 1. The History of the Prophetic Decalogue The Decalogues of Exodus 20-23 clearly represent the earliest canon of the Old Testament. These are intended to define clearly the obligations of the nation to Jehovah, and to place these obligations before the people so definitely that they would be understood and met. As the term Decalogue, that is, 10 words, indicates the Biblical Decalogue originally contained 10 brief, sententious commands easily memorized even by children. Each of the Decalogues is divided into two groups of five laws or pentets. This division of five and ten was without reasonable doubt intended to aid the memory by associating each law with a finger or thumb of the two hands. Exodus 20-23 and its parallels in Deuteronomy contain 10 Decalogues, that is, a Decalogue of Decalogues, suggesting that originally a Decalogue was associated with each of the fingers and thumbs of the two hands, even as were the individual words or commands. This system of mnemonics was useful in teaching a child nation. It's still useful today. It is important to impress upon the child in this concrete way certain of the fundamental obligations to God and man. The form of the ten commandments in part explains the commanding place which they still hold in religious education throughout Christendom. The biblical accounts of the two Decalogues in Exodus 20 and 34 vary in details. The early Judean prophetic narrative in Exodus 34 states that these commands were inscribed by Moses himself on two stone tablets. In the later versions of the story Jehovah inscribes them with his own fingers on the two tablets which he gave to Moses. That the older Decalogue was written on two tablets and set up in the Temple of Solomon is exceedingly probable, for by the days of the United Kingdom the Hebrews were beginning to become acquainted with the art of writing and therefore could read the laws in written form. The recently discovered code of Hanurabi, which comes from the 20th century BC, was inscribed in parallel columns on a stone monument. In the epilogue to this wonderful code, the king states, By the order of Shamash, the judge supreme of heaven and earth, that judgment may shine in the land, I set up a bas-relief to preserve my likeness in the great temple that I love, to commemorate my name forever in gratitude. The oppressed who has a suit to prosecute may come before my image, that of a righteous king, and read my inscription and understand my precious words, and let my stele elucidate his case. Let him see the law he seeks, and may he draw in his breath and say, This Hanurabi was to his people like the father that begot them. Thus this devout king of ancient Babylonia graphically defines the motive, which, at a later period, led Israel's spiritual leaders to set before the people those principles which made for the welfare both of the nation and of the individual. Each was keenly conscious that the laws which brought social and spiritual health to mankind emanated from the divine power that was guiding the destinies of men. Hebrew tradition has described in a great variety of narratives the way in which God made known his will to the people. The scene in each case was Mount Sinai, which the ancient Hebrews as well as the Kenites regarded as Jehovah's abode. In the early Judean version, as some writers classify the accounts, Moses alone ascends the mountain, while the people are forbidden to approach. In the northern Israelite version, the people approach, but, being terrified by the thunder and lightnings, they request Moses to receive for them the divine message. This later version implies that a raging thunderstorm shrouded the sacred mountain, while the early Judean and late priestly narratives apparently suggest an active volcano. The element common to all these accounts is that under the direction of their prophetic leader, Moses, a solemn covenant was established between the nation and Jehovah, and that the obligations of the people were defined in the Decalogue with its ten short commands. The problem is, however, complicated by the presence of two Decalogues, one now preserved in Exodus 34 and the other, the familiar ten commandments of Exodus 20. Both agree in emphasizing, as primary, the nation's obligation to be loyal to Jehovah. The Decalogue in Exodus 34, however, goes on to describe in succeeding laws the ways in which the nation may show its loyalty. This was through the observation of certain ceremonial customs, and especially the annual feasts. Did most ancient peoples show their loyalty to the gods by their lives and deeds, or by the ceremonies of the ritual and the offerings which they brought to the altars? The first great prophet Amos declared that Jehovah hated and despised feasts and ceremonies unless accompanied by deeds of justice and mercy. The Decalogue in Exodus 34 may well represent the original commands which Moses laid upon the nation, but the higher moral sense of later editors has truly recognized the superiority of the ethical commands of the familiar Decalogue in Exodus 20 and given it the commanding place which it richly deserves. For a probable literal history of this Decalogue, see History of the Bible 1, page 194 and 195. The two Decalogues of Exodus 20 and 34 are not duplicates the one of the other, but rather supplement each other. The one defines the obligation of the nation, the other of the individual. The Hebrews long continued to retain in their homes the family images inherited from their Semitic ancestors. Not until the days of Amos and Isaiah did the prophets begin to protest against the calves or bulls and the cherubim in the sanctuaries of northern Israel and even in the temple at Jerusalem. Hence the second command, thou shalt not make for thyself any graven image. Some believe comes from a period centuries later than Moses. Certainly as in Exodus 3417 it originally read molten image and referred to foreign idols. If so it may come in this older form from Moses. The tenth command which places the emphasis on the motive rather than the act also suggests a mature age, but with these possible exceptions there is good reason for believing that the spirit and teaching of Moses are embodied in this noble Decalogue. In what respects does the version in Deuteronomy 5 differ from that in Exodus 20? Which is probably the older version? What later explanations and exhortations have been added to the original ten words in Exodus 20 in Deuteronomy 5? What was the object of these additions? Are they of real value? Is it profitable to teach them to children today? Two, obligations of the individual to God. Into what two groups do the ten words in Exodus 20 fall? And what is the theme of each? Is there a real difference between the command of Exodus 34, thou shalt worship no other gods, and that of Exodus 20, thou shalt have no other gods before me? Did the Hebrews as a matter of fact tolerate the worship of other gods in their midst, centuries after the days of Moses? May the Hebrews have originally interpreted the command of Exodus 20 as a demand that Jehovah be given the first place in the worship and faith of Israel? How did later prophets like Elijah and Isaiah interpret it? See 1 Kings 18, 21 and Isaiah 6, 1 through 8 and 8, 13. The older command in Exodus 34, thou shalt make the no-molten gods, was probably intended to guard the Israelites from imitating the religious customs of their heathen neighbors, such as the Egyptians and the Moabites. The command to make no-graven image was, it seems, directed not against the public idols, but against the private images. These were usually made of wood and were cherished in many a Hebrew family, as, for example, that of Jacob. See the story of his flight from Laban, Genesis 31. Or of David. See 1 Samuel 19. The spirit of the law is truly interpreted by the later priestly commentator, who places completely under the ban all attempts visibly to represent the deity. Is the spirit of this command disregarded by the modern Greek church in certain parts of the Roman Catholic world? In any phases of Protestant worship? How was the third command interpreted today? The exact meaning of the original Hebrew is not entirely clear. It may be interpreted literally, thou shalt not invoke the name of Jehovah, thy God, in vain. The interpretation turns on the meaning of the phrase, in vain. This admits of four different translations. One, purposelessly, and therefore needlessly, or irreverently. Two, for destruction, as when a man calls down a curse upon another. Three, for nothing, that is, in swearing to that which is not true. And four, in the practice of sorcery or witchcraft, for this word was frequently used by the Hebrews as a scornful designation of heathen abominations. Is it possible that the original command was intended to guard against each of these evils? If so, it broadens and deepens its modern application. Its fundamental idea is evidently reverence and sincerity. Why did the Hebrew lawgivers place these three laws, which emphasize absolute loyalty Jehovah at the beginning of the decalogue? What do we mean today by loyalty to God? Loyalty to Jehovah was not only the cornerstone of Israel's religion, but also of the Hebrew state. During the wilderness period and far down into later periods, it was the chief and at times practically the only bond that bound together the individual members of the tribe and nation. Disloyalty to Jehovah was treason, and even the mild code found in the Book of Deuteronomy directs that apostasy be punished by public stoning. Loyalty to God, or at least to the individual sense of right today as in the past, is the first essential of effective citizenship. Which is the more essential for the welfare of the state? The manual, the mental, or the religious training of its citizens? Where is the chief emphasis placed today? Is this right? 3. The social and ethical basis of the Sabbath law The institution of the Sabbath in different countries apparently has a long and complex history. Many explanations have been given of its origin, aside from the direct divine command. The simplest and most satisfactory is probably that it was originally connected with the worship of the moon. There are many indications in Hebrew history that the early ancestors of the Israelites were moon worshipers. Today, as in the distant past, the inhabitants of the desert from whence came the forefathers of the Hebrews make their journeys under the clear, cool light of the moon, avoiding the hot, piercing rays of the midday sun. The moon, with its marvelous transformations, is unquestionably the most striking and awe-inspiring object in the heavens. It is not strange, therefore, that many primitive peoples, and especially the nomadic desert dwellers, worshipped it as the supreme embodiment of beauty and power. In China, feast days once a month were doubtless connected with the phases of the moon. Among the American Indians, time was reckoned by numbers of moons. The custom of observing as sacred the four days, which marked the transition from one quarter of the moon to another, was also widespread. In the Hebrew religion, the feast of the new moon was closely identified with that of the Sabbath. The Hebrew month was also the lunar month of approximately 28 days. The new moon, therefore, marked the beginning of the month and each succeeding Sabbath a new phase of the moon. The fourth commandment seems, therefore, like the others, to have a basis in nature, and also, as we shall note, a social reason. Would a commandment be truly divine if it did not have a natural and reasonable basis? By the ancients, rest from labor was regarded as one of the essential elements in the sacred day. The prophet Amos denounced the merchants of northern Israel because they were constantly saying, when shall the new moon pass that we may sell grain and the Sabbath that we may open the corn? In its earlier ceremonial interpretation, to abstain from all labor on the Sabbath was clearly regarded as a primary obligation. Like fasting, it is probably regarded as an offering due to Jehovah. The word holy in the Hebrew means set apart, distinct. The Sabbath, therefore, was to differ from the other days of the week. The great ethical prophets of the Assyrian period were the first completely to divest this ancient institution of its heathen significance and give it a deeper religious and, therefore, social and humanitarian interpretation. They gave it its true and eternal content, declaring that God decreed that all who labor should have their need addressed. The prophet who added the noble interpretation in Deuteronomy 5, 14, and 15 declares that it was not only that old and young master and slave might rest, but also that even the toiling ox and ass and the resident alien might have the relaxation which their tired bodies required. Thus these inspired prophets traced the ultimate basis of the institution of the Sabbath to God's providence for the innate needs of man. They recognized that it was essential for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the individual, and, therefore, for the welfare of the state. That the Hebrews might not forget this obligation, the prophets appealed to the memory of the days when the Israelites themselves were slaves in the land of Egypt and the thought of how Jehovah delivered them from their slavery. Tuan Fang, the great Manchu Viceroy, who only recently met martyrdom at the hands of his warring countrymen, said when visiting America a few years ago, I think that when I return to China, I will introduce Sunday in my province. When asked whether he would make it the seventh day, he replied, yes, for I think that the seventh day is far better than the tenth. Furthermore, for the convenience and economy of all, I will make it correspond to the Christian Sunday. For my study of the conditions in America and of the needs in China, I am convinced that the Sabbath is a most valuable and essential institution. Later, Judaism revived the earlier heathen content of the Sabbath and lost sight of its deeper political, social, and humanitarian significance. Unfortunately, the Christian church and above all, our Puritan fathers followed the guidance of the latter priests rather than of the early prophets. Jesus, with his clear insight into human hearts and needs and with his glowing love of all men, repudiated the harsh mechanical interpretation of the Sabbath current in his day and reasserted the teachings of the great prophets that preceded him. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Does the social and humanitarian interpretation of the Sabbath obscure or deepen its religious significance? Does the great body of the Christian church today accept the interpretation of the prophets and of Jesus or that of early heathenism and later Judaism? Does the interpretation of the prophets and of Jesus furnish a basis on which all classes in the state can unite in appreciating and in jealously guarding the Sabbath? Does the acceptance of one or the other of these interpretations fundamentally affect our actual observance of the Sabbath? Our motives and our spirit? Our attitudes towards our fellow man? You have reached the end of study 10, part one of the making of a nation. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Stephen Rushing. Chapter 10, part two, the foundation of good citizenship of the making of a nation. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Megan Kunkel. The making of a nation, the beginnings of Israel's history by Charles Foster Kent. Chapter 10, part two, importance of children's loyalty to parents. It is generally recognized by scientists that the place of animals in the scale of being is dependent upon the length of their period of infancy. The lower forms of animal life are mature almost as soon as they are born. Minnows never come under the care of their genitors, but are independent as soon as they are hatched. The young of the less developed quadrupeds are soon weaned and forgotten by their parents. The longer the young remain in the care of their parents, the higher the form of the animal. The great difference between men and most of the higher animals is thought by many to be dependent upon the length of childhood and the consequent care and attention given by the parents. Even among human beings, it is scarcely too much to say that the longer the time of education and training under proper supervision lasts, the more successful finally at the end of life the man will be. When one considers that Aristotle, who was perhaps generally accepted as the world's greatest thinker, associated with his great teacher Plato, 20 years until he was 38 years of age and produced nearly all his important works only after that time, we may see one example of the profound importance of training. The care of parents for their children throughout all of their early years would naturally imply loyalty of children to the parents as a mark of gratitude for the time and affection expended upon them. In one of his characteristic poems filled with wise suggestion, Lowell speaks of obedience as that great taproot of the state and civilization. The habit of obedience is one of the finest characteristics in family life and obedience to parents normally becomes obedience to law on the citizen, one of the surest bonds of society and one of the most necessary conditions of social progress. This fact was so fully recognized in the patriarchal stage of society that the head of the family within the tribe had the power even of life and death over the members of his household. In practically all earliest societies we find this authority of the parent and the obedience of the child insisted upon as fundamental. In the Orient, even to the present day, this respect of children for their parents is closely bound up with their religion and their civilization. The first wish of every man is that Bee may have a son to sacrifice to his memory after he has gone. And not only in China, but in many other states we find ancestral worship springing from this relation of father and son. The primitive Hebrew laws may death the penalty for a child who struck or cursed his parents. In many countries, parasite is considered the worst type of murder. The very old Sumerian law of ancient Babylon punished with slavery the son who repudiated his father. In the fifth commandment, no penalty is named for disrespect toward one's parents. The religious sanction only is implied that the penalty of death was inflicted by the law of the tribe. In society today, our aim in education is to develop individuality and for a country with a democratic form of government, this type of education should be encouraged. Disobedience or disrespect to parents has no longer a legal penalty, although the children may be compelled by law to support their parents. But gratitude toward parents and the normal affectionate family life are practically essential to social welfare. Aside from its civic aspect, there is nothing in society more beautiful than the right relationship between parents and children. Jesus, who represented the kingdom of God as a household, found that the best analogy for the relationship of men to God and the best descriptions of the divine nature are based upon this relationship. The second five commandments of the Decalogue deal with the obligations of man to man. These commands still find a central place in modern society as the best guarantees of social stability, security and peace. All of the crimes with which they deal, except that of covetousness, were punished in Hebrew custom and law by definite penalties. In many instances, these penalties were still more severe among other peoples. As soon as society emerges from the savage state, the crime of adultery is always forbidden. Nothing else stirs the worst of human passions as the sexual jealousy. Even today, probably no other cause is more productive of murder and suicide. In early societies, like that of the Israelites, to this normal human feeling of personal wrong was out of that of the loss of property, for wives or concubines were considered as property. Hence the penalty for adultery among the Hebrews, as with many ancient and many modern peoples, was death. As soon as society develops from the savage into the pastoral stage, private property is recognized in the flocks and herds. In the development of society, additional types of property rights appear into various forms of ownership, until it is not too much to say that modern society is based largely upon property rights. The evil associated with property are many, but as yet, at any rate, the rights of property are a benefit to the state, provided these rights are exercised under proper legal supervision. It should be recognized, however, that the command, thou shalt not steal, may well have various meanings dependent upon the laws of property. Our law restricts the right of legacy, the sale or even the possession of poisons and often of dangerous weapons. Similarly, the degree of ownership of other goods is often limited. The ninth command, not to bear false witness against one's neighbor, is often interpreted as simply a violation of one's oath in court or when appended to formal legal papers. But in most modern countries, the command is also interpreted so as to include lying. If this crime is defined in its broadest sense, as lack of truth and trustworthiness, it is in many ways the greatest sin a man can commit against society. Practically all modern economic and social relations are based upon the security of contracts and upon the readiness of businessmen and citizens to keep their word. It may be well questioned whether the crime of murder is as dangerous to society as the habit of deception, for the temptation of murder is rare, as compared with that of deception, while the evil is often less far reaching in its consequence and less despicable. In the last command, that directed against covetousness, the lawgiver goes beyond the external act of the motive and spirit in the mind of the individual. If this command is kept in spirit, the others are practically unnecessary. This command is like and kind to that of Jesus in the New Testament, where all the commandments are summed up into one, love one another. The present day authority of the Ten Commandments. The various books that make up our Bible were each written to meet the needs of the people of its day, but inasmuch as the prophets and lawgivers from the days of Moses to those of Jesus touched upon the most vital questions of human life and society, these principles are most of them universal and applicable to all tribes and nations and races and peoples. Necessarily, there are many variations in the specific methods by which these commands are to be carried out. The honor and reverence due everywhere to mother and father may well have different applications depending upon the type of civilization, the customs of living, and the type of home life that exists in the different countries. The injunction to keep the Sabbath may well be carried out with the same spirit in various ways. What constitutes theft depends upon the law of the separate state and upon the rights of property granted by that law, but everywhere the primary obligations of the individual to God, to society, and to his fellow men remain substantially the same. As he develops a more tender conscience, a more just and kindly attitude toward his fellows, a greater reverence toward his creator, the spirit with which he keeps these commandments is becoming continually more urgent, whatever may be the specific way in which they may be carried out for the benefit of his fellow men and of society. Questions for further consideration. Does idol worship exist in any part of the civilized world today? If so, where, and in what forms? Are those addicted to profanity necessarily and intentionally irreverent? What is the origin of this habit? How may it be eradicated? What are some of the best methods by which children may be guarded against it? Do you think it is right for the state to become responsible for the religious education of its citizens? What is the fundamental difference between the so-called continental Sabbath and that observed by Jesus? In what way may Sunday be a day of greater profit and significance to the working man? What attitude should one take regarding so-called white or society lies? Under what circumstances, if any, is it right to lie? Substance for further study. 1. The Decalogue is in Exodus 20-23. Historical Bible, Volume 2, page 209-24. 2. Jesus' Version of the Ancient Prophetic Decalogue. See Matthew 5, 17-18. 6, 19-21. 12, 1-12. 31, 32. 15, 3-5. 22, 36-39. 3. Compare the moral ideas of the Decalogue with those of the present-day Socialist. Cross the essentials of Socialism. Walling. Socialism as it is. Spargo. Elements of Socialism. End of Chapter 10. Chapter 11, Part 1. The Making of a Nation. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Making of a Nation. The Beginnings of Israel's History. By Charles Foster Kent. Chapter 11, Part 1. The Early Training of a Race. Israel's Experience in the Wilderness and East of the Jordan. Numbers 11-14. 21, 21-31. 32, 39-42. Parallel Readings. Biblical Bible 1-204-29. Edward Jinx. History of Politics. Chapter 3. Then as they journeyed from the mountain of Jehovah, the Ark of Jehovah went before them to seek out a halting place for them. And whenever the Ark started, Moses would say, Arise, old Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered. And let those who hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he would say, Return, old Jehovah, to the ten thousand of thousands of Israel. Numbers 10, 33, 35, 36. As an eagle stireth up her nest, hovereth over her young, taketh them, fereth them upon her wings. So the Lord his God did lead him, and there was no strange God with him. Deuteronomy 32, 11. Before man made us citizens, great nature made us men. Lowell. Oh, east is east, and west is west, and never the twain shall meet, till earth and sky stand presently at God's great judgment seat. But there is neither east nor west, border no breed nor birth. When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth, graduate Kipling. The measure of the success of our lives can only lie in the stature of our manhood, in the growth and unworldliness, and in the moral elevation of our inner self, Henry Drummond. The Wilderness Environment The accounts regarding the experiences of the Israelites in the wilderness lack the unity which characterizes the records of the earlier and later periods. They simply give occasional pictures of the life of the Hebrew fugitives. They must be interpreted in the light of the peculiar background of the wilderness and of the nomadic life which flourishes there today, as it did in the past. The Hebrews on escaping from Egypt entered the South Country, which extends seventy miles from the rocky hills of Judah southward until it merges into the barren desert. During the later Roman period the northern and northwestern portions of this territory were partially reclaimed by agriculturalists, but in early periods, as today, it was preeminently the home of wandering nomadic tribes. This wild, treeless region is divided by rocky ranges running from east to west. Parallel to these are deep, hot, and for the most part, waterless valleys. In the springtime, these valleys are covered by a sparse vegetation from a few perennial springs flow waters that irrigate the immediately surrounding land, but they soon lose themselves in the thirsty desert. During the summer the vegetation disappears almost entirely, and the struggle for substance becomes intense. The nature of the country makes it necessary for its inhabitants constantly to journey from one pasture land and spring to another. The home of the Hebrews at this time, like that of the modern Arabs, was the tent. The stories that have come down from this period suggest the experiences through which they passed. The constant insistent problem in this region was and is how to secure adequate supplies of food and water. During the greater part of the year the chief food of the people is the milk and curds supplied by their herds. At times, however, these fail to meet the needs even of the modern Bedouin inhabitants of the South country. They then gather the gum that exudes from the tamarisk tree or the lichens from the rocks. From these they make a coarse flour and bread which keeps them alive until the winter rains again bring their supply of water and pastureage. Some scholars hold that this coarse food was the manna of the biblical accounts. They argue that later generations, familiar with the barrenness of the wilderness and believing that the Hebrews at this time numbered many thousands, naturally concluded and reported that their ancestors were miraculously fed. At certain periods, also, the meager fare of the desert dweller was supplemented by the quails which he is able to capture and these are a welcome relief to his monotonous diet. About the perennial springs which gush forth from the barren rock there also grew up stories of a miraculous provision for the needs of Jehovah's people. For all springs and especially those in the desert were regarded by the ancients as miracles. Even in more fertile lands the Greeks reared besides the king's temples to the god, whom they thought of as thus signally revealing himself. In the deeper sense each of these early Hebrew stories is historical, for they all record the fundamental thought and belief that through this strenuous, painful period even as in later crises in their history Jehovah was guiding his people and giving them not only food and water but also that training in the school of danger and education which was essential for their highest development. Even more insistent than the constant struggle for food and water were the dangers that came from the hostile tribes which already occupied this much contested territory. For the possession of the springs and pasture lands they fought with the energy and craft that characterized the Bedouin tribes today. Hence to the Hebrews fresh from the fertile fields of Egypt their life in the wilderness represented constant hardship, probation, suffering and danger, influence of the nomadic life upon Israel's character and ideals. The wilderness left a stamp upon Hebrew character and life that may be traced even today in the later descendants of that race. It tightened their muscles and gave them that physical virility which has enabled them to survive even amidst the most unfavorable conditions. It taught them how to subsist on the most meager food supply and to thrive where the citizen of a more prosperous land would inevitably starve. It is probable that in their early nomadic experiences the Hebrews acquired those migratory habits which intensified by unwanted vicissitudes have carried them to almost every civilized land. In the wilderness they also learned the art of nomadic warfare which to win victories depended not so much upon open attack as upon strategy. The common dangers of the wilderness life tightened the racial and religious bonds that held them together. Only by the closest union could they resist the perils that beset them. Upon the complete devotion of each man to the interest of the tribe hung his fate as well as that of the community as a whole. Hence arose that devotion to race, that readiness to avenge every wrong and to protect each individual even if it cost the life blood of the tribe which is illustrated in many of the stories that come from this early period. How far has this racial characteristic survived? In a community thus closely bound together the morality of each individual was guarded with a jealousy unknown in more settled prosperous communities. Thus, for example, adultery from the first appears to have been punished by public stoning. How far has this characteristic survived to the glory of the Jewish race? The tribal organization also cherished the freedom of each individual. His voice was heard in its council and his rights were carefully protected. The free atmosphere of the desert tolerated no despotism and the sheik was the servant of all. These fundamental conceptions of government persisted even when under the influence of a new agricultural environment the Hebrews established the kingship and monarchy. It was the struggle between these inherited democratic ideals and those of the neighbors who were ruled by despots that ultimately disrupted the Hebrew kingdom and called forth those great champions of liberty and social justice, the prophets of the Assyrian period. It was this same democratic atmosphere that made possible the work of those prophets who openly denounced the crimes of king and people. How far have the Jews throughout all their history allied themselves with democratic movements? The influence of the wilderness life upon Israel's faith the pressure of constant danger intensified the sense of dependence upon a power outside and above themselves. It led them to look constantly to Jehovah as their sole guide and deliverer. A continued attitude crystallized into a habit, hence throughout their troubled career the Hebrews have been conscious of the presence of God and have found in him their defender and personal friend as has no other people in human history. As later generations meditated on the perils of the wilderness through which their ancestors passed they naturally felt that only under the immediate guidance of a divine power could they have escaped. They were familiar with the way in which the caravans travel through the desert in front of the leader is borne aloft a brasier filled with coals. From this smoldering fire there arises by day a column of smoke that in the clear air of the desert can be easily seen afar by any who may struggle behind. At night these glowing coals seem like a pillar of fire telling of the presence of their leader and protector. With the same vivid imagery according to some interpreters the later Hebrews pictured the march of their ancestors through the wilderness and thereby symbolized the belief that Jehovah was then present and that through his prophet Moses he was personally guiding his people. How far have these Old Testament narratives been thus interpreted by modern western readers? Does it change their spiritual significance to seek to learn their origin and real literary character? Are there still to be found often in humble walks of life earnest Christians who have similar deep spiritual experiences and describe them with the same vivid imagery and concreteness? Is the value of our conception of God's presence and activity in human history deepened and strengthened or lessened by the thought that in the past even as today he accomplishes ends by natural rather than contranatural methods? Are the faith and institutions of nations and individuals developed most through special revelations or through ordinary constant daily training and experience? Is it not true that to us all their comet times experiences akin to those that underlie these wonderful narratives? End of Chapter 11 Part 1 Recording by Selena Arder Chapter 11 Part 2 Of the Making of a Nation This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org The Making of a Nation The Beginnings of Israel's History by Charles Foster Kent Chapter 11 Part 2 The Significance of the East Jordan Conquests Desert dwellers take little account of the lapse of time. It is not strange that the data regarding the duration of the sojourn and the wilderness are late and exceedingly vague. The number 40 in the Bible is the concrete Hebrew equivalent of many. Ordinarily the 40 years represent a generation. A period of about 40 years accords well with the facts of contemporary Egyptian chronology. If the Hebrews fled from Egypt about 1200, during the period of Anarchy following the breakdown of the 19th Egyptian dynasty, they could not have entered Palestine much before the middle of the 12th century. For Ramses III of the 20th dynasty succeeded in re-establishing and maintaining his authority in southern Palestine until his death about 1167 B.C. The Account of the Spies preserved according to some writers in variant versions by each of the great groups of Hebrew narratives indicates that the Hebrews attempted but failed to enter Canaan from the south. For tribesmen like the Israelites chafing under their harsh environment and recalling the prosperity of the land of Egypt, Palestine with its green hills and fertile fields, was an irresistible lodestone luring them on to the conquest. They failed to enter Canaan from the south are suggested in the narrative of the spies and confirmed by a study of the historical geographical situation. The Canaanite cities of southern Palestine were built largely with the view to protecting their inhabitants from the ever lurking nomad invaders. On the other hand, the Hebrews had none of the equipment needed to conquer walled cities. More than that, the barren hills would not furnish the base of supplies necessary to maintain a protracted siege. The early Hebrew narratives imply that certain nomadic tribes, as for example, the Calebites, the Canizzites, and the Jiharmalites independently gained a foothold on the southern borders of Canaan and ultimately assimilated with the Hebrew tribe of Judah when the latter entered Palestine. The earliest Hebrew accounts, however, as well as the logic of the situation indicate that the great body of the Israelites, whose ancestors had been in the land of Egypt, entered Palestine from the east. Throughout all its history, the east Jordan land has witnessed the constant transition of Arab tribes from the nomadic life of the desert to the more settled civilization of agricultural Palestine. Here, on the eastern heights that overlook the Jordan Valley and the land of Canaan, the traveler still finds the Arab tents and flocks of the nomads beside the plowed fields of the village dwellers. On the rolling plains of northern Moab and southern Gilead, there are few commanding heights or natural fortresses. The important towns, like Thayban and Heshban, lay on slightly rising hills. The character of the ruins today does not indicate that they were ever surrounded by formidable walls. Whether the Hebrews conquered them by an open attack or by strategy, as in the case of the town of Ai, is not stated. It is certain, however, that here they first gained a permanent foothold in agricultural Palestine. From the conquered, they here learned their initial lessons in the arts of agriculture and became acquainted with that more advanced Canaanite civilization which they later absorbed. Coming fresh from the desert where only the fittest survived, their numbers rapidly increased in this quieter and more favorable environment. Soon to the constant pressure of the desert population on the east was added that of overpopulation, so that necessity, as well as ambition, impelled them to cross the Jordan to seek homes among the hills to the west. The significance of Moses' work, the study of the beginnings of Israel's history in the light of its physical, social, and economic environment, reveals clearly the many powerful forces then at work. At the same time, these do not alone explain Israel's later history and the uniqueness of its character and faith. These later facts plainly point back to a strong, commanding personality who shaped the ideals and institutions of this early people and left upon them the imperishable imprint of his own unique individuality. Although the traditions regarding him have been transmitted for centuries from mouth to mouth, they portray the character and work of Moses with remarkable clarity and impressiveness. Moses was primarily a patriot. He was also a prophet statesman, able to grasp and interpret the significance of the great crises in the life of his people and to suggest practical solutions. Moreover, he was able to inspire confidence and lead as well as direct. In the harsh environment of the wilderness, he was able to adjust himself to most difficult conditions. In leading the Hebrew serfs from the land of Egypt, he became indeed the creator of the future Hebrew nation. In the wilderness, he trained that child nation. As judge and counselor, he taught concretely the broad principles which became the foundation of later Hebrew law as guardian of the oracle and priest of the desert sanctuary, Moses. Like the later prophet of Islam, but with far greater spiritual power and deeper insight, taught his people not only the art of worship, but certain of the great essentials of religion. He, it was, who formulated in a positive faith the wholesome reaction which he and his kinsmen felt against the gross polytheism of Egypt. The inspiration of all of Moses's work was his own personal faith. The first great vision of Jehovah's character and purpose that he had received in the land of Midian was doubtless often renewed amidst the same wild impressive scenes. The exact nature of the deeper, more personal side of his character and faith must be inferred from the close analogies that may be drawn from the memoirs of Isaiah or Jeremiah. At the same time it is a mistake to infer that Moses' beliefs were as lofty as those of the later prophets who stood in the light of a larger experience. On the other hand it is not just to disregard the fact that Moses being a prophet was far in advance of the primitive age in which he lived. Not only did Moses create the Hebrew nation and teach it its first lessons in practical politics and religion, but he it was who first instilled into his race commanding loyalty to the one God, Jehovah taught that religion was more than form that it meant right thinking and doing. Thus Moses was the forerunner of Israel's later prophets who broke away from the narrow heathen interpretation of religion and defined it in terms of life and service. The early stages in the training of the human race. It is interesting and important to note that Israel's history was in most respects like that of other growing nations. In the beginning pastoral society and tribal government developed among savages primarily through the domestication of animals. The young of the animal slaying in the hunt are kept first as pets. Then when as a result of the thriftless nature of the savages supplies at times become scarce the pets are slain for food. As pets become more common and population increases the advantage of breeding for use is apparent and private property and distinction from community possessions appears. The growing herds naturally develop the need of regular service. To meet this need the institutions of permanent marriage and bondage arise and the wife or wives and the slaves perform the added work. With the custom of fixed marriage and the possibility of tracing ancestry through the father comes in time ancestral government. The Hebrews seem to have had this type of government even in the days of Abraham and it lasted until the tribes broke up into clans and families when they acquired permanent homes and became agriculturalists in the land of Canaan. Many of the characteristics of the tribe disappear almost entirely as wandering nomads settle in a fixed abode and the patriarchal rule changes to that of a royal or democratic government. Customs become fixed in formal statutes. Property and land becomes more frequent in herds. War becomes the business of a special army instead of the frequent duty of all. But in the tribe there is little competition. All work for the community or for the family rather than for individual interests. Each man is primarily responsible not to the state but to the head of his family or clan who in turn answers for his family to the tribal chief. Certain of these tribal institutions and ideals have left their indelible impress on modern society. The tribe was exclusive. All those not born into the tribe had no right, no welcome there, for their coming would tend to restrict the common pasturage. They would be a burden. Though the tent-dweller might be hospitable to a guest, an alien had no rights except on sufferance. If he were needy and were received he usually became a serf or slave but this exclusiveness is the germ of our patriotism. A noble trait that may ultimately but not soon be replaced by a cosmopolitan love for humanity allied to this is the personal bond that obtains in the tribe instead of the territorial unity of the modern state. A Frenchman is such because he is born in France and Israelite is such because he is the son of Abraham and knows his people as his blood men. This personal tie makes for peace and democracy. Building on this Jewish tribal trait Jesus calls all men brethren because sons of a common father. His kingdom of God likewise is not territorial. Its citizens are bound together by the tribal bond of a common brotherhood and fatherhood. Thus the lessons so deeply impressed in the childhood of the race have a large and growing significance for the present and future. Questions for further consideration. What reasons may be given to prove that love for humanity is a virtue more useful to modern civilization than patriotism? Does the movement for universal peace find any encouragement in the teachings ascribed to Moses? On what grounds can the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites be defended? How did it differ from the taking of Tripoli by Italy or Puerto Rico by the United States? In the light of the oldest records was Moses' work in your judgment accomplished by natural or supernatural methods? What were the chief characteristics of Moses? What place does he hold in history? Is modern socialism in any way a revival of the principles underlying the old tribal organization? How far did Jesus in his idea of the kingdom of God build on the old tribal idea? Subjects or further study? 1. Characteristics of the wilderness south of Palestine Hastings Dictionary of the Bible 3 505-6 Kent Biblical Geography and History 42-43 2. The Religion of Moses Hastings Dictionary of the Bible Extra Volume 631-634 Marti Old Testament Religion 36-71 3 Compare the tribal organization and customs of the Israelites with those of the American Indian tribes of today Publications of the Indian Association Publications of the Mohan Conferences End of Chapter 11 Part 2 Recording by Selena Arder Chapter 7 Part 1 Of the Making of a Nation This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Making of a Nation The Beginnings of Israel's History by Charles Foster Kent Chapter 7 Part 1 A Nation Struggle for a Home and Freedom Israel's victory over the Canaanites Joshua 2-9 Judges 1, 4 and 5 Parallel Readings Historical Bible 2-1-4-1 Principle of Politics 10 That the leaders took the lead in Israel that the people volunteered readily blessed Jehovah Zebulun was a people who exposed themselves to deadly peril and naftali on the heights of the open field Kings came, they fought they fought the kings of Canaan at Tanakh by the waters of Megiddo they took no booty of silver from heaven fought the stars from their courses fought against Cicera the river Kishan swept them away that ancient river the river Kishan O my soul march on with strength when did the horse hooves resound with the galloping galloping of their steeds Judges 5, 9, 18-22 Historical Bible This was King Arthur's dream him thought that there was coming into his land many griffins and serpents and him thought that they Brent and slew all the people in the land and then him thought that he fought with them and they did him passing great damage and wounded him full sore but at the last he slew them all Mallory, History of King Arthur Mort de Arthur Young gentlemen have a resolute life purpose don't get mad and don't get scared Burleson 1. The Crossing of the Jordan In the light of the preceding studies the motives that led the Hebrews to cross the Jordan become evident as the pilgrim fathers to secure a home where they might enjoy and develop their own type of belief and methods of civilization braved the dimly known dangers of the sea in the wilderness the Hebrews braved the contests that unquestionably laid before them between the sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea the Jordan is affordable at 30 points during certain parts of the year the first of the two main fords in the lower Jordan is just below the point where the Wadi Kelt enters the Jordan from the west and deposits its massive mud and silt the other four to six miles further north below the point where the Wadi Nimrin comes down from the highlands of Gilead here today the main highway connecting the east and the west Jordan country crosses the river this spot was probably the scene of the historic crossing at the beginning of Hebrew history certain writers hold that very into counts of the most important facts in early Hebrew history have here been preserved traces of three different versions of the crossing of the Jordan may still in their judgment be found in the third and fourth chapters of the book of Joshua the latest and most familiar narrative represents the crossing as a superlative miracle and the waters of the rushing river is piled up like a wall on either side the northern Israelite version appears to have stated that the waters of the Jordan were dried up implying that the Hebrews crossed the river during the late summer when the river was easily affordable the earliest narrative the Judean prophetic states that quote the waters rose up in a heap a great way off at Adam the city that is beside Zerothan and those that went down toward the sea of the araba the salt sea were wholly cut off unquote Joshua 3 16 B from other references in the Old Testament it would appear that the city of Adam which means red earth is today represented by the ruins of Ed Damier which stands near the famous Damier Ford at the point where the river Jabak enters the Jordan it is interesting to note in this connection that a reliable Muslim historian states that in the year 1257 AD the retreating Muslims found it necessary to repair the foundations of an important bridge which stood at this point when the workmen arrived on the scene they were amazed to find the riverbed empty and were able to complete the repairs before the waters came rushing down this remarkable phenomenon seemed to them to be due to the direct intervention of Allah but the historian fortunately records the cause it was a huge landslide a little further up the river which temporarily dammed its waters the oldest biblical account of the crossing of the Jordan may point to a like natural cause if this be true does it imply that Jehovah had no part in preparing the way for the future of the prophets of his people what a miracle such as that recorded in the late priestly tradition be any stronger proof of God's presence and activity in human history than are the provisions which we today call natural 2. The Canaanite Civilization Contemporary inscriptions and recent excavations make it possible to form a very definite conception of conditions in Canaan when the Hebrews crossed the Jordan the dominant civilization that of the Canaanites the descendants of the Semitic invaders from the desert who entered Palestine centuries before the ancestors of the Hebrews naturally they settled first along the fertile coast plains that skirt the western Mediterranean in later times these were known as the Phoenicians as the population increased the Canaanites pushed their outposts along the broad valleys that penetrated the uplands of Palestine these valleys were especially fertile and attractive in the territory later known as Galilee and Samaria the wide plain of Israel and its eastward extension the Valley of Jezreel cut straight across the central plateau of Palestine the plain of Israel was the strongest center of the Canaanite civilization a few outposts were established in the Jordan Valley as for example Leish later known as Dan at the foot of Mount Hermon and Jericho at the southern end of the Jordan Valley only a few Canaanite villages were found along the more barren hills of southern Canaan there the peoples in civilization still retained the imprint of their desert origin along the coast plains and across the great plain of Israel ran the main highways that connected the three earliest and most nourishing centers of the world civilization the Egyptian on the southwest the Amorite on the north probably between the southern Lebanon and the Babylonian to the east and northeast for centuries the Canaanites had absorbed the ideas, institutions and culture of these stronger peoples so fundamentally had the Babylonians impressed the Canaanites that practically all of the inscriptions coming from this early period are written in the Babylonian script even in writing to their Egyptian conqueror during the 14th century the Canaanite kings of Palestine used this same Babylonian system of writing the Amorite civilization had so strongly influenced the Canaanites that today it is difficult for the archaeologists to distinguish between the two by certain of the biblical writers the terms Canaanite and Amorite are used interchangeably as early as 1600 BC Egypt under the ambitious conquering kings of the 18th dynasty had overrun Palestine and for the next three or four centuries ruled it as a tributary province the nearness of Egypt made its influence still more powerful so that in nearly every mound and Canaanite ruin the excavator finds hundreds of reminders of the presence of the Egyptian civilization the Canaanites had long since left behind them the nomadic state and had developed a strong agricultural and commercial civilization their life centered about certain important cities like Megiddo on the southwestern side and Bethshean on the eastern side of the plain of Australia their cities were usually built on a low lying hill on which encircling plains they were provided with thick mud walls behind which the inhabitants felt secure from attack over each city ruled a petty king whose authority however did not extend far beyond the surrounding fields that belonged to the inhabitants of the town generally these city states were independent in many cases they were hostile to each other and the long rule of Egypt had tended to intensify this hostility for Egypt had depended upon this local policy to maintain its control the diversified physical contour of Palestine likewise strengthened this tendency toward separation rather than unity this type of political organization favored a growth of polytheism rather than the worship of one god each city had its local god or Baal which was worshiped at a high place either within the city or on some adjacent height while in the larger cities elaborate altars and temples were reared to them these local deities were regarded as the gods of fertility which gave to their worshipers ample harvests and numerous offspring both of the family and of the knock the principle of generation occupied such an important place in the Canaanite cults that in time they became exceedingly immoral and debasing to secure the favor of their gods the Canaanites brought rich sacrifices to their altars and observed certain great annual festivals with ceremonies very similar to what was later adopted by the Hebrews while the Canaanites were on a much higher plane of material civilization than the Hebrews they ultimately fell a prey of those hardy invaders of the desert one because they were incapable of strong united action and two because their civilization was corrupt and innervating courage and real patriotism were almost unknown to them even as early as the 17th century BC when the Egyptian king defeated the land of Palestine their strong walls and their superior military equipment however made their immediate conquest by the Hebrews impossible this explains why the earliest account of the initial conquest now found in judges one is chiefly devoted to recounting the strong Canaanite cities which the Hebrews failed to conquer three the capture of the outposts of Palestine in the light of our present knowledge of the Canaanite civilization it becomes evident why most of the early Hebrew conquests were in the south the only large Canaanite city which they could conquer in the early days was Jericho recent excavations have also shown why later generations regarded its capture by the Hebrews as a miracle although many modern interpreters hold that the early account does not imply that it was by supernatural means like most of the Canaanite cities it was situated on a slightly rising eminence close to the foothills that on the west rose abruptly to the central plateau of Canaan northward eastward and southward extended for miles the level plane of the Jordan River which plowed its way through its alluvial bed six miles east of Jericho close by the site of the ancient city came the perennial waters of the Wadi Kelt with which it was possible to irrigate its fields past the town ran the main highway from across the Jordan along the northern side of the Wadi Kelt to join the great central highway that extended through the center of Palestine Jericho was therefore the key to the land of Canaan and its capture was necessary if the Hebrews were to maintain their connection with their kinsmen east of the Jordan the ruins of the ancient Canaanite town rise between 40 and 50 feet above the plane it is an oblong mound containing altogether about 12 acres the excavations have disclosed a large part of the encircling wall it was a construction of excellent workmanship which still stands practically intact testifying to the accuracy of the early Hebrew tradition its foundation is a wall of rubble 16 feet high and 6 to 8 feet thick sloping inward on the top of this foundation which rested on the native rock was built a supplemental wall of burnt brick 6 or 7 feet in thickness and rising even now in its ruin condition on an average 8 feet above the lower wall thus the original wall must have towered between 20 and 30 feet above the plane at the northern end of the city stood the citadel made of unburned brick 3 stories high even the stone staircase which led to the top is still intact according to these investigators the late tradition that these walls fell flat to the earth as the result of a miracle finds no confirmation in the ruins themselves the older Hebrew account however perfectly with the evidence revealed by the spade of the excavator in imagination it is easy to follow the perilous journey of the Hebrew spies and to appreciate the importance of the negotiations by which they secured the cooperation of Rahab and of the clan within Jericho which he represented later come the Hebrew hordes from across the Jordan bearing with them the ark which symbolized to them the presence of Jehovah who had led them on to victory in many an early battle during their impregnable walls the inhabitants of Jericho must have left scornfully at the desert host that seemed utterly incapable of an effective attack or of a protracted siege according to many modern interpreters the earliest Hebrew host marched silently about the Canaanite stronghold at first the inhabitants of Jericho accustomed to Arab strategy undoubtedly held themselves ready for defense when no attack came their vigilance was gradually relaxed at last on the seventh day when conditions were favorable at the preconceived signal a trumpet blast the Hebrews rushed toward the walls the gates were probably opened by their allies within the city and Jericho was quickly captured the method of attack recorded in the prophetic narrative was very similar to the strategy used a little later by the Hebrews in the capture of the smaller towns of A.I. and Bethel they are the methods still employed by the Bedouins in their attacks by the hosts of Palestine the fierce nomadic instincts of these early Hebrew warriors are revealed by the fate which they visited upon Jericho and its inhabitants the recent excavations confirm the biblical testimony that for several centuries after its initial capture the ancient town was left a heap of ruins its inhabitants were slain as a great sacrificial offering to Jehovah whose true character as one who loves all mankind was first appreciated by the inspired prophets of a much later era from the plain of Jericho two or three roads led up to the central plateau of Canaan the main road along the Wadi Kelt ran past the villages of A.I. and Bethel at most they were small towns and easily captured along this highway went the Hebrew tribes later known as the Ephraimites and Manasites the other roads led through the wilderness south westward to the heart of Judah the frontier town of Bezek mentioned in the ancient narrative of judges has not yet been identified the name is perhaps but a scribal corruption of Bethlehem or of Beth-sur further to the south the other towns ultimately captured by the southern tribes were Hebron with its copious water supply Debir to the southwest and Ered and Horma which lay on the borders of the south country the capture of these six or seven outposts represents the first stage in the conquest and settlement of Palestine it was significant because it meant that the people from the wilderness had gained a foothold in the land where they ultimately found their home it inaugurated Israel's pioneer period the Hebrews were no longer homeless wanderers in the desert nor sojourners in a foreign land at this point Israel's history as a nation properly begins although the complete union of the tribes was not consummated until nearly a century later end of chapter 7 part 1 chapter 7 part 2 chapter 7 part 2 of making of a nation this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the making of a nation the beginnings of Israel's history by Charles Foster Kent chapter 7 part 2 4 ways by which the Israelites won their homes the impression conveyed by the later passages in the book of Joshua that the Hebrews within a period of 7 years became complete masters of the land of Canaan is different from that made by the older records and judges these indicate that the process was gradual extending through several generations except at 2 or 3 great crises this conquest appears to have been peaceful rather than by the sword a process of settlement and colonization rather than of capture today throughout many parts of Palestine one may still see close to the cities the black tents and the flocks of the Bedouin immigrants in the days of the Hebrew settlement the Canaanites were largely confined to the fertile valleys the uplands were still open to the men from the desert here the Hebrews pitched their tents and finally built their rude homes in this more favorable environment their families and their flocks gradually increased until they began to encroach upon the territory already occupied by the older inhabitants the tales and differences were sometimes settled by the appeal to the sword more frequently by alliances sealed by intermarriages the early narrative in the 9th and 10th chapters of the Book of Judges gives a vivid picture of the resulting condition in the strong Canaanite city of Shechem Hebrews and Canaanites had so far intermarried that Abimelech a product of this intermarriage succeeded his father Gideon as king of the first little Hebrew kingdom at Shechem Hebrews and Canaanites also worshiped side by side in the common sanctuary which was known as the Temple of Vale of the Covenant under the pressure of the increased population certain of the Hebrew tribes migrated and seized new territory such a migration is vividly recorded in Judges 17 and 18 the little tribe of the Danites finding the pressure of their kinsmen on the north and east and that of the Philistines on the west too strong captured the Canaanite city of Leish at the foot of Mount Hermon and thus found a permanent home in the upper Jordan Valley it was a cruel barbarous age in which might was regarded as right thus Ahud the Benjamin who treacherously gained admittance into the presence of Eglon secretly slew this Moabite oppressor of the Hebrews this act instead of being condemned was regarded then and even by later generations as an example of courageous patriotism was his act justifiable how would it be regarded in America today? 5. Debra's Rally of the Hebrews the growing numbers and strength of the Israelites at last alarmed the Canaanites a certain leader by the name of Cicera formed a coalition of the strong Canaanite cities encircling the plain of Esdralon the center of this coalition was the powerful city of Megiddo the ruins of which on the southwestern side of the plain still remained to testify to the natural strength of this ancient stronghold the policy of the Canaanites was to keep the different Hebrew clans apart and thus prevent united action in the words of the ancient Song in the days of J.L. the highways were unused and travelers walked by roundabout paths the rulers ceased in Israel a shield was not seen in five cities nor a spear among 40,000 the one who alone appears to have understood the crisis and to have been able to stir the Israelites to action was Debra the prophetess of the central tribe of Isikar Israel's struggle for independence is graphically recorded in the ancient poem found in Judges 5 the later prose version of the incident found in Judges 4 supplements the earlier poem to a chief of a northern tribe of Nathali a certain Barak she turned as a natural leader in the struggle for independence together they sent out the summons to the different northern tribes the southern tribes of Judah and Simeon were apparently ignored the distant tribes of Asher, Dan and Rubin were engrossed in their own local interests and failed to respond the tribesmen who rallied 40,000 strong on the northern side of the plain of Ezderlan represented the great central Hebrew clans the ancient Song sung by the women as they met the returning warriors makes it possible to reconstruct the battle scene through the broad valleys that led into the Ezderlan from the north came the sinewy, unkempt, roughly clad and poorly equipped Hebrew tribesmen each clan led by its local chief they had quote, come up to the help of Jehovah against the mighty tribal patriotism the memory of past grievances the desire for plunder and zeal for Jehovah the god who had led their forefathers through the wilderness into the land of Canaan stirred their courage and fired them to deeds of valor and finally chose their battlefield out on the plain on the northern side of the muddy sluggish river Kishan in the slightly rising ground they faced the Canaanite warriors who came out across the plain from the city of Megiddo six miles away the Canaanites were armed with chariots and the best weapons that the early Semitic civilization could produce but one thing they lacked courage fired by religious zeal again a striking natural phenomenon appears suddenly to have turned the tide of Israel's fortune on the eve of battle a drenching plunderstorm seems to have swept across this alluvial plain transforming it into a morass and the sluggish Kishan into a rushing, unfortable river in the words of the ancient triumphal Ode from heaven fought the stars from their courses fought against Cicero the river Kishan swept them away the ancient river the river Kishan O my soul march on with strength then did the horse hooves resound galloping galloping of their steeds the Hebrew even brings out the sound of the sucking of the horse's hooves in the soft mud the storm not only gave to the Hebrews who were on foot a vast advantage but it meant to them that Jehovah whose chariot was the clouds his weapons the lightning and who spoke through the thunders was fighting on their behalf the victory was overwhelming Cicera the Canaanite leader fled but only to fall later and was slain by a woman henceforth the Canaanite cities of central Palestine were occupied by the Hebrews the vanquished were either enslaved or absorbed in intermarriage from them however the Hebrews learned skill in agriculture and received a heritage of art, ideas and customs that had been developed by the Canaanites for many centuries how far was this heritage beneficial to the Hebrews what temptations did it bring to them did it mark a step forward in the development were the early Hebrews a pure or a mixed race more important than the spoils and lands which fell to the Hebrews was the new demonstration of Jehovah's ability and willingness to deliver his people which they received in the battle beside Kishan throughout all of Israel's colonial period the chief force binding the scattered Hebrew tribes together was their faith in Jehovah the victory greatly strengthened that faith and prepared the way for the closer union which was necessary before Israel could become a permanent force among the nations of the earth the vision of what they had been able to achieve through united action never completely faded from the memory of the Hebrews their subsequent experiences also tended to revive this memory amidst the warring elements in Palestine a powerful nation was gradually taking form in the school of hard experience it was learning the lessons that were fitting it for a large life six the final stage in the making of the Hebrew nation the final stage in the evolution of Israel is recorded in the opening chapters of first Samuel and is best studied in detail in connection with the history of the nation at its zenith we have studied the forces which made the nation a brief summary will indicate the transition to the next period that of the kingdom a victory over the Canaanites gave the Hebrews possession of the land and left them free to coalesce into a united nation but the centrifugal tribe spirit for a time proved the stronger under Gideon a beginning was made in kingdom making but owing to the cruelty and inefficiency of his son Abimelech the first Hebrew state lasted little more than a generation the compelling power that finally brought all the rival Hebrew tribes together under a common leader was the conquest of their territory by the warlike ambitious Philistines in inspiring the Benjaminite chieftain Saul after his countrymen in their hour of shame and peril Samuel the prophet proved the true father of the Hebrew kingdom under the compulsion of common danger the Israelites not only followed Saul to victory but also made him their king from this time on Israel took its place among the nations of the earth during their formative period the Hebrews acquired many characteristics that they have retained throughout their history from their early nomadic life they inherited physical strength partyhood adaptability even to the most unfavorable environment courage perseverance and that individual initiative and self-reliance which come from protracted struggles against seemingly insuperable odds it was a harsh but thorough school in which the infant nation Israel was trained their life in the wilderness and in the period of settlement also developed an intense love for freedom and that democratic spirit that was the glory of Israel and its political institutions people passing their time chiefly out of doors and enjoying the uplifting stimulus of an unfettered life in the open naturally acquire a feeling of awe and reverence for the god of nature that is often lacking in the city-dweller especially this is true if like the early Hebrews the dwellers in the open feel that need of divine protection which is be gotten by constant exposure to danger, hunger, hardship and hostile flows the many crises and the signal deliverances that came to the Hebrews not only intensified their faith but also gave them the consciousness that the god in whom they put their trust was both able and eager to deliver them prophets like Moses strengthened the popular sense of Jehovah's immediate presence and interpreted the significance of each event Israel's early faith was simple like that of a little child while its beliefs were crude its trust was strong it was this trust and loyalty that carried the child nation through its early crises and ultimately bound together the separate tribes into a united commonwealth thus Israel's early history illustrates the fundamental truth that the most essential the most powerful force in the making of a nation is a simple practical everyday religion Questions for further consideration should the successful and easy crossing of the Jordan by the Israelites be ascribed to a miracle or to their own promptness in seizing an opportunity unexpectedly offered in what ways did the religious zeal of the ancient Hebrews in battle differ from the fanatical zeal of the modern Muslim in fighting the Christians or the zeal of the Japanese before Port Arthur when if ever is assassination justifiable as a political expedient give your reasons were the Hebrews justified in the methods employed in securing control of Palestine is it right for a progressive nation to compel a backward nation to submit where the Americans on this ground justified in seizing the lands of the Indians what were the chief tenants in the early faith of the Hebrews how did Israel's faith affect its political development in what important ways was religion effective in making the English state the American commonwealth subjects for further study one the structure and literary history of the book of judges introduction to Old Testament 76 to 83 Kent, students Old Testament 1, 26 and 27 2 conditions in Canaan at the time of the Hebrew settlement Patton, early history of Syria in Palestine 157 to 60 Maspero, struggle of the nations 111 to 208 2223 to 5 3 the motives that inspired the leaders of the American Revolution Bisk, Lodge, Bancroft or other writers on this period End of Chapter 7 End of The Making of the Nation The Beginnings of Israel's History by Charles Foster Kent