i. e. The Princes as before v. 79, o Not from their want or any defire they could have to ſuch unpleaſant and unwholeſome food ; nor in a Ceremony uſual in making Leagues, for that was not now done,but in thenext verſe : but that they might examine the truth of what they ſaid. p As they ought to have done upon all ſuch weighty and doubtful occaſions. So they are accuſed of raſhneſs and negle& oftheir Duty. For though it is probable, if God had been conſulted, he would have conſented to the ſparing of the Gi- beonites ; yet it ſhould have been done with more caution, and an obligation left upon them to embrace the true Religion which here was omitted. ;
15- And Joſhua made peace with them, and made a
league wich them, to let them live 9 + and the princes
of the congregation {ware unto them. | q(4i.e. )That they would not deſtroy them.Some queſtion whe- ther this League was lawful and obliging, becauſe it is contrary to
a poſitive and precedent Law of God, by which they were enjoyned |
to make no peace with them,bur utterly to deftroy them, Exod.23. 32.and 34.12,0c.But this law ſeemsto adnurt of ſome exception and favourable interpretation,and that raken from the reaſon and ſoul of that Law ; which was this, that the 7/raelires might not be tainted with their Idolatry and other Abominations by cohabitation with them ; and therefore when that reaſon ceaſed,(3. e.)if they were wil- ling to relinquiſh their-Poſſeſſions and Idolatry, and other wicked- neſs,and to embrace the true Religion, they might be ſpared. And tho this Law was delivered in general terms, becauſe God foreſaw that the Iſraelites would be moſt prone to err on that hand, by ſpa- ring thoſe whom they ſhould deſtroy ; yet that it was to be under= ſtood with an exception of Penitents,and true Converts, might ca- fily be gathered both from the example of Rahab,and from the Te- nor of Divine Threatnings,which though abſolutely delivered, al- Jow of this exception ; as appears from Jer. 18,7, 8. Jonah 3. 4. and from the great kindneſs and favour which God hath manifeſted un- ro all true Penitents, in delivering them from evils threatned to them, and inflited upon others; which kindneſs of God we alſo are obliged to imitate by vertue of that natural and moral Law of God implanted in us, and revealed to us, to which ſuch poſitive Commands as this of killing the Canaanites mult give place. An that this League was lawful and obliging, may ſeem probable, 1. Becauſe Jeſhus and all the Princes npon the review concluded it ſo to be,and ſpared them accordingly, v. 19,20,22,23. 2. Becauſe God
uniſhed the violation of it long after, 2 Sam.21.1. 3. Becauſe God is faid to have hardned the hearts of all other Cities, not to ſeek Peace with 1/ael,that ſo he might utterly deſtroy them, 7oſ. 11. 19, 20. which ſeems to imply that their utter Deſtru&ion did not ne- ceſſarily come upon them by vertue of any abſolute and perempto- ry Command of God to deſtroy them, but by their own obſtinate
" hardneſs, whereby they negleQed and refuſed to make peace with
the Iſ-acliter. Obj.This League was grounded upon a Deceit and Er- rour of the Perſons,which alſo they had entred a caution againſt,v. 7. Anſ.Their ſuppoſition that they were Canaanites,was indeed a part of the foregoing Diſcourſe, v. 7. and the Jſraelites reſted ſatisfied with their An{wer,and believed they were not, and ſo entered into the League ; but that League was abſolute,nor ſuſpended upon that or any other condition; and the error was not about the perſ'ns, but about the country and People to which they belonged, which
- Was not material to this Contra, no more than itis to a Contra&t
of Marriage, that rhe one perſon believed the other to be of an<- ther Country or Family than indeed they were.
16 © And it came to paſs atthe end of three days r,
after they had madea league with them,that they heard
that they were their neighbours, and har they dwelt a- mong them.
r (7. e.) At the laſt of them, or upon the third day, as it is faid, wv. 17. ſo this phraſe is elſewhere uſed, as Deur. 14. 28. and 31. 10. Or it may be properly underſtood, that after three days they heard this, and on the day after they heard this, they came £0 their Ci- mes, asSis faid, wv. 17. .
17 And the children of Iſrael journeyed,and came un- to their cities on the third day : now their cities ere Gi-
' beon, and Chephirah,and Beeroth,and Kirjath-jearim s.
a
F Which Cities were ſubje& to G:beon, which was the royal City, Jol. 10. 2.
18 And the children of Iſrael ſmote them not, be- cauſe the princes of the congregation had ſworn unto them by the LORD God of Iſrael: and all the congre- gation murmured againſt the princes ?.
t Partly from-that proneneſs which is in people to cenſure the a- Qions of their Rulers ; partly becauſe they might think the Prin- ces by their.caſhneſs had brought them into a ſnare, that they could neither kill them for fear of the Oath, nor ſpare them for fear of GodsCommand to the contrary ; and partly from their deſire of the poſſeſſion and ſpoil of theſe Cities,of which they thought them- ſelves hereby deprived. .
19 Burall the Princes faid unto all the congregation, We have ſworn unto them by the LORD « God of 1\- rael: now therefore we may not touch them x.
u They plead not the lawfulneſs, or the prudence of the ation ; but only the Obligation of an Oath; of which, though it was pro- cured by Fraud, they perceived the people ſufficiently ſenſible. (+. e.) Nor hurt them, as that wordis oft uſed, as Gen. 26. 11. Pſal. 105. 15. and 144. 5. Or not ſmite them, as is ſaid v. 18.
' 20 This y we willdotothem : we will even let them live, leſt wrath be upon us, becauſe of the breach of the Oath which we ſwarse unto them, |
5 Which follows, v, 27+ |
”
H U A. Chap. x.
21 And the prinees ſaid unto them, Let them live ( but letthem be hewers of wood, and drawers of water
unto all the congregation z) as the princes had * pros. + Ver; miſed them #5. =