and also to his friend Antûn 'Abdallah Sâlih of Beirût, Syria, for valuable assistance in interpreting certain obscure and corrupt passages in the original. O. T. C.

MORRISTOWN, N. J., December, 1889.

CHAPTER I.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE.1

THIS is the book narrating the chronicles of the children of Isrâîl, from the time that our master Mûsa (Moses), the prophet-peace be upon him-the son of 'Amrân, invested Yûsh'a (Joshua) the son of Nûn with the Khalifate2 over his people. All of this is translated from the Hebrew language into the Arabic language, after the manner of a rapid translation by word of mouth, and giving only the statement of the narrative, and nothing more: even what God-Powerful and Glorious-showed forth of signs and miracles and wonders, which man is too weak to adequately specify and describe; such as, what happened at the Úrdun (Jordan), and also at the time when the giants were humbled, and with what victory and power and might and authority God came to his (Joshua's) assistance; also what they (the children of Israel) witnessed at the time of their entering the land, besides what they witnessed in Wâdy el-Mûjib,3 and on mount Sînâ (Sinai) and its vast wilderness, with the essential incidents of this event which God made manifest, even the quaking of its mountains, together with what there was of thunders and lightnings connected with this, and the joining of fires to the very heaven, and their hearing the code of their laws from the divine and eternal voice, from

1 Note 1.

2 Note 2.

8 Note 3.

whom shone forth flashes of light, representing the form of its writer, even the Creator. Afterwards what happened to them at the greater Sea, not to mention what their adversaries witnessed in Greater Misr (Egypt 5), and what calamities overtook their enemies, such as Fir'aûn (Pharaoh) and his army, and 'Amlâq (the Amalekites) and its host, and Sîhûn (Sihon) and his kingdom, and 'Uj (Og) the father of 'Anâq" with his haughtiness, and Bila'âm (Balaam) with his sorcery, and the kings of Mâb (Moab) with their greatness. Also what happened unto Qarûn (Korah) the son of the uncle of Harûn (Aaron)7 and to the company who were with him, namely that some of them the earth opened its mouth and swallowed, and they went down alive to the deepest depths, while as to others of them the divine fire came forth and consumed their bodies. And also what happened to the people while they were in the wilderness forty years, suffering want, without a guide and with no provisions or clothing, and barely living and existing; whom the cloud overshadowed by day and the pillar of fire protected from cold. by night, and whose food was the manna from heaven; and when there was need of water, our master Mûsa-peace be upon him-the son of 'Amrân, brought it forth for them from the rock and from the parched ground and stone, until they themselves had drank, and all that were in their company both of living souls and animals. And it shall come to pass, that when they who are possessed of intelligence, but are yet unbelieving, shall have heard of what God did bountifully bestow upon them (the children of Isrâîl), and with what happiness He did surround them, and how He lifted off of them all calami

4 Note 4.

7 Note 7.

5 Note 5.
8 Note 8.

6 Note 6.
9 Note 9.

per

ties, whether heavenly or earthly, and also what new things He revealed unto them, then they will know that, there is no Lord but their (the children of Isrâîl's) Lord and no prophet, but their prophet, and no book but their Book, and no true religion but their religion; and (they shall also understand) the excellency of the fect creed, and the certainty of its validity, and that it is greatest in rendering praise to the Creator-Mighty and Glorious-the One who is omnipotent to do whatsoever He pleaseth. And when one shall hear of the decline of the kingdom of the children of Isrâîl, and what calamities and misfortunes and exiles and dispersions overtook them by reason of their disobedient doings and their rebellious actions, his fear will be increased for Him from Whom nothing escapes and of Whose kingdom nothing is destroyed--Blessed be He and exalted! And now of Him do we implore complete rightguidance and all-embracing favor in His mercy. Verily He is a hearer and answerer (of prayer).

CHAPTER II.

THE ACCOUNT OF THE INVESTURE OF YUSH'A THE SUN OF NUN WITH THE KHALIFATE OF THE PROPHET-PEACE BE UPON HIM.

AT the completion of the hundred and nineteenth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, of the life of our master Mûsa1 the Prophet-peace be upon him-God revealed unto him in the plain of Mâb (Moab), that he should lay his hand upon the head of Yûsh'a, the son of

1 Note 10.