First. A twofold terminus, to which the victorious Israelites returned from the slaughter of the enemy, is noted in the text: the former, Gilgal (verse 15); the latter, Maceda (verse 21). But there is here no little difficulty: how they returned to Gilgal before Maceda, since that [Gilgal] was farther off, and how they could do this on the same day? Abulensis answers that the return to Gilgal is here placed by anticipation [proleptically], since it [actually] followed afterward, as is narrated at the very end of this chapter [verse 43]. Others say [it is] the same matter, but [explain it] otherwise — namely, that from this verse 15 up to that last [verse], 43, there is a continuous hyperbaton [transposition]. To me it seems that Joshua, with all Israel — except a few who had not yet returned, and [who] were still pressing upon the enemy — was already on the return toward Gilgal; but, hearing what
was reported about the hiding-place of the Kings, and the number and dispersion of the remaining enemy, [he] suddenly took another counsel, as is explained in verse 17 and following. And so, while he ordered [them] to pursue the enemy further, he commanded that all should afterward, when the retreat was sounded, assemble at Maceda. And so, on that very day, there was no return to Gilgal, nor was the journey toward [Gilgal] continued on the way; but the nightly halt was near Maceda. And therefore, without [resorting to] anticipation or hyperbaton, I thus interpret verse 15: “Joshua was returning with all Israel into the camp [at] Gilgal.” Into nearly the same opinion — but otherwise — Masius, not badly, [interprets] thus: “He was resolving to return,” as below, [in] verse 21.
Secondly. They returned, moreover, from the slaughter of the enemy before the setting of the Sun. For after the halt was made near Maceda, they dragged the captured adversary Kings to Joshua (verses 23, 24), and hanged them (verse 26); and then for the first time the Sun set (verse 27).
Thirdly. The whole army returned to Joshua at Maceda — where the camp then was — in [its] whole number, safe and sound (verse 21). The camp there was sudden [improvised], and chosen for the brief halt of that evening time and night. For otherwise the true camp still always clung at Gilgal, as is clear from what has been said. But it was a great and evident miracle, and a help of God, that in so great a battle against so many Kings and so great a multitude — and in so great a pursuit of the scattered enemy — none at all of the Israelites was missing, neither in the first assault nor thereafter, as [in] Numbers 31, verse 49. And here is added: “And no one dared to mutter against Israel.” In Hebrew: “No one moved his tongue against the children of Israel — not even one man”; so far was anyone from daring to throw a dart, brandish a spear, [or] draw a sword. Or, if it please, let the proverb of the Hebrews be taken here, [a dog] being understood — as if it said: so far were the Chananaean enemies from being able to harm the Israelites in anything, that not even a dog could bark or mutter anything against any of them, as [in] Exodus 11, verse 7, [and] Judith 11, verse 15. Origen (homily 12) wrongly thought that it is here said that none of the Israelites themselves muttered. Although…
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[Although] one may indeed gather from it a good lesson — that all boasting and talk about deeds gloriously done is to be avoided, concerning which [see] St. Bernard (sermon 8 on the Psalm “He who dwells” [Ps. 90/91]) — yet that is not [the sense], as the meaning of this passage has appeared.