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raised over him a great heap of stones." In that case, the plural number which follows
("and burned them," etc.) would refer only to the oxen, asses, and sheep, and to all that
Achan possessed.
(^87) This was an aggravation of the ordinary punishment of death, Leviticus 20:14. We
may here also explain that the expression "wrought folly in Israel" (Joshua 7:15), refers
to that which is opposed to the character and dignity of God's people, as in Genesis
34:7.
(^88) Interpreters have found considerable difficulties in Joshua 8:3, as compared with vers.
10 -12, and accordingly suggested, that as the two letters h and l - the one indicating the
number five, the other thirty - are very like each other, there may have been a mistake in
copying ver. 3, where it should read 5000 instead of 30,000. But there really is no need
for resorting to this theory, and I believe that the narrative, fairly read, convey the
meaning expressed by me the text.
(^89) Not "time," as in our Authorized Version, which would give no meaning.
(^90) This is the real meaning of the form of the Hebrew verb, and makes the narrative
most pictorial.
(^91) It does not appear that "hanging" was one of the modes of execution under the
Mosaic Law. From Deuteronomy 21:22, we learn that in certain cases the criminal was
put to death, and after that his dead body hung on a tree till eventide. This is fully
confirmed by Joshua 10:26. The Rabbinical Law (Sanh. vii. 3; xi. 1) recognizes
strangulation, but not hanging, as a mode of execution in the lightest cases to which the
punishment of death attached. Full details are given as to the manner in which the
punishment was to be administered.
(^92) In the drier climate of Palestine such inscriptions would of course last much longer
than in our own country. Still, they could not have been so durable as if graven on these
stones. May it not be, that this "profession" was intended for that, rather than for all
future generations? For, though it was indeed binding upon all succeeding generations -
as the record of the transaction in Scripture shows - yet each generation must take for
itself the profession to be the Lord's.
(^93) That this devolved not upon the Levites generally, but specially upon the priests,
appears from Joshua 8:33.
(^94) This peculiarity was noticed by Canon Williams, and also specially referred to by
Capt. Wilson, R.E., from whom the quotation within inverted commas is made.
(^)