Reasons why Egypt Conquered Palestine.--Commanding Position of Megiddo.--Its Military Strength.--Thotmose III's Advance Against Megiddo.--The Decisive Battle.--Capture of Megiddo.--The Cities of Palestine.--Disastrous Effects of Egyptian Rule.--Lack of Union in Palestine.--Exposure to Invasions from the Desert.--Advance of the Habiri.--Rise of the Hittite Power.--Palestine between 1270 and 1170 B.C.--The Epoch-making Twelfth Century. XII. THE NOMADIC AND EGYPTIAN PERIOD OF HEBREW HISTORY 106 The Entrance of the Forefathers of the Hebrews Into Canaan.--References to Israelites During the Egyptian Period.--The Habiri in Eastern and Central Palestine.--The Trend Toward Egypt.--The Land of Goshen.--The Wady Tumilat.--Ramses II's Policy.--Building the Store Cities of Ramses and Pithom.--Condition of the Hebrew Serfs.--Training of Moses.--The Historical Facts Underlying the Plague Stories.--Method of Travel in the Desert.--Moses' Equipment as a Leader.--The Scene of the Exodus.--Probability that the Passage was at Lake Timsah. XIII. THE HEBREWS IN THE WILDERNESS AND EAST OF THE JORDAN 115 Identification of Mount Sinai.--Lateness of the Traditional Identification.--Probable Route of the Hebrews.--Kadesh-barnea.--Effect of the Wilderness upon the Life of the Hebrews.--Evidence that the Hebrews Aimed to Enter Canaan from the South.--Reasons Why They Did Not Succeed.--Tribes that Probably Entered Canaan from the South.--The Journey to the East of the Jordan.--Stations on the Way.--Conquests East of the Dead Sea.--Situation of Heshbon.--Sojourn of the Hebrews East of the Jordan.--Its Significance. XIV. THE SETTLEMENT IN CANAAN 124 The Approach to the Jordan.--Crossing the Jordan.--Strategic Importance of Jericho.--Results of Recent Excavations.--Capture of Jericho.--Evidence that the Hebrews Were Still Nomads.--Roads Leading Westward from Jericho.--Conquests In the South.--Conquest of Ai and Bethel.--Incompleteness of the Initial Conquest.--Migration of the Danites.--The Moabite Invasion.--The Rally of the Hebrews Against the Canaanites.--The Battle-field.--Effect of a Storm Upon the Plain.--Results of the Victory.--The East-Jordan Tribes.--The Tribes in Southern Canaan.--The Tribes in the North.--Effects of the Settlement Upon the Hebrews. XV. THE FORCES THAT LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HEBREW KINGDOM 136