tion prospered.

Joshua and the Judges

#45. Joshua Becomes Leader.#--At the death of Moses we see Israel on
the east side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho. Joshua succeeds Moses
as leader. To him comes God's command, "Moses, my servant, is dead;
now therefore arise, go over this Jordan." (Josh. 1:2.) Note here no
sign of discouragement. Moses may be dead, but God still lives, and
will work through Joshua as well as through Moses. Notice in the
orders given by God to Joshua that no mention at all is made of sword,
spear, or bow, but only of obedience. This is emphasized again and
again and rightly, for in obedience to God's law lay Israel's hope
(read Josh. 1:6-9).

#46.# Now follows the contest for the possession of the land. Jericho
is taken, but at Ai defeat is experienced, on account of disobedience.
So Israel learns a costly but salutary lesson. Then follows the
conquest of the central part of Palestine, ending at Shechem. Next in
turn came southern Palestine, and then the northern part of the land
(Josh. 10:1 to 11). Yet at the close of Joshua's life, not all of the
land had been taken possession of. Still the heathen tribes held on in
various places; and, indeed, they were not thoroughly subdued until
the time of David.

#47. Reading the Laws of Moses.#--Worthy of note was the great
assemblage at Shechem, between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, in
the very center of the land, where the law of Moses was read, with its
blessings and curses, to all the people (Josh. 8:30-35). Noteworthy
also is the final address of the aged Joshua to his people, at
Shechem, beseeching them to obey the law of Moses, recorded in chapter
24.

#48. The Period of the Judges.#--After the death of Joshua, the people
seem to have become more or less disorganized. The tribes ruled
themselves--at times well, and at times ill. During the times of the
Judges the general trend of their history was as follows: Israel would
fall into sin, and then as a punishment God allowed their foes whom
they had spared to rule over them. Then in due time Israel would
"lament after the Lord," that is, repent and call on the God of their
fathers for deliverance. Then God would allow them respite, and by the
hand of some one of the judges, whom he raised up, would give them
deliverance (see Judg. 2:11-18). The chronology of the book of Judges
is not very clear, and it is most probable that there were times when
the "oppression" was not felt over all th