Joshua Valiant (Chronicles of the Nephilim) Read Online Free Page B

optimism.
    “Canaan is crawling with giants. They are of great height, and we were like grasshoppers before them. The land devours its inhabitants.”
    Hushed whispering broke out again through the assembly.
    Moses ’ thoughtful pause made them uncomfortable.
    And then he said, “What is their organization?”
    Ammiel nodded to Shammua from the tribe of Reuben. He stepped forward with Geuel from the tribe of Gad , and Gaddi from the half-tribe of Manasseh.
    “ My lord, we scouted the northernmost regions,” said Shammua. “We found the Transjordan ruled by King Og of Bashan. Og is the mightiest and last of the Rephaim, the most ancient of giant rulers.”
    “Describe these Rephaim,” said Moses.
    “They reach heights of ten and twelve feet, and they are heinous looking. Their bodies are without hair, their skin is pale grey, and they have large elongated skulls. They have two rows of teeth in their jaws, six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot. It is said King Og sleeps on a bed of iron fourteen feet long and six feet wide.”
    That would make Og ten to eleven feet tall.
    A shiver went down Moses’ spine. A shiver went down everyone’s spine who was listening.
    “Human sacrifice is ubiquitous,” he continued. “It is unconscionable that many parents make their children to pass through the fires of Molech, god of the underworld.”
    Moses ’ stomach turned. He felt nauseous. Groans of horror swept through the crowd.
    “But that is not all,” added Gaddi. “ Serpent worship is widespread. There is talk of snake clans that engage in unspeakable abominations between human and reptile. And I personally witnessed a tribe led by satyrs at Banias in the foothills of Mount Hermon. These goat demons lead the hairy descendants of Esau into depraved sexual atrocities. Their tribe is called the Seirim.”
    Satyrs were chimeric creatures said to have the upper torso of a human and the lower legs of a hoary goat.
    Just when Moses thought it could not get worse, three other spies, Palti, Gaddiel, and Igal, stepped forward. Palti spoke for them.
    “We surveyed the hill country and there we found the Anakim, who come from the Nephilim. The sons of Anak.”
    Moses had heard of the Anakim. He knew they had ties that went back to the Israelites’ forefather Abraham.
    “What are they like?”
    “They are the fiercest among the giants in the land. They reside mostly in the southern region. They have extra-long muscular necks with pale skin and blond or reddish hair. They also have the extra digits on their hands and feet. They worship Ba’al the storm god and they are cannibals. No one can stand before them. Three brothers called the Sons of Arba are famous in the region for their ferocity. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. Ahiman is legendary. No one is larger or mightier than he. It is said he is twenty feet tall and two thousand pounds.” The exaggeration that gossip brought often added many feet to height and many pounds to weight. But how much, who could know?
    Moses noticed that word must have spread through the camp because common Israelites were assembling around the meeting place to listen in on the report. By the end of this exchange, their numbers were large—and they were becoming restless.
    Ammiel stood forward again and announced, “I t does not seem right to me that Yahweh would claim to lead us into such a lion’s den of fierce savagery.”
    Just before the tension was about to break, everyone’s attention turned to the sound of Joshua’s voice.
    “Sons of Israel, be strong and courageous!”
    Joshua and Caleb materialized out of the darkness carrying a large pole between them. On the pole was a bunch of grapes so large it dwarfed the two of them. It looked like it was the fruit of the gods.
    “I beg your indulgence to forgive our tardiness, lord Moses. But Caleb and I were a bit delayed.”
    Moses nodded with stern curiosity.
    Joshua added, “This bunch of grapes we were able to bring from the