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poisoner； or one who attempted by secret and unlawful drugs or
philtra； to take away the senses or the lives of men。
（30） This permission of redeeming this penalty with money is not
in our copies； Exodus 21：24； 25； Leviticus 24：20； Deuteronomy
19：21。
（31） We may here note； that thirty shekels； the price our Savior
was sold for by Judas to the Jews； Matthew 26：15； and 27；3； was
the old value of a bought servant or slave among that people。
（32） This law against castration； even of brutes； is said to be
so rigorous elsewhere； as to inflict death on him that does it。
which seems only a Pharisaical interpretation in the days of
Josephus of that law； Leviticus 21：20； and 22：24： only we may
hence observe； that the Jews could then have no oxen which are
gelded； but only bulls and cows； in Judea。
（33） These laws seem to be those above…mentioned； sect； 4； of
this chapter。
（34） What laws were now delivered to the priests； see the note on
Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 1。 sect。 7；
（35） Of the exact place where this altar was to be built； whether
nearer Mount Gerizzim or Mount Ebal； according to Josephus； see
Essay on the Old Testament； p。 168171。
Dr。 Bernard well observes here； how unfortunate this neglect of
consulting the Urim was to Joshua himself； in the case of the
Gibeonites； who put a trick upon him； and ensnared him； together
with the rest of the Jewish rulers； with a solemn oath to
preserve them； contrary to his commission to extirpate all the
Canaanites； root and branch； which oath he and the other rulers
never durst break。 See Scripture Politics； p。 55； 56； and this
snare they were brought into because they 〃did not ask counsel at
the mouth of the Lord；〃 Joshua 9：14。
（36） Since Josephus assures us here； as is most naturally to be
supposed； and as the Septuagint gives the text； Deuteronomy 33：6；
that Moses blessed every one of the tribes of Israel； it is
evident that Simeon was not omitted in his copy； as it unhappily
now is； both in our Hebrew and Samaritan copies。
BOOK 5 FOOTNOTES
（1） The Amorites were one of the seven nations of Canaan。 Hence
Reland is willing to suppose that Josephus did not here mean that
their land beyond Jordan was a seventh part of the whole land of
Canaan； but meant the Arnorites as a seventh nation。 His reason
is； that Josephus； as well as our Bible； generally distinguish
the land beyond Jordan from the land of Canaan； nor can it be
denied； that in strictness they were all fercot： yet after two
tribes and a half of the twelve tribes came to inherit it； it
might in a general way altogether be well included under the land
of Canaan； or Palestine； or Judea； of which we have a clear
example here before us in Josephus； whose words evidently imply；
that taking the whole land of Canaan； or that inhabited by all
the twelve tribes together； and parting it into seven parts； the
part beyond Jordan was in quantity of ground one seventh part of
the whole。 And this well enough agrees to Reland's own map of
that country； although this land beyond Jordan was so peculiarly
fruitful； and good for pasturage； as the two tribes and a half
took notice； Numbers 32：1； 4； 16； that it maintained about a
fifth part of the whole people。
（2） It plainly appears by the history of these spies； and the
innkeeper Rahab's deception of the king of Jericho's messengers；
by telling them what was false in order to save the lives of the
spies； and yet the great commendation of her faith and good works
in the New Testament； Hebrews 11：31； James 2：25； as well as by
many other parallel examples； both in the Old Testament and in
Josephus； that the best men did not then scruple to deceive those
public enemies who might justly be destroyed； as also might
deceive ill men in order to save life； and deliver themselves
from the tyranny of their unjust oppressors； and this by telling
direct falsehoods； I mean； all this where no oath was demanded of
them； otherwise they never durst venture on such a procedure。 Nor
was Josephus himself of any other opinion or practice； as I shall
remark in the note on Antiq。 B。 IX。 ch。 4。 sect。 3。 And observe；
that I still call this woman Rahab； an innkeeper； not a harlot；
the whole history； both in our copies； and especially in
Josephus； implying no more。 It was indeed so frequent a thing；
that women who were innkeepers were also harlots； or maintainers
of harlots； that the word commonly used for real harlots was
usually given them。 See Dr。 Bernard's note here； and Judges 11：1；
and Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 7。 sect。 8。
（3） Upon occasion of this devoting of Jericho to destruction； and
the exemplary punishment of Achar； who broke that duerein or
anathema； and of the punishment of the future breaker of it；
Hiel； 1 Kings 16：34； as also of the punishment of Saul； for
breaking the like chefera or anathema； against the Amalekites； 1
Samuel 15。； we may observe what was the true meaning of that law；
Leviticus 27：28： 〃None devoted which shall be devoted of shall be
redeemed； but shall be put to death；〃 i。e。 whenever any of the
Jews' public enemies had been； for their wickedness； solemnly
devoted to destruction； according to the Divine command； as were
generally the seven wicked nations of Canaan； and those sinners
the Amalekites； 1 Samuel 15：18； it was utterly unlawful to permit
those enemies to be redeemed； but they were to be all utterly
destroyed。 See also Numbers 23：2； 3。
（4） That the name of this chief was not Achan； as in the common
copies； but Achar； as here in Josephus； and in the Apostolical
Constit。 B。 VII。 ch。 2。； and elsewhere； is evident by the
allusion to that name in the curse of Joshua； 〃Why hast thou
troubled us？ … the Lord shall trouble thee；〃 where the Hebrew
word alludes only to the name Achar； but not to Achan。
Accordingly； this Valley of Achar； or Achor； was and is a known
place； a little north of Gilgal； so called from the days of
Joshua till this day。 See Joshua 7：26； Isaiah 65：10； Hosea 2：15；
and Dr。 Bernard's notes here。
（5） Here Dr。 Bernard very justly observes； that a few words are
dropped out of Josephus's copies； on account of the repetition of
the word shekels； and that it ought to be read thus： … 〃A piece
of gold that weighed fifty shekels； and one of silver that
weighed two hundred shekels；〃 as in our other copies； Joshua
7：21。
（6） I agree here with Dr。 Bernard； and approve of Josephus's
interpretation of Gilgal for liberty。 See Joshua 5：9。
（7） Whether this lengthening of the day； by the standing still of
the sun and moon； were physical and real； by the miraculous
stoppage of the diurnal motion of the earth for about half a
revolution； or whether only apparent； by aerial phosphori
imitating the sun and moon as stationary so long； while clouds
and the night hid the real ones； and this parhelion or mock sun
affording sufficient light for Joshua's pursuit and complete
victory； （which aerial phosphori in other shapes have been more
than ordinarily common of late years；） cannot now be determined：
philosophers and astronomers will naturally incline to this
latter hypothesis。 In the mean thee； the fact itself was
mentioned in the book of Jasher； now lost； Joshua 10：13； and is
con