the world for her wisdom, was ignorant of God. Her sages had, in a manner the most marked and prominent, "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator." (Rom. i. 25.) This idolatry embraced the heavenly bodies, animals, the river, fishes, reptiles, trees, and plants; all this error, superstition, and iniquity were wrought up into a most elaborate and complicated system, and were sustained by a well-organized, powerful, and numerous priesthood. The idolatry of Egypt was therefore a perfect exhibition of what the combined ingenuity and energy of man and Satan could devise, as a substitute for the worship of God. And, being the national religion of Egypt, it was placed before the world in the most prominent form. While all this impetus was given to false views of God and of divine worship, the only people, perhaps, who retained a distinct knowledge and recognition of Jehovah were, in this same land, subjected to the most abject bondage, the most degrading slavery. In these peculiar circumstances the Lord undertook the cause of injured Israel. For the deliverance of his covenant-people on the one hand, and the manifestation of his own power and glory on the other, he commissioned Moses and Aaron to effect this series of stupendous miracles.

These produced their intended effect. The Egyptian people had become weary of this terrible contest; and Pharaoh himself, notwithstanding the hardness of his heart, relaxed his hold, and extended his terms, although still unwilling to accede to all the demands of Moses. These miracles contributed to promote the deliverance of the Hebrews in another way: The want of faith in God, on the part of the Israelites, was a greater obstacle to their deliverance than was the hardness of Pharaoh's heart, or the power of the Egyptian army. The several miraculous plagues, marked as they were by a strongly-defined distinction between the persons and property of Egypt and of Israel, did much to convince the latter of the goodness, faithfulness, and power of Jehovah, and to induce them to trust fully in his covenant mercy.

The preparation, therefore, for the deliverance of the Hebrew people having been, by these means, completed, God proceeded to accomplish his purpose. This was effected by a miracle which, like all the preceding ones, was calculated to inflict punishment on Egypt, and to afford religious confidence and knowledge to Israel. On this memorable occasion the Lord commanded that every family throughout all the Hebrew tribes should slay a lamb; (or, if that, in any case, could not be procured, a kid;) this creature was to be a male of one year, without blemish. The animal was to be kept until the fourteenth of the month Nisan, when it was to be slain in the evening of that day, and the blood sprinkled on the door-posts and lintels of the door of the respective houses. The flesh of the lamb was then to be roasted, and eaten in the night, with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The manner of eating this meal was to be as remarkable and peculiar as the provision. All the people were to eat it, fully equipped for journeying, each having his shoes on his feet, his loins girt, and his staff in his hand; and it was to be eaten in haste. All these commands had been given, all the necessary preparation made, and the expectation of all the Israelites raised to the utmost. They had also, according to the divine command, asked of the Egyptians gifts, gold, jewels, and raiment; and so terrorstricken were the inhabitants of the land, that none refused, and the Israelites obtained an ample and peaceful booty,* as a just recompence for their long and severe service. All this had been done. A mighty empire had been the subject of direct divine visitation until it had become ashamed of its vain gods, and, earnestly desiring the departure of the Hebrews, trembled in apprehension of further calamity. Thus both parties stood on the memorable fourteenth day of the month Nisan. That day passed away, and, as the darkness of night enshrouded the world, the door-posts of every Hebrew dwelling were sprinkled with blood, and every Hebrew family was standing around the roasted passover, eating

See note K, p. 62.

in haste the appointed repast. At this hour the angel of the Lord passes through the land of Egypt, and smites with. instant death the first-born of every family and of all beasts. On this, as on other occasions, the Israelites escaped. Now, the sprinkled blood was their defence. Contemplating the fearful extent and frightful nature of this calamity, the mind is prepared for the statement of the inspired writer : "And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.” (Exod. xii. 30.) Two circumstances contributed to make this cry unparalleled: no country in the world was ever visited with such a terrible calamity; no people ever carried their lamentation for the dead to such an extent as the ancient Egyptians.

Smarting under this plague, the people felt as if all their lives were in imminent jeopardy, and they said, "We be all dead men." (Verse 33.) As no sovereign could resist the demand of a people so universally goaded to distraction by divine infliction, so the king now freely and fully allows the unconditional departure of the Israelites, even urges their immediate journeying, and solicits a blessing on himself. The people of Egypt were also urgent for their departure, regarding themselves in imminent peril until they were gone. Thus "the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle." (Verses 37, 38.)

Such an emigration as this the world never saw, but on this occasion. On the lowest computation, the entire multitude must have been above two millions, and in all probability the number exceeded three millions.* Is the magnitude of this movement usually apprehended? Do we think of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, as of the emigration of a number of families, twice as numerous as the

*See note L, p. 62.

entire population of the principality of Wales; or considerably more than the whole population of the British metropolis, (in 1841,) with all their property, goods, utensils, and cattle? The collecting together of so immense a multitude, the arranging of the order of their march, the provision of the requisite food even for a few days, must, under the circumstances, have been utterly impossible, unless a very special and overruling Providence had graciously interfered to obviate the difficulties of the case. To the most superficial observer, it must be evident, that no man, or number of men, having nothing but human resources, could have ventured to undertake this journey. Scarcely any wonder wrought by divine power in Egypt appears greater than this emigration of a nation, when fairly and fully considered.

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses; (the same as Goshen, Gen. xlvii. 11;) but whether this term here refers to the district, or to the store-city of the same name, which the Hebrews built for Pharaoh in or near this province, cannot be clearly ascertained. From this place they formed a body as regular as circumstances would permit, and travelled to Succoth. One important fact respecting this journey is specially noticed by the inspired writer. The day on which the Israelites left Egypt exactly completed four hundred and thirty years from the time when Abraham entered Canaan,* thus completing with the utmost exactitude the appointed period of time. From the manner in which this fact is mentioned, it appears sufficiently evident that the suffering descendants of Abraham had very special regard to the promise which Jehovah had given to their great progenitor. Probably, possessing detailed information which has not come down to us, they had long looked forward to this day; and, lo! it is, by the immediate interposition of God, made the precise period of their deliverance.

At Succoth the Israelites not only rested, but baked unleavened cakes of the dough which had been prepared before they left Goshen; and hence they pursued their

* See note M, p. 62.

It

march to Etham, which was situated on the edge of the wilderness. It appears, therefore, that hitherto the route taken was in an easterly direction, from the east bank of the Nile toward the Isthmus of Suez. In this journey, however, it must be specially noted, that they were not left to human sagacity or direction : "The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night." (Exod. xiii. 21.) This cloud afforded all the host of Israel a visible proof of the presence, guidance, and protection of their Divine King. He was their Leader. probably appeared to rest on the whole multitude of Israel, and thence stretched sufficiently in advance to direct their way, and at night covered their rear with the appearance of flaming fire. Hence the Psalmist says, "He spread a cloud for their covering; " (Psalm cv. 39;) and the apostle, They "were baptized in the cloud." (1 Cor. x. 2.) In this manner, thus divinely overshadowed and defended, the multitude of Israel left Etham; but here not only did the cloud indicate an alteration of the course, but, as if to explain and enforce this, "the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.” (Exod. xiv. 1, 2.) In their march hitherto, they appear to have taken the direct route to the wilderness, in perfect consistency with the original request which Moses preferred to Pharaoh they were therefore now arrived at that neck of land which runs between the indentations of the Mediterranean Sea on the one hand, and the Red Sea on the other. In taking their way over this isthmus, they appear to have kept as near the head of the Red Sea as possible. This course enabled them to march directly for Canaan, or, having passed the head of the Red Sea, to turn to the south, and take their way on the eastern bank of the Gulf, through the wilderness of Sinai. This appears to have been the expectation of Moses and of the people. But, instead of carrying out this apparent purpose, they are commanded to turn: