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But the Midianites, who, had they kept quiet, might have possessed their country in security, were not with impunity to bring these evils on the unoffending Israelites.-Twelve thousand men, with Phinehas, and the ark of the covenant, were sent against them :-they were conquered-their cities were destroyed, and an immense spoil, in cattle, and goods of various sorts, was taken. Five kings, and Balaam their counsellor, paid the price of their folly, in the loss of their lives in the battle. The spoil was divided between the victors and those who remained in the camp. A tribute from each went into the treasury; to which was added, an offering of gratitude, from the officers who went on the expedition; when they found, upon examining their troops, that not one had perished!

While these contemptible efforts to frustrate the designs of Providence were in operation, the persevering leader of the Israelites, and Eleazar their priest, were preparing to pass the Jordan, the natural barrier between the plains of Moab and the land of promise.

Another census of the male population was taken, and found not to contain the name of one individual who had been numbered in the wilderness of Sinai, save only Caleb and Joshua, the faithful messengers. The sentence the ungrateful congregation had brought upon themselves was now completely executed;-they had fallen by disease, by the sword, and by fire; and Moses alone, their venerable chief, remained, of all that were involved in it !—He, too, must soon be removed by death—and Joshua, a man of pre-eminent qualifications, was now pointed out as the captain who should succeed him.

Catherine. Pointed out by whom?-By Moses? or was he elected by the people?

Mother. By neither. Very few things connected with the government of the Hebrews, either civil or religious, originated with themselves. All was the work of the Deity; and by him communicated immediately to Moses; who, notwithstanding he is called the legislator, was but the organ of the real Sovereign.

Moses might institute inferior regulations for present expedience, and select inferior magistrates to assist him;

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JOSHUA CONSECRATED.

but every permanent precept was promulgated with the imperative preface; "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying." Every important designation was "according to the word of the Lord,"—an idea so awful, so commanding, that we cannot withhold our respect from those who still sincerely adhere to them, and cannot believe with us, that the greater part are abolished.

Moses had been summoned by "a voice from the burning bush" at the foot of mount Horeb; and the same voice proceeding now from the "Seat of Mercy," commanded him to lay his hands on Joshua, and consecrate him in the sight of the whole assembly; and a gracious promise was added, that "a part of the Spirit that had rested on Moses should animate and direct his successor."

Fanny. As Moses and Joshua were directed in their whole conduct, step by step, I do not very well see why they should have been enlightened in any unusual degree.

Mother. Although the very letter of the law was dictated to Moses, yet he had much need of an enlightened understanding in the management of his community. But it was the heart also, as well as the intellect, that was improved by Divine Grace; and no man was ever more imperiously required to "keep his heart with all diligence," than was this tried servant. You see, with all the aid he received, in one instance the weakness of his nature prevailed. The people whose turbulent temper had overcame the weakness of Moses, were indeed dead; but their children inherited their character, and would demand of Joshua the continual exercise of resolution and constancy, of patience and integrity.

He was to be honoured in the performance of miracles as his predecessor had been. He was to drive out nations superior in numbers and strength, to dispossess them of their fields and fortified cities, and re-people them with his brethren.

Joshua was to divide the land of Canaan equally amongst them, giving to the larger tribes the greater portion, and to the smaller the less. Their relative location by tribes was to be determined by lot; those only of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh excepted. These

CITIES OF THE ISRAELITES.

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last, having more numerous flocks than the others, requested of Moses the country taken from Og, and Sihon, because the grassy plain on the margin of the river, seemed peculiarly adapted to cattle.

Their suit was at first received by Moses with much displeasure. Supposing it to be their intention to remain in security, while their brethren encountered the populous nations beyond the Jordan, he accused them of want of faith-of discouraging their brethren by their timidity, as their fathers had done at Kadesh, and thereby excluded themselves from the promised rest.

But Reuben and Gad disclaimed the selfish designthey would, they said, build folds for their cattle, and leave their wives and children in the conquered cities, while themselves would go over armed with their brethren, and quit them not until they had obtained peaceable possession of their inheritance. To this condition Moses assented, and the two tribes, and half the tribe of Manasseh, were settled in the land of Gilead, from Mount Hermon on the north, to the river Arnon, the border of Moab, on the south.

Fanny. To live in cities, and pasture great multitudes of cattle, which it is evident the Israelites must have done, were it only for their sacrifices, is irreconcileable with our notions of things; it was certainly very inconvenient.

Mother. You are not to imagine the cities of the Israelites, either here or on the other side of the river, were large and confined like ours. They were villages rather, although they had walls, surrounded by their land both for pasture and tillage. They went into the fields to their occupations in the day time, and returned into the city at night. Their simple habits required but few of the arts, and in those days perhaps they had no artisans by profession. They were all husbandmen, rich only, or chiefly, in flocks and herds, and in the productions of the earth.

In the enumeration made by Moses and Joshua, a chasm appeared in the family of Hepher, and tribe of Joseph. Zelophehad, his son, had died in the wilderness, leaving no male heir to receive his portion, and transmit his name. But five females, his daughters, appeared be

118

LAW OF INHERITANCE.

fore the rulers, petitioning for the right of inheritance. 66 Why," ," said they, "should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son ?" He had not deserved this disgrace, they affectionately argued; he had not leagued with the companies that had been cut off in the guilt of rebellion, but had “died in his own sin." "Give us therefore," said they," a portion among our brethren." Their case was brought before the divine Oracle, and became the occasion of a permanent statute, for the distribution of property in Israel. "The daughters of Zelophehad speak right-thou shalt surely give them an inheritance among their father's brethren. If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him, of his family; and he shall possess it, and it shall be unto the children of Israel, a statute of judgment.”*

Catherine. Is not this precisely our own law?

And

Mother. Yes, and you will find that the judicial, as well as the moral code of all civilized nations, as far as circumstances allow, are borrowed from scripture-the plentiful fountain of justice and wisdom. But the pride of man is ever polluting the streams. The chiefs of the house of Joseph objected, that this regulation might operate to the prejudice of their tribe, inasmuch as the possessions of the daughters of Zelophehad, would go with them to the tribe into which they should marry-destroying thereby the contemplated equality of the nation. prevent this consequence, it was provided, that a female possessing an inheritance, should not marry out of her own tribe-and these heiresses were therefore united to their kinsmen.

Το

The tribe of Levi, deriving their chief support from the sacred treasury, were to have no landed property—

* Numbers, xxvii, 8, 9, 10, 11.

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but forty-eight cities, taken from the other tribes, and in proportion to the extent of each, were to be allotted for their dwellings, with suburbs, or pasture grounds for their cattle.*

Six of the forty-eight, to be "cities of refuge," for the involuntary homicide, to which he might flee and receive protection, from the vengeance of the friends of him whom he had slain. This immunity continued, during the life of the officiating high priest: and after his decease, the offender might return securely to his home. But should he be found beyond the limits of the city, and fall into the hands of those who sought his life, within that period, they were not accountable for any punishment which they might inflict. For a deliberate, premeditated murder, no satisfaction might be taken. Of this most atrocious of all crimes, the utmost abhorrence is unequivocally expressed, in these emphatic words :-"Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are-for blood defileth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by blood."+

Fanny. To confine a man to one place, and at a distance from his family and friends, perhaps, as it might happen, for a number of years, would seem rather to be a punishment, than a favour-considering too, that the homicide was involuntary.

Mother. When the life of a man is taken away by accidental violence, the fact will frequently be attended with circumstances exciting suspicion in the minds of those most nearly interested; and instigating them to revenge. The city of Refuge was then an asylum for him who might unhappily become the object of vindictive or unreasonable passion. Besides, life under any circumstances is a valuable treasure, because it is the season for repentance, and preparation for a longer and a better state of existence. To be, therefore, even the innocent cause of

* About 305 acres surrounding each city.-See Scot's Tables. + Numbers, xxxv. 31, 33.