여호수아 10:40의 인용 해설

The simple meaning of [the expression] in the book of the wars of the Eternal²⁵⁹Ibid.: Therefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Eternal. is that there were wise men in those generations who used to write down the history of great wars, for such was [the custom] in all generations. These authors were called moshlim (they that speak in parables),²⁶⁰Further, Verse 27. because they wrote in them [their books] by means of proverbs and figures of speech, and when there were victories which they considered wonderful, they ascribed those wars to G-d, to Whom they are in truth [to be attributed]. Now the victory of Sihon over Moab was marvellous in their eyes,²⁶¹See Psalms 118:23. therefore they wrote it down in a book, speaking of it in figurative language, Eth Vahev b’suphah etc.,²⁶²Verse 14. and writing about it in a proverb — Come ye to Heshbon etc.²⁶³Further, Verse 27. Now the name of one city of those that belonged to Moab was Vahev. And the pouring forth of the brooks²⁶⁴Verse 15. — [this refers to] the slope of the brook, because the streams [of water] flow down continuously from the slopes of Pisgah.²⁶⁵Deuteronomy 4:49. Similarly, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in ‘the slopes.’²⁶⁶Joshua 10:40. B’suphah,²⁶²Verse 14. [this word is] of [the root] ‘b’suphah’ (in the whirlwind) and in the storm.²⁶⁷Nahum 1:3. Thus when Sihon captured the cities of Moab, those who wrote in parables recorded in the book which they called “the Wars of the Eternal”: Eth Vahev b’suphah [meaning: “The city of Vahev He destroyed in a whirlwind”], or they wrote: “G-d warred against Vahev in a whirlwind.” And the slope of the brooks²⁶⁴Verse 15. which belonged to Arnon, and the downpour of the brooks that inclineth toward the seat of Ar,²⁶⁴Verse 15. and the slope that leaneth upon the border of Moab²⁶⁴Verse 15. — all these the Eternal destroyed in the whirlwind and in the storm,²⁶⁷Nahum 1:3. for Sihon came upon them [the Moabites] suddenly, his horses’ hoofs were counted like flint, and his wheels like a whirlwind.²⁶⁸Isaiah 5:28. Similarly those [who spoke in parables] said: For a fire is gone out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon etc.²⁶⁹Further, Verse 28. Thus Scripture is bringing a proof from the book of “the Wars [of the Eternal”] that Arnon is on the border of Moab, and was forbidden to Israel [to capture],²⁷⁰Deuteronomy 2:9. whereas the brooks and all the slopes as far as Arnon they were allowed [to take], for Sihon had captured from the king of Moab all his land until Arnon, but not Arnon itself. Thus Arnon remained part of Moab, and constituted its border, as it is written, And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the valley of Arnon, the middle of the valley for a border.²⁷¹Ibid., 3:16. And so also did Jephthah say, and they [the Israelites] pitched on the other side of the Arnon, but they came not within the border of Moab, for Arnon was the border of Moab.²⁷²Judges 11:18.

We know that Moses fulfilled the role of that angel during his own lifetime from the fact that whenever he raised his hands in supplication the Jewish people succeeded in driving back Amalek (Exodus 17,11). When this angel materialized before the eyes of Joshua with a drawn sword in his hand he made it amply clear what his function was to be. When, subsequently, we read in the Book of Joshua (10,11) of gigantic rocks dropping out of the sky (heaven) upon the fleeing Canaanites this was part of that angel’s doing. When the kings were killed (Joshua 10,28) the description of the utter destruction wrought upon all the living souls in these various cities was beyond anything Moses had done during his own lifetime. When Moses conducted war the Torah mentions that the victims’ bodies were destroyed. We never find, as we do constantly in the Book of Joshua, that the souls of the victims were destroyed also (contrast description of Deut. 3,6 with Joshua 10,28-39). In order that we do not misunderstand the word נפש in those verses as applying only to the animalistic life-force of the Canaanites, we are told in Joshua 10,40 ואת כל הנשמה החרים, “he utterly wiped out every soul.” This was why this angel had to accompany Joshua on his campaign.