The Legends of the Jews, vol 4 | Page 4

the Jews--The Decree of Annihilation--Satan Indicts
the Jews--The Dream of Mordecai Fulfilled--The Prayer of
Esther--Esther Intercedes--The Disturbed Night--The Fall of
Haman--The Edict of the King.
THE SERVANT OF MOSES
The early history of the first Jewish conqueror (1) in some respects is
like the early history of the first Jewish legislator. Moses was rescued
from a watery grave, and raised at the court of Egypt. Joshua, in
infancy, was swallowed by a whale, and , wonderful to relate, did not
perish. At a distant point of the sea-coast the monster spewed him forth
unharmed. He was found by compassionate passers-by, and grew up
ignorant of his descent. The government appointed him to the office of
hangman. As luck would have it, he had to execute his own father. By
the law of the land the wife of the dead man fell to the share of his

executioner, and Joshua was on the point of adding to parricide another
crime equally heinous. He was saved by a miraculous sign. When he
approached his mother, milk flowed from her breasts. His suspicions
were aroused, and through the inquiries he set a foot regarding his
origin, the truth was made manifest. (2)
Later Joshua, who was so ignorant that he was called a fool, became the
minister of Moses, and God rewarded his faithful service by making
him the successor to Moses. (3) He was designated as such to Moses
when, at the bidding of his master, he was carrying on war with the
Amalekites. (4) In this campaign God's care of Joshua was plainly seen.
Joshua had condemned a portion of the Amalekites to death by lot, and
the heavenly sword picked them out for extermination. (5) Yet there
was as great a difference between Moses and Joshua as between the sun
and the moon. (6) God did not withdraw His help from Joshua, but He
was by no means so close to him as to Moses. This appeared
immediately after Moses had passed away. At the moment when the
Israelitish leader was setting out on his journey to the great beyond, he
summoned his successor and bade him put questions upon all points
about which he felt uncertain. Conscious of his own industry and
devotion, Joshua replied that he had no questions to ask, seeing that he
had carefully studied the teachings of Moses. Straightway he forgot
three hundred Halakot, and doubts assailed him concerning seven
hundred others. The people threatened Joshua's life, because he was not
able to resolve their difficulties in the law. It was vain to turn to God,
for the Torah once revealed was subject to human, not to heavenly,
authority. (7) Directly after Moses' death, God commanded Joshua to
go to war, so that the people might forget its grievance against him. (8)
But it is false to think that the great conqueror was nothing more than a
military hero. When God appeared to him, to give him instructions
concerning the war, He found him with the Book of Deuteronomy in
his hand, whereupon God called to him: "Be strong and of good
courage; the book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth." (9)
ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND
The first step in preparation for war was the selection of spies. To
guard against a repetition of what had happened to Moses, Joshua
chose as his messengers Caleb and Phinehas, on whom he could place
dependence in all circumstances. (10) They were accompanied on their

mission by two demons, the husbands of the she-devils Lilith and
Mahlah. When Joshua was planning his campaign, these devils offered
their services to him; they proposed that they be sent out to reconnoitre
the land. Joshua refused the offer, but formed their appearance so
frightfully that the residents of Jericho were struck with fear of them.
(11) In Jericho the spies put up with Rahab. She had been leading an
immoral life for forty years, but at the approach of Israel, she paid
homage to the true God, lived the life of a pious convert, and, as the
wife of Joshua, became the ancestress of eight prophets and of the
prophetess Huldah. (12) She had opportunity in her own house of
beholding the wonders of God. When the king's bailiffs came to make
their investigations, and Rahab wanted to conceal the Israelitish spies,
Phinehas calmed her with the words: "I am a priest, and priests are like
angels, visible when they wish to be seen, invisible when they do not
wish to be seen." (13)
After the return of the spies, Joshua decided to pass over the Jordan.
The crossing of the river was the occasion for wonders, the purpose of
which was to clothe him with authority in the eyes of the people.
Scarcely had the priests, who at