patriarchs and prophets-第118节

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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

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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　spot　where　it　once
stood。　Long　afterward　its　fate　was　made　use　of　as　a　warning　to　Jerusalem。
〃Go　ye　now　unto　My　place　which　was　in　Shiloh；〃　the　Lord　declared　by　the
prophet　Jeremiah；　〃where　I　set　My　name　at　the　first；　and　see　what　I　did　to
it　for　the　wickedness　of　My　people　Israel。　。　。　。　Therefore　will　I　do　unto
this　house；　which　is　called　by　My　name；　wherein　ye　trust；　and　unto　the　place
which

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I　gave　to　you　and　to　your　fathers；　as　I　have　done　to　Shiloh。〃　Jeremiah
7：12…14。

〃When　they　had　made　an　end　of　dividing　the　land；〃　and　all　the　tribes　had
been　allotted　their　inheritance。　Joshua　presented　his　claim。　To　him；　as　to
Caleb；　a　special　promise　of　inheritance　had　been　given；　yet　he　asked　for　no
extensive　province；　but　only　a　single　city。　〃They　gave　him　the　city　which　he
asked；　。　。　。　and　he　built　the　city；　and　dwelt　therein。〃　The　name　given　to
the　city　was　Timnath…serah；　〃the　portion　that　remains〃a　standing　testimony
to　the　noble　character　and　unselfish　spirit　of　the　conqueror；　who；　instead
of　being　the　first　to　appropriate　the　spoils　of　conquest；　deferred　his　claim
until　the　humblest　of　his　people　had　been　served。

Six　of　the　cities　assigned　to　the　Levitesthree　on　each　side　the
Jordanwere　appointed　as　cities　of　refuge；　to　which　the　manslayer　might
flee　for　safety。　The　appointment　of　these　cities　had　been　commanded　by
Moses；　〃that　the　slayer　may　flee　thither；　which　killeth　any　person　at
unawares。　And　they　shall　be　unto　you　cities　for　refuge；〃　he　said；　〃that　the
manslayer　die　not；　until　he　stand　before　the　congregation　in　judgment。〃
Numbers　35：11；
12。　This　merciful　provision　was　rendered　necessary　by　the
ancient　custom　of　private　vengeance；　by　which　the　punishment　of　the　murderer
devolved　on　the　nearest　relative　or　the　next　heir　of　the　deceased。　In　cases
where　guilt　was　clearly　evident　it　was　not　necessary　to　wait　for　a　trial　by
the　magistrates。　The　avenger　might　pursue　the　criminal　anywhere　and　put　him
to　death　wherever　he　should　be　found。　The　Lord　did　not　see　fit　to　abolish
this　custom　at　that　time；　but　He　made　provision　to　ensure　the　safety　of
those　who　should　take　life　unintentionally。

The　cities　of　refuge　were　so　distributed　as　to　be　within　a　half　day's
journey　of　every　part　of　the　land。　The　roads　leading　to　them　were　always　to
be　kept　in　good　repair；　all　along　the　way　signposts　were　to　be　erected
bearing　the　word　〃Refuge〃　in　plain；　bold　characters；　that　the　fleeing　one
might　not　be　delayed　for　a　moment。　Any　personHebrew；　stranger；　or
sojournermight　avail　himself　of　this　provision。　But　while　the　guiltless
were　not　to　be　rashly　slain；　neither　were　the　guilty　to　escape　punishment。
The　case　of　the　fugitive　was　to　be　fairly　tried　by　the　proper　authorities；
and　only　when　found　innocent　of　intentional　murder　was　he　to　be　protected　in
the　city　of　refuge。　The　guilty　were

516

given　up　to　the　avenger。　And　those　who　were　entitled　to　protection　could
receive　it　only　on　condition　of　remaining　within　the　appointed　refuge。
Should　one　wander　away　beyond　the　prescribed　limits；　and　be　found　by　the
avenger　of　blood；　his　life　would　pay　the　penalty　of　his　disregard　of　the
Lord's　provision。　At　the　death　of　the　high　priest；　however；　all　who　had
sought　shelter　in　the　cities　of　refuge　were　at　liberty　to　return　to　their
possessions。

In　a　trial　for　murder　the　accused　was　not　to　be　condemned　on　the　testimony
of　one　witness；　even　though　circumstantial　evidence　might　be　strong　against
him。　The　Lord's　direction　was；　〃Whoso　killeth　any　person；　the　murderer　shall
be　put　to　death　by　the　mouth　of　witnesses：　but　one　witness　shall　not　testify
against　any　person　to　cause　him　to　die。〃　Numbers　35：30。　It　was　Christ　who
gave　to　Moses　these　directions　for　Israel；　and　when　personally　with　His
disciples　on　earth；　as　He　taught　them　how　to　treat　the　erring；　the　Great
Teacher　repeated　the　lesson　that　one　man's　testimony　is　not　to　acquit　or
condemn。　One　man's　views　and　opinions　are　not　to　settle　disputed　questions。
In　all　these　matters　two　or　more　are　to　be　associated；　and　together　they　are
to　bear　the　responsibility；　〃that　in　the　mouth　of　two　or　three　witnesses
every　word　may　be　established。〃　Matthew　18：16。

If　the　one　tried　for　murder　were　proved　guilty；　no　atonement　or　ransom　could
rescue　him。　〃Whoso　sheddeth　man's　blood；　by　man　shall　his　blood　be　shed。〃
Genesis　9：6。　〃Ye　shall　take　no　satisfaction　for　the　life　of　a　murderer；
which　is　guilty　of　death：　but　he　shall　be　surely　put　to　death。〃　〃Thou　shalt
take　him　from　Mine　altar；　that　he　may　die；〃　was　the　command　of　God；　〃the
land　cannot　be　cleansed　of　the　blood　that　is　shed　therein；　but　by　the　blood
of　him　that　shed　it。〃　Numbers　35：31；　33；　Exodus　21：14。　The　safety　and　purity
of　the　nation　demanded　that　the　sin　of　murder　be　severely　punished。　Human
life；　which　God　alone　could　give；　must　be　sacredly　guarded。

The　cities　of　refuge　appointed　for　God's　ancient　people　were　a　symbol　of　the
refuge　provided　in　Christ。　The　same　merciful　Saviour　who　appointed　those
temporal　cities　of　refuge　has　by　the　shedding　of　His　own　blood　provided　for
the　transgressors　of　God's　law　a　sure　retreat；　into　which　they　may　flee　for
safety　from　the　second　death。　No　power　can　take　out　of　His　hands　the　souls
that　go　to　Him　for　pardon。　〃There　is　therefore　now　no

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condemnation　to　them　which　are　in　Christ　Jesus。〃　〃Who　is　he　that　condemneth？
It　is　Christ　that　died；　yea　rather；　that　is　risen　again；　who　is　even　at　the
right　hand　of　God；　who　also　maketh　intercession　for　us；〃　that　〃we　might　have
a　strong　consolation；　who　have　fled　for　refuge　to　lay　hold　upon　the　hope　set
before　us。〃　Romans　8：1；　34；　Hebrews　6：18。

He　who　fled　to　the　city　of　refuge　could　make　no　delay。　Family　and　employment
were　left　behind。　There　was　no　time　to　say　farewell　to　loved　ones。　His　life
was　at　stake；　and　every　other　interest　must　be　sacrificed　to　the　one
purposeto　reach　the　place　of　safety。　Weariness　was　forgotten；　difficulties
were　unheeded。　The　fugitive　dared　n