STORY XIV.

men,

JERICHO.

Now Jericho was a strong city, full of fighting and the walls of it were very high. The gates also were kept shut night and day; no one went out, or came in.

Joshua might fear, on these accounts, that he should have much trouble to take the city. But as he came to look at it, and was thinking what method it would be best to pursue, the Lord appeared to him, in the form of a man, and told him to take courage, as he had come as the Leader of the people. "See," said he, "I have given Jericho into thy hand!"

"Have given,”—why, the people had not yet come near the walls? how was this? God often

speaks in his word of things which he proposes to do, as if they were already done. For who can prevent the Almighty from doing as he pleases ? His words are works.

Now the Lord, who had appeared to him, told him what they should do. They were not to beat the walls with heavy instruments, till they had broken a part of them down, and so go in through the breach; nor were they to burn the gates, or get into the city by means of ladders; for the city was to be taken as no place was ever taken before or since. "Ye shall compass the city,” said he, " all ye men of war; and go round about the city once thus shalt thou do for six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the rams' horns, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout: and the wall of the city shall fall down flat,

and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him!"

What a strange way was this in which to take a town. It would not have been wonderful if the people had said, How can this be! Who ever heard of a town having been taken in this way? Of what use can it be to shout? How can strong walls be brought down with a shout! Let us attack the city with our weapons, and then there will be some hope of our gaining it! But God told them to walk round it, and shout, to show that he could give them victory, and bring about his designs, with or without means, and as he pleased, to teach them to trust in him at all times, and in all places.'

And Joshua and the people did as the Lord bade them; they marched round the city once a day, for six days, in solemn silence; and no sound was heard but that of the rams' horns, which the priests blew.

But why did not the walls fall down the first time when the people marched round them?

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