THE RISING GENERATION. 191 



two scouts who had recommended invasion, tried to 

 cheer them up, and were nearly stoned to death for 

 their pains. Next day the people of Canaan marched 

 out against them : a skirmish took place, and the 

 Israelites were defeated. They went back to the desert, 

 and wandered forty years in the shepherd or Bedouin 

 state. 



And then there was an end of that miserable race 

 who were always whining under hardship, hankering 

 after the fleshpots of the old slave life. In their stead 

 rose up a new generation — genuine children of the 

 desert — who could live on a few dates soaked in 

 butter and a mouthful of milk a day ; who were prac- 

 tised from their childhood in predatory wars : to whom 

 rapine was a business, and massacre a sport. The 

 conquest of Canaan was an idea which they had im- 

 bibed at their mother's breasts, and they were now 

 quite ready for the work. Moses, before his death, 

 drew up a second agreement between Jehovah and the 

 people. It was to the same effect as the covenant of 

 Sinai. Loyalty and taxes were demanded by Jehovah ; 

 long life, success in war, and fruitful crops were pro- 

 mised in return. Within this contract was included a 

 code of laws which Moses had enacted from time to 

 time, in addition to the ten commandments ; and this 

 second agreement was binding not only on those who 

 were present, but on their posterity as well. 



Moses died ; Joshua was made commander-in-chief ; 

 and the Israelites began their march of war. This 

 time they approached the land, not from the south, but 

 from the east. 



The river Jordan rises in the Lebanon mountains, 

 half way between Tyre and Damascus : it runs due 

 south, and ends its curling, twisting course in the 



