The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 398

the city of the moon-god, lends ilself most cannot be e.ccoanted for on the supposition no.turally to the fobricator of myths. There that our author was ii;norant of them, for is only one objection to tbo theory, and that we have ample proof that the Book of is the bricks, still in existence, st1>mped Joshn11 was compiled subsequently to the with the words Uru, which compel us to Pcntateuch. This is demonstrated by the descend from this delightful cloud-land quotations, too nnmerons to spetify here, oi fancy to the more sober regions of which have been noticed in their place. We Rolid and literal fact (see ' Studies on the can only, therefore, regard the omission Time~ of Abro.ham,' pp. 205-207). In made simply for the sake of brevity, and old time, Literolly, from everlastiny, i.e., because they were so well known to all, as a from time immemorial. a,r apx~c- The sign of that tendency, noticed under ver. l, Robbinic tradition has great probability in to abstain from that amplification of marvels it, that Abraham was driven out of his common to all mythical histories. Had native country for refusing to worship idols. Joshua desired to indulge a poetic imagina- It is difficult to understand his call other- , tion, an admirable opportunity was !Jere •wise. No doubt .his great and pure soul • afforded him. had learned to abbor the idolatrous and Ver. 6.-'0'nto the Red Sea. There is no cruel worship of his countrymen. By in- unto in the original. Perhaps the meaning ward struggles, perhaps by the vague here is into the mid.st of, the abruptness .·survival of the simpler and truer faith with which it is introduced meaning more which has been held to underlie every than that the Israelites arrived at it. But polytheistic system, he had " reached a though without the He locale, it may be no purer air," and learned to adore the One more than the accasative of motion towards True God. His family were led to embrace a place. his doctrines, and they left their native Ver. 7.-And when they cried unto the land with him. But Haran, with his star- Lord This fact is taken, without addition worsbip, was no resting-place for him. So or amplification, from Exod. :riv. 10-12. he journeyed on westward, leaving the The original has unto Jehovah, for "unto society of men, and preserving hiinself from the Lord." He put darkness (see Exod. temptation by bis nomad life. No wander- :riv. 19, 20). The occurrence, which there is ing Bedouin, as some would have us believe most striking and miraculoas, is here briefly (see Drew, 'Scripture Lands,' p. 18), but a related. But the miracle is presupposed, prince, on equal terms with Abimelech and although its precise nature is not stated. Pharaoh, and capable of overthrowing the You. This identification of the Israel of mighty conqueror of Elam. Such an ex- Joshua's day with their forefathers is ample might well be brought to the memory common in this book (see notes on eh. vi. of his descendants, who were now to be 21, &c.). A long sea.son. Literally, many sojourners in the land promised to their days. Here, again, there is no discrepancy father. Guided by conscience alone, with between the books of Moses and this every external influence against him, he epitome of their contents. If both this had worshipped the true God in that land. speech and the Penta.tench were a clumsy No better argument could be offered to his patchwork, made up of scraps of this narra- descendants, when settled in that same tive and that, flung together at random, land, and about to be bereft of that valuable this masterly abstract of the contents of the support which they had derived from the Pentateucb is little short of a miracle. life and influence of Joshua. Whatever may be eaid of the rest of the Ver. 5.-And I plagued Egypt, according narrative, this speech of Joshua's must to tha.t which I did a.mong them. This have been written subsequently to the verse implies that the Israelites possessed appearance of the books of Moses in their some authentic record which rendered it present form. But is there any trace of the unnecessary to enter into detail. Add to later Hebrew in this chapter more than this the fact that this speech is ascribed to any other? Joshua, and that the historiau, as we have Yer. 8.-And I brought you into the land seen, had access to authentic sources of of tbe Amorttes (sec eh. xii. 1-6; Num. information, and we cannot avoid the con- xxi. 21-35; Dent. ii. 32-36; iii. 1-17). clusion that the hypothesis of the existence Ver. 9.-Then Balak, son of Zippor. We of the written law of Moses at the time of have here the chronological or,ler, as well as the death of Joshua bas a very high degree the exact historical detail, of the events of probability. The word rendered "plagued" carefully preserved. Warred against Israel is literally smote, hut usually with the idea The nature of the war is indicated by the of a. visitation from God. And afterward I rest of the narrative, and this \allies com- brought you out. 'fhe absence of any men- pletely with that gi,en in the Book of ~ion of the )?!agues here is noteworthy. It NWllbers, Balak woulcl have fought if he  THE BOOK OF .TO'SRUA.