Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Josue
They might, however, take some along with them, as it was then customary; and eat as they pursued, whenever they could find an opportunity. Josue had given no prohibition; and Jonathan observed that his father, Saul, had troubled Israel, by following a different plan, 1 Kings xiv. 24. (Calmet)
Ver. 14. Long. This word is not found in Hebrew, "and there was no day like that, before it, or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto," &c. But God had often wrought miracles before, at the prayer of his servants. The difference between this day and all others, must be therefore in the length, or in the stopping of the heavenly bodies. (Haydock) --- The long day which the prayer of Ezechias procured, (4 Kings xx., and Isaias xxxviii.) consisted of 32 hours; or, supposing that the retrograde motion of the sun was instantaneous on the dial, it might only be 22 hours in length. (Calmet) --- But if the day of Ezechias had been even longer, the words of this text may be verified, that neither in times past, nor while the author lived, had any such day been known. See Amama, p. 383. (Haydock) --- Obeying. God is ready to grant the requests of his servants, Isaias lviii. 9. "We remark something still stronger, in the power which he has given to priests, to consecrate the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the eucharist." (Calmet)
Ver. 15. Galgal. Masius supposes, that here the quotation from the book of the just terminates. The Roman and Alexandrian Septuagint place this verse at the end of the chapter. (Calmet) --- Grabe has it in both places with a star, to shew that it is taken from Theodotion. (Haydock) --- In effect, Josue did not return to his camp till he had completed the business of the day, by destroying the five kings. After which, he proceeded to conquer that part of the country. He might have designed to return, (Calmet) and even have begun his march, (Du Hamel) when he was diverted from proceeding, by the news that the kings had been discovered. So we often say, that a person does what he is on the point of doing. See Genesis xxxvii. 21., and Numbers xxxiv. 25.
Ver. 17. City, or territory. (Calmet) --- The kings had sought their own safety in flight, leaving their people to make their escape as well as they could. But their cowardly behaviour only brought upon them a more dishonourable death. Josue and some of the forces stopped in the environs of Maceda, while the rest pursued after the fugitives, and slew all that had not strength to enter the fenced cities. (Haydock) --- Then all the army assembled round their leader, took Maceda, and completed the victory of that most memorable day, by the ignominious death of the five kings. (Calmet) --- God permitted some to escape, lest the land should be overrun with wild beasts; (Exodus xxiii. 29,) and to instruct us that his children must suffer tribulation, to prevent the growth of vice. (Worthington)
Ver. 21. No man, (nullus.) Some supply canis, "dog," alluding to the proverbial expression, Exodus xi. 7. (Masius, &c.) --- Septuagint, "not one of the Israelites moved his tongue." (Calmet) --- All was profound silence, in expectation of what would be determined respecting the unfortunate kings. (Haydock)
Ver. 24. Feet, as Moses had foretold, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 29. The conduct of Josue would appear cruel, if we did not reflect that he was only the executioner of the divine justice, which was pleased thus to punish these proud and impious princes, that others might not imitate their example.
Ver. 27. Down. (Deuteronomy xxi.) The victorious army had returned some time before the evening, and had time to take the city of Maceda; though some, without reason, believe that this took place the day following.
Ver. 28. Remains of inhabitants. (Calmet) --- The king was gibbeted and stoned. (Haydock)
Ver. 30. Lebna, not far from Eleutheropolis. From before this city Sennacherib dispatched his menacing order to Ezechias, 4 Kings xix. 8. (Calmet)
Ver. 32. Lachis was still farther south. Josue took it the second day of the siege.
Ver. 33. Gazer, near Azotus, in the country of the Philistines. It is not said that Josue took this city. It was given long after to Solomon by the king of Egypt, 3 Kings ix. 15., and Josue xvi. 10. (Calmet)
Ver. 37. The king, viz., the new king, who succeeded him that was slain, ver. 26. (Challoner) --- Caleb afterwards took Hebron, which, it seems, the Chanaanites had seized again and fortified, while Josue was conquering other parts of the country. He could not leave garrisons in all the cities which he took, and hence he set many of them on fire. After the strength of the country was broken, he knew that the Israelites might easily subdue the few isolated cities which he was forced to leave behind. But they proved so negligent, that many places were left in the possession of the Chanaanites, which proved a stumbling block to God's people.
Ver. 38. Dabir, which was formerly called Cariath sepher, "the city of the book," (chap. xv. 15,) or of Senna, (chap. xv. 45,) near Hebron. It was taken again by Othoniel and Caleb.
Ver. 40. Hills of Judea. --- South of the promised land. --- Plain. Hebrew, Sephela, a flat country near Eleutheropolis. (St. Jerome in Abd. i. 19; 1 Machabees xii. 38.) --- Asedoth, "of the springs." --- Remains. God ordered these people to be utterly destroyed, in punishment of their manifold abominations; and that they might not draw the Israelites into the like sins. (Challoner)
Ver. 41. Gaza. These cities were on the southern limits of the land of Chanaan, and of the Philistines. --- Gosen, or Gessen, where the Hebrews had formerly dwelt. It was then very fertile, chap. xiii. 3. The territory of Juda extended as far as the Nile; (Calmet) or this country may have resembled the country of Gessen, Genesis xlvi. (Menochius) --- It seems indeed rather wonderful, that if this was a part of the promised land, God should order his people to leave it, as it were, to the Egyptians; and after they had occupied another part of the country, should seize it again. But he might have secret reasons for this order. (Haydock)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
Five kings war against Gabaon. Josue defeateth them: many are slain with hail-stones. At the prayer of Josue, the sun and moon stand still the space of one day. The five kings are hanged. Divers cities are taken.
1 When *Adonisedec, king of Jerusalem, had heard these things, to wit, that Josue had taken Hai, and had destroyed it, (for as he had done to Jericho and the king thereof, so did he to Hai and its king) and that the Gabaonites were gone over to Israel, and were their confederates,