order to have the water changed for the bet-at their conductor, and were zealous to stone ter; he bid the strongest men among them him, as the direct occasion of their present that stood there, to draw up water; and told miseries. 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. But while the multitude were irritated and bitterly set against him, Moses cheerfully relied upon God, and upon his consciousness of the care he had taken of his own people, and he came into the midst of them, even while they clamored against him, and had stones in their hands, in order to dispatch him. Now he was of an agreeable presence, and very able to persuade the people 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 formerly been bestowed on them to slip out of their memo 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 palm-trees 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;ries; and he desired them by no means, on acthey were rather a few moist places, than count of their present uneasiness, to cast those springs, which not breaking out of the ground, great and wonderful favors and gifts, which nor running over, could not sufficiently water they had obtained of God, out of their minds: the trees. And when they dug into the sand, but to expect deliverance out of their present they met with no water; and if they took troubles, which they could not free themselves a few drops of it into their hands, they found from; and this by the means of that Divine it to be useless on account of its mud. The Providence which watched over them as it trees also were too weak to bear fruit, for want was probable that God merely tried their virof being sufficiently cherished and enlivened tue, and exercised their patience, by these adby the water. So they laid the blame on versities, that it might appear what fortitude their conductor, and made heavy complaints they had, and what memory they retained of against him; and said, that this their miserable his former wonderful works in their favor: state, and the experience they had of adver- and whether they would not think of them upsity, were owing to him: for that they had on occasion of the miseries they now felt. He then journeyed thirty days, and had spent all told them, it appeared they were not really the provisions they had brought with them, good men, either in patience, or in rememberand meeting with no relief, they were in a ing what had been successfully done for them, very desponding condition. Thus by fixing sometimes by contemning God, and his comtheir attention upon nothing but their present mands, when, by those commands, they left misfortunes, they were hindered from remem- the land of Egypt; and sometimes by behavbering what deliverances they had received ing themselves ill towards him who was the from God, and those by the virtue and wis-servant of God, and this when he had never dom of Moses also; so they were very angry deceived them, either in what he said, or had * The additions here to Moses's account of the sweet-phus upon many occasions. This is, however, barely conening the waters at Marah seem derived from some an-jectural; and since Josephus never tells us when his own cient profane author, 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 Jose copy, taken out of the temple, had such additions; or 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. Ac of them, and afford the succor 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 any where 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. Hereupon, Moses returned thanks to God for affording them assistance so suddenly, and sooner than he had promised. ordered them to do by God's command. He also reminded them of all that had passed: bow 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 pota-cordingly God promised he would take care ble to them; and how they went a new road through the sea, which fled a long way from them by which means they were themselves preserved, but saw their enemies destroyed; and that when they were in want of weapons, God gave them plenty of them. Thus he recounted all the particular instances, when they were in appearance just going to be destroyed, but God had saved them in a surprising manner that he had still the same power, and that they ought not even now to despair of his providence over them, and accordingly he exhorted them to continue quiet, and to 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 delays to assist you, not because he has no regard to you, but because he will first try your fortitude, and the pleasure you take in your freedom; 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." 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 By this means Moses pacified the people, some of it, that they might be satisfied about and restrained them from stoning him, and what he had told them. They also imitated brought them to repent of what they were go- their conductor, and were pleased with the ing to do. And because he thought the neces-food, for it was like honey in sweetness, and sity they were under made their passion less in substance like to bdellium, one of the sweet unjustifiable, he thought it needful to apply to spices, but in bigness equal to coriander seed. God by prayer and supplication; and going The people were now very earnest in gatherup to an eminence, he requested some succoring it; but they were enjoined to gather it for the people, and some way of deliverance equally, the measure of a homer for every *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 a piece through the whole host of Israel, and no more. · one one every day, because this food should not thing to drink. God did not long delay to come in too small quantity, lest the weaker grant this request, but promised that he would might not be able to get their share, by rea-procure them a fountain, and plenty of water son of the overbearing of the strong in col-from a place where they did not expect any; lecting it. However, these strong men, when so he commanded Moses to smite the rock || they had gathered more than the measure ap- which they saw lying there with his rod, and pointed for them, they had no they had no more than out of it to receive plenty of what they wantothers, but only tired themselves more in ga-led; for he had taken care that drink should thering it; for they found no more than a come to them without any labor or exertion. homer apiece, and the advantage they got by When Moses had received this command, he what was superfluous was none at all, as it came to the people who waited for and looked corrupted, both by worms breeding in it, and upon him, for they saw already that he was by its bitterness. So divine and wonderful a coming apace from his eminence. As soon food was this! It also supplied the want of as he was come, he told them, that God other sorts of food to those that fed on it; would deliver them from their present distress, and even now,* in all that place, this manna and had granted them an unexpected favor, comes down in rain, according to what Moses and informed them that a river should run then obtained of God, to send it the people for their sakes out of the rock; but they for their sustenance. Now the Hebrews call were amazed at that hearing, supposing they this food manna, † for the particle man in our were of necessity to cut the rock in pieces now language is the asking of a question, what is they were distressed by their thirst, and by this? So the Hebrews were very joyful at their journey. Moses, however, by only smitwhat was sent them from heaven, and they ing the rock with his rod, opened a passage, made use of this food for forty years, or as and out of it burst water in great abundance, long as they remained in the wilderness. and very clear; while they were astonished As soon as they removed thence, they came at this wonderful effect, and as it were quenchto Rephidim, § distressed to the last degree by ed their thirst by the very sight of it: so they thirst: for, though in the foregoing days they drank this pleasant, this sweet water, and had met with a few small fountains, they now such it seemed to be, as might well be expectfound the earth entirely destitute of water, anded where God was the donor. They were were in an evil case. They again turned their also in admiration how Moses was honored by anger against Moses; but he at first avoided God, and they made grateful returns of sathe fury of the multitude, and then betook crifices to God for his providence towards himself to prayer, beseeching God, that as he them. Now that scripture which is laid up had given them food when they were in the in the temple ¶ informs us how God foretold greatest want of it, so he would give them to Moses that water should in this manner be drink, since the favor of giving them food derived out of the rock. was of no value to them while they had no *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 it had not been seen previously. However this food from heaven is here described by the word neola, that it fell like snow; and in Artapanus, a heathen writer, it is compared to meal, like to oatmeal, in color 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 + Exod. xvi. 15. ¶ 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. گیا CHAP. II. OF THE HOSTILITIES COMMITTED AGAINST THE HEBREWS BY to * neighbouring nations, and among each other, they resolved to attack the Hebrews in battle. These proceedings of the people of those countries occasioned perplexity and trouble to Moses, who expected no such warlike preTHE To be every where renowned, and ruTHE name of the Hebrews began already parations: and when these nations were ready to fight, the multitude of the Hebrews were mors about them ran abroad, which excited obliged to try the fortune of war; they were great fear in the inhabitants of those coun- in great disorder, and in want of all necestries: accordingly they sent ambassadors to saries, and yet were to make war with men one another, and exhorted each other to de- who were well prepared for it. Then it was, fend themselves, and to endeavor to destroy therefore, that Moses began to encourage these men. Those that induced the rest to them, and to exhort them to have a good do so were such as inhabited Gobilitis and heart, and rely on God's assistance, by which Petra;, they were called Amalekites, and they had been advanced into a state of freewere the most warlike of the nations that lived dom, and to hope for victory over those who thereabout, and whose kings exhorted one were ready to fight with them in order to deanother, and their neighbours, to engage in prive them of that blessing. He said they this war against the Hebrews, telling them were to suppose their own army to be numethat an army of strangers, who had run away rous, wanting nothing, neither weapons, nor from slavery under the Egyptians, lay in wait money, nor provisions, nor such other conveto ruin them; which army they were not in niences as when men are in possession of they common prudence, and regard to their own fight undauntedly, and that they were to judge safety, to overlook, but to crush them before themselves to have all these advantages in the they should gather strength, and come to be Divine assistance. They were also to suppose in prosperity and perhaps attack them first the enemies' army to be small, unarmed, and in an hostile manner, as presuming upon their weak, and such as want those conveniences indolence in not attacking them before: and which they know must be wanted when it is that they ought to avenge themselves for what God's will that they should be beaten. He rehad been done in the wilderness; but that minded them that they had experienced the this could not be so well done when the He-value of God's assistance in abundance of brews had once laid their hands on their cities and goods; that those who endeavored 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 ambassages to the * 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 birth-right 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 excessive drought they labored 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 trials, and those such as were more terrible than war; for that is only against men, but these were against famine and thirst, things that were in their own nature insuperable; 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 knowing the Israelites were pre-ordained by God to be Joshua. 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 fought against them, but also terrified the neigh . entire prosperity to depend on the present con-them, both by his words and works, and prequest of their enemies. pared every thing, he retired to a mountain, Moses having thus encouraged the multi-and committed the army to God and to tude, called together the princes of their tribes, and their chief men, both separately and The armies having joined battle, soon came jointly. The young men he charged to obey to a close fight hand to hand, both sides shewtheir elders, and the elders to hearken to their ing great alacrity, and encouraging one auleader; so the people were elevated in their other; and, indeed, while Moses stretched minds, and ready to try their fortune in bat-out his hands towards heaven, the Hebrews tle, 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 their present resolution; so Moses classed all that were fit for war into different troops, and set over them Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim; one that was of great courage, and patient to undergo labours; of great abilities to understand, and to speak what was proper, and very serious in the service of God, and indeed, made like another Moses, a teacher of piety towards God. He also appointed a small party of the armed men to be near the water, and to take care of the children and the women, and of the entire camp: so that whole night they pre-bouring nations, and got great and splendid pared themselves for the battle, they took their weapons, if any of them had such as were well made, and attended to their commanders, as ready to rush forth to the battle as soon as Moses should give the word of command. Moses also kept awake, teaching Joshua after what manner he should order his camp; but when the day began, Moses called Joshua again, and exhorted him to approve himself in deeds such a one as his reputation made men expect from him, and to gain glory by the present expedition in the opinion of those under him, for his exploits in this battle; he also gave a particular exhortation to the principal men of the Hebrews, and encouraged the whole army as it stood before him; and when he had thus animated * 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 advantages, which they obtained of their enemies by their hard pains in this battle; for when they had taken the enemies' camp they got great booty for the public, and for their own private families, whereas till then they had not any plenty even of necessary food. The afore-mentioned victory was also the occasion of their prosperity, not only for the present, but for future ages also, for they not only made slaves of the bodies of their enemies, but effectually damped their minds: and after this battle, became terrible to all that dwelt round about them. They also acquired a vast quantity of riches; for a great deal of silver and gold was left in the enemies' camp, as also brazen vessels, which they made common use of in their families; many utensils of learning their prayers by heart, read them out of a book, which is in 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. |