at all injured her husband, and to wish that if she had violated her chastity, her right thigh might be put out of joint, that her belly might swell, and that she might die thus: but that if her husband, by the violence of his affection, and of the jealousy which arose from it, had been rashly moved to this suspicion, that she might bear a male child on the tenth month. Now when these oaths were over, the priest wiped the name of God out of the parchment, and wrung the water into a vial. He also took up some dust out of the temple, if any happened to be there, and put a little of it into the vial, and gave it her to drink, whereupon the woman, if she were unjustly accused, conceived a child, and brought it to perfection; but if she had broken her faith of wedlock to her husband, and had sworn falsely before God, she died in a reproachful manner:* her thigh fell off from her, and her belly swelled with a dropsy: and these are the ceremonies about sacrifices, and about the purifications thereto belonging, which Moses provided for his countrymen. He also prescribed the following laws to them.

A

CHAP. XII.

OF SEVERAL LAWS INSTITUTED BY MOSES.

S for adultery, Moses forbade it entirely, as esteeming it a happy thing that men should be wise in the affairs of wedlock, and that it was profitable both to cities and families that children should be known to be genuine. He also abhorred a man's connection with his mother, father's wife, aunt, sister, or son's wife, as instances of abominable wickedness. He also forbade a man to lie with his wife when she was defiled; and not to come near brute beasts; nor to approve of the lying with a male in order to hunt after unlawful pleasures on account of beauty. To those which were guilty of such insolent behaviour, he ordained death for their punish

ment.

* Numb. v. 27.

†These words of Josephus are remarkable, that the lawgiver of the Jews required of the priests a double degree of purity, in comparison of that required of the people, of which he gives several instances. This was the case also among the first Christians of the clergy, in comparison of the laity, as the apostolical constitutions and canons every where inform us..

As for the priests, he prescribed to them also a double degree of purity;† for he restrained them in the foregoing instances, and also forbade them to marry a harlot, a slave, or a captive, and such as got their living by cheating trades, and by keeping inns; as also a woman parted from her husband on any occasion whatsoever. Nay, he did not think it proper for the high-priest to marry even the widow of one that was dead, though he allowed that to the priests; but he permitted him only to marry a virgin, and to retain her; whence it is that the high-priest is not to approach one that is dead, although the rest are not prohibited from coming near to their brethren, parents, or children, when they are dead, but they are to be unblemished in all respects. He ordered that the priests, who had any blemish, should have his portion indeed among the priests; but he forbade him to ascend the altar, or to enter into the holy house. He also enjoined them not only to observe purity in their sacred ministrations, but in their daily conversation, that it might be unblameable also; and on this account it is, that those who wear the sacerdotal garments are without spot, and eminent for their purity and sobriety. Nor are they permitted to drink wine so long as they wear those garments. Moreover, they offer sacrifices that are entire, and have no defect whatever.

Moses gave them all these presents, being such as were observed during his own life time: but though they lived now in the wilderness, yet did he make provision how they might observe the same laws when they should have taken the land of Canaan. He gave then rest to the land from ploughing and planting every seventh year, as he had prescribed to them to rest from working every seventh day, and ordered that then what grew of its own accord out of the earth should in common belong to all that pleased to use it, making no distinction in that respect between their own countrymen and foreigners; and he ordained that they should do the same after

Levit. xxi. 11.

We must here note with Reland, that the precept given to the priests of not drinking wine, while they wore the sacred garments, is equivalent to their abstinence from it while they ministered in the temple, because they then only wore those sacred garments, which were laid up there from one time of ministration to another..

seven times seven years,* which in all are fifty years; and the fiftieth year is called by the Hebrews the Jubilee. At that time debtors are freed from their debts, and slaves are set at liberty, which slaves became such, though they were of the same stock, by transgressing some of those laws whose punishment was not capital; but they were punished by this method of slavery. This year also restores the land to its former possessors in the following manner; when the jubilee is come, which name denotes liberty, he that sold the land, and he that bought it, meet together, and make an estimate on one hand of the fruits gathered, and on the other hand of the expenses laid out upon it. If the fruits gathered come to more than the expenses laid out, he that sold it takes the land again; but if the expenses prove more than the fruits, the present possessor receives of the former owner the difference that was wanting, and leaves the land to him: but if the fruits received, and the expenses laid out, prove equal, the present possessor relinquishes it to the former owner. Moses would have the

same law obtain as to those houses also which were sold in villages: but he made a different law for such as were sold in a city; for if he that sold it tendered the purchaser his money again within a year, he was forced to restore it; but in case a whole year had intervened, the purchaser was to enjoy what he had bought. This was the constitution of the laws which Moses learned of God when the camp lay under mount Sinai, and this he delivered in writing to the Hebrews.

Now when this settlement of laws seemed to be well over, Moses thought proper to take a review of the host, in order to settle the affairs of war: so he charged the heads of the tribes, excepting the tribe of Levi, to take an exact account of the number of those who were able to go to war; for as to the Levites they were holy, and free from all such burdens. Now, when the people had been numbered, there were found six hundered thousand that were able to go to war, from twenty to fifty years of age, besides three thousand six hundred and fifty. Instead of Levi, Moses took Manasseh, the son of Joseph, among the

*Levit. xxv. 1.

† Book II. chap. 8.

heads of tribes, and Ephraim instead of Joseph. It was indeed the desire of Jacob himself to Joseph, that he would give him his sons to be his own by adoption,† as I have before related.

When they set up the tabernacle, they received it into the midst of their camp; three of the tribes pitching their tents on each side of it, and roads were cut through the midst of these tents. It was like a well appointed market, and every thing was there ready for sale in due order, and all sorts of artificers were in the shops, and it resembled nothing so much as a city that sometimes was moveable, and sometimes fixed. The priests had the first places about the tabernacle; then the Levites, who, because their whole multitude was reckoned from thirty days old, were twenty-three thousand eight hundred and eighty males; and during the time that the cloud stood over the tabernacle, they thought proper to stay in the same place, as supposing that God there inhabited among men, but when that removed they journeyed also.‡

Moses was also the inventor of the form of the Hebrew trumpet, which was made of silver. In length it was little less than a cubit. It was composed of a narrow tube, somewhat thicker than a flute, but with so much breadth as was sufficient for admission of the breadth of a man's mouth; it ended in the form of a bell, like common trumpets. Its sound was called, in the Hebrew tongue, assosra. There were two of them made; and when the first of them gave a signal, the heads of the tribes were to assemble, and consult about the affairs to them properly belonging: but when both of them sounded they called the multitude together, which was done when the tabernacle was to remove. When the second signal was given, those that were on the south quarter did the like. In the next place, the tabernacle was taken to pieces, and was carried in the midst of six tribes that went before, and of six that followed. Now all the Levites were about the tabernacle. When the third signal was given, that part which had their tents towards the west put themselves in motion; and at the

Exod. xl. 36, 37.

fourth signal* those on the north did so likewise. They also used trumpets in their sacred ministrations, when they were bringing their sacrifices to the altar, as well as on the sabbaths, and on the rest of the festival days. And now it was that Moses offered that sacrifice which was called the Passover in the wilderness, as the first he had offered after the departure out of Egypt.

CHAP. XIII

OF MOSES'S REMOVAL FROM MOUNT SINAI TOWARDS THE BORDERS OF THE CANAANITES.

LITTLE while afterwards Moses rose up, and went from mount Sinai; and, having passed through several mansions, of which we will speak anon, he came to a place called Hazeroth, where the multitude began again to be mutinous, and to blame him for the misfortunes they had suffered in their travels; and that when he had persuaded them to leave a good land, they at once had lost that land, and instead of the happy state he had promised them, they were still wandering in their present miserable condition, being already in want of water, and if the manna should happen to fail, they must then utterly perish; yet, while they generally spake many bitter things against the men, there was one who exhorted them not to be unmindful of Moses, and of what great pains he had been at about their common safety, and not to despair of assistance from God. The multitude, however, became still more unruly, and more mutinous against Moses than before; hereupon Moses, although he was so basely abused by them, encouraged them in their despairing condition, and promised that he would procure them a great quantity of flesh meat, and that not for a few days only, but for many days; and when they could not believe him, and one of them asked, whence he could obtain such vast plenty of what he promised? he replied, "Neither God nor I, although we hear such opprobrious words from you, will leave off our labours for you; and this shall soon appear." As soon as he had said this,

*These two signals are wanting in the Hebrew and Samaritan, but extant in the Septuagint, as in Josephus.

This circumstance clearly evinces the propriety with which Moses is denominated the meekest of men. The provocations he received would have excited resentment VOL. I.—NO. 4.

the whole camp was filled with quails, and they stood round about them, and gathered them in great numbers. However, it was not long cre God punished the Hebrews for that insolence and those reproaches they had used towards him, for no small number of them died; and to this day the place retains the memory of their destruction, and is named Kibroth Hattaavah, which is, the graves of lust.‡

CHAP. XIV.

OF THE SPIES WHO WERE SENT TO SEARCH OUT THE LAND OF CANAAN, AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR REPORT.

WHEN Moses had led the Hebrews to a place called Paran, which was near the borders of the Canaanites, and a place difficult to be continued in, he gathered the multitude together: and standing in the midst of them, he said: "Of the two things that God determined to bestow upon us, liberty, and the possession of a happy country, the one ye are already partakers of, by the gift of God, and the other you will quickly obtain; for we now have our abode near the borders of Canaan, and nothing can hinder the acquisition of it, when we now at last are fallen upon it: I say not only no king, nor city, but neither the whole race of mankind, if they are all gathered together, could do it. Let us, therefore, prepare ourselves for the work; for the Canaanites will not resign up their land to us without fighting, but it must be wrested from them by great struggles in war. Let us then send spies, who may take a view of the goodness of the land, and what strength it is of; but above all things, let us be of one mind, and let us honour God, who is our supreme helper and assister."

When Moses had said thus, the multitude requited him with marks of respect, and chose twelve spies of the most eminent men, one out of each tribe, who, passing over all the land of Canaan, from the borders of Egypt, came to the city Hamath and to mount Lebanon, and when they had learned the nature of the land and of its inhabitants, they re

in most men; but on him it had no other effect than to induce him to exert himself the more for the good of the people. B.

Numb. xi. 34.

Ee

turned home, having spent forty days in the whole work. They also brought with them of the excellent fruits which the land bare, and gave an account of the great quantity of the good things the country afforded, which were motives to the multitude to go to war; but then they terrified them again with the great difficulty there was in obtaining it, saying, that the rivers were so large and deep that they could not be passed over, the hills were so high that they could not travel along for them, and the cities were strengthened with walls and firm fortifications. They told them also, that they found at Hebron the posterity of the giants. Accordingly these spies, who had seen the land of Canaan, when they perceived that all these difficulties were greater there than they had met with since they came out of Egypt, were affrighted at them themselves, and endeavoured to intimidate the multitude also.

*

From this account the people supposed that it was impossible to get the possession of the country, and when the congregation was dissolved, they, their wives, and children, continued their lamentations, as if God would not indeed assist them, but only promised them fair; they also again blamed Moses, and made a clamour against him and his brother Aaron, the high-priest; accordingly they passed that night very ill, and with contumelous language against them; but in the morning they ran to a congregation, intending to stone Moses and Aaron, and then to return into Egypt.†

But of the spies there were Joshua the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, and Caleb of the tribe of Judah, who were afraid of the consequence, and came into the midst of them, and stilled the multitude: desiring them to be of good courage, and neither to condemn God, as having deceived them, neither to hearken to those who had affrighted them by telling what was not true concerning the Canaanites, but believe those that encouraged them to hope for good success, and that they should gain possession of the happiness promised them, because neither the height of mountains, nor the depth of rivers, could

*This was the effect of their unbelief; a sin with which they are repeatedly charged in the Scriptures, and which was the more aggravated in them, as they had wit

hinder men of true courage from attempting them, especially while God would take care of them beforehand, and be assistant to them. "Let us go then," said they, "against our enemies, and have no suspicion of ill success, trusting in God to conduct us, and following those that are to be our leaders." Thus did these two exhort them, and endeavour to pacify the rage they were in; but Moses and Aaron fell on the ground, and besought God, not for their own deliverance, but that he would now put a stop to what the people were unwarily doing, and would bring their minds to a quiet temper, which were now disordered by their present passion. The cloud also now appeared, and stood over the tabernacle, declaring the presence of God to be there.‡

CHAP. XV.

OF THE PUNISHMENT THREATENED TO THE ISRAELITES ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR REBELLION-SKETCH OF THE POWER AND INFLUENCE OF THE JEWISH LEGISLATOR.

M

OSES now came boldly to the multitude and informed them, that God was moved at their abuse of him, and would inflict punishment upon them, not indeed such as they deserved for their sins, but such as parents inflict on their children, in order to their correction; for, he said, that when he was in their tabernacle, and was bewailing with tears that destruction which was coming upon them, God put him in mind what things he had done for them, and what benefits they had received from him, and yet how ungrateful they had proved: that just now they had been induced by the timorousness of the spies to think their words truer than his own promise to them, and that on this account, though he would not destroy them all, nor utterly exterminate their nation, which he had honoured more than any other part of mankind; he would not permit them to take possession of the land of Canaan, nor enjoy its happiness, but would make them wander in the wilderness, and live without a fixed habitation, and without a city, for forty years together, as a punishment for their transgression; but at the

nessed so many signal and repeated exertions of the Divine power. B.

† Numb. xiv. 4. Numb. xiv. 10.

same time he promised to give that land to their children, and to bestow on them those good things which their fathers had forfeited by their ungoverned passions.

When Moses had discoursed thus, according to the direction of God, the multitude grieved, and were in affliction; and intreated Moses to procure their reconciliation to God, and to permit them no longer to wander in the wilderness, but to bestow cities upon them; but he replied that God would not admit of any such trial, for that God was not moved to this determination from any human levity or anger, but that he had judiciously condemned them to that punishment. Now we are not to disbelieve that Moses, who was but a single person, pacified so many ten thousands when they were in anger, and converted them to a mildness of temper; for God was with him, and prepared the way to his persuasions of the multitude; and as they had often been disobedient, they were now sensible that such disobedience was disadvantageous to them, and that they had thereby fallen into calamities.

This man was indeed admirable for his virtue, and powerful in making men give credit to what he delivered, not only during the time of his natural life, but even there is still no one of the Hebrews, who does not act even now, as if Moses were present, and ready to punish him if he should do any thing that is indecent; nay, there is no one but is obedient to what laws he ordained, although they might be concealed in their transgressions. There are also many other demonstrations that his power was more than human; for some have even come from the parts beyond Euphrates, a journey of four months, through many dangers, and at great expenses,

*This great famine, as Dr. Hudson observes, in the days of Claudius, is again mentioned in the Antiquities, XX. 4, and Acts xi. 28, as also by Tacitus, Phlegon, Dio, and Africanus.

in honour of our temple; and yet when they had offered their oblations could not partake of their own sacrifices, because Moses had forbidden it, by somewhat in the law that did not permit them, or somewhat that had befallen them, which our ancient customs made inconsistent therewith; so that some of these did not sacrifice at all, and others left their sacrifices in an imperfect condition: nay, many were not able even at first so much as to enter into the temple, but went their ways in this state, as preferring a submission to the laws of Moses before the fulfilling of their own inclinations, even when they had no fear upon them that any body could convict them, but only out of a reverence to their own conscience; so that this legislation, which appeared to be divine, made this man to be esteemed as one superior to his own human nature. Nay, farther, a little before the beginning of this war, when Claudius was emperor of the Romans, and Ismael was our high-priest; and when so great a famine* was come upon us, that one tenth deal of wheat was sold for four drachmæ, and when no less than seventy coritof flour was brought into the temple, at the feast of unleavened bread, not one of the priests was so hardy as to eat one crumb of it, even while so great a distress was on the land, and this out of a dread of the law, and of that wrath which God retains against acts of wickedness, even when no one can accuse the actors; whence we are not to wonder at what was then done, while this very day the writings left by Moses have so great force, that even those who hate us, confess that he who established this settlement was God, and that it was by the means of Moses, and of his virtue.

†These cori are thirty-one Sicilian, or forty-one Athenian medimni.