CRITICAL NOTES.—
Joshua 10:21. None moved his tongue] A proverbial phrase, intimating that even the most offensive and insolent should be swed into absolute silence (cf. Exodus 11:7; also Jdt. 11:19).
Joshua 10:24. Put your feet upon the necks] The customary token of the triumph of the conquerors and the humiliation of their enemies. Joshua commands it here as an earnest of the victories yet to be won (Joshua 10:25). From this custom such passages as Psalms 110:1, Isaiah 26:6, derive their meaning and force.
Joshua 10:28. And that day] On the day of the great victory just recorded. The army seems to have returned from Azekah with the intention of encamping for the night at Makkedah (Joshua 10:10; Joshua 10:21; see also maps, placing Makkedah near to Ramleh). On reaching Makkedah, the people proceeded to slay and hang the five kings (Joshua 10:22-26). While the kings were yet suspended on the trees the Israelites attacked and destroyed the city and its inhabitants (Joshua 10:28). Then, before encamping for the night, they cut down the bodies of the kings, as the law commanded, and buried them; the account of this being given in Joshua 10:27, and before the record of the destruction of Makkedah, to preserve the unity of the paragraph. Thus was the arduous work, of what might well have been a very long day, completed; the sun “going down” (Joshua 10:27), at least now, at its appointed time.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Joshua 10:16-28
AFTER THE VICTORY
I. The workers of iniquity vainly attempting to hide themselves. “The five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.” Fancy the thoughts which must have filled their minds during the time in which they lay undiscovered. These were the first moments of quiet which they had known for at least two or three days. With what absolute amazement must they have surveyed the dreadful events of the few preceding hours! The change was positively awful both in its completeness and in its suddenness. It must have seemed like a dream. Only a few hours before, Adoni-zedec had sent out his summons for help. Hoham, and Piram, and Japhia, and Debir, had at once mustered their forces, and marched to join the king of Jerusalem. That done, they had proceeded, the evening before, to invest Gibeon. The day was too far advanced to commence operations; so they would wait till the morrow. With the morning light, the army of Joshua burst upon them. The attack was so sudden and so terrible, that panic and slaughter and flight took the place of battle. Then came the awful and destroying storm—huge hailstones which seemed hurled from the hand of an angry God, touching no Israelite, and sparing no Canaanite. Verily Jehovah must be fighting against them. At that stage their one hope must have been in the darkness. Would not the sun and moon, whom they had so often worshipped, hide their light, and thus facilitate the escape of their votaries? Alas! no. The hours passed on, but both sun and moon stood still in the heavens, as though at once to witness and aid in their destruction. How these thoughts, and many similar, must have chased through the minds of the five kings as they gained the welcome silence of the cave near Makkedah! And then, while they indulged in the hope that they had personally escaped, suddenly voices were heard at the cave’s mouth; some of their enemies appeared, and gazed on their five crouching forms; then a messenger entered, and the Israelites withdrew, rolling, however, great stones upon the cave’s mouth, and setting a guard outside. Thus once more the kings were left to darkness and silence, and this time to reflect sadly on the certainty of coming death.
1. They hide vainly, who seek to hide from God. (Cf. Genesis 3:8; Job 26:6; Psalms 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:24.)
2. They hide too late, who hide after God’s hand is stretched forth against them. (Cf. Amos 9:1-3.)
3. Only they hide well, who hide IN God. The Gibeonites had done this, and though they had done it singly, and thus brought upon them a confederate army, they were perfectly safe. The five kings had tried to hide from God, and they had failed utterly. Happy is he who can seek refuge in the Rock of Ages, and there say in the joy of conscious safety, “Thou art my hiding-place.” (Cf. Psalms 17:8; Psalms 27:5.)
II. The servants of the Lord concerning themselves with tokens of Divine favour rather than with their prostrate foes (Joshua 10:19) These God-aided Israelites are calm in the very heat of a most exciting victory Joshua thinks, not of vengeance, but of fulfilling to the utmost the commandment of the Lord. More than this, Joshua looks upon the captured kings not merely as enemies to be killed, but as witnesses of God’s further help in triumphing over enemies yet left. He sees in the captive kings one more token that God will give him the victory over enemies yet unsubdued: “The Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.”
III. The victories of the Lord as bringing to His people, sooner or later, perfect peace from their enemies. “None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel” (Joshua 10:21). When the Lord fought for His people in Egypt, it was with the same result (Exodus 11:7). How complete will be the peace of God’s children in their final triumph! Then, indeed, “the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety.”
IV. Men, once prominent in sin, suffering in conspicuous shame and peculiar punishment (Joshua 10:22-27).
1. The five kings were not suffered to die as their people died. No one of them fell in the battle. The hail, also, spared them each. They who lead in iniquity must expect to be foremost in punishment.
2. The five kings were made in their degradation the sign of the triumphs yet to come (Joshua 10:24-25). This was not mere cruelty. Although a customary usage of the time, it was also something more. It was significant of other victories, and was meant to encourage the Israelites: “Thus shall the Lord do,” etc.
V. The wrath of godly men displaying itself, not in vindictive passion and heedless malice, but calmly, and in view of law and justice. (Compare Joshua 10:26-27; Deuteronomy 21:22-23.) Nothing is more imposing in this terrible mission entrusted to the Israelites, than the solemn and judicial spirit in which it is continually executed. In the very heat and excitement of battle the leaders of Israel steadily maintain the character of God’s servants, and act with the calm demeanour of judges. So far is the spirit of Joshua from offering any excuse for the vindictive zeal which has sometimes been shewn by Christians, that it intensely condemns it. Joshua never forgets that judgment belongs unto the Lord, and that he is merely the Lord’s servant, charged with a terrible and unusual mission.
OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Joshua 10:16-18. THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY HIDING THEMSELVES.
I. Like the five kings, wicked men, in times of danger, hide themselves.
1. The wicked often hide themselves by seclusion. They come not to the light, lest their deeds be reproved.
2. The wicked seek to hide themselves by deceit. Although appearing among men, they strive to conceal themselves from men.
3. The wicked sometimes endeavour to hide themselves by false professions of religion. The sacred name of Christ is used as a mask. Even behind the cross, and the form of the agonised Saviour dying thereon, do the wicked try to hide, sinning without remorse so long as they seem to be sinning without danger.
4. The wicked, who have practised hiding all their lives, will still feel the need of hiding when God begins to move towards them in judgment. They will feel the need of hiding more than ever then. “The kings of the earth … hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
II. Like the five kings, they who seek to hide from God will utterly fail. (Cf. preceding outline.)
1. They will hide in vain, who try to hide from God. “There is a recent application of electricity, by which, under the influence of its powerful light, the body can be so illuminated that the workings beneath the surface of the skin can be distinctly seen. Lift up the hand, and it will become almost translucent, the bones and veins clearly appearing. It is so in some sort with God’s introspection of the human heart. His eye, which shines brighter than the sun, searches us and discovers all our weakness and infirmity.” [J. G. Pilkington.]
2. They hide too late, who hide after God’s hand is stretched out for judgment.
3. They only hide safely and well, who hide in God. God graciously invites us to hide in Himself (Isaiah 26:20-21). Let us respond in the trust of David, who, when hunted by Saul into another cave, cried unto his God: “In the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”
Joshua 10:19. FIRST PRINCIPLES IN CHRISTIAN WARFARE.
The directions here given by Joshua for this battle with living and personal foes indicate principles which are no less appropriate and important in our conflicts with evil and sinful habits. We shall do well in the battle of life to remind ourselves of the following things:—
I. All the victory of the past should be used as an encouragement for the present. “Stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies.” Past triumphs are not merely for thanks giving. The victories of yesterday are to be strength for to-day. Sin should be pursued and smitten in the hours of its weakness. Sin should on no account be left to take up its abode within us. We may spare it in its weakness, and presently find it too strong for us. “Use is second nature;” thus sin which has become a habit is an enemy in a fortified place. Sin may entrench itself behind our holiest passions and noblest services. Pride gets behind Christian work. Love of self conceals and fortifies itself behind what we call love for souls. Victory is to be utilized for new victories.
II. All the victory of the past is by the Lord, and should assure us of the Lord’s help for the future. As Joshua thought of the help of Jehovah in the hail storm, and in the miracle which extended the day, he could not but say of the enemies which yet remained, “The Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.” We may well argue thus in sight of our spiritual victories, and in the presence of spiritual enemies which remain unsubdued.
1. Every past triumph over sin gives evidence of Divine help. “Without me ye can do nothing.” This was true at the beginning of our conflict.
2. Every instance of Divine help in the past should assure us of God’s willingness to help in the future. God’s help yesterday is a prophecy and a promise for to-day. The Lord “changes not.”
3. The continuance of Divine help must lead to complete and final victory. Every real triumph of the soldiers of the cross should become to them “an earnest of the future possession.” Thus Joshua 10:21 indicates, so far as concerns this battle, a victory which was so complete that no one ventured in any way to molest the victors.
Joshua 10:25. THE SONG OF FAITH.
I. An old song. The “new song” is not till the battles are all ended. This is the theme with which the book opens. The song of faith is a fugue, running off, as throughout this book, now in one direction, and now in another, but continually returning to its theme. (Cf. Chapter s Joshua 1:6; Joshua 1:9; Joshua 8:1; Joshua 10:8; Joshua 10:25; Joshua 11:6; Joshua 23:5-6.) The song of faith is not merely the repetition of a single life, but a repetition from one life to another. This assuring utterance was repeated from Abraham (Genesis 15:1) to Isaac (Genesis 26:2-4), and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15), and Moses (Exodus 2:12); it was reiterated by Moses to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:6; Deuteronomy 31:23), and by Joshua, again and again, to all Israel. Thus it becomes the established song of the children of faith. It is sung now by David (1 Chronicles 23:13; 1 Chronicles 28:20), and repeatedly to or by his successors, till the angels repeat it to the trembling women at the empty tomb of the Saviour. It is sounded encouragingly into the ears of the “little flock” by Christ on earth, and, not less, is given to cheer disciples by Christ from heaven (Revelation 1:17-18). This “Fear not” of the Church of the O. T. is also the song of the Church of the N. T. It is the national anthem in the kingdom of heaven upon earth, and will only give place to the new song before the throne of God.
II. An old song, but one to be ever rendered with new meanings. The trials and triumphs in each singer’s life are to give it a new significance. To Abraham its music would be interpreted by visions and gracious words; to Moses, by mighty miracles; to Joshua, by wonderful victories; and so to every child of God, by his own peculiar mercies and triumphs. Thus, though the song is ever the same, it has its individuality of sweetness and harmony to every particular singer.
III. An old song, the meaning of which is to be more and more incorporated into our life.
1. It can only be learned by the believer. It is said of the new song, “No man could learn that song” but those who were “redeemed from the earth.” None but the heart of faith can “Fear not, and be of good courage” at all times. Not to fear is to believe.
2. It can only be learned gradually, even by him who does believe. Hence the significance of the repetition of this word throughout the book of Joshua. Every new triumph is to be turned into a little more trust.
3. He who best learns it will most, even while yet on earth, enter into the peace of heaven. “We which have believed do enter into rest.” Thus the song of faith is to contribute to a life of faith.