478. That the people had been at Kadesh before, we know from other passages. It was from this place that the spies were sent out, to make observations in the land of Canaan. It was at the same place, and not long after, that the rebellion of Korah and his company occurred, resulting in their destruction. Also, the complaint of the Israelites against Moses that he had destroyed "the people of the Lord;" by which they brought upon themselves the divine judgments. And, finally, the test of the Rods, with a view to establish forever the claim of Aaron to the priesthood. Moses speaks only of the spies in connection with Kadesh ; but as all these events are connected together, they must, all of them, evidently be referred to the same locality.

479. In all that is said of this place, there is a har-. mony, though it requires a little investigation to discover it. The people are represented, in the regular narrative in Numbers, as going on from Sinai to the wilderness of Paran; and there the sending out of spies occurred, and the consequent murmuring of the people, the rebellion of Korah, &c. The name of Kadesh does not occur in this connection. But when we were taking notice of localities in Genesis, we found a wilderness of Kadesh, precisely in the place now called the wilderness of Paran, There is named, also, in the same book, a wilderness of Paran, which appears to be the same as Kadesh. When, therefore, Moses says, in Deuteronomy, that the spies were sent out from Kadesh, when he had said no such thing in Numbers, but that they were sent out from Paran, there is plainly no contradiction. When, afterwards, as in the passage now before us, he says the Israelites came to Kadesh, in the first month, and a little after shows us that it was the first month of the year that Aaron died, called the fortieth, (meaning the last year of the forty in the wilderness), there is still a perfect harmony. It is not here said that they had not been at Kadesh before;

and the time here given, compared with the time given in connection with the former events, only shows that another time, but not another place, is had in view.

480. Some have thought there must have been two different places, having this name; but this is unnecessary. All the statements of the record can be as well or better harmonized with the idea of one place; and it is quite unlikely that two places should have the same name so near together, as these must have been, allowing that there were two. It is very probable, however, that here, as elsewhere, the name may be applicable to a city or town, and also to a wilderness or region of country. Indeed, that Kadesh denotes a region of country, and means the same as Paran or Zin, is plainly stated in Numbers xxxiii. 36. The people, it is said, pitched in "the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh." So, in the passage on which we are remarking, it is said the people came into "the desert of Zin," and they "abode in Kadesh," evidently making the last name synonymous with the first.

481. The instance of rebellion here recorded is not unlike several that have already been noticed. One thing only requires additional remark. What is the nature of the offence of which Aaron and Moses were guilty, on the occasion here referred to? Was it the use of the language, "Must we fetch you water out of this rock?" One would suppose that such an offence, as required the infliction here announced, would have been distinctly stated. Perhaps it is so; but we can not suppress the conviction that there were circumstances attending this transaction, not here described, that rendered their offence more heinous, than appears from the record as we now have it. We ought to bear in mind, that the history we have of the transactions in the wilderness, is very brief; that many things took place of which we have no account. These, if known, might remove obscurities, reconcile passages that seem to conflict, and set the whole scene before us in its just proportions.

482. Some are of opinion that Moses sinned in not carrying out his instructions. He was instructed to speak to the rock, but was not told to strike it. This

is hardly satisfactory; for he was told to take the rod of God in his hand; and he had reason to infer that he was to use it, as he had done, and was instructed to do, on a former occasion. Again, it is said, that he smote the rock twice. He should have smote it but once, if at all. Twice smiting it, was either the result of impatience or a want of faith. Perhaps so; but that is something we know nothing about. The conjecture is at best a feeble one. Then, again, Moses was out of humor, and calls the people rebels. This was a great sin. But had he no right to be out of humor? Or, if there was a wrong in it, why was he not rebuked on other occasions when he was angry, and had no better reason for being so than now? Besides, if being angry was the sin he was guilty of, what shall we think of the great Exemplar who had shown no better spirit, on many other occasions, and whom this same Moses had often had occasion to pacify. Or if it be said that the anger of Deity was only in appearance, which we admit, why not be equally charitable toward Moses? Or, if Moses was really angry, as he appears to have been, we contend that he had reason to be. If he called the people rebels, he told them no more than the truth. They were rebels, and had been rebels on many occasions before this. We repeat, then, that the great crime of which Moses and Aaron were guilty, is not distinctly stated. We can only conjecture concerning it, from the few and comparatively trifling circumstances here put down. Poole very truly says, "And there might be divers other unbelieving words, used by them at this time and place, though they be not here recorded; it being usual in Scripture to give only the sum or principal heads of discourses or events, leaving the rest to be gathered out of them."

SECTION II.-EDOM IS NOT TO BE MOLESTED; NOR MOAB, NOR AMMON.

DEUTERONOMY II.

1. Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness, by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me; and we compassed mount Seir many days.

2. And the LORD spake unto me, saying,

3. Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.

4. And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir, and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore.

cause I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

6. Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat: and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.

7. For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand; he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

8. And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and 5. Meddle not with them; for I from Ezion-gaber, we turned and will not give you of their land, no, passed by the way of the wildernot so much as a foot-breadth; be-ness of Moab.

483. Mount Seir was alluded to several times in Genesis; and we have there some account of the early rulers of the land. Genesis xxxvi. Also some account of Esau, and how he came into possession of the country. He first married among the inhabitants, and afterwards conquered the country. It was occupied by the descendants of Esau at the time the Israelites passed that way, in their progress to Canaan; and it was on this account that they were not permitted to molest the inhabitants. That the Hebrews were many days" in passing round mount Seir, may be understood as indicating the extent of the country. Mount Seir and Edom are different names for the same country. It appears to have extended as far south as the eastern branch of the Red Sea; and hence the Hebrews must, of necessity, pass through a portion of that country. But it was not deemed objectionable to pass that way; or, at least, we read of no objection to doing so.

66

484. The latter circumstance may furnish the true explanation of what appears to be a contradiction. In one passage, we are told that the people were not permitted to pass through the land of Edom. Numbers xx. 14-20. But in another, they are represented as asking Sihon, king of the Amorites, to let them pass through his country, as they had been permitted to do by the Edomites. Deuteronomy ii. 29. It is true, as one passage asserts, that the Israelites were not allowed to pass through Edom, as they requested; that is, by a direct route, "by the king's highway; "but they were permitted to pass through, farther south, and through a less settled and less valuable portion of the country.

The following will show that Moses carried out his instructions:

NUMBERS XX.

14. And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us;

15. How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers:

16. And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border;

17. Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells; we will go by the king's high-way, we will not turn to the right hand

nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

18. And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest Í come out against thee with the sword.

10. And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high-way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.

20. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

485. This message was sent to the king of Edom, before Moses left Kadesh, and it is evident, that the latter place was near the borders of that country. So was Mount Hor, the next station, so that in passing from the former place to the latter, as they did after