Joshua 11

These same scriptures, before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when that Israel which is according to the flesh read them, understood in them nothing other than wars and the shedding of blood; and by this their spirits were whetted to excessive ferocity, and they were forever fed on wars and seditions. But afterward, when the presence of my Lord Jesus Christ poured the calm light of knowledge into human hearts — since indeed, according to the Apostle, He Himself is "our peace" — He teaches us peace from this very reading about wars. For peace is restored to the soul if its enemies, its sins and vices, are driven out from it. And therefore, according to the tradition of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we read these things, we too are indeed armed and roused to battle, but against those enemies who "proceed from our heart," namely "evil thoughts, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies," and the rest of the adversaries of our soul like these; concerning whom we strive, according to what this scripture reports, if it can be done, "to leave no one who may be saved, nor who may draw breath." For if we gain the mastery over these enemies, we shall fittingly gain the mastery also over the "powers of the air," and we shall drive them out of their kingdom, which they had established within us above the seats of the vices. In the earlier readings the king of Jerusalem had gathered with himself four other kings against Jesus and against the sons of Israel; but now no longer does one gather four or five, but see how great a multitude one gathers.…You see how great swarms of contrary powers and of the most wicked demons are stirred up against Jesus and the army of Israel. All these demons, before the coming of our Lord and Savior, possessing human souls at quiet and secure, reigned in their minds and bodies. But when the grace and mercy of our Savior God appeared upon the earth, teaching us to live piously and holily in this world and separated from all contagion of sin, so that each soul might recover its own freedom and the "image of God" in which it was created "from the beginning" — for this cause wars and battles arise from those wicked old possessors of them. And if the first are crushed, many more rise up afterward and come together into one and conspire for evil, they who are ever at odds with the good. And if they are conquered a second time, again a third time other, more worthless powers will rise up. And perhaps, the more the people of God is increased and grows much and is multiplied, the more of them conspire to make war.

But let us attempt, as God may grant, to examine each of the kings of the hostile army one by one, and, according to the significations of the names of each, to contemplate also the work which each performs in wickedness. First of all, he who is also named as the author of this war, gathering the rest and inviting them to the conspiracy of crime, is named "Jabin," who was "king of Hazor." For he it is who is said also to have summoned the rest. Now "Jabin" is interpreted as sense or prudence. Who then is this sense or prudence, if not that one whom the prophet Isaiah calls the "great mind"? For he says: "And I will bring upon the great mind the prince of the Assyrians, who said: By my own strength I will act, and by the wisdom of my mind I will remove the boundaries of the nations, and I will plunder their strength." This, then, is he who there indeed is called the "great mind," the king of the Assyrians, but here Jabin, sense or prudence. For indeed the "serpent" is written to have been in paradise "more prudent than all the beasts which were upon the earth." But the "steward of iniquity" too is said to have done "prudently" the things which he did. This "Jabin," therefore, is "king of Hazor." Now Hazor is interpreted as a court. All the earth, then, is the court of this king, who holds the principate of the whole earth as of a single court — who is the devil. But do you wish to see that the earth is his court? In the Gospels it is written that the strong man sleeps secure in his court, until there comes one stronger, who both "binds him" and "carries off what he possesses." The king of the court, then, is the "prince of this world"; this one "sends to Jobab"; for he it is who sends to all the nations and invites them to battle. He "sends" also "to the king of Merom." "Jobab" indeed is interpreted as enmities, but "Merom" as bitternesses. The devil, then, sends to another hostile power — of the apostate angels, without doubt — which power is king of bitternesses; by whose authorship, that is, and agency all the bitternesses and harshnesses that are inflicted on wretched mortals in this world come about. And these are the diverse kinds of sin. For nothing can be more bitter than sin, even though certain sins seem sweet at first, just as Solomon writes: "but in the end," he says, "you will find it more bitter than gall" — that which at the beginning seemed sweet — "and sharper than the edge of a sword." But the nature of righteousness is contrary; at the beginnings it seems more bitter, but in the end it is found sweeter than honey, when it has brought forth the fruit of virtue. The devil, therefore, "sent to Jobab," the enemy, the king of bitterness. But he "sends" also "to the king of Simeon," which is interpreted as a hearing. But the hearing seems to be twofold. Sometimes indeed it is when God hears a man, according to which also Simeon, one of the patriarchs, received his name, since indeed "God had heard" the prayer of his mother. But there is also called a hearing that by which someone hears the command of the devil. For the devil is wont to say: "If falling down you will adore me, I will give you all these things." But you, if you follow Jesus, say to him: "I will adore the Lord my God, and Him alone will I serve." But those who are of his party hear him, just as now this Simeon also did; hearing him, he came to the battle against Jesus. But he "sends" also "to the king of Ziph." Now "Ziph" is interpreted: how it flows! — as with the speech of one marveling; because truly it is a thing to marvel at, how all things which are of this world, carnal things, flow away, and how fluid and fleeting are the things which among faithless men are reckoned as abiding and perpetual. But he who considers the reason of things and beholds the goods of this life, as they are supposed to be, how they are ever changed and pass away, this one says: how it flows!

But the devil calls against the sons of Israel also those who are around "great Sidon." I indeed, since I have several times lingered in the regions of Sidon, have never found that there are two Sidons, one great and another small, as far as pertains to the earthly place. But if I return to the interpretation of the name, which signifies a huntress or hunters, I see that of the adversary powers, among which there are many differences, some are hunters in small things and some hunters in great things; that is, some deceive souls through small sins, others through great ones. For example, when a soul is deceived in the pleasures of the age and the delights of the flesh, it must be said to be caught in a small thing; but when it either denies providence or worships demons as though God, this must be reckoned to have been deceived in a great thing. And therefore now he "sends to great Sidon," those who assemble as though to a great hunt against the sons of Israel. He "sends" also "to the mountain regions." By the "mountain regions" is to be understood every sense "that exalts itself and rises up against the knowledge of God." He "sends" also "into the Arabah." Now "Arabah" is interpreted as ambushes. He invites, therefore, the ambushing powers, which deceive human souls not by force nor by open assaults, but by unforeseen ambushes and cunning ones — such perhaps as those of whom the prophet says: "He lies in wait in secret, like a lion in his den; he lies in wait, that he may seize the poor man." But if anyone is such as Paul is, he says confidently: "For we are not ignorant of his devices." He "sends" also to "Chinneroth." Now "Chinneroth" is interpreted as though lamps; not lamps, but as though lamps. For a lamp is one thing, as though a lamp is another. John "was a burning lamp," because he was an "angel of light." But that one is as though a lamp "who transfigures himself into an angel of light." And if you wish to know still more evidently the differences of the lamps and the as-though-lamps which are "in Chinneroth," hear the Savior saying to his disciples: "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning." There are, then, of those who teach the catholic faith in the church and illumine the people of God with the word of truth, "burning lamps." But these who teach heretical doctrines out of the testimonies of Holy Scripture by false assertions, in that they read the scriptures, seem to kindle lamps: but because they use false assertions, they are not lamps, but as though lamps. He "sent" also "to the plains." For it was necessary that he should call into his fellowship also those who are in the "plains" and are wise in lowly and earthly things. He "sent" also "into En-dor," which is interpreted as conversion. And conversion is understood in two ways. For there is a conversion by which someone is converted to God or is turned by God to good things. But there is also another conversion by which "king Jabin," that is, the devil, converts souls to himself, just as we have expounded above concerning Simeon; of what sort is to be reckoned also that conversion which had befallen the Galatians, concerning which the Apostle says: "You were running well; who has hindered you," that is, turned you back from the good course and the straight road?

He "sends" also "to those who were in the coastland places," to the neighbors of the waves, the Canaanites, who are interpreted as though "agitated," that is, who ever in their motions and surges keep all things stirred up, and "to the coastal Amorites." "Amorites" are interpreted as "growing bitter," who are like those of whom we discoursed above.

Such, therefore, is the catalogue of the whole soldiery of the invisible enemies, who are gathered together through king Jabin, that they may make war upon us who follow Jesus our leader and Savior. But what does the Lord say? "Do not be afraid," he says, "before their face, for tomorrow at this hour I will deliver them into your hands." I see that today we cannot crush them all nor slay them all, but "tomorrow" they will be destroyed, that is, after the consummation of this age. For then every contrary power will be destroyed, and then it will be utterly conquered, when you shall see it said "to those who are on the left": "Go into the eternal fire, which God prepared for the devil and his angels." For then we also, if we conquer and are able to gain the mastery following Jesus our leader, shall receive the kingdom which the Father has prepared for his holy ones and for those who have "fulfilled" his commandments and "his ordinances," through our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!"

Unless these carnal wars bore the figure of spiritual wars, never, I think, would the books of the Jewish histories have been handed down by the Apostles to be read in the churches by the disciples of Christ, who came to teach peace. For of what profit would that account of wars be to those to whom it is said by Jesus, "My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you," and to whom it is commanded and said through the Apostle, "not avenging yourselves," and, "rather suffer wrong," and, "rather endure being defrauded"? Whence, in short, the Apostle, knowing that we no longer have any wars to be waged carnally, but that the soul's contests against spiritual adversaries must be sweated out, gives, as it were as a master of the army, a precept to the soldiers of Christ, saying, "put on the arms of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." And that from the deeds of the ancients we might be able to have examples of these spiritual wars, he willed that these narratives of events be recited to us in the church, so that we, if we are spiritual, hearing that "the law is spiritual," in these things which we hear may "compare spiritual things with spiritual," and may contemplate from these nations, which visibly assailed the carnal Israel, how great are the nations of the contrary powers among these spiritual ones, who are called "spiritual wickednesses in the heavenly places," which stir up wars against the Church of the Lord, which is the true Israel. The Moabites come and the Ammonites and all those kings and invisible nations, which we mentioned above, come against us to do battle, to this end, that they may make us sin; because, just as the body dies when it has received a wound of iron, so also the soul dies when it has received a wound of sin. And I think that "to say the same things more frequently ought indeed not to be irksome to us, but for you it is necessary." For would that you might hold fast even the things said more frequently and often impressed upon your minds, so that in reading these things you may not hold a Jewish or a heretical sense in them. But after we have given general admonition concerning these things, it will not be superfluous also to discuss, in particular, a few things about what has been read. Therefore, taking up again those things which were omitted in the earlier parts, let us discuss them.

"And Jesus did to them," it says, "as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses, and burned their chariots with fire. And Jesus, turning at that time, seized Hazor and slew its king with the sword and killed everyone who breathed in it, with the death of the sword, and all were exterminated, so that there was not left in it anyone who drew breath." A command is said to have been given by God to Jesus, that, after he had subdued the enemies mentioned above, he should spare none, but should "hamstring their horses." Whence Jesus, as though fulfilling the command of God, did "as the Lord commanded him." In which, first of all, we say to those who wish these things to be understood only according to the letter, that, if indeed any of the enemies had survived, it would seem consequent that "the horses be hamstrung," so that no one might be able to use them for flight. But now, since it is said that "none was left who breathed" among the enemies, why are "the horses" also commanded "to be hamstrung," which surely could have been of use and service to the victors? And do you wish to know that the Israelites were accustomed to have care for this matter of utility and, when the enemies were conquered, to reserve the beasts for their own uses? In Numbers we read it written that, when at God's command they had gone forth to fight against the Midianites, once the enemies were conquered they reserved several thousand donkeys from the enemies' spoil, to be of profit for their own uses; nor is it there reported at all that they killed the donkeys when the enemies were overcome.

Let us therefore, comparing Holy Scripture with itself and "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," inquire what it is that concerning the donkeys it is not written that they were hamstrung, nor are the spoils or animals of the Midianites said to have been slain, but rather to have profited the Israelites' uses, whereas concerning these, who did not have donkeys but horses, the Lord himself commands and says, "you shall hamstring their horses," which Jesus also, "as commanded by the Lord," carried out. Do we suppose these things happened by chance, that the enemies' horses were slain and the donkeys preserved, and do we judge that certain fortuitous things fall out in the precepts of God? Or does it seem more worthy that we should think rather that in these things Scripture indicates something mystical? Indeed, the children of Israel are never reported to have used horses, and the law commands nothing about horses, but about donkeys, as being animals which seem to exist for aiding human labors and for carrying their burdens, whereas horses exist rather for the destruction of men; for this is what is carried out through them in battles. It is taken as an animal of wanton movements and of a proud neck. Donkeys, therefore, are frequently placed by Scripture as a type of the nations; just as the Savior is also shown "sitting upon a donkey," but is never reported sitting upon a horse. But also when he "sends the disciples to loose the she-donkey and the colt of the she-donkey," he says to them, "if anyone questions you, say that the Lord has need of him." And sitting upon it he enters Jerusalem, and is never said to have entered sitting upon a horse. But the prophet too had foretold thus concerning him, that he would come "sitting upon a donkey" to Jerusalem, saying, "behold, your king, meek, sitting upon a beast of burden and a young colt of a she-donkey. And he will exterminate the chariots of Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem." You see, therefore, that according to the prophet's sentence, he who "sits upon a donkey will exterminate the chariots of Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem." And therefore the donkeys seem to me, as we have said, to preserve the figure of those who believe from among the nations, upon whom the Lord is written "to have sat"; but the horses, which are exterminated, and the chariots to hold the figure of those who, being placed in the heavens, fell through wantonness and pride, when they either offered themselves as instigators to the lusting after the daughters of men, or followed him who said, "I will set my seat above the clouds, and I will be like the Most High." Thence perhaps it is that the prophet also says, "a horse is false for safety." And again he says concerning those who trusted in demons, "these in chariots and these in horses, but we will call upon the name of our God." For he would not have joined "chariots and horses" to God, as far as regards calling upon; but surely this shows that, just as we call upon the true God, so they call upon "chariots and horses," that is, the demons, whom those nations, which waged war against Israel, called upon. But Scripture also mentions the horses of the Egyptians and these very ones which it now commands to be slain. Whence this is given to be understood, that under the type of donkeys indeed the nations, which come to belief, are deservedly reserved, but under the type of horses and chariots the demons, who are the adversaries and enemies of human salvation, are deservedly destroyed. But also, if we understand the passions of the body, that is, lust, wantonness, or pride and levity, by which the unhappy soul, as though riding, is carried and borne to precipices, to be now called horses and chariots, and that these are the ones which by God's command are ordered "to be hamstrung," the understanding will not be contrary to our reasoning. For "the horse is hamstrung" when by fastings and vigils and every affliction of abstinence the body is humbled. And the chariots are burned with fire, when there is fulfilled in us the word of the Lord saying, "I came to send fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it be kindled!" With which "fire" those already confessed themselves to burn who said, "was not our heart burning within us, when he opened to us the scriptures?" Therefore for this reason too "a horse" is said to be "false for safety," if we permit the movements of our body to be borne unbridled and do not subject the wanton and proud necks of the flesh to the yoke of abstinence. But also now, if perchance someone is spurred and pricked by these things which we say, the words of God, and he who yesterday, prone and fervid like a horse, was borne into lust, today, having heard these things, repents and is converted, and according to the prophet, "pierced by the fear of God," restrains himself and calls himself back from sin and thereafter loves a chaste and pure life, we too shall be seen to have "hamstrung the horses" with the drawn sword of the word of God, and by this the precept of God is more worthily fulfilled than if someone should hamstring animals of the equine kind captured from the spoils of the enemies. And whose "horses are hamstrung"? This too is worth inquiring. "The horses," it says, "of Jabin are to be hamstrung." Now "Jabin" is interpreted prudence or sense. What is that prudence or what sense, whose "chariot is to be hamstrung"? That, doubtless, of which the Apostle says that "the prudence of the flesh is enmity against God," and that sense, of which he says, "puffed up by the sense of their flesh." But "Jabin king of Hazor" — ("Hazor" is interpreted a court; this is Hazor, which is said to hold the primacy of all these kingdoms) — who is understood to be "the prince of this world" reigning in a court, that is, over the earth or, what is more, in the vices of the flesh. But also the horses of all those kings, whose force according to the interpretation of their names we have already set forth before, are said to be slain by Jesus. Of these, if we rightly soldier under Jesus as leader, we ought to cut off the vices within ourselves and, having received the spiritual sword, to "hamstring" all that most wicked cavalry of vices. But also we ought to "burn the chariots," that is, to cut away from ourselves every spirit of arrogance and elation, so that henceforth "not in horses nor in arms, but in the name of the Lord our God we may call." But how shall we fulfill in ourselves also this, which he says, that "let none be left that draws breath"? It must be seen who it is that is commanded not even "to breathe" by the precept of the Lord. For example, if anger has ascended into my heart, it can happen that I do not indeed fulfill the works of anger, either deterred by fear or even restrained by the fear of the judgment to come; but this, he says, is not enough; rather you must act so that not even the very commotion of anger has a place within you. For if the mind boils up and is disturbed, even though it has not fulfilled the work, yet the very perturbation is unbecoming to him who soldiers under Jesus as leader. Likewise also concerning the vice of concupiscence and concerning sadness and all the rest it must be felt. Concerning all of which the disciple of Jesus must so act that nothing at all of these "breathes" in his heart, lest perchance, if either the habit or the thought of some small vice "be left" in the heart, in the course of time it grow strong and little by little gather forces by lying hidden and at the last call us back "to our vomit," and there "become for that man," to whom this has happened, "the last things worse than the first." This was what the prophet also, foreseeing it in the psalms, forewarns, saying, "blessed is he who holds and dashes your little ones against the rock" — namely "the little ones of Babylon," who are understood to be none other than "the evil thoughts," which confound and disturb our heart. For this is what Babylon is interpreted. Which thoughts, while they are still little and have their beginnings, "are to be held and dashed against the rock," which is "Christ," and, at his command, to be slain, so that "nothing" may "remain" in us "which draws breath." Just as, therefore, there it is blessed "to hold the little ones of Babylon and dash them against the rock" and to slay "the evil thoughts" at once in their beginnings, so also here it is to be understood as blessed and perfect, if "nothing be left" in us which can "breathe" after the manner of the nations.

"And all their kings," it says, "Jesus slew with the death of the sword." In all of us "sin reigned" and in all of us the vices reigned and there was in all of us a general reign of sin, just as the Apostle also says, "for all have sinned and lack the glory of God." Yet each one had within himself some special king, who reigned in him and dominated him. For example, in one avarice held the reign, in another pride, lying reigned in another, lust dominated another, and another endured fury as king. But that these things are so and that "sin reigns" in each one of us, believe the Apostle Paul saying; for he says, "let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body so as to obey it." There was, therefore, a reign of sin in each one of us, before we believed. But afterward, when Jesus came, he both slew all the kings who held in us the reigns of sin, and commanded us to slay all those kings and "to leave none of them." For if anyone keeps any one of these alive within himself, he will not be able to be in the army of Jesus. If, therefore, avarice still reigns in you, if boastfulness, if pride, if lust, you will not be an Israelite soldier nor do you fulfill the precept which the Lord gave to Jesus. "As Moses the servant of the Lord appointed for him," it says. This "Moses the servant of the Lord" is called the very word of the law, just as in the Gospel too it says, "they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear those." The law, therefore, has commanded us to slay all the kings of sin, which provoke us to sin. "Thus did Jesus, and he did not transgress anything of all that Moses appointed for him." We said indeed, according to the earlier order of exposition, that whatever the law of God, who is now called Moses, appointed, Jesus fulfills in us and he is the one who slays the vices in us and overturns the most wicked reigns of sin. Yet it can also be said of the Lord and our Savior himself that all things which Moses commanded in the law "Jesus did, and did not transgress anything," since indeed the Apostle says, "when the fullness of times had come, God sent his Son, made from a woman, made under the law." If therefore "he was made under the law," since he was "under the law," he fulfilled all things which the law commanded, that he might redeem us from the curse of the law. But he himself too says of himself, "I came not to loose the law, but to fulfill it."

One should not at all think it a horrible cruelty that Joshua did not leave anyone alive in those cities that fell to him, for God himself had ordered this. However, whoever for this reason thinks that God himself must be cruel and does not wish to believe then that the true God was the author of the Old Testament judges as perversely about the works of God as he does about the sins of human beings. Such people do not know what each person ought to suffer. Consequently, they think it a great evil when that which is about to fall is thrown down and when mortals die.

It is asked how this can be true, since the Hebrews were not altogether able to capture all the cities of those seven nations either in the times after the judges or in the times of the kings. But one must understand it to mean that Joshua never approached any city with hostile intent that he did not capture. Or it may mean that no city remained uncaptured except for those which were in the regions mentioned above. For those regions were enumerated in which there were cities concerning which the conclusion was made: "and he captured all of them in war."

"And Jesus took all in the war," it says, "because it was done by the Lord that their heart was strengthened and they should meet in battle against Israel." He did not say that Jesus "took some in the war" and did not take some, but "he took all," that is, seized, and slew all. For the Lord Jesus purged all species of sin and destroyed them all. For we were all "senseless, unbelieving, wandering, serving various desires, acting in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another," and every kind of sin whatsoever it is that is found in men, before they believe. Well, therefore, does it say that "Jesus slew all who went out to war." For no species of sin is so great that Jesus is not superior to it, he who is the Word and "the wisdom of God." For he surpasses and conquers all things. Or do we not so believe, that every kind of sin, when we come to the saving laver, is taken away? For this too the Apostle Paul designates, who, when he had enumerated all the kinds of sins, adds after all and says, "and these things indeed you were; but you have been washed, but you have been sanctified, but you have been justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." In this manner, therefore, he is said to have "taken all in the battle" and to have "slain all," "because it was done by the Lord that their heart grew strong and they should meet in battle against Israel, that they might be exterminated." For while the enemy powers do not come, which work sins in us, nor provoke us to sinning nor challenge us to fight, they cannot be slain nor exterminated. Therefore for this reason God is said to permit, nay even almost to incite, the adverse powers to go out against us into battle, so that we too may take the victory and they may meet with destruction. Whence there seems to me to be a certain infinite number of the contrary powers, for the reason that through almost every single man there are some spirits, contriving in them the diverse kinds of sins. For example, there is a certain spirit of fornication, and there is one of anger; another spirit is of avarice, and another indeed of pride. And if it happens that there is some man who is agitated by all these evils or even by more, he is to be thought to have all these or even more enemies within himself as spirits. Whence also through individuals there are to be believed to be several, because individual men do not have single vices nor commit single sins, but many are seen to be admitted by each one. And again it is not to be supposed that one spirit of fornication seduces him who, for example, fornicates among the Britons, and him who does so in India or in other places, nor that there is one spirit of anger which agitates different men in different places; but I think rather that there is one chief spirit of fornication, but that there are innumerable ones who obey him in this office, and that through each individual man diverse spirits soldiering under that chief solicit them to sins of this kind. Likewise also I judge that there is one chief spirit of wrath, but that there are innumerable acting under him, who through each individual man kindle the sins of this vice. Likewise also that there is one chief of avarice, so too of pride and of the other evils. And therefore not one principality is spoken of among the contrary powers by the Apostle, but several, against whom he writes that there is a battle for himself and for us all. Yet I reckon that there is a chief of all these, as it were a certain one more eminent in wickedness and loftier in crime, who alone, as though the leader of all the chiefs and the master of the whole unspeakable soldiery, agitates the whole world, which these individually, each through the species of sins, in part solicit to sins; whose figure, when we were discussing Jabin, we disclosed above according to the small capacity of our understanding.

It is said that "their heart was strengthened through the Lord," that is, that their heart was hardened, just as in the case of Pharaoh. There can be no doubt that this is justly done by a divine and lofty judgment, when God abandons someone and the enemy takes possession of him; the same applies in this case as in Pharaoh's. But here something else sets in motion, as it is said that their hearts were emboldened to arise against Israel in war and therefore the Israelites would not show any mercy to them. The Israelites may very well have showed them mercy, if the Canaanites had not gone to war, since God had ordered that none of the Canaanites were to be spared and yet the Israelites had spared the Gibeonites because they had represented themselves as having come from a far-off country and had made a treaty with them. But because the Israelites showed mercy to some, albeit against the command of God, it must be understood that it was said with this intention that the Canaanites waged war in such a manner so that the Israelites would not spare them, nor would the Canaanites be able to convince the Israelites to show mercy and neglect God's command. I cannot believe that this could have happened in any other way, even though Joshua was their leader and diligently obeyed all of God's commands. Nonetheless, not even Joshua would have annihilated them so quickly had they not gone against him in such a dastardly fashion. Thus it could have happened that Joshua, taking care to fulfill God's commandments, would have defeated them in a rather minimal way and they would have remained until the time when the Israelites could spare them after Joshua's death, when the Israelites did not do God's commandments with such care. For even while he was still alive the Israelites spared some Canaanites, although they subjugated them to their authority; some Canaanites, in fact, they never could conquer. But these things were not done while he was their leader but when as an old man he had retired from warfare and merely divided up the territories for the Israelites. He divided it with the intention that the Israelites would take possession of those lands that were emptied of the enemy and capture the rest by fighting, although he himself would no longer wage war. And the fact that they were able to conquer some of the Canaanites in a rather minimal way was owing to divine providence, as is clear in certain places in the Scriptures.

"There was no city which the Lord did not deliver to the children of Israel, except perhaps those who lived in Gibeon. Israel violently overthrew all of them because the Lord hardened their hearts that they would fight Israel and be killed and not be shown mercy and die, just as the Lord had commanded Moses." If it happened by the will of the Lord that Israel not receive or accept peace, then let us say with the apostle, "Why, therefore, does he object? For who can resist the will of the Lord?"

I certainly think that the holy ones, each of them fighting against these spirits that instigate sins and conquering them and overcoming each one of them, diminish the army of demons and, as it were, slay as many of them as possible. For example, so that, if anyone by living chastely and purely has overcome the spirit of fornication, it is no longer permitted for that spirit, which has been conquered by that holy one, to assail another man again; but just as those spirits which "begged Jesus that they not be sent into the abyss," which then meanwhile the Lord granted for the present dispensation, so it seems consequent that each of the wicked spirits, when they are conquered by the holy ones, is led away — whether "into the abyss" or into "the outer darkness" or whatever place is worthy of them — by the just judge Christ, the president of this contest of the life of mortals; and that from this it is that, a very great number of demons having already been vanquished, the nations are set at liberty to come to belief; who surely would in no way be permitted, if their legions, as they had been before, remained intact. But if to anyone it seems difficult, what we say, that through each of those sinning many demons are at large, or if he thinks this fabulous, let him return to the authority of the Gospel and he will find that one who, "dwelling in the tombs, suffering a demon," when he "was questioned" by the Savior, "what is your name?", "answered," "legion, for we are many demons," it says. What wonder, therefore, does it seem, if through the individual kinds of sins individual demons are assigned, when it is written that in one man there was a whole "legion of demons"? But I remember that I said similar things also in those places in which we were expounding the little verse of the psalm, in which it is written, "in the mornings I slew all the sinners of the earth, that I might destroy from the city of the Lord all who work iniquity." So likewise also "in the hand of the just there are said to be two-edged swords," doubtless which slay the contrary powers. But I think that a more forceful assertion of the Apostle Paul can be brought forward for proving these things which we have said, when he says, "but the God of peace crush Satan under your feet speedily." For if there is one Satan, how can he both "be crushed under the feet" of the servants of God and again be at work? For if he "has been crushed" and "has been crushed by God," he surely can no longer be at work. Lest perhaps, therefore, there are to be thought to be as many Satans as are those who work the works of Satan. For this seems to me to be indicated also in Wisdom, where it is said, "the impious man, cursing Satan, curses his own soul." But also in a certain little book, which is called the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, although it is not held in the canon, we nevertheless find some such sense, that through each of those sinning individual Satans are to be understood. And more evidently the very interpretation of his name, as the studious ones of the Hebrews hand down, seems to signify this same thing; for Satan is called adversary. All, therefore, who are adverse to the will of God, can be called Satans. These things we have said on account of what is written, that "the Lord strengthened their hearts, that they should go out to battle against Israel, that they might be exterminated." Blessed, therefore, is he who, unceasingly holding the spiritual sword, does not take it from the necks of these enemies, of whom we have made mention above, just as the prophet Jeremiah too says, "cursed is the man who does the works of the Lord negligently and withholds his sword from the blood of the enemies." If we understand this according to the letter, it will be necessary for us unceasingly to shed blood. Which the Jews, thinking, who are wholly "flesh and blood," become cruel and implacable, saying that a curse is set upon those who have ceased from shedding blood, and therefore "their feet are swift to shed blood." But let such an understanding be for those who are "flesh and blood"; but for me may the Lord grant never to neglect the works of the Lord nor to withhold the spiritual sword of the word of God from the blood of the contrary powers, and to mortify them in each one of the hearers. But they are slain in you only if, having heard these things, you do not do their works.

But it is said in what follows that "Jesus took all the land, as the Lord commanded Moses." That "Jesus," the son of Nave, I do not see that he "took all the land." For how much "land did he take," who held Judaea alone? But our Lord Jesus himself truly "took all the land" in this, that from "all the earth" and from all the nations a multitude of believers ran together to him. It is also added after these things, after "Jesus took all the land": "and the land rested from wars," it says. How will this seem to be truly said of the son of Nave, that "the land ceased from wars," which almost never in his times "ceased from wars"? But this is fulfilled in my Lord Jesus Christ alone. For if you consider yourself, you who have come to Jesus and have obtained from him through the grace of baptism the remission of sins, and now in you "the flesh does not fight against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," your "land has ceased from wars," if however you "carry about the death of Jesus Christ in your body," so that, all battles ceasing in you, you may become "peaceable" and be called "a son of God." But this will come to pass after you have completed the battles and conquered the adversaries. Then rest will be given to you, so that you may "rest under your vine," which is Christ Jesus, "and under your fig tree," which is the Holy Spirit, so that thus you may render thanks to God the Father almighty in the same Christ Jesus our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!"

Under Moses it was not said, what is said under Jesus, that: "the land rested from wars." It is certain that this land of ours also, in which we have contests and endure combats, will be able to rest from wars only by the power of Jesus the Lord. For within us are all these nations of vices, which continually and unceasingly assail the soul. Within us are the "Canaanites," within us are the "Perizzites," here are the "Jebusites." How we must labor, how we must keep watch, and for how long we must persevere, that when all these nations of vices have been put to flight from us, at length "our land may rest from wars"? And therefore the prophet admonishes us to "meditate on the law of the Lord day and night." This meditation upon the divine words is surely like a kind of trumpet, rousing your spirits to battle, lest perhaps, while the adversary keeps watch, you should sleep. Therefore the "day" is not sufficient for meditating, but the "night" too is added. But what will you do, who not only sleep by night, but also all day long serve either the occupations of the world or the delights of the flesh, and scarcely and rarely gather at church on the appointed days? Some of you, moreover, even when coming do not come, because in coming they give their leisure not to the word of God but to idle tales. On account of which the divine word says to you: "Rise, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, that you may lay hold of Christ." For "rise from the dead" is said to those who remain in the works of death, persisting in their uncleannesses and crimes; which, although they be not manifest to men, are nevertheless known to God. But at least on this account do penance and turn to the Lord with your whole heart, give your leisure to prayers, give your leisure to the word of God.