Sermon Bible And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, Joshua 11:23 This text is said to be directly at issue with other statements in the Book of Joshua. Thus the fifteenth chapter ends with these words: "As for the Jebusites, the children of Jerusalem could not drive them out," and in Joshua's dying exhortation he foretells that "a remnant of these nations shall remain among them." From this the conclusion is drawn that the Book of Joshua was not cast at a single jet; that it is a thing of shreds and fragments; that it is made up of two pieces, one Jehovistic, the other Elohistic, patched together by a stupid, not to say dishonest, chronicler. To this we answer: (1) It is only right to notice the qualification in the text. "Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said unto Moses." But the promise to Moses was that it should be taken "by little and little." (2) Viewed geographically and statistically, there were exceptions to be made to the statement contained in the text, and these are fully and fairly related in the sequel. But there was another point of view from which the map of Joshua's conquests might be studied. The Canaanites might still lurk in the mountain fastnesses, in the depth of the primeval forest. But there were haunting voices that hung about the national heart. There were strange, mysterious lights that seemed to stream down from a deep sunset heaven, which touched the old stem of their history, and opened long lanes into the dark vistas of the future. Strengthened by the promises of God, cheered by the declarations of prophecy, animated by the miracles which had led the Israelites across the Jordan and caused the walls of Jericho to fall before the trumpet blast, Joshua, or whoever was the author of this book, wrote down—it was a venture of faith—"So Joshua took the whole land." Bishop Alexander, Sermon Preached in St. Paul's Cathedral, July 2nd, 1873. References: 11—Parker, vol. v., pp. 211, 279. 12, 13—Ibid., p. 220. Joshua 13:1.—T. Guthrie, The Way to Life, p. 297; Parker, vol. v., p. 279. Joshua 13:22.—Expositor, 2nd series, vol. v., p. 413. Joshua 13:33.—Parker, vol. V., p. 280. 14—Ibid., p. 228. Joshua 15:15.—W. Lindsay Alexander, Sunday Magazine, 1865, p. 594; Parker, vol. v., p. 281. 15-19.—Ibid., pp. 237, 244. Joshua 17:14.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxii., No. 1882. Joshua 19:47.—Expositor, 3rd series, vol. v., p. 59. Joshua 19:49.—Parker, vol. v., p. 282. Joshua 20:2.—Ibid. Joshua 20:3.—Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 35. Joshua 20:5.—Parker, vol. v., p. 283. Joshua 20:7.—Ibid., p. 284. 20-24.—Ibid., p. 254. Joshua 21:2.—Ibid., p. 285. Joshua 21:43, Joshua 21:45.—Ibid. Joshua 21:45.—Ibid., p. 286. Joshua 22:16.—Ibid., p. 287. Joshua 22:20. -G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 412. And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.
And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.
And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;
Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war. William Robertson Nicoll's Sermon Bible Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub |
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