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was with Joshua as he was with Moses; and this was designed to fill Joshua's mind with further reverence, and submission, and to prepare him to receive the instructions that were given him in the next chapter, with a becoming temper. And Joshua did so.

REFLECTIONS.

O W kind and merciful are God's dealings with Israel, into their enemies to make the conquest easy, and the success sure. He renewed a rite that would be a seal of the promise of Canaan, and a pledge of its possession; a seal of the righteousness of faith, and of those spiritual blessings which were promised to the pious descendants of Abraham. He renewed the passover, which called to remembrance their deliverance from Egypt; and both these were tokens of his continued favour. These actions, in these circumstances, so contrary to the rules of human policy, and which might have exposed them to so much danger from the Canaanites, were considerable proofs of the divine authority of the Mosaical law, and God's interposition for Israel; and were designed to raise their courage, and strengthen their faith. Yet he did not multiply miracles unnecessarily; which would have made them lose their use and benefit; and therefore he removed the manna when corn was to be had.

2. Let us rejoice in the character of the Lord Jesus Christ, as captain of the Lord's host. He is the captain of our salvation. All his faithful followers are the true Israel of God; he is engaged on their side; and though a host should be encamped against them, they have no reason to fear, for he is the commander and leader of his people; wise, tender, powerful, and faithful. He leads on his charge against his enemies; and through his gracious assistance, we shall be more than conquerors.

3. A due reverence becomes us when we draw near to God, and receive messages from him: Loose thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. This is applicable to us. Christ makes no personal appearance as the representative of God now; but ministers are his ambassadors; and when we come to join in religious worship, and attend God's house, let us remember it is holy ground; and outward expressions of reverence, when we come to appear before God, are very becoming and necessary. Lifting up the hands and eyes, and especially kneeling, are recommended to us in the New Testament, by the example of Christ and his apostles. And every humble worshipper will not only engage his heart to approach God, but will show all the external marks of reverence in his worship; for God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his saints, and holiness becomes his house; and he has expressly re quired that we glorify him with body and spirit, which are his.

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CHAP. VI.

In this chapter we have an account of the manner in which the city of Jericho was to be surrounded; the execution of the divine order, and the fulfilment of the divine promise the deliverance of Rahab and her house; and a solemn curse denounced on the man who should attempt to rebuild the city.

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OW Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.** 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, by the angel, the captain of his host, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, [and] the mighty men of valour; perhaps the best forces of the Canaanites were collected to defend it, being a frontier town ; but notwithstanding this, it shall be taken, and 3 the king and the men of valour be slain. And this shall be the method of doing it, ye shall compass the city, all [ye] men of war, [and] go round about the city once: Thus shalt thou dó six days, to exercise thy faith, obedience, and patience. 4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of ram's horns and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.f 5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long [blast] with the ram's horn, [and] when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall 6 ascend up every man straight before him. And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, who were to carry the ark upon this extraordinary occasion, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets 7 of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD. And he said unto the people, the men of war, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed, the men of the two tribes and a half, 8 (ch. i. 14.) pass on before the ark of the LORD. And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets : and the 9 ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, [the priests] going on, and blowing with the trumpets, obeying with cheerfulness 10 and faith. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, nei

* It was a strong city, with high walls, and for this reason the inhabitants thought themselves secure.

Not the silver trumpets, but only rams' horns, which in some countries are used by shepherds and swineherds to this day. God chose these mean instruments, to put the greater honour upon his ark and priests, and to try the faith of his people.

ther shall [any] word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout; ye shall march with profound silence, that ye may have time to contemplate the height of the wall, and the strength of the city, and to recollect former wonders, and divine promises; thus preparing your minds for 11 the event. So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about [it] once; and they came into the camp, and lodged in 12 the camp. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the 13 priests took up the ark of the LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, [the priests] going on, and blow14 ing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed

the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six 15 days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, which was probably their sabbath, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. This was done to tes tify their faith in God's promise (Heb. xi. 30,) and joyful assurance of success; to encourage one another in the following as17 sault, and to strike fear into their enemies. And the city shall be accursed, [even] it, and all that [are] therein to the LORD. This direction was probably given just before they shouted, that they might know how to treat the city; it was to be accursed, that is, devoted to destruction, and consecrated to God, as being the first fruits of their victory in Canaan ; they must make an example of this city, as a warning to others, to incline them either to make peace, or to quit their towns without compulsion: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that [are] with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent; this both justice and gratitude required; but they were not on any 18 account to touch the spoil: And ye in any wise keep [yourselves] from the accursed thing, lest ye make [yourselves] accursed, liable to that curse, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, liable to punishment, and trouble it, by exposing the whole camp to the displeas19 ure of almighty God. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels

of brass and iron, [are] consecrated unto the LORD: they 20 shall come into the treasury of the LORD.* So the people shouted when [the priests] blew with the trumpets and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall

*Or, all the idols shall be utterly destroyed; the rest shall pass through the fire, as directed in Numb. xxxi, 22, 23, and so be sonsecrated to God's service.

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fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.*

And they utterly destroyed all that [was] in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword, according to God's command, Deut. xx. 16, 17. Thus the people were punished for their own wickedness, God was honoured, neighbouring cities were terrified, 22 and Israel encouraged. But Joshua had said unto the two men that spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. As this house stood on the wall of the city, it is plain 23 the whole wall did not fall at once. And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel, till they were well instructed in the Jewish re24 ligion, and then they were admitted into the congregation. And they burnt the city with fire, and all that [was] therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they 25 put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, who had given credit to what she had told them, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel, [even] unto this day, because she hid the messengers which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

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And Joshua adjured [them] at that time, made the elders of Israel take a solemn oath, saying, Cursed [be] the man before the LORD, from God's presence, and by his sentence, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest [son] shall he set up the gates of it; he shall lose all his children in the work; the first, at the beginning; others, in the progress; by degrees ; 27 and the youngest in the close of it. So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was [noised] throughout all the country,

*The Hebrew is, the wall fell under it; the Jews say, sunk into the ground, so that no stones or rubbish remained to hinder their march into the city. Perhaps the whole of it did not fall, but only that part opposite to the Israelites, who immediately marched forward and took the city.

+ She was married to Salmon, a prince of the tribe of Judah, one of Christ's progenitors, see Matt. i. 5 and was alive when this book was written.

We are told in 1 Kings xvi. 34. that it was rebuilt in the time of Ahab, by Hiel the Bethelite, who was tempted by its pleasant situation; but it is added, he laid the foundadation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. After this, it became a school of the prophets! Samuel and Elijah lived there; and Christ was there at the house of Zaccheus, where he did several miracles.

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REFLECTIONS.

ET us learn to cultivate faith in God's promise; By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, Heb. xi. 20. The people believed that God would work this miracle; therefore they compassed the city about, and waited patiently seven days, and thus their faith was exercised and improved. This was perfectly rational, because the promise was made by that Being, whose infinite power was able to effect it. We may and ought to trust God to fulfil his word, though things should seem improbable, for nothing is too hard for him. May we then be strong in faith; that faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.

2. Let us adore that Providence, which, by such unlikely methods, brings about his important designs. This procession had more the appearance of pastime, than a siege. A strange siege ! No trenches or batteries; and even the armed men were not to use their arms. Doubtless the inhabitants of Jericho despised and laughed at them, bantered them, hissed at them, and thought themselves secure. But God intended to try the faith and obedience of his people; to teach them to expect victory, not from their sword or valour, but from his assistance and all-sufficiency. His counsel shall stand. The accomplishment of his promises is sure, whatever walls or hindrances lie in the way. Thus God deals with his people now; he exercises thefr virtue, by leading them through unexpected ways, and delaying the blessings they 'want and hope for. But when the end is answered, it will appear every way worthy of God, and conducive to their comfort and happiness.

3. We see, that those who honour God, he will honour, v. 27. Joshua did so, by exact obedience to his commands; and God appeared to be with him, gave him favour in the eyes of the Israelites, and spread his fame through all the country. If it be our care to follow God's directions, and observe his law, we shall find favour and good understanding in the sight of men.

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