The Legends of the Jews, vol 4 | Page 6

it did not form a national unit yet. But
when Achan abstracted an idol and all its appurtenances from Jericho,
(26) the misfortune of Ai followed at once.
Joshua inquired of God, why trouble had befallen Israel, but God
refused to reply. He was no tale-bearer; the evil-doer who had caused
the disaster would have to be singled out by lot. (27) Joshua first of all
summoned the high priest from the assembly of the people. It appeared
that, while the other jewels in his breastplate gleamed bright, the stone
representing the tribe of Judah was dim. (28) By lot Achan was set
apart from the members of his tribe. Achan, however, refused to submit
to the decision by lot. He said to Joshua: "Among all living men thou
and Phinehas are the most pious. Yet, if lots were cast concerning you
two, one or other of you would be declared guilty. Thy teacher Moses
has been dead scarcely one month, and thou has already begun to go
astray, for thou hast forgotten that a man's guilt can be proved only
through two witnesses."
Endued with the holy spirit, Joshua divined that the land was to be
assigned to the tribes and families of Israel by lot, and he realized that
nothing ought to be done to bring this method of deciding into
disrepute. He, therefore, tried to persuade Achan to make a clean breast
of his transgression. (29) Meantime, the Judeans, the tribesmen of
Achan, rallied about him, and throwing themselves upon the other
tribes, they wrought fearful havoc and bloodshed. This determined
Achan to confess his sins. (30) The confession cost him his life, but it
saved him from losing his share in the world to come. (31)
In spite of the reverses at Ai, (32) the terror inspired by the Israelites

grew among the Canaanitish peoples. The Gibeonites planned to
circumvent the invaders, and form an alliance with them. Now, before
Joshua set out on his campaign, he had issued three proclamations: the
nation that would leave Canaan might depart unhindered; the nation
that would conclude peace with the Israelites, should do it at once; and
the nation that would choose war, should make its preparations. If the
Gibeonites had sued for the friendship of the Jews when the
proclamation came to their ears, there would have been no need for
subterfuges later. But the Canaanites had to see with their own eyes
what manner of enemy awaited them, and all the nations prepared for
war. The result was that the thirty-one kings of Palestine perished, as
well as the satraps of many foreign kings, who were proud to own
possessions in the Holy Land. (33) Only the Girgashites departed out of
Palestine, and as a reward for their docility God gave them Africa as an
inheritance. (34)
The Gibeonites deserved no better fate than all the rest, for the
covenant made with them rested upon a misapprehension, yet Joshua
kept his promise to them, in order to sanctify the name of God, by
showing the world how sacred an oath is to the Israelites. (35) In the
course of events it became obvious that the Gibeonites were by no
means worthy of being received into the Jewish communion, and David,
following Joshua's example, excluded them forever, a sentence that will
remain in force even in the Messianic time. (36)
THE SUN OBEYS JOSHUA
The task of protecting the Gibeonites involved in the offensive and
defensive alliance made with them, Joshua fulfilled scrupulously. He
had hesitated for a moment whether to aid the Gibeonites in their
distress, but the words of God sufficed to recall him to his duty. God
said to him: "If thou dost not bring near them that are far off, thou wilt
remove them that are near by." (37) God granted Joshua peculiar favor
in his conflict with the assailants of the Gibeonites. The hot hailstones
which, at Moses' intercession, had remained suspended in the air when
they were about to fall upon the Egyptians, were now cast down upon
the Canaanites. (38) Then happened the great wonder of the sun's
standing still, the sixth (39) of the great wonders since the creation of
the world.
The battle took place on a Friday. Joshua knew it would pain the people

deeply to be compelled to desecrate the holy Sabbath day. Besides, he
noticed that the heathen were using sorcery to make the heavenly hosts
intercede for them in the fight against the Israelites. He, therefore,
pronounced the Name of the Lord, and the sun, moon and stars stood
still. (40) The sun at first refused to obey Joshua's behest, seeing that he
was older than man by two days. Joshua replied that there was no
reason why a free-born youth should refrain from enjoining silence