CHAP. X.
JOshua the Tenth, gives a Narrative of Joshua's Victory over the five Canaanite-Kings, which consists of three General parts.
The First is, The Occasion, or procuring cause of the War. This is twofold. (1.) Jo∣shua's utter Demolishing of Ai and Jericho. The (2d.) is the gibeonites falling off from the Canaanites to Israel in making a League with them, ver. 1.2.
The Second Part is, The preparation for War both in the Five Kings Confederating, and Besieging Gibeon, and in Joshua, who was solicited to assist Gibeon against the Be∣siegers. ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
The Third Part is, How the Victory was won and improved, ver. 9. to 42.
The Remarks upon the First Part are,
First, The strange Lethargy God had cast those Kings into, that the Report of all the wonderful Works God had wrought for Israel, in drying up the Red Sea, and in the Wilderness, and lately in dividing of Jordan to give them an Inlet into their Land, and likewise in the Miraculous Overthrow of their strong Frontier City Jericho, neither the Rumour of the former Wonders, nor the rushing noise of the hideous fall of Je∣richo's Walls could possibly awake them out of their dead Sleep, into which Satan (as God's Jailer) had lull'd them by their long living Intoxicated with plenty of Carnal De∣lights and sinful Pleasures. Outward Words and Works will do nothing, till God bring them to the Heart: That which had awakened the Gibeonites, did not so to those Kings of Canaan, till Ai was destroyed; this put them into fear, ver. 1.2. that their turn might be next.
Jam tua Res agitur, paries cum proximus Ardet Ucalegon?
Their next Neighbours House being on fire, this hardly rouzed them out of that Dead Lethargy; and now they enter into a Confederacy.
The Second Remark is, The chief of those five Confederate Kings, was Adonizedek King of Jerusalem, ver. 3. therefore is he first named, and was most Active in the Confederacy, &c. This King Arrogated to himself a most Glorious Name Adonizedeck, (which signifies the Lord of Righteousness) that he might have a greater Veneration from his Subjects. This Name signifieth the same in effect with Melchizedeck, which is by Interpretation, King of Righteousness, who was likewise called King of Salem (as this Man is call'd, King of Jeru-Salem) which is King of Peace, Hebrews Chap. 7. Verse 2. This High and Glorious Name was a fitter Name for Messiah the Prince (who is both the Maker and the Matter of our Peace with God, Eph. 2.13, 14.) than for him who was no better than a Cruel Tyrant, as appeareth from Judg. 1.5.7. supposed to be the same Man, or if he were his Successor, it shews that all those Kings