writings speak of their taking possession of the country by
a methodic campaign, undertaken by command of and under the visible
protection of Jahveh* Moses had led them from Egypt to Kadesh, and from
Kadesh to the land of Gilead; he had seen the promised land from the
summit of Mount Nebo, but he had not entered it, and after his death,
Joshua, son of Nun, became their leader, brought them across Jordan
dryshod, not far from its mouth, and laid siege to Jericho.

* The history of the conquest is to be found in the _Book of
Joshua._

The walls of the city fell of themselves at the blowing of the brazen
trumpets,* and its capture entailed that of three neighbouring towns,
Ai, Bethel, and Shechem. Shechem served as a rallying-place for the
conquerors; Joshua took up his residence there, and built on the summit
of Mount Ebal an altar of stone, on which he engraved the principal
tenets of the divine Law.**

* Josh, i.-vi.

** Josh, vii., viii. Mount Ebal is the present Gebel
Sulemiyeh.

[Illustration: 263.jpg ONE OF THE MOUNDS OF AIN ES-SULTAN, THE ANCIENT
JERICHO]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph brought back by Lortet.

The sudden intrusion of a new element naturally alarmed the worshippers
of the surrounding local deities; they at once put a truce to their
petty discords, and united in arms against the strangers. At the
instigation of Adoni-zedeck, King of Jerusalem, the Canaanites collected
their forces in the south; but they were routed not far from Gibeon, and
their chiefs killed or mutilated.* The Amorites in the north, who had
assembled round Jabin, King of Hazor, met with no better success; they
were defeated at the waters of Merom, Hazor was burnt, and Galilee
delivered to fire and sword.**

* Josh. x. The same war is given rather differently in
Judges i. 1-9, where the king is called Adoni-bezek.

** Josh. xi. As another Jabin appears in the history of
Deborah, it has

[Illustration: 264.jpg THE JORDAN IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF JERICHO]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph in Lortet.

The country having been thus to a certain extent cleared, Joshua set
about dividing the spoil, and assigned to each tribe his allotted
portion of territory.* Such, in its main outlines, is the account given
by the Hebrew chroniclers; but, if closely examined, it would appear
that the Israelites did not act throughout with that unity of purpose
and energy which