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dropped out of Josephus's copies； on account of the repetition of
the word shekels； and that it ought to be read thus： … 〃A piece
of gold that weighed fifty shekels； and one of silver that
weighed two hundred shekels；〃 as in our other copies； Joshua
7：21。
（6） I agree here with Dr。 Bernard； and approve of Josephus's
interpretation of Gilgal for liberty。 See Joshua 5：9。
（7） Whether this lengthening of the day； by the standing still of
the sun and moon； were physical and real； by the miraculous
stoppage of the diurnal motion of the earth for about half a
revolution； or whether only apparent； by aerial phosphori
imitating the sun and moon as stationary so long； while clouds
and the night hid the real ones； and this parhelion or mock sun
affording sufficient light for Joshua's pursuit and complete
victory； （which aerial phosphori in other shapes have been more
than ordinarily common of late years；） cannot now be determined：
philosophers and astronomers will naturally incline to this
latter hypothesis。 In the mean thee； the fact itself was
mentioned in the book of Jasher； now lost； Joshua 10：13； and is
confirmed by Isaiah； 28：21； Habakkuk； 3：11； and by the son of
Sirach； Ecclus。 46：4。 In the 18th Psalm of Solomon； yet。 it is
also said of the luminaries； with relation； no doubt； to this and
the other miraculous standing still and going back； in the days
of Joshua and Hezekiah； 〃They have not wandered； from the day
that he created them； they have not forsaken their way； from
ancient generations； unless it were when God enjoined them ＇so to
do＇ by the command of his servants。〃 See Authent。 Rec。 part i。 p。
154。
（8） Of the books laid up in the temple； see the note on Antiq。 B。
III。 ch。 1。 sect。 7。
（9） Since not only Procopius and Suidas； but an earlier author；
Moses Chorenensis； p。 52； 53； and perhaps from his original
author Mariba Carina； one as old as Alexander the Great； sets
down the famous inscription at Tangier concerning the old
Canaanites driven out of Palestine by Joshua； take it here in
that author's own words： 〃We are those exiles that were governors
of the Canaanites； but have been driven away by Joshua the
robber； and are come to inhabit here。〃 See the note there。 Nor is
it unworthy of our notice what Moses Chorenensis adds； p。 53； and
this upon a diligent examination； viz。 that 〃one of those eminent
men among the Canaanites came at the same thee into Armenia； and
founded the Genthuniaa family； or tribe； and that this was
confirmed by the manners of the same family or tribe； as being
like those of the Canaanites。〃
（10） By prophesying； when spoken of a high priest； Josephus； both
here and frequently elsewhere； means no more than consulting God
by Urim； which the reader is still to bear in mind upon all
occasions。 And if St。 John； who was contemporary with Josephus；
and of the same country； made use of this style； when he says
that 〃Caiaphas being high priest that year； prophesied that Jesus
should die for that nation； and not for that nation only； but
that also he should gather together in one the children of God
that were scattered abroad；〃 chap。 11；51； 52； he may possibly
mean； that this was revealed to the high priest by an
extraordinary voice from between the cherubims； when he had his
breastplate； or Urim and Thummim； on before； or the most holy
place of the temple； which was no other than the oracle of Urim
and Thummim。 Of which above； in the note on Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 8。
sect。 9。
（11） This great number of seventy…two reguli； or small kings；
over whom Adonibezek had tyrannized； and for which he was
punished according to the lex talionis； as well as the thirty…one
kings of Canaan subdued by Joshua； and named in one chapter；
Joshua 12。； and thirty…two kings； or royal auxiliaries to
Benhadad king of Syria； 1 Kings 20：1； Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 14。
sect。 1； intimate to us what was the ancient form of government
among several nations before the monarchies began； viz。 that
every city or large town； with its neighboring villages； was a
distinct government by itself； which is the more remarkable；
because this was certainly the form of ecclesiastical government
that was settled by the apostles； and preserved throughout the
Christian church in the first ages of Christianity。 Mr。 Addison
is of opinion； that 〃it would certainly be for the good of
mankind to have all the mighty empires and monarchies of the
world cantoned out into petty states and principalities； which；
like so many large families； might lie under the observation of
their proper governors； so that the care of the prince might
extend itself to every individual person under his protection；
though he despairs of such a scheme being brought about； and
thinks that if it were； it would quickly be destroyed。〃 Remarks
on Italy； 4to； p。 151。 Nor is it unfit to be observed here； that
the Armenian records； though they give us the history of
thirty…nine of their ancientest heroes or governors after the
Flood； before the days of Sardanapalus； had no proper king till
the fortieth； Parerus。 See Moses Chorehensis； p。 55。 And that
Almighty God does not approve of such absolute and tyrannical
monarchies； any one may learn that reads Deuteronomy 17：14…20；
and 1 Samuel 8：1…22； although； if such kings are set up as own
him for their supreme King； and aim to govern according to his
laws； he hath admitted of them； and protected them and their
subjects in all generations。
（12） Josephus's early date of this history before the beginning
of the Judges； or when there was no king in Israel； Judges 19；1；
is strongly confirmed by the large number of Benjamites； both in
the days of Asa and Jehoshaphat； 2 Chronicles 14：8； and 16：17；
who yet were here reduced to six hundred men； nor can those
numbers be at all supposed genuine； if they were reduced so late
as the end of the Judges； where our other copies place this
reduction。
（13） Josephus seems here to have made a small mistake； when he
took the Hebrew word Bethel； which denotes the house of God； or
the tabernacle； Judges 20：18； for the proper name of a place；
Bethel； it no way appearing that the tabernacle was ever at
Bethel； only so far it is true； that Shiloh； the place of the
tabernacle in the days of the Judges； was not far from Bethel。
（14） It appears by the sacred history； Judges 1：16； 3：13； that
Eglon's pavilion or palace was at the City of Palm…Trees； as the
place where Jericho had stood is called after its destruction by
Joshua； that is； at or near the demolished city。 Accordingly；
Josephus says it was at Jericho； or rather in that fine country
of palm…trees； upon； or near to； the same spot of ground on which
Jericho had formerly stood； and on which it was rebuilt by Hiel；
1 Kings 16：31。 Our other copies that avoid its proper name
Jericho； and call it the City of Palm…Trees only； speak here more
accurately than Josephus。
（15） These eighty years for the government of Ehud are necessary
to Josephus's usual large numbers between the exodus and the
building of the temple； of five hundred and ninety…two or six
hundred and twelve years； but not to the smallest number of four
hundred and eighty years； 1 Kings 6：1； which lesser number
Josephus seems sometimes to have followed。 And since in the
beginning of the next chapter it is said by Josephus； that there
was hardly a breathing time for the Israelites before Jabin came
and enslaved them； it is highly probable that some of the copies
in his time had here only eight years instead of eighty； as had
that of Theophilus of Antioch； Ad Autolye。 1。 iii。； and this most
probably from his copy of Josephus。
（16） Our present copies of Josephus all omit Tola among the
judges； though the other copies have him next after Abimelech；
and allot twenty…three years to his administration； Judges 10：1；
2； yet do all Josephus's commentators conclude； that in
Josephus's sum of the years of the judges； his twenty…three years
are included； hence we are to confess； that somewhat has been
here lost out of his copies。
（17） Josephus justly condemns Jephtha； as do the Apostolical
Constitutions； B。 VII。 ch。 37。； for his rash vow； whether it were
for sacrificing his daughter； as Josephus thought； or for
dedicating her； who was his only child； to perpetual virginity；
at the tabernacle or elsewhere； which I rather suppose。 If he had
vowed her for a sacrifice； she ought to have been redeemed；
Leviticus 27：1…8； but of the sense of ver。 28； 29； as relating
not to things vowed to。 God； but devoted to destruction； see the
note on Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 1。 sect。 8。
（18） I can discover no reason why Manoah and his wife came so
constantly into these suburbs to pray for children； but because
there was a synagogue or place of devotion in those suburbs。
（19） Here； by a prophet； Josephus seems only to mean one that was
born by a particular providence； lived after the manner of a
Nazarite devoted to God； and was to have an extraordinary
commission and strength from God for the judging and avenging his
people Israel； without any proper prophetic revelations at all。
（20） This fountain； called Lehi； or the Jaw…bone； is still in
being； as travelers assure us； and was known by this very na