patriarchs and prophets-第105部分

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Joshua　prepared　to　go　at　once　to　the　relief　of　Gibeon。　The　inhabitants　of
the　besieged　city　had　feared　that　he　would　reject

508

their　appeal；　because　of　the　fraud　which　they　had　practiced；　but　since　they
had　submitted　to　the　control　of　Israel；　and　had　accepted　the　worship　of　God；
he　felt　himself　under　obligation　to　protect　them。　He　did　not　this　time　move
without　divine　counsel；　and　the　Lord　encouraged　him　in　the　undertaking。
〃Fear　them　not；〃　was　the　divine　message；　〃for　I　have　delivered　them　into
thine　hand；　there　shall　not　a　man　of　them　stand　before　thee。〃　〃So　Joshua
ascended　from　Gilgal；　he；　and　all　the　people　of　war　with　him；　and　all　the
mighty　men　of　valor。〃

By　marching　all　night　he　brought　his　forces　before　Gibeon　in　the　morning。
Scarcely　had　the　confederate　princes　mustered　their　armies　about　the　city
when　Joshua　was　upon　them。　The　attack　resulted　in　the　utter　discomfiture　of
the　assailants。　The　immense　host　fled　before　Joshua　up　the　mountain　pass　to
Beth…horon；　and　having　gained　the　height；　they　rushed　down　the　precipitous
descent　upon　the　other　side。　Here　a　fierce　hailstorm　burst　upon　them。　〃The
Lord　cast　down　great　stones　from　heaven：　。　。　。　they　were　more　which　died
with　hailstones　than　they　whom　the　children　of　Israel　slew　with　the　sword。〃

While　the　Amorites　were　continuing　their　headlong　flight；　intent　on　finding
refuge　in　the　mountain　strongholds；　Joshua；　looking　down　from　the　ridge
above；　saw　that　the　day　would　be　too　short　for　the　accomplishment　of　his
work。　If　not　fully　routed；　their　enemies　would　again　rally；　and　renew　the
struggle。　〃Then　spake　Joshua　to　the　Lord；　。　。　。　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。　。　。　。　The　sun　stood　still　in　the
midst　of　heaven；　and　hasted　not　to　go　down　about　a　whole　day。〃

Before　the　evening　fell；　God's　promise　to　Joshua　had　been　fulfilled。　The
entire　host　of　the　enemy　had　been　given　into　his　hand。　Long　were　the　events
of　that　day　to　remain　in　the　memory　of　Israel。　〃There　was　no　day　like　that
before　it　or　after　it；　that　Jehovah　hearkened　unto　the　voice　of　a　man：　for
the　Lord　fought　for　Israel。〃　〃The　sun　and　moon　stood　still　in　their
habitation：　at　the　light　of　Thine　arrows　they　went；　and　at　the　shining　of
Thy　glittering　spear。　Thou　didst　march　through　the　land　in　indignation；　Thou
didst　thresh　the　heathen　in　anger。　Thou　wentest　forth　for　the　salvation　of
Thy　people。〃　Habakkuk　3：11…13。

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The　Spirit　of　God　inspired　Joshua's　prayer；　that　evidence　might　again　be
given　of　the　power　of　Israel's　God。　Hence　the　request　did　not　show
presumption　on　the　part　of　the　great　leader。　Joshua　had　received　the　promise
that　God　would　surely　overthrow　these　enemies　of　Israel；　yet　he　put　forth　as
earnest　effort　as　though　success　depended　upon　the　armies　of　Israel　alone。
He　did　all　that　human　energy　could　do；　and　then　he　cried　in　faith　for　divine
aid。　The　secret　of　success　is　the　union　of　divine　power　with　human　effort。
Those　who　achieve　the　greatest　results　are　those　who　rely　most　implicitly
upon　the　Almighty　Arm。　The　man　who　commanded；　〃Sun；　stand　thou　still　upon
Gibeon；　and　thou；　Moon；　in　the　valley　of　Ajalon；〃　is　the　man　who　for　hours
lay　prostrate　upon　the　earth　in　prayer　in　the　camp　of　Gilgal。　The　men　of
prayer　are　the　men　of　power。

This　mighty　miracle　testifies　that　the　creation　is　under　the　control　of　the
Creator。　Satan　seeks　to　conceal　from　men　the　divine　agency　in　the　physical
worldto　keep　out　of　sight　the　unwearied　working　of　the　first　great　cause。
In　this　miracle　all　who　exalt　nature　above　the　God　of　nature　stand　rebuked。

At　His　own　will　God　summons　the　forces　of　nature　to　overthrow　the　might　of
His　enemies〃fire；　and　hail；　snow；　and　vapor；　stormy　wind　fulfilling　His
word。〃　Psalm　148：8。　When　the　heathen　Amorites　had　set　themselves　to　resist
His　purposes；　God　interposed；　casting　down　〃great　stones　from　heaven〃　upon
the　enemies　of　Israel。　We　are　told　of　a　greater　battle　to　take　place　in　the
closing　scenes　of　earth's　history；　when　〃Jehovah　hath　opened　His　armory；　and
hath　brought　forth　the　weapons　of　His　indignation。〃　Jeremiah　50：25。　〃Hast
thou；〃　he　inquires；　〃entered　into　the　treasures　of　the　snow？　or　hast　thou
seen　the　treasures　of　the　hail；　which　I　have　reserved　against　the　time　of
trouble；　against　the　day　of　battle　and　war？〃　Job　38：22；　23。

The　revelator　describes　the　destruction　that　is　to　take　place　when　the
〃great　voice　out　of　the　temple　of　heaven〃　announces；　〃It　is　done。〃　He　says；
〃There　fell　upon　men　a　great　hail　out　of　heaven；　every　stone　about　the
weight　of　a　talent。〃　Revelation　16：17；　21。





（510）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　48

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Division　of　Canaan


The　victory　at　Beth…horon　was　speedily　followed　by　the　conquest　of　southern
Canaan。　〃Joshua　smote　all　the　country　of　the　hills；　and　of　the　south；　and　of
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

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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　lan