the antiquities of the jews-1-第64章

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spoils　among　the　soldiers。

16。　But　the　Gibeonites；　who　inhabited　very　near　to　Jerusalem；
when　they　saw　what　miseries　had　happened　to　the　inhabitants　of
Jericho；　and　to　those　of　Ai；　and　suspected　that　the　like　sore
calamity　would　come　as　far　as　themselves；　they　did　not　think　fit
to　ask　for　mercy　of　Joshua；　for　they　supposed　they　should　find
little　mercy　from　him；　who　made　war　that　he　might　entirely
destroy　the　nation　of　the　Canaanites；　but　they　invited　the　people
of　Cephirah　and　Kiriathjearim；　who　were　their　neighbors；　to　join
in　league　with　them；　and　told　them　that　neither　could　they
themselves　avoid　the　danger　they　were　all　in；　if　the　Israelites
should　prevent　them；　and　seize　upon　them：　so　when　they　had
persuaded　them；　they　resolved　to　endeavor　to　escape　the　forces　of
the　Israelites。　Accordingly；　upon　their　agreement　to　what　they
proposed；　they　sent　ambassadors　to　Joshua　to　make　a　league　of
friendship　with　him；　and　those　such　of　the　citizens　as　were　best
approved　of；　and　most　capable　of　doing　what　was　most　advantageous
to　the　multitude。　Now　these　ambassadors　thought　it　dangerous　to
confess　themselves　to　be　Canaanites；　but　thought　they　might　by
this　contrivance　avoid　the　danger；　namely；　by　saying　that　they
bare　no　relation　to　the　Canaanites　at　all；　but　dwelt　at　a　very
great　distance　from　them：　and　they　said　further；　that　they　came　a
long　way；　on　account　of　the　reputation　he　had　gained　for　his
virtue；　and　as　a　mark　of　the　truth　of　what　they　said；　they　showed
him　the　habit　they　were　in；　for　that　their　clothes　were　new　when
they　came　out；　but　were　greatly　worn　by　the　length　of　thee　they
had　been　on　their　journey；　for　indeed　they　took　torn　garments；　on
purpose　that　they　might　make　him　believe　so。　So　they　stood　in　the
midst　of　the　people；　and　said　that　they　were　sent　by　the　people
of　Gibeon；　and　of　the　circumjacent　cities；　which　were　very　remote
from　the　land　where　they　now　were；　to　make　such　a　league　of
friendship　with　them；　and　this　on　such　conditions　as　were
customary　among　their　forefathers；　for　when　they　understood　that；
by　the　favor　of　God；　and　his　gift　to　them；　they　were　to　have　the
possession　of　the　land　of　Canaan　bestowed　upon　them；　they　said
that　they　were　very　glad　to　hear　it；　and　desired　to　be　admitted
into　the　number　of　their　citizens。　Thus　did　these　ambassadors
speak；　and　showing　them　the　marks　of　their　long　journey；　they
entreated　the　Hebrews　to　make　a　league　of　friendship　with　them。
Accordingly　Joshua；　believing　what　they　said；　that　they　were　not
of　the　nation　of　the　Canaanites；　entered　into　friendship　with
them；　and　Eleazar　the　high　priest；　with　the　senate；　sware　to　them
that　they　would　esteem　them　their　friends　and　associates；　and
would　attempt　nothing　that　should　be　unfair　against　them；　the
multitude　also　assenting　to　the　oaths　that　were　made　to　them。　So
these　men；　having　obtained　what　they　desired；　by　deceiving　the
Israelites；　went　home：　but　when　Joshua　led　his　army　to　the
country　at　the　bottom　of　the　mountains　of　this　part　of　Canaan；　he
understood　that　the　Gibeonites　dwelt　not　far　from　Jerusalem；　and
that　they　were　of　the　stock　of　the　Canaanites；　so　he　sent　for
their　governors；　and　reproached　them　with　the　cheat　they　had　put
upon　him；　but　they　alleged；　on　their　own　behalf；　that　they　had　no
other　way　to　save　themselves　but　that；　and　were　therefore　forced
to　have　recourse　to　it。　So　he　called　for　Eleazar　the　high　priest；
and　for　the　senate；　who　thought　it　right　to　make　them　public
servants；　that　they　might　not　break　the　oath　they　had　made　to
them；　and　they　ordained　them　to　be　so。　And　this　was　the　method　by
which　these　men　found。　safety　and　security　under　the　calamity
that　was　ready　to　overtake　them。

17。　But　the　king　of　Jerusalem　took　it　to　heart　that　the
Gibeonites　had　gone　over　to　Joshua；　so　he　called　upon　the　kings
of　the　neighboring　nations　to　join　together；　and　make　war　against
them。　Now　when　the　Gibeonites　saw　these　kings；　which　were　four；
besides　the　king　of　Jerusalem；　and　perceived　that　they　had
pitched　their　camp　at　a　certain　fountain　not　far　from　their　city；
and　were　getting　ready　for　the　siege　of　it；　they　called　upon
Joshua　to　assist　them；　for　such　was　their　case；　as　to　expect　to
be　destroyed　by　these　Canaanites；　but　to　suppose　they　should　be
saved　by　those　that　came　for　the　destruction　of　the　Canaanites；
because　of　the　league　of　friendship　that　was　between　them。
Accordingly；　Joshua　made　haste　with　his　whole　army　to　assist
them；　and　marching　day　and　night；　in　the　morning　he　fell　upon　the
enemies　as　they　were　going　up　to　the　siege；　and　when　he　had
discomfited　them；　he　followed　them；　and　pursued　them　down　the
descent　of　the　hills。　The　place　is　called　Bethhoron；　where　he
also　understood　that　God　assisted　him；　which　he　declared　by
thunder　and　thunderbolts；　as　also　by　the　falling　of　hail　larger
than　usual。　Moreover；　it　happened　that　the　day　was　lengthened　（7）
that　the　night　might　not　come　on　too　soon；　and　be　an　obstruction
to　the　zeal　of　the　Hebrews　in　pursuing　their　enemies；　insomuch
that　Joshua　took　the　kings；　who　were　hidden　in　a　certain　cave　at
Makkedah；　and　put　them　to　death。　Now；　that　the　day　was　lengthened
at　this　thee；　and　was　longer　than　ordinary；　is　expressed　in　the
books　laid　up　in　the　temple。　（8）

18。　These　kings　which　made　war　with；　and　were　ready　to　fight　the
Gibeonites；　being　thus　overthrown；　Joshua　returned　again　to　the
mountainous　parts　of　Canaan；　and　when　he　had　made　a　great
slaughter　of　the　people　there；　and　took　their　prey；　he　came　to
the　camp　at　Gilgal。　And　now　there　went　a　great　fame　abroad　among
the　neighboring　people　of　the　courage　of　the　Hebrews；　and　those
that　heard　what　a　number　of　men　were　destroyed；　were　greatly
aftrighted　at　it：　so　the　kings　that　lived　about　Mount　Libanus；
who　were　Canaanites；　and　those　Canaanites　that　dwelt　in　the　plain
country；　with　auxiliaries　out　of　the　land　of　the　Philistines；
pitched　their　camp　at　Beroth；　a　city　of　the　Upper　Galilee；　not
far　from　Cadesh；　which　is　itself　also　a　place　in　Galilee。　Now　the
number　of　the　whole　army　was　three　hundred　thousand　armed
footmen；　and　ten　thousand　horsemen；　and　twenty　thousand　chariots；
so　that　the　multitude　of　the　enemies　aftrighted　both　Joshua
himself　and　the　Israelites；　and　they；　instead　of　being　full　of
hopes　of　good　success；　were　superstitiously　timorous；　with　the
great　terror　with　which　they　were　stricken。　Whereupon　God
upbraided　them　with　the　fear　they　were　in；　and　asked　them　whether
they　desired　a　greater　help　than　he　could　afford　them；　and
promised　them　that　they　should　overcome　their　enemies；　and　withal
charged　them　to　make　their　enemies'　horses　useless；　and　to　burn
their　chariots。　So　Joshua　became　full　of　courage　upon　these
promises　of　God；　and　went　out　suddenly　against　the　enemies；　and
after　five　days'　march　he　came　upon　them；　and　joined　battle　with
them；　and　there　was　a　terrible　fight；　and　such　a　number　were
slain　as　could　not　be　believed　by　those　that　heard　it。　He　also
went　on　in　the　pursuit　a　great　way；　and　destroyed　the　entire　army
of　the　enemies；　few　only　excepted；　and　all　the　kings　fell　in　the
battle；　insomuch；　that　when　there　wanted　men　to　be　killed；　Joshua
slew　their　horses；　and　burnt　their　chariots　and　passed　all　over
their　country　without　opposition；　no　one　daring　to　meet　him　in
battle；　but　he　still　went　on；　taking　their　cities　by　siege；　and
again　killing　whatever　he　took。

19。　The　fifth　year　was　now　past；　and　there　was　not　one　of　the
Canaanites　remained　any　longer；　excepting　some　that　had　retired
to　places　of　great　strength。　So　Joshua　removed　his　camp　to　the
mountainous　country；　and　placed　the　tabernacle　in　the　city　of
Shiloh；　for　that　seemed　a　fit　place　for　it；　because　of　the　beauty
of　its　situation；　until　such　thee　as　their　affairs　would　permit
them　to　build　a　temple；　and　from　thence　he　went　to　Shechem；
together　with　all　the　people；　and　raised　an　altar　where　Moses　had
beforehand　directed；　then　did　he　divide　the　army；　and　placed　one
half　of　them　on　Mount　Gerizzim；　and　the　other　half　on　Mount　Ebal；
on　which　mountain　the　altar　was；　he　also　placed　there　the　tribe
of　Levi；　and　the　priests。　And　when　they　had　sacrificed；　and
denounced　the　＇blessings　and　the＇　curses；　and　had　le