their sin lay in this,-that, as they had so recently received such miraculous displays of the power of God in their deliverance and protection, and as they all knew that they had been guided in all their way, and led to their present position under the sacred cloud, they should have asked God in humility and faith for a supply of their urgent and absolute wants. Their unbelieving forgetfulness of God, and their rebellious murmuring against Moses, were unworthy of men who had seen such gracious and divine marvellous interpositions in their behalf; and in their circumstances they became open and aggravated sins.

Moses did what they should have done. He cried unto the Lord," and was heard; for the Lord directed him to a tree, which being cast into the waters, they were made sweet.* Thus were their wants supplied, and they had another proof that their help was in God. Here also the Lord made special revelations for their future guidance, and enjoined strict and constant obedience as essential to their safety.†

From Marah the directing cloud led them to Elim. Here seventy palm-trees, and twelve wells of water, afforded them great comfort and refreshment. After leaving Elim, the next encampment of importance was in the wilderness of Sin. They arrived at this station just one month after they had left Egypt. And it appears that by this time their stock of provisions was exhausted; for at this station the people suffered great privation, and not only complained of their lot, but united in one general expression of dissatisfaction and distrust. We are told that "the whole congregation" joined in it, and said to Moses and Aaron, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exod. xvi. 3.) Here we have another lamentable manifestation of their want of faith in God. The intensity of their neces

* See note B, p. 111.

See note C, p. 112.

sity and consequent suffering was certainly very great. And probably their present wants were rendered doubly distressing on account of their future prospects. The cloud was directing them toward a vast expanse of barren wilderness; by what means, then, were provisions to be obtained for millions of people? The thing seemed to be utterly impracticable; to all human appearance, impossible. The people saw this; and hence the strong expressions of discontent, and the gloomy language of despair, which pervade their complaint. The Israelites have been severely, and in some respects unjustly, censured for their conduct on this occasion. In Egypt, it is highly probable that they had abundance of provision. Now they are destitute: their complaint is not a groundless or exaggerated one; so completely were their means of sustenance exhausted, that a miracle had immediately to be wrought, to afford them a supply. In such a host great inconvenience, if not absolute want, would have been felt before they were brought to this state of entire destitution. In those circumstances it does not appear to indicate any degraded or debased state of mind, that they should have preferred to die in Egypt, where their wives and their children had a sufficiency of bread. The case was one of a deeply trying and painful nature: it ought to have elicited confidence in God: this was its object and end; but their carnal minds and unbelieving hearts sank under the affliction, and they rebelled against the merciful purposes of God. It has indeed been alleged, that they could not have been in a state of absolute want, "as they had brought abundance of flocks and herds with them out of Egypt." But this objection is of no weight, unless it can be shown that these flocks were not the private property of the several chiefs; for if they were, then the great mass of the people might still be destitute. Besides, it must be evident that, if all the cattle had been slain and given up to the public, they alone would not have furnished wholesome provisions, nor have long averted the evil.

On this, as on the former, occasion, the Lord provided for the wants of his people. But the interposition here is on a

grander scale, and of a more permanent character. Moses was promptly informed of the means which would be used. The Lord said unto him, "I will rain bread from heaven for you." As the leader of the Hebrews saw in the murmurings of the people a practical disbelief that God had brought them out of Egypt, and had made himself their King and their Protector, he introduced this great display of divine power and benevolence on their behalf, in a manner most calculated to impress their minds with its supernatural and gracious character, and thus, if possible, to remove their remaining infidelity. Moses directed Aaron to inform the people that God had heard their murmurings, and to require them to "come near before the Lord. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God." (Exod. xvi. 9-12.) These promises were fulfilled. In the evening a multitude of quails alighted around the camp, and afforded them a plentiful supply of flesh.* This was evidently intended as a temporary provision for their immediate wants, as the quails were only found on this particular occasion. On the next morning the ground was covered with manna, which was intended as a substitute for bread, and as such to be continued, and afford them the means of subsistence during the whole of their sojourn in the wilderness. As might have been expected, a fact so full of interest as this permanent miraculous supply of food, has induced a most careful scrutiny into every particular contained in the inspired narrative of the event.

This remarkable substance fell with the dew every morning; and when the moisture was exhaled by the heat of the sun, the manna appeared alone, covering the ground around

* See note D, p. 112.

66

the encampment; it was white, like hoar frost, or the "colour of bdellium," (Num. xi. 7,) in form round, and about the size of coriander seed. What the nature of this substance was, we are not informed; but when the Israelites saw it, and inquired what it was, they were told by Moses, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat." (Exod. xvi. 15.) And they were commanded to gather a sufficient quantity for every family at the rate of an omer for each individual. Any quantity of this provision which was kept till the following day, became putrid and useless. So the manna appeared every morning, and thus the thousands of Israel were supplied with food. The miraculous nature * of this provision was clearly attested by the extraordinary fact, that, while at other times any manna kept until the next day became useless, they were commanded on the sixth day to gather a provision for two days, as none fell on the sabbath; and this remained over the whole two days perfectly good. Respecting the taste of this food, we are told that when first gathered it had the flavour of honey, or cakes made of flour and honey; but that after it became hard, and was ground or pulverized, the taste of it became like that of fresh oil. A pot full of manna was commanded to be laid up before the Lord, to remain a memorial, throughout all ages, of this wonderful interposition.

It is important to recognise the effect which this dailyrepeated miracle was calculated to produce on the public mind of the Hebrew people. In itself, it must have been regarded by the most thoughtless as a direct proof of divine goodness and power; whilst those who were disposed to view it in connexion with the gracious promises which had been made to their fathers, and the marvellous works which they had previously seen, could scarcely fail to draw from the whole a deep conviction of the faithfulness and compassion of God, and the consequent certainty of their final deliverance and exaltation. On the whole, the supply of manna was adapted to suggest much serious reflection, and strong confidence in God.

From the wilderness of Sin, the Hebrews journeyed to Rephidim, where the people were again distressed for want of water, and again vented their anger in severe reproaches against Moses. Their conduct is here more surprising and culpable than on any previous occasion. They had seen the gracious interposition of God in a similar exigency; they were even now receiving their daily bread in a miraculous manner from heaven; and yet, so unreasonable was their spirit, that they said unto Moses, "Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?" while their violence of manner was so great, that Moses "cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me." (Exod. xvii. 3, 4.) How much more rational, not to say religious, would humble supplication to God for a supply of their wants have been! Yet he deigned to save them. "The Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." (Verses 5, 6.) It is worthy of remark here, that the miracle was not wrought at Rephidim, which does not appear from the account to have been very near; for, if it had, in their parched condition, the Israelites would have gladly accompanied their leader on this mission. The account refers to the selection of the elders, and their going to Horeb, as if it had been some considerable distance. All this appears to be wellestablished fact. Dr. Wilson and Dr. Robinson agree as to Rephidim being about a day's journey from Sinai, and so situated that a stream of water flowing from Horeb would run directly to the Hebrew encampment. How impressive must the whole scene have been! the shekinah of God leading the way, Moses and the elders following; the time occupied in the journey, and the consequent excitement and anxiety of the people; the smitten rock, and the tor