*

was called Gilgal, which denotes liberty for since they had now passed over the river Jordan, they looked upon themselves as freed from the miseries which they had undergone from the Egyptians, and in the wilderness.

A few days after the calamity that befel Jericho, Joshua sent three thousand armed men to take Ai, a city situate above Jericho, but upon the fight of the pe ple of Ai with them, they were driven back, and lost thirty-six of their men. When this was told the Israelites, it made them very sad, and exceeding disconsolate: not so much because of the relation the men that were destroved bare to them, though those that were destroyed were all good men, and deserved their esteem, as by the despair it occasion. ed; for while they believed that they were already in effect in possession of the land, and should bring back the army out of the battle without loss, as God had promised beforehand, they now saw unexpect. edly their enemies bold with success; so they put sackcloth over their garments, and continued in tears and lamentation all the day, without the least enquiry after food, but laid what had happened greatly to heart.

When Joshua saw the army so much afflicted, and possessed with forebodings of evil, as to their whole expedition; he used freedom with God, and said; "We are not come thus far out of any rashness of our own, as though we thought ourselves able to subdue this land with our own weapons, but at the instigation of Moses thy servant, because thou hast promised us by many signs, that thou wouldst give us this land for a possession, and that thou wouldst make our army always superior in war to our enemies, and accordingly some success has already attended upon us, agreeably to thy promises; but because we have now unexpectedly been foiled, and have lost some men out of our army, we are grieved at it, as fearing what thou hast promised us, and what Moses foretold us cannot be depended on; and our future expectation troubles us the more, because we have met with such a disaster in this first attempt. But do thou, O Lord, free us from these suspicions, for thou art able to find a cure for these disorders, by giving us victory, which will both take away the grief we are in at present, and prevent our distrust at what is to come."

These intercessions Joshua put up to God, as he lay prostrate on his face; whereupon God answered him, that he should rise up, and purify his host, from the pollution which was got into it, for that consecrated things had been impudently stolen, and that this was the occasion which this defeat had hap

* Josh. v. 9.

I agree with Dr. Bernard, and approve of Josephus's interpretation of Gilgal, for liberty.

VOL. I.-NO. VIII.

and punish the offender, he would ever take care they should have the victory over their enemies. This Joshua told the people; and calling Eleazar, the high priest, and the men in authority, he cast lots, tribe by tribe; and when the lot shewed that this wicked action was done by one of the tribe of Judah, he then again proposed the lot to the several families thereto belonging, so it was found to belong to the family of Zachar; and when the enquiry was made man by man, they took Achar, who, upon God's reducing him to a terrible extremity, could not deny the fact, but confessed the theft, and produced what he had taken in the midst of them: so this man was immediately put to death, § and attained no more than to be buried in the night, in a disgraceful manner, and such as was suitable to a condemned malefactor.

When Joshua had thus purified the host, he led them against Ai; and having by night laid an ambush round about the city, he attacked the enemies as soon as it was day; but as they advanced boldly against the Israelites, because of their former victory, he made them believe he retired, and by that means drew them a great way from the city, they still sup posing that they were pursuing their enemies, and despised them, as though the case had been the same with that in the former battle; after which Joshua ordered his forces to turn about, and placed them against their front. He then made the signals agreed upon to those that lay in ambush, and so excited them to fight; so they ran suddenly into the city, the inhabitants being upon the walls, nay others of them being in perplexity, and coming to see those that were without the gates. Accordingly these men took the city, and slew all that they met with; but Joshua forced those that came against him to come to a close fight, and discomfited them, and made them run away; and when they were driven towards the city, and thought it had not been touched, as soon as they saw it was taken, and perceived it was burnt, with their wives and children, they wandered about in the fields in a scattered condition, and were no way able to defend themselves, because they had none to support them. Now when this calamity was come upon the men of Ai, there were a great number of children, and women, and servants, and an immense quantity of furniture. The Hebrews also took herds of cattle, and a great deal of money, for this was a rich country: so when Joshua came to Gilgal he divided all these spoils among the soldiers.

But the Gibeonites, who inhabited very near to Jerusalem, when they saw what miseries had bap.

pened to the inhabitants of Jericho, and to those of Ai, and suspected that the like sore calamity would come as far as themselves, they did not think fit to ask for mercy of Joshua, for they supposed they should find little mercy from him who made war that he might entirely destroy the nation of the Canaanites. But they invited the people of Cephirah and Kiriathjearim, who were their neighbours, to join in league with them, and told them, that neither could they themselves avoid the danger they were all in, if the Israelites should prevent them, and seize upon them: so when they had persuaded them, they resolved to endeavor to escape the forces of the Israelites. Accordingly upon their agreement to what they proposed, they sent ambassadors to Joshua, to make a league of friendship with him, and chose such of the citizens as were best approved of, and most capable of doing what was most advantageous to the multitude. Now these ambassadors thought it dangerous to confess themselves to be Canaanites, but thought they might avoid the danger by saying that they bare no relation to the Canaanites at all, but dwelt at a very great distance from them; and they said farther, that they came a long way on account of the reputation Joshua had gained for his virtue; and as a proof of the truth of what they said, they shewed him the habit they were in, for that their clothes were new when they came out, but were greatly worn by the length of time they had been on their journey, for indeed they took torn garments, on purpose that they might make him believe so; so they stood in the midst of the people, and said, that they were sent by the people of Gibeon, and of the circumjacent cities, which were very remote from the land where they now were, to make such a league of friendship with them, and this on such conditions as were customary among their forefathers; for, when they understood that, by the favor of God, and his gift to them, they were to have the possession of the land of Canaan bestowed upon them, they said they were very glad to hear it, and desired to be admitted into the number of their citizens. Thus did these ambassadors speak, and shewing them the marks of their long journey, they intreated the Hebrews to make a league of friendship with them. Accordingly Joshua, believing that they were not of the nation of the Canaanites, en

tered into friendship with them, and Eleazar the high priest, with the senate, sware to them, that they would esteem them their friends and associates, and would attempt nothing that should be unfair against them, the multitude also assenting to the oaths that were made to them; so these men having obtained what they desired by deceiving the Israelites, went home; but when Joshua led his army to the country at the bottom of the mountains of this part of Canaan, he understood that the Gibeonites dwelt not far from Jerusalem, and that they were of the stock of the Canaanites; so he sent for their governors, and reproached them with the cheat they had put upon him. But they alleged on their own behalf, that they had no other way to save themselves but that, and were therefore forced to have recourse to it. So he called for Eleazar the high priest, and for the senate, who thought it right to make them public servants, that they might not break the oath they had made to them; and they ordained them to be so: and this was the method by which these men found security under the calamity that was ready to overtake them.*

But the king of Jerusalem took it to heart that the Gibeonites had gone over to Joshua; so he called upon the kings of the neighbouring nations to join together to make war against them. Now when the Gibeonites saw these kings, which were four, besides the king of Jerusalem, and perceived that they had pitched their camp at a certain fountain not far from the city, and were getting ready for the siege, they called upon Joshua to assist them; for such was their case, as to expect to be destroyed by these Canaanites, but to suppose that they should be saved by those that came for the destruction of the Canaanites, because of the league of friendship that was between them. Accordingly Joshua hastened with his whole army to assist them, and, marching day and night, in the morning he fell upon the enemies as they were going up to the siege, and when he had discomfited them, he followed and pursued them down the descent of the hills. The place is called Beth-horon, where he also understood that God assisted him, which he declared by thunder and thunderbolts, as also by the falling of hail + larger than usual. Moreover it happened that the day was lengthened, that the night might not come

common of late years) cannot now be determined. Phi losophers and astronomers will naturally incline to this latter hypothesis. In the mean time, the fact itse if was mentioned in the book of Jasher, now lost, Josh. x. 13. and is confirmed by Is. xxviii. 21. and by the father of Sirach, Ecclus. xlvi. 4. It is also said of the luminaries, with relation, no doubt, to this and the like miraculous standing still and going back in the days of Joshua, and Hezekiah: They have not wandered from the day that he created them; they have not forsaken their way from ancient generations, unless it were when God enjoined

on too soon, and be an obstruction to the zeal of the Hebrews in pursuing their enemies, insomuch that Joshua took the kings, who were hidden in a certain cave at Makkedah, and put them to death. Now that the day was lengthened at this time, and was longer than ordinary, is expressed in the books laid up in the temple.

These kings who made war with, and were ready to fight the Gibeonites, being thus overthrown; Joshua returned again to the mountainous part of Canaan. And when he made a great slaughter of the people there, and took there he prey, came to the camp at Gilgal.* And now there went a great fame abroad among the neighbouring people of the courage of the Hebrews; and those that heard what a number of men were destroyed, were greatly affrighted at it. So the kings that lived about mount Libanus, who were Canaanites; and those Canaanites that dwelt in the plain country, with auxiliaries out of the land of the Philistines, pitched their camp at Beroth, a city of the Upper Galilee, not far from Cadesh; which is itself also a place in Galilee. The number of the whole army was three hundred thousand armed footmen, ten thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand chariots. So that the multitude of the enemies alarmed both Joshua himself, and the Israelites; and they, instead of being fuil of hope of success, were superstitiously timorous, with the great terror with which they were stricken. Whereupon God upbraided them with the fear they were in; and asked them, whether they d sired a greater help than he could afford them? and promised then that they should overcome their enemies; withal charging them to make their enemies' horses useless, and to burn their chariots. So Joshua became full of courage upon these promises of God, and went out suddenly against the enemies : and after five days march he came upon them, and joined battle with them; and there was a terrible fight, and such a number were slain, as could not be believed by those that heard it. He also went on in the pursuit a great way; and destroyed the entire army of the enemies, few only escaped: and all the kings fell in the battle; insomuch that when there wanted men to be killed, Joshua slew their horses, and burnt their chariots, and passed all over their country without opposition: no one daring to meet him in battle: but he still went on, taking their cities by siege, and killing whatever he took.

The fifth year was now past; and there was not one of the Canaanites remained any longer; excepting some that had retired to places of great strength. So Joshua removed his camp to the mountainous country, and placed the tabernacle in the city of

them so to do by the command of his servants. See Authent. Rec. Part I, page 154.

Shiloh; for that seemed a fit place for it, because of the beauty of its situation; until such times as their affairs would permit them to build a temple. And from thence he went to Shechem, together with all the people, and raised an altar where Moses had previously directed. Then did he divide the army, and placed one half of them on Mount Gerizzim, and the other half on Mount Ebal; on which mountain the altar was; he also placed there the tribe of Levi, and the priests. And when they had sacrificed, and denounced the blessings and the curses, and had left them engraven upon the altar, they returned to Shiloh.

And now Joshua was old, and saw that the cities of the Canaanites were not easily to be taken not only because they were situated in such strong places, but because of the strength of the walls themselves; which being built round about, the natural strength of the places on which the cities stood, seemed capable of repelling their enemies from besieging them. For when the Canaanites had learned, that the Israelites came out of Egypt, in order to destroy them, they were busy all that time in making their cities strong. So he gathered the people together at Shiloh ; and when they, with great zeal and haste, were come thither, he observed to them, what prosperous successes they had already had, and what glorious things had been done; and those such as were worthy of that God, who enabled them to do those things, and worthy of the virtue of those laws which they followed. He took notice also, that || thirty-one of those kings that ventured to give them battle were overcome; and every army, how great soever it were that confided in their power, and fought with them, was utterly destroyed; so that not so much as any of their posterity remained. And as for the cities, since some of them were taken, but the others must be taken in length of time by long sieges; both on account of the strength of their walis, and of the confidence the inhabitants had in them; he thought it reasonable that those tribes that came along with them from beyond Jordan, and had partaken of the dangers they had undergone, being their own kindred, should now be dismissed and sent home; and should have thanks for the pains they had taken together with them. As also he thought it reasonable, that they should send one man out of every tribe, and he such as had the testimony of extraordinary virtue, who should measure the land faithfully, and without any fallacy or deceit should inform them of its real magnitude.

Now Joshua, when he had thus spoken, found that the multitude approved of his proposal. So he sent men to measure their country, and sent with

them some geometricians, who could not easily fail of ascertaining the truth, on account of their skill in that art. He also gave them a charge to estimate the measure of that part of the land that was most fruitful, and what was not so good. For such is the nature of the land of Canaan, that one may see Jarge plains, and such as are exceedingly fit to produce fruit, which if they were compared with other parts of the country, might be reckoned exceeding fruitful: : yet, in comparison with the fields about Jericho, and those that belong to Jerusalem, they will appear to be of no account at all. And al though it happen, that these people have but very litle of this sort of land, and that it is in general, mountainous also, yet does it not come behind other parts on account of its exceeding goodness and beauty. For which reason Joshua thought the land for the tribes should be divided by estimation of its goodness, rather than its extent; it often happening that one acre of some sort of land was equivalent to a thousand other acres. Now the men that were sent, which were in number ten, travelled all about, and made an estimation of the land; and in the seventh month they returned to the city of Shiloh, where they had set up the tabernacle.

Joshua now took both Eleazar, and the senate, and with them the heads of the tribes, and distributed the land to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe of Manasseh: appointing the dimensions according to the largeness of each tribe. So when he had cast lots, Judah had assigned him by lot the upper part of Judea, reaching as far as Jerusalem, and its breadth, extending to the lake of Sodom: and the lot of this tribe included the cities of Ascalon and Gaza. The lot of Simeon, which was the second, comprehended that part of Idumea which bordered upon Egypt and Arabia. As to the Benjamites, their lot fell so, that its length reached from the river Jordan to the sea; but in breadth it was bounded by Jerusalem and Bethel and this lot was the narrowest of all, by reason of the good. ness of the land; for it included Jericho, and the city of Jerusalem. The tribe of Ephraim had the laud that extended in length, from the river Jordan to Gezer; but in breadth, as far as from Bethel to the great plain. The half tribe of Manasseh had the land from Jordan, to the city of Dora; but its breadth was at Bethshan, which is now called Scythopolis. And after these was Issachar; which had its limits length, mount Carmel and the river, but its limit in breadth was mount Tabor. The tribe of Zabulon's lot included the land which lav as far as the lake of Gennesareth, and that which belonged to Carmel, and the sea. The tribe of

* Josh. xiii. 7.

If I were writing to the learned, I must have made particular notes on this and the rest of Josephus's geogra

Aser had that part which was called the Valley, for such it was; and all that part that lay over against Sidon. The city Arce belonged to their share, which is also named Actipus. The Napthalites received the castern parts, as far as the city of Damascus, and the upper Galilee, unto mount Libanus, and the fountains of Jordan, which arise out of that mountain: that is, out of that part of it, whose limits belong to the neighbouring city Arce. The Danites lot included all that part of the valley which respects the sun setting, and were bounded by Azotus and Do they also had all Jamnia and Gath, from Ekron to that mountain where the tribe of Judah begins.

After this manner did Joshua divide the six na tions that bear the names of the sons of Canaan, with their land, to be possessed by the nine tribes. and a half; for Moses had prevented him, and had already distributed the land of the Amorites, which was so called from one of the sons of Canaan, to the two tribes and a half, as we have shewed already: but the parts about Sidon, as also those that belonged to the Arkites, the Amathites, and the Aradians, were not yet regularly disposed of.

But now Joshua was hindered by his age from executing what he intended, and those who succeeded him in the government took little care of what was for the advantage of the public; so he gave it in charge to every tribe, to leave none of the race of the Canaanites in the land that had been divided to them by lot: for, that Moses had assured them beforehand, and they might rest fully satisfied, that their own security, and their observance of their own laws, depended wholly upon it. He also enjoined them to give thirty-eight cities to the Levites for they had already received ten in the country of the Amorites; and three of these he assigned to fugitive man-slayers, who were to inhabit there, för he was very solicitous that nothing should be neglected which Moses had ordained. These cities were, of the tribe of Judah, Hebron; of that of Ephraim, Shechem; and that of Naphthali, Cadesh, which is a place of the Upper Galilee. He also distributed among them the rest of the prey not yet distributed, which was very great, whereby they had an affluence of great riches, both all in general, and every one in particular; and this of gold, vestments, and other furniture, besides a multitude of cattle, whose number cannot be told.

After this, he gathered the army together, and spake thus to those tribes that had their settlement in the land of the Amorites beyond Jordan; for fifty thousand men of them had armed themselves, and had gone to the war along with them: "Since that

phy of Canaan; but in this version it shall suffice to refer the English reader to my map of Palestine.

God,