A. M. 2513. A. C. 1491; OR, ACCORDING TO HALES, A. M. 3763. A. C. 1648. EXOD. CH. xiji—xxxiv. 24. and recover them, he mustered up what forces he could, | advance along the coasts of it, until they came to Piand for the greater expedition, a considerable quantity hahiroth, which lies between Migdol and the sea, and of a chariots and horsemen, and with these put himself there to encamp. upon the pursuit. But God, who well understood what measures were taking in Pharaoh's court, instead of suffering the Israelites to march round the point of the Red Sea, as they probably intended, ordered them to a Josephus, who loves to magnify matters, when they tend to the glory of his countrymen, as well as conceal what would occasion their disgrace, tells us, that the Egyptian army consisted of 600 chariots, 50,000 horse, and 200,000 foot: but how so large a number could be raised in so short a time, or what need there was of so vast an armament against a weak and defenceless people, is hardly conceivable. As therefore we may presume, that the haste which the Egyptians were in, lest the Israelites should get out of the straights wherein they were entangled, or make their escape some other way, before they came up with them, made them pursue them with chariots and horsemen for the greater expedition; so we may observe, that the chariots they employed in this pursuit, are called chosen chariots, which most interpreters imagine to be such as were armed with scythes, which being drawn with horses, and filled with men, who threw darts and spears and other offensive weapons from them, could not but make a strange havock wherever they came; and the number which the Scripture mentions, under proper captains, who might have the direction of them, was enough to destroy all the Israelites, being worn with hard bondage, wearied with march ing, destitute of arms, strangers to war, and now encamped in a very disadvantageous situation.-Josephus' Antiquities, b. 2. c. 15., Ainsworth's Annotations, and Howell's History. b"Of all the infatuated resolutions," to use the words of the learned Dr Jackson, b. 10. c. 11.," that either king or people adventured on, the pursuing the Israelites with such a mighty army, after they had so irritated and urged them to leave their country, may well seem, to every indifferent reader, the most stupid that ever was taken." And so indeed the author of the Book of Wisdom, c. xix. 3., justly censures it: "For whilst they were yet mourning," says he, "and making lamentation at the graves of the dead, they added another foolish device, and pursued them as fugitives, whom they had entreated to be gone." But how much soever it was that the Egyptians had suffered for detaining the Hebrews; yet, now that they were gone, they possibly might be of the same mind with the Syrians, (1 Kings xx. 23.) who fancied, that the God of Israel might not be alike powerful in all places; or, if he was, they might nevertheless think, that Moses' commission extended no farther than the meridian of Egypt, or that if it did, it might however have no power over mighty hosts and armies. They knew, at least, that the Israelites, as we said, had no skill in military matters, no captains of infantry, no cavalry at all, no weapons or engines of war; whereas they were well furnished and equipped with every thing of this nature; and upon these and the like presumptions, it was that they became foolhardy, and desperately resolute, either to bring back the Israelites to their slavery, or to be revenged upon them for all the losses they had sustained, and the penalties they had suffered. -Patrick's Commentary. c The Red Sea, called by the ancients Sinus Arabicus, and now Gulfo de Mecca, is that part or branch of the southern sea which interposes itself between Egypt on the west, and Arabia Felix and some part of Petræa on the east; while the northern bounds of it touch upon Idumea, or the coast of Edom. Edom, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies red, and was the nickname given Esau for selling his birthright for a mess of pottage. The country which his posterity possessed was called after his name, and so was the sea which adjoined to it; but the Greeks, not understanding the reason of the appellation, translated it into their tongue, and called it igulgà báλaron; thence the Latins, Mare Rubrum, and we, the Red Sea. The Hebrews call it the sea of Suph, or Flags, by reason of the great abundance of that kind of weed, which grows at the bottom of it; and the Arabs at this day name it Buhr el Chalsem, that is, the Sea of Clysma, from a town situate on its western coast, much about the place where the Israelites passed over from the Egyptian to the Arabian shore. But as the word clysma may denote a drowning or overflowing with water, it is not improbable that the town built in this place, as well as this part of the sea, might have such a name given it, By this time Pharaoh and his army were come up with them; and when the Israelites perceived themselves hemmed in on every side, with the sea in their front, huge mountains on their flanks, and the Egyptian army in the rear, they began to despair of any means of escape, and to clamour against Moses for having induced them to leave Egypt, and for bringing them into the wilderness to be sacrificed. Moses, however, being apprized of God's design, instead of d resenting their reproaches, endeavoured to comfort them by giving them assurance that God himself would certainly fight for them, and by his almighty power bring matters to such an issue, that these very Egyptians, of whom they were so much afraid, should not one of them live to molest them any more. advance towards the sea-side; and as they were advancWith these comfortable words, he ordered them to ing, the miraculous cloud, we were speaking of, removed from the front to the rear of the Israelites' camp, and so turning its dark side towards the Egyptians, made them incapable of knowing what they were about; while by its bright or fiery side, which it turned to the Israelites, it gave them a sufficiency of light, and kept the two camps from joining that night. Moses waved his sacred rod, and immediately a strong As soon as the Israelites came to the brink of the sea, east wind blew, and drove the waves back from the land, and by dividing the waters, which stood suspended as it for the Israelites, until they had gained the other shore. were a wall on each hand, made a dry and safe passage The Egyptians, in the mean while, never suspecting but that they, with their chariots and horsemen, might safely follow, where they saw the Israelites go on foot, entered after them into the midst of the sea; but about break of day they began to see their error, and their whole army in memory of the fate of the Egyptians, who were drowned herein. Wells' Geography of the Old Testament, vol. 2. d The words which Moses makes himself speak upon this critical occasion, (Exod. xiv. 13, 14.) discover a wonderful spirit and bravery; and it is no bad comment which the Jewish historian has given us of them. "Put the case," says he, "that you had deposited some great trust in the hands of a person that had hitherto managed all well and wisely for you, might not you reasonably depend upon that man for the same care and kindness, and in the same case too, over again? What a madness is it for you to despond then, where God himself has taken you under his protection, and of his own free bounty, performed every thing by me that can contribute to your freedom and security? Nay, the very difficulty of the case you are in, is an argument to inflame your hope rather than discourage it. He hath brought you into this distress, on purpose to show his power and kindness in bringing you out again, even to the surprise and admiration of yourselves, as well as your enemies. It is not God's time to interpose with his almighty power in small matters, but in great and trying calamities; when all hopes of human help fail us, that is the season for him to work out the deliverance of those who cast themselves upon him. And therefore fear nothing, so long as you have him for your protector and defender, who is able to raise the lowly and oppressed, and to lay the honour of their persecutors in the dust. Be not afraid of the Egyptian armed troops, neither despond of your lives and safeties, because you are at present locked up between the sea and the mountains, and have no visible way in nature to come off; for the God whom you serve, is able to level all these mountains, and lay the ocean dry. His will, in fine, be done.”—Josephus' Antiquities, b. 2. c. 15. e The expression in the text is, that God troubled the host of upon A. M. 2513. A. C. 1491; OR, ACCORDING TO HALES, A. M. 3763. A. C. 1648. EXOD. CH. xiii-xxxiv. 24. in the utmost confusion. Their chariots were some of disappointment inflamed their thirst, and exasperated them broken, others ran into quicksands, and others their murmurings against Moses, until, by the divine cast off their carriages; so that, perceiving the hand of direction, he made use of the wood of a certain tree, God against them, they were turning about, and offering which as soon as it was thrown into the water, changed to flee, but all in vain. As soon as the Israelites were its offensive quality, and made it sweet.c all landed, Moses, by the divine command, stretched out his rod again over the sea: whereupon the roaring waves break loose from their invisible chain, and come rushing Pharaoh and his army, and overwhelm them all; while the Israelites, beholding with wonder and amazement, the carcasses and rich spoils of their enemies thrown upon the sea-shore, began, at least seemingly, to fear God, and to reverence his servant Moses; who, to celebrate this joyful deliverance, having composed a triumphant hymn, wherein he extols the greatness of God's power, and his amazing mercy to his people displayed on this occasion, divided the company into two great choirs ; and, setting himself and his brother Aaron at the head of the men, and his sister Miriam with a timbrel in her hand, at the head of the women, they sung and played alternately, and in the height of their joy intermixed dances." e From Marah they went, and encamped at Elim, where there were twelve wells of water, and a good quantity of palm or date trees, and here they continued for some time. From hence they removed towards the wilderness of Sin; but before they entered it, the supposed scarceness of provisions made them begin to distrust God, and to repent from their very hearts, that they had suffered themselves to be decoyed from the plenty they enjoyed in the land of Egypt, into a barren wild waste, where they could have no other prospect but to die with hunger: and therefore, to convince these murmuring people of his almighty power and providence, God was pleased to inform them, that he would take care to supply them with food from heaven, which accordingly came to pass. For that very evening, he caused quails to fall among them in such great quantities, as city Arsinoe, is attested by Strabo, Diodorus, and most modern miraculous power of God, or by the natural virtue of the wood to which Moses was directed, that these bitter waters were at this time made sweet? The author of that excellent book called treated of the honour and esteem due to a physician, he adds, Ecclesiasticus, seems to be of the latter opinion: for, having "The Lord has created medicines out of the earth, and he that is wise will not abhor them. Was not the water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be known!' Eccles. xxxviii. 5. But, notwithstanding the authority of this writer, we have reason to think, that there was no tree in these parts of this virtue, because had its virtue once been known, there is no question to be made, but that others, as well as Moses, would have made use of it to the same purpose; but that the writers who make mention of these bitter waters, would have told us, at the same time, of a tree or trees growing hard by, which had a medicinal quality to correct the taste of them; but since we meet with nothing of this kind, we may reasonably suppose that the author of Ecclesiasticus, a book of modern composition in comparison of Moses' writings, speculating in the chapter upon the medicines which God had provided for man's use, offered this hint purely from his own fancy, and without any authority for it; and consequently we may conclude, that the correction of the quality of this water is to be ascribed, not so much to the virtue of the wood, as to the power of God, who used it rather as a sign to the Israelites, than a Exod. xv. 20. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of as an instrument to himself in doing it.—Le Clerc's Commentary, Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out and Poole's Annotations, and Shuckford's Connection, vol. 3. after her with timbrels and with dances.' Lady M. W. Mon- b. 10. tague, speaking of the eastern dances, says, "Their manner is certainly the same that Diana is said to have danced on the banks of Eurotas. The great lady still leads the dance, and is followed by a troop of young girls, who imitate her steps, and, if she sings, make up the chorus. The tunes are extremely gay and lively, yet with something in them wonderfully soft. Their steps are varied according to the pleasure of her that leads the dance, but always in exact time." (Letters, vol. ii. p. 45.) This gives us a different apprehension of the meaning of these words than we should otherwise form. Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her, with timbrels and dances. She led the dance, and they imitated her steps, which were not conducted by a set well known form, but extemporaneous. Probably David did not dance alone before the Lord, when the ark was removed, but led the dance in the same authoritative kind of way. (2 Sam. vi. 14. Judges xi. 34. 1 Sam. xviii, 6.) Representations similar to this are frequently to be met with in the ancient writers.-See Chandler's Life of David, vol. 2. p. 116.-ED. But notwithstanding all these thankful acknowledg-travellers; but then the question is, whether it was by the ments of God's goodness, scarce had the Israelites travelled three days from the Red Sea into the wilderness of Shur, before their excessive thirst, and want of water, put them out of all patience: and when in a short time they met with some, at a place which is called Marah, it proved so bitter, that they could not drink it. This the Egyptians; and to enforce the strength of this expression, the Jewish historian tells us, that before God let loose the waves upon the Egyptians, fierce winds and tempests, storms of hail and rain, terrible thunderings and lightnings, and whatever else could make their condition horrible, were sent down upon them from above; and therefore it is not without good reason, that these words of the Psalmist have been applied to this occasion, The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee, and were afraid; the depths also were troubled: the clouds poured out water, the air thundered, and thine arrows went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was heard round about, the lightning shone upon the ground, the earth was moved and shook withal. Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known:' whereupon it follows, thou leadest thy people like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.'-Josephus's Antiquities, b. 2., and Psal. lxxvii. 16. &c. ¿ The word Marah, in the Hebrew language, signifies bitterness; and it was from the taste of the waters that the place received its name. That there are several fountains of bitter water not far from the Red Sea, at some small distance from the c Exod. xv. 23. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter.' Dr Shaw (Trav. p. 314.) thinks that these waters may be properly fixed at Corondel, where there is a small rill, which, unless it be dilated by the dews and rain, is very brackish. Another traveller tells us that, at the foot of the mountain of Hamamel Faron, a small but most delightful valley, a place called Garondee, is a rivulet that comes from the mountain, the water of which is tolerably good and sufficiently plentiful, but is bitter, though very clear. Pococke says, there is a mountain known to this day by the name of Le Marah, and toward the sea is a salt well called Birhammer, which is probably the same here called Marah.--ED. d In remarking the several stations of the Israelites, from the Red Sea, until they came to the Mount Sinai, we must observe, that Moses does not set down every place where they encamped, as he does in Numbers, chap. xxxiii., but only those where some remarkable thing was done; but Elim, where they were now encamped, was esteemed a pleasant and fruitful place, at least in comparison of the desert and barren parts about it; and that the desert of Sin, which was their eighth station, and Rephidim their tenth, lay at equal distances, in their way to the holy mountain. -Wells' Geography of the Old Testament, vol. 2. e The word which we render quail, according to the confes A. M. 2513. A. C. 1491; OR, ACCORDING TO HALES, A. M. 3763. A. C. 1648. EXOD. CH. xiii-xxxiv. 24. quite covered their camp; and on the next morning, as soon as the dew was gone, there lay upon the ground a little white round thing, much in the shape of a coriander seed, which when the people saw, they were struck with admiration, and said one to another, What is this?' And from whence they gave it the name of ‘manna.' This was the bread which the Israelites were to eat for the space of forty years; and therefore God was pleased to give these special directions concerning it,— That it was to be gathered by measure, an homer for every head, according to the number of each family; but this direction some persons slighting, and gathering above the proportion that was allowed them, found their quantity miraculously lessened, while the more moderate had theirs increased: that it was to be gathered fresh every morning, and all that was gathered consumed that day; which precept some persons likewise neglecting, and keeping a part of it until the next morning, found that it was putrefied and stunk: that on the seventh day, which was the Sabbath, there was none sion of the Jews themselves, is of uncertain signification, and may denote a locust as well as a quail. But what should rather incline us to the latter acceptation, is that passage of the Psalmist, (lxxviii. 27,) where he tells us, that God rained flesh upon them, as thick as dust, and feathered fowls, like as the sand of the sea;' which cannot, with any tolerable propriety, be applied to insects. But here we must remember, that this was done in the middle of April, when these birds are known to fly out of Egypt cross the Red Sea in vast quantities; so that the sum of this miracle will consist, not so much in the prodigious number of them that fell in the Israelites' camp, as in God's directing them thither, and in that very evening too, according to his promise, and his servant Moses' prediction.-Universal History, b. 1. c. 7. 6 a Our translation, and some others, make Moses fall into a plain contradiction, in relating this story of the manna, which they render thus: And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, it is manna, for they wist not what it was,' (Ex. xvi. 15.) whereas the Septuagint, and several authors both ancient and modern, have translated the text according to the original, The Israelites seeing this, said one to another, what is this? for they knew not what it was?' For we must observe, that the word by which they asked, what is this?' was, in their language, man, which signifies likewise meat ready prepared; and therefore it was always afterwards called man or manna. Various are the conceits which the Jewish writers have entertained concerning the taste of this manna, and some of them not unlikely have been borrowed from the author of the book of Wisdom, where he tells us of manna, "that it was able to content every man's delight, agreeing to every taste, and attempering itself to every man's liking." (Wisd. xvi. 20, 21.) Whereupon some have affirmed, that it had the taste of any sort of fish or fowl, according to the wish of him that ate it; but these are idle fancies; what we know of certainty is this,-That here, in Exodus, Moses tells us, that its taste was like wafers made with honey,' and in Numbers, he says, that the cakes made of it had the taste of fresh oil,' (c. xi. 8.) so that we may conjecture, that it had a sweetness, when gathered, which evaporated in the grinding, and baking. It tasted like honey, when taken off the ground, but the cakes made of it were as cakes kneaded with oil.-Essay for a New Translation; and Shuckford's Connection, vol. 3. b. 10. This seems to be the first time that the rest on the seventh day' was solemnly appointed. God, indeed, from the very first intended to preserve the memory of the creation in six days, by appointing the seventh day to be kept holy; but when, before the flood, men grew so wicked as to neglect the thoughts of God, they very little regarded the distinction between this day and others; and after the flood, the dispersion of mankind very much blotted it out of their minds, as it did many other good things, In the family of Abraham, we may presume, the remembrance of it was preserved, though not with such a strict abstinence from all labour as was afterwards enjoined; and therefore we read nothing of their resting from their travels upon that day, before to be found; and therefore, on the sixth they were to gather a double portion, which being laid up, according to God's direction, against the ensuing day, was never once known to corrupt: and that, to perpetuate the memory of this miraculous bread, wherewith God had fed their forefathers in the wilderness so long, an homer of it should be put in a pot, and reposited in the ark of the covenant within the sanctuary. From the desert of Sin, the Israelites had not advanced many days' journey towards Horeb, until coming to Rephidim, and finding no water there, they fell into their old way of distrusting God's providence, and murmuring against Moses; but on this occasion they seemed to be more mutinous and desperate than ever. It was in vain for Moses to endeavour to persuade them to be patient a little, and wait God's leisure. His words did but inflame and carry them to such a height of rage, that they even threatened to stone him; so that he was forced to have recourse to God, who was soon pleased to dissipate his fears, by promising to signalize that place by a miraculous supply of water, as he had lately done another by a miraculous supply of food. d Taking, therefore, the elders of the people, who might bear testimony to the fact, along with him, Moses, as he was commanded by God, went to a certain rock on the side of Mount Horeb, which was distinguished from all the rest by the divine appearance resting upon it, and no sooner had he smitten it with his rod, but water in abundance gushed out at several places, and joining in one common stream, e ran down to the camp at their coming out of Egypt. The truth is, they were kept under such severe servitude, and day and night so pressed by their taskmasters to hard labour without intermission, that all obser vation of the Sabbath was, very likely, laid aside; but when God brought them out of slavery, he renewed his commandment for it, with this addition, in memory of the Egyptian bondage, that they should rest from all manner of labour upon that day.Patrick's Commentary. c Whether this manna had those extraordinary qualities in it or no, which some imagine, it must be allowed to be truly miraculous upon the following accounts. 1. That it fell but six days in the week. 2. That it fell in such prodigious quantity as sus tained almost three millions of souls. 3. That there fell a double quantity every Friday, to serve them for the next day, which was their Sabbath. 4. That what was gathered on the first five days stunk, and bred worms, if kept above one day; but that which was gathered on Friday kept sweet for two days. And lastly, That it continued falling while the Israelites abode in the wilderness, but ceased as soon as they came out of it, and had got corn to eat in the land of Canaan.—Universal History, ò. I. c. 7. d Exod. xvii. 12. The elders of Israel.' Not only fathers, but old men, had great authority among the Israelites, and all" the people of antiquity. They everywhere, in the beginning, chose judges for private affairs, and counsellors for the public, out of the oldest men. Thence came the name of senate and fathers of Rome, and that great respect for old age which they borrowed from the Lacedemonians. As soon as the Hebrews began to be formed into a people, they were governed by old men.-ED. e It was this same water which served the Israelites, not only in this encampment of Rephidim, and in that of Mount Sinai, but in their other encampments likewise, perhaps as far as Kadesh-Barnea. For the Jews have a tradition, that as these waters were granted for the sake of the merits of Miriam, Moses' sister, so they happened to fail as soon as she died: and hence it is, that at the encampment of Kadesh-Barnea, which was soon after the death of Miriam, we find the people falling into murmurings again for want of water. St Paul, speaking of this miraculous rock, which he makes the type of Jesus Christ, tells us that it followed them,' (1 Cor. x. 4.) And from hence a A. M. 2513. A. C. 1491; OR, ACCORDING TO HALES, A. M. 3763. A. C. 1648. EXOD. CH. xiii-xxxiv. 24. Rephidim. This station, however, because it was so infamous for the mutiny of the people, and their distrust of God, Moses, as a caution and remembrance to then for the future, thought proper to have called Massah and Meribah, which signify temptation and contention. While the Israelites continued at Rephidim, they were alarmed by the approach of an army of Amalekites, who were just upon their heels, and ready to fall upon them. Hereupon Moses ordered Joshua, a valiant young man who was always about him, to draw out a party of the choicest men in the camp, against next morning, and to give the Amalekites battle. When the next morning came, Moses, attended by Aaron and Hur, went to the top of an eminence, from whence they might have a view of the field of battle; and as the two armies were engaged, so it was, that while Moses held up his hands to God in prayer, and in one of them his wonder-working rod, the Israelites prevailed; but when, through weariness, his hands began to drop, the Amalekites had the better; which Aaron and Hur perceiving, set him down upon a stone, and supported his hands upon each side, until the going down of the sun, in which time the Amalekites were quite routed, and put to the sword. This good success, in their first martial enterprise, gave the Israelites great encouragement; and the action some have inferred, either that the streams which gushed out of the rock formed themselves into a kind of river, which followed them through all their encampments, or that they carried the rock itself in a cart, like a great tun always full, and always open to those that had an inclination to drink. But these are idle fictions, drawn from words that are not to be understood in a literal sense; what we may learn of certainty from modern travellers is,―That at the foot of the Mount Horeb, there is still to be seen a brook of water, but as for the rock itself, which is a vast large stone standing separate by itself, there is no water that now runs from it, though there are, at present, to be seen twelve holes or mouths, as it were, from whence the water did flow heretofore.-Calmet's Dictionary, under the word Rephidim, and Morizan's Voyages, b. 1. c. 1. a Exod. xvii. 1. Rephidim.' "After we had descended, with no small difficulty, the western side of Mount Sinai, we came into the other plain that is formed by it, which is Rephidim. Here we still see that extraordinary antiquity, the rock of Merihah, which hath continued down to this day, without the least injury from time or accident. It is a block of granite marble, about six yards square, lying tottering, as it were, and loose in the middle of the valley, and seems to have formerly belonged to Mount Sinai, which hangs in a variety of precipices all over this plain. The waters which gushed out, and the stream which flowed, have hollowed, across one corner of this rock, a channel about two inches deep and twenty wide, appearing to be encrusted all over, like the inside of a tea-kettle that had been long in use. Besides several mossy productions that are still preserved by the dew, we see all over this channel a great number of holes, some of them four or five inches deep, and one or two in diameter, the lively and demonstrative tokens of their having been formerly so many fountains. It likewise may be further observed that art or chance could by no means be concerned in the contrivance, for every circumstance points out to us a miracle; and in the same manner with the rent in the rock of Mount Calvary at Jerusalem, never fails to produce a religious surprise in all who see it."-Shaw's Travels, p. 352.-Ed. ¿ Exod. xvii. 6. Thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it.' This remarkable interposition of God for the Israelites appears to have been imperfectly known in other countries; and the remembrance of it is still retained in some of the heathen fables. There is a manifest allusion to it in Euripides, (Baccha, 703.) where he makes one smite the rock at Citharon, and waters gush out. Smiting rocks, and producing water, is recorded among the fabulous miracles of heathen mythology.-Callimachus, Hymn 1. v. 31.—Ep. indeed was so very remarkable, that to transmit it to posterity, Moses was ordered to record it in a book, for Joshua's future instructions, and to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving: whereupon, he raised upon the spot an altar, which he called Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my banner, as never doubting but that God, who had commanded him to denounce incessant war against the Amalekites, would not fail to crown it with success. The defeat of the Amalekites opened a way for the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where God at first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and not far from the place where his father-in-law Jethro dwelt; who having heard what mighty things God had done for him and the people he conducted, took his daughter, Zipporah, Moses' wife, and the two sons Gershom, and Eliezar, which he had by her, and brought them to the Israelitish camp; where, after mutual salutations and embraces, Moses c 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 birthright 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 laboured 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 knowing the Israelites were pre-ordained by God to be put in possession of the land of Canaan, they came against them with an armed force, in hopes of frustrating the designs of Providence concerning them. And this is the reason which Moses himself assigns for this declaration of war, 'because his,' that is Amalek's,'hand is against the throne of God,' that is, against God himself, therefore the Lord will wage war against him from one generation to another,' (Exod. xvii. 16.) The injury done the Israelites was not so much as the affront offered to the divine Majesty; and therefore God threatens utterly to extirpate the designers of it.-Universal History, b. 1. c. 7, and Patrick's Commentary. d When it was that Jethro came from Midian to visit his son-in-law Moses, whether immediately after the fight with the Amalekites, as it is here set down, or some time after, when the Israelites were better settled, is a matter much controverted amongst interpreters. The Jews are generally agreed, and to them do some other great names, as well as the learned Usher and Selden, assent, that this visit happened after the promulgation of the law, in the first year of their coming from Egypt, and in the month Tisri, say the Jews, above three months after God gave Moses the second tables; though others will have it to have been in the second year. It seems reasonable to think, however, that Jethro would take the first opportunity to visit Moses, and to bring him and so near relations together, when once he had heard the news of their departure from Egypt, and passing the Red Sea: which he, as a borderer upon the wilderness, could not long be a stranger to. It is to be observed farther, that had the law been given before Jethro's arrival in the Israelitish camp, Moses could hardly have escaped saying something of the most remarkable passage of all others, God's glorious appearance upon Mount Sinai, and the decalogue which he pronounced from thence: whereas all that he relates at this meeting is, what God had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians; in what manner he had delivered his people;' and 'what travail had come upon them by the way,' which comprehend their passage of the Red Sea, their want of water and bread, their engagement with the Amalekites, and, in short, whatever we read in the foregoing chapters. But of the most momentous thing of all, we find him making no mention, nor Jethro, in the congratulations which he gives him, taking any manner of notice; which we can hardly suppose would, on either side, have been omitted, had they been prior to this interview; nor can we conceive, for what reason Moses should place the account of this interview in immediate succession, had it not followed the fight with the Amalekites.-Patrick's Commentary. A. M. 2513. A. C. 1491; OR, ACCORDING TO HALES, A. M. 3763. A. C. 1648. EXOD, CH. i–xiii. entertained him with a particular account of every thing | day, for that within three days, he would come down that had befallen him during his absence ; and in return, ❘ upon the mountain, and make a covenant with them, In Jethro, who was a devout man, offered up solemn praises the mean time he gave him strict charge to set bounda to God, and joined with Moses, and the rest of the elders ries about the foot of the mountain, which none might of Israel, in sacrifices, and such holy rejoicings as were adventure to pass, under the severest penalties; e and thought proper upon this occasion. when he had thus done, and the people had prepared themselves according to the divine injunction, on the third day they saw early in the morning, the mountain surrounded with a thick cloud, out of which proceeded such terrible thunder and lightnings as filled them with horror and amazement. The signal for the people to approach the mountain, was upon the first sounding of the trumpet; and therefore as soon as it began, Moses brought them out of the While Jethro staid in the camp, he could not but perceive the great weight of business, in hearing complaints, and determining differences among so numerous a people, which Moses must necessarily labour under; and therefore he gave him advice, to substitute under him a certain number of officers, men of parts and men of courage, such as 'feared God, and hated covetousness,' to be rulers, some over thousands, some over hundreds, some over fifties, and some over tens, with proper autho-camp, as near to the mountain as the barrier would perrity for them to hear, and determine a all such matters, as they were able; but where causes were too difficult for their decision, these to refer to him; which in the event, as he told him, would prove a great ease and advantage both to himself and the people: and this advice of his, as soon as he saw put in execution, Jethro took leave of his son-in-law, and returned into his own country. mit, and there they observed the whole top of Sinai covered with fire and smoke, while the foundations of it seemed to tremble and shake under them. In the b It must be observed here, as also in other places of the like nature, that the Scripture, suiting itself to man's common way of speaking and thinking, assigns such things to God, as are only proper to the effects. Thus it is said that God descended on the mountain,' because he made his presence more visible there by sensible and surprising effects; and whereas it is said by the It was three months after their departure out of Egypt, protomartyr, St Stephen, (Acts vii. 53,) that the Jews receiv when the Israelites came, and encamped in the wilder-ed the law by the disposition of angels:' and by St Paul to the ness of Sinai, before the mount of God: and they had Galatians, (iii. 19,) that the law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator;' there is in these, and the like passages, no not been long there, before God called Moses to come contradiction between the new and old testament, which assigns up to him on the mount, and there charged him to remind all this dispensation to God himself. For though it was God the Israelites of the many wonders he had wrought in who descended, in the sense we have explained it, upon the their favour; and that, notwithstanding their frequent mount, yet the angels, these courtiers of heaven, attended him, and murmurings and distrust of his providence, if, for the made up his train; and though he himself pronounced the law, yet the thunder and lightnings, and noise resembling the sound future, they would become obedient to his laws, he would of a trumpet, which were preparatory to such pronunciation, still look upon them as his peculiar people, a favourite may not improperly be ascribed to the ministry of angels. The nation, and a royal priesthood. intent, however, of these passages in the new testament, is only to oppose the gospel to the law in this respect, namely, that when God gave the law, he was surrounded with an awful host of angels, but when our Lord delivered the gospel, he was clothed in our flesh, and adapted himself to our weakness.-Howell's History of the Bible, and Millar's Church History. Upon his descent from the mount, Moses made a report to the elders, and they to the people, of the gracious message which God had sent them; which as soon as the people heard, they promised in return all possible obedience to the divine commands. With this answer of the people's Moses ascended the mountain again, and received a command from God, that all the people should purify themselves, and be in readiness against the third a The words of the text are, 'Every great matter they shall bring to thee, but every small matter they shall judge,' (Exod. xviii. 22.) And from hence some have imagined, that there were several sorts of causes, that might not at first be brought before inferior courts, and these they make to be four. 1. All sacred matters, or things relating to God and religion. 2. All matters of equity, where the rigour of the law was to be mitigated. 3. All capital cases, and, lastly, all such cases as the rulers of thousands referred to Moses. What the other rulers referred to him was indeed properly under his cognizance, because it supposed an incapacity in them, either for the want of some law, or a non-agreement among themselves, to determine it; but where nothing of this happened, they had a full power to judge finally. Neither was it the people, when a cause was thought intricate, that were to bring it primarily before Moses, but when any such difficulty arose, as they were not able to surmount, the judges, as Moses himself directs them, (Deut. i. 17.) were the persons that were to order the appeal to him: Bring it to me,' says he, ' and I will hear it;' which shows that the cause had been before the bar of inferior courts before, only they were not skilful enough to determine it. So that the words in the text do not intimate, that there were some causes which the other judges might not try, if they were able; but only where the causes were heavy, and they incompetent to decide them, these they were to refer to Moses.-Patrick's Convmentary. c Exod. xix. 13. He shall surely be stoned.' To be stoned der came within four cubits of the place of execution, he was to death was a most grievous punishment. When the offenstript naked, only having a covering before, and his hands being bound, he was led up to the fatal place, which was an eminence twice a man's height. The first executioners of the sentence were the witnesses, who generally pulled off their clothes for the purpose: one of them threw him down with great violence upon his loins: if he rolled upon his breast he was turned loins again, and if he died by the fall, there was an end; but if not, the other witness took a great stone and dashed upon bis breast, as he lay upon his back; and then, if he was not despatched, all the people that stood by threw stones at him till he died.-Lewis' Origines Hebræa, vol. 1. p. 74.-ED. upon his d Of all the descriptions that I ever read, there is no one seems to me so awful and tremendous, as this descent of God upon Mount Horeb, and the amazing phenomena that attended it. The pomp pretended to by pagan deities, even when set off with the grandeur of poetry, and the magic of numbers, is uncouth, ridiculous, and profane. The procession of Bacchus, as it is described by Ovid, (b. 3.) is neither more nor less, than a downright drunken riot, or the brutal pastime of a disorderly country wake. The boisterous expedition of Neptune, even as it is painted by the great master Homer, (Iliad, 13,) seems to represent nothing more august than the roaring of London bridge, or a rabble of sea monsters frisking in a storm; nay, that very famous speech of Jupiter, (Iliad, 18,) where he maintains his supereminence, by shaking Olympus with his imperial nod, and menacing his refractory offspring, in case they should rebel, though it certainly be embellished with the utmost force of words and stretch of art, is at the best but a lame and imperfect copy, in the main strokes of it, from the native majesty of this unlaboured prose, in the |