patriarchs and prophets-第96章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　vale。　。　。　。　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　at　Gilgal。〃

The　tribes　of　northern　Palestine；　terrified　at　the　success　which　had
attended　the　armies　of　Israel；　now　entered　into　a　league　against　them。　At
the　head　of　this　confederacy　was　Jabin；　king　of　Hazor；　a　territory　to　the
west　of　Lake　Merom。　〃And　they　went　out；　they　and　all　their　hosts　with　them。〃
This　army　was　much　larger　than　any　that　the　Israelites　had　before
encountered　in　Canaan〃much　people；　even　as　the　sand　that　is　upon　the
seashore　in　multitude；　with　horses　and　chariots　very　many。　And　when　all
these　kings　were　met　together；　they　came　and　pitched　together　at　the　waters
of　Merom；　to　fight　against　Israel。〃　Again　a　message　of　encouragement　was
given　to　Joshua：　〃Be　not　afraid　because　of　them：　for　tomorrow　about　this
time　will　I　deliver　them　up　all　slain　before　Israel。〃

Near　Lake　Merom　he　fell　upon　the　camp　of　the　allies　and　utterly　routed　their
forces。　〃The　Lord　delivered　them　into　the　hand　of　Israel；　who　smote　them；
and　chased　them　。　。　。　until　they　left　them　none　remaining。〃　The　chariots　and
horses　that　had　been　the　pride　and　boast　of　the　Canaanites　were　not　to　be
appropriated　by　Israel。　At　the　command　of　God　the　chariots　were　burned；　and
the　horses　lamed；　and　thus　rendered　unfit　for　use　in　battle。　The　Israelites
were　not　to　put　their　trust　in　chariots　or　horses；　but　〃in　the　name　of　the
Lord　their　God。〃

One　by　one　the　cities　were　taken；　and　Hazor；　the　stronghold　of　the
confederacy；　was　burned。　The　war　was　continued　for

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　511

several　years；　but　its　close　found　Joshua　master　of　Canaan。　〃And　the　land
had　rest　from　war。〃

But　though　the　power　of　the　Canaanites　had　been　broken；　they　had　not　been
fully　dispossessed。　On　the　west　the　Philistines　still　held　a　fertile　plain
along　the　seacoast；　while　north　of　them　was　the　territory　of　the　Sidonians。
Lebanon　also　was　in　the　possession　of　the　latter　people；　and　to　the　south；
toward　Egypt；　the　land　was　still　occupied　by　the　enemies　of　Israel。

Joshua　was　not；　however；　to　continue　the　war。　There　was　another　work　for　the
great　leader　to　perform　before　he　should　relinquish　the　command　of　Israel。
The　whole　land；　both　the　parts　already　conquered　and　that　which　was　yet
unsubdued；　was　to　be　apportioned　among　the　tribes。　And　it　was　the　duty　of
each　tribe　to　fully　subdue　its　own　inheritance。　If　the　people　should　prove
faithful　to　God；　He　would　drive　out　their　enemies　from　before　them；　and　He
promised　to　give　them　still　greater　possessions　if　they　would　but　be　true　to
His　covenant。

To　Joshua；　with　Eleazar　the　high　priest；　and　the　heads　of　the　tribes；　the
distribution　of　the　land　was　committed；　the　location　of　each　tribe　being
determined　by　lot。　Moses　himself　had　fixed　the　bounds　of　the　country　as　it
was　to　be　divided　among　the　tribes　when　they　should　come　in　possession　of
Canaan；　and　had　appointed　a　prince　from　each　tribe　to　attend　to　the
distribution。　The　tribe　of　Levi；　being　devoted　to　the　sanctuary　service；　was
not　counted　in　this　allotment；　but　forty…eight　cities　in　different　parts　of
the　country　were　assigned　the　Levites　as　their　inheritance。

Before　the　distribution　of　the　land　had　been　entered　upon；　Caleb；
accompanied　by　the　heads　of　his　tribe；　came　forward　with　a　special　claim。
Except　Joshua；　Caleb　was　now　the　oldest　man　in　Israel。　Caleb　and　Joshua　were
the　only　ones　among　the　spies　who　had　brought　a　good　report　of　the　Land　of
Promise；　encouraging　the　people　to　go　up　and　possess　it　in　the　name　of　the
Lord。　Caleb　now　reminded　Joshua　of　the　promise　then　made；　as　the　reward　of
his　faithfulness：　〃The　land　whereon　thy　feet　have　trodden　shall　be　thine
inheritance；　and　thy　children's　forever；　because　thou　hast　wholly　followed
the　Lord。〃　He　therefore　presented　a　request　that　Hebron　he　given　him　for　a
possession。　Here　had　been　for　many　years　the　home　of　Abraham；　Isaac；　and
Jacob；　and　here；　in　the　cave　of　Machpelah；　they　were　buried。

512

Hebron　was　the　seat　of　the　dreaded　Anakim；　whose　formidable　appearance　had
so　terrified　the　spies；　and　through　them　destroyed　the　courage　of　all
Israel。　This；　above　all　others；　was　the　place　which　Caleb；　trusting　in　the
strength　of　God；　chose　for　his　inheritance。

〃Behold；　the　Lord　hath　kept　me　alive；〃　he　said；　〃these　forty　and　five　years；
even　since　the　Lord　spake　this　word　unto　Moses：　。　。　。　and　now；　lo；　I　am　this
day　fourscore　and　five　years　old。　As　yet　I　am　as　strong　this　day　as　I　was　in
the　day　that　Moses　sent　me：　as　my　strength　was　then；　even　so　is　my　strength
now；　for　war；　both　to　go　out；　and　to　come　in。　Now　therefore　give　me　this
mountain；　whereof　the　Lord　spake　in　that　day：　for　thou　heardest　in　that　day
how　the　Anakim　were　there；　and　that　the　cities　were　great　and　fenced：　if　so
be　the　Lord　will　be　with　me；　then　I　shall　be　able　to　drive　them　out；　as　the
Lord　said。〃　This　request　was　supported　by　the　chief　men　of　Judah。　Caleb
himself　being　the　one　appointed　from　this　tribe　to　apportion　the　land；　he
had　chosen　to　unite　these　men　with　him　in　presenting　his　claim；　that　there
might　be　no　appearance　of　having　employed　his　authority　for　selfish
advantage。

His　claim　was　immediately　granted。　To　none　could　the　conquest　of　this　giant
stronghold　be　more　safely　entrusted。　〃Joshua　blessed　him；　and　gave　unto
Caleb　the　son　of　Jephunneh　Hebron　for　an　inheritance；〃　〃because　that　he
wholly　followed　the　Lord　God　of　Israel。〃　Caleb's　faith　now　was　just　what　it
was　when　his　testimony　had　contradicted　the　evil　report　of　the　spies。　He　had
believed　God's　promise　that　He　would　put　His　people　in　possession　of　Canaan；
and　in　this　he　had　followed　the　Lord　fully。　He　had　endured　with　his　people
the　long　wandering　in　the　wilderness；　thus　sharing　the　disappointments　and
burdens　of　the　guilty；　yet　he　made　no　complaint　of　this；　but　exalted　the
mercy　of　God　that　had　preserved　him　in　the　wilderness　when　his　brethren　were
cut　off。　Amid　all　the　hardships；　perils；　and　plagues　of　the　desert
wanderings；　and　during　the　years　of　warfare　since　entering　Canaan；　the　Lord
had　preserved　him；　and　now　at　upwards　of　fourscore　his　vigor　was　unabated。
He　did　not　ask　for　himself　a　land　already　conquered；　but　the　place　which
above　all　others　the　spies　had　thought　it　impossible　to　subdue。　By　the　help
of　God　he　would　wrest　his　stronghold　from　the　very　giants　whose　power　had
staggered　the　faith　of　Israel。　It　was　no　desire　for　honor　or　aggrandizement
that　prompted　Caleb's　request。　The　brave　old

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　513

warrior　was　desirous　of　giving　to　the　people　an　example　that　would　honor
God；　and　encourage　the　tribes　fully　to　subdue　the　land　which　their　fathers
had　deemed　unconquerable。

Caleb　obtained　the　inheritance　upon　which　his　heart　had　been　set　for　forty
years；　and；　trusting　in　God　to　be　with　him；　he　〃drove　thence　the　three　sons
of　Anak。〃　Having　thus　secured　a　possession　for　himself　and　his　house；　his
zeal　did　not　abate；　he　did　not　settle　down　to　enjoy　his　inheritance；　but
pushed　on　to　further　conquests　for　the　benefit　of　the　nation　and　the　glory
of　God。

The　cowards　and　rebels　had　perished　in　the　wilderness；　but　the　righteous
spies　ate　of　the　grapes　of　Eschol。　To　each　was　given　according　to　his　faith。
The　unbelieving　had　seen　their　fears　fulfilled。　Notwithstanding　God's
promise；　they　had　declared　that　it　was　impossible　to　inherit　Canaan；　and
they　did　not　possess　it。　But　those　who　trusted　in　God；　looking　not　so　much
to　the　difficulties　to　be　encountered　as　to　the　strength　of　their　Almighty
Helper；　entered　the　goodly　land。　It　was　through　faith　that　the　ancient
worthies　〃subdued　kingdoms；　。　。　。　escaped　the　edge　of　the　sword；　out　of
weakness　were　made　strong；　waxed　valiant　in　fight；　turned　to　flight　the
armies　of　the　aliens。〃　Hebrews　11：33；　34。　〃This　is　the　victory　that
overcometh　the　world；　even　our　faith。〃
1　John　5：4。

Another　claim　concerning　the　division　of　the　land　revealed　a　spirit　widely
different　from　that　of　Caleb。　It　was　presented　by　the　children　of　Joseph；
the　tribe　of　Ephraim　with　the　half　tribe　of　Manasseh。　In　consideration　of
their　superior　numbers；　these　tribes　demanded　a　double　portion　of　territory。
The　lot　designated　for　them　was　the　richest　in　the　land；　including　the
fertile　plain　of　Sharon；　but　many　of　the　principal　towns　in　the　valley　were
still　in　possession　of　the　Canaanites；　and　the　tribes　shrank　from　the　toil
and　danger　of　conquering　their　possessions；　and　desired　an　additional
portion　in　territory　already　subdued。　The　tribe　of　Ephraim　was　one　of　the
largest　in　Israel；　as　well　as　the　one　to　which　Joshua　himself　belonged；　and
its　members　naturally　regarded　themselves　as　entitled　to　special
consideration。　〃Why　hast　thou　given　me　but　one　lot　and　one　portion　to
inherit；〃　they　said；　〃seeing　I　am　a　great　people？〃　But　no　departure　from
strict　justice　could　be　won　from　the　inflexible　leader。

His　answer　was；　〃If　thou　be　a　great　people；　then　get　thee　up　to　the　wood
country；　and　cut　down　for　thyself　there　in　the　land

514

of　the　Perizzites　and　of　the　giants；　if　Mount　Ephraim　be　too　narrow　for
thee。〃

Their　reply　showed　the　real　cause　of　complaint。　They　lacked　faith　and
courage　to　drive　out　the　Canaanites。　〃The　hill　is　not　enough　for　us；〃　they
said；　〃and　all　the　Canaanites　that　dwell　in　the　land　of　the　valley　have
chariots　of　iron。〃

The　power　of　the　God　of　Israel　had　been　pledged　to　His　people；　and　had　the
Ephraimites　possessed　the　courage　and　faith　of　Caleb；　no　enemy　could　have
stood　before　them。　Their　evident　desire　to　shun　hardship　and　danger　was
firmly　met　by　Joshua。　〃Thou　art　a　great　people；　and　hast　great　power；〃　he
said；　〃thou　shalt　drive　out　the　Canaanites；　though　they　have　iron　chariots；
and　though　they　be　strong。〃　Thus　their　own　arguments　were　turned　against
them。　Being　a　great　people；　as　they　claimed；　they　were　fully　able　to　make
their　own　way；　as　did　their　brethren。　With　the　help　of　God　they　need　not
fear　the　chariots　of　iron。

Heretofore　Gilgal　had　been　the　headquarters　of　the　nation　and　the　seat　of
the　tabernacle。　But　now　the　tabernacle　was　to　be　removed　to　the　place　chosen
for　its　permanent　location。　This　was　Shiloh；　a　little　town　in　the　lot　of
Ephraim。　It　was　near　the　center　of　the　land；　and　was　easy　of　access　to　all
the　tribes。　Here　a　portion　of　country　had　been　thoroughly　subdued；　so　that
the　worshipers　would　not　be　molested。　〃And　the　whole　congregation　of　the
children　of　Israel　assembled　together　at　Shiloh；　and　set　up　the　tabernacle
of　the　congregation　there。〃　The　tribes　that　were　still　encamped　when　the
tabernacle　was　removed　from　Gilgal　followed　it；　and　pitched　near　Shiloh。
Here　these　tribes　remained　until　they　dispersed　to　their　possessions。

The　ark　remained　at　Shiloh　for　three　hundred　years；　until；　because　of　the
sins　of　Eli's　house；　it　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Philistines；　and　Shiloh
was　ruined。　The　ark　was　never　returned　to　the　tabernacle　here；　the　sanctuary
service　was　finally　transferred　to　the　temple　at　Jerusalem；　and　Shiloh　fell
into　insignificance。　There　are　only　ruins　to　mark　the　s