one every day, because this food should not thing to drink. God did not long delay to come in too small quantity, lest the weaker grant this request, but promised that he would might not be able to get their share, by rea- procure them a fountain, and plenty of water son of the overhearing of the strong in col- from a place where they did not expect any; lecting it. However, these strong men, when so he commanded Moses to smite the rock || they had gathered more than the measure ap- which they saw lying there with his rod, and pointed for them, they had no more than out of it to receive plenty in what they wantothers, but only tired themselves more in ga-ed; for he had taken care that drink should thering it; for they found no more than a homer apiece; and the advantage they got by what was superfluous was none at all, as it corrupted both by worms breeding in it, and by its bitterness. So divine and wonderful a food was this! It also supplied the want of other sorts of food to those that fed on it; and even now in all that place this manna comes down in rain, according to what Moses then obtained of God, to send it the people for their sustenance. Now the Hebrews call this food manna, † for the particle man in our language is the asking of a question, what is this? So the Hebrews were very joyful at what was sent them from heaven, and they made use of this food for forty years, or as long as they remained in the wilderness.

As soon as they removed thence, they came to Rephidim, distressed to the last degree by thirst: for, though in the foregoing days they had met with a few small fountains, they now found the earth entirely destitute of water, and were in an evil case. They again turned their anger against Moses; but he at first avoided the fury of the multitude, and then betook himself to prayer, beseeching God, that as he had given them food when they were in the greatest want of it, so he would give them drink, since the favour of giving them food was of no value to them while they had no

*This supposal that the sweet honey dew, or manna, so celebrated in ancient and modern authors, as falling usually in Arabia, was of the very same sort with the manna sent to the Israelites, savours more of Gentilism than of Judaism or Christianity. It is not improbable that some ancient Gentile author, read by Josephus, thought so; nor would he here contradict him, though just before, and IV. 3. he seems directly to allow that it had not been seen previously. However this food from heaven is here described by the word nga that it fell like snow; and in Artapanus, a heathen writer, it is compared to meal like to oatmeal, in colour like to snow, rained down by God. Essay on the Old Test. Appendix, page 239. But as to the derivation of the word manna, whether from wan, which Josephus says then signified, what is it? or

come to them without any labour or exertion. When Moses had received this command, he came to the people who waited for and looked upon him, for they saw already that he was coming apace from his eminence. As soon as he was come, he told them, that God would deliver them from their present distress, and had granted them an unexpected favour, and informed them that a river should run for their sakes out of the rock; but they were amazed at that hearing, supposing they were of necessity to cut the rock in pieces now they were distressed by their thirst, and by their journey. Moses, however, by only smiting the rock with his rod, opened a passage, and out of it bursts water in great abundance, and very clear; while they were astonished at this wonderful effect, and as it were quenched their thirst by the very sight of it: so they drank this pleasant, this sweet water, and such it seemed to be, as might well be expected where God was the donor. They were also in admiration how Moses was honoured by God, and they made grateful returns of sacrifices to God for his providence towards them. Now that scripture which is laid up in the temple ¶ informs us how God foretold to Moses, that water should in this manner be derived out of the rock.

4

CHAP. V.

OF THE HOSTILITIES COMMITTED AGAINST THE HEBREWS BY
THE AMALEKITES, AND OF THEIR COMPLETE DEFEAT.

THE

neighbouring nations, and among each other, they resolved to attack the Hebrews in battle. These proceedings of the people of those countries occasioned perplexity and trouble to Moses, who expected no such warlike preparations: and when these nations were ready to fight, the multitude of the Hebrews were obliged to try the fortune of war, they were in great disorder, and in want of all neces saries, and yet were to make war with men who were well prepared for it. Then it was, therefore, that Moses began to encourage them, and to exhort them to have a good heart, and to rely on God's assistance by which they had been advanced into a state of freedom, and to hope for victory over those who were ready to fight with them in order to deprive them of that blessing. He said they were to suppose their own army to be numerous, wanting nothing, neither weapons, nor money, nor provisions, nor such other conveniences as when men are in possession of they fight undauntedly, and that they were to judge themselves to have all these advantages in the Divine assistance. They were also to suppose the enemies's army to be small, unarmed, and weak, and such as want those conveniencies which they know must be wanted when it is God's will that they should be beaten. He reminded them that they had experienced the value of God's assistance in abundance of trials, and those such as were more terrible than war; for that is only against men, but these were against famine and thirst, things that were in their own nature insuperable; as also against mountains, and that sea which afforded them no way for escaping; yet had all these difficulties been conquered by God's gracious kindness: so he exhorted them to be

THE name of the Hebrews began already
already
to be every where renowned, and ru-
mours about them ran abroad, which excited
great fear in the inhabitants of those coun-
tries: accordingly they sent ambassadors to
one another, and exhorted each other to de-
fend themselves, and to endeavour to destroy
these men.
Those that induced the rest to
do so, were such as inhabited Gobilitis and
Petra; they were called Amalekites, and
were the most warlike of the nations that lived
thereabout, and whose kings exhorted one
another, and their neighbours, to engage in
this war against the Hebrews, telling them
that an army of strangers, who had run away
from slavery under the Egyptians, lay in wait
to ruin them; which army they were not in
common prudence, and regard to their own
safety, to overlook; but to crush them before
they should gather strength, and come to be
in prosperity and perhaps attack them first
in an hostile manner, as presuming upon their
indolence in not attacking them before; and
that they ought to avenge themselves for what
had been done in the wilderness; but that
this could not be so well done when the He-
brews had once laid their hands on their cities
and goods; that those who endeavoured to
crush a power in its first rise, were wiser
than those that attempted to stop its progress
when it became formidable; as these last seem
to be angry only at the flourishing of others,
but the former do not leave any room for their
enemies to become troublesome to them. Af-
ter they had sent such ambassages to thecourageous at this time, and to consider their

* The Amalekites were a people descended from Amalek, the son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, by a concubine, Gen. xxxvi. 12. And the ground of their enmity against the Israelites is generally supposed to have been an innate hatred, from the remembrance of Jacob's depriving their progenitor both of his birth-right and blessing. Their falling upon them, however, and that without any provocation, when they saw them reduced to so low a condition by the fatigue of their march, and the excessive drought they laboured under, was an inhuman action, and justly deserved the defeat which Joshua gave them. But then the reason why God thought fit to denounce a perpetual war against them, is to be resolved into this,-That

6

knowing the Israelites were pre-ordained by God to be put in possession of the land of Canaán, they came against them with an armed force, in hopes of frustrating the designs of Providence concerning them. And this is the reason which Moses himself assigns for this declaration of war; because his (i. e. Amalek's) hand is against the throne of God (i. e. against God himself) therefore the Lord will wage war against him from one generation to another, Ex. xvii. 16. The injury done the Israelites was not so much as the affront offered to the divine Majesty; and therefore God threatens utterly to extirpate the designers of it. Universal History, 1. 1. c. 7. and Patrick's Commentary. B..

entire

entire prosperity to depend on the present conquest of their enemies.

them, both by his words and works, and prepared every thing, he retired to a mountain, and committed the army to God and to Joshua.

Moses having thus encouraged the multitude, called together the princes of their tribes, and their chief men, both separately and The armies having joined battle, soon came jointly. The young men he charged to obey to a close fight hand to hand, both sides shewtheir elders, and the elders to hearken to their ing great alacrity, and encouraging one anleader; so the people were elevated in their other; and, indeed, while Moses stretched minds, and ready to try their fortune in bat-out his hands towards heaven, the Hebrews tle, and hoped to be thereby at length, de- were too hard for the Amalekites; but Moses livered from all their miseries. Nay, they de- not being able to sustain his hands thus sired that Moses would immediately lead them stretched out (for as often as he let down his against their enemies, without the least delay, hands, so often were his own people worsted,) that no backwardness might be an hindrance he bade his brother Aaron, and Hur, their to their present resolution; so Moses classed sister Miriam's husband, to stand on each side all that were fit for war into different troops, of him, and take hold of his hands, and not and set over them Joshua, the son of Nun, of to permit his weariness to prevent it, but to the tribe of Ephraim; one that was of great assist him in the extension of his hands. courage, and patient to undergo labours; of When this was done, the Hebrews conquered great abilities to understand, and to speak the Amalekites by main force; and, indeed, what was proper, and very serious in the ser- they had all perished, unless the approach of vice of God, and indeed, made like another night had obliged the Hebrews to desist from Moses, a teacher of piety towards God. He killing any more. So our forefathers obtained also appointed a small party of the armed a most signal and most seasonable victory; uen to be near the water, and to take care for they not only overcame those that fought of the children and the women, and of the against them, but also terrified the neighcamp; so that whole night they pre-bouring nations, and got great and splendid pared themselves for the battle, they took advantages, which they obtained of their ene their weapons, if any of them had such as mies by their hard pains in this battle; for were well made, and attended to their comwhen they had taken the enemies' camp, they manders, as ready to rush forth to the battle got great booty for the public, and for their as soon as Moses should give the word of own private families, whereas till then they command. Moses also kept awake, teach-had not any plenty even of necessary food. ing Joshua after what manner he should or- The afore-mentioned victory was also the ocder his camp; but when the day began, Mo-casion of their prosperity, not only for the ses called Joshua again, and exhorted him to sent, but for future ages also; for they not approve himself in deeds such a one as his only made slaves of the bodies of their enereputation made men expect from him, and mies, but effectually damped their minds: and to gain glory by the present expedition in the after this battle became terrible to all that opinion of those under him, for his exploits in dwelt round about them. They also acquired this battle: he also gave a particular exhor- a vast quantity of riches; for a great deal of tation to the principal men of the Hebrews, silver and gold was left in the enemies', camp, and encouraged the whole army as it stood as also brazen vessels, which they made combefore him; and when he had thus animated mon use of in their families; many utensils

entire

This eminent circumstance, that while Moses's hands were held up towards heaven, the Israelites prevailed; and while they were let down towards the earth, the Amalekites prevailed; seems the earliest intimation we have of the proper posture, used of old, in solemn prayer, which was the stretching out the hands and eyes towards heaven, as other passages of the Old and New Testament inform us. Nay, by the way, this posture seems to have continued in the Christian Church till the clergy, instead

pre

of learning their prayers by heart, read them out of a book, which is in great measure inconsistent with such an elevated posture, and which seems to me to have been only a later practice under the corrupt state of the church. Though the constant use of divine forms of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, appears to have been the practice, of God's people, Patriarchs, Jews, and Christians, in all the past ages.

present distress. Make use of the method I suggest as to human affairs, and take a review of the army, and appoint chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands; and then divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into fifties, and

CHAP. V.

OF MOSES'S ASCENT TO MOUNT SINAI; AND OF THE DIVINE
LAWS WHICH HE RECEIVED FROM GOD, AND DELIVERED
TO THE HEBREWS.

set rulers over each of them, who may distin- NOW Moses called the multitude together, guish them into thirties, and keep them and told them that he was going unto in order, and at last number them by twen- mount Sinai, to converse with God, to reties and by tens. And let there be one com- ceive and to bring back with him a certain. mander over each number, to be denominat- oracle. But he enjoined them to pitch their ed from the number of those over whom they tents near the mountain: and prefer the habiare rulers; but such as the whole multitude tation that was nearest to God, before one have tried, and approve* of, as being good more remote. When he had said this, he asand righteous men; and let these rulers de- cended up to mount Sinai, which is the highest cide the controversies they have one with of all the mountains,† that are in that counanother; if any great cause arise, let them try, and is not only very difficult to be asbring the cognizance of it before the rulerscended by men, on account of its vast altitude, of a higher dignity; and if any great difficulty but because of the sharpness of its precipices. arise, that is too hard for even their determi- | Nay, indeed, it cannot be looked at withnation, let them send it to thee. By these out pain to the eyes; and besides this, it means two advantages will be gained; that was terrible and inaccessible on account of the Hebrews will have justice done them, and a general rumour that God dwelt there. But thou wilt be able to attend constantly on the Hebrews removed the tents, as Moses had God, and procure him to be more favourable to bidden them, and took possession of the lowest parts of the mountain; and were elevated in their minds, in expectation that Moses would return with promises of the good things he had. proposed to them. So they feasted, and waited for their conductor, and kept themselves pure for three days, as he had before ordered them to do. And they prayed to God, that he would favourably receive Moses in his conversing with him, and bestow some such gifts upon them by which they might live well. They also lived more plentifully as to their diet; and put on their wives and children. more ornamental clothing than they usually

the people.

This was the admonition of Raguel, which Moses received very kindly, and acted according to his suggestion: nor did he conceal the invention of this method, nor pretend to it himself, but informed the multitude, who it was that invented it; nay, he has named Raguel, in the books he wrote, as the person who invented the ordering of the people, as thinking it right to give a true testimony to worthy persons, although he might have obtained reputation by ascribing to himself the invention of other men ; whence we may learn the virtuous disposition of Moses, but of that disposition we shall have occasion to speak in other places.

This manner of electing the judges and officers of the Israelites by the testimonies and suffrages of the people, before they were ordained by God or Moses, deserves to be carefully noted, because it was the pattern of the like manner of the choice and ordination of bishops, presbyters, and deacons, in the Christian church. See Constitut. Apost. VIII. 4. 16. 18.

+ Since this mountain Sinai is here said to be the highest of all the mountains in that country, it must be that now called St. Catharine's, which is one third higher than that within a mile of it, now called Sinai, as Monsieur Thevenot informs us, Travels, Part I. chap. xxviii. page

wore.

Two days passed in this way of feasting; but on the third day, before sun-rise, a cloud

168. 169. The other name of it, Horeb, is never used by Josephus, and perhaps was its name among the Egyptians only, whence the Israelites were lately come, as Sinai was its name among the Arabians, Canaanites, and other nations. Accordingly, when 1 Kings ix. 8. the Scripture says that Elijah came to Horeb, the mount of God, Josephus justly says, Antiq. VIII. 13. that he came to the mountain called Sinai and Jerome, here cited by Dr. Hudson, says, that he took this mountain to have two names, Sinai and Choreb. De Nomin. Heb. page 427. (Edit. Benedict.)

Exod. xix. 16,