The second early account of the conquest of Western Palestine is found in scattered notices in 'he later chapters of Joshua and in ch. 1 of Judges. These notices show a similarity of stj'le, and it is possible to make a tentative reconstruction of the nanative from which they have been taken (see Driver, iOJ" pp. 1G2, 163). This reconstructed document gives us three glimpses of the conquest, according to which the tribes fight in groups, and not as a united Israel under one leader (Joshua). (1) We first see Judah and Simeon together with nomad tribes of the Sinaitic peninsula, such as the Kenites (Jg 1'*), Calebites (Jos 15''), and Keniz- zites (Jos 15"), conquering the hill-country of Judah, the ' south ' of Arad (Jg 1>« MT, ' Descent of Arad ' LXX ; cf. G. A. Smith, HGHL pp. 277, 278), Hebron, and Debir (Kiriath-sepher). (2) We next see the house of Joseph establishing itself on the central ridge at Bethel (Jg 1~), but failing to drive out the inhabitants of Gezer(v.-''), and complaining to Joshua tliat progi'ess northward was stayed by the chariots of iron which the Canaanites had in the Valley of Jezreel (Jos 17''"''-). Joshua advises them to make room fur themselves by clearing the jungle on the central ridge. (3) The third glimpse which the reconstnicted document gives is of the limitations set to the conquests of the three northern tribes, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali, and of the tribe of Dan, by the stitt' resistance of the Canaanite and Amorite (Jg P"-*"). Dan seeks by conquest a new home in the north at Leshem = Laish (Jos IQ-" ; cf. Jg IS-™).
In comparing these two accounts we must re- member that the second is put together from fragments, and is quite incomplete. It is defec- tive as re^'ards Joseph and all the northern tribes, nor does it make clear to us the position of Joshua (Jos K""-) ; does it treat him (as some think) as simply the leader of the House of Joseph ? There is little in it, however, which clearly contradicts the account of JE in Jos 2'-ll'', and by piecing together the two accounts we can construct a narrative of the conquest of Western Palestine "hich has strong claims to be accepted.
Israel, bereaved of Moses (as Islam of Mo- hammed) at the beginning of a career of conquest, accepted Joshua as Moses' Khalifa (.successor), and persevered on the path of conquest (JE). The Jordan was crossed (JE). Jericho, 'the city of
palm trees,' was won (JE and F *). Gibeon in a panic made terms with Israel (.IE). Israel, united under Joshua, won a great victory over a southern confederacy at Bethhoron (JE). Elated by these repeated successes, Judah (perhaps a small tribe at this time) broke loose from the main body, and turned southward to join the Calebites in a division of the southern end of the central ridge (cf. F). Joshua, at the head of the strong tribe of Joseph, and followed by the iribes which afterwards settled in the north, burst in the full tide of victory across the plain of Esdraelon and defeated a northern confederacy at the Waters of Mcrom (JE). The Canaanites, however, after bending before the storm, recovered courage, and by their chariots and fortified cities retained control of the plain of Esdraelon and compelled the Israelites to Keep to the hills (F; cf. Jg 4. 5). (On the historical probabilities considered in the light of geography, see HGUL, Apjiendix II.).
5. Tlie Transformation of Israel. — This took place under the Judges (see Judges, Period ok THE). It is clear from the earliest records of the conquest that the Can.ianites were not exter- minated, as the later record (D^) seems sometimes to assert (Jos lO'"* ll"). The conquerors settled down in the midst of the half-conquered majority, and the question arose which stock, which civiliza- tion, -which religion, Canaanite or Israelite, would survive? The result was a compromise : a mixed stock arose, over which it was possible to set up one kingdom, the kingdom of Saul and David. The Canaa,nite-Israelite was not a nomad, but an agriculturalist, a city-dweller, a merchant, with a wide outlook on the world, such as became the member of an empire which touched the highway of the world of Western Asia, the Euphrates. In religion also the Canaanite-Israelite was a new production. He held his monotheism somewhat loosely, and was ready to worship at Canaanite shrines. Lastly, the new nation was much more nimierous than the old invading tribes. David's armies, composed of these Canaanite-Israelites, were not inconsiderable; they enabled him to found an empire. The fusion of races which made a nation capable of winning victories like those of David took place in the period of the Judges.
6. The Undivided Kingdom. — We have an express statement (6n 36", apparentl3' from an early docu- ment) that Edom was governed by kings before any king reigned over Israel. It is probable that the same is true of Amnion (cf. 1 S 11''* ; Jg 11'-'^, however, seems to be late) and of Amalek (1 S 15'*''-, though the passage is not early). The first movement towards the establishment of a kingdom over Israel came from the half-Canaanite Abime- lech (Jg 9'*-). and attected only the central tribes. In fact it was only hard experience which made the Israelites (still children of the desert in nature) willing to submit to the restraint of an organized kingdom. No doubt the Canaanite leaven in the population hastened this submission.