Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

ty of the storm, and the time of its occurrence, are the only circumstances that make it a miracle.

Men of certain constitutions of mind will read this passage, hundreds of times, without taking notice of the clause "hail-stones." To such minds the more wonderful and marvelous an event is, if the Lord is in any way connected with it, the greater the satisfaction its contemplation gives them. After all, the fact remains, that in general, the miracles of the Bible are natural events, rendered miraculous mainly by their intensity, or the time and circumstances of their occurrence.

Dr. Adam Clarke says he is "ready to grant," that the shower of stones might have been real stones, as well as hail-stones. "Of late the fall of real stones from the clouds has been closely investigated; and not only the possibility of the fall of such stones from the clouds, or from much higher regions; but the certainty of the case has been fully demonstrated." In perfect consistency with this view, Dr. Clarke assumes the literal and historical verity of the standing still of the sun and moon, at the command of Joshua. See Concluding Remarks of this section. In respect to both these passages, it is sufficient for us that we take the language as it is, and be not wise above what is written.

The destruction of the Canaanites by this hail, and the preservation of the Israelites in spite of it; are circumstances that may seem difficult on the natural theory. It may be admitted, if one is so disposed, that the difference in the result to the two armies was a miracle, and not explainable on any natural basis. At the same time, one can not help seeing that the circumstances of the two armies were quite different. One army was fleeing in the greatest disorder. It was passing over a very rough and stony tract of country. There were horsemen and footmen, horses attached to chariots, and a mixed multitude of men, women and children; such a crowd as followed all oriental armies.

The Israelites were pursuing. They had no occasion

for being disorderly. They had their shields to protect them from the hail. They had the shields that had been thrown away by their retreating foes. That which exposed the Canaanites to the greater destruction, gave to the Israelites greater safety and protection. As we know not how many were destroyed on either side, we think it safe to conclude, that the number was only such as would accord with these circumstances.

We read of the "going up to Beth-horon," and soon after, of the "going down to Beth-horon." The reference is to different places. The ground is as well known now as it was then. Beth-horon the upper is situated on high ground, some four or five miles west of Gibeon. The city was approached by going up. Leaving the place would be going down from Beth-horon; but the passage says nothing of this. In both places the words are "to Beth-horon."

The explanation is, that after the two armies had gone up to Beth-horon the upper, they turn south and go down to Beth-horon the lower or nether; and between the two places the country is rough and stony, and exceedingly difficult to pass over.

JOS. X.

15. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

16. But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

17. And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.

18. And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them; 19. And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into. their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.

20. And it came to pass, when

Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.

21. And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

22. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

23. And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of

Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and, thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

the king of Eglon.

24. And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near and put their feet upon the necks

of them.

25. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed: be strong, and of good courage: for

26. And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

27. And it came to pass, at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

The 15th verse is omitted by the Septuagint, and does not appear in the Hexapla of Origen. It interferes with the sense; for it is plain that the Hebrew leader did not return to Gilgal till after the death of the kings. It may be that the verse is genuine except one word. Let Gilgal be taken out, and Makkedah put in, and the passage may be true. That this is the true construction, is rendered probable by the fact, that there was a camp of the army at Makkedah. v. 21.

Joshua slew them, and hanged them on five trees. This verifies our opinion respecting the practice of hanging after the criminal was killed. "Hanging on a tree sometimes denotes crucifixion; but this form of punishment was not properly of Jewish origin. It was a Roman institution, and was not practiced among the Jews till they came under the Roman government.

He cast them into the cave. The most honorable burials were in caves. Abraham was buried in a cave. So were Isaac and Jacob, etc., etc. But generally more care was taken in the burial. In the present instance, the criminals were cast into the cave. The stones, placed at the mouth of the cave, were not so much for their protection, as for perpetuating a knowledge of the transaction to future ages.

CONCLUDING REMARKS ON SECTION VIII.

Standing still of the Sun and the Moon. Many are the theories of Biblical expounders concerning the passage, in the foregoing chapter, that speaks of the sun and moon standing still at the command of Joshua. The more ancient theories admit the truth of the passage, and are troubled and embarrassed only with the difficulty of reconciling them with the facts and principles of science. Benson, assuming the truth of the passage, has the following observations on the fitness of the miracle.

"We may remark here how very pertinent, both the miracle of the hail-stones, and this of the sun's being arrested in its course, were to the circumstances of the persons concerned in them. All nations had at this time their several tutelar deities, to whose protection they committed themselves and their country; and to whose power they imputed their success in war. Now the three principal deities whom the inhabitants of Canaan adored, were the sun, moon and heavens or air. To convince them, therefore, that the gods in whom they trusted, were subject to the God of Israel; and to punish them at the same time for the false worship they paid them, the Lord showered down great hail-stones from the heavens or air, which slew vast numbers of their powerful army; and then stopped the two great luminaries in their course, which gave the Israelites time and opportunity to complete their victory over the remainder.

Doctor Clarke occupies two large pages of his commentary with fine print, in giving his views of this subject, and showing the philosophical accuracy of the language of Joshua on this occasion. As Joshua spake by inspiration of God, he must have spoken according to the facts of science, and not according to appearances, or the common parlance.

Consequently he does not understand Joshua as commanding the sun to stand still, but to cease its influence on the earth; which would stop the earth in its motions, and

hold it there as long as the miracle continued. Hence, when it is said, in apparent reference to the command, that the sun stood still, the allusion is not to the revolution of the earth, or the apparent motion of the sun, but to the real central motion of the latter, on its axis. Thus the sun ceased its influence on the earth, leaving that to remain motionless, and ceased its own motion on its axis; and thus every thing remained, for a whole day; the moon remaining still at the same time; so that when the system commenced its motions, after exactly twenty-four hours, every thing went on as before!

It will not be pertinent perhaps for us to suggest difficulties and objections; for the Doctor confesses there are some such; but his space did not permit him to explain them.

As the whole story is taken from the book of Jasher, of which we know little or nothing, we do not feel called upon to defend its truth, or accuracy of statement. From the manner in which the quotation is made, it does not appear certain, that the author of the book of Joshua has uttered one word in favor of the truth of the quotation. We do not understand the language, "So the sun stood still, etc., v. 13th, as the language of the author of Joshua, but of Jasher.

There are several references to the book of Jasher in the Bible; and there is no intimation that there was more than one book bearing this title. From the form of the quotation here in Joshua, and from other circumstances, there can be no doubt that the book of Jasher was a sublime ode, intended to celebrate the victories of the Israelites over their enemies. It may have been identical with the "Book of the Wars of the Lord."

The poetry of the Hebrews, and indeed of all oriental nations. was quite different from the poetry of the Greeks and Romans, and still more unlike that of modern nations. Ancient writers, even prose writers, and much more the writers of poetry, were accustomed to use extravagant imagery.

« PredošláPokračovať »