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the greater part of the inhabitants, all of inces on that side the river Jordan, that whom had been so elated with their former they confederated together, and entered into success, that they did not doubt of soon a league for their mutual defence. But the making an easy conquest. They accordingly Gibeonites, foreseeing the destruction that fell on the Israelites with great fury, who awaited them, and being apprehensive that at the first onset gave way, and retreated a all resistance would be in vain, resolved to considerable distance from the city. But make a peace with the Israelites, which they this was only a feint to draw the enemy into effected by the following stratagem: They the plain; and therefore, as soon as Joshua selected a certain number of artful men, who saw that by this stratagem the city was pretty were instructed to feign themselves ambaswell emptied, he gave the signal to the sadors come from a very distant country, in ambuscade, who, finding it defenceless, im- order to obtain a league with the people of mediately entered and set it on fire. The Israel. To make this story appear plausible, ascent of the smoke convinced Joshua that they were dressed in tattered garments, with his men had got possession of the place; old clouted shoes on their feet; and their upon which he suddenly turned about and provision consisted of dry, musty bread, faced the enemy, who, little expecting the which they carried in old sacks, with some Israelites would rally, were so surprised that wine in bottles, all tarnished and torn. they began to think of retreating to the city. this woful-appearing plight they arrived at But when they saw it all in flames, and the Gilgal, the place where the army of the Isparty who had set it on fire just going to fall | raelites was at this time encamped. upon their rear, they were so dispirited that they could neither fight nor fly; in consequence of which they were all cut to pieces by the Israelites, who, immediately marching to the city, put all they found in it to the sword: the whole number, men, women, and children, slain that day, amounted to twelve thousand. The king of Ai being taken prisoner, was ordered to be hung on a gibbet till sunset; after which his body was taken down and buried under a great heap of stones near the entrance of the city. The cattle and spoil taken from the enemy were (according to the Divine appointment) divided among the soldiers, who so effectually destroyed the city as to leave it a mere heap of rubbish.

As Joshua was now but a small distance from the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, he bethought himself of the command, which had been given him by Moses, relative to the reading of the law (with the blessings and curses thereunto annexed), from those two mountains. He accordingly went to Mount Ebal, where he erected an altar, on which he offered up sacrifices to God for his late victories. He likewise caused an abridg ment of the law, or some of the most remarkable parts of it, to be engraven on stones; and afterward read the whole of it to the people, as had been commanded by Moses.

Being introduced to Joshua, they told him, that from the many miracles which God had wrought for the Israelites in the land of Egypt, and the wonderful wonderful successes wherewith he had blessed their arms against every power that had opposed them in coming to that place, their states and rulers had sent them, from a very remote country, to form a league of friendship with them, and that on such conditions as were customary with their forefathers. They then pointed to their garments, which they solemnly assured Joshua were quite new when they sat out on their journey, but that the length of it had reduced them to the state in which they then appeared.

This stratagem had the desired effect. The plausible story of these feigned ambassadors gained such credit with the Israelites, that they entered into an amicable alliance with them; and Eleazar, the high-priest, with the princes of the respective tribes, solemnly ratified the treaty, the whole multitude assenting to the oaths made by their leaders. When the business was over, the Gibeonites took their leave, and hasted home with the glad tidings of their successful expedition.

Three days after the departure of these ambassadors, the whole plot was discovered, when it appeared that the Gibeonites were The great success of Joshua against the inhabitants of Canaan, and that they resided cities of Jericho and Ai, and the dreadful at a small distance from Jerusalem. This slaughter made among the inhabitants, had discovery greatly alarmed Joshua, who imso alarmed the kings of the respective prov- mediately sent for their governors, and re

proached them for having practised such a deception; to which they replied, that they were compelled to do it in their own defence, as they knew they should otherwise share a similar fate with the inhabitants of Jericho and Ai. Joshua was desirous of having the league cancelled; but as it was confirmed by a solemn oath, this could not be done, without incurring the divine displeasure. It was therefore resolved, in order to appease the people, that, as a punishment for the imposition, the Gibeonites should ever after be kept in a state of bondage, by being made hewers of wood and drawers of water. This sentence they received without the least murmur, humbly acquiescing in whatever was thought proper to be imposed upon them by the Israelites.

When the confederate princes (who were five in number, the principal of whom was Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem) heard of the separate treaty made by the Gibeonites, and the artful manner in which it was obtained, they resolved to be revenged on them for their desertion of the common cause. Accordingly they joined all their forces, and marched toward the city of Gibeon, with a firm resolution of totally destroying it. When they came within a small distance of the place, they pitched their tents, intending to begin the attack early the next morning. In the mean time the Gibeonites (not daring to trust to their own strength) despatched a messenger to Joshua, imploring his immediate assistance, as they must otherwise inevitably fall into the hands of the Canaanites.

Joshua lost no time in complying with their request. He immediately set out with his army, and after marching the whole night, arrived, the next morning, at the spot where the enemy were encamped. The appearance of so formidable an army, and so unexpected, had such an effect on the Canaanites, that on Joshua's making an attack they immediately gave way, and were entirely routed, many being killed, and the rest betaking themselves to a precipitate flight. God had all along encouraged Joshua by promising him success; and therefore, as the confederate forces were endeavoring to escape, there fell a most violent storm of hail, the stones of which were so large that more people were destroyed by them than what fell by the sword. Joshua was so desirous of totally extirpating the Canaanites, and so elevated

with the manifest interposition of the Al mighty, that while he was in chase of them, he begged, in the most fervent manner, that the sun and moon might stand still till he had accomplished his wishes. Notwithstanding the singularity of this request, God was pleased to grant it; so that this was the most memorable day that ever happened, the Almighty condescending to alter the course of nature to answer the purposes of man.

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The confederate kings, finding themselves closely pursued, and likely to be either slain, or made captives, concealed themselves in a cave, near Makkedah, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah; intelligence of which being given to Joshua, he ordered the mouth of the cave to be blocked up, and a guard placed over it, to prevent their escape. this situation they remained till Joshua returned from pursuing the fugitives, when he ordered the cave to be opened, and the kings to be brought forth, and hung upon trees till the evening. This was accordingly done, when their bodies were taken down, and thrown into the cave; so that the place they had chosen for their sanctuary became their sepulchre.

After this signal victory, Joshua proceeded to the southern parts of Canaan; in which, having soon reduced the most considerable. places, and put the inhabitants to the sword, he returned, with his victorious army, to the camp at Gilgal.

The great fame of Joshua being now spread throughout Canaan, several princes of the northern parts, at the instigation of Jabin, king of Hazor, confederated together, and raised a great army to engage the Israelites, which they encamped at Berotha, a city of the Upper Galilee, not far from the waters of Merom. This, however, did not in the least intimidate Joshua, who, in pursuance of the instructions which God had given him (namely, that he should not only destroy them, but also their horses and chariots), immediately took the field, marched toward the enemy, and fell so suddenly on them, that they were totally routed, and, except some few who escaped into the country, were all put to the sword; after which he hamstrung their horses and burnt their chariots. Jabin, king of Hazor, who had been at the head of the confederacy, and was taken prisoner, he put to death, and ordered his city to be burnt to the ground; but the other cities whose inhabitants were slain in the

action, he left standing, and gave the cattle | country on the west side of the Jordan, he and plunder to the soldiers. took up his residence at a place near Shiloh,* where after the wars the tabernacle was set up, that he might have the opportunity, as occasion should offer, of consulting the divine oracle.

After defeating this powerful army, Joshua pursued his route to the most distant parts of Canaan; and, by degrees, subdued all the inhabitants of the country. He slew all their kings, who were thirty-one in number, together with the Anakims, or giants, of whom he left none remaining, except at Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

Joshua, having now extended his conquests as far as he thought necessary at present, resolved to divide the country he had taken among the nine tribes and a half who were yet unprovided for, and to dismiss the two tribes and a half (namely, those of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) who had assisted him in the wars, and whose habitations had been settled by Moses on the east side of the river Jordan.

In consequence of this resolution, Joshua appointed commissioners to take a survey of the captured land, and ordered them to report the state of it with all expedition. These messengers having executed their commission, returned, at the expiration of seven months, to Joshua, to whom, having delivered their report, he, assisted by Eleazar the high-priest, the elders, and the princes of the respective tribes, divided the whole country into equal portions, for which (according to God's direction) each tribe cast lots; but as some of the tribes were larger, and some territories richer than others, he took care to adjust the proportion of land to the largeness of the tribe, and the number of families in each; so that, notwithstanding they cast lots, the divisions were all made as equal as possible.

As soon as Joshua had thus divided the

* In Judge. xxi. 19 it is said that Shiloh is 'on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah." In agreement with this the traveller at the present day, going north from Jerusalem, lodges the first night at Beitin, the ancient Bethel; the next day, at the distance of a few hours, turn aside to the right, in order to visit Seilun, the Arabic for Shiloh; and then passing through the narrow Wady, which brings him to the main road, leaves el-Lebbân, the Lebonah of Scripture, on the left, as he pursues the highway" to Nablus, the | ancient Shechem. Shiloh was one of the earliest and most sacred of the Hebrew sanctuaries. The ark of the covenant, which had been kept at Gilgal, during the progress of the Conquest (Josh. xviii. I sq.) was removed thence on the subjugation of the country, and kept at Shiloh

After being here a few days, Joshua assembled together the auxiliaries (namely, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, with the half-tribe of Manasseh), and gave them an honorable dismission. "He acknowledged the great services they had done him in his wars with the Canaanites, and highly applauded their courage and fidelity. He exhorted them, as they were now going to be separated from the tabernacle, to be diligent in their duty to God, and to bear always in mind those laws which he had He adgiven them by his servant Moses. vised them to distribute a share of the rich booty they had got among their brethren on the other side of Jordan; because, though they did not partake of the troubles of the war, they had nevertheless been of infinite service in protecting their families during their absence." With these acknowledgments and exhortations, together with many sincere wishes for their prosperity, Joshua dismissed them, and they immediately departed for their own country.

As soon as these two tribes and a half arrived on the opposite side of the river Jordan, they erected an altar near the place where they and their brethren had miraculously passed over, not for any religious use, but as a memorial to succeeding generations, that though they were parted by the river, they were of the same descent and religion, and held an equal right to the tabernacle at Shiloh, and to the worship of God performed

from the last days of Joshua to the time of Samuel (Josh. xviii. 10; Judg. xviii. 31; 1 Sam. iv. 3). It was here the Hebrew conqueror divided among the tribes the portion of the west Jordanregion, which had not been already allotted (Josh. xviii. 10, xix. 51). In this distribution, or an earlier one, Shiloh fell within the limits of Ephraim (Josh. xvi. 5). The seizure here of the "daughters of Shiloh" by the Benjamites, is recorded as an event which preserved one of the tribes from extinction (Judg. xxi. 19-23). The ungodly conduct of the sons of Eli occasioned the loss of the ark of the covenant, which had been carried into battle against the Philistines, and Shiloh from that time sank into insignificance. It stands forth in the Jewish history as a striking example of the Divine indignation (Jer. vii. 12). — Smith's Bib. Dictionary.

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there, as their brethren on the other side the | had passed to the people, they expressed the Jordan. This had like to have proved of greatest satisfaction at the result of the fatal consequences, for the latter, either from embassy; and the angry thoughts of war being misinformed, or misapprehending the were immediately changed into peace and intent of the altar being erected, fell into a brotherly affection. On the other hand, the violent rage, considering them as apostates Reubenites and their brethren, to prevent from the true religion; and, in order to any future jealousy, or suspicion, called the punish them, assembled their forces at altar they had erected Ed, intending it as a Shiloh, with a resolution of immediately de- standing witness (for so the word signifies) claring war against them. But before they that though they lived at a distance from the proceeded to these extremities, their rulers rest of their brethren, yet they had all but advised them to suspend the execution of one origin, and one God, who was the comtheir wrath till they had sent a deputation in mon God and father of all Israel. order to know their reason for building such an altar. This being agreed to, they sent Phineas, the son of Eleazar, with ten princes, one out of each tribe, to expostulate with them on their conduct. On their arrival Phineas accosted them in very severe terms, charging them with idolatry and rebellion against the Lord.

He reminded them of the calamities which God had formerly sent upon them for their worship of Baal-peor; and that, if he had been so severe upon them for the offence of one man (namely, Achan only) what might they not expect, when two tribes and a half were going to make a general revolt? He then concluded by saying, "If ye have done this from any apprehension that the land ye possess on this side the Jordan is unclean, or less holy than ours, because the tabernacle is on our side, return and settle among us where the tabernacle resteth; but by no means rebel against the Lord, nor us, in building you an altar, besides the altar of the Lord."

The Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassites, concerned to hear the ill opinion which their brethren had conceived of them, protested their innocence of any idolatrous intention, and made a solemn appeal to God, that so far were they from setting up an altar in opposition to his, that the only design of the structure they had raised was, to perpetuate their right to the service of the tabernacle, and to secure it to their latest posterity.

From this answer the deputies were fully convinced that the accusation laid against their brethren was totally groundless, and instead of having committed a crime, that they had only given an instance of their sincere attachment to their religious duties. The deputies, therefore, after taking a friendly leave, returned to Shiloh, and having communicated the particulars of all that

This matter being adjusted, and the Israelites quietly settled in the possession of their conquests on both sides the river Jordan, Joshua disbanded his forces, and retired to Shechem.

No particular occurrence took place from this period till the death of Joshua, which happened about twenty years after. He was at this time far advanced in years, and finding his dissolution near at hand, he convened a general assembly of the princes and magistrates, with as many of the common people as could be gathered together. As soon as they were met, he harangued them in a very pertinent discourse on the great benefits and protection they had received from the hand of Providence. He pointed out to them in what manner he had preserved them, even in the midst of dangers; and that he had not only relieved them in all their wants and distresses, but had removed them from the most abject, to the most prosperous situation in life. In gratitude to so great a protector and benefactor, he exhorted them to a faithful observance of his laws, and invited them to renew their covenant with God, which their forefathers had made. This being done in very ample and significant terms, he recorded the covenant in the book of the law, and set up a great stone under an oak, near a place of religious worship, as a testimony against them, should they ever after deny God's service.

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A short time after this Joshua paid the debt of nature, in the one hundred and tenth year of his age. He was buried at Timnathserah, in Mount Ephraim, which city, on the division of the land among the tribes, was given to him by the Israelites, as an acknowledgment for the great services they had received from his administration.

Much about the same time died Eleazar, the high-priest, who was likewise buried in

one of the hills of Ephraim, which had been | been brought out of Egypt, but not yet ingiven him by the Israelites, and which after-terred. They therefore took this opportunity ward descended to Phineas, his son, and of performing the funeral obsequies of their successor in the priesthood.

These two funerals, so near the same time and place, reminded the Israelites of the bones of Joseph, which, at his request, had

great progenitor in Shechem, where Jacob had purchased a piece of ground of the sons of Hamor, and which afterward became the inheritance of Joseph's posterity.

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FROM Joshua to Samuel (a period of Jehovah was set up; but this was soon about four hundred and seventy-four years) transferred to an idol, or was invoked as an the condition of the Israelites varied accord-idol by others. Idolatrous images were ing as the fundamental law of the state was afterward set up, together with the image of observed or transgressed, exactly as Moses Jehovah, and the Israelites fondly imagined had predicted, and as the sanctions of the that they should be the more prosperous if law had determined. they rendered homage to the ancient gods of the land. The propensity to idolatry, which was predominant in all the rest of the world, thus spread itself among the chosen people like a plague. From time to time, idolatry was publicly professed, and this national treachery to their king, Jehovah, always brought with it national misfortunes.

The last admonitions of Joshua, and the solemn renewal of the covenant with Jehovah, failed to produce all the effect intended. That generation, indeed, never suffered idolatry to become predominant, but still they were very negligent with respect to the expulsion of the Canaanites. Only a few tribes made war upon them, and even they However, it does not appear that any form were soon weary of the contest. They spared of idolatry was openly tolerated until that their dangerous and corrupting neighbors, generation was extinct, which, under Joshua, and, contrary to express statute, were satisfied had sworn anew to the covenant with Jewith making them tributary. They even hovah. After that the rulers were unable became connected with them by unlawful or unwilling any longer to prevent the public marriages, and then it was no longer easy worship of pagan deities. But the Hebrews, for them to exterminate or banish the near rendered effeminate by this voluptuous relirelatives of their own families. The He- gion, and forsaken by their king, Jehovah, brews thus rendered the execution of so were no longer able to contend with their severe a law in a manner impossible, and foes, and were forced to bend their necks wove for themselves the web in which they under a foreign yoke. In this humiliating were afterward entangled. Their Canaanit- and painful subjection to a conquering people, ish relatives invited them to their festivals, they called to mind their deliverance from where not only lascivious songs were sung in Egypt, the ancient kindnesses of Jehovah, honor of the gods, but fornication and un- the promises and threatenings of the law: natural lusts were indulged in as part of the then they forsook their idols, who could afford divine service. These debaucheries, then them no help, they returned to the sacred consecrated by the religious customs of all tabernacle, and then found a deliverer who nations, were gratifying to the sensual appe- freed them from their bondage. The refortites; and the subject of Jehovah too readily mation was generally of no longer duration submitted himself to such deities, so highly than the life of the deliverer. As soon as honored by his connections, and worshipped that generation was extinct, idolatry again in all the neighboring nations. At first, crept in by the same way, and soon became probably, a symbolical representation of predominant. Then followed subjection and

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