Joshua 11:19

11:15-23 Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared with what had been said to Moses. God's word and his works, if viewed together, will be found mutually to set each other forth. If we make conscience of our duty, we need not question the performance of the promise. But the believer must never put off his armour, or expect lasting peace, till he closes his eyes in death; nay, as his strength and usefulness increase, he may expect more heavy trials; yet the Lord will not permit any enemies to assault the believer till he has prepared him for the battle. Christ Jesus ever lives to plead for his people, and their faith shall not fail, however Satan may be permitted to assault them. And however tedious, sharp, and difficult the believer's warfare, his patience in tribulation may be encouraged by the joyfulness of hope; for he will, ere long, rest from sin and from sorrow in the Canaan above.

There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel,.... Though, according to the Jews, Joshua, upon his first landing in Canaan, sent letters and messages to all the inhabitants of the land, offering them peace on certain terms; particularly that he sent three messages, or proposed three things to them; that those who had a mind to flee might flee; that those who were desirous of making peace might make it; and they that were for war, let them fight; all were for the last, and so perished (e): save the Hivites and the inhabitants of Gibeon; these, some have thought, did not hear of the offers of peace, others think they did, and at first rejected them, but repenting were obliged to take the crafty methods they did to obtain it, of which see Joshua 9:1, all other they took in battle; refusing to submit to them and make peace with them. (e) Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 37. 3.

Joshua 11:19-20 . All other they took in battle — That is, all that were taken by Joshua were taken by the sword, and therefore it is no wonder that the war was long, when the enemy was so obstinate. It was of the Lord to harden their hearts — In the same sense in which he hardened the heart of Pharaoh. He did not soften their hearts through the influence of his almighty grace, but gave them up to their own animosity, pride, confidence, and stubbornness; and so ordered things, in the course of his wise and righteous providence, that they were imboldened to fight with the Israelites, notwithstanding they had heard of the wonders that were repeatedly wrought for them. And this he did in order that their abominable and incorrigible wickedness might be punished, and that the Israelites might not be mixed with them, but be entire among themselves in the possession of the land. That he might destroy them utterly, and they might have no favour — Which they might have obtained if they had not been so inconsiderate, and self-confident, and rash as to imagine they could withstand those before whom the river Jordan fled back, and the walls of Jericho fell down flat; and so would not hearken to the terms that Joshua offered to them.

17. from the mount Halak—Hebrew, "the smooth mountain." that goeth up to Seir—an irregular line of white naked hills, about eighty feet high, and seven or eight geographical miles in length that cross the whole Ghor, eight miles south of the Dead Sea, probably "the ascent of Akrabbim" [Robinson]. unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon—the city or temple of the god of destiny, in Baalbec.

Joshua made war with the kings of Canaan a long time; judging from Joshua 14:7 , Joshua 14:10 , as much as seven years, though Josephus (Ant. v. 1, 19) speaks of five (see at Joshua 14:10 ). No town submitted peaceably to the Israelites, with the exception of Gibeon: they took the whole in war. "For it was of the Lord" ( Joshua 11:20 ), i.e., God ordered it so that they (the Canaanites) hardened their heart to make war upon Israel, that they might fall under the ban, and be destroyed without mercy. On the hardening of the heart as a work of God, see the remarks upon the hardening of Pharaoh ( Exodus 4:21 ). It cannot be inferred from this, that if the Canaanites had received the Israelites amicably, God would have withdrawn His command to destroy them, and allowed the Israelites to make peace with them; for when they made peace with the Gibeonites, they did not inquire what as the will of the Lord, but acted in opposition to it (see at Joshua 9:14 ). The remark is made with special reference to this, and has been correctly explained by Augustine (qu. 8 in Jos.) as follows: "Because the Israelites had shown mercy to some of them of their own accord, though in opposition to the command of God, therefore it is stated that they (the Canaanites) made war upon them so that none of them were spared, and the Israelites were not induced to show mercy to the neglect of the commandment of God."

10. Naphtali Judah is first, having the first lot; and he dwelt in the south part of the land, Joshua 15:1, etc.; and next to him Simeon, because his inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah, Joshua 19:1. Benjamin was third; he had his inheritance by Judah, between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph, Joshua 18:11. Dan was the fourth; his lot fell westward of that of Benjamin, in the country of the Philistines, as may be seen in Joshua 19:40, Joshua 19:41, etc. Fifth, Manasseh; and sixth, by him, his brother Ephraim, whose inheritances were behind that of Benjamin, Joshua 16:7. Next to these dwelt, seventh, Zebulun; and eighth, Issachar; concerning whose lots see Joshua 19:10-17. Ninth, Asher; and tenth, Naphtali; see Joshua 19:24, Joshua 19:32, etc. And as in encamping about the tabernacle they were arranged according to their fraternal relationship, (see Numbers 2)., so they were in the division and inheriting of the promised land. Judah and Simeon, both sons of Leah, dwelt abreast of each other. Benjamin, son of Rachel, and Dan, son of Rachel's maid, dwelt next abreast. Manasseh and Ephraim, both sons of Joseph, son of Rachel, had the next place abreast. Zebulun and Issachar, who dwelt next together, were both sons of Leah; and the last pair were Asher, of Leah's maid, and Naphtali, of Rachel's maid.

THE CITIES OF THE GERSHONITES. (Camp. Joshua 21:27-33.) 1Chronicles 6:71-76. (71) Unto the sons of Gershom.—Supply they gave, from 1Chronicles 6:67. Golan in Bashan (comp. the classical Gaulanitis, a district east of the sea of Galilee) was a city of refuge, like Hebron and Shechem. Ashtaroth.—Images of Ashtoreth (Astarte, queen of heaven); a name like Anathoth (1Chronicles 6:60), which means “images of Anath,” or Anatum, the consort of Anurn (the sky). The two cities must have been ancient seats of the worship of Ashtoreth and Anath. The names still survive in Tell-Ashtereh and Anâta. Joshua (50100) reads Be’eshterah—perhaps a popular pronunciation of Beth-Ashterah (house of Ashtoreth). (72) Kedesh means “sanctuary.” Joshua 19:20; Joshua 21:28 has Kishion, which may have borne the other name, as being the seat of a famous sanctuary. (73) Ramoth.—In Joshua 21 Jarmuth, but in Joshua 19:21 Remeth. Jarmuth occurs in Joshua 12:11, and is probably right. Anem.—Joshua 21:29; Joshua 19:21 has En-gannim. Joshua 15:34 mentions a Judæan city called ha-Enam (the two fountains), and that not far from En-gannim (fount of gardens). Anem is very much like Enam. (74) Mashal is perhaps a popular pronunciation of Mish’al (Joshua 21:30; Joshua 19:26). (Comp. Shēlâh = She’ēlâh.) (75) Hukok.—Helkath (Joshua 19:25). Hukkôk was a city of Naphtali (Joshua 19:34). (76) Kedesh in Galilee.—A city of refuge (Joshua 21:32); the modern Kedes.

Verse 29. - The places mentioned in this verse were assigned to Manasseh. Bethshean was on the west of Jordan, and was within the borders of Issachar ( Joshua 17:11-13 ; 1 Kings 4:11, 12 ). Dor was within the borders of Asher ( Joshua 11:1, 2 ; Joshua 12:23 ; Joshua 17:11 ; Judges 1:27, 28 ). Taanach . This place also lay within the borders of Issachar or Asher ( Joshua 17:11, 12 ; Joshua 21:25 ; Judges 5:19 ). Megiddo . This place is constantly coupled with the preceding. It lay on the south of the plain of Esdraelon ( Joshua 12:21 ; Joshua 17:12 ; Judges 1:27 ; 1 Kings 4:12 ). 1 Chronicles 7:29