Joshua Divides the Land

When this became known to the kings of the neighboring nations, they formed an alliance for war, to crush the Hebrews by arms. But the Gibeonites, a powerful nation with a wealthy city, surrendered to the Hebrews of their own accord, promising to do whatever they were told. They were taken under protection and were told to bring in wood and water. Their surrender, however, had stirred up the anger of the kings of the nearest cities. So they moved up their troops and laid siege to the Gibeonites’ town, which was called Gibeon. The townspeople, in their distress, sent messengers to Joshua asking him to help them in their siege. He came on the enemy by a forced march, unexpectedly, and many thousands of them were utterly destroyed. When daylight was running out for the victors, and it seemed that night would shelter the defeated, the Hebrew general held back the night by the power of his faith. The day went on, so that the enemy had no way of escape. Five kings were captured and put to death. In the same campaign neighboring cities also were brought under Joshua’s power, and their kings were killed. [a]

But since, eager as I am to be brief, it was not my plan to follow all these things in order, I note only this with care: twenty-nine kingdoms were brought under the yoke of the Hebrews, and their territory was distributed among eleven tribes, man by man. For no share was given to the Levites, who had been set apart for the priesthood, so that they might serve God the more freely. I do not want to pass over the example set here in silence. I would earnestly hold it up as well worth reading by the ministers of the church. For they seem to me not only to forget this command, but to be utterly ignorant of it, such a lust for possessions has seized their minds in this age, like an incurable disease. They gape after property; they farm estates; they rest their hopes on gold; they buy and sell; they pursue gain by every possible means. And even if some of them seem to aim at a better life, neither owning property nor trading, still, which is far more disgraceful, they sit idle and wait for gifts. They have corrupted the whole glory of their way of life by their greed for pay, while they put on an appearance of holiness, as if even that might be made a source of gain. But I have gone further than I meant to in expressing my loathing and disgust at the character of our times, and I hurry back to my subject.

The conquered territory, then, as I have said, was divided among the tribes, and the Hebrews enjoyed deep peace. Their neighbors, terrified by war, did not dare to make any attempt on a people famous for so many victories. At this same time Joshua died, in the hundred and tenth year of his life. I give no firm opinion about how long he ruled; the common view, however, is that he was at the head of Hebrew affairs for twenty-seven years. If so, then three thousand eight hundred and eighty-four years had passed from the beginning of the world to his death.