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- Herausgeber: Charles River Editors
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018
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CATHOLIC COMMENTARY ON JOSHUA
George Haydock
PAPHOS PUBLISHERS
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This book is a work of nonfiction and is intended to be factually accurate.
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Copyright © 2016 by George Haydock
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXII
CHAPTER XXIII
CHAPTER XXIV
Catholic Commentary on Joshua
INTRODUCTION
THIS BOOK IS CALLED JOSUE, because it contains the history of what passed under him, and, according to the common opinion, was written by him. The Greeks call him Jesus; for Josue and Jesus, in the Hebrew, are the same name, and have the same signification, viz., A Savior. And it was not without a mystery, that he who was to bring the people into the land of promise, should have his name changed from Osee (for so he was called before, Numbers xiii. 17) to Josue, or Jesus, to give us to understand, the Moses, by his law, could only bring the people within sight of the promised inheritance, but that our Savior, Jesus, was to bring us into it. (Challoner) – The Hebrews who had been so rebellious under Moses, behaved with remarkable fidelity and respect towards his successor; who, by these means, more forcibly represented the Christian Church, (Du Hamel) which will be ever obedient to her divine head and observe his directions. Josue had been trained up a long time under the hand of Moses, and God had given him the commission to govern his people, in so public a manner, that no one offered to claim that high and arduous office. In effect, the whole conduct of Josue before and after his exaltation, showed him to be most deserving of command. (Haydock) – Josue, says the Holy Ghost, (Ecclesiasticus xlvi. 1) was successor of Moses among the prophets, or, according to the Greek, “in prophecies.” Many explain this of the obligation incumbent on him, to continue the sacred history (Calmet) and revelations where Moses had left off. The last chapter of this book informs us that he did so. Perhaps some additions, by way of farther explication, have been made by subsequent inspired writers, though most of the passages which are adduced to prove this assertion, seem to be of little force. Respecting the death of Josue, we may make the same observations as on that of Moses. It may have been written by the author of the Book of Judges. Theodoret seems to have thought that the work before us was compiled out of the public registers, which are quoted chap. x. under the name of the book of the Lord. See Numbers xxi. 14. The Samaritans have a book or chronicle of Josue, which relates in 39 or 47 chapters, many facts of scriptural history, (Haydock) down to the reign of Adrian, intermingled with a variety of fables. It seems to be of modern date. Hottinger undertook to publish it in Latin, but was prevented by death. (Calmet) – The true history of Josue sets before us the passage of the Jordan, the conquest of Chanaan, and the distribution of the country. After the pious general had performed all that could be expected from him, after he had twice ratified the covenant between God and his people, and exhorted the latter, with his last breath, to observe an inviolable fidelity to the only Lord, he departed this life in peace, in the 110th year of his age, and was buried at Thamnath Sare, which he had built for the place of his abode. (Haydock) – As the five books of Moses contain the law, intermixed with history, so this first of the historical books exhibits a variety of useful precepts and predictions. The prophetical and sapiential books must be considered in the same light. (Worthington) – They all tend to promote true wisdom and the salvation of men, provided they be perused in the same spirit with which they were written. (Haydock)
CHAPTER I
VERSE 1
NOW: LITERALLY, AND. THUS THE sacred history is connected, the last chapter of Deuteronomy being, in the opinion of many, a part of the work of Josue. (Haydock) – Moses died on the 1st of the 12th month, Adar, and as soon as that month of mourning had expired, and the spies had returned on the 4th of Nisan, God ordered the people to prepare for their departure. –Minister. This was by no means degrading. He was designed for the successor of Moses, as Eliseus was to succeed Elias. The heroes at Troy had servants of the same high character as themselves, attached to their persons by the ties of friendship. See Exodus xvii. 10.
VERSE 2
Jordan, a river well known, which rises in Antilibanus, not from Panion, but from the lake Phiala, as Herod the Tetrarch discovered by throwing some straw into the latter, which passed by a subterraneous passage into Panion. Thence it proceeds to the Semonite lake and to Daphne, where it begins to be called the Great Jordan. (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii. 33.) Having traversed the land of Palestine in the southern direction, it loses itself in the lake of Sodom. (Calmet) – It is a very rapid river, and hence its appellation from irod, of jord, descendit, is very probably derived. (Haydock) – The Arabs call it Zacchar, “overflowing,” because the snows and rains cause it formerly to overflow about Easter. (Universal History) – When Maundrell travelled through this country, the stream was too rapid for a person to swim against it. (Parkhurst) – Hence the miracle of the Hebrews passing through the Jordan on dry land, when its waters were the most copious and violent, would be the more observable. (Haydock)
VERSE 3
Moses. Thus the preceding permission, which the Jews extend, as if God had authorized them to conquer the whole world, is limited. (Haydock) See Deuteronomy xi. 24. – Their right to the land of Chanaan depends on this grant of God, who is the Lord of all things, and who thus took away all the privileges of the former inhabitants. But the warrant of destruction only regarded the people of Chanaan. Those who lived towards the Euphrates, were obliged only to pay tribute by David and Solomon, thought their country formed part of what had been promised to the Israelites. They might have possessed all that region, if they had proved faithful. The limits of the promised land vary, as they are considered under various lights. (Calmet) – The desert of Arabia Petrea and Antilibanus formed the boundaries on the south and on the north, the Euphrates and Mediterranean were on the east and west, when the territories of the Israelites were considered in their utmost extent. (Haydock)
VERSE 4
Hethites, the most formidable of the nations of Chanaan. (Masius)
VERSE 5
Resist you. They shall at last be overcome, and their resistance will prove detrimental to themselves. (Calmet)
VERSE 6
Lot. Hebrew, “thou shalt give for an inheritance.” (Haydock)
VERSE 7
From it. Hebrew him, Moses. But the Masorets order us to read it. (Haydock) – Understand, or “succeed.” (Chaldean) (Vatable)
VERSE 10
Princes. Shoterim may denote both judges and heralds, such as those mentioned in Homer, the messengers of gods and men, whose persons were deemed sacred. They bore a wand or scepter, as a mark of their authority.
VERSE 11
Victuals. The manna still supplied the army after they had passed the Jordan, chap. v. 12. But Josue might fear lest the people might not have liberty to gather it in the midst of the enemy’s country, or he might perhaps suppose that this miraculous food would be withdrawn, as soon as they had entered Chanaan. He therefore takes all necessary precautions, and gets other sorts of provisions in the neighborhood. (Calmet) – This might foreshow, that in the primitive Church the ceremonies and privileges of the old law would not be abrogated immediately, but they might be used for a time along with the rites of the gospel, till the old law should be buried with honor. (Worthington) – Third day, after their departure from Setim; or perhaps this order was only published when the Israelites were arrived on the banks of the Jordan. (Calmet)
VERSE 14
Armed before, in order of battle, at the head of the army, and not according to the disposition of the tribes, which were observed in the desert. Only 40,000 men were selected out of 110,580, the rest were very prudently left to guard the new conquered country. See Numbers xxxii. 17. – For them. Hebrew, “help them.”
VERSE 15
Beyond. The same expression is translated on this side, ver. 14. Hebrew beheber means also, “in the passage.” If we have regard to Josue, when he spoke this, he was beyond, that is on the east side of the river, though perhaps (Haydock) he might be on the other side when he wrote the history, Deuteronomy i. 1. (Calmet)
VERSE 17
Moses. Thus they express their ardent wish, that God would extend his protection to Josue. (Menochius) – They do not mean to insinuate, that they will obey him only as long as he complies with God’s law. (Calmet)
VERSE 18
Die, as guilty of high treason. The person’s goods were confiscated, and became the property of the king. Thus David disposed of the effects of Saul, (2 Kings xvi. 4.) and Achab seized the vineyard of Naboth, 3 Kings xxi. 15. (Calmet)
CHAPTER II
VERSE 2
By night. Hebrew, “this night.” (Calmet)
VERSE 3
House. She spoke to them through a window. The messengers did not enter into her house; whence Serarius infers, that Rahab was a person consecrated to some impure deity, and therefore held in some estimation among the people of Jericho, as this was a city of the moon, in whose honor such consecrations were generally made. But these arguments are not very convincing. (Calmet)
VERSE 4
Hid, or “had hidden,” as (ver. 6) she had made the men retire before she spoke to the messengers, and probably before they came to demand them. As soon as she was informed of their design, she took all prudent precautions both for her own and their safety, as she could not have escaped death, if she had been discovered affording shelter to the enemies of her country. She felt herself authorized by God, on this occasion, to abandon those upon whom he had declared war, and who could have derived no benefit from the spies being betrayed to them. (Haydock)
VERSE 5
At the time, not precisely, as otherwise the men who shut the gates must have seen them, but about that time, (Calmet) Rahab pretends that the spies had left her house, and had directed their course towards the gate, so that she made no doubt but they might easily overtake them. (Haydock) – Notwithstanding this officious lie, which is a venial sin, St. Paul and St. James testify that she was justified by her faith in God, and by good works towards these men. See St. Augustine, contra Mend. 17 and note on James ii. 25. (Worthington) – Rahab might suppose that an officious lie was not a sin, (Menochius) as many great and learned men seemed to have maintained this doctrine. See Grotius, Jur. iii. 1. 9.; Origen, contra Cels. iv. p. 171.; St. Chrysostom, hom. 53, Genesis. She was so far from intending to do an injury to any one, that she consulted the welfare both of her guests and of her countrymen, who, if they had detected the spies and committed murder, would have thus brought greater destruction upon themselves, as they could not escape the wrath of God. (Calmet)
VERSE 6
There. The roofs were flat in that country, and consequently very proper to dry flax, or “cotton,” as Masius understands.
VERSE 7
Jordan, where they had probably come over, though perhaps in a boat, (Menochius) and where the messengers concluded they would have the best chance of finding them, as the Israelites were on the opposite side of the river. (Haydock) – As soon as they were gone out of the city, the guards shut the gate, that if the spies should still be lurking within, they might be hindered from making their escape. (Menochius)
VERSE 8
Asleep. It seems as if the spies had been ignorant of the danger to which they had been just exposed, and had gone to the roof of the house with a design to pass the night in greater security. Rahab perceives, however, that it would be extremely rash for them to continue with her any longer, and therefore she gives them the best advice, to secure their safety by fleeing in the dead of the night, and without further delay. (Haydock)
VERSE 9
Strength. Hebrew “they faint or melt away,” deprived both of strength and counsel.
VERSE 11
Beneath. This is the confession of a true convert, (Calmet) inspired by God. (Haydock) – For St. Paul commends her faith. (Hebrews xi. 31.) (Menochius) – The pagans confined the power of their idols to certain districts; the power of the true God is infinite. (Calmet)
VERSE 12
True token, such a one as, when I show it to the Israelites, they may preserve me and mine. She is not content with a verbal promise, she requires something permanent and sensible, as a mark of their mutual engagements, (Calmet) a token of their sincerity. They afterwards appointed a piece of scarlet to be hung out of the house, where those were to be collected who should be entitled to protection. Rahab was bound not to divulge their secret, nor to betray them. If she had instructed others of her fellow-citizens to hand out the same mark, she would have forfeited all her privileges, ver. 20. (Haydock)
VERSE 14
Death. We are willing to die instead of you, if we do not fulfill our promises. – Truth, a real and effectual mercy.
VERSE 16
Days; the remainder of this night, and the day and night following. It is probable that they would travel only in the night time. (Calmet) – If they had gone by the high road, they might easily have been discovered by the messengers, who would be on their return. (Haydock) – But retiring to the mountains south of Jericho, till they had re-entered the city, the spies made their escape. (Calmet)
VERSE 18
Sent, or as many translate, “had sent,” as if Josue had dismissed the spies immediately after the mourning of Moses was ended, (Calmet) on the 1st of Nisan. On the second day they examined the city, and were obliged to flee in the night. But they only returned to their brethren on the 6th. On the following day Josue gave orders to make all necessary preparations for their departure, and crossed the Jordan on the 10th of the month. (Salien, B.C. 1469.) – Setim was about eight or nine miles from the river, “or sixty stadia.” (Josephus, [Antiquities] v. 1.) – Two men. Septuagint intimate that they were young. See chap. vi. 23. (Haydock) – The Rabbins assert, without reason, that Caleb and Phinees were chosen, and that they pretended that they were deaf, (eross) a word which the Vulgate translates, secretly. (Calmet) –Jericho. Josue had himself examined the country some time before. But there might have been many changes, and he might not know the present disposition of the people of Jericho. (Haydock) – This city was built in a delightful plain, surrounded by mountains, (Calmet) except on the east side, chap. iv. 13. (Haydock) – Harlot. Hebrew zona may also signify an “innkeeper,” as such places were under the direction of women, who were commonly of a very loose character. Hence the Greeks deemed it a dishonor to enter into a public house. Isocrates says, that “even an honest servant will not dare to enter into an ale-house, to eat or drink.” (Atheneus Dipn. 13.) – Rahab might have been formerly addicted to pleasure, as the Scripture and the Fathers agree; (Hebrews xi. 31, and James ii. 25.) (Calmet) though she might at this time be very discreet, being awakened by the account of the miracles which God had wrought in favor of his people, who, she knew, were approaching to take possession of the country. The spies might, therefore, take shelter in her house with the least suspicion, and without danger of injuring their character. (Haydock) – The woman was not very old, as she was afterwards married to Salmon. (St. Matthew i. 5.) – With her. They spent the first night in her house, entering the city in the dusk of the evening, so that they had not time to make any observations till the following day. (Salien) – Others think that they were suspected by the people of the town almost immediately, and denounced to the king. Hence they were forced to flee that same night, without having accomplished their design, and were only informed by Rahab of the dismay which had seized the inhabitants, ver. 11.
By which window or cord. (Calmet) – The cord was left as a signal. (Menochius)
VERSE 24
Fear, as Rahab had testified. They might also have been witnesses of the people’s consternation, which gave them the most assured hopes of victory, as the Lord had given this sign, among others, that he would be with them, Deuteronomy xxviii. 10. (Haydock)
CHAPTER III
VERSE 2
Heralds. Shoterim, chap. i. 10. Protestants, “the officers went through the host.” (Haydock)
VERSE 3
Levi. Sigonius thinks that the Caathites performed this office on this as on other occasions. But the Vulgate shows that the priests sometimes carried the ark, perhaps because it was uncovered, chap. vi. 6., and 2 Kings xv. 25. At this period the number of priests was but small. Some of the sons of Eleazar and of Ithamar might be old enough to assist their parents: only two would be necessary at a time, though the Rabbins assign four, (which is not improbable. Theodoret) and pretend that the two who went first were obliged to go backwards, in order that their faces might be turned towards the ark, out of respect. The ark now marked the way for the people, as the cloud had disappeared on the death of Moses. (St. Augustine, q. 3; Masius.) (Calmet) – It had been carried at the head of the army in the desert. (Haydock)
VERSE 4
Space of. Hebrew adds, “about...by measure.” It was not easy to observe the exact distance in the march. This was prescribed both to keep the people at a respectful distance, and also to enable them to see which way they were to proceed. When the priests stood in the bed of the river, the waters rose up like a firm wall on the north side, while those to the south flowed away into the lake of Sodom, leaving about 16 miles open for the army of Israel to pass on dry land. The soldiers did not approach within 600 paces of the ark. – Before. This insinuated that they would pass over in a miraculous manner; though perhaps Josue did not know by what means God would enable them to cross (Calmet) the overflowing waters. Josephus only seems to intimate that they abated suddenly, so that they might be forded, &c. He also greatly diminishes or destroys the miracle performed at the passage of the Red Sea. Yet here he acknowledges a sort of “prodigy in the waters being restrained,” and resuming their usual course as soon as the priests had left the channel of the river. – And take, &c. Hebrew places these words at the beginning of the sentence, after cubits. (Haydock)
VERSE 5
Sanctified, as Moses had required at Mount Sinai, (Exodus xix. 10, 15) ordering the people to wash their garments, and to abstain from their wives, that by this exterior purity, they might be reminded not to neglect that of the soul, without which they would derive but small benefit or instruction from the greatest miracles.
VERSE 6
Commands. Josue was only the organ of God, (Calmet) whose orders he announces to the sacred ministers; (ver. 8; Menochius) though as a civil magistrate, he was bound to hear and to obey them in matters of religion. (Calmet) – When he ordered circumcision to be administered, when he blessed the multitude, and ratified the covenant between God and the people, (Chap. v, and xxiv., &c.) he did nothing but what a virtuous governor ought to do; yet he did not these things by virtue of his civil jurisdiction, or in opposition to the spiritual authority of Eleazar. Moses had been the supreme head, being both priest and king. But only part of his glory was communicated to Josue, while Eleazar was directed to consult the Lord for him, (Numbers xxvii. 21; Theodoret, q. 48 in Numbers) Josue was to govern at his word,
