24 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

and Amalekites, and pursued as far as to Hormah.
Such is the fate of all attempts on which the blessing of
God does not rest.

George. But, grandfather, sometimes bad men win in
battle.

Grandfather. Sometimes bad men are instruments in
the hand of God to punish the people they are fighting
against.

George. But when they are fighting against good
people, the bad sometimes gain.

Grandfather. Then it may be to try those good
people, to teach them to trust in God more entirely.
We do not hear of any more battles fought by the
Israelites till thirty-eight years after this. During all
that time they wandered in the wilderness: when it
expired, they drew near the borders of the promised
land.

Johnnie. Had not they to wander forty years, grand-
father ?

Grandfather. Yes, forty years from the time they left
Egypt, but a year and a half of the time had passed
before the spies were sent to search the land; and now
all the people who then rebelled against God being
dead, they advanced. Arad, king of the Canaanites,
who dwelt in the south part of the land, heard that
they were coming by the same way the spies had come ;
he fought against them—against some small parties of
them, probably, who were separated from the main
army, and took some of them prisoners.