and by which Judah and Benjamin became an independent state, which remained far more faithful to Jehovah than did the kingdom which the other tribes composed. He says: "By this arrangement all the sacerdotal cities (except one) lay in the faithful tribes of Judah and Benjamin, to maintain the national worship in them, in opposition to the apostacy of the other tribes. Otherwise the kingdom of Judah might have experienced a scarcity of priests, or have been burdened with the maintenance of those who fled from the kingdom of Israel (2 Chron. xi. 13, 14), when the base and wicked policy of Jeroboam made priests of the lowest of the people to officiate in their room."

41. "All the cities of the Levites....were forty and eight cities with their suburbs."-Considering the inferior numbers of the tribe of Levi, this seems a very disproportionate number of cities, as compared with those of the other tribes. But we are to recollect that in this account every Levitical city is enumerated, whereas, in the account of the towns in the lot of the other tribes, only the principal, and sometimes only those that occur on the frontiers, are mentioned. Besides, the Levites had only these cities, with a strictly-defined circuit of ground around each. They had no villages or extensive grounds connected with their towns. These, like most of the others in Palestine at this period, were doubtless towns of small extent and consequence, although they included some of the best towns the land possessed. We need not suppose them to be so very small, however, as Michaelis imagines: he says, "The tribe of Levi, which, including children, consisted of 22,000 males, and, of course, with its females, would amount to about 44,000 souls, received forty-eight cities for its share: and who but must see that all of them must have been inconsiderable?" According to this calculation, the population of each Levitical town would not have amounted to one thousand. But it is founded on a mistake, into which it is singular that so acute an analyst should have fallen. The Levites were by no means the exclusive occupants of the cities which belonged to them. This is implied in the right which they possessed to sell their houses for a term of years, although not in perpetuity. We may easily conceive that the grant of forty-eight cities was not exclusively intended with a view to their present numbers only, but prospectively, with reference to their future wants. And as they were proprietors, but not necessarily occupants, they doubtless let such houses as, while their numbers were low, they did not require for their own accommodation. Thus it is, that, in the course of the sacred history, we meet with Levitical cities in which the Levites do not appear to have formed any considerable part of the population. We observe, for instance (v. 17), that Geba, or Gibeah, is one of the Levitical cities in the lot of Benjamin; yet, in Judges xix., we see that city occupied by Benjamites, who treated in the most atrocious manner a Levite, who happened to seek a lodging there. We afterwards find the same city the birthplace and residence of Saul, a layman; who, when he became king, made it the seat of his government. After him, David resided with his court, and reigned, in Hebron, which was not only a Levitical city, but a priestly city, and a city of refuge. Is it also not possible that the present arrangement merely determines the right of the Levites to the cities in question, whenever their increased numbers should render the whole of them necessary; and that, till then, such of them as were not immediately wanted, remained in the hands of the tribe in whose domain they were situated?

As, on the one hand, other persons might reside in the cities of the Levites, so, on the other, might the Levites reside in other cities than their own. We accordingly meet with them as stated residents in other towns; and we know that most of the priests resided at Jerusalem, or in its immediate vicinity, after the building of the Temple. As, however, every man naturally desires to live on his own estate, there is no question that the Levites did substantially, and in the course of time, reside principally in the cities which belonged to them: and even those who did not, did, by dispersing themselves in other towns, fulfil one of the great objects of their institution, as instructors and advisers of the people.

42. "With their suburbs round about them."-There is a particular account of the suburbs of the Levitical cities in Num. xxxv. It is there said, in verse 4, that the suburbs should "reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about;" but, in verse 5, it is said that the suburbs should extend two thousand cubits, measured from each side of the city. The apparent discrepancy has been variously explained. The Septuagint reads "two thousand" in verse 4, as well as in verse 5; and the elucidation which this reading offers has been adopted by many commentators. It, of course, gives two thousand cubits as the extent of the suburbs in every direction from the city wall. We rather incline to this opinion, as it is a very usual custom in the sacred writings to state a measurement first in general terms and then in detail. In fact, were we to read, with the Septuagint," two thousand cubits round about," in verse 4, we should, from analogy, expect the statement to be followed by the particular detail which is given in the ensuing verse. Josephus and Philo agree with this statement, in assigning two thousand cubits to the suburbs. Another explanation concludes that the one thousand refers to the extent of the suburbs from the walls, and that the two thousand is a measurement from the exterior margin of the suburbs inward, not to the wall but to the centre of the city. A considerable number of writers, however, adopt the explanation of Maimonides, that the thousand cubits were for suburbs, properly so called, for outhouses, barns, stables, &c., and perhaps for gardens of herbs and flowers; and that the two thousand extended beyond this, and were intended as pastures for the cattle of the Levites; being, in fact, what is called, in Lev. xxv. 34, "the fields of the suburbs." This explanation gives an extent of three thousand cubits in every direction from the walls of the city; and from the high authorities by which it is supported, as well as from apparent probability, we should prefer it to any of the others which reject the explanation afforded by the Septuagint and Josephus. The Levites could not, as they might with their houses, sell the fields of the suburbs even for a term of years (that is, till the jubilee), "For these fields were not enclosed, that every family might have its several allotment; but they were common to the whole body of the Levites, who would have been undone if they had wanted pasture for their flocks, which were all their substance." (Lewis.) It will be recollected that the Levites only wanted land for this purpose, as they had no occasion to engage in agriculture, being abundantly supplied with all kinds of produce from the tithes and firstfruits of the other tribes. The Jewish writers say that the suburbs of their cities were not restored to the Levites after the return from the Babylonish captivity; but this seems very doubtful, as it is not easy to perceive how they could manage without some portion of land around their towns. (See Lewis's Origines Hebrææ; Lowman's Civil Government of the Hebrews; and Jennings's 'Jewish Antiquities.')

CHAPTER XXII.

1 The two tribes and half with a blessing are sent home. 9 They build the altar of testimony in their journey. 11 The Israelites are offended thereat. 21 They give them good satisfaction. THEN Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:

3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.

4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, 'which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.

7¶ Now to the one half of the tribe of Manassch Moses had given possession in Bashan but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,

8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

9¶And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Ma

Num. 32, 33. Chap. 13. 8.

Deut. 10. 12.

nasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.

11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.

15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,

16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD?

17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,

18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD wherein the LORD's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.

20 'Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.

21 Then the children of Reuben and Heb. house of the father. 4 Num. 25. 4. 5 Chap. 7. 1, 5.

6 Heb. To morrow. 7 Gen. 31. 48. Chap. 14. 27. Verse 34. 8 Heb. it was good in their eyes.

Verse 8. "Divide the spoil...with your brethren."-This directs their attention to the regulation concerning the division of spoil, by which they were required to impart a fair proportion of the wealth they had acquired to those who, although they had not been actual parties in the war west of the Jordan, had rendered the most essential service by guarding the families and possessions of the warriors during the long period of their absence. See the note on Num. xxxi. 27.

10. "In the land of Canaan."—" Opposite the land of Canaan," as Dr. Boothroyd reads. It is evident from the following verse, that the altar was erected on the eastern border of the Jordan. The present reading seems to place it on the western.

"A great altar to see to."-This was doubtless a great mass of earth or stones, such as it was usual, among different nations, to set up in memory of important events, and the principle of which we have already had occasion to explain. (See Gen. xxxv. 20.) This principle is clearly announced in verses 24-28; and is precisely similar to "the heap of witness" which was erected by Jacob at Mizpah (Gen. xxxi. 46-48). The old heroes of antiquity were, in the same manner, accustomed to rear up vast heaps of earth or stones-the labour of collected multitudes-to leave in particular spots as standing memorials of their victories or travels. The present heap, large as it was, evidently exhibited the same general form which the law prescribed for the altars on which sacrifices were offered to Jehovah. The motive of its erection was excellent; and its unwieldy size ought to have prevented the suspicion which the tribes west of Jordan so hastily entertained; although we have no cause to regret a mistake which afforded the eastern tribes the opportunity of making a statement so honourable to themselves and so replete with right feeling and devout sentiment. They ought, indeed, to have declared their intention before they set out on their return home; but it is probable that the idea of such a structure did not occur to them till they had arrived at the Jordan. The promptitude of the western

iribes, in calling those of the east to account for the insult which appeared to have been offered to Jehovah, and the zealous and effective vindication made by the latter, is equally creditable to both parties, and affords an exhibition of such fidelity to the true God and zeal for his honour, as, unhappily, the future history of the Israelites will not often present to our notice as a national feeling. When we meet with something like it hereafter, it is generally as manifested in individuals or in comparatively small bodies of men.

1 Heb. come into days.

for their elders, and for their heads, and for

their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:

3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inherit

Exod. 14, 14.

ance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea "westward.

5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.

6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither 'make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.

9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.

10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

11 Take good heed therefore unto your'selves, that ye love the LORD your God.

12 Else if you do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you,

5 Psal. 16. 4.

and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that "not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

6 Or, For if you will cleave, &c. 7 Or, Then the LORD will drive. 9 Heb. souls. 10 Exod. 23. 33, Num. 33. 55. Deut. 7. 16. 11 Chap. 21. 45.

Heb. at the sunset. 4 Deut. 5. 32, and 28. 14. 8 Levit. 26. 3. Deut. 32. 30.

Verse 1. "A long time after."-It is generally agreed that this and the following exhortation were delivered towards the end of Joshua's life ;-perhaps both in its last year. The common chronology seems to assign too short a duration to the period from the passage of the Jordan to the death of Joshua ;-not more than about eight years. We have seen however that probably about six years took place from the passage of the Jordan to the first division of lands, and an equal period from the first to the second division, which was followed by the return home of the eastern tribes, as recorded in the preceding chapter. This, together, will make about twelve years; and the account which admits this, but conceives that Joshua did not long survive the second division of the lands, places his death fourteen years from the passage of the Jordan, so that these exhortations would then seem to have been delivered in the fourteenth year. But it would appear that even this interpretation must make the "long time" of the present text look back to the period which had elapsed since the first division of the lands, rather than to that since the second division and the return home of the two tribes and a half, as recorded in the last chapter. Much depends on the year from which we date the commencement of this "long time." Upon the whole it would be perhaps safest to date it from the second division; for that the expression, "a long time after the Lord had given them rest from all their enemies round about," more naturally dates from the latter than the former event, seems clear from the fact that the eastern tribes did not return home till after the second division, which seems to show that till then their services in the war could not be dispensed with, and that the "rest," from which the date commences, had not till then been attained. As they had no interest in either division of the land, and as they must have been anxious to return home to their families as soon as they could be spared, there seems no way of accounting for their waiting so long, if rest had been attained at the first division; particularly as their prolonged stay, under such circumstances, would not have tended to the increase but to the consumption of the wealth (the spoil of the Canaanites) which they had acquired. But if the "long time" be dated from the second division, as followed by the return of the two and half tribes, the expression does not seem compatible with the account which makes the death of Joshua very soon follow these circumstances. On this view, we are therefore thrown upon the account of Josephus, who states that the first division took place five years after the passage of the Jordan, and that Joshua survived this event twenty years-in all, twenty-five years. This would make him to have lived thirteen or fifteen years after the second division of the lands; and this period might well be described as a "long time." The Jewish chronology gives the duration of twenty-seven years to Joshua's administration; and Dr. Hales takes the mean between these two accounts, giving twenty-six years. We think the above observations may tend. to confirm this account; but we are not very anxious about it, as no essential point of chronology is affected. The same period is made out by all parties: for those who take the shorter accounts of the administration of Joshua, fill out the required period, by prolonging, in proportion, the government of the elders who outlived Joshua" (chap. xxiv. 31); whilst those who prolong the duration of Joshua's government, subtract in proportion from that of the sur viving elders.