III. =From Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea.= After a year spent_Bible Atlas: A Manual of Biblical Geography and History

around Mount Sinai, the camp was taken up, and the host, led by the Ark

of the Covenant, entered once more upon its march. The direction of the

journey was northeast, and the route was probably through the _Wady

Saal_. At Taberah (station 15), the "fire of the Lord" consumed some on

the verge of the camp who murmured against God's commands. (Num.

11:1-3.) At Kibroth-hattaavah (station 16), (perhaps the same place with

the preceding), a dislike of the manna and a lust for flesh-meat seized

the crowd of people, and for a month they fed upon quails, but were

punished by a plague, which destroyed multitudes, and gave a name to the

place, "the graves of lust." (Num. 11:4-35.) At Hazeroth (probably _Ain

Hudherah_), Miriam instigated Aaron to a rebellion against Moses, but

was smitten with leprosy, though healed at the prayer of Moses. (Num.

12:1-16.) The Israelites followed the mountain chain by the Red Sea,

keeping upon the western side of the hills, and, passing through the

edge of the Wilderness of Paran and along the Arabah, followed up the

line of the "Mount of the Amorites" (which appears to have been a

general name for the mountains in the southern portion of the Negeb, or

South Country), until they came to Kadesh-barnea. The location of this

place is the great difficulty in the geography of the period. The name

appears to be used with reference to a region, and more definitely

referring to a place. Three localities have been claimed, all on the

border of the "Mount of the Amorites," or the South Country. The most

southerly location is that now known as _Ain esh Shehabeh_, on the _Wady

Jerafeh_; the most westerly, at _Ain Gadis_, or _Quadis_, directly south

of the land of Judah; the one farthest to the north and east, at _Ain el

Weibeh_, in the edge of the Arabah, south of the Dead Sea. The latter

has been regarded by most explorers since Dr. Robinson, as the correct

site, and as it appears on the older maps. But the Rev. J. Rowlands, on

a journey through the entire region, identified _Ain Quadis_ as the true

Kadesh-barnea, and his conclusion was confirmed by Dr. H. C. Trumbull

after a thorough investigation of all the three places. It is now

accepted by most writers. We have therefore regarded _Ain Quadis_ as

Kadesh-barnea, and have made it the center of Israelite journeying

during the thirty-eight years of the wandering. The change in the

location of Kadesh-barnea may necessitate a change in the location of

Mount Hor, which Trumbull places at _Jebel Maderah_, but we have

retained the old locality on the edge of Edom. Twice the Israelites were

encamped at Kadesh, which marked the beginning and end of the

thirty-eight years' wandering in the Wilderness of Paran. From Kadesh

the twelve spies were sent northward into the Land of Canaan, and the

adverse report of ten of them caused such terror and rebellion in the

host, that God declared that they should not enter the Promised Land

until all that generation should have passed away. (Num. 13, 14.) They

were ordered to turn back into the wilderness, but disobeyed, and,

against their leaders' advice, undertook to force a passage to Canaan,

probably up the pass _es Sufa_. But the inhabitants of the mountains

(Amorites, Canaanites, and Amalekites in alliance) attacked them to

their utter defeat at Hormah, and effectually barred their entrance to

the land through the South Country, as the warlike Philistines had

closed it against them by the way of the plain by the sea. (Exod.

13:17.) Discouraged and despairing, the host of Israel again turned

their faces once more toward the terrible Wilderness of Paran.

IV., V., VI. =From Kadesh-barnea to Mount Hor, Ezion-geber, and Return.=

The period of the next thirty-eight years remains in shadow. Scarcely an

event is named which certainly belongs to this division, the longest by

far in the journey. In the history at Num. 14:45, there is a break in

the record, and other topics are referred to until we find the people at

Kadesh once more, at the end of the 38 years, in chapter 20; and the

list of stations in Num. 33:18-36, is only a barren catalogue of 18

places, in which not one is clearly recognized, and only two or three

can be even guessed at. Some have thought that the entire period was

spent in the Arabah, wandering up and down, as two of the stations

plainly belong there. But it is more probable that the people wandered

over the borders between the Negeb (South Country) and the Wilderness of

Paran. For convenience we may subdivide this period of wandering into

its three journeys. From Kadesh, through 12 unknown stations, to

Moseroth, which is afterward named in the account of Aaron's death

(Deut. 10:6), showing that it was near Mount Hor. This is indicated on

the Map as Journey IV. Journey V. was from Mount Hor down the Arabah

southward to Ezion-geber, at the head of the Ælanitic Gulf. Journey VI.

was once more through the Arabah, northward to Kadesh-barnea, completing

the period of the punishment for the rebellion of 38 years before. Here

three events took place. 1. The rock was smitten by Moses, when God had

bidden him speak to it, in order to bring forth water; and, as a

penalty, he was not permitted to enter Canaan. (Num. 20:1-13.) 2. The

Israelites asked of the Edomites (on whose western border they were

encamped at Kadesh), the privilege of crossing their territory on their

journey to Canaan, but their request was denied. 3. Soon after this, the

king of the Canaanite city of Arad, in the Negeb, or South Country, 20

miles south of Hebron, hearing of Israel's approach by the same route as

that of the spies, 38 years before, went out to meet the invading host.

He was repulsed near the same place where Israel had suffered a defeat

before, and which was thenceforth called Hormah, "destruction." (Num.

21:1-3.)

+-------------+---------------------------------------+-------------+

| | NORTH. | |

| WEST. |+-----------++-----------++-----------+| EAST. |

| || DAN, || ASHER, || NAPHTALI, || |

|+-----------+|| 62,700. || 41,500. || 53,400. ||+-----------+|

|| BENJAMIN, ||+-----------++-----------++-----------+|| JUDAH, ||

|| 35,400. || CAMP OF DAN. || 74,600. ||

|+-----------++---------------------------------------++-----------+|

| | +---+ TRIBE OF LEVI. | |

|+-----------+| | G | +--------------+ +---------+ |+-----------+|

|| MANASSEH, || | E | | MERARITES | | | || ISSACHAR, ||

|| 32,200. || | R | +--------------+ | | || 54,400. ||

|+-----------+| | S | +--------------+ | AARON | |+-----------+|

| | | H | | TABERNACLE | | | | |

|+-----------+| | O | +--------------+ | MOSES | |+-----------+|

|| EPHRAIM, || | N | +--------------+ | | || ZEBULON, ||

|| 40,500. || | I | | KOHATHITES | | Priests | || 57,400. ||

|+-----------+| | T | +--------------+ | | |+-----------+|

| | | E | TRIBE OF LEVI. | | | |

| CAMP OF | | S | +---------+ | CAMP OF |

| | +---+ | |

| EPHRAIM. +---------------------------------------+ JUDAH. |

| | CAMP OF REUBEN. | |

| |+-----------++-----------++-----------+| |

| || GAD, || SIMEON, || REUBEN, || |

| || 45,650. || 59,300. || 46,500. || |

| |+-----------++-----------++-----------++ |

| | SOUTH. | |

+-------------+---------------------------------------+-------------+

[Illustration: CAMP OF ISRAEL.]

VII., VIII. =From Kadesh-barnea to Elath and Jordan.= The Israelites

were now ready to enter their Land of Promise. But, as the entrance by

the south was found impracticable, and the Edomites would not permit

them to cross their mountains, a long detour became necessary; so for a

third time they took their journey through the Arabah. This we have

indicated on the map as No. VII. They paused before Mount Hor, while

Aaron left them, to ascend the mountain and to die. The peak still bears

his name, _Jebel Haroun_. So according to most travelers; but Trumbull

locates Mount Hor in the Negeb. At Ezion-geber and Elath (stations 43

and 44), they saw once more the Red Sea, at its eastern arm. On this

journey, too, but whether before or after passing the Red Sea, is

uncertain, they were plagued by serpents, and "the brazen serpent" was

lifted up by Moses. (Num. 21:4-9.) At last the southern point of Mount

Seir was reached and passed, and now for the last time (Journey VIII.)

the Israelites turned their faces northward. They traveled through the

land of Teman, between Edom and the Arabian desert. At the brook Zered

(_Wady el Ahsy_), station 49, they entered the land of Moab, which they

crossed in safety (Num. 21:11); and at the brook Arnon they came into

the country of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who came against them,

and was defeated and slain at Jahaz. (Num. 21:12-31.) The Amorites of

Bashan on the north were ruled by the giant Og, a descendant of the

ancient Rephaim. (See page 37.) His land was conquered and himself slain

in a decisive battle at Edrei. From the heights of Abarim (station 57)

they descended to the Jordan Valley, and encamped at their last station

(No. 58) before entering the Land of Promise, on the eastern bank of the

Jordan, opposite Jericho. Here occurred: 1. The episode of Balaam's

prophecy. (Num. 22-24.) 2. The iniquity of Israel with the women of

Moab, and the plague on the people as a result. (Num. 25:1-18.) 3. The

numbering of Israel. (Num. 26.) 4. The campaigns against the Moabites

and Midianites. (Num. 31.) 5. The allotment to the tribes of Reuben and

Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. (Num. 32.) 6. The repetition of the

law and the recapitulation of the journeys, in the book of Deuteronomy.

7. Last of all, the ascent of Moses up the height of Nebo, his prophetic

view of the Promised Land, and his lonely death. (Deut. 34.)

[Illustration: KADESH-BARNEA AND VICINITY.

(According to DR. TRUMBULL.)]

STATIONS OF THE ISRAELITES DURING THEIR JOURNEY FROM EGYPT TO CANAAN.

I. FROM RAMESES TO THE RED SEA.

+============================+=================+======+======+======+

+----------------------------+-----------------+------+------+------+

|1. Rameses |Abu Kesheib |12:37 |33: 3 | |

|2. Succoth |Unknown |12:37 |33: 5 | |

|3. Etham |Unknown |13:20 |33: 6 | |

|4. Pi-hahiroth |Bir Suweis |14: 2 |33: 7 | |

|5. Red Sea | |14:22 |33: 8 | |

+----------------------------+-----------------+------+------+------+

II. FROM THE RED SEA TO MOUNT SINAI.

+============================+=================+======+======+======+

+----------------------------+-----------------+------+------+------+

|6. Desert of Shur, |Shore of Red Sea |15:22 |33: 8 | |

|7. Marah |Ain Hawârah |15:23 |33: 8 | |

|8. Elim |Wady Ghurundel |15:27 |33: 9 | |

|10. Desert of Sin |El Murkîyeh(?) |16: 1 |33:11 | |

|13. Rephidim |Wady Feiran |17: 1 |33:14 | |

|14. Sinai |Plain er Râhah |19: 1 |33:15 | |

+----------------------------+-----------------+------+------+------+

III. FROM MOUNT SINAI TO KADESH-BARNEA.

+=============================+=================+======+======+======+

+-----------------------------+-----------------+------+------+------+

|15. Taberah |Wady Sâal(?) |11: 3 | | 9:22 |

|16. Kibroth-hattaavah |Erweis el Ebeirig|11:34 |33:16 | |

|17. Hazeroth |Ain Hudherah |11:35 |33:17 | |

|19. Kadesh-barnea |Ain el Weibeh(?) |13:26 | | 1:19 |

+-----------------------------+-----------------+------+------+------+

IV. FROM KADESH-BARNEA TO MOUNT HOR.

+=============================+================+======+======+======+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

V. FROM MOUNT HOR TO EZION-GEBER.

+=============================+================+======+======+======+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

VI. FROM EZION-GEBER TO KADESH-BARNEA.

+=============================+================+======+======+======+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

|38. Kadesh-barnea |Ain Quadis |20: 1 |33:36 | |

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

VII. FROM KADESH-BARNEA TO ELATH.

+=============================+================+======+======+======+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

|40. Mosera |Mount Hor |20:22 |33:37 |10: 6 |

|43. Ezion-geber |Gulf of Akaba |21: 4 | | 2: 8 |

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

VIII. FROM ELATH TO JORDAN.

+=============================+================+======+======+======+

+-----------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+

|47. Oboth |Uncertain |21:10 |33:43 | |

|48. Ije-abarim |Uncertain |21:11 |33:44 | |

|49. Zered |Wady el Ahsy |21:12 | |10:13 |

|50. Arnon |Wady Môjeb |21:13 | |10:24 |

|57. Abarim, Nebo, or Pisgah |Jebel Neba |21:20 |33:47 | |

|58. Plains of Moab, or Jordan|Ghôr en Nimrîn |22: 1 |33:48 | |

+=============================+================+======+======+======+

[Illustration: GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.]

[Illustration: Beth-horon and Vicinity.

CONQUEST OF CANAAN.]

THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN.

AFTER the forty years of the Wandering came the seven years of the

Conquest. Yet it is true, that in the complete sense the conquest began

before the Israelites crossed the Jordan under Joshua, and was not

finished until long after the period of the Judges. As Dean Stanley

says: "The conquest began from the passage of the brook Zered, under

Moses; it was not finally closed till the capture of Jerusalem by David.

But in a more limited sense it may be confined to the period during

which the territory, afterward known by the name of Palestine, was

definitively occupied as their own by the Israelites." The map on page

36 shows us the territorial divisions of the land before the conquest;

the one which we are now studying presents the campaigns by which it was

won. These may be divided into three sections. 1. The conquest of the

territory on the east of the Jordan, in three campaigns, during the rule

of Moses. 2. The conquest of that on the west of the Jordan, under the

leadership of Joshua, in three campaigns. 3. A series of supplementary

conquests completing the work of subjugation.

[Illustration: SHECHEM.]

I. THE CONQUEST OF EASTERN PALESTINE.

This region was occupied, at the time of the arrival of the Israelites,

by the Moabites between the brooks Zered and Arnon, and by the Amorites

north of the Arnon. The latter people were divided into two kingdoms.

The land of Gilead was ruled by King Sihon, whose capital was at

Heshbon; and the table-land of Bashan by Og, a remnant of the old race

of the Rephaim. Tributary to Sihon, and on the border of the Arabian

desert, were the Midianites (Josh. 13:21); and near the Moabites were

their nomadic kinsmen, the Ammonites.

1. =The Conquest of Gilead.= (Num. 21:21-31.) The Amorites, under Sihon,

had wrested from the Moabites the land between the Arnon and the Jabbok,

a short time before the coming of Israel. Moses sent messengers,

requesting the privilege of journeying through their land; but they

refused to permit the passage of such a vast host, and came out to meet

the Israelites in battle at Jahaz, near their border, at the brook

Arnon. They were defeated, and their whole land was conquered, including

their own territory north of the Jabbok, as well as their Moabite

possessions south of it. Thus the Israelites obtained, as their first

foothold, the rich region of the eastern table-land, from the Arnon to

the Hieromax.

2. =The Conquest of Bashan.= (Num. 21:32-35.) The success of the war

with one nation of the Amorites encouraged the Israelites to cross the

Hieromax and undertake the conquest of the rich pasture fields of

Bashan, the kingdom of Og, whose capital was at the ancient city of his

race, Ashteroth Karnaim. There is some evidence to indicate that the

leader in this campaign was Nobah, of the tribe of Manasseh. (Num.

32:42.) A decisive battle was fought at Edrei, at the entrance to the

_Ledja_, or mountainous district; and Og was slain, and his kingdom

possessed by Israel. Its western portion, including Kenath and its

vicinity, was given to Nobah, who named the region after himself. (Num.

32:42; Judges 8:11.)

3. =The Conquest of Midian.= (Num. 25 and 31.) While the Israelites were

encamped on the plain of Jordan, opposite Jericho, their last station,

called Shittim (Num. 25:1), a league was formed by the Moabites and

Midianites to resist their advance. Balaam, the Mesopotamian seer, was

summoned to aid them by his curses against Israel; but his words were

turned to blessing. (Num. 22-24.) Fearing the result of open war, the

allied nations now undertook to corrupt Israel by their friendship and

the seductions of their women; and they succeeded to such an extent that

multitudes of the people perished by a plague which fell upon the nation

as a penalty. The Moabites were punished by exclusion for ten

generations from the privileges of Israel (Deut. 23:3, 4), and by the

loss of that portion of their territory already taken from the Amorites.

The Midianites, evidently the guiltier nation, were doomed to utter

destruction. The campaign against them was regarded as a sacred war, and

Phinehas the priest took command of the army. The entire people were

laid under the ban, and the portion of them east of the Jordan were

thoroughly annihilated. This was, however, only a small section of the

great tribe of Midian, whose principal home was on the eastern shore of

the Red Sea, south of the Edomites; and their former home near Moab was

again repopulated, and, some centuries afterward, gave new trouble to

Israel.

The entire country east of the Jordan and north of the brook Arnon was

thus conquered by the Israelites before the death of Moses. It was

assigned to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of

Manasseh, as their home, upon condition that their warriors should

accompany the rest of the tribes in the conquest of Western Palestine.

(Num. 32.) Their boundaries will be noticed in connection with the map

of Israel, as divided among the Twelve Tribes.

II. THE CONQUEST OF WESTERN PALESTINE.

This was undertaken by Joshua after the death of Moses, and, as far as

can be ascertained from the record, was accomplished in three campaigns.

The war began with the passage of the Jordan, B.C. 1210, and, so far as

active hostilities were concerned, was finished in seven years. But the

great mass of the native population remained upon the soil, to plague

the Chosen People by the influence of their wickedness, so that the

conquest was never thoroughly completed. Indeed, some writers think that

the inhabitants of Palestine at the present time belong mainly to the

old Canaanite stock, which has perpetuated itself under all the changes

of government.

1. =The Conquest of Central Palestine.= (Josh. 3-8.) According to the

account in the book of Joshua, this was a brief campaign; but the

Samaritan records relate a series of supplementary sieges and battles,

which would indicate that the war may have been longer than appears.

Still, there are evidences that the Hivites and Perizzites, who occupied

most of this district, were peaceful peoples, readily yielding to the

conquerors, so that the resistance was less stubborn than in other

sections. The war began with the passage of the Jordan, an event ever

kept in mind as the entrance of the people upon their own land. They

pitched their camp at Gilgal, in the Jordan Valley, and fortified the

place as a permanent headquarters during the entire period of conquest.

(Josh. 5.) Jericho was first taken, by supernatural aid, and devoted to

God as the first fruits of conquest. (Josh. 6.) An act of trespass

against God by Achan, caused a defeat at Ai (near Bethel), the next

place attacked; but the sin was punished, and, by a stratagem and

ambush, Ai was taken. They then marched northward to Shechem, an ancient

Hivite city, of which the last previous account is its destruction by

the sons of Jacob. (Gen. 34.) It may not have been rebuilt, as we find

at this time the Hivites occupying a number of towns at a distance from

it (Gibeon and others, Josh. 9); or it may have submitted to the

overwhelming power of Israel. In the Vale of Shechem, between the

mountains Ebal and Gerizim, all the Israelites were assembled, the law

was read in their hearing, and memorial stones were erected. After this,

the Hivites of four villages, of which Gibeon was the most important, by

means of a deception made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, and

obtained a pledge of protection; being the only nation in all the land

formally spared from destruction. Their deceit was soon discovered; but

the word of Israel was kept, though the people of the four villages were

reduced to the condition of "servants of the sanctuary," _i. e._,

employed in the menial duties of the Tabernacle. The central portion of

the land was now possessed by Israel, from Jericho and Gibeon northward

to the Carmel range of mountains, and the army returned to the fortified

camp at Gilgal. (Josh. 9.)

2. =The Conquest of Southern Palestine.= (Josh. 10.) The conquest had

thus far been easy; mainly because there was no union among the native

tribes, but each city and village was ruled by its own "king," or

sheikh, and all were jealous of one another, so that they were readily

conquered in detail. Warned by the fate of Jericho and Ai, and alarmed

at the defection of Gibeon, the kings of five cities formed a league to

resist the invading host. The head of the confederation was Adoni-zedek,

the king of Jerusalem, and associated with him were the rulers of

Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon, and perhaps other subordinate

chiefs. They began by an attack on the city of Gibeon, as a tributary of

Israel. Joshua at once called forth his warriors, left the camp at

Gilgal, made a swift night march through the mountain passes, and came

suddenly upon the enemy near Beth-horon. Here was fought perhaps the

most important battle in all human history, and one at which "the sun

and moon" might well "stand still," since the religious destiny of all

the world was at stake in its result. In this one battle the conquest of

Canaan was made certain, though it was not fully accomplished until long

afterward. The flying host were pursued to Makkedah, on the border of

the plain, where the five kings were captured and slain. Then in

succession, the strongholds of Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and, last

of all, Debir, were taken by storm. From the list of the kings captured

(Josh. 12:9-24), it would appear that Joshua carried his conquests

through the South Country, as far as Arad and Hormah, places where the

Israelites had suffered defeat during the period of the wandering (Num.

21:1-3); though these kings may have been captured at Hebron or Debir.

But, though all may not have been ravaged by the Israelites, all was

certainly conquered, from Jerusalem to the great desert on the south.

The conquest was afterward made complete by the aged Caleb, who with his

nephew Othniel took possession of the very cities of which the name had

filled the Israelites with terror a generation before. (Num. 13.)

[Illustration: PALESTINE AS PROMISED AND POSSESSED.]

III. =From Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea.= After a year spent at and