Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of
Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard
that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of
Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in
them any more, because of the children of Israel.
Verse 1-9. Circumcision of the People. - V. 1. Whilst, on the one hand, the approach
of the passover rendered it desirable that the circumcision of those who had remained
uncircumcised should be carried out without delay, on the other hand the existing
circumstances were most favourable for the performance of this covenant duty,
inasmuch as the miracle wrought in connection with the passage through the Jordan
had thrown the Canaanites into such alarm that there was no fear of their attacking
the Israelitish camp. To indicate this, the impression produced by this miracle is
described, namely, that all the kings of Canaan had been thrown into despair in
consequence. All the tribes of Canaan are grouped together here under the names of
Amorites and Canaanites, the tribes in possession of the mountains being all called
Amorites, and those who lived by the sea, i.e., by the shore of the Mediterranean,
Canaanites (vid., Josh 1:4): for the Amorites upon the mountains were the strongest
of all the Canaanitish tribes at that time (see at Gen 10:16); whilst the name
Canaanites, i.e., the bent one (see at Gen 9:25), was peculiarly appropriate to the
inhabitants of the lowlands, who relied upon trade more than upon warfare, and were
probably dependent upon the strong and mighty Amorites. The application of the
expression "beyond Jordan" ( Eng. Ver. "on the side of") to the country on this side,
may be explained on the ground that the historian was still writing from the standpoint
of the crossing.
But in order to prevent any misunderstanding, he adds "towards the west," as he had
previously added "towards the sunrise," in Josh 1:15, when speaking of the land on
the eastern side. That we have the report of an eye-witness here is evident from the
words, "until we were passed over:" the reading of the Keri , `aabªraam (OT:5674)
(till they were passed over), is nothing but an arbitrary and needless conjecture, and
ought not to have been preferred by Bleek and others, notwithstanding the fact that
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