BOOK III. Containing an interval of two Years. FROM THE EXODUS OUT OF EGYPT, TO THE REJECTION OF THAT GENERATION. CHAP. I. OF THE VICISSITUDES EXPERIENCED BY THE HEBREWS IN THEIR JOURNEY TO MOUNT SINAI. WHEN the Hebrews had obtained such a wonderful deliverance, the country was a great trouble to them, for it was entirely a desert, and had not water enough to suffice any of the cattle; for it was parched up, and had not moisture that might afford nutriment to the vegetables. So they were forced to travel over this country, as having no other route. They had, indeed, carried water with them from the land over which they had travelled before, as their conductor had bidden them; but when that was spent, they were obliged to draw water out of wells, with pain, by reason of the hardness of the soil. The water thus obtained, also, was bitter, and unfit for drinking, and this in small quantities. And as they thus travelled, they came late in the evening to a place called Marah,* from the badness of its waters for Mar denotes bitterness.† Thither they came afflicted, both by the tediousness of the journey, and by want of food; for it entirely failed them at that time. Now here was a well, which induced them to stay in the place; for although it was not sufficient to satisfy so great an army, it afforded them some comfort in such a desert place; for they heard from those who had been to search, that there was nothing to be found, if they travelled farther. The water, however, was bitter, and not fit for men to drink; and not only so, but it was intolerable even to the cattle themselves. * Dr. Bernard takes notice here, that this place' Mar, where the waters were bitter, is called by the Syrians and Arabians, Mariri; and by the Syrians sometimes Marath, all derived from the Hebrew Mar: as also he takes notice, that it is called the bitter fountain, by Pliny himself. Which waters are bitter still, When Moses saw how much the people were cast. down, and that the occasion of it could not be contradicted; for the people were not in the nature of a complete army of men, who might oppose a manly fortitude to the necessity that distressed them; and the multitude of the children and of the women, being of too weak capacities to be persuaded by reason, blunted the courage of the men themselves; Moses was in great difficulties, and made every body's calamities to be his own; for they all ran to him, and begged of him; the women begged for their infants, and the men for the women, that he would not overlook them, but procure some way or other for their deliverance. He therefore betook himself to prayer to God, that he would change the water, and make it fit for drinking. And when God had granted him that favour, he took the top of a stick that lay at his feet, and divided it in the middle, and made the section lengthways; he then let it down into the well, and persuaded the Hebrews that God had hearkened to his prayers, and had promised to render the water such as they desired it to be, in case they would be subservient to him in what he should enjoin them to do, and this not after a remiss or negligent manner. And when they asked, what they were to do in order to have the water changed for the better; he bid the strongest men among them that stood there, to draw up water; and told them that when the greatest part was drawn up, the remainder would be potable. So they labored at it till the water was so agitated and purged as to be fit to drink. as Thevenot assures us; as there are also abundance of palm. trees. See his Travels, part I. chap. xxvi. page 166. † Exod. xv. 23. The additions here to Moses's account of the sweetening the waters at Marah, seem derived from some ancient profane Removing from thence, they came to Elim,* which place looked well at a distance, for there was a grove of palm-trees, but when they came nearer, it appeared to be a bad place, for the palmtrees were no more than seventy, and they were ill-grown, and creeping trees, by the want of water, for the country about was all parched, and no moisture sufficient to water them, and make them hopeful and useful, was derived to them from the fountains, which were twelve in number; they were rather a few moist places, than springs, which not breaking out of the ground, nor running over, could not sufficiently water the trees. And when they dug into the sand, they met with no water, and if they took a few drops of it into their hands, they found it to be useless on account of its mud. The trees also were too weak to bear fruit, for want of being sufficiently cherished and enlivened by the water. So they laid the blame on their conductor, and made heavy complaints against him; and said, that this their miserable state, and the experience they had of adversity, were owing to him: for that they had then journeyed thirty days, and had spent all the provisions they had brought with them, and meeting with no relief, they were in a very desponding condition. Thus by fixing their attention upon nothing but their present misfortunes, they were hindered from remembering what deliverances they had received from God, and those by the virtue and wisdom of Moses also; so they were very angry at their conductor, and were zealous to stone him, as the direct occasion of their present miseries. merly been bestowed on them, to slip out of their memories; and he desired them by no means, on account of their present uneasiness, to cast those great and wonderful favours and gifts, which they had obtained of God, out of their minds: but to expect deliverance out of their present troubles, which they could not free themselves from; and this by the means of that divine providence which watched over them: as it was probable that God merely tried their virtue, and exercised their patience, by these adversities, that it might appear what fortitude they had, and what memory they retained of his former wonderful works in their favour: and whether they would not think of them upon occasion of the miseries they now felt. He told them, it appeared they were not really good men either in patience, or in remembering what had been successfully done for them, sometimes by contemning God, and his commands, when, by those commands, they left the land of Egypt; and sometimes by behaving themselves ill towards him who was the servant of God, and this when he had never deceived them, either in what he said, or had ordered them to do by God's command. He also reminded them of all that had passed: how the Egyptians were destroyed when they attempted to detain them, contrary to the command of God; and after what manner the very same river was to the others bloody, and not fit for drinking, but was sweet and potable to them; and how they went a new road through the sea, which led a long way from them: by which means they were themselves preserved, but saw their enemies destroyed; and that when But while the multitude were irritated and bit- they were in want of weapons, God gave them terly set against him, Moses cheerfully relied upon plenty of them. Thus he recounted all the parGod, and upon his consciousness of the care he ticular instances, when they were in appearance, had taken of his own people, and he came into just going to be destroyed, but God had saved the midst of them, even while they clamoured them in a surprising manner: that he had still the against him, and had stones in their hands, in same power, and that they ought not even now to order to dispatch him. Now he was of an agree- despair of his providence over them, and accordable presence, and very able to persuade the peo-ingly he exhorted them to continue quiet, and to ple by his speeches: accordingly he began to mitigate their anger, and exhorted them not to be over-mindful of their present adversities, lest they should thereby suffer the benefits that had forauthor, and he such an author, also, as looks less authentic than are usually followed by Josephus. Philo has not a syllable of these additions; nor any other ancient writer that we know of. Had Josephus written his Antiquities for the use of the Jews, he would hardly have given them these very improbable circumstances; but writing to Gentiles, that they might not complain of his omission of any accounts of such miracles derived from Gentiles, he did not think proper to conceal what he had met with there about this matter. Which procedure is perfectly agreeable to the character and usage of Josephus upon many occasions. This is, however, barely conjectural: and since Jo consider that help would not come too late, though perhaps not immediately, if it were present with them before they suffered any great misfortune. "You ought," said he, " to reason thus, that God sephus never tells us when his own copy, taken out of the temple, had such additions; or when any ancient notes supplied them; or indeed when they were derived from Jewish and when from Gentile antiquities, we can go no farther than bare conjecture in such cases. Only the notions of Jews were generally so different from those of Gentiles, that we may sometimes make no improbable guesses to which sort such additions belong. See also somewhat like these additions in Josephus's account of Elisha's making sweet the bitter and barren spring near Jericho. Of the War, IV. 8. *Exod. xv. 27. delays to assist you, not because he has no re- || Hereupon, Moses returned thanks to God for gard to you, but because he will first try your affording them assistance so suddenly, and sooner fortitude, and the pleasure you take in your free- than he had promised. dom; that he may learn whether you have souls great enough to bear want of food, and scarcity of water, on its account; or whether you really love to be slaves, as cattle are slaves to such as own them, and feed them liberally, but only in order to make them more useful in their service. As for myself, I shall not be so much concerned for my own preservation, for if I die unjustly, I shall not reckon it any affliction; but I am concerned for you, lest by casting stones at me, you should be thought to condemn God himself." By this means Moses pacified the people, and restrained them from stoning him, and brought them to repent of what they were going to do. And because he thought the necessity they were under made their passion less unjustifiable, he thought it needful to apply to God by prayer and supplication; and going up to an eminence, he requested some succour for the people, and some way of deliverance from the want they were in; because in God, and in him alone, was their hope of salvation. He also desired that he would forgive what necessity had forced the people to do: since such was the nature of mankind, hard to please, and very complaining under adversities. Accordingly God promised he would take care of them, and afford the succour they were desirous of. Now when Moses had heard this, he came down to the multitude; and as soon as they saw him joyful at the promises he had received from God, they changed their sad countenances into gladness. So he placed himself in the midst of them, and told them he came to bring them from God a deliverance out of their present distress. Accordingly a little time after came a vast number of quails, (which birds are more plentiful in this Arabian Gulf than anywhere else,) flying over the sea, and hovered over them, till wearied with their laborious flight, and indeed, as usual, flying very near to the earth, they fell down among the Hebrews, who caught them, and satisfied their hunger with them, supposing this was the method whereby God meant to supply them with food. * It seems to me, from what Moses, Exod. xvi. 18, St. Paul, 2 Cor. viii. 15, and Josephus here says, compared together, that the quantity of manna that fell daily, and did not putrefy, was just so much as came to a homer apiece through the whole host of Israel, and no more. †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 But soon after this first supply of food, they received a second; for, as Moses was lifting up his hands in prayer, a dew fell down, and Moses, when he found it adhere to his hands, supposed this was also come for food from God; he tasted it, and perceiving that the people knew not what it was, but thought it snowed, and that it was what usually fell at that time of the year, he informed them, that this dew did not fall from heaven after the manner they imagined, but came for their preservation and sustenance; so he gave them some of it, that they might be satisfied about what he had told them. They also imitated their conductor, and were pleased with the food, for it was like honey in sweetness, and in substance like to bdellium, one of the sweet spices, but in bigness equal to coriander seed. The people were now very earnest in gathering it; but they were enjoined to gather it equally,* the measure of a homer for every one every day, because this food should not come in too small quantity, lest the weaker might not be able to get their share, by reason of the overbearing of the strong in collecting it. However, these strong men, when they had gathered more than the measure appointed for them, they had no more than others, but only tired themselves more in gathering 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 it had not been seen previously. However, this food from heaven is here described by the word vipeda, 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 man, which Josephus says then signified, what is it? or from manah, to divide, i. e. a dividend, or portion allotted to every one, it is uncertain. I incline to the latter derivation. This manna is called angels' food, Ps. Ixxviii. 25, and by our Saviour, John vi. 31, as well as by Josephus here and elsewhere, said to be sent to the Jews from heaven. + Exod. xvi. 15. § From An. 1532 to 1429, B. C. 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 nothing to drink. God did not long delay to grant this request, but promised that he would procure them a fountain, and plenty of water from a place where they did not expect any; so he commanded Moses to smite the rockt which they saw lying there with his rod, and out of it to receive plenty in what they wanted; for he had taken care that drink should 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 burst 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 *Exod. xvii. 1. †This rock is here at this day, as modern travellers agree, and must be the same that was there in the days of Moses. Note here, that the small book of the principal laws of Moses is ever said to be laid up in the holy house itself, but the larger Pentateuch somewhere within the limits of the temple and its courts only. See V. 1. VI. 4. X. 4. § 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 birthright 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 ex in the templet informs us how God foretold to Moses, that water should in this manner be derived out of the rock. CHAP. II. OF THE HOSTILITIES COMMITTED AGAINST THE HEBREWS BY THE AMALEKITES, AND OF THEIR COMPLETE DEFEAT. THE name of the Hebrews began already to be everywhere renowned, and rumours about them ran abroad, which excited great fear in the inhabitants of those countries: accordingly they sent ambassadors to one another, and exhorted each other to defend 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 a 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 Hebrews 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. After they had sent such embassages to the neighbouring nations, and among each other, they resolved to attack the Hebrews in battle. cessive 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 knowing the Israelites were preordained by God to be put in possession of the land of Canaan, 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. Exod. 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. These proceedings of the people of those coun- || their present resolution; so Moses classed all that tries occasioned perplexity and trouble to Moses, were fit for war into different troops, and set over who expected no such warlike preparations: and them Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of when these nations were ready to fight, the multi- Ephraim; one that was of great courage, and tude of the Hebrews were obliged to try the for- patient to undergo labours; of great abilities to tune of war; they were in great disorder, and in understand, and to speak what was proper, and want of all necessaries, and yet were to make war very serious in the service of God, and indeed, with men who were well prepared for it. Then it made like another Moses, a teacher of piety towas, therefore, that Moses began to encourage wards God. He also appointed a small party of them, and to exhort them to have a good heart, the armed men to be near the water, and to take and rely on God's assistance by which they had care of the children and the women, and of the been advanced into a state of freedom, and to hope entire camp; so that whole night they prepared for victory over those who were ready to fight themselves for the battle: they took their weapons, with them in order to deprive them of that bless- if any of them had such as were well made, and ing. He said they were to suppose their own army attended to their commanders, as ready to rush to be numerous, wanting nothing, neither weapons, forth to the battle as soon as Moses should give nor money, nor provisions, nor such other conve- the word of command. Moses also kept awake, niences as when men are in possession of, they teaching Joshua after what manner he should fight undauntedly, and that they were to judge order his camp; but when the day began, Moses themselves to have all these advantages in the called Joshua again, and exhorted him to approve divine assistance. They were also to suppose the himself in deeds such a one as his reputation made enemies' army to be small, unarmed, and weak, men expect from him, and to gain glory by the and such as want those conveniences which they present expedition in the opinion of those under know must be wanted when it is God's will that him, for his exploits in this battle: he also gave they should be beaten. He reminded them that a particular exhortation to the principal men of they had experienced the value of God's assistance the Hebrews, and encouraged the whole army as in abundance of trials, and those such as were it stood before him; and when he had thus animore terrible than war; for that is only against mated them, both by his words and works, and men, but these were against famine and thirst, prepared every thing, he retired to a mountain, things that were in their own nature insuperable; and committed the army to God and to Joshua. 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 courageous at this time, and to consider their entire prosperity to depend on the present conquest of their enemies. Moses having thus encouraged the multitude, called together the princes of their tribes, and their chief men, both separately and jointly. The young men he charged to obey their elders, and the elders to hearken to their leader; so the people were elevated in their minds, and ready to try their fortune in battle, and hoped to be thereby at length delivered from all their miseries. Nay, they desired that Moses would immediately lead them against their enemies, without the least delay, that no backwardness might be an hindrance to * 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 The armies having joined battle, soon came to a close fight hand to hand, both sides showing great alacrity, and encouraging one another; and, indeed, while Moses stretched out his hands* towards heaven, the Hebrews were too hard for the Amalekites; but Moses not being able to sustain his hands thus stretched out, (for as often as he let down his hands, so often were his own people worsted,) he bade his brother Aaron, and Hur, their sister Miriam's husband, to stand on each side of him, and take hold of his hands, and not to permit his weariness to prevent it, but to assist him in the extension of his hands. When this was done, the Hebrews conquered the Amalekites by main force; and, indeed, they had all perished, unless the approach of night had obliged the Hebrews to desist from killing any more. So our forefathers obtained a most signal and most seasonable victory; for they not only overcame those that of learning their prayers by heart, read them out of a book, which is in a 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. |