1. =The campaigns east of the Jordan.= (B. C. 1451.) These were during
the life-time of Moses, and gained for Israel all the territory between
the brook Arnon and Mount Hermon.
1.) The conquest of Gilead was made at the battle of Jahaz, near the
brook Arnon (Num. 21. 21-31). In one battle the Israelites gained the
land of Gilead from the Arnon to the Hieromax.
2.) The conquest of Bashan was completed at the battle of Edrei, in the
mountainous region.
3.) The conquest of Midian (Num. 31. 1-8) was led by the warrior-priest
Phinehas, and by smiting the tribes on the east protected the frontier
toward the desert. The land won by these three campaigns became the
territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh
(Deut. 32).
[Illustration: JOURNEYS OF THE CONQUEST]
2. =The campaigns west of the Jordan= (B. C. 1451) were led by Joshua,
and showed great tactical skill and resistless energy of action. Joshua
led his people across the Jordan and established a fortified camp, the
center of operations during all his campaigns, at Gilgal (Josh. 4. 19).
1.) The first invasion was of _central Palestine_, beginning with
Jericho (Josh. 6), taking Ai on the way (Josh. 8), and ending with
Shechem, which apparently fell without resistance (Josh. 8. 30-33). This
campaign gave to Israel the center of the land and divided their enemies
into two sections.
2.) Next came the campaign against _southern Palestine_. At this time
was fought the battle of Beth-horon (Josh. 10. 10), the most momentous
in its results in all history, and one over which, if ever, the sun and
moon might well stand still (Josh. 10. 12, 13).[D] After this great
victory Joshua pursued his enemies and took the towns as far south as
Hebron and Debir (Josh. 10. 29-39).
[Illustration: JOSHUA'S VICTORY AT BETH-HORON.]
3.) Lastly, Joshua conquered _northern Palestine_ (Josh. 11). The battle
in this campaign was near Lake Merom (Josh. 11. 7), and, as before, it
was followed by the capture of many cities in the north. Thus, in those
marches Joshua won all the mountain region of western Palestine.
3. There were certain =supplementary campaigns=, partly in Joshua's
time, partly afterward.
1.) Caleb's rapture of Hebron, which had been re-occupied by the
Amorites (Josh. 14; Judg. 1. 10-15).
2.) The Judahites' capture of Bezek, an unknown place between Jerusalem
and the Philistine plain (Judg. 1. 1-8).
3.) The Danites' capture of Laish, in the extreme north, which afterward
bore the name of Dan (Judg. 18).
But, after all these campaigns, a large part of the land was still
unsubdued, and the war of the conquest did not end until the days of
David, by whom every foe was finally placed under foot.