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of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdoth-pisgah:

4. And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

5. And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites, and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

6. Them did Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the children of Israel, smite: and Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and

the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

7. And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon, even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the children of Israel for a possession, according to their divisions:

8. In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

The recapitulation is divided into two parts. First, it rehearses the conquests that had been gained, east of the Jordan, while Moses was yet living. It then gives the conquests on the west side. Some of them had not been named before, and some of them had been. The conquests east of the river are reported in almost the identical words, that are used in the earlier history. And it can hardly be doubted that the writer had that history before him. See Num. xxi. 21-26, 33-35; Deut. ii. 24-36; iii. 4-11.

As the other side of Jordan was understood to be an indefinite expression, that might denote one side or the other, the writer adds the qualifying expression, "toward the rising of the sun,"

The extent of the conquests on the west side is here given from mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, to Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon. The same had been reported before, in the same form, and in another form meaning the same thing.

The references to the mountains, valleys, springs, wilderness, etc., while they show the difficulties that lay in the way of the Hebrew commander, give us some idea of the character of the country.

JOS. XII.

9. The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el,

one;

10. The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;

11. The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

12. The king of Eglon, one; the the king of Gezer one;

13. The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

14. The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;

15. The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

16. The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beth-el, one;

17. The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher one;

18. The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;

19. The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazer, one;

20. The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achsaph, one; 21. The king of Taanach, one; the king of Meggido, one;

22. The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;

23. The king of Dor, in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;

24. The king of Tirzah, one; all the kings thirty and one.

We have had an account of the taking of Jericho and Ai. Bethel is mentioned in connection with the last of these two; but nothing is said of its being taken and destroyed. What is here wanting is supplied by the author of Judges, who tells us that it was betrayed by one of the citizens. Jud. i. 22 – 26.

The conquest of Jerusalem had not been described, and the author of Judges supplies the record, and adds that the Israelites set the city on fire. The taking of Hebron is given, and the author of Judges repeats it. The latter adds an item, not given before, namely, that they slew Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the giants of Hebron.

The taking of Debir, by Othniel for Caleb, is repeated in so nearly the same words, that we must conclude the last account is copied from the first.

We have among the names, on this list, Gezer in Ephraim, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor in Manasseh, and Aphek in Asher, among the conquered cities. But the author of Judges adds a qualification, namely that the Israelites gained a settlement in the cities, and subjected the inhabitants to tribute, but did not drive them out. See Judges, first chapter.

CHAPTER VII.

CANAAN DIVIDED TO THE TRIBES.

CONTENTS: The Portion of the Land not yet Subdued; The Portion of the Two Tribes and a Half, East of the Jordan; Hebron assigned to Caleb; Judah's Portion; Ephraim and Manasseh's; The Land Surveyed and the Division Continued, Benjamin's Lot, Simeon's, Zebulun's, Issachar's, Asher's, Naphtali's, Dan's; Cities of Refuge appointed; Cities given to the Priests and Levites; Conclusion.

SECTION I.-THE PORTION OF THE COUNTRY NOT YET SUBDUED.

JOS. XIII.

1. Now Joshua was old and stricken in years, and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

2. This is the land that yet remaineth; all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

3. From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites: also the Avites.

4. From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that

is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:

5. And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sun. rising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon, unto the entering into Hamath.

6. All the inhabitants of the hill-country, from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel; only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

7. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Joshua was old. He was near the close of his life, being over an hundred years, though not quite as old as Moses. Like Moses, his natural strength seems to have been but little abated. His life had been a very active. one; and that is one of the conditions of a vigorous old age.

There remained much land to be possessed. The land that yet remained in the hands of the Canaanites, is the

meaning; and this description is thought to conflict with the previous representations concerning the extent of the conquests that had been made.

Place the passages side by side, as follows; and their agreement or disagreement may be seen by any one who understands the localities referred to.

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4. From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek to the borders of the Amorites:

5. And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon, unto the entering into Hamath.

6. All the inhabitants of the hill-country, from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel; only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

The first passage on the left hand refers to one campaign in the south part of the country. The next passage repeats the same; and then there is added a general statement, embracing the campaigns both south and north. The last passage on the left is also a brief general statement of both campaigns. All the conquests that had been made are comprehended within these limits; and all general or unlimited expressions, made use

of in the history, must be interpreted according to the limitations here furnished.

These limitations are first "from Kadesh to Gaza." These places occupied the two extreme points on the south border of Canaan. From Kadesh to Gaza implies that Gaza was not taken. It was a Philistine city, and with other Philistine cities was not conquered. There is then no contradiction, so far as the cities of the Philistines are concerned.

The next limitation is expressed thus, "all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon." This takes in a region of country from Gaza, near the south-west corner of Palestine, to Gibeon near Jerusalem. It leaves out Gaza and all the other Philistine cities.

The next passage on the left makes "mount Halak that goeth up to Seir" the southern limit, instead of Kadesh; but it is certain that these two points were not far apart. Then the author mentions the northern limit, namely, "Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon." What is there in the right hand passage that conflicts with this? The land of the Canaanites is excepted from the conquests of Joshua. Of course the reference is to the Canaanites as a tribe. We have seen that they had two localities in Canaan one on the Jordan, and another on the Mediterranean sea. Neither is included in the above description. "Mearah that is beside the the Sidonians" is another exception. Joshua did not conquer the Sidonians; and it is reasonable to conclude that this place, near them, was not conquered. Joshua pursued the army of Jabin to great Sidon; but nothing is said about conquering the country, much less taking possession of it. "The Giblites" were not conquered. It is not claimed that they were. The same may be said of "all Lebanon," for conquering to Lebanon does not necessarily include Lebanon. "From Baal-gad unto mount Hermon." Joshua conquered to Baal-gad, but not from it to mount Hermon. "From Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim-" Here the same remark may be made.

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