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Article CORRESPONDENCE. ← Page 4 of 5 →
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Correspondence.
Rephidim , it is true , if we take tlie 11 th verse of the 17 th chapter of Exodus alone , has a claim to be considered ; but if Ave take the 12 th verse into the argument , the claim must be abandoned ; and this arises from the use of the singular number "hand" being used in the 11 th verse , and the plural number " hands" being used in the 12 th verse .
Although the contest at Rephidim Avas very important to the Hebrews , yet it cannot , I think , be denied that the transactions near Gibeon Avere of much more importance . At the latter placo the Israelites Avere combating for the land promised to their fathers by JehoA'ah ; and the astounding event Avhich occurred during the battle would easily account for a notice in Masonic tradition , and would justify the reference made to itAvhich has been so strenuousl
, y objected by Brother J . B . I do not intend to advocate the use of the Avord Gibeon , as the Scripture narrative would preclude my doing so , as it is clear that Joshua , by that record , must have , been at some distance from Gibeon .
, In endeavouring to clear away the difficulty , by a reference to such works as I possess , I beg to call your attention to the following extract from the "Bible Cyclopedia , " vol . i . art . JBeili-horon . The work was published by Parker , West Strand , iu 1841 . Professor Robinson says in his journal : " From Ekron to Ramleh is two hours . Here we lodged , and the next day Ave proceeded to Jerusalem bthe camel roadwhich also is the ancient Jewish and
y , Roman way over Lud ( Lydda ) , Gimzo , Lower and Upper Bethlioron ( now Beit-TJr ) , and Jeb or Gibeon . The pass betAveen the two villages of Beth-horon is a steep and rugged ascent of some 1 , 500 feet , up the point of a ridge betAveen deep valleys . It is the ancient road , and has in several places steps hewn in the rock . Looking doAA'n from Upper Beth-horon a broad valley is seen on the
south-Avest , issuing from the mountains and hills into the plain , while on the ridge that skirts its south-west side is seen a village called Tulo , the Arabic form for the Hebrew Ajalon . This , then , is probably the spot where Joshua , in pursuit of the five kings , having arrived at or near Upper Beth-horon , looked back towards Gibeon and down upon the valley before him , and uttered the command : ' Sunstand thou still upon Gibeonand thou moonin the valley
, , , of Ajalon . '" From the above extracts , Ave may infer that Joshua was in a prominent position , and thus in the sight of all the army—an inference fully sanctioned by the Scripture narrative . I see no objection to the expression made use of that Joshua prayed ; it may be that he did silentlas the Duke of Wellington is
y , said to haA'e prayed at Waterloo , "for night or the Prussians . " Nor can I imagine that when Joshua uttered the mandate to the heavenly bodies he assumed no attitude , and I can hardly consider the attitude he is said to have assruned by any means an insignifi cant or improper one . Joshua was a devout man and a trusty
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
Rephidim , it is true , if we take tlie 11 th verse of the 17 th chapter of Exodus alone , has a claim to be considered ; but if Ave take the 12 th verse into the argument , the claim must be abandoned ; and this arises from the use of the singular number "hand" being used in the 11 th verse , and the plural number " hands" being used in the 12 th verse .
Although the contest at Rephidim Avas very important to the Hebrews , yet it cannot , I think , be denied that the transactions near Gibeon Avere of much more importance . At the latter placo the Israelites Avere combating for the land promised to their fathers by JehoA'ah ; and the astounding event Avhich occurred during the battle would easily account for a notice in Masonic tradition , and would justify the reference made to itAvhich has been so strenuousl
, y objected by Brother J . B . I do not intend to advocate the use of the Avord Gibeon , as the Scripture narrative would preclude my doing so , as it is clear that Joshua , by that record , must have , been at some distance from Gibeon .
, In endeavouring to clear away the difficulty , by a reference to such works as I possess , I beg to call your attention to the following extract from the "Bible Cyclopedia , " vol . i . art . JBeili-horon . The work was published by Parker , West Strand , iu 1841 . Professor Robinson says in his journal : " From Ekron to Ramleh is two hours . Here we lodged , and the next day Ave proceeded to Jerusalem bthe camel roadwhich also is the ancient Jewish and
y , Roman way over Lud ( Lydda ) , Gimzo , Lower and Upper Bethlioron ( now Beit-TJr ) , and Jeb or Gibeon . The pass betAveen the two villages of Beth-horon is a steep and rugged ascent of some 1 , 500 feet , up the point of a ridge betAveen deep valleys . It is the ancient road , and has in several places steps hewn in the rock . Looking doAA'n from Upper Beth-horon a broad valley is seen on the
south-Avest , issuing from the mountains and hills into the plain , while on the ridge that skirts its south-west side is seen a village called Tulo , the Arabic form for the Hebrew Ajalon . This , then , is probably the spot where Joshua , in pursuit of the five kings , having arrived at or near Upper Beth-horon , looked back towards Gibeon and down upon the valley before him , and uttered the command : ' Sunstand thou still upon Gibeonand thou moonin the valley
, , , of Ajalon . '" From the above extracts , Ave may infer that Joshua was in a prominent position , and thus in the sight of all the army—an inference fully sanctioned by the Scripture narrative . I see no objection to the expression made use of that Joshua prayed ; it may be that he did silentlas the Duke of Wellington is
y , said to haA'e prayed at Waterloo , "for night or the Prussians . " Nor can I imagine that when Joshua uttered the mandate to the heavenly bodies he assumed no attitude , and I can hardly consider the attitude he is said to have assruned by any means an insignifi cant or improper one . Joshua was a devout man and a trusty