CONQUEST. 49

CONQUEST.

“ If pain afflict, or wrongs oppress—
If cares distract, or fears dismay ;—
If guilt deject, if sin distress—
The remedy’s before thee—Pray.”
HART.

George. Now, grandfather, we are all ready to hear
of another battle. What was the next town that
Joshua attacked ?

Grandfather. About three leagues from Jericho is a
city named Ai, or Hai, as it is called in the book of
Genesis, where we are told that Abraham pitched his
tent between it and Bethel. Joshua sent men to view
the country. They went and viewed Ai. On their
return they said to Joshua that there was no necessity
for all the people going against the place ; two or three
thousand would be sufficient, for the men of Ai were
few. So about three thousand of the Israelites went
against Ai; the men of that place fought against them ;
killed thirty-six of them; put them to flight, and pur-
sued them. This defeat depressed the people so much
that we are told their hearts melted, and became as
water.