all one hundred and twenty years; a third part of
which time, abating one month, he was the people's ruler; and he died on
the last month of the year, which is called by the Macedonians Dystrus,
but by us Adar, on the first day of the month. He was one that exceeded
all men that ever were in understanding, and made the best use of what
that understanding suggested to him. He had a very graceful way of
speaking and addressing himself to the multitude; and as to his other
qualifications, he had such a full command of his passions, as if he
hardly had any such in his soul, and only knew them by their names, as
rather perceiving them in other men than in himself. He was also such a
general of an army as is seldom seen, as well as such a prophet as was
never known, and this to such a degree, that whatsoever he pronounced,
you would think you heard the voice of God himself. So the people
mourned for him thirty days: nor did ever any grief so deeply affect
the Hebrews as did this upon the death of Moses: nor were those that
had experienced his conduct the only persons that desired him, but those
also that perused the laws he left behind him had a strong desire after
him, and by them gathered the extraordinary virtue he was master of.
And this shall suffice for the declaration of the manner of the death of
Moses.

BOOK V. Containing The Interval Of Four Hundred And Seventy-Six Years.

From The Death Of Moses To The Death Of Eli.

CHAPTER 1. How Joshua, The Commander Of The Hebrews, Made War With The
Canaanites, And Overcame Them, And Destroyed Them, And Divided Their
Land By Lot To The Tribes Of Israel.

1. When Moses was taken away from among men, in the manner already
described, and when all the solemnities belonging to the mourning for
him were finished, and the sorrow for him was over, Joshua commanded the
multitude to get themselves ready for an expedition. He also sent
spies to Jericho to discover what forces they had, and what were their
intentions; but he put his camp in order, as intending soon to pass over
Jordan at a proper season. And calling to him the rulers of the tribe of
Reuben, and the governors of the tribe of Gad, and [the half tribe
of] Manasseh, for half of this tribe had been permitted to have their
habitation in the country of the Amorites, which was the seventh part
of the land of Canaan, [1] he put them in mind what they had promised
Moses; and he exhorted them that, for the sake of the car