CHAPTER XV.

The Wars of the Children of Israel with the Heathen Kings. The Sun and Moon stand still. The Land is divided. Joshua's Death.

OW when the kings of the Amorites, and the

kings of the Canaanites by the sea, heard

that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan for the children of Israel to pass over, their hearts melted for fear, and there was no longer any spirit in them. And the city of Jericho was kept fast shut up, none went out and none came in. And God said to Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And God told Joshua what to do. Then Joshua called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord. And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord. And when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with their trumpets. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rest

followed after. Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall you speak any word, until the day I bid you shout. Then shall ye shout. So they went round the city once every day for six days, returning to the camp at night. And on the seventh day they rose early about the dawning of the day, and went round the city seven times instead of once. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout, for the Lord hath given you the city. So when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they shouted with a great shout. And the wall fell down flat, so that they went up into the city, every man straight, before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was therein, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed, take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai, and thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst to Jericho and her king, only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves. So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai. And they took it, and set the city on fire, and smote the people with the edge of the sword. Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord, and offered sacrifices. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the

blessings and the cursings, before all the congregation of Israel. Then the king of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon (which was subject to Israel), and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua, to the campof Gilgal, saying, Come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us. For all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. So Joshua came up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thine hand. There shall not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon. And as they fled before Israel, the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them, and they died. More died from the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. Then spake Joshua to, the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst

of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel. And Joshua killed the five kings, and he took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and he passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah. And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel. And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and fought against it. And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hands of Israel on the second day. And Horam king of Gezer came to help Lachish, and Joshua smote him and his people, and left none remaining. And then he passed to Eglon, and took it on that day. And after that Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron, and fought against it, and took it, and destroyed it utterly. Then he returned to Debir, and fought against it, and took it, and the king thereof, and the cities thereof. So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vales, and of the springs, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded. And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp of Gilgal.

Now it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor

had heard those things, that he sent to other kings of the mountains, and the plains, and valleys, and to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Hivite. And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid of them, for to-morrow about this time I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote, and utterly destroyed them. So Joshua took all that whole land (and slew the kings, thirty and one in number), according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war. All the land which the Lord had thus given into the hands of His people, Joshua divided amongst them, according to their tribes: nine tribes and a half on this side Jordan, and two tribes and a half on the other side Jordan. Now the children of Joseph were two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh. But the Levites, being priests, had no inheritance amongst them, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and substance, for the priesthood of the Lord was their inheritance. As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land. And to Caleb, who brought up a true report of