THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THE
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN or GLOUOEBTEB;
AND BY THII
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
WITH
INTRODUCTIONS BY TIIE
VERY REV. F. W. FARRAR, D.D., F.R.S., DEAN OF CANTERBURY RIGHT REV. H. COTTERILL, D.D., F.R.S.E. VERY REV. PRINCIPAL J. TULLOCH, D.D. REV. CANON G. RAWLINSON, M.A. REV. A. PLUMMER, M.A., D.D.
NEW EDITION.
11.onllon: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO.. LT!!· 1005. l'BJNTED SY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, J..ONDON AND BECCLES.
(Tiu rip,,{s •f t.-u,.{at{on a1td of .-ef,roductlon are res,rve,!.J THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THE
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN OF GLOUCESTER;
AND BY THE
. REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
JOSHUA. :1jntrol:mction. REV. A. PLUMMER, M.A., D.D., PlllSCIPAL OF UNIVERSITY (10LLEGE, DUilHAll.
<!Sxposition anlJ ~omiktics. REV. J. J. LIAS, M.A., VlOAll OF ST. EDWAnn's, CA!-IDillDGE, AND LATE LECTURER IN HEBREW AT LAMPETER COLLEGE.
~omilits b~ J:;Tarious ~utbors. REV. E. DE PRESSENSi, DD. REV. R. GLOVER, D.D. REV. J. WAITE, B.A. REV. W. F. ADENEY, n.A. REV. S. R. ALDRIDGE, B.A., LL.Il.
NEW EDlTION.
i!.on'Oon: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., LT~ 1905, PB.lNTED BY \\'1LL1AJ.f CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, J..ONDON AND BECCLES.
(The rig/et, 1// tra,,,.l,ation alld •f refroducUon a.-e resr1'1Jed.J THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THE
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN OF GLOUCESTER;
AND BY THE
. REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
JOSHUA. :1jntro'tuction. REV. A. PLUMMER, M.A., D.D., PlllSCIPAL OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, DURHAll.
<$xposition anlJ 11'!omiletics. REV. J. J. LIAS, M.A.., 1 VIOAR OF ST. EDWAilD S1 CA!-IDnIDGE, AND LATE LECTURER IN lIEDHEW AT LAMPETER COLLEGE,
~omflies b!! 1:Tarious ~utbors. REV. E. DE PRESSENSi, D.D. REV. R. GLOVEil, D.D. REV. J. WAITE, B.A. REV. W. Jo'. ADENEY, ~I.A. REV. S. R. ALDRIDGE, B.A., LL.Il.
NEW EDITION.
ilonllon: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRURNER & CO., LT~ 1905. INTRODUCTION TO THB
.HISTORICAL BOOKS: JOSHUA TO NEHEMIAH. DY
THE REV. A. PLUMMER, M.A., M'ABTEB OF UNlV.EBilrrY COLLEGE, DOBJlill'..
IN tragic interest alone the history of the children of Israel during the period before us-from Joshua to Nehemiah-is unique.* Perhaps some of us in the experience of life_ have known what it is to• see a young man of good birth and ability enter upon a noble inheritance which has long been waiting for him, and for the manage- ment and enjoyment of which wise and affectionate friends have been giving him the best training and preparation in their power. Such a sight kindles a hopeful enthusiasm, which, however, in thoughtful minds will be tempered with something of anxiety. Perhaps we have known also what it is in such a case to have our enthusiasm kept up bnt for a very short time, our hopes only very partially ful. filled, while our anxiety is more than justified. The fair inheritance, during a. career of some brilliancy, chequered by grievous mistakes, is ruinously mishandled, and at last lost altogether ; and the gifted owner, soared by disappointment and vitiated by reckless misconduct, becomes an outcast-almost a beggar. Snch things are not unco=on. And there are cases not frequent, but often possible, where, after weary years of struggling, the ruined outcast wins his way back to the possessions which .he had (mainly by his own fanlt) lost. What a contrast between the first taking possession and the second I The brightness of the inheritance is gone, and still more the brightness of him who enters npon it. Heavier work, heavier responsibilities lie before him ; and he has only crippled resources, in health, in energy, and in fortune, for meeting both. The task which confronted him at the beginning of life confronts him again at the end of it. But the work has we.xed while he has waned; and he has all his work to do with cold and palsied hands. There is still much to hope for, mnch to be thankful for ; but more to regret, still more to fear. The joy of returning is almost counterbalanced by the misery of contrasting the past with the present, and what is with what might have been (Ezra iii. 12, 13). An instance of this kind awakens keen interest a.ncJ. sympathy when we witness it in the case of an individual. How much more, then, when the chief actor is not an indi~dual, but a whole people, and that people one of the leading, one of the • In writing this Introduction the works of the following ~ters ~ong_ othen: h~v~ been used :-Edersheim, Ewald, Perowne, Smith, Stanley; together W1th articles m the Dictionary of the Bible' and various commentaries. JOSHUA. a ii IKTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORICAL DOORS: