got into fenced cities, wherethey would not long be safe themselves, nor were they capable of doing any service to the cities that sheltered them, unless they could have left their fears behind them. 3. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel, v. 21. This expression intimates, (1.) Their perfect safety and tranquillity: some think it should be read, from Exod. 11. 7, Against any of the children of Israel did not a dog move his tongue; no, not against any one man of them. They were not threatened by any danger at all after their victory, no, not so much as the barking of a dog. Not one single Israelite (for the original makes it so particular) was brought into any distress, either in the battle, or in the pursuit. (2.) Their honour and reputation; no man had any reproach to cast upon them, or an ill word to give them. God not only tied the hands, but stopped the mouths of their enraged enemies, and put lying lips to silence. (3.) The Chaldee paraphrase makes it an expression of their unallayed joy for this victory, reading it, There was no hurt or loss to the children of Israel, for which any man should afflict his soul. When the army came to be reviewed after the battle, there was none slain, none wounded, none missing, not one Israelite had occasion to lament either the loss of a friend, or the loss of a limb. So cheap, so easy, so glorious, was this victory.
II. The kings that had hidden themselves, must now be called to an account, as rebels against the Israel of God, to whom, by the divine promise and grant, this land did of right belong, and should have been surrendered upon demand.
See here, 1. How they were secured. The cave which they fled to, and trusted in for a refuge, became their prison, in which they were clapped up, till Joshua sat in judgment on them, v. 18. It seems, they all escaped both the hail-stones and the sword, God so ordering it, not in kindness to them, but that they might be reserved for a more solemn and terrible execution; as, for this cause, Pharaoh survived the plagues of Egypt, and was made to stand, that God might in him show his power, Exod. 9. 16. They all fled, and met at the same place, Providence directing them; and now they who were lately consulting against Israel, were put upon new counsels to preserve themselves, and agreed to take shelter in the same cave. The information brought to Joshua of this, is an evidence that there were those of the country, who knew the holes and fastnesses of it, that were in his interests. And the care Joshua took to keep them there when they were there, as it is an instance of his policy and presence of mind, even in the heat of action; so, in the success of their project, it shows how they not only deceive themselves, but destroy themselves, who think to hide themselves from God. Their refuge of lies will but bind them over to God's judgment.
2. How they were triumphed over. Joshua ordered them to be brought forth out of the cave, set before him at the bar, and their names called over, v. 22, 23. And when they either were bound and cast upon the ground, unable to help themselves, or throw themselves upon the ground, humbly to beg for their lives, he called for the general officers and great men, and commanded them to trample upon these kings, and set their feet upon their necks; not in sport, and to make themselves and the company merry, but with the gravity and decorum that became the ministers of the divine justice, who were not herein to gratify any pride or passion of their own, but to give glory to the God of Israel as higher than the highest, who treads upon princes as mortar, (Isa. 41. 25.) and is terrible to the kings of the earth, Ps. 76. 12. The thing does indeed look barbarous, thus to insult over men in misery, that were suddenly fallen from the highest pitch of honour into this disgrace; it was hard for crowned heads to be thus trodden upon, not by Joshua himself, (that might better have been borne,) at least not by him only, but by all the captains of the army; certainly it ought not to be drawn into a precedent, for the case was extraordinary, and we have reason to think it was by divine direction and impulse that Joshua did this. (1.) God would hereby punish the abominable wickedness of these kings, the measure of whose iniquity was now full. And by this public act of justice done upon these ringleaders of the Canaanites in sin, he would possess his people with the greater dread and detestation of those sins of the nations that God cast out from before them, which they would be tempted to imitate. (2.) He would hereby have the promise by Moses made good, (Deut. 33. 29.) Thou shalt tread upon their high places, that is, their great men, which should the rather be speedily fulfilled in the letter, because they are the very last words of Moses that we find upon record. (3.) He would hereby encourage the faith and hope of his people Israel, in reference to the wars that were yet before them. Therefore Joshua said, v. 25, Fear not, nor be dismayed. [1.] "Fear not these kings, or any of their's, as if there were any danger of having this affront now put upon them, in after-time revenged upon yourselves; a consideration which keeps many from being insolent toward those they have at their mercy, because they know not how soon the uncertain fate of war may turn the same wheel upon themselves; but you need not fear that any should rise up ever to revenge this quarrel." [2.] "Fear not any other kings, who may at any time be in confederacy against you, for you see these brought down, whom you thought formidable. Thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies; now that they begin to fall, to fall so low, that you may set your feet on their necks, you may be confident they shall not prevail, but shall surely fall before you," Esth. 6. 13. (4.) He would hereby give a type aud figure of Christ's victories over the powers of darkness, and believers' victories through him. All the enemies of the Redeemer shall be made his footstool, Ps. 110. 1. (And, see Ps. 18. 40.) The kings of the earth set themselves against him, Ps. 2. 2. but sooner or later we shall see all things put under him, Heb. 2. 8. and principalities and powers made a show of, Col. 2. 15. And in these triumphs we are more than conquerors, may tread upon the lion and adder, Ps. 91. 13. may ride on the high places of the earth, Isa. 58. 14. and may be confident that the God of peace shall tread Satan under our feet, shall do it shortly, and do it effectually, Rom. 16. 20. See Ps. 149. 8, 9.
3. How they were put to death. Perhaps when they had undergone that terrible mortification of being trodden upon by the captains of Israel, they were ready to say, as Agag, Surely the bitterness of death is past, and that sufficient unto them was this punishment which was inflicted by many; but their honours cannot excuse their lives, their forfeited, devoted lives. Joshua smote them with the sword, and then hanged up their bodies till evening, when they were taken down, and thrown into the cave in which they had hid themselves, v. 26, 27. That which they thought would have been their shelter, was made their prison first, and then their grave; so shall we be disappointed in that which we flee to from God, yet to good people the grave is still a hiding-place, Job. 14. 13. If these five kings had humbled themselves in time, and had begged peace instead of waging war, they might have saved their lives; but now the decree was gone forth, and they found no place for repentance, or the reversal of the judgment, it was too late to expect it, though, perhaps, they sought it carefully with tears.
Vol. ii.—H
