Under Joshua three great battles completed the general conquest of Canaan and transferred to the Israelites the cities of thirty kings, Josh. 12:9‒24, and if we include the king of Jericho the number will be thirty-one. Nearly all of the book of Joshua is composed of the history of these battles and of the division of the land among the tribes after the conquest. =2. The first= of these battles took place on the high land west of Jericho, at a town called Ai (pronounced A´-i). The site of this ancient town is known, and it was not far off from the site of Bethel, which is 13 miles west by north from the position of Jericho at that time. Ai, now called Haiyan, was two miles, or a little more, east of Bethel. Just north of Ai is a high elevation, 2,570 feet above the Mediterranean, whereas the site of Jericho at the fountain of Elisha[72] is 700 feet below, so that the troops of Joshua had a march of about 1,500 feet ascent up a rocky ravine. Bethel is still higher (2,890 feet). =3. The first great battle of Ai= was preceded by defeat in what may be called a mere skirmish, as only 3,000 were engaged. This defeat seems to have been divinely allowed, to place a terrible emphasis upon the truth that disobedience to the commands of God, even of a small part of the people, would certainly be followed by punishment. The result was terrible, not only in the national mortification consequent upon the defeat, but in the lesson that no transgressor could escape either by hiding himself or his stolen spoils, which in this case had been buried in the ground and covered by the tent, Josh. 7:11‒26. =4. The valley of Achor=, where the fearful punishment was inflicted, is, without question, the present Wady Kelt, near the opening of which, upon the plain of Jordan, was the city of Jericho. The battle was renewed, all the people of war were engaged, and the victory was complete. =5. The next event= of great importance was the gathering of all the people in a central part of the land at two mountains called Ebal and Gerizim. This gathering was in execution of the command of Moses, Deut. 27, and was intended to cause them to renew their covenant with God and to set before them the blessings which should be granted upon obedience and the curses which should follow disobedience. EBAL AND GERIZIM.