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 set rulers over each of them, who may distinguish them into thirties, and keep them in order, and at last number them by twenties and by tens. And let there be one commander over each number, to be nominated from the number of those over whom they are rulers; but such as the whole multitude have tried and approve* of, as being good and righteous men; and let these rulers decide the controversies they have one with another; if any great cause arise, let them bring the cognizances of it before the rulers of a higher dig. nity; and if any great difficulty arise, that is too hard for even their determination, let them send it to thee. By these means two advantages will be gained; that the Hebrews wil! have justice done them, and thou wilt be able to attend constantly on God, and procure him to be more favourable to 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.

to converse with God, to receive and to bring back with him a certain oracle. But he enjoined them to pitch their tents near the mountain; and prefer the habitation that was nearest to God, before one more remote. When he had said this, he ascended up to mount Sinai, which is the highest of all the mountains,† that are in that country, and is not only very difficult to be ascended by men on account of its vast altitude, but because of the sharpness of its precipices. Nay, indeed, it cannot be looked at without pain to the eyes; and besides this, it was terrible and inaccessible on account of a general rumour that God dwelt there. But the Hebrews removed the tents, as Moses had 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 wore.

Two days passed in this way of feasting; but on the third day, before sun-rise, a cloud spread itself over the whole camp of the Hebrews; such an one as none had before seen, and encompassed the place where they had pitched their tents. And while all the rest of the air was clear, there came strong winds that raised up large showers of rain, which became a mighty tempest. There was also such lightnings as was terrible to those that saw it; and thunder, with its thunderbolts, were sent down, and declared God to be there present in a gracious way to such as Moses desired he should be gracious. Now as to these matters, every one of my readers may think as he pleases; but I am

† 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 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, Canaan

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.)

under the necessity of relating this history as it is described in the sacred books. This sight, and the amazing sound that came to their ears, disturbed the Hebrews to a prodigious degree; for they were not such as they were accustomed to. And then the rumour that was spread abroad how God frequented that mountain, greatly astonished their minds; so they sorrowfully remained within their tents, as both supposing Moses to be destroyed by the divine wrath, and expecting the like destruction for themselves.

While they were under these apprehensions, Moses appeared joyful and greatly exalted. When they saw him, they were freed from their fear, and admitted more comfortable hopes as to what was to come. The air also was become clear and pure of its former disorders, upon the appearance of Moses; whereupon he called the people together, in order to their hearing what God would say to them. And when they were assembled, he stood on an eminence, whence they might all hear him, and said, "God has received me graciously, O Hebrews, as he has formerly done; and has suggested a happy method of living for you, and an order of political government, and is now present in the camp. I therefore charge you for his sake, and the sake of his works, and what we have done by his means, that you do not put a low value on what I am going to say, because the commands have been given by me; nor because it is the tongue of a man that delivers them to you. But if you have a due regard to the great importance of the things themselves, you will understand the greatness of Him whose institutions they are; and who has not disdained to communicate them to me for our common advantage. For it is not to be supposed that the author of these institutions is barely Moses, the son of Amram and Jochebed, but he who obliged the Nile to run bloody for your sakes, and tamed the haughtiness of the Egyptians, by various sorts of judgments; he who provided a way through the sea for us; he who contrived a method of sending us food from heaven, when we were distressed for want of it; he who made the

Ηνίκα βλέψης μορφής ατερ ευιερον πυρ Δαμπομένον σκιρλήδον ολα καλα βενθια Κοσμα

Κλύθι πυρος φωνην,

say the Chaldaic oracles; and as for earthquakes, or shaking of mountains, this is no more than what all nations suppose have ever come to pass upon God's manifesting himself at any time: for it is not only the Psalmist who tells us, that the earth shook, and the heaven dropped, at the presence of God; but in the description which Virgil gives us of the approach of Phoebus, he does in a manner translate the words of Moses:

Tremere omnia visa repente,
Luminaque, laurusque Dei: totusque moveri
Mons circum, et mugire adytis cortina reclusis.

Vide Nicholl's Conference, part 2. B.

water to issue out of a rock, when we had very little of it before; he, by whose means Adam was made to partake of the fruits of the land, and of the sea; he, by whose means Noah escaped the deluge; he, by whose means our forefather Abraham, of a wandering pilgrim was made the heir of the land of Canaan; he, by whose means Jacob was adorned with twelve virtuous sons; he, by whose means Joseph became a potent lord over the Egyptians; he it is who conveys these instructions to you by me as his interpreter. And let them be to you venerable, and contended for more earnestly by you than your own wives and children; for if you will follow them, you will lead a happy life, you will enjoy the land fruitful, the sea calm, and the fruit of the womb complete, as nature requires; you will also be terrible to your enemies; for I have been admitted into the presence of God, and been made a hearer of his incorruptible voice; so great is his concern for the welfare of your nation."

When he had said this, he brought the people, with their wives and children, so near the mountain, that they might hear God himself speaking to them about the precepts which they were to practise; that the energy of what should be spoken might not be hurt by its utterance, by that tongue of a man which could but imperfectly deliver it to their understanding. And they all heard a voice that came from above; insomuch that none of those words escaped them, which Moses wrote in two tables; and though it is not lawful for us to set them down directly, we will declare their import.

The first commandment teaches us, that there is but one God, and that we ought to worship him only. The second commands us not to make the image of any living creature to worship it. The third, that we must not swear by God in a false matter. The fourth, that we must keep the seventh day, by resting from all sort of work. The fifth, that we must honour our parents. The sixth, that we must abstain from murder. The seventh, that we must not commit adultery. The eighth,

*Of this and another superstitious notion of the Pharisees, which Josephus complied with, see note on II. 12.

† As disobedience to parents is, by the law of Moses, threatened to be punished with death; so, on the contrary, long life is promised to the obedient; and that in their own country, which God had peculiarly enriched with abundance of blessings. Heathens also gave the very same encouragement, saying, that such children should be dear to the gods, both living and dying. So Euripedes. It was also one of their promises, Thou shalt live long, if thou nourish thy ancient parents. Whence children are called by Xenophon repofodxo. Patrick, in locum. B.

that we must not be guilty of theft. that we must not bear false witness. that we must not admit of the desire that is another's.*

Now when the multitude had heard God himself giving those precepts which Moses had discoursed of, they rejoiced at what was said; and the congregation was dissolved. But on the following day they came to his tent, and desired him to bring them besides other laws from God. Accordingly he appointed such laws, and afterward informed them in what manner they should act in all cases; which laws I shall mention in their proper place: but I shall reserve most of them for another work: and make there a distinct explication of them.

When matters were brought to this state, Moses went up again to mount Sinai, of which he had told them beforehand. He made his ascent in their sight; but when he had been absent from them forty days, fear seized upon the Hebrews, lest he should have come to any harm. Nor was there any thing that so much troubled them, as the idea that Moses had perished. Now there was a variety in their sentiments about it; some saying that he was fallen among wild beasts; and those that were of this opinion were chiefly such as were ill disposed to him; but others saying that he was departed and gone to God. The wiser sort were led, by their reason, to embrace neither of those opinions with any satisfaction; thinking that as it was a thing that sometimes happens to men, to fall among wild beasts and perish that way, so it was probable enough that he might depart and go to God, on account of his virtue; they therefore were quiet, and expected the event; though they were exceeding sorrowful upon the probability that they were deprived of a governor, and a protector; such an one, indeed, as they could never recover again. Nor would this suspicion give them leave to expect any comfortable event about this man; nor could they prevent their trouble and melancholy upon this occasion. However, the camp durst not move all this while because Moses had commanded them to stay there.

When forty days and as many nights were expired, Moses came down; having tasted nothing of food usually appointed for the nourishment of men. His appearance filled the army with gladness; and he declared to them, what care God

* Exod. xx. 1 to 18.

†This other work of Josephus's, here referred to, does not appear to have been ever published.

It is a query whether Josephus, in all his own transcripts,

Now the Israelites rejoiced at what they had seen and heard of their conductor; and were not wanting in diligence according to their ability; but they brought silver, and gold, and brass, and the best sorts of wood, and such as would not at all decay by putrefaction; camels' hair also, and sheep-skins; some of them dyed of a blue colour, and some of a scarlet: some brought the flower for the purple colour, and others for white, with wool dyed by the aforementioned flowers; and fine linen, and precious stones, which those that use costly ornaments set in ounces of gold: they brought also a great quantity of spices. For of these materials did Moses build the tabernacle: which did not at all differ from a movable temple. Now when these things were brought together with great diligence, (for every one was ambitious to further the work, even beyond their ability,) he set architects over the works, and this by the command of God: and indeed the very same which the people themselves would have chosen, had the election been allowed to them. Now their names are set down in writing in the sacred books; and they were these, Bazaleel, the son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah, the grandson of Miriam, the sister of their conductor; and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. Now the people went on with what they had undertaken with so great alacrity, that Moses was obliged to restrain

omitted here the heinous sin of the Israelites, in making and worshipping the golden calf, or the Egyptian Apis, made of wood, but covered over with cast gold round about it. See Isaiah xl. 19, 20. Jer. x. 3, 4. and Hab. ii. 19.

them, by making proclamation, that what had been brought was sufficient, as the artificers had informed him: so they fell to work upon the building of the tabernacle. Moses also informed them, according to the direction of God, both what the measures were to be, and its dimensions; and how many vessels it ought to contain, for the use of the sacrifices. The women also were ambitious to do their parts about the garments of the priests, and about other things that would be wanted in this work, both for ornament, and for the divine service itself.

When all things were prepared, the gold, and the silver, and the brass, and what was woven, Moses, having previously appointed that there should be a festival, and that sacrifices should be offered according to every one's ability, reared up the tabernacle. And when he had measured the open court, fifty cubits broad, and a hundred long, he set up brazen pillars, five cubits high; twenty on each of the longer sides, and ten pillars for the breadth behind. Every one of the pillars also had a ring. Their chapiters were of silver, but their bases were of brass; they resembled the sharp ends of spears, and were of brass, fixed into the ground. Cords were also put through the rings, and were tied at the farther ends to brass nails of a cubit long, which at every pillar were driven into the floor, and would keep the tabernacle from being shaken by the violence of winds. But a curtain of fine soft linen went round all the pillars, and hung down in a flowing manner from their chapiters, and inclosed the whole space, forming a kind of wall about it. Such was the structure of three of the sides of this inclosure: but as for the fourth side, which was fifty cubits in extent, and was the front of the whole; twenty cubits of it were for the opening at the gates, wherein stood two pillars on each side, after the resemblance of open gates; these were made wholly of silver, and polished all over, excepting the bases, which were of brass. Now on each side of the gates there stood three pillars, which were inserted into the concave bases of the gates, and were suited to them; and round them was drawn a curtain of fine linen. But to the gates themselves, which were twenty cubits in extent, and five in height, the curtain was composed of purple, and scarlet, and blue, and fine linen; and embroidered with divers sorts of figures, excepting the figures of animals. Within these gates was the brazen laver, for purification, having a bason beneath of the like matter: in which the priests might wash their hands,* and sprinkle their feet. And this was the

*Exod. xxx. 19.

ornamental construction of the inclosure about the court of the tabernacle, which was exposed to the open air.

As to the tabernacle itself, Moses placed it in the middle of that court, with its front to the east; that when the sun rose, it might send its first rays upon it. Its length, when it was set up, was thirty cubits, and its breadth was ten cubits. One of its walls was on the south, and the other was exposed to the north, and on the back part of it remained the west. It was necessary that its height should be equal to its breadth, ten cubits. There were also pillars made of wood, twenty on each side; they were wrought into a quadrangular figure, in breadth a cubit and a half, but the thickness was four fingers: they had thin plates of gold affixed to them, on both sides, inwardly and outwardly they had also, each of them, two silver tenons, inserted into their bases; in each of which was a socket to receive the tenon. But the pillars on the western wall were six. Now all these tenons and sockets accurately fitted one another, insomuch that the joints were invisible; and both seemed to be one united wall: it was also covered with gold, both within and without. The number of pillars was equal on the opposite sides, and there were on each part twenty; and every one had the third part of a span in thickness: so that the number of thirty cubits were fully made up between them. But as to the wall behind, where the six pillars made up together only nine cubits, they made two other pillars, and cut them out of one cubit, which they placed in the corners, and made them equally fine with the others. Now every one of the pillars had rings of gold affixed to their fronts outward, as if they had taken root in the pillars, and stood one row over against another round about; through which were inserted gilded bars, each of them five cubits long, and these bound together the pillars; the head of one bar running into another, after the nature of one tenon inserted into another. But for the wall behind, there was but one row of bars that went through all the pillars: into which row ran the ends of the bars on each side of the longer walls; and all joined so fast together, that the tabernacle could not be shaken, either by the winds, or by any other means; but remained firm, quiet, and immovable.

As for the inside, Moses divided its length into three partitions. At the distance of ten cubits from the most sacred end, he placed four pillars; whose workmanship was the same with that of the rest, and they stood upon the like bases with them; each at a small distance from his fellow. Now the room within those pillars was the most holy place: but