Ver. 23. So Joshua took the whole land— All that belonged to the Amoritish kings eastward of Jordan. Innumerable Canaanites perished in this war; others, in some places, saved themselves: God did not permit the country to be too much depopulated, as it might thereby have been exposed to wild beasts; Exodus 23:29 and on other accounts which the reader will find in Judges 1:4. Lastly, others left their country, went and settled in Africa, and in their flight having, according to some authors, made themselves masters of Lower Egypt, they there erected a monarchy, which subsisted under several of their kings, known in history by the name of the shepherd kings; till at length, not having forces sufficient to defend them, they were compelled to retire further on into the western parts of Africa. See Sir Isaac Newton's Chronol. p. 9. Procopius mentions two white columns, reared by them in the city of Tingis, now Tangier, a city of their founding, and capital of the province of Tingitania, on which was an inscription in the Phoenician language and character, to this purpose; "We are fugitives, who fled to save ourselves from the great robber, Joshua, the son of Nun." St. Augustin farther assures us, that the Africans boasted themselves to be descended from the ancient Canaanites, and preserved their old Phoenician language, the Punick being generally allowed to be very near the Hebrew and Phoenician. They are likewise supposed by the learned to have come in colonies into Greece, Cilicia, and Lesser Asia, and most of the islands of the AEgean and Mediterranean sea, quite to Cadiz in Spain. Arrian likewise tells us, that among the many ambassadors who waited upon Alexander the Great at Babylon, some came from Africa, who were of the Canaanitish race; and the Babylonish Gemara adds, that they came to beg of him to reinstate them in their ancient seats, whence the Israelites had driven them. See Psalmanazar's 3rd Essay.
According to their divisions by their tribes— See Numbers 26:53; Numbers 33:54.
And the land rested from war— All the potentates and nations of the land of Canaan being subdued, the Israelites, now become peaceable possessors of that fine Land of Promise, thought only how to divide it, as we shall see in chap. 13: Here begins the 7th year, reckoning from their first seed-time, after the passage over Jordan; the first sabbatical year celebrated by them after Joshua had brought them into rest; that rest which is a type of the eternal rest which the great Joshua of the New Covenant prepares for his people in heaven. Hebrews 4:8-9; Hebrews 4:16. From this same epocha we are to reckon the jubilees: see on Leviticus 25:8-10.
REFLECTIONS.—The history of this war concludes, happily for Israel, in the conquest of the whole land, north and south. Far from being warned by their neighbours' calamities, no city but Gibeon sought for peace, but, hardened as Pharaoh by the Divine judgment, came out to war with Israel, and rushed upon their own destruction. Thus still, hardness of heart drives sinners furiously to pursue those ways of sin which must end in their eternal perdition. The conquest is now completed: these dreaded foes of Israel no longer make them afraid, but fall before the devouring sword of the conquering Joshua. Note; We must not be weary of our spiritual warfare, nor count the time long; we shall finally reap, if we faint not.
The people now begin to taste the sweets of repose, and disperse themselves over the conquered country: for Joshua, as an obedient servant, had faithfully accomplished his business; and God, as a faithful God, had fulfilled to them his promises, which he spake by his servant Moses. Note; (1.) Obedience to the command, is the way to obtain the fulfilment of the promise. (2.) They who go forth with a dependance on God, shall find that they are not disappointed in their hopes.