ment to all to forsake their sins, and to cultivate that godly sorrow for sin, which worketh repentance that never needs to be repented of. The language of his grace under the law and gospel too, is, Return unto me, and I will return unto thee.

2. We here see that stratagems in war are lawful in themselves. There is indeed something peculiar in the circumstances of the Jewish people, having God, the sovereign of the world, for their king; but he never commanded any thing to be done that was unlawful in itself. Here was no faith violated, or treaties broken; the breach of which is scandalous and abominable. The people of Ai acted against the common rules of human prudence. It does not appear to be unlawful to deceive an enemy by a dubious action; and the common agreement among men seems to countenance this, where no previous compact renders it unlawful. But still there are degrees of honour to be observed, even toward enemies, that all men, especially christians, should show, and carefully avoid every degree of perjury, and violation of public faith.

3. We learn, that amidst the greatest hurry of business, and the most agreeable scenes of life, the worship of God must not be neglected. Joshua and the people had great work before them; their enemies were intimidated, and we may be ready to think they should have now pushed forward. But they must take time to observe God's laws; pay their thanks to him for what is past, and seek further success. Amidst all the joy which the victory occasioned, God was to be revered, and his blessings and curses pronounced, read, and regarded. The more we are hurried with the affairs of this life, the more need we have to call off our thoughts, by renewing our dedication to God, recognizing our solemn covenant, and attending to the words of his law. The more pleasant our circumstances are, and the greater prosperity we meet with, the more peculiar reason have we to acknowledge God, lest prosperity should prove a snare.

4. Persons of every rank, sex, and station, should join in worshipping God, and attending on the instructions of his law. The elders, officers, and judges of Israel, were all to come to hear the words of God's law, and attend on the sacrifices. The poor stranger also, was to join himself to the Lord. The women and children were to attend these sacrifices and religious instructions. The greatest of men are not to think themselves above being religious; not for their own sakes only, but that their example may influence others, and engage them to the service of God. Heads of families should bring their wives and little ones to public ordinances, and make it their resolution that they and theirs shall serve the Lord. Remember, that religion is the concern of every man; that fearing God and keeping his commandments, is the way to prosperity in both worlds.

CHAP. IX.

We have in this chapter a contrivance of the Gibeonites to gain peace and friendship with Israel; the discovery of their fraud; and Joshua's agreement to spare their lives, upon condition of their being in perpetual bondage:

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ND it came to pass, when all the kings which [were] on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea, the Mediterranean, over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard [thereof;] 2 That they gathered themselves together, and entered into a confederacy, to fight with Joshua and with. Israel, with one accord. But this was not done till after they had heard of what the Gibeonites had done, as we shall see in the next chapter.

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And when the inhabitants of Gibeon* heard what Joshua 4 had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, that is, craftily, with a design to deceive the Israelites, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors sent from some far country, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, 5 and rent, and bound up where they had leaked; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, that is, patched as if they had been worn out with long travelling; and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy. 6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, his head quarters, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, the princes and elders who used to meet in council with Joshua, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a 7 league with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us, and are of the people with whom we are not to make a covenant or friendship; and how 8 shall we make a league with you? And they said unto Joshua, We [are] thy servants; not enemies, but friends, who will submit to any conditions of peace. This awakened his suspicion, and Joshua said unto them, Who [are] ye? and from whence 9 come ye? And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come,t because of the name of the LORD thy God for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, (not mentioning what was done lately; as if they 10 had not heard of that, because of their remoteness) And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] beyond

• Gibeon was a royal city, belonging to the Hivites, v. 7, and had other towns under its government. They had little reason to be afraid, as they had many mighty men among them, See ch. x. 8.

They avoid coming to particulars, and answer only in general terms; the way of all deceitful men. At length they pretended that religion was their motive, and a regard to the God of Israel; they thought this the best way to secure Joshua's favourable opinion,

Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashang 11 which [was] at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We [are] your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us. They would have Joshua believe that they were ambassadors, who did not come of their own accord, but were sent by the leading men of their nation. They then go on to describe the 12 length of their journey. This our bread we took hot [for] our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto 13 you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: And these bottles of wine, which we filled, [were] new; and, behold, they be rent and these our garments and our shoes are be14 come old by reason of the very long journey. And the men took of their victuals, to examine whether or not they were so old and decayed; and rashly and inconsiderately took their word, and 15 asked not [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

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And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they [were] 17 their neighbours, and [that] they dwelt among them. And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day; that is, the army in their march came to their country. Now their cities [were] Gibeon, and Chephirah, 18 and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes, because they were deprived of the spoil of such a rich, populous, and royal city. 19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them; it will be violating our oath, a dishonour to God, and a reproach to our religion, and will preju 20 dice the Gibeonites against it. But this will we do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of 21 the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the prin ces had promised them; let them be as slaves, doing the greatest drudgery in serving at the altar, which otherwise all 22 the people, in their turns, must have done. And Joshua call. ed for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We [are] very far from you; 23 when ye dwell among us? Now therefore ye [are] cursed, adjudged to a mean, calamitous condition, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and

24 drawers of water for the house of my God. And they answered Joshua in a very prudent manner, so as to excite his pity, and save their lives, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this 25 thing. And now, behold, we [are] in thine hand, ready to

submit to thy appointment: as it seemeth good and right unto 26 thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that 27 they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose. It is probable they left their own cities, (for the Israelites afterward dwelt in them) and that they were distributed through the tribes as the Levites were. At length the curse was turned into a blessing; they lived near God's house, had the benefit of ordinances, and afterward were called Nethinims, Ezra viii. 20. because they were devoted to God, and a sacred kind of servants, as Josephus calls them.

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REFLECTIONS.

E see here the obstinacy of sinners, in using those them from it. These kings were confederate against Israel, because they had heard that other kings were not able to stand singly; but all were destroyed in a miraculous manner. Their wisest way would have been to have sought for terms of peace; but they would venture to oppose the people, though they could not but know what had been done for them. There is too much of this temper among sinners now: though they know it is vain to contend with God; for when he judges he will overcome; yet they still venture on; and run on the thick bosses of his buckler, (Job xv. 26.) to their own destruction. A lamentable case indeed!

2. Religion is often made use of as a pretence, where secular interest is the only thing intended. The Gibeonites pretended great regard for God, and desired to join his people, to become servants of him who had such power and wrought such miracles; but they only wanted to save their lives, and secure their possessions. This is too common a case. Men talk much of God and religion, to answer their temporal ends: but God cannot be deceived, though men may : He desireth truth in the inward parts ; and the hypocrisy of the heart is an abomination unto him.

VOL. II.

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3. Let us learn to avoid rash judgment. The Israelites hastily made a league, without consulting the Lord, which might easily have been done: then they had acted wisely and safely. Let us guard against too hasty a temper, especially in such solemn affairs as vows and engagements; remembering Solomon's advice, Be not rash with thy mouth, or hasty to utter any thing before God, in the way of vows or promises. Consult him; his word, by diligent search; his providence, by earnest prayer. Bp. HALL, and after him Mr. HENRY, caution us, from this story, against taking up any sentiments rashly, because they have the appearance of antiquity. Many good men have done this, and been strangely obstinate. But errors are never the better for being patched and seemingly old. When persons judge of men or things rashly, it is a sign that they have not deliberated, not duly weighed the evidence and reasons for them, nor consulted God. Let it teach us in all our ways to acknowledge God, and then he will direct our paths.

4. Let us learn to reverence an oath, and to keep close to our solemn engagements. We ought to stand by our word, and be punctual to our bargain, though it should be to our loss or detriment. The Israelites did so, though their oath was fraudulently obtained. It is monstrous to violate promises and engagements, when made with all honesty and fairness. Had the Israelites understood the evasions of the church of Rome, and acted upon their principles, they had had no cause to mourn; Eleazer the high priest could have given them a dispensation to break it; or have rejected them as heretics, and therefore no faith was to be kept with them. But they had not so learned the God of Israel; they observed the oath; and it was well they did, for God would highly have resented the breach of it; and he afterward did so, as we find in 2 Sam. xxi. 1. There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year, for Saul and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. It is an undoubted maxim, that men lose more by making God their enemy, than they can possibly gain by any fraudulent or indirect methods. Therefore, let integrity and uprightness guide and preserve us; remembering it is the character of one that shall inhabit God's holy hill, that he walketh uprightly, speaketh the truth in his heart; and though he swears to his own hurt, yet he changes not. Psalm xv.