|
THE TENTH
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day is celebrated the commemorative festival of the glorious angel Gabriel, the Archangel, and of the consecration of his church, in Debre Naklon, in the desert of the Fayyum, and of the manifestation of his miracles therein. And the wood of the roof inside the church [gave] indications concerning the rise of the river of Egypt, for during the Offering water used to appear upon it like sweat. If there were to be abundance that year, many drops of water would drop from it, but if there were to be hunger, the water would appear on it only in the form of sweat. And the glorious angel, the Archangel Michael, performed many miracles. Salutation to the consecration of they house, O Gabriel. And on this day also died the great prophet Joshua, the son of Nun, the disciple of Moses, the chief of the prophets. This prophet was obedient, and humble, and perfect and lowly before Moses the prophet, and for this reason the spirit of Moses the prophet dwelt upon him, and he prophesied in the days of Moses the prophet. When Moses the prophet died, Joshua received the people by the command of God, and God said unto him, “As I was with Moses My servant even so will I be with thee. Be strong and mighty, and keep the Law, which I commanded Moses My servant to keep. Go not far from it, and turn not aside from it, neither to the right hand nor the left. Let not thy mouth cease from reading the Book of the Law, but meditate therein by day and by night, so that thou mayest keep and hold fast to, and do everything which is written therein.” And the heart of Joshua was strong and he sent spies to Jericho, and they came and examined the land, and they hid with Rahab the harlot, and they made a covenant with her and with all the men of her house, that they would not kill her, and she sent them away. And Joshua likewise divided the Jordan for them, and the children of Israel passed through it, and he made the river for them like a wall. And he opened (i.e. conquered) Jericho, going round the walls thereof seven times, and he slew all that were therein, both man and beast. And he opened many cities, now they were two and thirty in number, and he slew two and thirty kings. And all the peoples feared the children of Israel, and because of the greatness of their fear of him (i.e. Joshua), the men of the city of Gibeon made a pretence to him. Then dressed themselves in ragged raiment and they carried with them old sackcloth of hair, and old shoes, and dried and moldy bread. And they went to Joshua, and said unto him, “Behold, we have come from a far country, and we want you to give us a promise that thou wilt not kill us.” And Joshua, and the Rabbis of the children of Israel, answered and said unto them, “Tell us truly whether ye dwell in this land.” And they answered and said unto them, “Verily we have come from a far country”; and then they showed them their dried and moldy food, and their old garments, and Joshua believed them and swore to them that he would not kill them. And when Joshua heard that those people lived nigh unto them, he said unto them, “Why did ye come with deceit?” and then he made them servants of the house of God. And when the five kings of the Amorites heard [this], they rose up against the men of Gibeon, and the [Israelites] helped the people of Gibeon, and made a great slaughter of them. And on those of them who fled God cast hailstones from heaven, and He blotted them out. And when the sun was nigh to set Joshua said before the children of Israel. “O sun, stand still over the city of Gibeon, and thou moon also over the city of ‘Abakon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed firm, until God was avenged on His enemies. And Joshua divided the land of their inheritance among the children of Israel, and he gave the priests cities to dwell in, and land for their beasts. And he set apart six cities of refuge wherein all those who had committed a murder unwittingly might dwell, according as God commanded him. And when the days of Joshua were one hundred and ten years, and he had arrived at a good old age, he gathered together the children of Israel, and commanded them to keep the commandment of the Law of the Torah, and not to transgress it, and to be strong in the worship of God. And he told them, saying, “The Lord God is jealous, and if ye worship other [gods] He will blot you out quickly.” And after this he died in peace and was buried in the grave, which Jacob bought from the children of Amer for a hundred sheep in the land of Nablos; and the children of Israel mourned for him with a great mourning for thirty days. Salutation to Joshua, who was devoted to Moses and at length, received a double portion of his spirit.
Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
||