very large; (1.) The greatest prince was not excused, the elders, officers, and judges, are not above the cognizance of the law, but will come under the blessing or the curse, according as they are or are not obedient to it, and therefore they must be present to consent to the covenant, and to go before the people therein. (2.) The poorest stranger was not excluded; here was a general naturalization of them, as well the stranger as he that was born among them, was taken into covenant: this was an encouragement to proselytes, and a happy presage of the kindnesses intended for the poor Gentiles in the latter days.
The tribes were posted, as Moses directed, six toward Gerizim, and six toward Ebal. And the ark in the midst of the valley was between them, for it was the ark of the covenant; and, in it were shut up the close rolls of that law, which were copied out, and shown openly upon the stones. The covenant was commanded, and the command covenanted. The priests that attended the ark, or some of the Levites that attended them, after the people had all taken their places, and silence was proclaimed, pronounced distinctly the blessings and the curses, as Moses had drawn them up, to which the tribes said Amen; and yet it is here only said, that they should bless the people, for the blessing was that which was first and chiefly intended, and which God designed in giving the law. If they fell under the curse, that was their own fault And it was really a blessing to the people that they had this matter laid so plainly before them, Life and death, good and evil; he had not dealt so with other nations.
3. The law itself also containing the precepts and prohibitions was read, (v. 35.) it should seem by Joshua himself, who did not think it below him to be a reader in the congregation of the Lord. In conformity to this example, the solemn reading of the law, which was appointed once in seven years, (Deut. 21. 10, 11.) was performed by their king or chief magistrate. It is here intimated what a general publication of the law this was, (1.) Every word was read; even the minutest precepts were not omitted, nor the most copious abridged; not one iota or tittle of the law shall pass away, and therefore none was, in reading, skipped over, under pretence of want of time, or that any part was needless, or not proper to be read. It was not many weeks since Moses had preached the whole book of Deuteronomy to them, yet Joshua must now read it all over again; it is good to hear twice what God has spoken once, Ps. 62. 11. and to review what has been delivered to us, or to have it repeated, that we may not let it slip. (2.) Eveiy Israelite was present, even the women and the little ones, that all might know and do their duty. Note, Masters of families should bring their wives and children with them to the solemn assemblies for religious worship. All that are capable of learning, must come to be taught out of the law. The strangers also attended with them; for wherever we are, though but as strangers, we should improve every opportunity of acquainting ourselves with God and his holy will.
CHAP. IX.
Here is in this chapter, I. The impolitic confederacy of the kings of Canaan against Israel, v. 1, 2. II. The politic confederacy of the inhabitants of Gibeon with Israel. 1. How it was subtilely proposed and petitioned for by the Gibeonites, pretending to come from a far country, v. 3..13. 2. How it was unwarily consented to by Joshua and the Israelites, to the disgust of the congregation when the fraud was discovered, v. 14..18. 3. How the matter was adjusted to the satisfaction of all sides, by giving these Gibeonites their lives, because they had covenanted with them, yet depriving them of their liberties, because the covenant was not fairly obtained, v. 19..27.
1.AND it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof, 2. That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
Hitherto the Canaanites had acted defensively, the Israelites were the aggressors upon Jericho and Ai; but here the kings of Canaan are in consultation to attack Israel, and concert matters for a vigorous effort of their united forces, to check the progress of their victorious arms. Now, 1. It was strange they did not do this sooner. They had notice long since of their approach; Israel's design upon Canaan was no secret; one would have expected that a prudent concern for their common safety should have put them upon taking some measures to oppose their coming over Jordan, and maintain that pass against them, or to have given them a warm reception as soon as they were over. It was strange they did not attempt to raise the siege of Jericho, or at least fall in with the men of Ai, when they had given them a defeat. But they were either, through presumption or despair, wonderfully infatuated, and at their wit's end; many know not the things that belong to their peace till they are hid from their eyes. 2. It was more strange that they did it now. Now that the conquest of Jericho had given such a pregnant proof of God's power, and that of Ai of Israel's policy, one would have thought the end of their consultation should have been, not to fight with Israel, but to make peace with them, and to gain the best terms they could for themselves. This had been their wisdom, Luke 14. 32. but their minds were blinded, and their hearts hardened to their destruction.
Observe, (1.) What induced them now at last to enter upon this consultation. When they heard thereof, v. 1. not only of the conquest of Jericho and Ai, but of the convention of the states of mount Ebal, which we have an account of immediately before; when they heard that Joshua, as if he thought himself already complete master of the country, had had all his people together, and had read the laws to them, by which they must be governed, and taken their promises to submit to those laws, then they perceived the Israelites were in good earnest, and thought it was high time for them to bestir themselves. The pious devotions of God's people sometimes provokes and exasperates their enemies more than any thing else. (2.) How unanimous they were in their resolves. Though they were many kings of different nations, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, &c. doubtless of different interests, and that had often been at variance one with another, yet they determined, nemine contradicente—unanimously, to unite against Israel. O that Israel would learn this of Canaanites, to sacrifice private interests to the public welfare, and to lay aside all animosities among themselves, that they may cordially unite against the common enemies of God's kingdom among men!
3. And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4. They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors; and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound
