Joshua 9

Jos 9:1 And it happened, when all the kings who were on this side Jordan, in the hills and in the valleys, and in all the coast of the great sea over against Lebanon heard, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

when all the kings which [were] on this side Jordan - On the side Israel now were, and was that in which the land of Canaan lay, and was now governed by many kings, and all that were now remaining, even all but the kings of Jericho and Ai.

in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea--This threefold distinction marks out very clearly a large portion of Canaan. The first designates the hill country, which belonged afterwards to the tribes of Judah and Ephraim: the second, all the low country from Carmel to Gaza; and the third, the shores of the Mediterranean, from the Isthmus of Tyre to the plain of Joppa.

And it came to pass, when all the kings - heard thereof - From this account it appears that the capture and destruction of Jericho and Ai had been heard of to the remotest parts of the land, that a general fear of the Israeli arms prevailed, and that the different dynasties or petty governments into which the land was divided, felt all their interests at stake, and determined to make the defense of their country a common cause.

Jos 9:2 they all, with one mind, gathered themselves to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

Jos 9:3 And when those who lived in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

Gibeon - was the head of the four towns Joshua 9:17 And the sons of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim occupied by the Hivites Joshua 11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the sons of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All others they took in battle. The inhabitants were Amorites 2Samuel 21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. And the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites. And the sons of Israel had sworn to them. And Saul sought to kill them in his zeal to the sons of Israel and Judah. The name “Amorites” was used as a general name for the Canaanite population. The Hivites seem to have had a non-monarchical form of government Joshua 9:11 And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them. Say to them, We are your servants. And now make a treaty with us but their city was Joshua 10:2 they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all of its men were mighty in size and importance equal to those cities which the kings of the country made their capitals. Gibeon signifies “pertaining to a hill,” i. e. built on a hill, and describes the site, which is on two of the rounded hills unique to this district. It is known as El-Jib, and lies about five miles north of Jerusalem by the most direct route. It stands at the head of the pass of Beth-horon, through which lies the main route from Jerusalem and the lower Jordan valley to Joppa and the sea coast. Thus from its position, no less than from the number and valor of its people Jos_10:2, it was one of the most important cities of southern Canaan. Gibeon fell within the lot of Benjamin Joshua 18:21, 25 And the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz......Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, and was one of the cities assigned to the priests Joshua 21:13, 17 And to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron and its open lands as a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah and its open lands…..And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its open lands, Geba and its open lands. In later times it was famous as the scene of various events (2Sa_2:12-17; 2Sa_20:4-13; 1Ki_2:28-29). It was for a long time the spot where the tabernacle of Moses, together with the brass altar of burnt offering 1Ch_21:29 and other portions of the sacred furniture, were placed. It was the scene of the magnificent ceremonial with which Solomon inaugurated his reign 1 Kings 3, but no doubt lost much of its importance after the tabernacle and its accompaniments were removed to the temple of Solomon.

The inhabitants of Gibeon heard - These alone did not join the confederation. Gibeon is supposed to have been the capital of the Hivites.

Jos 9:4 they worked slyly. For they came and acted as if they were ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their asses, and old and torn and bound up wineskins,

Jos 9:5 and old and patched sandals on their feet, and old clothes on them. And all the bread they had taken was dry and moldy.

Jos 9:6 And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country. Now therefore, make a treaty with us.

Jos 9:7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you are living among us, and how shall we make a treaty with you?

and how shall we make a league with you? - which they were forbid to do with any of the seven nations, Deuteronomy 7:2 and Jehovah your God shall deliver them before you, you shall crush them, completely destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. Exodus 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. Exodus 34:12 Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the people of the land where you go, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you.

Jos 9:8 And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you, and from where do you come?

We are thy servants - This appears to have been the only answer they gave to the question of the Israelite elders, and this they gave to Joshua, not to them, as they saw that Joshua was commander-in-chief of the host. Not that they meant to be subjects of his, and tributaries to him; but this they said in great humility and lowliness of mind, being willing to be or do anything he should enjoin them. They proposed to Joshua singly, not to be servants to all the people, but to him only, and to have him for their head and governor.

Jos 9:9 And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of Jehovah your God. For we have heard of His fame and all that He did in Egypt,

Jos 9:10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan in Ashtaroth; the history of which see in Numbers 21:21-35 and Deuteronomy 2:26-3:17.

Jos 9:11 And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them. Say to them, We are your servants. And now make a treaty with us.

Jos 9:12 We took this bread hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came out to go to you. But now, see, it is dry, and it is moldy.

Jos 9:13 And these wineskins which we filled were new. And, see, they are torn. And these clothes and shoes of ours have become old because of the very long journey.

Jos 9:14 And they received the men because of their provisions, and did not ask at the mouth of Jehovah.

and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord; as they might and should have done, by desiring the high priest to inquire of the Lord by Urim and Thummim; but this they neglected, which, had they attended to, the fraud would have been discovered; or however, they would have had the mind of God about making peace with the Gibeonites. In this precipitate conclusion the Israelites were guilty of excessive credulity and culpable negligence, in not asking by the high priest's Urim and Thummim the mind of God, before entering into the alliance. It is not clear, however, that had they applied for divine direction they would have been forbidden to spare and connect themselves with any of the Canaanite tribes who renounced idolatry and embraced and worshipped the true God. At least, no fault was found with them for making a covenant with the Gibeonites; while, on the other hand, the violation of it was severely punished 2Samuel 21:1 And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year. And David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, For Saul, and for his bloody house, because he killed the Gibeonites. Joshua 11:19- 20 There was not a city that made peace with the sons of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All others they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts so that they should come against Israel in battle, so that they might be destroyed, so that they might have no favor, but that He might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

At the mouth of the Lord - by the Urim and Thummim Exodus 28:30 And you shall put in the breast-pocket of judgment the Urim and the Thummim. And they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD. And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually

Joshua should have known to use the Urim and Thummim to seek God’s will, since he had been trained in its use, as well as having been with Moses on the Mount Sinai. Numbers 27:18-21 And the LORD said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him. And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight. And you shall put of your honor on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may be obedient. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask for him according to the judgment of Urim before the LORD. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation. Exodus 24:13-14 And Moses rose up, and his attendant Joshua. And Moses went up into the mountain of God. And he said to the elders, You stay here for us until we come again to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has any matters to do, let him come to them.

Jos 9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a treaty with them, to let them live. And the rulers of the congregation swore to them.

concluded a covenant with them to let them live - Letting them live is the only article of the league that is mentioned, both because this was the main point, and also with special reference to the fact that the Gibeonites, being Canaanites, ought properly to have been destroyed. It is true that Joshua and the princes of the congregation had not violated any express command of God by doing this; for the only thing prohibited in the law was making treaties with the Canaanites, which they did not suppose the Gibeonites to be, whilst in Deu_20:11, where wars with foreign nations (not Canaanites) are referred to, permission is given to make peace with them, so that all treaties with foreign nations are not forbidden. But they had failed in this respect, that, trusting to the crafty words of the Gibeonites, and to outward appearances only, they had forgotten their attitude to the Lord their God who had promised to His congregation, in all important matters, a direct revelation of His own will.

Jos 9:16 And it happened at the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them.

Jos 9:17 And the sons of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

and came unto their cities on the third day; not on the third day from their setting out on their journey, for it was but one night's march from Gilgal to them, Joshua 10:9 And Joshua came to them suddenly, coming up from Gilgal all night but on the third day from the making of the league. Some of the cities mentioned here were afterwards in great repute among the Israelites: and God chose to make one of them, Kirjath-jearim, the residence of the ark of the covenant for twenty years, in the reigns of Saul and David.

Jos 9:18 And the sons of Israel did not strike them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by Jehovah, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the rulers.

and all the congregation murmured against the princes; not only for taking such an oath, but chiefly because they restrained them from smiting the Gibeonites, and taking their substance for a prey; their eager desire of revenge, and of seizing their goods, and inhabiting their cities, raised a murmur in them against the princes.

Jos 9:19 But all the rulers said to the congregation, We have sworn to them by Jehovah, the God of Israel. Now, therefore, we may not touch them.

We have sworn unto them - Although the Israelites were deceived in this business, yet, because the elders had eaten with them, offered a covenant sacrifice, and sworn by Jehovah, they did not consider themselves at liberty to break the terms of the agreement, as far as the lives of the Gibeonites were concerned. That their conduct in this respect was highly pleasing to God is evident from this, that Joshua is nowhere reprehended for making this covenant, and sparing the Gibeonites; and that Saul, who four hundred years after this thought himself and the Israelites loosed from this obligation, and in consequence oppressed and destroyed the Gibeonites, was punished for the breach of this treaty, being considered as the violator of a most solemn oath and covenant engagement. 2Samuel 21:2-9 And the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. And the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites. And the sons of Israel had sworn to them. And Saul sought to kill them in his zeal to the sons of Israel and Judah. And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I atone for this, so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD? And the Gibeonites said to him, We will have no silver nor gold from Saul, nor from his house. Also, we will have no man in Israel put to death. And he said, What you shall say, I will do for you. And they answered the king, The man who destroyed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD. And the king said, I will give them . But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the hill before the LORD. And they fell, seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days , in the beginning of barley harvest.

Jos 9:20 This we will do to them. We will even let them live, lest wrath be on us because of the oath which we swore to them.

because of the oath which we sware unto them - that is, lest the wrath of God come upon us princes, and upon the whole community, for perjury, a breach of the third command, Exodus 20:7 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain a sin highly displeasing to God; since an oath is made not only in his presence, and before him as a witness, who is appealed unto, but in his name, and is often severely threatened, and sorely punished; and as even the breach of this oath was several hundreds of years after, in the times of David, 2 Samuel 21:1 And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year. And David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, For Saul, and for his bloody house, because he killed the Gibeonites.

Jos 9:21 And the rulers said to them, Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them.

let them be hewers of wood, and drawers of water - which was a very low and mean employment, menial duties belonging to the lowest classes only, Deuteronomy 29:11 your little ones, your wives, and your stranger that is in your camp, from the cutter of your wood to the drawer of your water; as well as wearisome; and this being a yoke of servitude on the Gibeonites, and a punishment of them for their fraud, and of service, profit, and advantage to the people of Israel, the princess proposed it in hopes of pacifying them, and that they would yield to spare the lives of the Gibeonites.

as the princes promised them - which is to be connected, not with their being hewers of wood and drawers of water, this the princes had said nothing of before, but with their being let to live; this they had promised and sworn to, even all the princes, not only all that were now at Gibeon, and were persuading the people to let the Gibeonites live, but all the princes, even those that were not present, but in the camp at Gilgal.

let them be hewers of wood, and drawers of water - The curse of Noah on the children of Ham was thus fulfilled to the letter in the case of these Hivites. Genesis 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan. He shall be a servant of servants to his brothers.

Moses said that the Israelites were to subject any cities they made peace with outside of Canaan to servitude. This seems to be what Joshua and the rulers held the Gibeonites to, despite the fact that the Hivites were to be destroyed. God was invoked in the treaty and it must be honored. Deuteronomy 20:10-18 When you come near a city to fight against it, then shout peace to it. And it shall be, if it makes the answer of peace and opens to you, then all the people found in it shall be forced laborers to you, and they shall serve you. But if it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it. And when the LORD your God has delivered it into your hands, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword. But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, all the spoil of it, you shall take to yourself. And you shall eat the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you. So you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of these people, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes. But you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done to their gods. So you would sin against the LORD your God.

Jos 9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you fooled us saying, We are very far from you, when you dwell among us?

Jos 9:23 And now you are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being slaves and woodcutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.

Now therefore ye are cursed – The curse of Canaan, "a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren," Genesis 9:25; as these Gibeonites were.

For the house of my God - This only service they mention here, because it was their durable servitude, being first in the tabernacle, and then in the temple, whence they were called Nethinim, 1Chronicles 9:2 And the first people in their possessions in their cities were the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the temple slaves. Ezra 2:43 The temple-slaves: The sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,

Jos 9:24 And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told your servants how Jehovah your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all those who lived in the land from before you; therefore, we were very much afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land - as the gift of the land of Canaan to Israel was often spoken of by the Lord to Moses, and frequently mentioned by him; so there were instructions given him from the Lord, utterly to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, so, that these people had accurate intelligence and information of this matter; Deuteronomy 7:1 When the LORD your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, and the LORD your God shall deliver them before you, you shall crush them, completely destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.

It was mere fear which drove the Gibeonites to act as they did. They sought for union with God’s people, not for its own sake, but to save their lives. Rahab’s motives were higher. Hence, she was adopted into Israel; the Gibeonites remained forever bondsmen of Israel.

Jos 9:25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. As it seems good and right to you to do to us, do it.

As it seemeth good and right unto thee - Whatever justice and mercy dictate to thee to do to us, that perform. They expect justice, because they deceived the Israelites; but they expect mercy also, because they were driven to use this expedient for fear of losing their lives.

Jos 9:26 And so he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they did not kill them.

And so did he unto them - That is, he acted according to justice and mercy: he delivered them out of the hands of the people, so that they slew them not - here was mercy; and he made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and to the altar of God - here was justice. Thus Joshua did nothing but what was good and right, not only in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of the Lord.

Jos 9:27 And Joshua made them that day woodcutters and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of Jehovah, even to this day, in the place which He should choose.

Joshua 8

Jos 8:1 And Jehovah said to Joshua, Do not fear, nor be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

Fear not - The iniquity being now purged away, because of which God had turned his hand against Israel, there was now no cause to dread any other disaster, and therefore Joshua is ordered to take courage.

Take all the people - That all of them might be partakers of this first spoil, and thereby encouraged to proceed in their work.

Do not fear, nor be dismayed - With evident allusion to Joshua's despair after the failure of the first attack, the Lord commences with these words, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed” These words are an echo of other verses: Deuteronomy 1:21 Behold, the LORD your God has set the land before you. Go up. Possess it , even as the LORD God of your fathers has said to you. Do not fear, neither be troubled; Deuteronomy 31:8 And Jehovah is He who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear; nor be dismayed.

Jos 8:2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take for a prize for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.

Lay an ambush- This seems to cause concern among the commentators about ethics of God calling for a laying of an ambush, a form of deception. Personally I don’t see a problem with it. It is a part of war.

Jos 8:3 So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up against Ai. And Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, mighty warriors, and sent them away by night.

Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men; out of all the men of war; these were a select company, picked men, not the whole army, as some have thought, for he was ordered to take all the people of war, as he did: It looks like Joshua despatched thirty thousand men under cover of night, to station themselves at the place appointed for the ambush. Out of this number a detachment of five thousand was sent forward to conceal themselves in the immediate precincts of the town, in order to seize the first opportunity of throwing themselves into it Joshua 8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

Jos 8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you will be an ambush against the city, behind the city. You shall not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

Jos 8:5 And I, and all the people with me, shall go toward the city. And it shall be, when they come out against us, as at the first, we will flee before them,

Jos 8:6 (for they will come out after us) until we have drawn them out of the city. For they will say, They flee before us, even as at the first. And we will flee before them.

Jos 8:7 Then you shall rise up from the ambush, and seize on the city; for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand.

Then ye shall rise up from the ambush - When they should see a signal made, Joshua 8:18 And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear in his hand toward the city.

Jos 8:8 And it shall be, when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, according to the command of Jehovah you shall do. See, I have commanded you.

Ye shall set the city on fire - Probably this means no more than that they should kindle a fire in the city, possibly some outlying houses of it, the smoke of which should be an indication that they had taken it. For as the spoils of the city were to be divided among the people, had they at this time set fire to the city itself, all the property must have been consumed, for the five thousand men did not wait to save any thing, as they immediately issued out to attack the men of Ai in the rear.

Jos 8:9 And Joshua sent them out. And they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua stayed that night among the people.

Jos 8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning and called up the people. And they went up, he and the elders of Israel, in the sight of the people of Ai.

Numbered the people - he visited the people, inspected their ranks to see whether every thing was in perfect readiness, that in case they should be needed they might be led on to the attack.

Jos 8:11 And all the people of war with him went up and drew near. And they came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai. And a valley was between them and Ai.

Jos 8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

And he took - Or rather, but he had taken, namely, out of the said number of thirty thousand, for this is added by way of recapitulation and farther explication of what is said in general, Jos_8:9.

Jos 8:13 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley.

Jos 8:14 And it happened, when the king of Ai saw, they hurried and rose up early. And the men of the city went out to do battle against Israel, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the plain. But he did not know that there were some lying in ambush against him behind the city.

At a time appointed - Possibly they might appoint the same hour of the day on which they had fought against Israel with good success, looking upon it as a lucky hour. More likely it means an hour concocted between the king and people of Ai and those of Beth-el, who were confederates in this enterprise.

Jos 8:15 And Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

made as if they were beaten before them--the pretended flight in the direction of the wilderness; that is, southeast, into the Ghor, the desert valley of the Jordan, decoyed all the inhabitants of Ai out of the city, while the people of Beth-el hastened to participate in the expected victory.

by the way of the wilderness – means by way of the road from Ai.

Jos 8:16 And all the people in Ai were called together to run after them. And they ran after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

Jos 8:17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, who did not go after Israel. And they left the city open, and ran after Israel.

Beth-el, which Joshua did not think proper to attack at this time. From Jdg_1:24 we find that Beth-el was then a walled city, in the hands of the Canaanites, and was taken by the house of Joseph.

Jos 8:18 And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear in his hand toward the city.

stretch out the spear that is in thy hand towards Ai – Possibly on which was a flag which served for a signal for the ambush to come out and seize the city, as well as a signal also to the army of Israel to prepare to turn and face about, and engage with the enemy; though they did not actually do this until they saw the smoke of the city,

for I will give it into thine hand; of which the stretching out of his spear seems also to be a confirming sign to him, and which he kept stretched out until all the inhabitants of Ai were destroyed, Jos_8:26.

stretch out the spear that is in thy hand towards Ai – Note similarity to Moses in Exodus 17:8-12 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out to fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. And Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it happened when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. And when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands became heavy. And they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. And his hands were steady until the going of the sun.

Jos 8:19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand. And they entered into the city, and took it, and hurried and set the city on fire.

Jos 8:20 And the men of Ai looked behind them and saw. And, behold, the smoke of the city went up into the sky, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. And the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers.

and there were not hands in them to flee hither and thither - they were utterly unable to flee. “Hand,” as the organs of enterprise and labor, in the sense of “strength,” not “room.” They lost their will to fight. There is an analogous passage in Psalms 76:5 The stouthearted have been stripped; they slept their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands. They were in utter consternation; they saw that the city was taken, they found themselves in the midst of their foes; that their wives, children, and property, had fallen a prey to their enemies, in consequence of which they were so utterly panic-struck as to be incapable of making any resistance.

Jos 8:21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, then they turned again and killed the men of Ai.

Jos 8:22 And the others came out of the city against them. So they were in the middle of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And they struck them so that they let none of them remain or escape.

Jos 8:23 And they took the king of Ai, and brought him alive to Joshua.

the king of Ai they took alive - to be reserved for a more ignominious death, as a greater criminal in God's sight than his subjects. In the mingled attack from before and behind, all the men were massacred.

Jos 8:24 And it happened, when Israel had made an end of killing all those who lived in Ai, in the field and in the wilderness where they chased them, and when they had all fallen on the edge of the sword until they were gone, all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.

Returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword - This must refer to the women, children, and old persons, left behind.

When all the men of Ai, who had come out to pursue the Israelites, had been slain upon the field (namely) in the desert, all Israel returned to Ai and smote it (the town, i.e., the inhabitants), so that on that day there fell of men and women, 12,000, all the people of Ai: for Joshua did not draw back his hand, which had been stretched out with the javelin, till all the inhabitants of Ai were smitten with the ban, i.e., put to death; according to the common custom of war, that the general did not lower the war-signal till the conflict was to cease.

Jos 8:25 And all who fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, all the men of Ai.

Jos 8:26 For Joshua did not draw his hand back, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the people of Ai.

spear - The Hebrew word kidon, which we render spear

Destroyed - the Hebrew term herem, meaning devoted to the LORD by destruction.

Jos 8:27 Only, Israel took the cattle and the spoil of that city for a prize for themselves, according to the Word of Jehovah which He commanded Joshua.

Only the cattle and the spoil - In the case of Jericho these were all consigned to destruction, and therefore it was criminal to take any thing pertaining to the city, as we have already seen; but in the case before us the cattle and spoils were expressly given to the conquerors by the order of God.

Jos 8:28 And Joshua burned Ai, and made it a heap forever, a ruin to this day.

and made it an heap for ever - that is, for a long time, for it appears to have been rebuilt, and to have been inhabited by the Jews, after their return from their Babylonian captivity, Nehemiah 11:31 And the sons of Benjamin from Geba lived at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and their villages. One commentator says it was not rebuilt during that time.

Jos 8:29 And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his body down from the tree and throw it down at the entrance to the gate of the city, and raise on it a great heap of stones, to this day.

As soon as the sun was down - It was not lawful to let the bodies remain all night upon the tree according to the law that the land might not be defiled Deuteronomy 21:22-23 And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and if he is put to death and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree. But you shall surely bury him that day (for he that is hanged is accursed of God), so that your land may not be defiled, which Jehovah your God gives you for an inheritance.

Raise thereon a great heap of stones - This was a common custom through all antiquity in every country, as we have already seen in the case of Achan, Jos_7:20.

Jos 8:30 Then Joshua built an altar to Jehovah, the God of Israel in Mount Ebal,

Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal - As was commanded, Deuteronomy 27:4-5 Therefore it shall be when you have gone over Jordan, you shall set up these stones which I command you today, in Mount Ebal. And you shall plaster them with plaster. And you shall build an altar there to Jehovah your God, an altar of stones. You shall not lift up any iron tool on them. Ebal was near Shechem in Samaria, at a great distance from Ai, according to some commentators.

Mount Ebal - God's altar was to be but in one place, Deu_12:13-14, and this place was appointed to he mount Ebal, Deu_27:4-5, which also seems most proper, that in that place whence the curses of the law were denounced against sinners, there might also be the tokens and means of grace, and peace, and reconciliation with God, for the removing of the curses, and the procuring of God's blessing to sinners.

Then Joshua built an altar - This spot was little short of twenty miles from Ai (or 60, depending on the commentator). The march through a hostile country and the unmolested performance of the religious ceremonial observed at this mountain, would be greatly facilitated, through the blessing of God, by the disastrous fall of Ai. The solemn duty was to be attended to at the first convenient opportunity after the entrance into Canaan (Deu_27:2); and with this in view Joshua seems to have conducted the people through the mountainous region that intervened though no details of the journey have been recorded. Ebal was on the north, opposite to Gerizim, which was on the south side of the town Sichem.

Then Joshua built an altar - The fulfillment of these instructions, according to the meaning of this solemn act, as a symbolical setting up of the law of the Lord to be the invariable rule of life to the people of Israel in the land of Canaan, was not only a practical expression of thanksgiving on the part of the covenant nation for its entrance into this land through the almighty assistance of its God, but also a practical acknowledgement, that in the overthrow of the Canaanites thus far it had received a strong pledge of the conquest of the foes that still remained and the capture of the whole of the promised land, provided only it persevered in covenant faithfulness towards the Lord its God.

The account of this religious solemnity is given very briefly. It presupposes an acquaintance with the Mosaic instructions in Deut 27, and merely gives the leading points, to show that those instructions were carefully carried out by Joshua. Of the three distinct acts of which the ceremony consisted, in the book of Deuteronomy the setting up of the stones with the law written upon them is mentioned first (Deu_27:2-4), and then (Jos_8:5-7) the building of the altar and the offering of sacrifice. Here, on the contrary, the building of the altar and offering of sacrifice are mentioned first (Jos_8:30, Jos_8:31), and then (Jos_8:32) the writing of the law upon the stones; which was probably the order actually observed. - In Jos_8:30 Jehovah is called “the God of Israel,” to show that henceforth no other god was to be worshipped in Canaan than the God of Israel. On Mount Ebal, Deuteronomy 11:29 And it will be, when Jehovah your God has brought you into the land where you go to possess it, you shall set the blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal.

Jos 8:31 as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the Law of Moses, an altar of whole stones over which no man has lifted any iron. And they offered on it burnt offerings to Jehovah, and sacrificed peace offerings.

As Moses commanded - namely, Deuteronomy 27:4-5. Therefore it shall be when you have gone over Jordan, you shall set up these stones which I command you today, in Mount Ebal. And you shall plaster them with plaster. And you shall build an altar there to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You shall not lift up any iron tool on them. Exodus 20: 22-25 And the LORD said to Moses, So you shall say to the sons of Israel, You have seen that I have talked with you from the heavens. You shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall you make to you gods of gold. You shall make an altar of earth to Me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In all places where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you. And if you will make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stone. For if you lift up your tool upon it, you have defiled it. On the presentation of burnt-offerings and slain-offerings, see Deuteronomy 27:6-7 You shall build the altar of the LORD your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God. And you shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God.

over which no man hath lifted up any iron - that is, iron tool. The reason for this was that every altar of the true God ought properly to have been built of earth Exodus 20:24 You shall make an altar of earth to Me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In all places where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you and if it was constructed of stone, then rough, unhewn stones were to be employed that it might retain both the appearance and nature of earth, since every bloody sacrifice was connected with sin and death, by which man, the creature of earth, is brought to earth again.

Jos 8:32 And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the sons of Israel.

A copy of the law of Moses - mishneh torath, the repetition of the law; that is, a copy of the blessings and curses, as commanded by Moses; not a copy of the Decalogue, as some imagine, nor of the book of Deuteronomy, as others think; much less of the whole Pentateuch; but merely of that part which contained the blessings and curses, and which was to be read on this solemn occasion. Deuteronomy 27:2-3 And it will be, on the day when you shall pass over Jordan to the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall set up great stones and plaster them with plaster. And you shall write on them all the words of the law when you have passed over, so that you may go in to the land which the LORD your God gives you, a land that flows with milk and honey, as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you.

And he wrote there upon the stones - Not upon the stones of which the altar was made, but upon other stones erected in the form of a pillar, and plastered over.

Jos 8:33 And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark, and on that side, before the priests the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, the stranger as well as the homeborn among them, half of them over against Mount Gerizim, and half of them over against Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded before that they should bless all the people of Israel.

As Moses commanded to bless the people before - as he had previously commanded in Deuteronomy 27 and other verses. Moses did not give the command to proclaim the blessings and cursings to the people for the first time in connection with these instructions (Deut 27), but had done so before, at the very outset, namely, as early as Deuteronomy 11:29 And it will be, when the LORD your God has brought you into the land where you go to possess it, you shall set the blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal.

half of them over against Mount Gerizim - that is, half of the tribes, and these were Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. Deuteronomy 27:12 These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people when you have come over Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin.

and half of them over against Mount Ebal - which were the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. Deuteronomy 27:13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

Jos 8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the Law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the Law.

He read - That is, he commanded the priests or Levites to read, Deuteronomy 27:14 And the Levites shall speak and say to all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

the blessing and the curse - they serve to define all the words of the law, and are not to be understood as relating to the blessings in Deu_28:1-14, and the curses in Deu_27:15-26 and 28:15-68. The whole law is called “the blessing and the curse” with special reference to its contents, inasmuch as the fulfillment of it brings a blessing, and the transgression of it a curse. In the same manner, in Deuteronomy 11:26 Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse, Moses describes the exposition of the whole law in the steppes of Moab as setting before them blessing and cursing. In Jos_8:35 it is most distinctly stated that Joshua had the whole law read to the people; whilst the expression “all Israel,” in v. 33, is more fully explained as signifying not merely the congregation in its representatives, or even the men of the nation, but “all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were in the midst of it.”

Blessings and cursings – Deuteronomy 27:15- Deuteronomy 28:68
Deuteronomy 27
15 Cursed is the man that makes any graven or molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and puts it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
16 Cursed is he who thinks lightly of his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
17 Cursed is he who removes his neighbor's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
18 Cursed is he who makes the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
19 Cursed is he who perverts the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
20 Cursed is he who lies with his father's wife, because he uncovers his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
21 Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal. And all the people shall say, Amen.
22 Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
23 Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
24 Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
25 Cursed is he who takes reward to kill an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
26 Cursed is he who does not confirm all the words of this law, to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 28
1 And it will be, if you shall listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth.
2 And all these blessings shall come on you and overtake you, if you will listen to the voice of the LORD your God.
3 You shall be blessed in the city, and be blessed in the field.
4 The fruit of your body shall be blessed, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your cows, and the flocks of your sheep.
5 Your basket and your store shall be blessed.
6 You shall be blessed when you come in, and blessed when you go out.
7 The LORD shall cause your enemies that rise up against you to be stricken before your face. They shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways.
8 The LORD shall command the blessing on you in your storehouses, and all that you set your hand to. And He shall bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
9 The LORD shall establish you a holy people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.
10 And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you.
11 And the LORD shall prosper you in goods, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
12 The LORD shall open to you His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. And you shall loan to many nations, and you shall not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make you the head, and not the tail. And you shall be always above, and you shall not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, to observe and to do them.
14 And you shall not go aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right hand or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
15 And it shall be, if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, all these curses shall come on you and overtake you.
16 You shall be cursed in the city, and cursed in the field.
17 Your basket and your store shall be cursed.
18 The fruit of your body shall be cursed, and the fruit of your land, the increase of your cows, and the flocks of your sheep.
19 You shall be cursed when you come in, and cursed when you go out.
20 The LORD shall send on you cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings by which you have forsaken Me.
21 The LORD shall make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from off the land where you go to possess it.
22 The LORD shall strike you with lung disease and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew. And they shall pursue you until you perish.
23 And your heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth that is under you iron.
24 The LORD shall make the rain of your land powder and dust. It shall come down from the heavens on you until you are destroyed.
25 The LORD shall cause you to be stricken before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a trembling to all the kingdoms of the earth.
26 And your body shall be food to all birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth. And no man shall frighten them away.
27 The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with the hemorrhoids, and with the scab, and with the itch, of which you cannot be healed.
28 The LORD shall strike you with madness and blindness, and astonishment of heart.
29 And you shall grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall always be pressed down and spoiled forever, and no man shall save you.
30 You shall become engaged to a wife, and another man shall lie with her. You shall build a house, and you shall not live in it. You shall plant a vineyard, and you shall not gather the grapes of it.
31 Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat of it. Your ass shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you, your sheep given to your enemies, and you shall have none to rescue them.
32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail for them all the day long. And there shall be no power in your hand.
33 The fruit of your land, and all your labors, shall be eaten up by a nation which you do not know. And you shall always be oppressed and crushed,
34 and you shall be mad because of that which you shall see with the sight of your eyes.
35 The LORD shall strike you in the knees and in the legs with an evil ulcer that cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.
36 The LORD shall bring you, and your king which you shall set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known. And there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone.
37 And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word among all nations where the LORD shall lead you.
38 You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in, for the locust shall eat it.
39 You shall plant vineyards and dress them , but shall neither drink the wine nor gather, for the worm shall eat them.
40 You shall have olive trees throughout all your coasts, but you shall not anoint with the oil, for your olive shall drop off its fruit.
41 You shall father sons and daughters, but you shall not enjoy them, for they shall go into captivity.
42 All your trees and the fruit of your land the locust shall possess.
43 The stranger within you shall get up above you very high, and you shall come down very low.
44 He shall loan to you, and you shall not loan to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.
45 And all these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.
46 And they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever.
47 Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things ;
48 therefore you shall serve your enemies which the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in the lack of all things . And he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.
49 The LORD shall bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose tongue you shall not understand,
50 a nation fierce of face who shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young.
51 And he shall eat the fruit of your cattle and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed. He shall not leave you grain, wine, or oil, the increase of your livestock, or flocks of your sheep, until he has destroyed you.
52 And he shall besiege you in all your gates until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down, throughout all the land. And he shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land which the LORD your God has given you.
53 And you shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, which the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and in the anguish with which your enemies shall distress you.
54 The man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the rest of his sons which he has left;
55 so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his sons whom he shall eat, because he has nothing left to him in the siege and in the anguish with which your enemies shall distress you in all your gates.
56 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not have ventured to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
57 and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her sons whom she shall bear. For she shall eat them secretly for lack of all things , in the siege and anguish with which your enemies shall distress you in your gates.
58 If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, JEHOVAH YOUR GOD,
59 then Jehovah will make your plagues remarkable, and the plagues of your seed great and persistent plagues; with evil and long-lasting sicknesses.
60 Also, He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid. And they shall cling to you.
61 Also, every sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this law, the LORD will bring them on you until you are destroyed.
62 And you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of the heavens for multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.
63 And it shall be, as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good and to multiply you, so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you and to bring you to nothing. And you shall be plucked from off the land where you go to possess it.
64 And the LORD shall scatter you among all people, from the one end of the earth even to the other , and you shall serve other gods there, which neither you nor your fathers have known, wood and stone.
65 And among these nations you shall find no ease, neither shall the sole of your foot have rest. But the LORD shall give you there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind.
66 And your life shall hang in doubt before you, and you shall fear day and night, and shall have no assurance of your life.
67 In the morning you shall say, Oh that it were evening! And at evening you shall say, Oh that it were morning, for the fear of your heart with which you shall fear, and for the sight of your eyes which you shall see.
68 And the LORD shall bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way of which I said to you, You shall see it no more again. And there you shall be sold to your enemies for men-slaves and women-slaves, and no man shall buy you.

Jos 8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua did not read before all the congregation of Israel, with the women and the little ones, and the strangers that walked among them.

With the women and the little ones - It was necessary that all should know that they were under the same obligations to obey; even the women are brought forward, not only because of their personal responsibility, but because to them was principally intrusted the education of the children. The children also witness this solemn transaction, that a salutary fear of offending God might be early, diligently, and deeply impressed upon their hearts. Thus every precaution is taken to ensure obedience to the Divine precepts, and consequently to promote the happiness of the people; for this every ordinance of God is remarkable, as he ever causes the interest and duty of his followers to go hand in hand.

Mark 3

Mar 3:1 And He again entered into the synagogue. And a man was there who had a withered hand.

A man there which had a withered hand - More correctly, his hand withered. The participle indicates that the withering was not congenital, but the result of accident or disease. Luke says his right hand.

Mar 3:2 And they watched Him to see if He would heal him on the sabbath day, so that they might accuse Him.

They watched - were watching on the side (or sly). It was the sabbath day and in the synagogue and they were there ready to catch him in the act if he should dare to violate their rules as he had done in the wheat fields on the previous sabbath. Probably the same Pharisees are present now as then.

Mar 3:3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, Arise! Come into the middle.

Mar 3:4 And He said to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill? But they were silent.

to save life, or to kill? In Luke 6:9 to destroy. To do evil, kill, or destroy, are not lawful at any time; and to do good, and to save life, must be right at all times: Jesus points out that they came with intent to cause harm, where His intent is to save through healing as well as save souls. A home thrust at the fault-finders. They were harboring murderous thoughts; he was seeking to save life. Which was breaking the Sabbath?

Or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? - It was a maxim with the Jews, as it should be with all men, that he who neglected to preserve life when it was in his power, was to be reputed a murderer. If a man has an opportunity of saving a man’s life when he is in danger, and does not do it, he is guilty of his death. On this principle our Savior puts this question to the Jews - whether it was better for him, having the power to heal this man, to do it, or to suffer him to remain in this suffering condition; and he illustrates it by an example, showing that in a manner of much less importance - that respecting their cattle - they would do on the Sabbath just as “he” would if he should heal this man. The same remark may apply to all opportunities of doing good. “The ability to do good imposes an obligation to do it” (Cotton Mather) He that has the means of feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked, and instructing the ignorant, and sending the gospel to the destitute, and that does it not, is guilty, for he is practically doing evil; he is suffering evils to exist which he might remove. So the wicked will be condemned in the day of judgment because “they did it not,” Matthew 25:45 Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.

Mar 3:5 And looking around on them with anger, being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, Stretch out your hand! And he stretched it out. And his hand was restored whole, like the other.

With anger - With a severe and stern countenance; with indignation at their hypocrisy and hardness of heart. This was not, however, a spiteful or revengeful passion; it was caused by excessive “grief” at their state: “being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.” It was not hatred of the “men” whose hearts were so hard; it was hatred of the sin which they exhibited, joined with the extreme grief that neither his teaching nor the law of God, nor any means which could be used, overcame their confirmed wickedness. Such anger is not unlawful, Eph_4:26. However, in this instance, our Lord has taught us that anger is never lawful except when it is tempered with grief or compassion for those who have offended.

being grieved for the hardness of their hearts - These words are not found in any of the other evangelists. By a long resistance to the grace and Spirit of God, their hearts had become callous; they were past feeling. By a long opposition to the light of God, they became dark in their understanding, were blinded by the deceitfulness of sin, and thus were past seeing. By a long continuance in the practice of every evil work, they were cut off from all union with God, the fountain of spiritual life; and, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, they were incapable of any resurrection but through a miraculous power of God.

With anger. What was the anger which our Lord felt? That which proceeded from excessive grief, which was occasioned by their obstinate stupidity and blindness: therefore it was no uneasy passion, but an excess of generous grief.

Hardness - a kind of marble, and thence used of a callus on fractured bones. It is originally the process by which the extremities of fractured bones are united by a callus. Hence of callousness, or hardness in general. The word occurs in two other passages in the New Testament, Romans 11:25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, lest you should be wise within yourselves; that blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the nations has comes in. Ephesians 4:18 having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

Mar 3:6 The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

How they might destroy him: persisting still in their evil intentions, though Christ had so fully and clearly exposed the wickedness of them: and it is to be observed, that those men who thought it was not lawful to heal a lame man on the sabbath day, yet make no scruple of meeting and consulting together on that day, and even with profane men, what measures and methods were best to take, to destroy the life of an innocent person.

with the Herodians - This is the first mention of the Herodians or adherents of Herod Antipas and the Herod family rather than the Romans. The Pharisees would welcome the help of their rivals to destroy Jesus. In the presence of Jesus they unite their forces as in Mar_8:15; Mar_12:13; Mat_22:16.

Who the Herodians were is still a mystery. Some have claimed they were a group that tried to claim Herod was the awaited Messiah. Some claim it is a group that was neither religious or political. That they were just influential people, probably Jews, who were supporters of the family of Herod. They were therefore also supporters of Rome.

Mar 3:7 And Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples. And a great crowd from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea,

Withdrew - Mark alone notes no less than eleven occasions on which Jesus retired from his work, in order to escape his enemies or to pray in solitude, for rest, or for private conference with his disciples. Mar_1:12; Mar_3:7; Mar_6:31, Mar_6:46; Mar_7:24, Mar_7:31; Mar_9:2; Mar_10:1; Mar_14:34. But, as often, a great multitude from Galilee followed him.

Mar 3:8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan, and those around Tyre and Sidon, a great throng came to him, having heard how much He was doing.

Idumea - Edom; a country that lay on the south of Judea, formerly inhabited by the sons of Edom, but now by Jews; or at least the inhabitants of it were proselytes to the Jewish religion. Pliny speaks of Idumea and Judea together, as a part of Syria; and Ptolemy says this country lies on the west of the river Jordan.

Idumea - The country formerly inhabited by the Edomites. In the time of the Savior it was embraced in the country belonging to the Jews. It was south of Judea proper. The word “Idumea” is a Greek word made from the Hebrew “Edom.” It signifies the land of Edom, a name given to Esau, one of the sons of Isaac, Gen_25:30. The word signifies “red,” and the name was given to him because he sought of Jacob red pottage as the price of his birthright. He settled in Mount Seir Deu_2:5, on the south of the land of Canaan, and the country of Idumea was bounded by Palestine on the north. During the Babylonian captivity the Edomites spread themselves into the country of Judea, and occupied a considerable part of the south of Palestine. They had, however, submitted to the rite of circumcision, and were incorporated with the Jews. From them sprang Herod the Great.

Idumea - was the land formerly inhabited by the Edomites. This land was originally the narrow strip reaching from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, lying between the Arabah on the west, and the desert on the east, being about one hundred miles long and fifteen or twenty broad. During the Babylonian captivity, however, the Edomites took possession of the southern portion of Judea, and Strabo says that they encroached as far as to the city of Hebron. They were conquered by John Hyrcanus, one of the Asmonean princes about 120 B.C., and were by him made subservient to the law and incorporated with the Jewish people.

Mar 3:9 And He spoke to His disciples, so that a small boat should stay near to Him, because of the crowd, lest they should press on Him.

Mar 3:10 For He had healed many, so that they pressed on Him in order to touch Him, as many as had plagues.

insomuch that they pressed upon him; or pushed upon him, with great eagerness and violence. They pushed on, and pressed so hard to get to him, that they fell upon one another.

As many as had plagues - Rather disorders, scourges. As many as had diseases or maladies of body or mind. The word plague, now confined to the pestilence, does not express the meaning of the original.

Mar 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried, saying, You are the Son of God!

Thou art the Son of God - The Son of God, by way of eminence. In this place it is equivalent to the Messiah, who was, among the Jews, called the Son of God.

they fell down before Him - Imperfect indicative indicates repeated action. They kept falling down before him and crying, and he kept charging or rebuking them, all imperfect cases.

saying, You are the Son of God! – By saying this to Jesus, the demons hoped to have power over Him. This is part of the belief that knowing the name or characteristic of a person gives someone power over him.

Mar 3:12 And He strictly charged them that they should not make Him known.

And he straitly charged them - Or vehemently rebuked them. The word is commonly rendered rebuke in the New Testament. In classical Greek its predominant sense is that of severe, strenuous reproach for unworthy deeds or acts. It is several times used in the New Testament, as here, in the sense of charge. In this sense the word carries, at bottom, a suggestion of a charge under penalty.

Mar 3:13 And He went up into a mountain and called near those whom He would. And they came to Him.

And He went up into a mountain - Luke 6:12 states that Jesus “continued all night in prayer, to God.”. Neither Gospel gives the name of the mountain, assuming it as well known, probably not far from the lake.

Note that Jesus goes to pray before choosing His apostles.

Mar 3:14 And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them out to proclaim,

That they should be with him; constantly, in private and in public; be taken into his family, and reckoned such; be privy to all his affairs; hear all his discourses, and see his miracles; that so they might be trained up and fitted for the great work he designed them for:

and that he might send them forth to preach; the Gospel in Judea first, and then in all the world: for he did not at this time send them to preach, only chose; called, and appointed them; and after they had been with him some time, and were better qualified for such service, he sent them forth, as in Matthew 10:1.

He ordained twelve - The word rendered “ordained” here does not express our notion of ordination to the ministry. It means, literally, “he made” - that is, he “appointed” twelve to be with him.

Twelve – It unquestionably had reference to the twelve tribes of Israel, over whom the apostles were to be tribal judges or viceroys and we find the tribes and apostles associated together in the structure of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12-14). Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Luke (Luk_6:13-16) also gives the list of the twelve at this point while Matthew (Mat_10:1-4) postpones giving the names till they are sent out in Galilee. Moreover, Paul seems to regard the twelve as ministers to the twelve tribes, or to the circumcision, rather than as ministers to the Gentiles or the world in general (Galatians 2:7-9).

And He ordained twelve - Whom he also named apostles. Jesus himself gave the name apostle or missionary (apostellō, to send) to this group of twelve. The word is applied in the New Testament to others besides as delegates or messengers of churches (2Co_8:23; Phi_2:25), and messenger (Joh_13:16). It is applied also to Paul on a par with the twelve (Gal_1:1, Gal_1:11., etc.) and also to Barnabas (Act_14:14), and perhaps also to Timothy and Silas (1Ti_2:6.). Two purposes of Jesus are mentioned by Mark in the choice of these twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth (to preach and have ability to cast out demons). They were not ready to be sent forth till they had been with Jesus for some time. This is one of the chief tasks of Christ to train this group of men.

Mar 3:15 and to have authority to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons.

and to cast out demons - Note that he does not say to preach and to cast out, but to preach and to have authority to cast out. The power of preaching and the power of exorcising were so different that special mention is made of the divine authority with which they would need to be clothed. The power of driving out demons was given that-they might apply it in confirmation of their teaching. Mark 16:20 And going out, they proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by miraculous signs following. Amen.

Mar 3:16 And He put on Simon the name Peter.

And Simon he surnamed Peter. Or Cephas, which signifies a rock, or stone, because of his courage and constancy, his strength and fortitude, steadiness and firmness of mind: this name was imposed upon him, not at the time of his mission as an apostle; nor when he made that noble confession of his faith in Christ, as the Son of the living God, at which time this name was taken notice of; but when Christ first called him to be his disciple and apostle; John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, He said, You are Simon the son of Jonah; you shall be called Cephas (which translated is, A stone).

And Simon he surnamed Peter. That Peter had supremacy or authority over his brethren is nowhere stated by Christ, or claimed by Peter, or owned by the rest of the twelve. On the contrary, the statement of Jesus places the apostles upon a level Matthew 23:8-11 But you must not be called Rabbi, for One is your teacher, Christ, and you are all brothers. And call no one your father on the earth, for One is your Father in Heaven. Nor be called teachers, for One is your Teacher, even Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 19:27-28 Then answering Peter said to Him, Behold, we have forsaken all and have followed You. Therefore what shall we have? And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 20:25-27 But Jesus called them and said, You know that the rulers of the nations exercise dominion over them, and they who are great exercise authority over them. However, it shall not be so among you. But whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. And Peter himself claims no more than an equal position with other officers in the church 1 Peter 5:1 I exhort the elders who are among you, I being also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed and the apostles in the subsequent history of the church acted with perfect independence.

Mar 3:17 And He put on James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, the names Boanerges, which is, the Sons of Thunder.

He surnamed them sons of thunder - either because of their loud and sonorous voice; or their warm zeal for Christ, and fervency in their ministry: or for their courage in opposing the enemies of Christ, and the power that went along with their words; which either put to confusion and silence, or issued in conviction and conversion. Both with respect to the warmth and impetuosity of their spirit, their fervent manner of preaching, and the power of their word.

Mar 3:18 And He appointed Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

Bartholomew, the same with Nathaniel: Bar Tolmai, son of Tolmai. Almost certainly identical with Nathanael. Philip and Nathanael are associated by John, as are Philip and Bartholomew in the parallel passages of the synoptics. Bartholomew is not mentioned in John's list of the twelve (Joh_21:2), but Nathanael is; while the synoptists do not mention Nathanael in their lists, but do mention Bartholomew. Probably he had two names.

Matthew, the publican, who was called Levi;

Thomas, who was called Didymus, from his being a twin;

James, the son of Alphaeus, to distinguish him from the other James, the son of Zebedee, and who is sometimes called "the less";

James the son of Zebedee - Acts 12:1-2 And at that time Herod the king threw on his hands to oppress some of those of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Thaddaeus, whose name was also Lebbaeus, and likewise Jude, the author of the Epistle that bears that name;

Simon the Canaanite, or Zelotes. More properly known as Simon the Cananaean. "Cananaean" means the same as zealot. It comes from the Hebrew word "kana", which means "zealous". The Zealots were a sect or order of men much like our modern "Regulators" or "Black Caps". They were zealous for the Jewish law, and citing Phinehas and Elijah (Numbers 25:7,8; 1 Kings 18:40) as their examples, they took justice in their own hands and punished offenders much after the manner lynchers. Whatever they were at first, it is certain that their later course was marked by frightful excesses, and they are charged with having been the human instrument which brought about the destruction of Jerusalem. See Josephus, Wars 4:3.9, 5.1-4; 6.3; 7:8.1. Simon is the least known of all the apostles, being nowhere individually mentioned outside the catalogues.

Andrew - A name of Greek origin though in use among the Jews, signifying manly. He was one of the two who came earliest to Christ (Mat_4:18, Mat_4:20; compare Joh_1:40, Joh_1:41);

Philip - Another Greek name, meaning fond of horses. In ecclesiastical legend he is said to have been a chariot-driver.

Mar 3:19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. And they went into a house.

He cometh into a house - He comes home from the mountain, probably the house of Simon as in Mar_1:29.

Mar 3:20 And again a crowd came together, so that they could not even eat bread.

Mar 3:21 And hearing, those with Him went out to take hold of Him; for they said, He is insane.

When his friends heard of it - The phrase means literally “those from the side of him (Jesus).” Not his spiritual friends, his disciples and followers, that believed in him; but his kinsmen who were so according to the flesh; when they heard where he was, and what a crowd was about him, so that he could not so much as take the necessaries of life for his refreshment and support,

Mar 3:22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He has Beelzebub, and He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.

he hath Beelzebub: Beelzebub is a corruption of Baalzebub, the god of the fly. There was a tendency among the heathen to name their gods after the pests which they were supposed to avert. Thus Zeus was called "Apomuios" (Averter of flies), and Apollo "Ipuktonos" (Slayer of vermin). How Beelzebub became identified with Satan in the Jewish mind is not known. The prince of devils casts out devils; for so they reckoned Beelzebub to be.

Mar 3:23 And He called them and said to them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

Mar 3:24 And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Mar 3:25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Mar 3:26 And if Satan rises up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.

Mar 3:27 No one can enter into a strong one's house and plunder his goods, except he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

Mar 3:28 Truly I say to you, All sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and blasphemies with which they shall blaspheme.

Blasphemies - Blasphemy is any kind of injurious speech. It is the worst form of sin, as we see by this passage.

Mar 3:29 But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never shall have forgiveness, but is liable to eternal condemnation.

But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost - Against his person, and the works performed by him, by ascribing them to diabolical power and influence, as the Scribes did,

hath never forgiveness - But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is in its nature an eternal sin, for if one rejects the evidence given by the Holy Spirit and ascribes it to Satan, he rejects the only evidence upon which faith can be based; and without faith there is no forgiveness.

Mar 3:30 Because they said, He has an unclean spirit.

Because they, said, he hath an, unclean spirit. They charged Christ with having a devil, and his miracles with being wrought by the help of the devil; when, at the same time, they knew in their own consciences they were works which were wrought by the finger and Spirit of God, and so were guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost; the unpardonable sin, for which there is no remission: and this is mentioned as a reason why our Lord said what he did concerning that sin; because they had been guilty of it, and so were liable to everlasting punishment on account of it.

Mar 3:31 Then His brothers and His mother came. And standing outside, they sent to Him, calling Him.

Mar 3:32 And the crowd sat about Him, and they said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking for You.

Mar 3:33 And He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brothers?

Mar 3:34 And He looked around on those who sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brothers!

behold my mother and my brethren: not in a natural, but in a spiritual sense;

Mar 3:35 For whoever does the will of God, the same is My brother and My sister and My mother.

For whosoever shall do the will of God - By believing in Christ, receiving him as a Savior and Redeemer, and submitting to him in all his ordinances, as King of saints:

The same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. Jesus admits three human relationships--brother, sister, mother--but omits the paternal relationship, since he had no Father, save God. It is remarkable that in the only two instances in which Mary figures in the ministry of Jesus prior to his crucifixion, she stands forth reproved by him (Matthew 12:50; Luke 8:21; John 2:4). This fact not only rebukes those who worship her, but especially corrects the doctrine of her immaculate conception.