fruitful； and good for pasturage； as the two tribes and a half
took notice； Numbers 32：1； 4； 16； that it maintained about a
fifth part of the whole people。
（2） It plainly appears by the history of these spies； and the
innkeeper Rahab's deception of the king of Jericho's messengers；
by telling them what was false in order to save the lives of the
spies； and yet the great commendation of her faith and good works
in the New Testament； Hebrews 11：31； James 2：25； as well as by
many other parallel examples； both in the Old Testament and in
Josephus； that the best men did not then scruple to deceive those
public enemies who might justly be destroyed； as also might
deceive ill men in order to save life； and deliver themselves
from the tyranny of their unjust oppressors； and this by telling
direct falsehoods； I mean； all this where no oath was demanded of
them； otherwise they never durst venture on such a procedure。 Nor
was Josephus himself of any other opinion or practice； as I shall
remark in the note on Antiq。 B。 IX。 ch。 4。 sect。 3。 And observe；
that I still call this woman Rahab； an innkeeper； not a harlot；
the whole history； both in our copies； and especially in
Josephus； implying no more。 It was indeed so frequent a thing；
that women who were innkeepers were also harlots； or maintainers
of harlots； that the word commonly used for real harlots was
usually given them。 See Dr。 Bernard's note here； and Judges 11：1；
and Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 7。 sect。 8。
（3） Upon occasion of this devoting of Jericho to destruction； and
the exemplary punishment of Achar； who broke that duerein or
anathema； and of the punishment of the future breaker of it；
Hiel； 1 Kings 16：34； as also of the punishment of Saul； for
breaking the like chefera or anathema； against the Amalekites； 1
Samuel 15。； we may observe what was the true meaning of that law；
Leviticus 27：28： 〃None devoted which shall be devoted of shall be
redeemed； but shall be put to death；〃 i。e。 whenever any of the
Jews' public enemies had been； for their wickedness； solemnly
devoted to destruction； according to the Divine command； as were
generally the seven wicked nations of Canaan； and those sinners
the Amalekites； 1 Samuel 15：18； it was utterly unlawful to permit
those enemies to be redeemed； but they were to be all utterly
destroyed。 See also Numbers 23：2； 3。
（4） That the name of this chief was not Achan； as in the common
copies； but Achar； as here in Josephus； and in the Apostolical
Constit。 B。 VII。 ch。 2。； and elsewhere； is evident by the
allusion to that name in the curse of Joshua； 〃Why hast thou
troubled us？ … the Lord shall trouble thee；〃 where the Hebrew
word alludes only to the name Achar； but not to Achan。
Accordingly； this Valley of Achar； or Achor； was and is a known
place； a little north of Gilgal； so called from the days of
Joshua till this day。 See Joshua 7：26； Isaiah 65：10； Hosea 2：15；
and Dr。 Bernard's notes here。
（5） Here Dr。 Bernard very justly observes； that a few words are
dropped out of Josephus's copies； on account of the repetition of
the word shekels； and that it ought to be read thus： … 〃A piece
of gold that weighed fifty shekels； and one of silver that
weighed two hundred shekels；〃 as in our other copies； Joshua
7：21。
（6） I agree here with Dr。 Bernard； and approve of Josephus's
interpretation of Gilgal for liberty。 See Joshua 5：9。
（7） Whether this lengthening of the day； by the standing still of
the sun and moon； were physical and real； by the miraculous
stoppage of the diurnal motion of the earth for about half a
revolution； or whether only apparent； by aerial phosphori
imitating the sun and moon as stationary so long； while clouds
and the night hid the real ones； and this parhelion or mock sun
affording sufficient light for Joshua's pursuit and complete
victory； （which aerial phosphori in other shapes have been more
than ordinarily common of late years；） cannot now be determined：
philosophers and astronomers will naturally incline to this
latter hypothesis。 In the mean thee； the fact itself was
mentioned in the book of Jasher； now lost； Joshua 10：13； and is
confirmed by Isaiah； 28：21； Habakkuk； 3：11； and by the son of
Sirach； Ecclus。 46：4。 In the 18th Psalm of Solomon； yet。 it is
also said of the luminaries； with relation； no doubt； to this and
the other miraculous standing still and going back； in the days
of Joshua and Hezekiah； 〃They have not wandered； from the day
that he created them； they have not forsaken their way； from
ancient generations； unless it were when God enjoined them ＇so to
do＇ by the command of his servants。〃 See Authent。 Rec。 part i。 p。
154。
（8） Of the books laid up in the temple； see the note on Antiq。 B。
III。 ch。 1。 sect。 7。
（9） Since not only Procopius and Suidas； but an earlier author；
Moses Chorenensis； p。 52； 53； and perhaps from his original
author Mariba Carina； one as old as Alexander the Great； sets
down the famous inscription at Tangier concerning the old
Canaanites driven out of Palestine by Joshua； take it here in
that author's own words： 〃We are those exiles that were governors
of the Canaanites； but have been driven away by Joshua the
robber； and are come to inhabit here。〃 See the note there。 Nor is
it unworthy of our notice what Moses Chorenensis adds； p。 53； and
this upon a diligent examination； viz。 that 〃one of those eminent
men among the Canaanites came at the same thee into Armenia； and
founded the Genthuniaa family； or tribe； and that this was
confirmed by the manners of the same family or tribe； as being
like those of the Canaanites。〃
（10） By prophesying； when spoken of a high priest； Josephus； both
here and frequently elsewhere； means no more than consulting God
by Urim； which the reader is still to bear in mind upon all
occasions。 And if St。 John； who was contemporary with Josephus；
and of the same country； made use of this style； when he says
that 〃Caiaphas being high priest that year； prophesied that Jesus
should die for that nation； and not for that nation only； but
that also he should gather together in one the children of God
that were scattered abroad；〃 chap。 11；51； 52； he may possibly
mean； that this was revealed to the high priest by an
extraordinary voice from between the cherubims； when he had his
breastplate； or Urim and Thummim； on before； or the most holy
place of the temple； which was no other than the oracle of Urim
and Thummim。 Of which above； in the note on Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 8。
sect。 9。
（11） This great number of seventy…two reguli； or small kings；
over whom Adonibezek had tyrannized； and for which he was
punished according to the lex talionis； as well as the thirty…one
kings of Canaan subdued by Joshua； and named in one chapter；
Joshua 12。； and thirty…two kings； or royal auxiliaries to
Benhadad king of Syria； 1 Kings 20：1； Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 14。
sect。 1； intimate to us what was the ancient form of government
among several nations before the monarchies began； viz。 that
every city or large town； with its neighboring villages； was a
distinct government by itself； which is the more remarkable；
because this was certainly the form of ecclesiastical government
that was settled by the apostles； and preserved throughout the
Christian church in the first ages of Christianity。 Mr。 Addison
is of opinion； that 〃it would certainly be for the good of
mankind to have all the mighty empires and monarchies of the
world cantoned out into petty states and principalities； which；
like so many large families； might lie under the observation of
their proper governors； so that the care of the prince might
extend itself to every individual person under his protection；
though he despairs of such a scheme being brought about； and
thinks that if it were； it would quickly be destroyed。〃 Remarks
on Italy； 4to； p。 151。 Nor is it unfit to be observed here； that
the Armenian records； though they give us the history of
thirty…nine of their ancientest heroes or governors after the
Flood； before the days of Sardanapalus； had no proper king till
the fortieth； Parerus。 See Moses Chorehensis； p。 55。 And that
Almighty God does not approve of such absolute and tyrannical
monarchies； any one may learn that reads Deuteronomy 17：14…20；
and 1 Samuel 8：1…22； although； if such kings are set up as own
him for their supreme King； and aim to govern according to his
laws； he hath admitted of them； and protected them and their
subjects in all generations。
（12） Josephus's early date of this history before the beginning
of the Judges； or when there was no king in Israel； Judges 19；1；
is strongly confirmed by the large number of Benjamites； both in
the days of Asa and Jehoshaphat； 2 Chronicles 14：8； and 16：17；
who yet were here reduced to six hundred men； nor can those
numbers be at all supposed genuine； if they were reduced so late
as the end of the Judges； where our other copies place this
reduction。
（13） Josephus seems here to have made a small mistake； when he
took the Hebrew word Bethel； which denotes the house of God； or
the tabernacle； Judges 20：18； for the proper name of a place；
Bethel； it no way appearing that the tabernacle was ever at
Bethel； only so far it is true； that Shiloh； the place of the
tabernacle in the days of the Judges； was not far from Bethel。
（14） It appears by the sacred history； Judges 1：16； 3：13； that
Eglon's pavilion or palace was at the City of Palm…Trees； as the
place where Jericho had stood is called after its destruction by
Joshua； that is； at or near the demolished city。 Accordingly；
Josephus says it was at Jericho； or rather in that fine country
of palm…trees； upon； or near to； the same spot of ground on which
Jericho had formerly stood； and on which it was rebuilt by Hiel；
1 Kings 16：31。 Our other copies that avoid its proper name
Jericho； and call it the City of Palm…Trees only； speak here more
accurately than Josephus。
（15） These eighty years for the government of Ehud are necessary
to Josephus's usual large numbers between the exodus and the
building of the temple； of five hundred and ninety…two or six
hundred and twelve years； but not to the smallest number of four
hundred and eighty years； 1 Kings 6：1； which lesser number
Josephus seems somet