A hill that pertained to Phinehas, his son] This grant | integrity, in opposition to those abominable vices, by which was probably made to Phinehas as a token of the respect of the whole nation, for his zeal, courage, and usefulness: for the priests had properly no inheritance. At the end of this verse, the Septuagint add, "In that day, the children of Israel, taking up the ark of the covenant of God, carried it about with them, and Phinehas succeeded to the high priest's office, in the place of his father, until his death; and he was buried in Gabaath, which belonged to himself. "Then the children of Israel went every man to his own place, and to his own city. And the children of Israel worshipped Astarte and Ashtaroth, and the gods of the surrounding nations, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of Eglon, king of Moab, and he tyrannized over them for eighteen years." The last six verses in this chapter were, doubtless, not written by Joshua; for no man can give an account of his own death and burial; Eleazar, Phinehas, or Samuel, might have added them, to bring down the narration, so as to connect it with their own times; and thus preserve the thread of the history unbroken. This is a common case; many men write histories of their own lives, which, in the last circumstances, are finished by others: and who has ever thought of impeaching the authenticity of the preceding part, because the subsequent was the work of a different hand? Hirtius' supplement has never invalidated the authenticity of the Commentaries of Cæsar, nor the work of Quintus Smyrnæus, that of the Ilias and Odyssey of Homer. We should be thankful, that an adequate and faithful hand has supplied those circumstances which the original author could not write; and without which the work would have been imperfect. Mr. Saurin has an excellent dissertation on this grand federal act, formed by Joshua and the people of Israel on this very solemn occasion; of the substance of which the reader will not be displeased to find the following very short outline, which may be easily filled up by any whose business it is to instruct the public: for such a circumstance may, with great propriety, be brought before a Christian congregation. "SEVEN things are to be considered in this renewal of the covenant. I. The dignity of the mediator. II. The freedom of those who contracted. V. The peril of the engagement. VI. The solemnity of the acceptance. themselves, and the neighbouring nations, had been defiled. 1. The major part of men have one religion for youth, another for old age; but he who serves God in integrity, serves him with all his heart, in every part of life. 2. Most men have a religion of times, places, and circumstances. This is a defective religion. Integrity takes in every time, every place, and every circumstance. God's law being ever kept before the eyes, and his love in the heart, dictating purity and perfection to every thought, word, and work. 3. Many content themselves with abstaining from vice, and think themselves sure of the kingdom of God, because they do not sin as others. But he who serves God in integrity, not only abstains from the act, and the appearance of evil, but steadily performs every moral good. 4. Many think, if they practise some kind of virtues, to which they feel less of a natural repugnance, that they bid fair for the kingdom; but this is opposite to uprightness. The religion of God equally forbids every species of vice, and recommends every kind of virtue. "V. The peril of the engagement.-This covenant had in it the nature of an oath; for so much the phraise, before the Lord, implies: therefore, those who entered into this covenant, bound themselves by oath unto the Lord, to be steady and faithful in it. But it may be asked, 'as human nature is very corrupt, and exceedingly fickle, is there not the greatest danger of breaking such a covenant; and is it not better not to make it, than to run the risk of breaking it, and exposing oneself to superadded punishment, on that account?' Answer, He who makes such a covenant in God's strength, will have that strength to enable him to prove faithful to it. Besides, if the soul do not feel itself under the most solemn obligation to live to God, it will live to the world and flesh. Nor is such a covenant as this more solemn and strict, than that which we have often made; first, in our baptism; and often afterward in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, &c. Joshua allows there is a great danger in making this covenant. Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy, strong, and jealous God, &c. But this supposes only, that nothing could be done right, but in his Spirit, and by his strength. The energy of the Holy Spirit, is equal to every requisition of God's holy law, as far as it regards the moral conduct of a believer in Christ. "VI. The solemnity of the acceptance.-Notwithstanding Joshua faithfully laid down the dreadful evils which those might expect who should abondon the Lord; yet they entered solemnly into the covenant. God forbid! that we should forsake the Lord; but we will serve the Lord. They seemed to think, that not to covenant in this case, was to reject. "I. The dignity of the mediator.-Take a view of his "VII. The nearness of the consequence.-There were names. Hosea and Jehoshua. God will save: he will false gods among them, and these must be immediately save. The first is like a promise: the second the fulfil-put away. As ye have taken the Lord for your God, then ment of that promise. God will save sometime or other; this is the very person by whom he will accomplish his promise. Take a view of Joshua's life: his faith, courage, constancy, heroism, and success.-A remarkable type of Christ. See Heb. iv. 8. "II. The freedom of those who contracted.-Take away the gods which your fathers served beyond the flood; and in Egypt, &c. ver. 14, &c. Joshua exhibits to the Israelites all the religions which were then known; 1. That of the Chaldeans, which consisted in the adoration of fire. 2. That of the Egyptians, which consisted in the worship of the or, Apis, cats, dogs, and serpents: which had been preceded by the worship even of vegetables, such as the onion, &c. 3. That of the people of Canaan, the principal objects of which were Astarte, (Venus,) and Baalpeor, (Priapus.) Make remarks on the liberty of choice which every man has, and which God, in matters of religion, applies to, and calls into action. "III. The necessity of the choice.-To be without religion, is to be without happiness here, and without any title to the kingdom of God. To have a false religion, is the broad road to perdition; and to have the true religion, and live agreeably to it, is the high road to heaven. Life is precarious death is at the door: the judge calls: much is to be done, and perhaps little time to do it in! Eternity depends on the present moment.-Choose-choose speedily -determinately, &c. "IV. The extent of the conditions.-Fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and righteousness. Fear the Lord. Consider his being, his power, holiness, justice, &c. This is the gate to religion. Religion itself consists of two parts.-I. TRUTH. 1. In opposition to the detestable idolatry of the forementioned nations. 2. In reference to that revelation which God gave of himself. 3. In reference to that solid peace and comfort which false religions may promise, but cannot give, and which the true religion communicates to all who properly embrace it. II. UPRIGHTNESS, OF put away the strange gods which are among you, ver. 23. The moment the covenant is made, that same moment the conditions of it come into force. He who makes this covenant with God, should immediately break off from every evil design, companion, word, and work. Finally, Joshua erected two monuments of this solemn transaction: 1. He caused the word to be written in the book of the law, ver. 26. 2. He erected a stone under an oak, ver. 27. that these two things might be witnesses against them, if they broke the covenant which they then made, &c." There is the same indispensable necessity, for every one who professes Christianity, to enter into a covenant with God through Christ. He who is not determined to be on God's side, will be found on the side of the world, the devil, and the flesh. And he who does not turn from all his iniquities, cannot make such a covenant. And he who does not make it now, may probably never have another opportunity. Reader, death is at the door, and eternity is at hand. These are truths which are every where proclaimed-every where professedly believed every where acknowledged to be important-and perhaps no where laid to heart as they should be. And yet all grant that they are born to die! ON the character and conduct of Joshua, much has already been said in the notes, and particularly in the preface to this book. A few particulars may be added. It does not appear that Joshua was ever married, or that he had any children. That he was high in the estimation of God, we learn from his being chosen to succeed Moses in the government of the people. He was the person alone, of all the host of Israel, who was deemed every way quali fied to go out before the congregation, and to go in to lead them out and bring them in: and be the shepherd of the people, because the Spirit of God was in him. See Numb. xxvii. 17, &c. He is called the servant of God, as was Moses; and was, of all men of that generation, next in eminence to that great legislator. Joshua retires only from labour when there is no more work to be done, and no more dangers to be encountered. He was the first in the field, and the last out of it; and never attempted to take rest till all the tribes of Israel had got their possessions, and were settled in their inheritances! of him it might be truly said, as of Cæsar, he continued to work, nil actum reputans, si quid superesset agendum: for "he considered nothing done, while any thing remained undone." Like his great master, he neither provided for himself, | dependents, at the expense, and often to the ruin, of their nor his relatives, though he had it constantly in his power country! so to do. He was the head and leader of the people; the chief and foremost in all fatigues and dangers; without whose piety, prudence, wisdom, and military skill, the whole tribes of Israel, humanly speaking, must have been ruined. And yet this conqueror of the nations did not reserve to himself a goodly inheritance, a noble city, nor any part of the spoils of those he had vanquished. His countrymen, it is true, gave him an inheritance among them, chap. xix. 50. This, we might suppose, was in consideration of his eminent services; and this, we might naturally expect, was the best inheritance in the land! No! they gave him Timnath-serah, in the barren mountains of Ephraim, and even this he asked, chap. xix. 50. But was not this the best city in the land? No-it was even No city; evidently no more than the ruins of one that had stood in that place; and hence it is said, he builded the city, and dwelt thereinhe, with some persons of his own tribe, revived the stones out of the rubbish, and made it habitable. Joshua believed there was a God; he loved, and acted under his influence; and endeavoured, to the utmost of his power, to promote the glory of his Maker, and the welfare of man; and he expected his recompense in another world. Like Him of whom he was an illustrious type, he led a painful and laborious life, devoting himself entirely to the service of God, and the public good. How unlike was Joshua to those men, who, for certain services, get elevated to the highest honours; but, not content with the recompense thus awarded them by their country, use their new influence for the farther aggrandizement of themselves and Behold this man retiring from office and from life! without any kind of emolument-the greatest man of all the tribes of Israel; the most patriotic, and the most serviceable, and yet the worst provided for. Statesmen! naval and military commanders! look Joshua in the face, read his history, and learn from IT, what true PATRIOTISM means. That man alone, who truly fears and loves God, credits his revelation, and is made a partaker of his Spirit, is capable of performing disinterested services to his country, and to mankind! MASORETIC NOTES ON JOSHUA. The number of verses in the book of Joshua is 656 (should be 658, see on chap. xxi. 36, &c.) of which the symbol is found in the word ' vetaron, (and shall sing,) Isai. xxxv. 6. Its middle verse is the 26th of chap. xiii. Its Masoretic sections are 14; the symbol of which is found in the word yad, (the hand,) Ezek. xxxvii. 1. See the note at the end of Genesis, and the Haphtoras at the end of the Pentateuch. ADVERTISEMENT CONCERNING THE ACCOMPANYING MAP. No pains have been spared in constructing the map, which accompanies this book. All the ancient and modern maps within reach, and they were not a few, have been consulted, in order to make it as correct as possible. It is truly surprising to find such discordances relative to places comparatively at home, and so often visited by the most learned and intelligent travellers. No two of them agree in the position of the places in general: and gazetteers and books of geogra phy, compiled from the accounts of ancient and modern travellers, are as discordant among themselves as the construc tors of maps. In the main, I have followed Dr. Pocock and Dom Calmet, who appeared to be the most correct. The former visited many of the places in person; and the latter has collated all the accounts within his reach, with the sacred text; and has displayed, in his inquiries, such a minuteness of research, and extensive critical investigation, as are worthy of the highest commendation. As a general directory relative to the position of the most remarkable places in the Holy Land and Syria, it is hoped the map will be found sufficiently accurate: farther than this, nothing can be promised; nor can the reader be directed to any other quarter, from which he can expect greater or more accurate satisfaction. Experience has taught me, that maps in general, are less to be trusted to, than any other means of informa tion. Mr. Whiston, from whom much accuracy might be expected on such a subject, after having laid down a map of the promised land, constructed for his History of Josephus, wisely gives an alphabetical list of all the principal places in Judea, with their latitudes and longitudes, not as they are found in the great map of nature, but as they are laid down in his map. Thus the table refers you to the map, and the map to the table, and thus Mr. Whiston checks himself, and is the sole proof of his own accuracy! This is not a solitary case: every map of this land is incorrect: and the reader is requested to consult that which accompanies this work with an eye of candour and indulgence. 599 OF THE PENTATEUCH AND BOOK OF JOSHUA: Being a Systematic Arrangement of Events; from the Creation of Adam, A. M. 1, to the Birth of Peleg, A. M. 1757, and of each successive Year, from the Dispersion of Mankind at the Birth of Peleg, to the Settlement of the Israelites in the Land of Canaan, at the Death of Joshua, A. M. 2561, inclusive; Synchronized with the principal Epochs in use among the different Nations of the World, viz. The Year of the World-the Year before Christ-the Year before and after the Deluge-the Year of the Julian Period-and the Year before the First Olympiad. To which are added, the Reigns of the contemporary Sovereigns of the most remarkable Monarchies; together with the Year of the Life of all the Ante and Postdiluvian Patriarchs on record, corresponding with the Years of the principal Epochs mentioned above. Designed to save the curious Reader the trouble of reducing the Years of any particular Epoch to those of another, in which he may wish to fix any Event that took place within the limits of these Tables; and to prevent the necessity of recurrence to Systematic Chronologies for Historic Facts in any wise connected with those mentioned in the Sacred Writings. TABLE I. A Chronology of the Birth and Death of all the Patriarchs, from Adam, A. M. 1, to Reu, the son of Peleg, A. M. 1787. IN THE YEAR OF THE LIFE OF 70 B |