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dentally occur, the striking coincidences between the foresight of the patriarch and the allotment of Joshua, now more than two hundred years afterwards.

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"Simeon and Levi," he said, should be "divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel." In the distribution of the lands, Simeon had a lot within that portion afterwards called by the single title of Judah; which being insufficient for their support,* a detachment of that tribe emigrated southward, in quest of more ample habitations, until they discovered a fine tract of pasture ground, of which they took peaceable possession: whilst another party, proceeding still farther south, towards Mount Seir, made war upon the Amalekites, and obtained their lands. Thus was Simeon scattered in Israel." But of Levi, the prediction was literally fulfilled. Being devoted to the ministry, the Levites were not to cultivate the land, but had dwellings assigned to them throughout all Israel-that they might conveniently instruct, whilst they were maintained by the nation. Of Asher, it was said—” His bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties;" language which imports wealth and abundance. Accordingly we find the tribe of Asher in a rich district, bordering on the great city of Tyre, whose inhabitants, no doubt, were often supplied from his fields, and the table of their luxurious kings furnished with "royal dainties." Of Zebulon,-" he shall dwell at the haven of the sea-and shall be a haven for ships:" and the lot of Zebulon stretched from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean, where they had commodious sea-ports.

1 Chron. 4. 39-43.

FANNY. You have not mentioned the death of Caleb who was permitted to enter into the promised land. Was he yet alive at the period of your story?

MRS. M. He was: and now presented himself before Joshua and the elders, reminding them of the engagement of Moses to give him the mountain of Kirjath-Arba—the land of the Giants, because he had traversed it without fear, when he was sent with the ten traitorous spies: He was now eighty-five years of age, yet (he said) he was strong, and able to drive out the natives. To him, therefore, Kirjath-Arba, including the city of Hebron, the venerated spot where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned, was allotted. The eminent services of Joshua, too, were rewarded by the special gift of a favourite place in mount Ephraim.

The forty thousand warriors from the tribes on the eastern side of Jordan, who had served all this time in the war, were now dismissed to their families, with great commendation for their fidelity to their brethren. The riches they had acquired from the spoils of their enemies they were commanded to divide with those who had remained at home and protected their wives and children in their absence" But take diligent heed" (said the venerable chief, when he gave them his parting blessing) "to do the commandments and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

But when, on their return, they had passed the river, they began to feel that they were separated from their brethren! While the present generation lived, their services would be

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remembered, and their right to worship at Shiloh would be acknowledged; but the posterity of those who possessed the Ark of the Covenant, the pledge of a peculiar relationship to the God of Israel, and in whose territories other national monuments were found, might possibly deny to the tribes on the other side of Jordan the privileges of a son of Israel. To avert this catastrophe, which they considered the greatest of evils, they set up an Altar of great dimensions on the eastern border, exactly resembling that which stood at Shiloh, and called it "an Altar of witness." This action, so pious and so patriotic, was mistaken by their brethren. They considered it a breach of the law, and obnoxious to exemplary punishment. The whole army was therefore immediately collected to make war upon Reuben and Gad. Compassion, however, succeeded to the first impulse of indignation, and they resolved to enquire into the matter before they shed the blood of their brother. Phinehas, the son of Eleazer, the high Priest, and other chiefs of the congregation, were sent on this reasonable errand. "We are come (said they to the two tribes and half tribe) to enquire why ye have committed so great a trespass. Have we not already suffered for the sins of those who rebelled against Jehovah? Will ye again involve us in distress, by offering sacrifices in the land of Gilead, in opposition to the law of Moses? If ye think your land is polluted by the sins of your predecessors, and ye are become dissatisfied with the place of your own choice, come over to the land where the Tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God."

CHARLES. I suppose now the two and half tribes were disposed to resent so harsh an accusation.

MRS. M. Those who are conscious of the purity of their intentions, my son, are generally less ready to resent than to grieve, when their actions are misunderstood. The eastern tribes, on this occasion, were astonished at the expostulation of the elders; but they meekly answered, that "the searcher of all hearts could witness for them, that they thought not of rebellion against Him! They meant not to offer burnt-offerings or peace-offerings, on the altar they had reared; but to testify to posterity their relation to the God of Israel, if in time to come their children should be denied access to the Tabernacle, on the pretext that they were excluded by the permanent barrier of Jordan.” "God forbid," said they, in the conclusion of their pious defence," that we should build an altar for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God, that is before his Tabernacle." With this explanation, the elders returned perfectly satisfied; and their brethren offered thanks to the Lord, who had mercifully preserved them from shedding the blood of their relatives.

After these transactions, Joshua lived seven years, during which time no events worthy of particular notice seem to have occurred. The people were peaceably occupied in settling their new possessions without interruption from the natives. He had now reached his hundred and tenth year, seventeen of which he had presided: and, being sensible that he must soon sleep with his fathers, after the example of his illustrious predecessor, he summoned the whole nation with their officers of every department, to attend him at Shechem, between Ebal and Gerizzim, and receive his last blessing and instructions. The recollec

tion of many and inestimable favours, will always be powerful incentive, in a generous mind, to the performance of correspondent duties. To this noble feeling the Hebrew leader judiciously applied, whilst he began his address to the listening multitude by relating, briefly, the history of their nation from the calling of Abraham to the present day-the supernatural power by which they had been sustained and the unceasing mercy which had at length given them possession of "cities which they did not build -of vineyards, and olive trees, not planted by their hands."? "Now, therefore," continued he, "fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord."

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

CATHERINE. I hope the advice of Joshua, "to put away" the gods whom their fathers had served, did not imply that the Israelites were at this time addicted to idolatry?

MRS. M. It can mean no less. I have heretofore observed to you the unhappy propensity of the Israelites to imitate the heathens. These people were ever with them, and around them. Abraham, their progenitor, was taken from the people who served idols "on the other side of the flood," or on the other side of the river Euphrates; which, being a great river, was sometimes called, the flood. In Egypt, his posterity were subjected to idolaters, and occasionally mingled with them in the wilderness. No

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