CHAPTER XXII.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE APPORTIONMENT OF THE TERRITORIES BELONGING TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAIL, AND THEIR BOUNDARIES.

THE king selected men from the geometricians and their associates, and from the land surveyors, and those who were well skilled in matters pertaining to lands, and from those who assisted in surveying, and those who were expert in estimating. And he gave instructions that they should divide it into ten parts; and he himself set about equitably distributing the nine and one half tribes over the ten sections. Thereupon he defined unto them the boundaries of the lands, according to what our master Mûsa the Prophet-peace be upon him-explained in the chapter of the boundaries, which is mentioned in the Law, where he says: "When ye come into the land of Kana'an (and this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, according to the boundaries thereof), then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Sîn along by the places of Edûm." And this is the boundary of the lands of the two and one half tribes. And then he again says: "And your boundary on the south shall be, from the furthest eastern part of the salt sea unto the side of Misr (Egypt); and the goings forth of this boundary shall be at the gulf." That is, from the isthmus of the wilderness; by which is meant the land of el-Hejâz (Arabia), and esh-Shâm (Syria), and the pass of Haljat (?), a narrow place which reaches to the sea (the Arabah).

1 Num. xxxiv.

"And the goings forth thereof shall be southward of Quds-er-Raqîm"; meaning thereby, to the south of a place called Quds-barnâ (Kadeshbarnea), upon the borders of esh-Shâm and elHejâz; for the idea held by the people of that time was to the effect that it came unto el-Khâq (?) until it reached unto the Nîl of Misr (Nile of Egypt), which is the valley whose goings forth are to the sea, the coast line of which extends from Misr to Falastin (Palestine) and to er-Rûm (Greece). "And your western boundary shall be the last sea.” And the last sea is from Misr unto esh-Shâm. "And the border towards eshSâhm extends from the great sea to the mountain el-Jabal (Mount. Hor) and to Aînan of Hums (Hazar-enan). The king here meaning the bend in the mountain el-Libnân (Lebanon), as far as the limit of its land in the district of Dimashq (Damascus), until coming eastward it goes around it, and returns sloping downwards unto the Urdun, and its goings forth are unto the salt sea, which is the final point designated in the beginnings of the chapter. "And this," (said Joshua) is the smaller part of the assigned land but they (the surveyors) shall make a return on the half of the greater assigned territories, according to the sum of the census of the nine and one half tribes." Then he instructed them that they should set apart forty-eight cities, out of all the territories of the children of Isrâîl, unto the Lîwânites, taken out from the divisions; and from their total number there should be six cities of them (even three cities from the whole number of the cities of the two and one half tribes, and three cities from the whole of the assigned lands of the nine and one half tribes), concerning which cities God - Mighty and Powerful-gave command that they should be set apart, and he named them: "Cities of re

pulse"; that is, of refuge to the one who flees thereunto, even to the one who should kill his companion inadvertently, that is, by accident, or through carelessness, without intention, or malice aforethought; so would these cities be a repulse to the avenger. And the slayer shall not be killed until he shall have stood before the judge and the assembly of the leaders; and now if he did kill intentionally, he shall himself be killed; but, if it was through carelessness, then he shall flee unto some one of these cities, and he shall not go forth from it until the chief imâm dies; and if he do go forth outside of the boundary of this city, and the avenger meet him and slay him, then shall he be innocent of his blood. And the men (that is, the geometricians and the estimators and they who were well skilled in matters pertaining to lands) started out on their journey, according as they had been commanded.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT YUSH'A DID UNTIL THE SURVEYORS RETURNED UNTO HIM.

AFTER this the king assembled the two and one half tribes before el-'Azar, the imâm-peace be upon him-and the leaders; and they thanked them for their deeds and the help and assistance they had rendered, and said unto them: "Ye have zealously observed the covenant of God and the covenant of our master Mûsa-the best of peace be upon him-and there now no longer remains to us an argument against you; for, verily, ye have acted kindly, and have preserved life and borne hardships, and have been patient. in abstaining from visiting those whom ye have left behind, until your brothers have gained their goal

in taking possession of their assigned lands. And now your standing is exalted, and your deeds grow before God your Lord, who is the rewarder of good deeds, with their like a thousand-fold: and ye have got possession of your assigned lands, which are most excellent for your people, and in them ye have no opponent or oppressor. And these are our wishes of good fortune to you in it may God multiply unto you in addition to it, its like." Then he gathered together their prominent men, and invested them with robes of honor, and gave presents unto them. And he commanded them and enjoined upon them, to go over the list of the census; and they did this, and not a single man of them was missing. And they did eat and drink together, and renewed the covenant between them, that they would remain in obedience unto God always, and in the love of His Prophet, and keep His commandments; and that they would come to the support of one another whenever any tidings should reach them, whether by night or by day, in ease or in distress, in joy or in sorrow; nor would they have a falling out with each other, nor pretend to be asleep; but, on the contrary, would vie with one another in showing haste and speed. And they proceeded to bind themselves unto this with a great oath. And el-'Azar, the imâm-peace be upon him-offered up for them the sacrifices, and then the leaders of the congregation of the children of Isrâîl gathered together to bid them farewell. Thereupon the king appointed as king over the 110,580 men (which was the number of the two and one half tribes), Nabîh (Nobah) the son of Jil'ad (Gilead), of the tribe of Manashehah, and invested him with the royal robe, and placed upon him a crown, and had him ride one of his chosen horses, and sent forth before him a herald, proclaiming: "This is

the king of the two and one half tribes, who is invested with their judicial matters, who shall oversee their affairs; the chief leader of their army; the chief orator among them; the one who shall be asked concerning their affairs; and every judgment of his shall be carried out, and in whatever matter of judgment he has doubt he shall refer it for explanation to el-'Azar, the imâmpeace be upon him. O assembled men! whosoever shall oppose his decree, or withdraw from obedience to him, the blood of this one can be shed, and all the people shall be innocent of his crime." Then he delivered unto him a copy of the book of our master Mûsa, the son of 'Amran the Prophet-peace be upon him-and he enjoined him to read it night and day, and informed him that in it were marvellous indicatory signs, showing how life may be prolonged in this present fleeting world and in the world to come, and also that in its reading was protection from spirits, and the evil eye, and calamities, and witchery, and the skill of the enemy. And he gave over to him twelve tribes, whom he commanded to adhere unto him and not leave him, until he should have corresponded with every chief of a tribe resident at the court of the king and the saint of God; and he also selected for him men from the learned, who might ease him in the administration of the government, and whom he might consult in important matters which unexpectedly arose to him. And, moreover, he gave over to him two thousand men of the Lîwânites, who should take up their residence in the cities that had been set apart unto them among these tribes, and these should receive the portion of God, and the portion of His saints: tithes and votive offerings; and should perform whatsoever sacrifices were incumbent upon them in every

1 Note 52.