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. IV.

Vers. 2. TAke ye twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, &c.] being passed over Jordan the Lord repeats the charge given them be∣fore, chap. 1. vers. 12. And indeed therefore was it there onely briefly touched be∣cause it was to be here again more largely expressed.

Vers. 3. Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the Priests feet stood firm, twelve stones, &c.] In the seventh verse the reason is expres∣sed why these twelve stones were to be taken up out of Jordan, about the place where the Priests had stood with the ark, and to be carried to the place where they were to lodge that night, which was Gilgal, vers. 19. namely that they might there stand as a memoriall to succeeding generations of this miraculous work, when the Lord was pleased to divide Jordan before the ark that the twelve tribes might passe over to take possession of the land which he had given them for an inheritance: But may some say, seeing the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and one half of the tribe of Ma∣nasseh, had already their inheritance assigned them without Jordan, yea and were already in possession of it, why were these tribes with the rest to testifie their thank∣fulnesse by setting up this memoriall of Gods miraculous dividing of Jordan before them? Now for the answer of this, it is not enough to say, that about fourtie thou∣sand of these tribes went over Jordan at this time with the rest of their brethren to assist them in their warres, and that because these stones were set up in the name of the whole tribes, and therefore the question still remains why these tribes were to come in for a share in erecting this monument of Gods praise, that had for their par∣ticular no share in the mercie? The truer answer therefore I conceive to be this, That these tribes were to joyn with the rest herein, first, Because the whole people of Is∣rael though consisting of twelve severall tribes were yet all one body, and therefore no good could be done to any of the tribes, but the whole body must needs have an interest in it, and ought to be thankfull for it: and secondly, Because hereby they might shew that the land which was allotted them without Jordan was a part

of that land of promise, the possession whereof was thankfully acknowledged in those twelve stones which were now set up in Gilgal.

Vers. 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, &c.] even this also no doubt the Lord had given in charge to Joshua, though it be not expres∣sed, and that for the same end that the other were set in Gilgal. For though they were hid under water yet the report of their being there set might be a memoriall of that great work; and besides, at a low ebbe they might happely be seen, at least the dashing of the waters against them might be perceived.

And they are there unto this day.] This clause could not be written by Joshua; and yet that proves not that Joshua wrote not this book; since many such passages we find here and there even in the books of Moses.

Vers. 10. For the Priests that bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan untill every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua.] This clause, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, cannot be so understood, as if Moses had particularly commanded Joshua that which was now done by the Priests and people in their passage over Jordan. For Moses had never spoken of any such thing to Joshua, but Joshua had received these directions immediately from God. But the meaning of these words is onely this, that all was done as God commanded Joshua, which was according to what Moses had given Joshua in charge: Moses had commanded Joshua to see that all things were done according to the word of the Lord, and so it was in this particular of their passage over Jordan, according to the charge he had received from Moses, all things were done as the Lord commanded.

And the people hasted and passed over.] This haste which they made in passing over was not so much because a multitude of people were to passe over in a few houres, and were afterwards to go as farre as Gilgal that day, as from their fear and weaknesse of faith; the sight of that mountain of waters which seemed ready to o∣verwhelm them could not but scare them, and hence it was that every man made all the speed he could out of that vale of the shadow of death. Now this is the rather added in this place, the more hereby to extoll the faith of the priests, who stood still without moving in the midst of Jordan till the whole camp of Israel were gotten o∣ver into the land of Canaan, and all other things were done concerning the stones set up in Gilgal, and in the midst of Jordan, as God had appointed.

Vers. 13. About fourty thousand prepared for warre passed over, &c.] To wit, of Ruben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, the rest being left in garrison for the defence of the land, their wives, children, and cattell: for at the last numbring of the people, there was of the Reubenites fourty three thousand seven hundred and thirty, and of the Gadites fourty thousand five hundred, Numb. 26.7, 18. besides the half of Manassehs tribe, who were in all fifty two thousand seven hundred, Numb. 26.34.

Vers. 19. And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first moneth.] Which was the very day whereon, by the Law, the lambe for the Passeover was to be set apart, Exod. 12.3. And hereby it is clear, that it was full fourty years within foure or five dayes, from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, to their entrance

into the land of promise; for they came out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first moneth, and now on the tenth day of the first moneth they entred the land of Canaan.

Vers. 23. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you untill ye were passed over, &c.] The Israelites are appointed thus to answer their children for many generations after, when they should inquire concerning those stones that were set up in Gilgal, even as if that miracle had been wrought for them in their own persons, the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, &c. and that because in that the Lord did this for their Ancestours, he did it for them, who were then in the loyns of their Ancestours, and that in regard of the profession of the same faith, they might look upon that which was done for their An∣cestours, as a pledge of his fatherly love to them also, and his care of their welfare.