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CHAPTER III.

THE HISTORY OF THE ISRAELITES UNDER THE GOVERN

MENT OF JOSHUA AND THE JUDGES.

PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE HEBREWS WHEN JOSHUA WAS CALLED TO BE THEIR LEADER.-The Passage of the Jordan foretold-Spies sent to Jericho The Crossing of Jordan miraculously effected— The Passover celebrated-The Angel Jehovah appears to JoshuaJericho taken and destroyed-Defeat of Israel at Ai-The Cause discovered-Sin and Punishment of Achan-Confederation of the Canaanites-Guile of the Gibeonites, and their Doom-The combined Army of Canaan attack Gibeon-Joshua marches to its Relief Obtains a great Victory-Miraculous Fall of Hail-The Sun and Moon stand still-The five Kings put to Death-A second Combination of Canaanitish Kings-Joshua renews the War-Completely vanquishes the Enemy in a great Battle-The War continued until thirty-one Kingdoms were subdued-The Divine Interposition under which this Conquest was effected specially attested by Expulsion of some Tribes by Means of the Hornet The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh retire to their Portion on the east Side of Jordan-The altar EDThe Portion of Caleb assigned-The Land divided-The pious Exhortations and Death of Joshua-IMPORTANT CHANGE IN HEBREW POLITY CONSEQUENT ON THE DEATH OF JOSHUA-The Purpose of God in the Theocracy-Renewal of the War by Judah and Simeon-The partial Success of the Hebrews, the Result of imperfect Faith in God--The Remissness of Israel reproved by the Angel of the Lord-They continue disobedient, and fall into IdolatryThe Case of Micah and the Danites-The Outrage at Gibeah, and terrible Consequences to the Tribe of Benjamin. FIRST SERVITUDE under Chushan-rishathaim-Israel delivered by Othniel-The Character of the Authority exercised by the Judges. SECOND SERVITUDE under the Moabites-Ehud and Shamgar Judges. THIRD SERVITUDE under the Canaanites-Deborah and Barak deliver Israel The Song of Deborah. FOURTH SERVITUDE under the Midianites-Story of Ruth-Heroism of Gideon-Abimelech, Tola, and Jair, successively follow each other as Judges. FIFTH SERVITUDE under the Ammonites—Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Judges. SIXTH SERVITUDE of Israel under the Philistines-Samson, Eli, and Samuel, Judges-The Unfaithfulness of Israel renders a pure Theocracy impracticable-Chronological Arrangement of the Events of this Period. NOTES.-The Grounds on which the Hebrews claimed a Right to Palestine-The Gibeonites-The Sun stood still -Tribes expelled from Canaan by the Hornet-Relative Chronology of the War with Benjamin-Extent of the Authority of the Judges-The House of Heber.

JOSHUA succeeded to the government of the Hebrews at a time which will ever be regarded as a great crisis in their history. They had completed their wanderings in the desert, they had subdued some clans on the eastern side of the Jordan; but the principal portion of the territory which had been promised as their inheritance, was still retained by populous and martial tribes, who were aware of their approach and of its object, and who were prepared to offer a desperate resistance.

Before the great work of conquering these nations and of obtaining possession of the promised land was attempted, Moses, who merited the high title of "the father of his people" more than any man that ever lived, was taken away; and the entire direction of affairs, and the conduct of the war, devolved upon Joshua. This circumstance appeared unpropitious; but it may not be difficult to ascertain the cause. In the entire dealings of God with his people up to this period, He had clearly exhibited His great power as their protector, and His wisdom as their guide. And now, lest the world should attribute to the prowess or skill of Moses a successful invasion of Canaan, he is removed; and his successor, under immediate Divine direction, is called to the work, that the excellency of the power might appear to be of God, and not of man. Hence the Lord assures him, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Joshua i. 5.) In connexion with this gracious promise, God gave Joshua a renewed assurance that the Israelites should possess the land which he had promised them in its utmost extent; and as a pledge of the speedy accomplishment of this promise, told him that in three days they should pass over Jordan. This appears to have been the first occasion on which any notice was given of a removal of the camp, that having been on all previous occasions regulated by the cloudy pillar. But this was a movement of particular importance, and to be attended by a miracle of the most extraordinary kind; and therefore the fact, that the time for passing over the Jordan was publicly announced three days before it was to take

place, greatly enhanced the effect of this miracle, and proved that it could not have consisted in an advantage which Joshua took of an accidental circumstance.

This

Having received this command, Joshua sent two men to discover the condition of the city of Jericho, a walled town of great strength, distant about seven miles from the Jordan, and which, from its position, would naturally be the first object of their attack. The two spies safely reached Jericho, and obtained lodgings in the house of Rahab. woman, although she knew the design of these men, carefully concealed them; for so active and vigilant were the authorities of the city on account of the proximity of the Israelitish camp, that they discovered the ingress of the two Hebrews, and sent to Rahab to inquire respecting them. She, however, gave her secreted guests every information concerning the fears of the people, and succeeded in sending them safely away; exacting an oath from them that, in the ruin of the city, herself and all in her house should be preserved. The exposition given in the epistle to the Hebrews alone enables us to understand the strange conduct of this female, which would not otherwise have been easily explained. But the author of that sacred book tells us that she acted thus under the influence of faith by which we understand that, from the reports which she had heard of God's dealings with the Israelites, she was led to believe in him, and to hazard her life in saving his servants; by which she identified herself with his cause, and consequently secured her life, and the Divine blessing.

In all their previous Issachar, and Zebulun

The spies having returned to Joshua, and the time for passing the Jordan having arrived, the tents were struck, and the whole army put in motion. But on this occasion a new order of march was enjoined. journeyings, the tribes of Judah, marched in the van, followed by Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; after these came the ark and other furniture of the tabernacle, borne by the priests; the other tribes following as a rear-guard. But now the priests bearing the ark were commanded to march in advance of the whole body, and the

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