Petræa and in the neighbourhood of mount Sinai. Yet the Biblical manna had its own miraculous properties, as is obvious from the following points: 1. The manna of the Israelites falls uninterruptedly through forty years at all seasons, whilst in reality it is only found during two or three months in the year, and in some years not at all. 2. It descends in such quantities that the whole people of Israel is supplied with it, whereas, according to authentic reports, even in the most abundant years, the whole peninsula of Sinai yields scarcely 600 to 700 pounds, and in ordinary years not more than the third part of this quantity. 3. It serves as the usual, nutritious, and satisfying food, whilst it is in fact only a medical, relaxing substance, and would, if taken for any length of time, lead to the dissolution of the body, although it may be applied to sweeten the meals; nor do the Arabians use it now as an article of food. 4. It falls on the sixth day in double quantities, and on the seventh not at all. 5. It breeds worms, if it is preserved to the following day, whilst that kept from the sixth to the seventh day remains sweet and wholesome. 6. It is to the Israelites perfectly unknown, and causes their astonishment, and an omer full of it is preserved, that future generations might see the miraculous bread of their ancestors; and in the same sense it is called a food which their fathers had never known."

Moses commanded the people, that each man should gather of the manna just as much as was required for the number of persons composing his household. However, though forbidden to gather of the food on the Sabbath, many went out on that day, but they found no manna. Moses rebuked them for their disobedience severely; and then at last they were induced to keep complete rest on the seventh day.

1 Kalisch, Commentary on Exodus, ch. xvi.

37. VICTORY OVER THE AMALEKITES.

[EXOD. XVII.]

Now the Israelites proceeded upon their difficult march, and taking, as before, a southerly direction, they arrived at Dophkah, then at Alush, and lastly at Rephidim, which is situated near the group of the Horeb mountains. Here they were visited once more by that fearful trial, want of water; again they felt tortured by thirst, and all the horrors of impending death made them rise against Moses in anger; but he answered meekly: 'Why do you quarrel with me? Wherefore do you try the Lord?' They continued to assail him with more vehement threats: Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?' Then Moses cried to the Lord: What shall I do to this people? There is but little wanting and they will stone me.' The Lord bade Moses take his staff in his hand, and lead the elders of the people to a rock among the mountains of Horeb, where He Himself would be present. Moses did as he was commanded, and as he touched the rock with the staff, streams of water rushed forth. Thus the people were once more saved by a miracle; but was their faith in the Lord's mercy thereby strengthened? Moses called the place Massah and Meribah, 'because of the quarrelling of the children of Israel, and because they tried the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?'

We now come to a new and distinct phase in the history of the Israelites. They had been freed from slavery: the time had arrived for the men of Israel to prove themselves warriors. At Rephidim they were attacked by an army of the warlike Amalekites, a nation descending from the Idumæans, and claiming Esau as

their ancestor. This bold desert race lived among the mountains of Arabia Petræa, and chiefly between Philistia, Egypt, Edom, and the deserts of Mount Sinai. Their assault was directed against the rear of the Hebrew army when it was exhausted and weary. Moses at once appointed Joshua, the son of Nun, a fearless and devoted young hero, general of the Hebrew hosts, and bade him fight with Amalek. The following morning Moses, Aaron, and Hur ascended one of the hills, and from thence gazed down upon the plain where the two armies were to meet. Moses held his miraculous staff in his hand, and as the Israelites advanced to encounter the foe, he raised it in the air. Possibly that venerable figure standing on the heights with uplifted hands inspired the hearts of the soldiers with hope and courage; for they fought and prevailed. But when the hands of Moses dropped with fatigue, the Israelites retreated and the Amalekites were victorious. All through the long day the fierce combat lasted, until Moses, faint and worn, seated himself upon a stone, while Aaron and Hur supported his hands. As the sun set in the heavens, the victory of the Israelites was decided: they had won their first great battle; they who had but lately been an enslaved nation, had defeated an ancient warrior-race. That extraordinary achievement was by Moses inscribed in a book as a memorial for future ages; for the very remembrance of the Amalekites was to be blotted out from under heaven. And wishing to perpetuate the memory of the scene, Moses built an altar, and called it 'the Lord is my banner,' for he said,

of Amalek was against the throne of

Because the hand God, therefore the

Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'

38. JETHRO.

[EXOD. XVIII.]

It will be remembered that Jethro, the priest of Midian, had remained in Arabia, when Moses departed into Egypt on his great mission. His daughter Zipporah with her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, had returned to her old Arabian home after accompanying the prophet on the first stages of his journey. The story of the wonderful deliverance of the Hebrews and of their journey through the wilderness to the peaks of Horeb, had naturally spread through all surrounding countries, and had thus become known to Jethro, who saw, with gratitude and gladness, that his son-in-law Moses was the favoured servant of the Most High. He felt a desire to behold again this chosen messenger of the Lord, and to bring to him, now that the greatest dangers had been surmounted, his wife and children. He soon advanced to the region of Mount Sinai. When Moses was told that his father-inlaw had arrived from Midian, he arose and went out from his tent, and welcomed the aged priest with reverence and affection. What a glorious and wondrous tale did Jethro hear from the lips of Moses! More fully and more accurately than he could have learnt by vague reports, he was told of the Lord's mercy and lovingkindness to His enslaved people, of the terrors of the Egyptian plagues, of the miraculous passage through the Red Sea, of the utter destruction of Pharaoh's hosts, and finally of the ever-recurring wonders in the desert, which were strengthening the minds of the Israelites in courage and faith, and without which they must long since have perished in their trackless wanderings. Jethro listened to all this with delight and rejoicing; he believed in the God of the Hebrews, and testified his belief by a

holocaust and a thank-offering. When Aaron and the elders of the people witnessed this act of faith, they assembled around Jethro, shared his sacrificial meal, and thereby expressed their spiritual relationship with the Midianite chief.

On the morrow, Moses prepared as usual to judge the people. For it must be recollected that he, their leader and deliverer, was also their ruler, their lawgiver, and their judge. All disputes and contentions were decided by him; all commands and all precepts of the Lord were conveyed to the Israelites through his lips. From early dawn till sunset the people gathered around him. Jethro, beholding the scene, felt that no one man could undertake such an arduous and exhausting task. So, when the people had once more returned to their tents, the wise priest of Midian said to Moses: The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now to my voice; I will give thee counsel and God may be with thee.' and good was the advice given by Jethro. choose from among the whole nation men of trust and faith, and should make them chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. To these officers should be confided the duty of judging the people. Every small matter they should settle entirely according to their own judgment, while they were to bring every greater and more difficult dispute to Moses. Thus the main weight of the burden, almost crushing for the strength even of Moses, would in a great measure be taken from him. Moses followed the counsel of Jethro, who then departed, well satisfied, to his own land.

And judicious

Moses should