Verse 1
Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem ,.... So called, perhaps by anticipation, Jerusalem, since it seems to have had this name given it by the Israelites, when they had got possession of it: and Jerusalem signifies "the possession of Salem" F23 Reland, p. 833. , and in memory of this its ancient name, the Jews say F24 Gloss. in T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 16. 1. , they do not put "jod" in Jerusalem between "lamed" and "mem"; though some make the signification of it, "they shall see peace" F25 Vid. Stockium, p. 480. ; and others, nearer to its old name, and with respect to it, "fear Salem", O ye enemies. Now the king of this place
had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it ; which, being nearer to him than Jericho, the more alarmed him:
as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king ; burnt the one, and slew the other; and this terrified him, lest he and his city should undergo the same fate:
and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them ; which as it weakened the interest of the kings of Canaan, might set an example to other places to do the like. Abarbinel suggests, that the Gibeonites making peace with Israel secretly, without the knowledge of their king, as he supposes, made Adonizedek fearful, lest his subjects should do the like; the Jewish chronologers say F26 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. , that these three acts respecting Jericho, Ai, and Gibeon, were all finished within three months.
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