people Israel, in giving so many men for them, and people for their life, Isa. 43. 4. when the heathen are to be cast out to make room for this vine, (Ps. 80. 8.) Divine justice appears more prodigal than ever of human blood, that the Israelites might find themselves for ever obliged to spend their lives to the glory of that God, who had sacrificed so many of the lives of his creatures to their interest. (3.) Hereby was typified the final and eternal destruction of all the impenitent implacable enemies of the Lord Jesus, who having slighted the riches of his grace, must for ever feel the weight of his wrath; and shall have judgment without mercy. Nations that forget God, shall be turned into hell, and no reproach at all to God's infinite goodness. 3. The great success of this expedition. The spoil of these cities was now divided among the men of war that plundered them; and the cities themselves, with the land about them, were shortly to be divided among the tribes, for the Lord fought for Israel, v. 42. They could not have gotten the victory, if God had not undertaken the battle; then we conquer when God fights for us; and if he be for us, who can be against us?
CHAP. XI.
This chapter continues and concludes the history of the conquest of Canaan; of the reduction of the southern parts we had an account in the foregoing chapter; after which we may suppose Joshua allowed his forces some breathing-time; now here we have the story of the war in the north, and the happy success of that war. I. The confederacy of the northern crowns against Israel, v. 4..5. II. The encouragement which God gave to Joshua to engage them, v. 6. III. His victory over them, v. 7..9. IV. The taking of their cities, v. 10..15. V. The destruction of the Anakims, v. 21, 22. VI. The general conclusion of the story of this war, 16..20, 23.
1.AND it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 2. And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, 3. And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon, in the land of Mizpeh. 4. And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 5. And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. 6. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to-morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. 7. So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. 8. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrepnoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. 9. And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
We are here entering upon the story of another campaign that Joshua made, and it was a glorious one, no less illustrious than the former in the success of it, though in respect of miracles, it was inferior to it in glory. The wonders God then wrought for them, were to initiate and encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war carried on by the preaching of the Gospel against Satan's kingdom, was at first forwarded by miracles; but the war being by them sufficiently proved to be of God, the managers of it are now left to the ordinary assistance of divine grace in the use of the sword of the Spirit, and must not expect hail-stones, or the standing still of the sun.
In this story we have,
I. The Canaanites taking the field against Israel. They were the aggressors, God hardening their hearts to begin the war, that Israel might be justified beyond exception in destroying them. Joshua and all Israel were returned to the camp at Gilgal, and perhaps these kings knew no other than that they intended to sit down content with the conquest they had already made, and yet they prepare war against them. Note, Sinners bring ruin upon their own heads, so that God will be justified when he speaks, and they alone shall bare the blame for ever. Judah was now couched as a lion gone up from the prey; if the northern kings rouse him up, it is at their peril. Gen. 49. 9. Now,
I. Several nations joined in this confederacy, some in the mountains, and some in the plains, v. 2. Canaanites from east and west, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, &c. v. 3. of different constitutions, and divided interests among themselves, and yet they here unite against Israel, as against a common enemy. Thus are the children of this world more unanimous, and therein wiser, than the children of light. The oneness of the church's enemies should shame the church's friends out of their discords and divisions, and engage them to be one. 2. The head of this confederacy was Jabin king of Hazor, v. 1. as Adoni-zedek was of the former; it is said, v. 10, Hazor had been the head of all those kingdoms, which could not have revolted, without occasioning ill-will; but that was forgotten and laid aside upon this occasion, by consent of parties, (Luke 23. 12.) When they had all drawn up their forces together, every kingdom bringing in its quota, they were a very great army, much greater than the former, as the sand on the sea-shore in multitude, and, upon this account, much stronger and more formidable, that they had horses and chariots very many, which we do not find the southern kings had; thereby they had a great advantage against Israel, for their army consisted only of foot, and they never brought horses or chariots into the field. Josephus tells us, that the army of the Canaanites consisted of three hundred thousand foot, ten thousand horse, and twenty thousand chariots. Many there be that rise up against God's Israel; doubtless their numbers made them very confident of success, but it proved that so much the greater slaughter was made of them.
II. The encouragement God gave to Joshua to give them the meeting, even upon the ground of their own choosing, v. 6, Be not afraid because of them. Joshua was remarkable for his courage, it
