patriarchs and prophets-第117节

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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

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　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　pr