398 JOSHUA VI-JERICHO DESPOILED consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. 20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. 22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. 24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26¶ And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. 27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country, Chapter 7 1 The Israelites are smitten at Ai. 6 Joshua's complaint. 10 God instructeth him what to do. 16 Achan is taken by the lot. 19 His confession. 22 He and all he had are destroyed in the valley of Achor. UT the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. "Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones.”Jos., 4, 3. OSHUA did not immediately advance against Jericho. He had been commanded otherwise. As the people were crossing Jordan, he had appointed twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes, to carry each a great stone and place it in the midst of the river where the priests had stood with the ark. These twelve stones were to remain in Jordan's channel as a memorial forever. Furthermore, twelve other stones were plucked out from the bed of the river where they had lain for ages, and were borne ashore. With these stones the Israelites proceeded in triumphant procession to the nearest high point on the western bank of the Jordan, a place called Gilgal. Here they set up the twelve stones as a monument to God's power; and here at Gilgal they made their first camp in the promised land. The tabernacle was reërected, and a week was devoted to religious ceremonies. The passover was celebrated as it had not been during all those forty years in the wilderness. The rite of circumcision, reminder of God's first covenant with Abraham, was performed on all those who had been born in the desert. When the people reached Gilgal, the manna, their food for forty years, ceased to fall. They were in the Promised Land, and they ate from the cornfields of the Canaanites. |