multitude is cut off And by this instruction GOD sheweth how greatly he esteemeth the chosen people for it was a token that he did highly esteeme them that he subdued Kinges vnder their feete that they might insult ouer their excellencie as much as if they had bene poore varlots as it is saide in the Psalme A two edged sword in their handes that they may be reuenged vppon the nations to bind their Kings in fetters and their Nobles in chaines of yron that they may execute the iudgement that is written Such honour haue all his Saintes Also that fearfull sight serued to strike a terrour into the Israelites that they shoulde not followe the manners of the Gentiles whose wickednesse they sawe that God did so sharply punish Therefore Moses doeth often vse this admonition Thou sawest howe God tooke vengeaunce vppon the nations that were before thee in the land of Chanaan Therefore beware that thou prouoke not the wrath of thy God with their peruerse workes Finally that he might be worshipped more purely he commanded the land to be purged from all coruptions and because the inhabitantes were exceeding wicked he would haue his curse to be shewed vpon them after a straunge and vnwoonted manner 25 Feare not c. Nowe Iosue doth celebrate a triumph in the person of these fiue Kinges ouer all the rest that remained For he doeth euen as much exhort his men to boldenesse as if they which yet were vntouched did lie already vnder their feete Whereof we gather that while these fewe were troden vnder feete the people were lifted vp as it were into a great hight that they might looke downe and despise all the rest as already ouerthrowen And surely the power of God was therein clearly seene which might make them haue a courage in time to come And we must note that they were hanged vp not that Iosue would shewe any greater crueltie against them but onely to their reproch because they were slaine already but it was profitable that the notable vengeance of GOD should be openly set forth in the sight of all men Peraduenture also the purpose of God was to driue the rest of nations through desperation into rage and madnesse that they might procure to them selues more speedie destruction while they whette the Israelites to wrath by their stubbornesse The same shamefull end is geuen to the King of Mak-kedah which brought forth no armie against them The like slaughter is made of all the people which remained still within the walles Yet it is like they attempted some hostilitie But the cheefe cause was that God had geuen one sentence vpon them all I haue shewed before wherefore their carcases at euen were cast into the caue And this storie setteth foorth to vs as it were in a glasse that when God sitteth in his seate of iudgement all the glorie of the worlde vanisheth away before him yea that by his iudgement the glorie of them which seemed to excell is turned into extreme shame 29 Then Ioshue went from Mak-kedah and all Israel with him vnto Libnah and fought against Libnah 30 And the Lord gaue it also and the King thereof into the hand of Israel and he smote it with the edge of the sworde and all the soules that were therein he let none remaine in it for he did vnto the King thereof as he had done vnto the King of Iericho 31 And Ioshue departed from Libnah and all Israel with him vnto Lachish and beseeged it and assaulted it 32 And the Lord gaue Lachish into the hand of Israel which tooke it the second day and smote it with the edge of the sworde and all the soules that were therein according to all as he had done to Libnah 33 Then Horam King of Gezer came vp to helpe Lachish but Ioshue smote him and his people vntill none of his remained 34 And from Lachish Ioshue departed vnto Eglon all Israel with him and they beseeged it and assaulted it 35 And they tooke it the same day and smote it with the edge of the sworde and all the soules that were therein he vtterly destroyed the same day according to all that he had done to Lachish 36 Then Ioshue went vp from Eglon and all Israel with him vnto Hebron and they fought against it 37 And when they had taken it they smote it with the edge of the swoorde and the King thereof and all the cities thereof and all the soules that were therein he left none remaining according to all as he had done to Eglon for he destroyed it vtter ly and all the soules that were therein 38 So Ioshue returned and all Israel with him to Debir and fought against it 39 And when he had taken it and the King thereof all the cities thereof they smote them with the edge of the sword vtterly destroyed all the soules that were therein he let none remaine as he did to Hebron so he did to Debir and to the King thereof as he had also done to Libnah and to the King thereof 40 So Ioshue smote all the hill countries and the South countries and the vallies and the hill sides and all their Kinges and let none remaine but vtterly destroyed euery soule as the Lord God of Israel had commaunded 41 And Ioshue smote them from Kadeshbernea euen vnto Azzah and all the countrie of Goshen euen vnto Gibeon 42 And all these Kings and their land did Ioshue take at one time because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel 43 Afterward Ioshue and all Israel with him returned vnto the campe in Gilgal 29 Then Ioshue c. Now is described the taking of those cities out of which that armie was gathered where God shewed his power no lesse wonderfull then in the field specially if we consider the quicke dispatch For although they which fled into them out of the battell caused some feare yet that feare beeing ceased they might be profitable for their defence Surely the garrison was increased by their number Therefore whereas Iosue in a short time obteineth them all with the little townes adioyning vndoubtedly in the successe which was no lesse incredible than vnlooked for the presence of God did shine manifestly For although they that were beseeged did but only shut their gates yet because Iosue did neither bring ladders to scale the walles nor artillerie to breake them downe the siege of etterie one might haue bene some staye and tediousnesse Therefore when he taketh one citie the next day after he assaulted it and an other the same day these continuall victories so easie redie to obteine exceed the measure of mans strength Wherefore not without great cause in the ende of the Chapter the grace of God is celebrated with this commendation that it was made manifest that he did fight for Israel while Iosue at once tooke so many Kings with their dominion because he could neuer haue passed so speedily from citie to citie as it had bene only to
people as would not be pacified Wherefore seeing they could not do otherwise the fault is vniustly laied to their charge that being constreined they set themselues against the furie of their enimies I answeare although the Israelites were forbidden to receiue them to mercie yet that the warre might be iust they were interteined with hostilitie And that was wonderfully gouerned by the secret prouidence of God that they which were appointed to destruction shoulde offer themselues thereto and by prouoking the Israelites should procure their owne ouerthrowe and vtter decay Therefore God which forbad that any pittie should be shewed on them draue them into such a furie that they might not be worthie to haue any mercie bestowed vpon them And in this behalfe it was not meete the people should be to curious or inquisitiue For when God on the one side forbad them to enter into any couenant yet would not haue them to shewe any hostilitie except they were iustly prouoked to doubtfull a disputation would haue troubled their mindes Wherefore this was the only way to be rid of this perplexitie to cast all their care on God alone And he himselfe according to his incomprehensible wisedome prouided that when they came to the point the course of the people should not be hindered with any let So the Kings beyond Iordan when they had first armed themselues suffered punishment worthily of their rashnesse For the Israelites did not set vppon them with open warre before they were prouoked Likewise after the same manner the Citizens of Iericho when they shut their gates offered warre themselues The like stubbornesse was in the rest which after the same sort gaue the Israelites occasion to fight Now it appeareth how aptly these thinges agree together that God commanded Moses that the nations which he had appointed to destruction should be vtterly defaced and rooted out and therefore he doeth open a way for his decree to take place when he hardeneth the reprobate Therefore in the first degree is placed the will of God that it might haue the preeminence as the cheefe cause For because their iniquitie was come vp to the full he determined to destroy them Wherevppon proceeded the commaundement of God geuen to Moses which yet should haue had no effect except the people had bene armed to execute the iudgement of God through the obstinacie and stubbornesse of them that were to be destroyed For this end doeth God harden them that they may turne themselues away from obteining of mercie therfore this hardnesse is called his woorke because it establisheth the effect of his purpose Now if they which feigne that God doeth spie out of Heauen what the pleasure of men is go about to darken with their cloudes so plaine a matter and cannot abide that by his secret working the hearts of men shoulde be bridled what else shall they do but bewray their owne impudencie They will graunt no more to God but that he doeth permit so they hang his purpose vpon the will of man But what saith the holie Ghost That their hardening was of God that he might cast downe headlong them that he would haue to be destroyed 21 And Ioshue came c. We haue heard in an other place what the sonnes of Anak were They were a race of Giantes with whose tallnesse the spies terrified the people so that they woulde not goe forwarde into the land of Chanaan Wherefore seeing they were so terrible it was a woorthie woorke to take them away that the people might be more cheerefull to hope well of their affaires For it had bene a verie hurtefull thing that such a sight should haue remained which daily should haue vexed and greeued them for feare would haue darkened the glory of God in the former victories and would haue ouerwhelmed their faith when they did cast in their minde that the hardest battell of all did yet still remaine Wherefore not without cause this is remembred among other helpes of God that the lande being purged from such monsters was graunted to be a quiet dwelling place vnto the people For the lesse credible that it was that they might be vanquished the more notable was the power of God in conquering them 23 Ioshue tooke c. Although Iosue was farre off from being conquerer of all the lande yet it is truely saide that he obteined the whole lande as God testified to Moses by which worde the generall sentence is restrained For this exception was added by name that the dominion which God promised should not be obteined but by little and little lest they should afterward haue bene troubled to fight against cruell and sauage beastes if they should haue cast them selues into a waste wildernesse Wherefore although GOD had not yet placed the people in possession of the promised lande yet he performed his couenant according to the condition with which it was made because he gaue them conuenient interteinement and as much as sufficed them for the present time And by the wordes may be gathered that other coastes are comprehended which were not yet come into their hande and full possession For it is saide that he did distribute according to their families that which he had conquered But afterwarde we shall see in the portion that lottes were cast for those countries which were subdued vnto the gouernement of the people after the death of Iosue yea many hundred yeares after Now the sense of the wordes is manifest that while Iosue was yet aliue the promise was begonne to be exhibited so that they neede not doubt to diuide the whole lande by lottes Chap. 12. AND these are the Kings of the land which the children of Israel smote and possessed their lande on the other side Iordan toward the rising of the Sunne from the riuer Arnon vnto mount Hermon and all the plaine Eastward 2 Sihon King of the Amorits that dwelt in Heshbon hauing dominion from Aroer which is beside the riuer of Arnon and from the middle of the riuer and from halfe Gilead vnto the riuer Iabbok in the border of the children of Ammon 3 And from the plaine vnto the Sea of Cinneroth Eastward and vnto the Sea of the plaine euen the salt Sea Eastward the way to Behtieshimoth and from the South vnder the springes of Pisgah 4 They conquered also the coast of Og King of Bashan of the remnant of the Giantes which dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei 5 And reigned in mount Hermon and in Salcah and in all Bashan vnto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites and halfe Gilead euen the border of Sihon King of Heshbon 6 Moses the seruant of the Lorde and the children of Israel smote them Moses also the seruant of the Lord gaue their land for a possession vnto the Rubenites and vnto the Gadites and to halfe the tribe of Manasseh 7 These also are the Kinges of the countrie which Ioshue and the children of Israel smote on this side Iordan Westward from Baal-gad in the
vallie of Lebanon euen vnto the mount Halak that goeth vp to Seir and Ioshue gaue it vnto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their portions 8 In the mountaines and in the vallies and in the plaines and in the hill sides and in the wildernesse and in the Southe where were the Hittites the Amorites and the Chanaanites the Perizzites the Hiuites and the Iebusites 9 The King of Iericho was one the King of Ai which is beside Beth-el one 10 The King of Hierusalem one the King of Hebron one 11 The King of Iarmuth one the King of Lachish one 12 The King of Eglon one the King of Gezer one 13 The King of Debir one the King of Geder one 14 The King of Hormah one the King of Arad one 15 The King of Libnah one the King of Adullam one 16 The King of Makkedah one the King of Beth-el one 17 The King of Tappuah one the King of Hepher one 5 And the land of the Gibilites and all Lebanon towardes the Sunne rising from Bahal-gad vnder mount Hermon vntill one come to Hamath 6 All the inhabitants of the mountaines from Lebanon vnto Misrephothmaim and all the Sidonians I will cast them out from before the children of Israel onely diuide thou it by lot vnto the Israelites to inherite as I haue commanded thee 7 Now therefore diuide this land to inherite vnto the nine tribes and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh 8 For with halfe thereof the Rubenites and the Gadites haue receiued their inheritance which Moses gaue them beyond Iordan Eastward euen as Moses the seruant of the Lorde had giuen them 9 From Aroer that is on the brinke of the riuer Arnon and from the citie that is in the middest of the riuer all the plaine of Medeba vnto Dibon 10 And all the cities of Sihon King of the Amorites whiche reigned in Heshbon vnto the borders of the children of Ammon 11 And Gilead and the borders of the Geshurites and of the Maachatites and all mount Hermon with all Bashan vnto Salcah 12 All the kingdome of Og in Bashan which reigneth in Ashtaroth and in Edrei who remained of the rest of the Giantes for these did Moses smite and cast them out 13 But the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites nor the Maachatites but the Geshurites and the Maachatites dwell among the Israelites euen vnto this day 14 Onely vnto the tribe of Leui he gaue none inheritaunce but the sacrifices of the Lorde God of Israel are his inheritance as he saide vnto him 1 When Ioshue was olde c. Because we haue seene before that after one and thirtie Kinges were subdued the land was in quiet it is like that some time of rest was graunted to the people to refresh themselues lest vnder continuall warrefare they should haue fainted Neither was that to be reprehended so that they rested but for a time and were alwayes bent to runne to the marke that was appointed for them But lest that intermission that was graunted them to recouer new strength should haue bene an occasion of slouthfulnes God pricketh them forward againe to proceede in their enterprise For he commaundeth the whole inheritance to be diuided among the tribes that all the coast of the Midland sea which was yet possessed of the enimies should be taken into the lot surely that partition might seeme to be foolish and vnreasonable yea worthie to be laughed to scorne when they cast lottes for other mens lands as if they had ben their owne But God of verie good purpose appointed it to be so For first they would haue cast aside all hope of the promise and contented themselues with the present state Yea after the lottes were cast and that God had assigned vnto them wholy whatsoeuer he promised yet through their slouthfulnesse as much as lay in them they sought to discredite his woord Neither was there any helpe in them but that the truth of God should haue remained maimed and vnperfect Wherefore the casting of lottes should haue ben to them a pledge of sure possession that they should be alwayes in a redinesse Now they whose portion fell in the enimies land because they were in the meane time but tenantes at will and dwelt as it were by sufferance out of their owne inheritance were appointed to be callers vppon the rest to pricke them forward daily And surely it was to much blockishnesse to neglect and forsake that which was assigned vnto them by god Now we see for what ende it behoued the whole lande to be parted by lottes and that euerie tribe should be placed in their owne seate And that was necessarie to be done while Iosue liued For that after his death the people would not haue so readily obeyed For no man succeeded whose authoritie might haue atteined to so hard a matter Moreouer because God by the mouth of Moses commanded it so to be done except he had done his duetie herein the whole worke should haue ben made vnperfect for want of a sufficient minister And although the time be not put in certaine yet it is like that when there was no more hope that while Iosue liued the people would take armour againe to enlarge their borders then at the length he tooke in hand to diuide the land as though he cried out promised with a solemne testification that the effect of that diuision should be ratified and confirmed because the trueth of God could not decay by the death of a man. 2 This is the land c. The old borders appointed by God in times past are called to remembrance that Iosue the people might be certeinly persuaded that the couenaunt made with Abraham should at the length be fulfilled to the vttermost Wherefore they are commanded to applie their diligence to conquere those partes that remained And it will be an apte application if this perseuerance be applied to that continuance which is required of vs namely that forgetting these thinges whiche are behinde wee laboure forward to the reward of our high calling and continue our course to the marke that is sette before vs For it shall nothing profite vs to haue runne in the race vnlesse we studie to continue to the end The beginning of the borders is from the riuer which diuideth Egypt toward the Sea from the holie land whether it be Nilus as we haue transla ted it after the coÌ„mon opinion or else a litle riuer which â—uÌ„â—eth by the towne Rhinocornia which of many is thought to be Raphia or Raphane But this is out of doubt that the inheritance of the people on that side bordered vppon Egypt And although I haue followed the consent of many men that their borders were extended no further than to that coast which is lesse inhabited and almost desert lest too neere neighborhood shuld haue ben hurtfull if they had had familiar neere acquaintance with the Egyptians yet I do not vtterly refuse the contrarie opiâ—ion In
it be if we that be farre inferiour vnto him should take more libertie vnto our selues And this doth GOD expressely charge his seruaunt withall that they whiche excell in honour may acknowledge that they notwithstanding are subiect euen vnto the same lawe that the common people are 8 Let not depart c. He is commanded also to vse daily meditation of the lawe for when that studie is omitted but for a short time many errours will easily creepe vpon vs and our memorie waxâ—th rustie insomuche that manie which haue cast off the continuaunce of studie come as it were newe and rawe to take any thing in hand Wherefore God commaundeth his seruaunt to make daily proceedings that all his life long he ceasse not to profite in the lawe Wherof it followeth that they to whom this studie seemeth loathsome are blinded with intollerable arrogancie But why doth he forbid the lawe to depart rather from his mouth than from his eyes Whereas some men doe expounde the mouth for the face by the figure Synecdoche the part for the whole it is but friuolous I doubt not therefore but that this doth peculiarly perteine to his person which was bounde to employ that studie that is here commaunded not onely to his owne vse priuately but for the whole people whom he had taken in charge to gouerne Therefore he is so commanded to geue heed to the doctrine of the law in such sort that according to the office that was laid vpon him he should vtter bring foorth that which he had learned to the common profite of the people And withall he is commaunded by his diligence to geue other men example of obedience For many in preaching will haue the lawe in their mouth which in the meane time are the worst obseruers thereof in their life Both is therefore commaunded that in teaching other he should frame himselfe and his whole life vnto that rule That which followeth in the other part of the verse sheweth that prophane and vnholy men shall at length haue euill successe what soeuer they attempt with contempt and neglect of the worde of God and although the beginninges at the first seeme pleasant and prosperous yet their end shal be accursed because it is not lawfull to looke for prosperous successe but onely from the fauour of god Whereof it is meete that all deuises rashly and vnaduisedly taken in hande should be vtterly destitute as also all arrogancie which is likewise ioyned with contempt of God himselfe Wherefore the faithfull that they may haue good successe in all thinges ought to procure vnto themselues the blessing of God as well by earnest desire of learning as by obedience of faith In the ende of the verse because the Uerbe is of double signification as I haue saide either the same sentence is repeated or else a second promise is added whiche latter sense I do very well allowe For it agreeth very well that after happie successe is promised Iosue should also be admonished that men do nothing rightly in good order or with true knowledge but so farre foorth as they submit themselues to be gouerned by the word of god Therefore that wisedome which the faithfull learne out of the woord of God is contrarie to the bolde confidence of those men which thinke they doe all thinges with great wisedome when they are led with their owne vnderstanding 9 Haue not I commaunded thee c. Although the Hebrues doe often times by interrogation simply affirme that phrase is very common among them yet this interragation hath a speciall force to confirme the former doctrine while God bringeth forth his authoritie and dischargeth the minde of his seruant both from doubt and care Is it not I saith he whiche haue commaunded thee euen I also will be present with thee This is therefore spoken with a force or emphasis because it is not lawfull to resist his commaundementes Againe this place doth teache vs that nothing doth more preuayle to make vs haue sure trust then when we are bolde vpon the calling and commaundement of God and being well assured thereof in our conscience we doe followe him as a guide whithersoeuer he doth call vs. 10 Then Ioshua commaunded the officers of the people saying 11 Passe through the host and commaunde the people saying Prepare you vitailes for after three dayes ye shall passe ouer this Iordaine to goe in to possesse the land which the Lord your God giueth you to possesse it 12 And vnto the Rubenites and to the Gadites and to halfe the tribe of Manasseh spake Ioshua saying 13 Remember the woorde whiche Moses the seruaunt of the Lord commaunded you saying The Lord your God hath geuen you rest and hath geuen you this lande 14 Your wiues your children and your cattell shal remaine in the lande which Moses gaue you on this side Iordan but ye shall goe ouer before your brethren armed all that be men of warre and shal helpe them 15 Vntill the Lord haue giuen your brethren rest as well as to you and vntill they also shall possesse the land which the Lorde your God giueth them then shall ye returne vnto the land of your possession and shall possesse it which land Moses the Lordes seruaunt gaue you on this side Iordan towarde the sunne rising 16 Then they answeared Ioshua saying All that thou hast commaunded vs we will doe and whithersoeuer thou sendest vs we will goe 17 As we obeyed Moses in all thinges so will we obey thee onely the Lorde thy God be with thee as he was with Moses 18 Whosoeuer shall rebell against thy commaundement and will not obey thy wordes in all that thou commaundest him let him be put to death onely be strong and of good courage 10 Then Iosue commaunded c. It may be doubted whether this decree were published after the espialles were sent and after their returne And verily it seemeth to me not onely likely but also I am throughly persuaded that after he had knowen by their report suche thinges as he woulde then he thought best to remoue the campe Otherwise it had bene but ouer headie hastinesse to take his iourney that way whiche he knewe not seeing he thought it profitable to be first instructed of many things before he entered into the lande of his enimies Neither is it a straunge thing that the order of time is neglected and that which followed being omitted is afterwardes rehearsed Wherefore the second Chapter shal be as it were a Parenthesis interlaced which doth more fully declare at what time Iosue commaunded the people to remoue with bagge and baggage Therefore when he had perfect intelligence of euery matter he thought it high time to marche forwarde and so commaunded the people by an edict to prepare them selues to remoue And wheras with so great confidence he pronounceth that after three dayes they should passe ouer Iordan he would neuer haue bene so bold to haue made suche a promise if the spirit of God
had not directed him thereto No man had assayed to finde a foorde neither was there any hope that any might be found And as for bridge or vessels there were none by which they might passe ouer And it had bene an easie matter to haue kept them from the passage Wherefore nothing else remained but that God should miraculously carrie them ouer This did not Iosue hope of rashly nor of his owne braine but as it was reuealed to him by god In their readinesse of obedience appeared the faith of the people for that seing before their eyes so great difficultie they would neuer haue bene so obedient if they had not cast all their care vpoa god And there is no doubt but God him selfe gaue this courage into their minds that he might take away all stoppes whiche might lette the effecte of his promise 12 To the Rubenites c. These tribes had their inheritance graunted them on the other side of Iordane for this condition that they shoulde goe a warfare with the rest of their brethren vntill they had chased away the nations of the Chanaanites Now therefore Iosue exhorteth them to performe their promise that leauing their wiues and children with all their goodes they should passe ouer Iordane and not geue ouer the warrefare vntill they sawe their brethren all placed in quiet possession of their inheritaunces And he bseth two argumentes cheefly to prouoke them to doe their duetie of which the former is taken of authoritie the other of equitie First therefore he rehearseth vnto them what Moses gaue them in commaundement from whose decree it was not lawfull for them to decline when all men knew right well that Moses spake nothing of his owne head but onely such thinges as God by his owne mouth had vttered And withall though he do not expresse it yet by the way he geueth them to vnderstande that they were bounde by couenaunt because they had promised that they woulde so doe Then setting before their eyes the equitie of the cause he moueth them to consider that it were not meete that those should be in vnequall condition to whome the same inheritaunce was alike appointed It were not at all conuenient saith he that your brethren should aduenture them selues and take paines to holde out the warre and you should sit quietly and enioy your ease at home But whereas he willeth them to goe before he meaneth not that they should be the firste that should abide the brunt of their enimies so being layed open to all daungers should take more paines endure greater hardnes than all the rest Onely by this meanes he exhorteth them to marche forwarde cheerefully because it had bene a kinde of drawing backe if they should haue followed all the rest slowely in the rereward Therefore to marche before their brethren is not to stand in the vauntgard of the battell when they should fight but in keping their order and aray to shew foorth their courage and good will. For it is certeine that as they were diuided into foure standardes so they marched forwarde But in that he nameth those that were men of warre among them it may be gathered which in other places is more manifest that olde men and such as were not of sufficient strength were permitted to looke to their affaires at home or else to take their ease if they were feeble or in health appaired 16 Then answered c. They doe not only obey but also most liberally and frankly they offer such seruice as was required of them And this is the way for men to doe their duetie cheerefully to performe whatsoeuer God requireth of them not with heuinesse as S. Paul saith If any man wil obiect That they doe bragge of such obedience as they shewed to Moses more than modestie woulde they should seing they had ben often times disobedient I answer that Although they did not alwayes follow him with such feruent zeale as they ought to haue done yet they were so reasonably well framed vnto obedience that their modestie was not only tollerable but also worthie of great commendation if we consider how proudly their fathers rebelled and with what obstinacie they attempted to cast off the yoke which God had layed vpon them For in this place speake not those rebells by whom God complaineth in the Psalme that he was prouoked to wrath but such as being subdued by example of their punishment had learned quietly to submit them selues Although in their wordes they doe not so much aduance their owne vertues as they doe set vp and extoll the authoritie of Iosue whiles they professe that they will take him euen as they tooke Moses in whose roome he succeded The prayer which they adde doeth conteine the matter of their trust cōfidence that God would be present with his seruāt Iosue euen as he helped Moses For they declare that they will be in a readinesse to fight vnder the cōduct of their new Captein generall because they are persuaded that he being furnished with the power and aide of God shall haue the victorie as they had often experience before that God was wonderfully with them to assiste them by the hand of Moses And herevpon it may be gathered that they had this confidence both because they rehearse the triall and experience of Gods goodnesse to encourage them selues therewith and also in that they acknowlege Iosue to be the successor of Moses not only in place but also in happie successe For this addition is not without great weight Thy GOD but to shew a continuance of the course of Gods grace towards him Yet the forme of speaking may be taken indifferently both for the confidence of faith and for a wish or praier Wherfore although they signifie that they do cherish a good hope in their harts yet as in so weightie a matter they geue them selues also to prayers And surely when soone after they doe of them selues exhort him to constancie they declare that they also wil be fellows and companions with him in the same faith and confidence Where it is worthie to be noted that although Iosue was a singular example of fortitude and valiantnes vnto all the rest and encoraged them both by word and deed yet he him selfe is also pricked forward when he runneth before them that by his cherefulnes he might better encorage all the rest of the people Chap. 2. THEN Ioshua the sonne of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spie secretly saying Go viewe the land and also Iericho and they went and came into an harlots house named Rahab and lodged there 2 Then reporte was made to the King of Iericho saying Behold there came mē hither to night of the children of Israel to spie out the coūtrie 3 And the King of Iericho sent vnto Rahab saying Bring-forth the men that are come to thee and which are entred into thine house for they be come to searche out all the land 4 But the woman had taken the two
circle depart from the words followe a straunge deuise farre fetched and nothing necessarie when the matter is clere of it selfe that the place was called reuolution because GOD did there deliuer his people from the reproche wherewith they were vniustly charged Whereas Iosephus doeth expound it for libertie it is vaine ridiculous Whereby it appereth that he was no lesse ignorant of the Hebrue tongue than he was in the knowledge of the Lawe 10 So the children of Israel abode in Gilgal and kept the feast of the Passeouer the fourteenth day of the moneth at euen in the plaine of Iericho 11 And they did eate of the corne of the land on the morowe after the Passeouer vnleauened bread and parched corne in the same day 12 And the MAN ceased on the morowe after they had eaten of the corne of the land neither had the children of Israel MAN any more but did eate of the fruite of the land of Chanaan that yeare 13 And when Ioshua was by Iericho he lift vp his eyes and looked and beholde there stoode a man against him hauing a sworde drawen in his hand and Ioshua went vnto him and said vnto him Art thou on our side or on our aduersaries 14 And he said Nay but as a captaine of the host of the Lord am I now come Then Ioshua fel on his face to the earth and did worship and said vnto him What saith my Lord vnto his seruant 15 And the captaine of the Lords host said vnto Ioshua Lose thy shooe off thy foote for the place whereon thou standest is holy and Ioshua did so Here is declared that the Passeouer was celebrated vppon the day appointed by the lawe Although there be some which thinke that mention is here made of it as of a thing vnwonted and thereof they gather that it was omitted fourtie yeares euen as circumcision was leaft off Namely because it had bene inconuenient that men vncircumcised should celebrate that holy feast and secondly for that from the beginning of the second yeare we doe not reade that any Paschal lambe was slaine Howbeit it is not like that it was so soudeinly cast off which GOD so lately had ordained to be perpetuall For it was said vnto them It is a night to be obserued of the children of Israel in all their generations Howe is it then likely that it grewe out of vse within two yeares after which should haue bene obserued in all ages And what slacknesse had it bene in so short time to haue buried the remembrance of such a benefite so lately receiued But it will be replied that want of circumcision kept a great parte of the people from it least the mysterie should be prophaned For it was likewise sayed No vncircumcised person shall come neere it I haue answeared already that this was an extraordinarie priuilege that the children of Israel were discharged of that lawe For all that while they vsed the sacrifices and exercised them selues in the rest of the ceremonies of the lawe which had not bene lawful except GOD had remitted somewhat of the precise forme of the lawe It is certeine that all vncleane persons were forbidden to enter into the court of god Yet therein the children of Israel which were vncircumcised offered sacrifices which was as much as to kill the Passeouer Therefore by a tolleration it was permitted vnto them which otherwise was not lawfull according to the rule of the law And whereas Moses maketh mention of that second Passouer it was for another purpose namely that he might couertly reproue the negligence and slacknes of the people which would not haue obserued a yearly sacrifice after the end of the first yeare if they had not bene put in mind of it For although GOD had commaunded that once a yeare through all ages they should renew the memorie of their redemption before one yeare was ended they had forgotten it so that they failed in doing their duetie For it was not in vaine that they were vrged with a newe commaundement but because they were not readie enough of their owne accorde Wherefore that place is so farre off from prouing that the vse of the Passeouer was omitted that a probable coniecture may be gathered out of it that it was obserued yearly for that before the yeare went about God preuented them that they should be more diligent in time to come to take heede that they neuer departed from the commaundement which was geuen them 12 And they did eate c. It is not very certaine whether this were the first time that they did eate corne For they had dwelt before in a countrie not vnoccupied which was meetely fruitfull And doubtlesse in the dominion of those two Kinges there was store of victualles which was sufficient for the inhabitantes Neither is it like that the children of Israel would suffer the corne which they founde there to be corrupted and rotten And I doubt not but they did eate the flesh which remained of the sacrifices Therefore it may be that they abstained not altogether from bread made of wheate and yet they forsooke not their accustomed victuall For that countrie which was appointed for the tenth parte of the people was not sufficient for the prouision of so great a multitude There is no doubt but that an equall proportion was obserued when Moses had placed there two tribes and an halfe Wherefore the whole twelue tribes had not yet obteined sufficent victualles especially seeing the countrie was spoiled with warre and the Israelites had not yet geuen them selues to tillage neither coulde they without daunger depart from the campe Wherefore it was necessarie for them to be fedde still with Manna vntill they obtained greater store of victualles which came to passe in the lande of Canaan at what time they returned to the common foode of men But why they deferred the matter vntill that day it is not knowne vnlesse that after their woundes were healed it behoued them to bestowe certaine dayes in gathering of prouision But the Lawe permitted them not to make bread immediatly least they shoulde breake the Sabbaoth For although they kept holy the rest yet by the circumstance we may gather that they made haste because their meale was readie before seeing they could not well grinde and bake both in one day Howsoeuer it is GOD prouided victuall for them so long as there was any scarsitie But whereas Manna failed soudeinly and at that verie instant it ought to haue bene an other testimonie of the grace of GOD toward them for thereby it appeared that Manna was a foode ordained to serue them but for a season which rained out of the cloudes by the fatherlie prouidence of god As for this prouision it is manifest that it was of the increase of the yeare before and it were in vaine to make a question of it and they had bene to hastie if they had fallen vppon that same present yeares wheate which was noâ— yet ripe and
she had also they brought out all her familie and put them without the host of Israel 24 After they burnt the citie with fire and all that was therein onely the siluer and the golde and the vesselles of brasse and yron they put vnto the treasure of the house of the Lord. 25 So Ioshua saued Rahab the harlot and her fathers housholde and all that she had and she dwelt in Israel euen vnto this day because she had hid the messengers which Ioshua sent to spie out Iericho 26 And Ioshua sware at that time saying Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth vp and buildeth this citie Iericho he shall lay the foundation therof in his eldest sonne and in his yongest sonne shall he set vp the gates of it 27 So the Lord was with Ioshua and he was famous through all the worlde 20 So the people shouted c. Here the obedience of the people is praised and also the trueth of GOD is magnified They testified their faith by their shouting being persuaded that they were not commanded to doe so in vaine and GOD suffereth them not to loose their labour but fulfilleth in art that which he promised by his worde The other vertue was not inferiour to this that despising the vnlawfull gaine they willingly destroyed all the spoile of the citie For no doubt but many thought in them selues on this maner Why will GOD haue so great riches to bee cast away Why doeth he enuie vs to enioy those thinges which he hath deliuered into our handes Why doeth he not rather rewarde vs with it that we might haue occasion to geue him thankes But letting all reasons passe that might hinder them from doing their duâ—tie they doe willingly cast away all the spoile which they had in their handes euen the riches of an whole citie which was a token of care and excellent continencie That they slue all the people without respect of age or sexe both women and children young and olde it might seeme to bee a cruell murther but that GOD him selfe commanded it so to bee done But because he in whose power are life and death had iustly condemned those nations vnto destruction let all argument and disputation cease Adde herevnto that he had borne with them foure hundred yaeres alreadie vntill their iniquitie were come to the full Who shoulde now complaine of immoderate rigour when God suspendeth his iudgement so long If any man will obiect That yet at the least the young infantes were free from offence the answeare is readie Because they were a cursed and a reprobate broade they were iuâ—â—ly destroyed This in deed we must confesse that it had bene extreame and barbarous crueltie if the Israelites following their owne rage and furie had slaine the tender infantes with their mothers but now it is accompted godly and laudable fortiâ—â—de and defended to be a holy zeale while they execute the commaundement of God which woulde haue the lande of Chanaan whiche long time had bene corrupted with foule and stinking filthinesse in this sort to be purged 22 Iosue saide to the two men c. How faithfull and vpright Iosue was to keepe promise appeareth by this carefulnesse but because the whole citie was subiect to the curse the question may be moued of the exception of one familie For it was not lawfull for a mortall man to chaunge any thing in the sentence of god But because Rahab had couenanted for her safegard by inspiration of Gods spirite I iudge that Iosue in preseruing her did nothing but wisely with good consideration Moreouer the messengers at that time were not tied with any religion because GOD had not yet pronounced his pleasure concerning the destruction of the Citie For they had hearde generally that all those nations were to be destroyed yet was it free for them to make a couenant with one woman which willingly departed and fell away from her owne countriemen Although a more readie answeare will followe soone after namely while by the commaundement of God the Israelites exhorted all men against whom they came to yeelde them selues vpon hope of pardon but they blinded with stubbornesse refused the peace that was offered because God determined to destroy them all when all the rest were manifestly hardened vnto their owne destruction it followeth that Rahab was exempted by priuiledge that when the rest perished she might be preserued Wherefore Iosue did wisely consider that this woman which willingly remoued into the Churche of God not without the peculiar grace of God was deliuered in time from the destruction In deede the case of her father and her whole familie was not lâ—â—e but seeing they did all willingly renounce their former state by promptnesse of obedience they confirmed that preseruation which Rahab couenanted for them But by the example of Iosue let vs learne that although we doe not maliciously and of set purpose breake our faith and promise yet that is not sufficient to testifie our honestie except we geue all diligence to perfourme suche couenantes as we haue made For he doeth not onely suffer Rahab to be saued by her ghestes but he taketh heede in time that at the first tumult she suffer no iniurie and that they might be more redie to doe their duetie he putteth them in minde that they were bound to it by oth 23 So the spies entered c. No doubt but God woulde haue them to be saued whose mindes he bended so willingly to imbrace their deliuerance Or else they would haue cast her off no lesse proudly nor with lesse scorne than the two sonnes in lawe of Lot did But they are muche better prouided for while they are set without the host so by straight charge are called to the deniall of their former life For if they had bene immediately admitted and ioyned vnto the people perhaps they would neuer haue thought of their vncleannesse and so might haue bene frosen in it Now when they be placed apart least they shoulde infecte the congregation with their uncleannesse they are stricken with shame which might moue them to earnest repentaunce For it is not to be thought that they were remoued into a place of safetie least any of the people should haue violently risen against them for they should haue bene receiued with great fauour and gratulation of all men but in the solitarie place they were more subiect to hurt Wherefore by this separation their former vncleannesse was set before their eyes least they being defiled shoulde rashly rushe into the holie assemblie but rather by this rudiment shoulde be taught to chaunge their former life For it followeth soone after that they dwelt in the middest of the people for when they were purged from their vncleannesse they began to be taken none otherwise than if they had bene descended from the stocke of Abraham Finally it signifieth that after they had confessed them selues to haue liued before in filthinesse they were admitted indifferently with the rest And by
another shal be brused with a stone yea vnto some the wombe is their graue before they see the light It is certeine that none of these kindes of death doe happen but by the will of god Yet for all this who shall be so bolde as to pleade against him And if any bee so mad that he doe what shall he preuaile Hereof we must be persuaded that none perish by his commandement but such as he hath appointed to die But whereas his oxen his asses his sheepe are rehearsed we may gather that he was rich inough that pouertie could not prouoke him to committe this wicked fact wherein his vnsattable couetousnesse be wrayed it selfe that he desired stollen goodes not for necessitie but for rioâ—â—e and excesse 25 Iosue saide c. This seemeth to be to harde an insultation as though he purposed to driue the miserable man whom he shoulde haue exhorted to patience almost into furie and madnesse Howbeit I doubt not but that he spake this for the peoples sake that it might be a profitable example for them all I iudge therefore that he meant not to ouerwhelme Achan with disperation but in his person to shewe how greeuous an offence it was to trouble the Church of god Although it may be that the proude man complained that his satisfaction was not receiued wherby he thought to haue bene discharged and that therefore Iosue either to reforme or breake his pride and stubbornesse inueihed more sharpely against him For by the interrogation it semeth that he did expostulate with him and when he called God the Iudge he seemeth to stop the obstinate mans mouth That all the people threwe stones it was done in signe of detestation as if they would testifie that they were most clere of that crime which they did reuenge in another and still did abhorre it The heape of stones was partly a monument to the posteritie partly for this cause that if the place had ben voâ—de some man vnawares might gather vp the parcelles of gold and siluer For although God at the first commaunded the gold and the siluer to be offered vnto him yet would he not haue his sanctuarie polluted with thefte Chap. 8. AFTER the Lorde saide vnto Ioshua Feare not neither be thou faint hearted take all the men of warre with thee and arise goe vp to Ai behold I haue giuen into thine hande the King of Ai and his people and his Citie and his lande 2 And thou shalt doe to Ai and to the King thereof as thou diddest to Iericho to the King thereof neuerthelesse the spoile thereof the cattell thereof shall ye take vnto you for a pray thou shalt lie in waite against the Citie on the backeside thereof 3 Then Ioshua arose and all the men of warre to goe vp against Ai and Ioshua chose out thirtie thousande strong men and valiant and sent them away by night 4 And he commaunded them saying Beholde ye shall lie in waite against the Citie on the backeside of the Citie goe not verie farre from the Citie but be ye all in a readinesse 5 And I and all the people that are with me will approche vnto the Citie and when they shall come out against vs as they did at the first time then will we flee before them 6 For they will come out after vs till we haue brought them out of the citie for they will say They flee before vs as at the first time so we will flee before them 7 Then you shall rise vp from lying in waite and destroy the citie for the Lord your God will deliuer it into your hand 8 And when ye haue taken the citie ye shall set it on fire according to the commaundement of the Lord shall ye doe beholde I haue charged you 9 Ioshua then sent them forth and they went to lie in waite and abode betweene Beth-el and Ai on the West side of Ai but Ioshua lodged that night among the people 10 And Ioshua rose vp earely in the morning and numbered the people and he and the Elders of Israel went vp before the people against Ai. 11 Also all the men of warre that were with him went vp and drewe neere and came against the citie pitched on the North-side of Ai and there was a vallie betweene them and Ai 12 And he tooke about fiue thousand men and set them to lie in waite betweene Beth-el and Ai on the West side of the citie 13 And the people set all the host that was on the Northside against the citie and the liers in waite on the West against the citie and Ioshua went the same night into the middest of the vallie 14 And when the King of Ai sawe it then the men of the citie hasted and rose vp earely and went out against Israel to battell he and all his people at the time appointed before the plaine for he knew not that any lay in waite against him on the backside of the citie 15 Then Ioshua and all Israel as beaten before them fled by the way of the wildernesse 16 And all the people of the citie were called together to pursue after them and they pursued after Ioshua and were drawen away out of the citie 17 So that there was not a man left in Ai nor in Beth-el that went not out after Israel and they left the citie open and pursued after Israel 18 Then the Lord said vnto Ioshua Stretch out the speare that is in thine hand toward Ai for I will geue it into thine hand and Ioshua stretched out the speare that he had in his hand toward the citie 19 And they that lay in wayte arose quickly out of their place and ranne as soone as he had stretched out his hand they entred into the citie and tooke it and hasted and set the citie on fire 20 And the men of Ai looked behinde them and sawe it for loe the smoke of the citie ascended vp to heauen and they had no power to flee this way or that way for the people that fled to the wildernesse turned backe vpon the pursuers 21 When Ioshua and all Israel sawe that they that lay in wayte had taken the citie and that the smoke of the citie mounted vp then they turned againe and slue the men of Ai. 22 Also the other issued out of the citie against them so were they in the middest of Israel these being on the one side and the rest on the other side and they slue them so that they let none of them remaine nor escape 23 And the King of Ai they tooke aliue and brought him to Ioshua 24 And when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field that is in the wildernesse where they chased them and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword vntill they were consumed all the Israelites returned vnto Ai and smote it with the edge of the sworde 25 And all that fell that day
within the walles I will not striue with him But if we consider that another litle towne was ioyned with the citie which was not verie great nor populous of it self it is more like that they which were slaine in the feeld are comprehended also 26 Ioshue withdrew not c. Because by holding vp his speare he gaue them a signe token as it were out of Heauen to hope well of the victorie he ceased not to retaine their mindes in the beholding thereof vntil they had obteined the citie By which continuance he shewed sufficiently how farre off he was from ambition that he shewed no token of baine ostentation and boasting For it was as much as if he renounced the office of a Captaine and ascribed the whole praise of the victorie vnto god How valiant a warrior he was it appeareth by other places And now he was redie enough to haue played the part of a good souldier and that had bene more apt to get him glorie and renowme But when his hand is as it were bound vnto his speare he doth only exhort his souldiers that they would looke to God alone vnto whom he resigneth the successe of the battell Neuerthelesse he preuaileth more by standing so still than if he had ouerthrowne great heapes of the enimies on euery side and this rest of his was more commendable than any agilitie that could bee 29 The King of Ai c. Although it seemeth he was more sharpe and seuere against the King of Hai to satisfie the hatred of the people yet I doubt not but his purpose was faithfully to execute the iudgement of god Conquerours are wont to spare the liues of such Kinges as they haue taken because their dignitie seemeth to drawe with it some reuerence but among those nations the state condition of the Kinges was otherwise in whome God would especially declare how much he detested their wickednesse whome he had so long borne withall For seeing they were all appointed to destruction the vengeaunce of God did iustly appeare sharpe and seuere in the heades themselues from whom the cause of destruction proceeded against the residue Adde herevnto that this shamefull death executed vppon the Kinges made the rascall people more reprochfull lest the people through follie and vnsesonable pitic should haue bene slacked in destroying of them And God of purpose deliuered the King aliue into the handes of Iosue that his punishment might be made the more notable and serue better for the example If he had bene slaine at all aduentures in the brunt of the battell he had bene exempt from this peculiar ignominie and shame Now doeth God also doe execution vpon his carcase after his death yea after he was hanged his bodie was cast at the gate of the citie where he vsed to sit in his throne and to exercise iudgementes And a monument is set vp to continue the reproch vnto the posteritie Yet mention is made of his buriall that we may knowe that nothing was done vpon a furious rage because Iosue did diligently obserue that which is commanded in the lawe by Moses namely that such as were hanged on the gallowes should be taken downe before the setting of the sunne because it is an abhominable sight And surely as it is a point of humanitie to lay vp the dead bodies under the earth so is it a barbarous crueltie to cast them foorth to be torne in peeces of the wilde beastes and foules Therefore that the people should not be accustomed to barbarousnesse God permitted them to hang vp male factours in such sort as they should not suffer them to hang longer then one day vnburied And that the people might geue better heede to their dutie in this behalfe which otherwise they would haue neglected Moses pronounceth that euery one that hangeth vpon the tree is accursed as if he should say that the lande is defiled with that kinde of death except the offence be immediately taken away 30 Then Ioshue built an altar vnto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal 31 As Moses the seruant of the Lord had commaunded the children of Israel as it is written in the boke of the Law of Moses an altar of whole stone ouer which no man had lift an yron they offered thereon burnt offerings vnto the Lord and sacrificed peace offeringes 32 Also he wrote there vppon the stones a rehersall of the Lawe of Moses which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel 33 And all Israel and their elders and officers and their Iudges stoode on this side of the Arke and on that side before the Priestes of the Leuites which bare the Arke of the couenant of the Lord as well the straunger as he that is borne in the countrie halfe of them were ouer against mount Getrizim and halfe of them ouer against mount Ebal as Moses the seruant of the Lord had commaunded before that they should blesse the people of Israel 34 Then afterwarde he read all the wordes of the Lawe the blessings and curssings according to all that is written in the booke of the Lawe 35 There was not a worde of all that Moses had commaunded which Ioshua read not before all the congregation of Israel as well before the women and the children as the straunger that was conuersant among them 30 Then Ioshue builded c. This first extraordinarie sacrifice God would haue to be offered vnto him in the land of Chanaan whereby the thankefulnesse of the people might be testified and the land might beginne to be consecrated with a solemne ceremonie For before this time they could not doe it freely and in their owne ground vntill they had obtained some voide region There were two things which God commanded at one time that they should set vp an altar in Mounte Ebal and secondarily that they should sette vp two stones and plaster them with plaster in whiche they might write the lawe that euery one which passed by might read it plainly Now we read that both was faithfully performed The third precept was rehearsing the blessinges and curssinges which Iosue did likewise execute with no lesse diligence Now to beginne with the altar it is saide that it was made according to the commaundement of God of vnhewen stones for whole stones ouer which no yron hath bene lifted are called rough vnwroughte stones This is especially prescribed of the altar whereof mention is nowe made Deut. 27. But the same lawe was geuen before generally of all other altars of stone The reason why is in vaine of the interpreters drawne out of an Allegorie that the hand and diligence of many is forbidden because that as soone as we bring forth our owne inuentions the woorship of God is defiled Which is in deede truly and skilfully spoken but out of place because the purpose of God was none other but to forbid altars of continuance and perpetuitie For we knowe that this was the lawe of right sacrificing that they
man among the Anakims thus the land ceased from warre 1 These are c. Now he commeth to the land of Chanaan for which it behoued nine tribes and a halfe to cast lottes And by and by as we shall see he will breake off the report of that matter yet it was a conuenient passage of his speach from that region which was of an other condition that the readers may knowe that he will speake afterward of the land of Chanaan whose diuision was to be made by lot We haue said before that Iosue and Eleazer did part out not onely that which the Israelites had conquered but geuing credite to the promise of God comprehended whatsoeuer God promised to his people no otherwise than if it had bene alredie in their occupation We shall see that the partition was not perfect at the first but when the lot of Iuda fell out first the courses of the other tribes were left in hope But here ariseth a hard question How Iosue Eleazer and the Princes diuided the land if lottes were cast for it For the casting of lottes is not gouerned either by the sentence will or authoritie of men If any man will answer that they did ouersee the matter that no deceipt might be vsed the knot is not yet loosed yea that answer shal be confuted by the texte Wherefore we must wit that they were not simply chosen to diuide the lande by lot but after the casting of the lottes to enlarge or restraine the boundes of euerie tribe by iust proportion And it is manifest that the matter could not be accomplished onely by casting of lottes For when nothing is more chaunceable in mans iudgement than the falling of lottes they knewe not whether God would place the halfe tribe of Manasses where Iuda obteined his portion whether Zabulon should haue bene in the place of Ephraim Wherefore it was not lawefull for them to proceede further in the beginning than to diuide the lande into tenne partes or prouinces but so that the space of euerie one should remaine vndetermined For if euerie one should haue had their choyce some would haue wished to haue dwelt in the middest of the land some would haue chosen a quiet countrie some would haue followed the fruitfulnesse of the fieldes or the good temper of the aire or the pleasantnesse of the place But the lot placed the tribe of Iuda as it were in the head and sent away the tribe of Zabulon vnto the Sea coaste and made the tribe of Beniamin neighbour vnto Iuda and remoued the tribe of Ephraim further off Finally this was the authoritie of the lot that froÌ„ Egypt toward Syria from the North part by the Midland sea ten portions fell out so that some were neere vnto the Egyptians some inhabited in places neere the Sea some should haue the hillie parte some should dwell in the middest of the vallies When this was once appointed then the rulers of the people had their parte to execute that according to the lawe of proportion they shoulde sette out the boundes of euerie tribe Therefore it was in their iudgement to accompt how manie thousand people was in euerie tribe and so according to the multitude or fewnesse they should adiudge to euerie one either more or lesse compasse of grounde For by the commandement of God proportion was to be kepte that as they were found more or fewer when they were numbered so a larger or a straiter region should be assigned to them Numbers 26. It was referred to the iudgement of the same Princes to directe the boundes either in length or in breadth euen as the more commodious reason required Also we must remember that which is read Numbers 34. that those ten which are now called heades of the families were not appointed by election of men but were created vnto this office by the voice of god So euerie tribe had their owne ouerseers that no fraud or force should be vsed Againe it was not lawfull to haue them in suspicion which were named by God himselfe Behold now howe Iosue gaue the land which yet was subiect to casting of lottes 4 But to the Leuites c. This is the thirde time that the same thing is repeated of the Leuites that they were accompted to make one head buâ— for another purpose because it followeth immediately after that the sonnes of Ioseph were diuided into two tribes so by priuiledge their portion was doubled For so Iacob had prophesied yea euen as a Iudge appointed by God he preferred his sonne Ioseph before the rest in this behalfe God therefore tooke the Leuites to his owne portion and set vp in their place one of the two families of Ioseph 6 And the children of Iuda came c. Now is enterlaced an other matter wherby that which was begon to be spoken of the partition of the land is broken off namely that Caleb required mount Hebron to be geuen vnto him euen as it was promised by Moses and this happened in time long before the people had made an end of their warres and should cast lottes for the land For this is numbered the fift yeare since they entered into the lande neither doeth he require a place that was alredie quietly possessed and free from enimies but in the middest of the furie and heate of warres he desireth that he may haue leaue to subdue and sâ—aie the Giantes and so to conquere it This only he indenteth with them that after â—ee hath vanquished the Giantes by his vertue and manhood he be not defranded of the rewarde of his trauell The manner of prouision is that this place come not into the common lotte of his tribe Therefore he alone doth not take vpon him this enterprise but the sonnes of Iuda of which tribe he was agree therevnto because that by this extraordinarie gift which was bestowed vppon one familie the portion of euerie one was by so much as his parte came to increased Therefore although Caleb alone doth speake the whole tribe is with him whose benefite it was that he should be enriched with this rewarde But why Caleb is called the Kenesite I cannot certeinly determine He is called so also Num. 32. Neither am I ignorant what other men gesse namely that he was so surnamed of Kenas or because he or some of his ancesters dwelt among the Kenesites But I see no certeintie of these opinons What if he obteined this title of some notable acte he did as conquerers sometime doe take their surname of the nations which they haue subdued First because this promise was not registred in the publike recordes no man was aliue that could be witnesse therof but Iosue he appealeth to him For it is like that when the other tenne spies obiected the names of the Giantes Enakim to terrifie the people Caleb to confute their lewdnesse answered the truth that when he had seene them in the Mount Hebron they were not so terrible but that he durst sette vppon them
of other tribes were not so streight but they conteined a greater number of cities than was set foorth before It is well knowen that the tribe of Leuie was the least of them all Therefore what equitie had it bene that it should haue bene enlarged fourefolde more than the tribe of Zabulon which we see had but twelue cities although it was much more populous In the tribe of Isachar are numbered onely sixeteene cities The tribe of Nepthalie nineteene The tribe of Aser twentie two Surely the diuision had bene vnequall if more cities had bene geuen to them that were fewer to dwell in Whereof it is gathered that not only the townes which are rehearsed as the appurtenances of the cities were apte for habitation but that other cities also were comprehended of which there was no mention made Finally by the lot of the tribe of Leui it appeareth plainly how large and how ample the dominion of the other tribes was 43 The Lord gaue c. If any man moue question of the rest the answere is easie that the nations of Chanaan were so terrified and amased with feare that they thought nothing more profitable for them than by slauish flatterie to redeeme peace of the children of Israel Therefore the contrie was throughly subdued and their habitation peaceable seeing that no man did either trouble them or durst enterprise any thing against them seeing there was no threatening no treason no violence or conspiracies But of the second point it is doubted how the children of Israel were placed in the possession of the promised land enioyed it so that not one syllable wanted in the promises of God of the fruition thereof Whereas before we sawe that manie enimies were dispersed amongest them The sentence of God was that not one should remaine aliue yet many they expelled not but admitted them for their neighboures as though they had bene partakers of the inheritaunce with them yea they make couenantes also with them How doe these thinges agree together that God gaue the people the possession of the land as he promised it which yet was excluded from some parte thereof by the force or stubbornesse of their enimies That this shew of coÌ„trarietie may be taken away we must discerne betweene the certeine cleere and stedfast faithfulnesse of God in keeping his promises and the â—â—ouch and negligence of the people whereby it came to passe that the benefite of God did fall away as it were out of their hands What warres so euer the people tooke in hand into what parte so euer they moued their standard the victorie was readie neither was there any other let or stay but that they might roote out all their enimies sauing their owne voluntarie slouthfulnesse Wherefore although they chaced them not away that the possession might be voyded of them yet the manifest trueth of God did appeare and set forth it selfe because it had bene no trouble for them to haue obteined the rest if the had listed to embrace the victories that were offered The summe of all this is that it was through their owne cowardise that they enioyed not the full and perfect benefite of God which we shall see in the next Chapter more plainly Chap. 22. THEN Ioshue called the Rubenites and the Gadites the halfe tribe of Manasseh 2 And said vnto them Ye haue kept all that Moses the seruant of the Lorde commaunded you and haue obeyed my voyce in all that I commanded you 3 Ye haue not forsaken your brethren this long season vnto this day but haue diligently kept the commandement of the Lorde your God. 4 And now the Lorde hath giuen rest vnto your brethren as he promised them therefore now returne ye and goe to your tentes to the land of your possession which Moses the seruant of the Lorde hathe giuen you beyond Iordan 5 But take diligent heede to do the commandement and Law which Moses the seruant of the Lorde commanded you that is that ye loue the Lord your God and walke in all his wayes and keepe his commandements and cleane vnto him and serue him with all your heart and with all your soule 6 So Ioshue blessed them and sent them away and they went vnto their tents 7 Now vnto one halfe of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had giuen apossession in Bashan and vnto the other halfe thereof gaue Ioshue among their brethren on this side Iordan Westwarde therefore when Ioshue sent them away vnto their tentes and blessed them 8 Thus he spake vnto them saying Returne with much riches to your tentes and with a great multitude of cattell with siluer with gold with brasse with yron with great abundance of raiment diuide the spoile of your enimies with your brethren 9 So the children of Ruben and the children of Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasseh returned and departed from the children of Israel from Shiloh which is in the land of Chanaan to goe vnto their countrie of Gilead to the land of the possession which they had obteined according to the worde of the Lorde by the hand of Moses 1 Then Iosue c. Here is reported the discharging of the two tribes an halfe which followed the rest of the people not that they should conquere any thing for them selues but because they had alredie obteined houses and landes without casting of lottes that they might holde out the common warre with their brethren vntill they also had obteined their quiet inheritaunce Now because they haue bene faithfull companions and helpers vnto their brethren Iosue pronounceth that they haue serued out their full time and so sendeth them home discharged and at libertie Yet it may be demaunded howe he iudgeth them to haue accomplished their lawfull time of warrefare when as yet a parte of the lande was possessed by the enimies the onely possession whereof ought to haue made a perfect end of that warre But if we call to minde that which I saied before this knot would be easie to loose If they had followed the calling of God and bene obedient to his power yea if they had not shamefully drawen backe when he reached out his hand to helpe them they might easily without any danger and with small trouble haue dispatched the remnantes of that warre Therefore through their owne slouth fulnesse they refused that which God of his liberalitie was readie to haue geuen them And so it came to passe that the couenaunt was fulfilled whereby the two tribes and the halfe had bound themselues For they bound themselues no otherwise but to accompanie the ten tribes and to fight as manfully for their inheritaunce as they would haue done for their owne Now seeing they haue continually shewed themselues faithfull companions and the ten tribes being content with their present estate doe not require but rather doe secreatly refuse their further aide they are by right permitted to returne freely vnto their owne And their patience is worthie of commendation that they are not
We will now go about to make vs an altar not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice 27 But for a witnesse betweene vs and you and betweene our generations after vs to execute the seruice of the Lorde before him in our burnt offeringes and in our sacrifices and in our peace offeringes and that your children should not say to our children in time to come Ye haue no part in the Lorde 28 Therefore said we If so be that they should so say to vs or to our generations in time to come then will we answer Behold the fashion of the altar of the Lord which our fathers made not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice but it is a witnesse betweene vs and you 29 God forbid that we should rebell against the Lord turne this day away from the Lord to build an altar for burnt offering or for meate offering or for sacrifice saue the altar of the Lorde our God that is before his Tabernacle 30 And when Phinehas the Priest and the Princes of the congregation and heades ouer the thousandes of Israel which were with him heard the wordes that the children of Ruben the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake they were well content 31 And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest said vnto the children of Ruben and to the children of Gad and to the children of Manasseh This day we perceiue that the Lord is among vs because ye haue not done this trespasse against the Lord now ye haue deliuered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord. 32 Then Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest with the Princes returned from the children of Ruben and from the children of Gad out of the land of Gilead vnto the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel and brought them answere 33 And the saying pleased the children of Israel and the children of Israel blessed God and minded not to goe against them in battell for to destroy the land wherein the children of Ruben and Gad dwelt 34 Then the children of Ruben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed for it shal be a witnesse betweene vs that the Lorde is God. 21 Then answeared c. The state of the cause standeth vpon definition For the children of Ruben Gad and Manasse excuse the matter that they had an other purpose and intent and so the crime is wiped away because the qualitie of the fact is otherwise than the rest did take it But whereas they make no stirre nor moue any contention for the iniurie that was offered vnto them it is an example of rare modestie which is sette forth for vs to followe that if it happen at any time that that which is rightly well done of vs be blamed falsly and vniustly by them that are vnskillfull it may suffice vs to confute the reprehension in such sorte as we may be purged of the crime supposed But that they may purchase vnto themselues the greater credit and better testifie their innocencie with a most weightie obtestation they reiect and detest that heynous wickednes whereof they were suspected Also the repetition is not without great weight The Lord the God of gods the Lord the God of gods with which vehemencie also they confirme how faithfully they desire to continue in the doctrine of the lawe and how greatly they abhore all contrarie superstitions But because their purpose was not knowne to men and according to euery mans heade was expounded in diuerse sentences and opinions therefore they appeale to the iudgment of God offer themselues to suffer punishment if he knowe they haue attempted any thing of euill purpose or intent And that they may proue themselues to be vnlike to hypocrites which with diuelish impudencie will not sticke an hundred times to call vpon God to be their Iudge when their conscience neuer thelesse doeth accuse them within they doe not onely pretende their conscience but also doe pronounce that all the people shal be witnesse as if they saide It shal be founde manifest in deede that it came neuer in their thought to inuent a newe worshippe of God and they doe rightly interprete howe that altar shoulde haue bene vnlawefull namely if they had determined to offer their sacrifices vpon it For the lawe did not simply condemne heapes of stones but appointed that sacrifices should be offered in one place onely to reteine the people in one faith that religion shoulde not be rent a sunder that licence shoulde not be graunted to the rashnesse of many and so euery one shoulde fall away after their owne inuentions Thus we see that the qualitie of the facte being shewed the detestable vse is taken away which their tenne tribes had imagined It is in deede vnproperly but yet aptly according to the rudenesse of our sense that God is placed aboue all gods For he could not truely be compared with other if there were no more but he And therefore to auoyde this absurditie some doe expounde it of Angels which although in some places it may well agree to be true yet I denie that it can be so taken in all places Neither ought it to seeme any harde phrase that he which is but one and the onely God should be called The God of gods because he hath none equall but is aboue all hight and doeth in deede abscure and darken with his glorie and bring to nothing all names of Godhead which are celebrated in the worlde So this maner of speach ought to be referred to the sense of the common people 26 And we saied c. That grosse impietie whereof they were accused is very well confuted and yet they seeme not to be altogether without fault because the lawe forbiddeth to set vp any images But the excuse is easie that no other images are condemned but such as were made to represent god But to set vp a heape of stones for a Trophie or for testimonie of a miracle or in the remembraunce of some notable grace of God the lawe did neuer forbidde for else both Iosue and many holy Iudges and Kinges which did the like had defiled themselues with prophane superstition But nothing else displeased God but that the mindes of men shoulde be drawen downewarde that he should be worshipped after a grosse and earthly manner Therefore the children of Ruben Gad and Manasse doe well sufficiently discharge themselues from offence while they professe that there shal be none other vse of the altar but that it should be a bonde of their brotherlie coniunction for which they bring a good reason Because it was to be doubted least in long processe of time the ten tribes woulde exclude the rest from them as straungers because they did not inhabite the same lande For in as much as the region beyond Iordan was not at the first comprehended in the couenant their seuerall dwelling might haue moued occasion of dissention Therefore they prouide in time for their posteritie that
no certeine region appointed vnto vs which might separate vs from them neither are we armed with the sword to kill all the vngodlie only we must beware that too much familiaritie doe not wrappe vs in the fellowshippe of their wickednesse For it is more than a harde matter when we doe willingly intermedle with them to keepe our selues that we be not dashed with some blotte or spotte of their vngodlinesse Because this point is sufficiently handled in other places I doe but breefly touch it here 14 Behold I c. Because it is appointed for all men once to die Iosue sayeth that end draweth neere vnto him which abideth all men because he also was borne a mortall man And these wordes he applieth vnto the comfort of the people least they should vexe them selues with immoderate sorowe when he was taken away from them For there is no doubt but he left a wonderfull desire of him seing the people when their head was taken away was as a headlesse and vnperfect bodie Therefore he admonisheth them that seeing the course of his life is brought euen as it were to the marke or end they must not require that his condition should be other than is of all mankinde But yet he meaneth not that all men die alike because the vncorruptible seede of heauenlie doctrine discerneth and diuideth the faithfull from the vnfaithfull that they perish not together with them but here he doeth onely touch that which is common to all namely when the course of this life is ended to goe out of the worlde Therefore the summe of his speach commeth to this effect As God by his benefites and fulfilling of his promises hath proued him selfe to be true so his threatenings should not be vaine and frustrate that by their vtter destruction he would reuenge the prophanation and defiling of his worshippe Chap. 24. AND Ioshue assembled againe all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called the Elders of Israel and their heades and their Iudges and their officers and they presented them selues before God. 2 Then Ioshue said vnto all the people Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel Your fathers dwelt beyond the floud in olde time euen Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor and serued other gods 3 And I tooke your father Abraham from beyond the floud and brought him through all the land of Chanaan and multiplied his seede and gaue him Izhak 4 And I gaue vnto Izhak Iaakob and Esau and I gaue vnto Esau mount Seir to possesse it but Iaakob his children went downe into Aegypt 5 I sent Moses also and Aaron and I plagued Aegypt and when I had so done among them I brought you out 6 So I brought your fathers out of Aegypt and ye came vnto the Sea and the Aegyptians pursued after your fathers with charriots and horsemen vnto the red Sea. 7 Then they cried vnto the Lorde and he put a darknesse betweene you and the Aegyptians brought the Sea vpon them and couered them so your eyes haue seene what I haue done in Aegypt also ye dwelt in the wildernesse a long season 8 After I brought you into the land of the Amorites which dwelt beyond Iordan and they fought with you but I gaue them into your hand and ye possessed their countrie and I destroyed them out of your sight 9 Also Balak the sonne of Zippor King of Moab arose and warred against Israel and sent to call Balaam the sonne of Beor for to curse you 10 But I would not heare Balaam therefore he blessed you and I deliuered you out of his hand 11 And ye went ouer Iordan and came vnto Iericho and the men of Iericho fought against you the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Chanaanites and the Hittites and the Girgashites the Hiuites and the Iebusites and I deliuered them into your hand 12 And I sent Hornets before you which cast them out before you euen the two Kings of the Amorites and not with thy sworde nor with thy bowe 13 And I haue giuen you a land wherein ye did not labour and cities which ye built not and ye dwell in them eate of the vineyardes and oliue trees which ye planted not 14 Now therefore feare the Lord and serue him in vprightnesse and in trueth and put away the gods which your fathers serued beyond the floud and in Aegypt and serue ye the Lorde 1 So Iosue gathered c. Now in my iudgement he doeth more at large declare these thinges which he touched before more breefly For it is not like that the people were twise for one cause drawen into a straunge place Therfore the order of the historie is knit together by repetition For which cause I translate the Coniunction VAV Therfore which may continue the narration alredie begonne And now he expresseth that which before he spake not of that they all stande before GOD whereby the dignitie and reuerence of that assemblie may seeme to be more holie For there is no doubt but Iosue did call vppon the name of God after a solemne manner and preached vnto the people as it were in his presence that euerie one might consider with him selfe that God was president of that assemblie and that they had not in hande there any priuate affaires but the confirmation of a holie and inuiâ—lable couenant with God him selfe Ande herevnto that which followeth soone after that there was the Sanctuarie Wherfore it is likelie that the Arke of the couenant was brought thither not of intent to chaunge the place but that in so serious an action they might appeare before the iudgment seate of God vppon earth For no religion did forbidde the Arke to be remoued and the place Sichem was not farre distant from thence 2 Beyond the riuer c. He taketh his beginning of their free adoption by which GOD did so preuent them that they could not boaste of any excellencie or merite For God had bound them to him selfe with a streighter bonde that when they were equall with other nations God did notwithstanding choose them vnto him selfe for a peculiar people for no other respecte but onely of his meere good will and fauour Furthermore that it might more clerely appeare that there was nothing wherein they could glorie he bringeth them to their first beginning and putteth them in mind that their fathers did so dwell in Chaldea that they worshipped idols commonly with other men and differed nothing from the common people Whereof it is gathered that when Abraham was drowned in idolatrie he was drawne out of it as it were out of hell The Iewes indeed that they might challenge vnto them selues a counterfeit dignitie of their kinred doe feigne a fable that their father Abraham when he would not acknowledge the fire of Chaldea for a god was driuen to flee out of his countrie But if we consider the purpose of Gods spirit he is no more exempted from the crime of the publike errour than Thare and
knot is not yet altogether loosed because he is expresly appointed Lorde of that citie But if we consider that onely a right of dwelling was graunted to the Leuits in those cities there shall be no repugnance In the meane time the modestie of Caleb is worthie of no small praise which in that portion which by extraordinarie priuilege was graunted to him did not refuse to entertaine the Leuites Chap. 15. THis then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Iudah by their families euen to the border of Edom and the wildernesse of Zin Southward on the Southcoast 2 And their Southborder was the salt Sea coast from the point that loketh Southward 3 And it went out on the South-side toward Maaleth-akrabbim and went along to Zin and ascended vp on the Southside vnto Kadesh-barnea and went along to Hezron and went vp to Adar and fet a compasse to Karkaa 4 From thence went it along to Azmon and reached vnto the riuer of Aegypt and the end of that coast was on the West-side this shal be your Southcoast 5 Also the East border shal be the salt Sea vnto the end of Iordan and the border on the North quarter from the point of the Sea and from the end of Iordan 6 And this border goeth vp to Beth-hogla and goeth along by the Northside of Beth-arabah so the border from thence goeth vp to the stone of Bohan the sonne of Ruben 7 Againe this border goeth vp to Debir from the vallie of Achor and Northwarde turning toward Gilgal that lieth before the going vp to Adummim which is on the Southside of the riuer also this border goeth vp to the waters of Enshemesh and endeth at En-rogel 8 Then this border goeth vp to the vallie of the sonne of Hinnom on the Southside of the Iebusites the same is Hierusalem also this border goeth vp to the top of the mountaine that lieth before the vallie of Hinnom Westward which is by the end of the vallie of the Giantes Northward 9 So this border compasseth from the top of the mountaine vnto the fountaine of the water of Nephtoah and goeth out to the cities of mount Ephron and this border draweth to Baalah which is Kiriath-iearim 10 Then this border compasseth from Baalah Westward vnto mount Seir and goeth along vnto the side of mount Iearim which is Chesalon on the Northside so it commeth downe to Beth-shemesh and goeth to Timnah 11 Also this border goeth out vnto the side of Ekron Northward and this border draweth to Shiâ—ron and goeth along to mount Baalah and stretcheth vnto Iabneel and the ends of this coast are to the Sea. 12 And the West border is to the great Sea so this border shal be the bounds of the children of Iudah round about according to their families 13 And vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh did Ioshue giue a parte among the children of Iudah as the Lorde commanded him euen Kiriath-arbah of the father of Anak which is Hebron 1 And the lot c. I haue shewed before that in setting out the situation of the places searching out the reason of their names I would not be curious partly because I confesse that I am not so exercised in the knowlege of Topographie or Chorographie partly because of great laboure bestowed therein small fruite would come to the readers Yea peraduenture the greatest parte of men should take paine without any profite But to the purpose we must note that the lot of the tribe of Iuda doeth not onely fall in a high place that the verie hight of the region might commend the dignitie of the kingdome that should be therein but because the name of that tribe doeth first come forth as a foreshewing of the same matter They beginne to diuide that which was alredie conquered by warre The names of the tenne tribes are cast into a potte Iuda is preferred before all the rest Who seeth not that he is lifted vp into the highest degree that the prophesie of Iacob might be fulfilled Now within these boundes which are here set downe it is well knowen that there were goodly pastures noble and fruitefull vines Thus when the lot doeth answere to the prophesie of Iacob it is manifest that it fell not by chaunce and that the holie Patriarch did pronounce that which was deliuered to him by the spirit of god They that are skilfull of the places may with more pleasure and profite inquire more of them But that the ruder sorte be not greeued to reade vnknowne names let them thinke that it is well worth their laboure if they doe remember that short summe which I haue touched namely that the tribe of Iuda is lifted vp on high that it may be seene alofte aboue the rest vntill the scepter doe arise from thence and secondly that a region fruitfull of vines and pastures is assigned to him moreouer that all the people might acknowledge that his loe fell not by chaunce which was foreshewed three hundred yeres before Furthermore of the large and manifold compasse of the places the vnlearned sorte may easily gather that it was a great prouince which was assigned by lot to that one tribe For although some diminution happened afterward yet they had alwaies the largest dominion And we must remember that which I said that nothing else was declared by the lot but that the border of the sonnes of Iuda ioyned vppon the land of Edom and the sonnes of Sin and that on the other side they bordered vpon the brooke of Egypt and vppon the Midland sea but they that were chosen to be diuiders as their iudgement serued them according to the multitude of men did measure out how great their portion should be did not enlarge their boundes further the same reason they followed in the rest as the neerenesse of the places required Neither did the errour which they committed any thing hinder but that which they decreed remained stedfast For as they were not ashamed in parte to retracte that portion which they had made vnaduisedly so on the other side when the people did see that they handled the matter with all faithfulnesse and vpright dealing they did willingly submit them selues to their decree neither did a particular errour let a generall action from being confirmed ratified It shall not be amisse in one worde to touch the citie of Iebus which afterward was called Hierusalem Although it was alreadie by the secreat counsell of God chosen to be his Sanctuarie and the seate of the kingdome which should be there yet it was possessed of the enimies vntill the time of Dauid For in that they were so long depriued of that place in which was grounded the holinesse excellencie and beautie of all the lande beside therein appeared plainly the curse of God to punish the slouthfulnesse of the people For it was as much as if the cheefe and principall ornament and dignitie of the land were taken away from them But on the other parte did shine
the meruelious goodnesse of God that the Iebusites which after their time was prolonged seemed to haue taken so deepe and sure roote in the land yet for all that were rooted out and pulled out of their place when they thought least of it 13 But to Caleb c. If iudgement should be geuen according to the present state it seemeth to be a foolishe thing that an imagined gift should be so often rehearsed whereof Caleb receiued no benefite so long as Iosue liued But here is set foorth as well the trueth of God as the faith of the holy man which rested vpon his promise Therfore although scornefull men at that time would haue derided and scoffed as well at the carefulnesse of Caleb as at the vnprofitable liberalitie of Iosue and the inhabitants of the same place if the report thereof had bene brought to them would haue proudly despised it not without scoffes and tauntes yet God at the length declareth in effect the certeintie and constancie of his decree As for Caleb although he sawe that he was kept off from hauing accesse vnto the hill yet he testified that he was content with the onely promise of god like as this is a right triall of faith not to be greeued to want the fruition of the things that are promised vntill the due time come Moreouer this place and such like doe teach that the Giantes which are commonly called Enakim were so called of Enak the authour of their stocke and so it is a name of their kinred But at what time he draue away the sonnes of Enak we shall see soone after In the meane time this place doeth teache vs that when Caleb alleadgeth the name of Moses he vsed no deceipte nor affirmed any thing vntruely because it is nowe plainely aduouched that Moses did so appoint it by the commaundement of God. 14 And Caleb droue thence three sonnes of Anak Sheshay and Ahiman and Talmaie the sonnes of Anak 15 And he went vp thence to the inhabitantes of Debir and the name of Debir before time was Kiriath-sepher 16 Then Caleb saide He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher and taketh it euen to him will I geue Achsah my daughter to wife 17 And Othniel the sonne of Kanaz the brother of Caleb tooke it and hee gaue him Achsah his daughter vnto wife 18 And as she went in to him shee moued him to aske of her father a feelde and she lighted off her Asse and Caleb saide vnto her What wilt thou 19 Then shee answeared Geue me a blessing for thou hast geuen me the South countrie geue mee also the springs of water And hee gaue her the springes aboue and the springes beneath 20 This shal be the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Iudah according to their families 21 And the vtmost cities of the tribe of the children of Iudah toward the coastes of Edom Southward were Kabzeel and Eder and Iagur 22 And Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah 23 And Kedesh and Hazor and Ithnan 24 Ziph and Telem and Bealoth 25 And Hazor Hadattah and Kerioth Hezron which is Hazor 26 Amam and Shema and Moladah 27 And Haza Gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-paleâ— 28 And Hasar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah 29 Baalah and Iim and Azem 30 And Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah 31 And Ziklag and Madmanna and Sansannah 32 And Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon all these cities are twentie and nine with their villages 33 In the lowe countrie were Eshtaol and Zoreah and Ashnah 34 And Zanoah and En-gannim Tappuah and Enam 35 Iarmuth and Adullam Socoh and Azekah 36 And Sharaim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim fourteene cities with their villages 37 Zenam and Hadasha and Migdalgad 38 And Dileam and Mizphe and Ioktheel 39 Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon 40 And Cabbon and Lahmam and Kithlishe 41 And Gederoth Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah sixteene cities with their villages 42 Lebnah and Ether and Ashan 43 And Iiphtah and Ashnah and Nezib 44 And Keliah and Aczib and Mareshah nine cities with their villages 45 Ekron with her townes and her villages 46 From Ekron euen vnto the Sea all that lieth about Ashdod with their villages 47 Ashdod with her townes and her villages Azzah with her townes and her villages vnto the riuer of Aegypt and the great Sea was their coast 48 And in the mountaines were Shamer and Iattir and Socoth 49 And Dannah and Kiriath-sannath which is Debir 50 And Anab and Ashtemoth and Anim 51 And Goshen and Holon and Giloth eleuen cities with their villages 52 Arab and Dumath and Eshan 53 And Ianum and Beth-tappuah and Aphekah 54 And Humtah and Kiriath-arba which is Hebron and Zior nine cities with their villages 55 Maon Carmel and Ziph and Iuttah 56 And Izreel and Iokdeam and Zanoah 57 Kain Gibeah and Timnah tenne cities with their villages 58 Hashul Beth-zur and Gedor 59 And Maarah and Bethanoth and Eltecon sixe cities with their villages 60 Kiriath-baal which is Kiriath-iearim and Rabbath two cities with their villages 61 In the wildernesse were Beth-arabah Middin and Secacah 62 And Nibshan and the citie of salt and En-gedi sixe cities with their villages 63 Neuerthelesse the Ieb usites that were the inhabitantes of Hierusalem could not the children of Iudah cast out but the Iebusites dwell with the children of Iudah at Hierusalem vnto this day Here is that declared which was done after the death of Iosue as appeareth by the booke of Iudges but least the straungenesse shoulde breede a question for that a fruitefull lande and full of springes was geuen in patrimonie to a woman the writer of the booke thought good to enterlace that historie whiche came to passe afterward that nothing shoulde remaine doubtfull in the lotte of the tribe of Iuda First it is saied that Caleb after he had taken Hebron laied seege to Debir or Kiriath Sepher and promised to take him to his sonne in Lawe which first should enter into it And it appeareth that seeing hee prouoketh his souldiers to take the citie with so singular a rewarde that it was a matter of no small hardnesse Whereby is confirmed that whiche wee sawe before that a painfull peece of woorke was laied vppon him when he was infeoffed with such a possession as not without great daunger he could conquere Therefore to encourage his most valiaunâ— souldiers he promiseth the mariage of his daughter in reward of his valiantnesse whosoeuer should first scale the walles and enter the citie Then it is added that Othoniel which was his brothers somâ—â— obteined this reward by his vertue But how it crepte into the vulgar translation The yonger brother of Caleb I knowe not and surely the errour can not be excused by any colour therefore diuerse men vnskilfully trouble themselues to search how Othoniel would take his Neece to wife because such mariage was alredie forbiden by the law It is easie to proue that he was not her Uncle but her Uncles sonne But here it is