th~ ~are.elites, whilet_ we exp~ct and fu:id such purity and such an anticipation of the opm1ons of modern times as Justly entitles the "the law of Moses" to be considered a revelation from God, yet would it have been Quixotic to take no account of prevalent opinions and tendencies, to demand of the Israelites exactly what Chris- tianity now demands after so many centuries of civilisation. There is no change, therefor~, in the character _of Go~, no ad~ance in wisdom or love supposed, only such a difference of reputation as 1s necessitated by a due regard for the condition of those to whom Divine co=ands are given. We must not, therefore, talk of a contradiction between the spirit of the gospel maxim, " love your enemies," and the precept followed in the text as seeming to say," act with barbarity.'' As a rule, God's judgments here do not distinguish degrees of guilt. Famines and pestilences of old times scourged a whole neighbourhood. So in the present instance the sword visited all with puniohment. Let us not forget, however, that these judgments are not final. Nothing is determined respecting the ultimate state of those involved in the general destruction. Minute discrimination is for the other world. Is not God's love exemplified even in the stern precept of the text? I. Love to surrounding nations. This terrible example might prove beneficial. The only proof to them of superior power was prowess in war. This alone could bring them to acknowledge that the God of Israel, "he was Lord." 2. To His own people. The danger was lest the Israelites should be contami- nated, and after events showed the wisdom of God's command. The people were so easily seduced from their allegiance to Jehovah. And God was impartial. He threatened that if the Israelites did evil, their fate should be similar. 3. To the whole world. Since if the chosen people had utterly lost the truth, the light would have been universally extinguished. Through Israel the promised Messiah was to come. Woe to the world if the way were blocked up, and no Saviour appeared dawning as the Sun of Righteousness on this benighted earth. Many lessons may be drawn. We learn the authority of God, and His hatred of sin. Ours is no emasculated religion. If God were a being of kindness only, then kindness with sin would mean total misery. "Except we repent we shall all like- wise perish." When we look at His anxiety for the welfare of His people, and the preparation made for the gift of His Son, we are taught" the goodness and se,erity of God" (Rom. xi. 22).-A.
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XI. 1-23. tion bnt what their wee.k faith enabled them courageously to confront. Jabi.n king of THE PROSECUTION OF THE WAR.- 'ver. I. Razor. Jabin (the Hebrew meaning of this -And it came to pass. The political con- word is intelligent) was, like Pharaoh in stitution of Palestine was, humanly speak- Egypt, the usual name for the king that ing, the cause of its overthrow. The division reigned in Razor (see Judg. iv. 2, 23, 24). He of the country into .1 host of petty states, was a powerful monarch, and if not before, at and the consequent want of cohesion and least after, the Israelitish inrnsion became concert, made its conquest a comparatively the acknowledged heacl of the league formed easy task. Had the kings of the north rallied among the Canaanites against the Israelites. round the standard set up in Central Pales- The first mention we ho:<e of Hazor in tine by Adoni.zedek, a fa.r more formidable history is before the Exodus. The temple opposition would have been offered to Joshua at Karnak, in Egypt, contains an account of at Gibeon. Calvin takes us, however, at once a.n expedition into Palestine by Thotmes to the fountain head, and remarks how God III., in which Kedeshu, Magedi, Damesku, fitted the burden to those who had to bear it. Khatzor or Hazara, and other places a.re In spite of the great things G~cl had done t_o mentioned. We may no doubt identify them, they migbthave beenclr1ven to_desp~1r these with Kedesh - Naphtali, Megiddo, (and every one knows bow weak their faith Damascus, a.ncl Hazor (see Palest. Exp!. was) by the overwhelming numbers of the Quart. Pa.per, April, 187G). Hazor, like enemy. But by rel\son of the slackness of furt in French and German, caer in their opponents they were able to meet an~ Welsh, and the termination cester in overcome them in detail, without any oppos1- English (so also che~le,·), signifies a ca.stle 186 TitE BOOK O:F' J'OSHUA, [oH. XI, 1-28,