(11) The Angel of Jehovah. Soon after, the angel of Jehovah appeared to Joshua as a glorious man, with a drawn sword, and told him he was come, as chief commander of the Hebrew troops in their approaching wars. He fell on his face, and reverently put off his shoes (Josh. v :13-15).
(12) Capture of Jericho. Directed of God, Joshua made his troops encompass Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh, with the ark carried before them, and some sounding with ram's horns. When they had finished the thir teenth circuit, they gave a great shout, and the walls of Jericho, all around, fell flat to the ground. None but Rahab and her family were saved (Josh. vi). The metal found in the city was devoted to the service of God, but everything else to ruin; and a curse was denounced against the rebuilder of the city. Achan, however, coveted and took part of the spoil. (See ACFIAN.) (13) The First Defeat. Advised by some, Joshua, to ease his troops, sent no more but 3,ocio to attack Ai. To punish Achan's theft, they were repulsed, and thirty-six of the number slain. This exceedingly grieved Joshua, as he thought it would make the Canaanites triumph over God and his people. After solemn prayer he was informed of the cause, and the sacrilege was punished by the death of Achan and his family (Josh. vii).
(14) Capture of Ai. Next the Lord ordered the whole Hebrew host to attack Ai, and lo use stratagems beside. After it was taken, Joshua and the Hebrews seem to have marched north ward to Ebal and Gerizim. On Ebal they erected stones, plastered them with plaster, and plainly inscribed thereon a copy of the Mosaic laws, or rather an abridgement, or perhaps no more than the blessings and curses mentioned in Dent. xxvii and xxviii. An altar of rough stones was raised, and the burnt-offerings and peace-offer ing being finished, the people feasted on the flesh of the last with joy and gladness, that they were thus the covenant people of God. The priests then went down to the valley of Moreh between two hills, and with a loud voice read the blessings and curses. Six of the tribes, descended from free women, with their wives, and the strangers among them, stood on Gerizim, and echoed Amen to the blessings. Six of the tribes, four of which were descended of bond women, and one of Reuben, who had lost his birthright, with their wives, and the strangers, stood on Mount Ebal, and echoed their Amen to the curses as they were read. After this solemn dedication of them
selves to God's service, the Hebrews returned to Gaga! (Josh. vi-viii ; Deut. xxvii).
(15) League with the Gibeonites. Next, Joshua and the princes entered into a league with the Gibeonites; and being convinced of his mis take, he devoted that people to the laborious part of the service of God. Enraged that the Gibeon ites had made peace with Joshua, Adonizedek, and four of his neighboring princes, entered into a league to destroy them.
(16) Battle of Gibeon. Informed of this, Joshua marched to their assistance and routed the five kings. A little before sunset, Joshua brought these kings out of the cave of Makkedah, where he had shut them up, and after causing his captains to trample on their necks, he hanged them. Joshua proceeded to burn their cities, and slay the inhabitants throughout the south part of the promised land.
(17) Subsequent Conquests. This great bat tle was followed by the conquest of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, and De bir. In this one campaign Joshua subdued the southern half of Palestine, from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, the eastern and western limit of the south ern fronticr ; and he led the people back to Gilgal (Josh. x :15-43). In another campaign he marched to Lake Merom, where he met and overthrew a confederacy of thc Canaanitish chiefs of the north, Jabin, King of Hazor, and in the course of a pro tracted war he led his victorious soldiers to the gates of Zidon and into the Valley of Lebanon un der Hermon. In six years, six nations, with thirty one kings, swell the roll of his conquests, and amongst others the Anakim—the old terror of Israel—are specially recorded as destroyed every where except in Philistia. (Smith, Dict. of the Bible.) (18) Dividing the Inheritance. Joshua, now advanced in years, proceeded, in conjunction with Eleazar and the heads of the tribes, to complete the division of the conquered land ; and when all was allotted, Timnath-serah, in Mount Ephraim, was assigned by the people as Joshua's peculiar inheritance. The tabernacle of the congregation was established at Shiloh, six cities of refuge were appointed, forty-eight cities assigned to the Levites, and the warriors of the trans-Jordanic tribes dismissed in peace to their homes.