whole body; as the position of every tribe, and the name of the prince who was to rule over each, were divinely revealed to Moses, and recorded.

On this occasion, also, the recommendation of Jethro appears to have been carried into effect; and Moses appointed captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens. These were to hear complaints, arbitrate in disputes, and refer those which were too important or difficult for them to decide to the grade next above them, and, if necessary, to Moses himself. Thus was the host of Israel fully organized, and a regular gradation of officers established, which insured strict order, and, considering the character of their laws, morality also.

All these arrangements having been effected, and the civil and ecclesiastical polity which God had appointed having been completed, as far as this could be done in the desert; the cloud of the Divine Presence arose from off the tabernacle, and led the way to the wilderness of Paran. This being the appointed signal for journeying, the tents were immediately struck, and the host of Israel left Sinai.

The following was the order in which the tribes marched :In the first place went the standard of the tribe of Judah under Nahshon, accompanied by the tribe of Issachar under Nethaneel, and the tribe of Zebulun under Eliab.

Then followed the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, bearing the tabernacle.

Next to these marched the tribe of Reuben with their standard under Elizur, with the tribe of Simeon under Shelumiel, and the tribe of Gad under Eliasaph.

Following these came the Kohathites, bearing the sanctuary; the order being for the Gershonites and Merarites to erect the tabernacle at the next encampment by the time these arrived.

After these went the children of Ephraim with their standard under Elishama, accompanied by the host of Manasseh under Gamaliel, and that of Benjamin under Abidan.

The rear was made up of the tribe of Dan with its stand

ard under Ahiezer, attended by Asher under Pagiel, and Naphtali under Ahira.

"Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies;" (Num. x. 28;) and thus regularly and orderly did this nation pass on their way through the desert.

It is supposed that it was when commencing this journey from Sinai that Moses so earnestly entreated Hobab, the son of his father-in-law, to accompany the people of Israel in their march. He at first declined, and Moses urged him still farther. Whether he persisted in his refusal or afterwards consented, we are not here informed; but the subsequent history shows that he accompanied the tribes of Israel.*

When, by the rising of the cloud from the tabernacle, it was known that the camp was to remove, as soon as the whole people were ready, and the ark was carried forward, Moses stood and cried aloud, "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee." And when the cloud stayed, to mark out an encampment, he said, "Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." (Num. x. 35, 36.)

On the cloud's resting in the wilderness of Paran, the people complained. We are not told what was the cause of these complaints; but they provoked the Lord to anger, so that he sent a fire among them, which destroyed many, and which was only stayed by the earnest prayer of Moses. Therefore was the name of this encampment called Taberah.

Soon afterward, the people, incited by the clamours of the mixed multitude that went up with them out of Egypt, murmured against God and against Moses, saying, they loathed the manna, and were quite dried up for want of better food; that they remembered with strong desire the flesh, fish, and vegetables of Egypt; and could not endure the restrictions under which they were now placed. And they wept aloud, saying, "Who shall give us flesh to eat?" (Num. xi. 4.)

This conduct was highly displeasing to God, and it affected Moses in an unusual manner; so that he cried unto the Lord

*See SHUCKFORD, vol. ii. p. 136, note.

in the language of the most bitter grief: "Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness." (Num. xi. 12-15.)

And if thou

Moses was not afraid of the wrath of the king of Egypt; but the tears of his people entirely subdued him, and he chose death rather than life. The Lord then commanded him to "gather seventy men of the elders of Israel unto the tabernacle of the congregation." And, further, the Lord said, "Say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month." (Verses 16-20.)

This announcement appears to have taken Moses by surprise; for he said in reply, "The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's hand waxed short?" (Verses 21-23.)

The whole of this case shows how fully the government of this people, and all the necessary provision for them, were under the immediate direction of God. With all the wisdom and experience of Moses, he could not conceive the possibility of such a course being adopted. But all this was done. The seventy elders were selected, and commanded to repair to the tabernacle of the congregation; when the Spirit of the Lord descended upon those who were present, and they prophesied. It is also worthy of observation, that the same gift was communicated to two of these, Eldad and Medad, who, although named, did not appear at the door of the tabernacle. Joshua,

seeing this, and regarding it as a slight put upon Moses, inasmuch as they had not complied with his direction, cried, "My lord Moses, forbid them." But this interference only served to elicit from this man of God the noble reply, "Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!" (Verses 28, 29.)

This case deserves more serious attention than it has usually received. Prior to this, every necessary arrangement had been made for the government and direction of this immense host: organization, civil polity, even ecclesiastical order, could do no more. Yet Moses felt the overwhelming burden of the whole people, and was sinking under the weight of their care. And how did Jehovah meet the case ? By a religious provision. He gave unto seventy men the spirit of prophecy, and thus endued them with Divine Power to uphold his honour, and communicate his will to the masses of the people: and, what is worthy of observation, this was done in a manner which proved that a breach of order, though not commended, did not obstruct the course of this spiritual gift, nor lead Moses to condemn the exercise of it under those circumstances.

The predicted supply of flesh was also given; for the Lord sent forth a wind, which brought up an immense number of quails from the sea; and the people stood up all that day, and the night, and the following day, and secured an ample provision. But though the Lord condescended thus to comply with their request, he at the same time manifested his anger against their carnal lusting; for while they were eating in the most eager, and perhaps ravenous, manner, the Lord smote the people with a very great plague, and many of them died; and he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah, or "the graves of lust," because there they buried the people that lusted. This plague having ceased, the people journeyed from thence to Hazeroth. This appears to have been in the direct route to Canaan.

At this station, also, the Hebrew leader had to sustain a very severe trial and opposition. Here "Miriam and Aaron

spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married." (Num. xii. 1.) This, however, appears to have been only the ostensible cause of the quarrel; for we are told that, instead of confining their complaint to this point, they said, "Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?" (verse 2:) language which shows that Aaron and his sister had given way to jealous feeling respecting the position and influence of their brother. Nothing could be more likely to defeat the purposes of Providence than this unnatural opposition to the divinely-appointed leader of Israel. It is therefore said, in the most expressive language, that "the Lord heard it." He did not leave his servant to defend himself: he heard it, and came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and suddenly summoned Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to stand before him. The Lord then said, that he had never revealed his will to either of them, or to any others, in so extraordinary a manner as he had to Moses, and that therefore they ought to have been afraid to speak against and contradict him. And in order most effectually to justify Moses to the whole congregation, Miriam was struck with leprosy, and ordered to be put out of the camp for seven days. After which, in answer to the prayer of her brother, she was restored.

This circumstance was not only a great personal affliction to Moses: it was also regarded as a public calamity, and the journeying of the people was consequently suspended until Miriam was again received into the camp. Afterward the host of Israel went to Rithmah or Kadesh-Barnea. This station was in the Desert of Paran, some distance to the south of Beersheba, and, consequently, on the borders of Palestine. When the congregation had reached this encampment, the Lord commanded Moses to select a person of distinction from each of the tribes, and to send these twelve men to search out the land of Canaan, and to bring him a report of its strength or weakness, riches or poverty; whe

* See note I, p. 116.

See note J, p. 117.