sed his contemporaries in the dignity of his father; (for he was the son of Eleazar the high-priest, and the grandson of Aaron, Moses's brother,) was greatly troubled at what was done by Zimri. So be resolved to inflict punishment on him, before his unworthy behaviour should grow stronger by impunity, and in order to prevent this transgression from proceeding farther which would happen if the ringleaders were not punished. He was of so great magnanimity, both in strength of mind and body, that when he undertook any very dangerous attempt, he did not relinquish it till he had got an entire victory. So he came into Zimri's tent, and slew him with his javelin; and with it he slew Cozbi also. Upon which, all those young men that had a regard to virtue, and aimed to do a glorious action, imitated Phineas's boldness, and slew those that were found to be guilty of the same crime with Zimri. Accordingly many of those who had transgressed perished by the magnanimous valour of these young men. The rest all perished by a plague, which God himself inflicted upon them. So that all those, who, instead of hindering them from such wicked actions, as they ought to have done, had persuaded them to go on, were esteemed by God as partners in the wickedness, and died. Accordingly there perished out of the army no fewer than twenty-four thousand at this time.

This was the cause why Moses was provoked to destroy the Midianites; concerning which expedition we will speak presently, when we have first related what has been omitted. For it is but just not to pass over our legislator's due encomium, on account of his conduct here: because, although Balaam, who was sent for by the Midianites to curse the Hebrews; and when he was hindered from doing it by Divine Providence, did still suggest that advice to them, by making use of which our enemies had nearly corrupted the multitude of the Hebrews with their artifices; yet did he do him great honour, by setting down his prophecies in writing. And while it was in his power to claim this glory to himself, and make men believe they were his own predictions; there being no one that could be a witness against him, and accuse him for so doing, he still gave his attestation to Balaam, and did him the honour to make mention of him on this account,

CHAP. VII.

OF THE PUNISHMENT INFLICTED ON THE MIDIANITES BY THE HEBREWS: The Appointment OF MOSES'S SUCCESSOR; GRANT OF AMORITE LANDS, &c.

MOSES, for the causes aforementioned, sent against the land of Midian an army of twelve thousand men; taking an equal number out of every tribe; and appointing for their commander Phineas, who had guarded the laws of the Hebrews, and had inflicted punishment upon Zimri, when he had transgressed them.

Now the Midianites perceived beforehand, how the Hebrews were coming, and would suddenly be upon them. So they assembled their army, and fortified the entrances into their country; and there awaited the enemy's approach. When they were come, and had joined battle with them, an innumerable multitude of the Midianites fell; among whom were their five kings; Evi, Zur, Reba, Hur, and Rekem; the latter of whom was of the same name with the capital city of all Arabia, which is till now so called by the whole Arabian nation, Arecem, from the name of the king that built it; but is by the Greeks called Petra. Now when the enemies were discomfited, the Hebrews spoiled their country, and took a great prey, and destroyed the men that were its inhabitants, together with the women: only they preserved the virgins as Moses had commanded Phineas; who indeed came back, bringing with his victorious army fifty-two thousand beeves, seventy-five thousand six hundred sheep, and sixty thousand asses, with an immense quantity of gold and silver furniture, which the Midianites made use of in their houses; for they were so wealthy, that they were very luxurious. There were also led captive about thirty-two thousand virgins. So Moses divided the

* Numb. xxxi. 5.

The slaughter of all the Midianite women, that had prostituted themselves to the lewd Israelites; and the preservation of those that had not been guilty therein; which latter were no fewer than 32,000, both here, and Numb. xxxi. 15, 16, 17, 35,

prey into parts, and gave one fiftieth part to Eleazar, and to the priests; and another fiftieth part to the Levites; and distributed the rest of the prey among the people. After which they lived happily, as having obtained an abundance of good things by their valour; and there being no misfortune that attended them or hindered their enjoyment of that happiness.

Moses being now grown old, appointed Joshua for his successor* both to receive directions from God, as a prophet, and for a commander of the army, if they should at any time stand in need of such a one. And this was done by the command of God; that to him the care of the public should be committed. Now Joshua had been instructed in all those kinds of learning which concerned the laws, and God himself; and Moses had been his instructor.

At this time the two tribes of Gad, and Reubel, and the half tribe of Manasseh, abounded in a multitude of cattle, as well as in all other kinds of prosperity; whence they had a meeting, and besought Moses to give them, as their peculiar portion, that land of the Amorites which they had taken by right of war; because it was fruitful, and for feeding cattle. But Moses supposing that they were afraid of fighting the Canaanites, and invented this provision for their cattle, as a handsome excuse for

and both by the particular command of God, are highly remarkable; and shew that even in nations doomed to destruction for their wickedness, the innocent were sometimes particularly and providentially taken care of, and delivered from that destruction. Which directly implies, that it was the wickedness of the nations of Canaan, and nothing else, that occasioned their excision. See Gen. xv. 16. 1 Sam. xv. 18, 33. In the first of which places, the reason of the delay of the punishment of the Amorites is given; because their iniquity was not yet full. In the second, Saul is ordered to go and destroy the sinners, the Amalekites; plainly implying, that they were therefore to be destroyed because they were sinners, and not otherwise. In the third, the reason is given, why king Agag was not to be spared; viz. because of his former cruelty. As thy sword hath made the Hebrew women childless; so shall thy mother be made childless among women, by the Hebrews. The apostles also, or their amanuensis Clement, gives this reason of the necessity of the coming of Christ, that men had formerly perverted both the positive law, and that of nature: and had cast out of their minds the memory of the flood, the burning of Sodom, the plagues of the Egyptians, and the slaughter of the inhabitants of Palestine, as signs of the most amazing impenitence and insensibility under the punishment of horrid wickedness. Constitut. Apost. viii. 12, page 402.

Numb. xxvii. 22. Deut. xxxiv. 9.

avoiding that war, called them arrant cowards; and said, they had only contrived a decent excuse for their timidity; and that they had a mind to live in luxury and ease, while all the rest were labouring with great pains to obtain the land they were desirous to have; and that they were not willing to undergo the remaining hard service, whereby they were under the Divine promise to pass over Jordan, and overcome those enemies which God had shewed them, and so obtain their land. But these tribes, when they saw that Moses was angry with them, and when they could not deny but he had a just cause to be displeased at their petition, made an apology for themselves: and said, that it was not on account of their fear of danger, nor on account of their indolence that they made this request, but that they might leave the prey they had gotten in places of safety, and thereby might be more expeditious, and ready to undergo difficulties, and to fight battles. They added, also, that when they had built cities, wherein they might preserve their children, and wives, and possessions, if he would bestow them upon them, they would go along with the rest of the army. Hereupon Moses called for Eleazar, the high-priest, and Joshua, and the chief of the tribes, and permitted these tribes to possess the land of the Amorites, but upon this condition, that they should join with their kinsmen in the war, until all things were settled. Upon which condition they took possession of the country, and built them strong cities, and put into them their children, and their wives, and whatsover else they had that might be an impediment to the labours of their future marches.

Moses also now built those ten cities, which were to be of the number of forty-eight, for the Levites. Three of these he allotted to those that slew any person involuntarily, and fled to them; and he assigned the same time for their banishment, with that of the life of the high-priest, under whom the slaughter and flight happened; after which he permitted the slayer to return home; the relations of him that were slain having the power to kill the slayer, if they caught him without the bounds of the city to which he fled; though this permission was not granted to any other person. Now the cities which were set apart for this flight were Bezer, at the borders of Arabia; Ramoth, of the land of Gilead; and Golan, in the land of Bashan. There were to be also, by Moses's command, three other cities

allotted for the habitation of these fugitives, out of the cities of the Levites; but not till after they should be in possession of the land of Canaan.

At this time the chief men of the tribe of Manassah came to Moses, and informed him, that there was an eminent man of their tribe dead, whose name was Zelophehad, who had no male children, but left daughters; and asked him whether the daughters might inherit his land* or not? He made this answer: that if they shall marry into their own tribe, they shall carry their own estate along with them; but if they shall marry to any of another tribe, they shall leave their inheritance in their father's tribe. And then it was that Moses ordained that every one's inheritance should continue in his own tribe.

CHAP. VIII.

OF THE POLITY SETTLED BY MOSES, AND HIS DISAPPEARANCE FROM AMONG MANKIND.

WHEN† forty years were completed, within thirty days, Moses gathered the congregation near Jordan, where the city Abila now stands, which place is full of palm-trees; and when all the people were come together, he spake thus to them:

66

"O ye Israelites, and fellow-soldiers, who have been partners with me in this long and toilsome journey. Since now the will of God, and the course of old age at an hundred and‡ twenty, requires that I depart out of this life; and since God has forbidden me to be a patron or an assistant to you in what remains to be done beyond Jordan; I thought it reasonable not to leave off my endeavours even now for your happiness; but to do my utmost to procure for you the eternal enjoyment of good things, and a memorial for myself, when you shall be in the fruition of great plenty and prosperity. Let me, therefore, suggest to you by what means you may be happy, and may leave an eternal prosperous possession to your children after you; and then let me go out of the world. And I cannot but

# Numb, xxxvi. 2, et seq. ! From An. 1532 to 1492 B. C.

Deut. xxxi. 2.