taken away. And when an Isrâîlite, driven by want, sold his child and himself, there was always to him a right of ransom, and his account was settled, with reference to his years of service to come, on a basis of wages. And if there was not found for the Hebrew slave either a near or distant relative who would ransom him, he was set free in the year of jubilee; and so likewise was it with their lands which had been sold. And there was in every seven years a division of the land among the tribes, with reference to overplus and deficiency. And they always had chiefs whose duty it was to write up the calendars and keep a record of the things which were brought to the treasury. And the firstlings of animals and seeds and fruits were carried unto the minister; and not a single ram or sheep or ox was sacrificed except upon the altar on the Blessed Mount, unless it was defective and was of the seven species, such as, the deer and the roebuck and the buffalo and the gazelle and the antelope and the giraffe. And they had judges who gave decisions for them, as to the commands and prohibitions (to be observed) at all times, so that they might keep them with right observance. And no one of them was able to commit an abomination, such as infidelity and other things of magic, but that it was brought to light, and the doer of the shameful thing, before he was aware would be apprehended, even though he was in the most remote parts of the assigned lands, for this was revealed by the jewels which were on the minister.1 And this minister would make a woman drink of the water of the temple, when her husband had suspicions against her ; and if she had indeed been unfaithful to him and had become defiled with some one else, he would curse her; for if she was innocent in this regard,

1 Note 5

then she would return unharmed; but if she was guilty she was detected and immediately destroyed. And likewise it was that, no one did kill an innocent person, but that his murderer was made known by circumstances which were brought about, and the truth came to light. And there were transgressions and shortcommings and brutal deeds which the slaves did without due consideration, these did the minister, the imâm, assume upon himself on every fast day, which is the tenth day of the seventh month wherein expiation is made for souls and spirits, such as for the raising of leavened bread during the feast of unleavened bread. And there were orders of the Lîwânites, some of them wrote the Law, and some of them wrote hymns of praise and the genealogies, and some of them watched over the treasury of the children of Isrâîl; and some of them had charge over the constant, perpetual burnt offering, and the continual ceremony in the temple; and some of them had charge over the anointing ointment, and the aromatic incense, and the perfume of the sacrifice, and the flour and the oil, and the candlesticks; and some of them had charge over the vessels of the temple and their arrangement, and the duty of looking after their condition; and some of them selected the animals (for sacrifice) out from the doubtful ones; and some of them did the sacrificing; and some of them sprinkled the blood upon the altar; and others of them did place in position the victims; yea, every company was organized for its special official work, and did not leave what had been prescribed unto it. And the continual burnt offering was offered up before the rising of the sun and after the going down of the same; and at the time when the blood of the burnt-offering was shed upon the altar, the priests sounded the

trumpet on the summit of the Blessed Mount, and then the imams sounded in every district, and it was but the wink of an eye before all the children of Isrâîl knew that the sacrifices had been offered up on the altar, and they rose up to pray; and the prayer was accepted, and the blessings were simultaneously bestowed, and Grace was full and Mercy all embracing; yea, circumstances were well ordered, and affairs were known and understood through the Divine light and auspicious favor; for the union between them and their Lord was close. Now this is an epitome of the whole. And the children of Isrâîl were continually addressing and consulting God, who guides with His mercy. And He is our sufficiency and illustrious Protector.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

THE HISTORY OF THE DURATION OF THE DAYS OF DIVINE FAVOR, UP TO THE TIME OF THE BEGINNING OF ERROR.

YUSH'A the son of Nûn, reigned forty-five years, and at the approach of his death, he assembled the children of Isrâîl and put them under a covenant and bound them to an obligation that they would carefully keep what the Prophet Mûsa peace be upon him had enrolled, and he then offered up for himself and for them the sacrifices, and bid them farewell; for he did closely what our master Mûsa the Prophet-peace be upon him,-did, when he bid farewell. And he selected twelve chiefs from the congregation of the nine and a half tribes, and when he had tested them as to their knowledge and aptitude for administration,

1 Note 71.

he cast lots over them in the presence of the congregation of the children of Isrâîl, at Merj el-Baha (Meadow of Beauty) 2; and the lot of king fell upon a man whose name was Abîl, the son of the brother of Kalab, of the Judaic tribe. And he invested him with the royal authority and jurisdiction, and placed on him the crown, and had proclamation made throughout the congregation that they should be obedient to his commands. And he commanded him to be obedient unto the minister of God, and allow him an inspection into all his circumstances, and not to carry out a matter before that he had made it known to him, And Yûsh'â, the son of Nûn-peace be upon him, died, and they buried him in Kefr Ghuweirah; and Kalab his comrade died, and they buried him near him. And this new king entered upon administrating the government of the people, and he walked with them in perfect ways. And the report of the death of Yûsh'â reached the king Mâb, and he sent and collected troops, and advanced against his territory; and this king (Abîl) mustered his people, and God assisted him to gain the victory over them, and awe of him fell upon the remainder of his enemies, and he conquered territories and added them unto the assigned lands. And he reigned nine years, and then died. and then died. And after him, Tarfi'a of the tribe of Afrîm (Ephraim) was appointed successor, and when he was invested with the kingship, the king of 'Ammân (Ammon) marched against him; but God assisted him to gain the victory over him, and he continued in rule during the period that God had decreed to him, and then he died. Thereupon after him, up to the end of the space of time, which has been previously mentioned-and it is two hundred and sixty years, there were

2 Note 72. 8 Note 73. 4 Note 74. 5 Note 75.

nine kings appointed to the office, who succeeded one another from all the tribes, and continued in their ruling two hundred and fifteen years; for Yûsh'â the son of Nûn had reigned for the rest of the years. And the last of them was Shamsham (Samson) the king, who was unique among them no one was seen as handsome as he, and who obtained greater victories over their enemies. Yet nevertheless, strength and beauty and success and perfection shall be adjudged unto those who follow after them in the footsteps of those who have preceded them, and who act in accordance with their deeds, and offer sacrifices similar to their sacrifices.

CHAPTER XL.

THE HISTORY OF THE VICEGERENTS OF THE LORD, AND OF THE MINISTERS OF THE DAYS OF DIVINE FAVOR, DURING THE PRECEDING PERIOD THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED.

WHEN the death of el-'Azar, the imâmpeace be upon him,-drew near, he did as Yûsh'â the son of Nûn had done, and collected the leaders of the children of Isrâîl, and put them under a covenant and bound them to an obligation of obedience, and bid them farewell, and then bid the temple farewell, and worshipped his Lord; and when he came walking out, the holy odors were fragrant on the borders of his garments. And having gone to Kefr Ghuweirah, he stripped off the holy garments which were on him, and placed them upon his son Fînahas-peace be upon him—and he died and was buried in Kefr Ghuweirah; and all the children of Isrâîl wept for him, after the custom of their fathers. And after him his son was installed, and he did as