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The most important change of the period of the judges went on
gradually and in silence. The old population of the country,
which, according to Deuteronomy, was to have been exterminated,
slowly became amalgamated with the new. In this way the
Israelites received a very important accession to their numbers.
In Deborah's time the fighting men of Israel numbered 40,000;
the tribe of Dan when it migrated to Laish, counted 600 warriors;
Gideon pursued the Midianites with 300. But in the reigns of Saul
and David we find a population reckoned by millions. The rapid
increase is to be accounted for by the incorporation of the
Canaanites.
At the same time the Hebrews learned to participate in the culture
of the Canaanites, and quietly entered into the enjoyment of the
labours of their predecessors. From the pastoral they advanced
to the agricultural stage; corn and wine, the olive and the fig,
with them are habitually spoken of as the necessaries of life.
It was not strange that this change in the manner of their
everyday life should be attended with certain consequences in
the sphere of religion also.
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