The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 224

rative (,·ers. 31-36) shows that Eglon his old Partners with eoorne and obloquie" was on 1-he wn.y from L1tchish to Hebron. (Bp. Hall). Conder, in his 'Handbook' and in • Pal. Ver. 6.-To Gilgal, See note on eh. ix. 6. Explorntion Fund Quart. Paper,' Jan., 1878, That dwell in the mountains. AnoU1or p. 20, suggests Tell el Hesy, a name which life-like touch. Tbe details of the confede- he thinks m1ty " be a corruption of La- racy were not fully known to the Gibeoni tea. chish." This is 1t great mound on the main There had not been time for that. It was road from Eleutheropolis to Gaza. It is a only known that the storm was to break on strong 1trgument for Um Lakis that there them from the mountain region, Jerusalem are n1c immense number of instances where (ver. 4) being the head-quarters of the expe- tbe places retain their ancient names. The dition. As a matter of fact, the kings who strongest argument for Tell el Hesy is that formed the confederacy principally inhabited Lachish was evidently a place of some the lowlands, as we have seen. No one strength. Joshua, we read (ver. 32), " en- could have hit upon this apparent contra- camped against it " (this is said only of La- diction yet real agreement but one whose chish and Eglon), and "took it on the narrative was ~compiled from authentic sec.ond day," and it successfully resisted sources. the king of Ass~-ria. Now Tell el Hesy was Ver. 7.-Joehua ascended. Keil insists a " great mound " (Conder) ; but Um upon the military sense here, as against the Lakis is described by 'Vandevelde as situ- literal one, "went up." He believes in the ated on "a low mound." Deblr king of second Gi!gal, which was on higher ground Eglon. This, the modem Ajl§.n, according than the first (see eh. ix. 6), where, however, to the best authorities, was on the road we learn that the second Gilgal was not so from Eleutheropolis to Gaza, not far from elevated as Gibeon. And all the mighty Laehish. Ruins are to be found there ; but men of valour. A selection of the bravest we ha.,-e no means of ascertaining the size troops seems to be implied here, by the and importance of the town in the time of copulative particle. Cf. Gen. iii. 16, " Thy Joshua. The LXX., here and elsewhere in pain and (especially in the time of) thy this chapter, render by 'OooUaµ. In eh. pregnancy." xii. 11 they read 'Ey:\wv. There is bonsider- Ver. 8.-Fear not. The key-note of able similarity between Gimel and Daleth, Joshua's career, as of the career of every Mem and Nun in the ancient Hebrew cha- soldier of God (see eh. i. 9 ; xi. 6). racter. From this a various reading no Ver. 9.-Suddenly. By a night march, doubt resulted. so that he might surprise the confederates ,er. 4.-Come up unto me. Most of at the dawn of day. One of Joshua's chief these kings were in the lowlands. Hence characteristics as a general was celerity the expression " Come up 11 is accurate in (see eh. xi. 7). Masius praises Joshua for the mouth of the king of Jerusalem, and his prudence and diligence, and adds, " Qua strengthens the claim of the narrative to be arte Julium Ciesarem tot victoriis clo.rum regarded as authentic. That we may smite fuisse ne ipse quidem dissimulavit." And Gibeon. Or, a11d we will smite Gibeon. The went up. There is no " and " in the conjunction 1 often, but not always, signifies 01-iginal. It runs thus : " All the night he the purpose with which a thing is done. Here went (or had gone) up from Gilgal." there is nothing to guide us in the decision Ver. 10. - Discomtlted. The original whether the passage indicates the purpose or meaning of the word is to disturb, put in the result. It is in keeping with the whole motion. Hence, as here, to throw into con- history, and is one of the liie-like touches fusion, put to rout. Going up to Beth-horon. ·with which it aboundB, that the king of Beth-horon, or the house of the hollow, Jerusalem does not dare to suggest an attack consisted of two towns. The one is now upon Joshua. He can only venture upon called Beit Ur el Foka, or Upper Beit Ur, assailing Gibeon, standing in less fear of it the other Beit Ur el Tachta, or Lower Beit than of the divinely-protected invaders, and Ur. To the former led a difficult pass from hoping at least by this measure to deprive Joshua of formidable allies. " Cum anima Gibeon, called the ascent (i1>.P.~) to Beth- humana Verbo Dei se sociaverit, dubitare horon. From the former to the latter ran a non debet, statim se inimicos habituram, et path so rocky and rugged that ~t~ps have eos, quos ante habuerit amicos, in adversa- been made in the rock to facilitate the rios vertendos" (Orig., Hom. 2 on Joshua. descent. This is the " going down" (1".!10) See also Ecclus. ii. 1; 2 Tim. iii. 12). "As to Beth-boron mentioned in the next verse. Satan, so wicked men, cannot abide to lose So Maccabee~ iii. 16-24. (Cf. Robinson, any of their comm uni tie. If a convert come vol. iii. sec. 9). Speaking of the view from home, the angels welcome him with songs, Beth-horon, he says," The prospect included the Devils follow him with uprore and furie, the hill country and the plain as far as the crt. x. 1-43.] TlIE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 165