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even followed the people in all their encampments till they came to Ka'desh, where (for some unknown cause) it failed them.

The people attacked.

At Reph-id-im the people

were attacked by the Amalekites, a powerful horde dwelling in Arabia Petræa.

What was done.

Moses appointed Joshua to repel the assault; and whenever Moses held his rod on high, Joshua prevailed, but immediately Moses dropped his hands, the Amalekites prevailed.

was secured.

How victory In this emergency Aaron and Hur seated Moses on a stone, and held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other.

How long this was done.

This was done till night-fall, when Joshua obtained a complete victory, and returned to the camp in triumph.

The advantages

gained therefrom.

Great advantages were de.

rived from this victory; for immense

spoils were taken, consisting of arms, clothes, furniture, gold, and silver, all of which were divided among the people.

For this cowardly attack the Amalekites were doomed by God to utter destruction. Saul, the king of Israel, was commanded by God (317 years afterwards) to execute this judgment, but he disobeyed the command, and it was left to David to root out the obnoxious race. (1 Sam. xxix—xxxi.)

The fourth

station.

The people next encamped in the wilderness of Sinai, where (by the advice of Jethro) Moses appointed 70 elders to assist him in the government of the people.

stayed there.

How long they Here they remained above a a year, during which time Moses delivered to the people the commands of the Almighty.

The preparations made.

The people were prepared for

this great event by purifications; and then the Lord descended on the mount in fire, and proclaimed in a voice of thunder the Ten Commandments.

How the people were affected.

The people were greatly alarmed, and implored God in future to make Moses the organ of communication between them.

What followed.

God consented to this request, and called Moses up to the summit of the mount.

What was

done there.

He then delivered to him: (1.) The Ten Commandments, written on two tables of stone;

(2.) Instructions to build the tabernacle; and

(3.) Various laws for the government of the people.

was absent.

How long he Moses remained on the mount for 40 days and nights. The people thought he would never return, and compelled Aaron to make for them a golden calf to worship.

made.

How it was Aaron made the calf of the people's ear-rings; but while they were dancing and singing round it, Moses descended from the mount.

Joshua was not among the people, but was at

A.C. 1487.]

the foot of Mount Sinai waiting for Moses. The calf made by Aaron was suggested by the sacred bull Apis, which the people had seen in Egypt.

thought.

What he He felt so indignant at the proceeding, that he cast the two tables of stone to the earth, and they were dashed to pieces.

What he did next.

He then seized the golden calf, burnt it in the fire, and ground the refuse to powder. Having done this, he summoned together all those who were willing to be on the Lord's side.

Who obeyed

the summons.

The summons was responded to by the tribe of Levi, who fell on the people and slew the ringleaders of the offence to the amount of 3000 men.

How they were The Levites were rewarded

rewarded.

for this their zeal by being selected for the sacerdotal tribe.

How the tables were restored.

Moses being called a second time to the mount, God wrote out again the Ten Commandments on two new stone tables, and communicated to his servant several new ordinances.

How long he He remained with God this

was absent.

time also 40 days and nights, as before. When he returned his face shone so brightly, that the people could not look on him, and therefore he wore a veil. What laws were The Laws delivered to Moses by God were of three kinds:

given to him.

(1.) The moral laws;

(2.) The ceremonial laws; and

(3.) The civil laws. The three together constitute what is termed the Mosaic dispensation.

What the moral

law is.

ceremonial.

The moral law is that com

prised in the Ten Commandments, written on stone by the finger of God. What the The ceremonial law is that which relates to the priests, the tabernacle, the sacrifices, and all other religious matters.

This code is frequently called the Levitical Law, because all the priests to whom it pertained were of the tribe of Levi.

What the

civil law.

The civil law had respect to the civil government of the Israelites; their marriages, their estates, their property, and their punishments.

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