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Patriarchs and Prophets
tableland above, where might be seen the spears of thousands, eager
for the fray. When the Hebrews looked upon the lofty form of that
giant of giants towering above the soldiers of his army; when they saw
the hosts that surrounded him, and beheld the seemingly impregnable
fortress, behind which unseen thousands were entrenched, the hearts
of many in Israel quaked with fear. But Moses was calm and firm;
the Lord had said concerning the king of Bashan, “Fear him not: for I
will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and
thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites,
which dwelt at Heshbon.”
The calm faith of their leader inspired the people with confidence
in God. They trusted all to His omnipotent arm, and He did not fail
them. Not mighty giants nor walled cities, armed hosts nor rocky
fortresses, could stand before the Captain of the Lord’s host. The Lord
led the army; the Lord discomfited the enemy; the Lord conquered
in behalf of Israel. The giant king and his army were destroyed, and
the Israelites soon took possession of the whole country. Thus was
blotted from the earth that strange people who had given themselves
up to iniquity and abominable idolatry.
In the conquest of Gilead and Bashan there were many who recalled
the events which nearly forty years before had, in Kadesh, doomed
Israel to the long desert wandering. They saw that the report of the
spies concerning the Promised Land was in many respects correct.
The cities were walled and very great, and were inhabited by giants,
in comparison with whom the Hebrews were mere pygmies. But
they could now see that the fatal mistake of their fathers had been in
distrusting the power of God. This alone had prevented them from at
once entering the goodly land.
When they were at the first preparing to enter Canaan, the un-
dertaking was attended with far less difficulty than now. God had
promised His people that if they would obey His voice He would go
before them and fight for them; and He would also send hornets to
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drive out the inhabitants of the land. The fears of the nations had not
been generally aroused, and little preparation had been made to oppose
their progress. But when the Lord now bade Israel go forward, they
must advance against alert and powerful foes, and must contend with
large and well-trained armies that had been preparing to resist their
approach.