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those things； and worthy of the virtue of those laws which they
followed。 He took notice also； that thirty…one of those kings
that ventured to give them battle were overcome； and every army；
how great soever it were； that confided in their own power； and
fought with them； was utterly destroyed； so that not so much as
any of their posterity remained。 And as for the cities； since
some of them were taken； but the others must be taken in length
of thee； by long sieges； both on account of the strength of their
walls； and of the confidence the inhabitants had in them thereby；
he thought it reasonable that those tribes that came along with
them from beyond Jordan； and had partaken of the dangers they had
undergone； being their own kindred； should now be dismissed and
sent home； and should have thanks for the pains they had taken
together with them。 As also； he thought it reasonable that they
should send one man out of every tribe； and he such as had the
testimony of extraordinary virtue； who should measure the land
faithfully； and without any fallacy or deceit should inform them
of its real magnitude。
21。 Now Joshua； when he had thus spoken to them； found that the
multitude approved of his proposal。 So he sent men to measure
their country； and sent with them some geometricians； who could
not easily fail of knowing the truth； on account of their skill
in that art。 He also gave them a charge to estimate the measure
of that part of the land that was most fruitful； and what was not
so good： for such is the nature of the land of Canaan； that one
may see large plains； and such as are exceeding fit to produce
fruit； which yet； if they were compared to other parts of the
country； might be reckoned exceedingly fruitful； yet； if it be
compared with the fields about Jericho； and to those that belong
to Jerusalem； will appear to be of no account at all； and
although it so falls out that these people have but a very little
of this sort of land； and that it is； for the main； mountainous
also； yet does it not come behind other parts； on account of its
exceeding goodness and beauty； for which reason Joshua thought
the land for the tribes should be divided by estimation of its
goodness； rather than the largeness of its measure； it often
happening that one acre of some sort of land was equivalent to a
thousand other acres。 Now the men that were sent； which were in
number ten； traveled all about； and made an estimation of the
land； and in the seventh month came to him to the city of Shiloh；
where they had set up the tabernacle。
22。 So Joshua took both Eleazar and the senate； and with them the
heads of the tribes； and distributed the land to the nine tribes；
and to the half…tribe of Manasseh； appointing the dimensions to
be according to the largeness of each tribe。 So when he had cast
lots； Judah had assigned him by lot the upper part of Judea；
reaching as far as Jerusalem； and its breadth extended to the
Lake of Sodom。 Now in the lot of this tribe there were the cities
of Askelon and Gaza。 The lot of Simeon； which was the second；
included that part of Idumea which bordered upon Egypt and
Arabia。 As to the Benjamites； their lot fell so； that its length
reached from the river Jordan to the sea； but in breadth it was
bounded by Jerusalem and Bethel； and this lot was the narrowest
of all； by reason of the goodness of the land； for it included
Jericho and the city of Jerusalem。 The tribe of Ephraim had by
lot the land that extended in length from the river Jordan to
Gezer； but in breadth as far as from Bethel； till it ended at the
Great Plain。 The half…tribe of Manasseh had the land from Jordan
to the city of Dora； but its breadth was at Bethsham； which is
now called Scythopolis。 And after these was Issachar； which had
its limits in length； Mount Carmel and the river； but its limit
in breadth was Mount Tabor。 The tribe of Zebulon's lot included
the land which lay as far as the Lake of Genesareth； and that
which belonged to Carmel and the sea。 The tribe of Aser had that
part which was called the Valley； for such it was； and all that
part which lay over…against Sidon。 The city Arce belonged to
their share； which is also named Actipus。 The Naphthalites
received the eastern parts； as far as the city of Damascus and
the Upper Galilee； unto Mount Libanus； and the Fountains of
Jordan； which rise out of that mountain； that is； out of that
part of it whose limits belong to the neighboring city of Arce。
The Danites' lot included all that part of the valley which
respects the sun…setting； and were bounded by Azotus and Dora； as
also they had all Jamnia and Gath； from Ekron to that mountain
where the tribe of Judah begins。
23。 After this manner did Joshua divide the six nations that bear
the name of the sons of Canaan； with their land； to be possessed
by the nine tribes and a half； for Moses had prevented him； and
had already distributed the land of the Amorites； which itself
was so called also from one of the sons of Canaan； to the two
tribes and a half； as we have shown already。 But the parts about
Sidon； as also those that belonged to the Arkites； and the
Amathites； and the Aradians； were not yet regularly disposed of。
24。 But now was Joshua hindered by his age from executing what he
intended to do （as did those that succeeded him in the
government； take little care of what was for the advantage of the
public）； so he gave it in charge to every tribe to leave no
remainder of the race of the Canaanites in the land that had been
divided to them by lot； that Moses had assured them beforehand；
and they might rest fully satisfied about it； that their own
security and their observation of their own laws depended wholly
upon it。 Moreover； he enjoined them to give thirty…eight cities
to the Levites； for they had already received ten in the country
of the Amorites； and three of these he assigned to those that
fled from the man…slayers； who were to inhabit there； for he was
very solicitous that nothing should be neglected which Moses had
ordained。 These cities were； of the tribe of Judah； Hebron； of
that of Ephraim； Shechem； and of that of Naphthali； Cadesh； which
is a place of the Upper Galilee。 He also distributed among them
the rest of the prey not yet distributed； which was very great；
whereby they had an affluence of great riches； both all in
general； and every one in particular； and this of gold and of
vestments； and of other furniture； besides a multitude of cattle；
whose number could not be told。
25。 After this was over； he gathered the army together to a
congregation； and spake thus to those tribes that had their
settlement in the land of the Amorites beyond Jordan； … for fifty
thousand of them had armed themselves； and had gone to the war
along with them： … 〃Since that God； who is the Father and Lord of
the Hebrew nation； has now given us this land for a possession；
and promised to preserve us in the enjoyment of it as our own for
ever； and since you have with alacrity offered yourselves to
assist us when we wanted that assistance on all occasions；
according to his command； it is but just； now all our
difficulties are over； that you should be permitted to enjoy
rest； and that we should trespass on your alacrity to help us no
longer； that so； if we should again stand in need of it； we may
readily have it on any future emergency； and not tire you out so
much now as may make you slower in assisting us another thee。 We；
therefore； return you our thanks for the dangers you have
undergone with us； and we do it not at this thee only； but we
shall always be thus disposed； and be so good as to remember our
friends； and to preserve in mind what advantages we have had from
them； and how you have put off the enjoyments of your own
happiness for our sakes； and have labored for what we have now；
by the goodwill of God； obtained； and resolved not to enjoy your
own prosperity till you had afforded us that assistance。 However；
you have； by joining your labor with ours； gotten great plenty of
riches； and will carry home with you much prey； with gold and
silver； and； what is more than all these； our good…will towards
you； and a mind willingly disposed to make a requital of your
kindness to us； in what case soever you shall desire it； for you
have not omitted any thing which Moses beforehand required of
you； nor have you despised him because he was dead and gone from
you； so that there is nothing to diminish that gratitude which we
owe to you。 We therefore dismiss you joyful to your own
inheritances； and we entreat you to suppose； that there is no
limit to be set to the intimate relation that is between us； and
that you will not imagine； because this river is interposed
between us； that you are of a different race from us； and not
Hebrews； for we are all the posterity of Abraham； both we that
inhabit here； and you that inhabit there； and it is the same God
that brought our forefathers and yours into the world； whose
worship and form of government we are to take care of； which he
has ordained； and are most carefully to observe； because while
you continue in those laws； God will also show himself merciful
and assisting to you； but if you imitate t