nino consulibus facta est, scriptum inveni, partem Nili fluminis exeuntem in Rubrum Mare juxta civitatem Ovilam et castra Monseï. In this last word there is certainly a mistake of a letter, and for castra Monseï we should read castra Mouseï, the encampment of Moses. From hence we may be induced to think that the Peggior Kavoμatos of Ptolemy, the same as the castrum Clysmatis of Hierocles was not of old a real præsidium, but a place so called from the encampment of the children of Israel, and in memory of Moses. In short, it is generally agreed by writers who treat of the subject, that the passage of the Israelites across was at the bay of Colsum or Clysma. Haud procul ab Alkolsum est locus in mari, ubi demersus est Pharaone. Not far from Alkolsum is the place where Pharaoh (and his army) were overwhelmed. Κλυσμα, δι' ἐ παλαι και το Ισραηλιτικόν φευγοντες της Αι γυπτιες αβροχῷ το ρείθρον διεπεραιώθησαν ποδι. Clysma was the place through which the Israelites of old, when they fled from Pharaoh, passed over to the other side without wetting their feet. 'Abulfeda. See Shaw's Travels, p. 349. notis. We are told by Dr' Shaw, that near this place (Corondel) the natives still preserve a tradition that a numerous army was formerly drowned near Bedea, the same as Clysma. Opinions canvassed. The curious traveller Niebuhr seems to intimate, that he sometimes had entertained an opinion, that the passage of the Israelites over the Red-sea was near Bedea. But he recedes from it afterwards, and gives his reasons, which I shall take the liberty to consider; as, from an examination of his objections, we may possibly obviate those of others. In speaking of the testimony of Josephus, he says, Il semble d'abord, je l'avoue, que l'auteur ait voulu designer la vallée de Bedea, si tant est, qu'il ait jamais été. Mais l'écriture saint ni parle ni de montagnes, ni de rochers a cette occasion. Il paroit même que s'ils avoient * P. 349. 3 * On panche encore pour Bedea. Description d'Arabie, P. 349. 3 Ibid. p. 350. The author mistakes the true route. The Israelites went the contrary way, été près de Bedea, Pharaon n'auroit pu dire: ils se sont égarés dans le pays, et enfermés dans le désert: cars ils auroient a la vérité eu la Mer Rouge devant eux à l'est; mais ausi en s'en approchant ils auroient trouvé le chemin le long de la mer vers le nord depuis la vallée de Bedea jusques a Suès; et jusques au bout du golfe, route qu'a pris Monconys. The author is certainly mistaken in respect to the route which he supposes the Israelites to have taken. They did not go by the passage from Upper Egypt, called now Derb el Tourick, to Clysma; and then like Monconys pass upwards to the north, to the extremity of the sinus. But their route was by the general and more fréquented way, called now Derb el Ejenef, by which the caravans from Cairo go to the Red-sea at this day. They passed over the desert with the mountain of Arabia upon their right hand, and so proceeded to the western point of the Red-sea and the upper border of Etham. Here they were ordered to turn; a circumstance always to be kept in 'Here the author himself places Etham---Il paroit que tout le district autour de l'extremite du golfe Arabique a été nommé Etham. p. 352. Concerning the two roads have made mention before from Shaw and Niebuhr.. view, as the whole of the process afterwards is determined by it. Here at the top of the sinus they changed their course, and descended to the inundation at Clysma, or Bedea. This was in a direction quite the reverse of that which was taken by Monconys. The sinus of the Red-sea which he had on his right hand they kept to the left, and afterwards passed through it to the eastern side of the sinus: I The author proceeds to shew, that if the Israelites had been apprised that they should be preserved in a miraculous manner; they might then have suffered themselves to have been brought into those difficulties which must have occurred in the defile between the sea and the mountains: . Mais comme il n'en est pas fait la moindre mention dans cet auteur sacré, et qu'il semble même en insinuer le contraire, il n'est pas à présumer, qu'ils se soient laissés conduire comme des aveugles. Entre tant de milliers de personnes quelquesunes auroient bien connu le chemin, qui aboutissoit aux frontiers de l'Egypte, et se se÷ roient sûrement opposées au dessein de Moise, s'il leur avoit fait prendre une route, qui les approchât visiblement de leur pert. Il n'y a * Description d'Arabie, p. 350. qu'a voyager avec une caravane, qui va trouver le moindre obstacle, p. e. un petit torrent, pour se convaincre, que les orientaux sont des etres intelligens, et ne se laissent mener comme des etourdis par leur Caravan-Baschi. The whole of this argument is founded on prejudice, and abounds with misconceptions. In respect to what is said about a caravan, we may be assured, that if any body of men, however large, and however experienced, had been witnesses. to such wonderful works exhibited by their leaders, as were performed by Moses, they might without hesitation have followed him, and not have incurred the imputation of being led blindfold. But the author does not seem to recollect that there is such a thing as eos ev pinxam; that the whole was directed by the Deity. Though they were ostensibly conducted by Moses, yet it was ultimately the Deity by whose hand they were led, and whose commands they obeyed; who went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire; who directed all their ways. It is therefore idle to say---il n'es pas soient laissés conduire a presumer qu'ils se comme des aveugles. They were not blinded, but had their senses in full force, and acted Ꮓ |