Jos 6:21, 8:2, 22-29 | TSK | STEP | And they.The Canaanites were ripe for destruction; and God was pleased, instead of destroying them by a pestilence, a famine, or an earthquake, to employ the Israelites as the executioners of his vengeance. Had an angel been commissioned to slay them, who would have charged him with iniquity or cruelty? In all public calamities infants are involved; and tens of thousands of infants die in great agony every year. Now, either God is not the agent in these calamities, (which opinion, though often implied in men's reasonings on these subjects, is not far from atheism;) or they must consist with the most perfect justice and goodness. utterly.

Joshua 6:21

And they.The Canaanites were ripe for destruction; and God was pleased, instead of destroying them by a pestilence, a famine, or an earthquake, to employ the Israelites as the executioners of his vengeance. Had an angel been commissioned to slay them, who would have charged him with iniquity or cruelty? In all public calamities infants are involved; and tens of thousands of infants die in great agony every year. Now, either God is not the agent in these calamities, (which opinion, though often implied in men's reasonings on these subjects, is not far from atheism;) or they must consist with the most perfect justice and goodness.

utterly.

9:24,25; 10:28,39; 11:14; De 2:34; 7:2,3,16; 20:16,17

1Sa 15:3,8,18,19; 1Ki 20:42; Ps 137:8,9; Jer 48:18; Re 18:21

Joshua 8:2

do to Ai.

24,28,29

See on ch.

6:21; 10:1,28; De 3:2

only the spoil.

27; De 20:14; Job 27:16,17; Ps 39:6; Pr 13:22; 28:20; Jer 17:11

Lu 12:20,21

lay thee.

7,9,12,14,19; Jud 20:29-33; 2Ch 13:13; 20:22; Jer 51:12

Joshua 8:22-29

let none.

6:21; 10:28; 11:11,12; De 7:2; Job 20:5; Lu 17:26-30; 1Th 5:3

29; 10:17; 1Sa 15:8; Re 19:20

returned unto Ai.This must refer to the women, children, and old persons left behind; for it seems that all the effective men had sallied out when they imagined the Israelites had fled. (ver. 16.)

10:30-41; 11:10-14; Nu 21:24

Joshua.Joshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army, (ver. 18,) and continued in this employment, by holding up or extending his spear, during the whole of the battle; and did not slacken from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Some commentators, however, understand this action in a figurative sense, like the holding up of Moses' hands, as if it implied that Joshua continued in prayer for the success of his troops, nor ceased till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed.

drew not.

18; Ex 17:11,12

the cattle.

2; 11:4; Nu 31:22,26; Ps 50:10; Mt 20:15

he commanded.

an heap.

De 13:16; 2Ki 19:25; Isa 17:1; 25:2; Jer 9:11; 49:2; 50:26; Mic 3:12

unto this day.

4:9

the king.The kings of Canaan lay under the same curse as their subjects and probably were more deeply criminal. The reserving of the king of Ai for a solemn execution, would tend to strike terror into the other kings, contribute to the success of Israel, and give their proceedings the stamp of a judicial process, and of executing the vengeance of God upon his enemies.

10:26-28,30,33; De 21:22,23; Es 7:10; Ps 107:40; 110:5; Ac 12:23

Re 19:17,18

as soon.

10:27

a great heap.

7:26; 2Sa 18:17