rossed the river at all.

The Lord told Joshua to get up, as it was no use lying there. Israel had
sinned, and God had determined not to help them until they had purged
themselves. Some one, in fact, had stolen a portion of the spoil of
Jericho, all of which belonged to the Lord, that is to the priests,
who evidently helped to concoct this pretty story. Joshua forthwith
proceeded to hunt the sinner out. His method was very singular. He
resolved to go through the twelve tribes until the culprit was found.
The tribe of Judah was examined first, and luckily in the very first
family "Achan was taken," although we are not told how he was spotted.
Achan confessed that he had appropriated of the spoil a "goodly
Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of
gold of fifty shekels weight," which he had hidden under his tent. His
doom was swift and terrible; he was stoned to death, and his body burnt
with fire. We may think his punishment severe, but we cannot deny his
guilt. He, however, was not the only sufferer. Jehovah was not to be
satisfied with a small quantity of blood. Achans's sons and daughters
were stoned with him, and their bodies were burnt like his. His very
oxen, asses, and sheep were served in the same manner. A great heap of
stones was raised over their cinders, and then "the Lord turned from
the fierceness of his anger." Jehovah acted just like the savage old
chieftain of a savage tribe. As irascible tempers do not improve with
age, we presume that he is still as peppery as ever. Yet we are asked to
love, venerate, and worship this brutal being, as the ideal of all that
is merciful, just, and pure.

Immediately after Joshua sent thirty thousand men against Ai, which they
took with great ease. All its inhabitants, from the oldest man to the
youngest babe, were massacred. The city itself was burnt into a desolate
heap. The King of Ai was reserved to furnish the Jews with a little
extra sport, by way of dessert to the bloody feast. He was hanged on a
tree until eventide, when his carcass was taken down and "buried under
a heap of stones." Joshua "then built an altar unto the Lord God of
Israel in mount Ebal," who appears to have been mightily well pleased
with the whole business.

Joshua's next exploit was indeed miraculous. He gathered all the Jews
together, men, women, children, and even the strangers, and read to them
all the laws of Moses, without omitting a single word. It must have b