month, and should execute the judicial sentences in the presence of their leaders, and should establish prayers for them, and oversee the matters which it is unlawful for any body else but them to do. Thereupon the banners were unfurled before him (Nabîh) and the trumpets sounded, and the saint of God and the king (Joshua) rode out with their assembly to bid them farewell; and it was a great day, the like of which it was not possible could have existed in the world. And they proceeded on their journey under the protection of God, victorious, triumphant, happy and rejoicing. And when the news reached their friends who were watching over their affairs on the other side of the Urdun, their assembly came out to meet them. And they settled down in their places. And Nabîh divided out that region according to the sum of the number of his companions. And the Lîwânites entered into their places, and attended to the offering of praises and halleluiahs. And glory be to God, for His bountiful favors unto them.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE ACCOUNT OF THE RETURN OF THE MEN WHO WERE EMINENT IN MAKING SURVEYS AND ESTIMATING JUST PROPORTIONS, UNTO YUSH'A THE SON OF NUN, THE KING.

AFTER the return of the geometricians, and those who were trained in surveying the land out into fields and equitably proportioning them, and in rendering correct judgments as to their trees and everything that would hinder their cultivation, the king and the twelve chiefs assembled together. Now these were they to whom our master Mûsa the Prophet-peace be upon him

had given instructions that they should unite with him in dividing out the land; with the restriction, however, that no one should obstinately oppose him, nor should any quarrel or dispute occur between them; and they began to arrange the division of it into ten parts, and distributed the tribes over the ten parts according to the greater or less numbers a tribe had, until they had equalized all this. And when they did come to an agreement with regard to it, they permanently settled it, and perfected it, and clearly set it forth; and when the opinion of the assembly was agreed as to the rectitude of this, they brought up the lists unto the saint of God, the imâm el-'Azar-peace be upon him-and when he had carefully perused it, he wrote with his own hand a copy of the distribution and divisions of the tribes. Thereupon he wrote ten tickets, inscribed on which were the parts of the distributions and of the assigned lands, and he wrote the name of each one of the parts of the tribes upon a ticket, and gave unto each several chief his ticket. And then each chief went apart with his people and assembled the leaders of his followers, and divided out every part according to the sum of the census, to every man according to the size of his family. And with every one (of the chiefs) there went forth some of the geometricians and surveyors to equitably arrange matters among them. And the district embracing the excellent mountain fell among the assigned lands of Yûshâ the king, the son of Nûn, and of his comrade Kalab (Caleb) the leader of a whole tribe, and with which he had started out on the journey (from Egypt) in company with him (Yûshâ). 1 Thus was every one permanently located in his place. And he (Yûshâ) distributed some of the Lîwânites, every

1 Note 53.

one in the place which had been set apart for him out of the whole of the assigned lands, over and above the division, that they might administer the affairs of the people in reference to prayers and judicial matters, and also receive the tithes and perform the sacrifices. And he assigned unto each tribe chief-justices who should correspond with the imâm, and give him information of what happened in their districts. Then Yûsh'â the king built a fortress on the mountain to the north of the Blessed Mount, which (fortress) is known as Shamrûn (Samaria). And his wont was to visit with el-'Azar one day in each week; and one day with the learned, that he might take counsel with them; and one day with the chiefs, that he might inquire into their affairs; and one day he spent in attending to his own business and matters; and on three days he left not the book of God, during night and day. And this was his method in his administration of government, when he was not out waging war; for he did not hold himself aloof from them. And he built a synagogue on the summit of the Blessed Mount, and collected and kept in it the tabernacle of the Lord, and no one, after him, did behold it, except the priests and the Lîwânites.

CHAPTER XXV.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAIL, AFTER THE DISTRIBUTION.

THEN the children of Isrâîl began to inhabit their assigned lands and to put them under perfect cultivation, and to worship their Lord with acceptable service, and to fulfil on each day whatsoever sacrifices were incumbent upon them.

And God showed forth with them blessings and watchful care, so that calamities were removed away from them; and not a single one of the kings of the enemies did have power to do any violence unto them. So that there was a multitude of their own travellers journeying from every province unto the Blessed Mount three times a year, along with various kings, with wealth and joy and gladness; and not one of the enemies dared even to look towards them, or stand up in opposition to them. And the king and the leaders and the whole army continued in rest and tranquillity for a period of twenty years. There was no molestation or insurrection since now their surrounding enemies were far removed from them and dispersed throughout the regions of the earth 1; and they who were near them had made peace with them, so no one was stirring up a commotion, nor was there a kingdom spreading itself abroad except their kingdom, or any hand outstretched except their hands. And not a single day did pass but that they heard news of all their companions; and thus did they continue to have intelligence of them, until this period came to a close. Then after this there happened those things which by the will of God, and His assistance, we will narrate and explain. (To Him be the praise.)

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE HISTORY OF SHAUBAK THE SON OF HAMAM, THE KING OF THE PERSIANS.

HAMAM, the son of R'awân, king of the Persians, had been put to death along with all the kings whom Yush'â had killed, then his child

1 Note 54.

grew up, who was known by the name of Shaubak,1 and he was eminent in attainments and in the acquisition of wealth. And he began corresponding with kings throughout all the regions, puffing some of them up, and stirring up others of them to auger, and influencing some of them by promises, and conciliating others of them with gifts of riches. Thereupon he said, that he wished to take revenge for the murder of his father. And he also corresponded with the survivors of the Kanâ'anites, and recalled to their memory what the children of Isrâîl had done with their children, their wives, their cities and their possessions. Then he sent also unto the king of Arminiyeh (Armenia) the Greater, and Rumiyeh the Less (Asia Minor). And he joined unto himself the son of Yâfet (Japheth) the giant,2 and also sent unto the king of Saida (Sidon) and of el-Qaimûn,3 and to the king of esh-Shâm (Syria), making known unto them what army had been assembled together unto him, and agreed with them that they should assemble together at elQaimûn. And the opinion of the chiefs of the army and its leaders were agreed that they should send (as spy) a clothing-merchant, who should count the men, and inform himself as to the army (one who was clever in prudent management), in order that he might make known to them the condition of the children of Isrâîl, and how was the way to them and the means of getting at them. And they resolved to write and forward by his hand a letter from their company to Yûsh'â the king, so that they might obtain security for him, seeing he acted as a messenger, for upon a messenger rests no crime and hence no fear.

1 Note 55.

2 Note 56.

8 Note 57.