob bought of Hamor the father of Shechem, and which when he lay upon his deathbed he gave to Joseph as a speciall legacy, Gen, 48.22. and this might well be the reason why they buried Josephs bones here, whereas it is evident that his forefathers and their wives too were buried in the cave of Machpelah, Gen. 49.29, 30, 31. I am, saith Jacob, to be gathered unto my people; Bury me with my fathers in the cave, that is in the field of Ephron the Hit∣tite, In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah, to wit, be∣cause it was the inheritance peculiarly bequeathed him by his father. Indeed by the words of Stephen, Acts 7.15, 16. it might seem that all the Patriarchs, the sonnes of Jacob (and so Josephs bones amongst the rest) were buried not in the field which Jacob bought, Gen. 33.19. but in the burying-place which Abraham bought of Ephron in Machpelah, Gen. 23.17, 18. For though Stephen saith, they were buri∣ed

in a field, bought of the sonnes of Emor the father of Sichem, yet withall he saith expressely, that they were buried in a Sepulchre purchased by Abraham, Acts 7.15, 16. So Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over into Sichem, and laid in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a summe of mo∣ney. Now we reade of no burying place which Abraham bought, but that of the cave of Machpelah, which he bought of Ephron the Hittite. Gen. 23.16.17. &c. where∣in it is evident, Gen. 49.29, 30, 31. that Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob & Leah were buried: but to this I answer, that many of our best Expositours are of opinion that this place in the Acts of the Apostles is corrupted by the careles∣nesse, or rather the mistake of those that transcribed the copies; yet because it is dangerous to allow that the Greek copies of the new Testament are generally falsifi∣ed in any one passage, I think it is better answered, that though Stephen said, that the fathers were laid in the sepulchre of Abraham, bought for a summe of money of Emor the father of Sichem, yet he meant onely thereby, that they were laid in the Sepulchre, which the posterity or the sonne of Abraham bought of the sonnes of E∣mor, and that was Jacob, because that which the sonne doth the father may be said to do in him; and if so, then it seems that the bones of the other Patriarchs, the sonnes of Jacob, were buried here together with Josephs. At what time they buried Josephs bones here, it is not expressed, yet by the last clause of this verse where it is said of this parcell of ground, and it became the inheritance of the children of Jo∣seph, it appears that it was done after they had rest in the land, and had divided the whole countrey of Canaan amongst the tribes; and so this part of Canaan where this parcell of land lay, falling then by lot to the sonnes of Joseph (to whom Jacob at his death had bequeathed it) here they buried the bones of their father.

Vers. 33. And they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his sonne, which was given him in mount Ephraim.] Because the cities that fell to the priests by lot were taken out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, chap. 21.4. and thence it might seem strange that Eleazar or Phinehas his sonne should have any inheritance in mount Ephraim, wherein for that cause Eleazar the high priest should be buried, since mount Ephraim belonged to the sonnes of Joseph, therefore in the last clause of this book it is expressely said, that it belonged to Phinehas by warrant of a speciall and extraordinary gift, and not by the designement of the lot which was drawn forth for the priests, it was given him in mount Ephraim. Whether this hill was given to Eleazar or Phinehas, it is not fully and clearly expressed, the words seem rather to imply, that it was given to Phinehas, they buried him in a hill which pertained to Phinehas his sonne, which was given him in mount Ephraim; but yet it may be that the place where Eleazar was buried, is here said to be the hill of Phinehas, or a hill that pertained to Phine∣has, not because it did not first pertain to Eleazar, but with relation to future times, whence it seems it was usually called the hill of Phinehas; and the reason that Ex∣positours give, why this place in mount Ephraim was by extraordinary gift confer∣red upon the high priest, whereas the priests had their dwellings by lot in the other tribes above mentioned are these: first, that he might be near hand to Joshua who dwelt in mount Ephraim, to the end that by him he might enquire of the Lord upon any speciall service. Secondly, that he might be the nearer to the Tabernacle, which at this time was in Shiloh a city in Ephraim.