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| Chapter VIII. That those who put what is virtuous before what is useful are acceptable to God is shown by the example of Joshua, Caleb, and the other spies.
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Chapter VIII.
That those who put what is virtuous before what is
useful are acceptable to God is shown by the example of Joshua, Caleb,
and the other spies.
53. When could our
fathers ever have thrown off their servitude, unless they had believed
that it was not only shameful but even useless to serve the king of
Egypt?
54. Joshua, also, and Caleb, when sent to
spy out the land, brought back the news that the land was indeed rich,
but that it was inhabited by very fierce nations.649
The people, terrified at the thought
of war, refused to take possession of their land. Joshua and
Caleb, who had been sent as spies, tried to persuade them that the land
was fruitful. They thought it unseemly to give way before the
heathen; they chose rather to be stoned, which is what the people
threatened, than to recede from their virtuous standpoint. The
others kept dissuading, the people exclaimed against it, saying they
would have to fight against cruel and terrible nations; that they would
fall in battle, and their wives and children would be left for a
prey.650
55. The anger of the Lord burst
forth,651
so that He would kill all, but at the prayer
of Moses He softened His judgment and put off His vengeance, knowing
that He had already sufficiently punished those who were faithless,
even if He spared them meanwhile and did not slay the
unbelievers. However, He said652
they should
not come to that land which they had refused, as a penalty for their
unbelief; but their children and wives, who had not murmured, and who,
owing to their sex and age, were guiltless, should receive the promised
inheritance of that land. So the bodies of those of twenty years
old and upwards fell in the desert. The punishment of the rest
was put aside. But they who had gone up with Joshua, and had
thought fit to dissuade the people, died forthwith of a great
plague.653
Joshua and Caleb654
entered the land of promise together with
those who were innocent by reason of age or sex.
56. The better part, therefore, preferred glory to
safety; the worse part safety to virtue. But the divine judgment
approved those who thought virtue was above what is useful, whilst it
condemned those who preferred what seemed more in accordance with
safety than with what is virtuous. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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