A commentary of M. John Calvin, upon the book of Joshua finished a little…A commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine, vpon the booke of Iosue finished a little…

29 The King of Ai, &c.) Although it seemeth he was more sharp and severe, against the King of Hai, to satisfy the hatred of the people: yet I doubt not but his purpose was faithfully to execute the judgement of GOD. Conquerors are wont to spare the lives of such Kings as they have taken, because their dignity seemeth to draw with it some reverence: but among those nations the state & condition of the Kings was otherwise, in whom God would especially declare, how much he detested their wickedness, ⟨p. 44⟩whom he had so long borne withal. For seeing they were all appointed to destruction, the vengeance of God did justly appear sharp and severe, in the heads themselves, from whom the cause of destruction proceeded against the residue. Add hereunto, that this shameful death executed upon the Kings, made the rascal people more reproachful, lest the people through folly and unseasonable pity should have been slacked in destroying of them. And God of purpose delivered the King alive into the hands of Joshua, that his punishment might be made the more notable, and serve better for the example. If he had been slain at all adventures in the brunt of the battle, he had been exempt from this peculiar ignominy and shame. Now doeth God also do execution upon his carcass after his death, yea after he was hanged, his body was cast at the gate of the city, where he used to sit in his throne, and to exercise judgements. And a monument is set up to continue the reproach unto the posterity. Yet mention is made of his burial: that we may know, that nothing was done upon a furious rage, because Joshua did ¹diligently observe that which is commanded in the law by Moses: namely, that such as were hanged on the gallows, should be taken down before the setting of the sun, because it is an abominable sight. And surely, as it is a point of humanity to lay up the dead bodies under the earth: so is it a barbarous cruelty to cast them forth, to be torn in pieces of the wild beasts and fowls. Therefore, that the people should not be accustomed to barbarousness, God permitted them to hang up male factors in such sort, as they should not suffer them to hang longer then one day unburied. And that the people might give better heed to their duty in this behalf, which otherwise they would have neglected:

29 The King of Ai, &c.) Although it seemeth he was more sharpe and seuere, against the King of Hai, to satisfie the hatred of the people: yet I doubt not but his purpose was faithfully to execute the iudgement of GOD. Conquerours are wont to spare the liues of such Kinges as they haue taken, because their dignitie seemeth to drawe with it some reuerence: but among those nations the state & condition of the Kinges was otherwise, in whome God would especially declare, how much he detested their wickednesse,