The term "Seven Years' Conquest " is applied only to the conquest by Joshua. The real conquest of Canaan lasted four centuries, beginning under the leadership of Moses and not ending until the time of David.

I. THE CONQUEST UNDER MOSES.— Although Moses was not permitted to enter the land of Canaan, he began the conquest and at his death all preliminary conquests were made and Israel was ready to enter Canaan.

1. The Battle of Jahaz (Num. 21:21-31).— Before Moses crossed the brook Arnon, into the territory of the Amorites, he sent messengers to King Sihon at Hebron, requesting a passage through their territory; but the request was sternly refused, and Sihon immediately made ready to resist the host of Israel. The Israelites met them in battle at Jahaz and utterly defeated them, capturing the walled cities as far north as the Brook Jabbok, and taking for booty the flocks and herds.

2. The Battle of Edrei (Num. 21:32-35).— King Og, another Amorite chief, ruled the territory from Jabbok to Mt. Hermon. The Israelites attacked him at the city of Edrei and utterly routed him. They captured sixty walled cities in this district, and for a long time they kept in the Amorite city, Rabbath, Og's iron bedstead as a trophy of the victory (Deut. 3:11).

3. The Prophecy of Balaam (Num. 22:1-24:25).— The two decisive battles gave Israel control of all the region east of the Jordan. They encamped in the plains of Shittim, at the head of the Dead Sea. Just south of them lay the territory of the Moabites. Balak, the king, was alarmed at Israel's late successes, and after taking counsel with Midian they determined to defeat Israel without open battle. They sent for Balaam of Mesopotamia to curse Israel, so that her power would be paralyzed; but the desired curse was turned into a blessing, for Balaam could not curse them.

4. The Holy War (Num. 25:1-18). — Though Balaam had pronounced blessings upon Israel, his heart was full of malice, and while he remained with the Midianites he advised them to join the Moabites in seducing Israel from Jehovah. His suggestion was followed and the Israelites were seduced to join the licentious excesses of the festival of Baal-Peor. The guilty were punished with a plague, and 24,000 of the people died. Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the high priest, full of righteous zeal, led the warriors of Israel into battle. The Midianites were utterly routed and Balaam himself perished in battle.

At the conclusion of these conquests the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh asked Moses to let them possess this land as their share of the inheritance. Moses granted their request on condition that they send their troops across the Jordan and help to conquer the land. They complied with the conditions and received as their, possessions the country east of the Jordan.

5. Death of Moses (Deut. 34:1-12). — Being warned that the day of his death drew near, Moses gave his final iustructions for the future government of the nation, and, having appointed Joshua as his successor, he pronounced his last blessing upon the people and ascended Mt. Nebo. Here he surveyed the Promised Land and then died, and God buried him, and no man knows the place of his grave.

II. THE CONQUEST UNDER JOSHUA.

1. Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 2:1-3:17). — After thirty days of mourning for Moses, preparations were made to enter Canaan. Joshua sent spies to Jericho to investigate the stronghold. They were received and concealed by Rahab, and for her kindness to them they promised to spare her life and her family when they destroyed the city of Jericho. After the spies gave their report, Joshua prepared to leave the' encampment at Shittim. He sent the priests in advance, bearing the Ark; all the people followed and when the priests stepped into the water it divided and all the host passed over. They took twelve stones from the bed of the river and set them up as a memorial in Gilgal. At Gilgal they erected the Tabernacle and had their headquarters here during the entire campaign.

News of the marvelous crossing reached the Canaanites, and they were filled with fear and left Israel in quiet possession of Gilgal. Here the rite of circumcision was performed and the the feast of the Passover was observed. The next day after the feast the manna ceased, signifying that now their desert life was over and they would from now on subsist on the fruit of the land.

2. The Conflicts. — Joshua wisely planned his military campaign. He resolved first to conquer central Palestine and then, having divided the north from the south, it became an easy matter to conquer the divided sections.

(1) Jericho (Joshua 6:1-27). — This city was taken first and miraculously destroyed. The spoils of the city were consecrated to Jehovah as the first fruits of the conquest. Jericho was the key to all western Palestine and the victory was already virtually Israel's.

(2) Ai (Joshua 7:1-8:29). — Through the sin of Achan, who had appropriated some of the spoils of Jericho, Israel was defeated at Ai. Joshua was discouraged and about to give up the struggle; but the Lord told him of the sin in the camp and Achan was discovered and punished. At the second attack Ai was captured.

(3) Shechem (Joshua 8:30-35). — Joshua led all his host to Shechem between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim. He built an altar and offered sacrifices, then plastered the stones and inscribed thereon the words of the Law. Half the tribes stood on Mt. Ebal and half on Mt. Gerizim while the priests who stood in the valley between read the blessings and curses of the law. To the blessings the six tribes on Gerizim responded amen, and to the curses those on Ebal made a similar response.

(4) Gibeonite League (Joshua 9:3-27). — Greatly alarmed at Joshua's successes, the Canaanite kings had joined their forces to make a general attack on Israel. The Gibeonites had refused to join this alliance and by stratagem deceived Joshua and induced him to make a league of peace with them. In a few days Joshua discovered the deception and learned they were near neighbors. However, he determined to keep his oath, but they made the Gibeonites bondmen, to draw the water and bear the wood for the congregation and the altar of the Lord. So these heathen Gibeonites were admitted into the covenant of Israel

(5) Beth-horon (Joshua 10:1-43). — Five of the Canaanite kings made war upon the Gibeonites, because of their defection from the national cause. The Gibeonites sent word to Joshua and he came with his host, and, meeting them at Bethhoron, put them to flight. During the battle the sun and moon stood still at the command of Joshua, thus giving them time to pursue them to Makkedah, where the five kings, who hid themselves in a cave, were slain, This battle, in its consequences, is one of the most important in the world's history, for by it was decided the world's religion.

(6) Waters of Merom (Joshua 11:1-33). — Palestine was now practically in the hands of Israel. Jabin, king of Hazor, with his confederates of northern Palestine, attempted to resist the advance of Israel's host. Joshua defeated them, and the conquest of Palestine was complete. They had conquered six nations and thirty-one kings during the seven years since the crossing of the Jordan, and the whole land, save a few Canaanite remnants, was Israel's.

3. Division of the Land (Josh. 21:1 -22:34).

(1) Tribes East of the Jordan. — Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh, before returning to take possession of their territory east of the Jordan, erected the altar Ed 'by the Jordan.

(2) Tribes West of the Jordan. — Judah, Benjamin, Gad, Ephraim, West Manasseh, Zebulon, Naphtali, Asher, Issachar and Simeon were displeased because the two and one half tribes were building an altar and took it to be a proof of apostasy, and immediately they sent an embassy to expostulate with them. Those who had their territory on the east assured them that they had built it only as a memorial altar, as a reminder that they had a part in the national worship. The quarrel was settled and the tribes took possession of the territory assigned them.

(3) Tribe with Cities. — The tribe of Levi did not receive any territory with the other tribes, but received thirty-eight cities scattered throughout the different tribes. The Priests were taken from this tribe and received thirteen of the thirty-eight cities. Six of the thirteen cities were used as cities of refuge to protect those who had unintentionally committed murder. Golan, Ramoth-Gilead and Bezer were selected east of the Jordan; Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron west of the Jordan.

4. Death of Joshua (Joshua 23:1 -24:33).— Knowing that he must soon die, Joshua assembled the tribes at Shechem and exhorted them to be faithful to Jehovah. The people renewed their covenant with Jehovah and set up a stone pillar, upon which were written the words of the covenant, as a memorial of their promise. Joshua was buried in his own city, Timnath-serah of Judah.

III. CONDITION OF ISRAEL AT CLOSE OF CONQUEST.

1. In Possession of only Part of the Land.— They lived among the mountains, leaving the plains along the Mediterranean and the Jordan to be reoccupied by native tribes.

2. Without a Leader.— After the death of Joshua there was no executive head. Israel was a republic without a leader. While this state of affairs made the nation weak, it was conducive to the individual development of character.

3. United in Worship.— The great bond that united the people was their common faith in Jehovah and their common altar of worship at Shiloh, where three times each year all the people were required to worship (Deut. 12:11-14). Had these religious observances been maintained there could have been no division or fall of the nation.

QUESTIONS.

• What is meant by the Seven Years' Conquest? How long did the real Conquest last?

• Where and what were the battles fought in Moses' Conquest?

• Who were the kings that were captured?

• How many cities were captured?

• Why did Balak send for the prophet Balaam?

• Where was Balaam killed?

• What were the conditions on which two and one-half tribes got territory east of the Jordan?

• What was Moses' last work?

• Why does no one know of Moses' place of burial?

• Why were spies sent to Jericho?

• Who treated the spies with favor?

• What reward did she get for her protection?

• Where did the Israelites cross the Jordan?

• Describe the crossing.

• When did the manna cease?

• Where was the manna given and how long did they use it?

• What did they do when they came to Gilgal?

• Describe the taking of Jericho.

• Why were they not able to take Ai the first time?

• Name the mountains where the Law was read, and what does each represent?

• How did the Gibeonites make a league with Joshua?

• Describe the battle at Beth-horon?

• Purpose of the sun and moon standing still?

• Name king of Hazor.

• Why did the tribes of the Jordan build the altar Ed?

• Name the tribes east and west of the Jordan.

• How many cities did the Levites get?

• How many cities did the priests get?

• Give purpose of, and name, cities of Levites.

• Where was Joshua buried?

• How had the people renewed their covenant just before Joshua's death?

• What was the condition of Israel at close of Conquest?

REVIEW.

I. The Conquest under Moses.

1. The Battle of Jahaz.

2. The Battle of Edrei.

3. The Prophecy of Balaam.

4. The Holy War.

5. The Death of Moses.

II. The Conquest under Joshua.

1. Crossing the Jordan— Spies Sent— Rahab Favored— Ark Carried —Stone set up— Circumcision— Passover.

2. The Conflicts:

(1) Jericho,

(2) Ai,

(3) Shechem,

(4) Gibeonite League,

(5) Beth-horon,

(6) Waters of Merom.

3. Division of Possessions:

(1) Tribes East of the Jordan,

(2) Tribes West of the Jordan,

(3) Tribe with Cities,— 38— 12— 6.

4. Death of Joshua.

III. Condition of Israel at Close of Conquest.

1. Possession of only part of the Land.

2. Without a Leader.

3. United in Worship.