principal station on this route, seems to confirm the opinion of Burckhardt, in which Messrs. Robinson and Smith concur. The next encampment of the Israelites was near the coast of the Red Sea, before they came into the wilderness of Sin. Messrs. Robinson and Smith inform us, that, proceeding from Ghurundel, the supposed site of Elim, by the direct road over the high ground between Ghurundel and Wady (or Valley) Useit, on their right between them and the Red Sea, was Jebel (or Mount) Hummam, "extending along the coast towards the South, black, desolate, and picturesque,” and that "its precipices extend quite down to the sea, and cut off all passage along the shore from the hot springs to the mouth of Wady et Taiyibeh, except a footpath for men high up on the mountain. This circumstance," they add, "renders it certain that the Israelites must of necessity have passed inside of this mountain, by the road we were now following, to the head of Wady Taiyibeh; for no other road exists or can exist in this direction." Having left Ghurundel at 6 o'clock, they came, at half past 12, to an open place, where Wady Humr comes down from the east-south-east, and joining Wady Shubeikeh, "the two then form Wady et Taiyibeh, which passes down south-west through the mountains to the sea-shore, a distance of two hours," or about four miles. "It must have been on the plain, at the mouth of this valley, that they again encamped by the Red Sea." Num. 33:10. How would you have felt, my young friend, had you been one of those who were thus moving, day after day, from one station to another, through a strange and desolate region, to a far distant land? Would you, now, implicitly obey a command of God, to leave your country and home, and go in his service to a remote part of the globe, to encounter, on your way, and when you arrived there, great privations, trials and dangers? To do this, if duty in the promotion of his cause demands it of us, Jesus Christ has made a test of our being his true followers. We must be willing to give up all that is dear to us, that we may promote his glory and the best good of our fellow-men. CHAPTER XXVI. Wilderness of Sin. Murmurings of the Israelites. Quails and manna sent. From their encampment on the coast of the Red Sea, the Israelites, says Dr. Robinson, "would necessarily advance into the great plain, which, beginning near el-Murkhah, extends, with a greater or less breadth, almost to the extremity of the peninsula. This desert plain, to which they would thus necessarily come, I take to be the desert of Sin, the next station mentioned in Scripture. From this plain, they could enter the mountains at various points, either by the present nearer route through the Wadys Shellal and Mukatteb, (the celebrated Valley of Inscriptions,) or perhaps by the mouth of Wady Feiran. Their approach to Sinai was probably along the upper part of this latter valley and Wady esh-Sheikh." Just one month had elapsed from the time of their departure from Egypt, when the Israelites entered this barren and appalling region. Their fears of the increasing difficulties and dangers which they would have to encounter, in addition to the hardships which they had already endured, rose to such a height, as to overwhelm them in despondency. They looked back wistfully on the few comforts which they had enjoyed in Egypt; and, forgetting the degrading wretchedness of their condition, under the cruel tyrant and his task-masters, sighed again to possess them. Liberty, and the prospect of a country which they could call their own, the land of their fathers, the promised land, where they and their posterity would dwell in plenty and safety, under the peculiar protection of Jehovah,-faded into insignificance before them. The fear of God; obedience to his will; remembrance of his mercies, so late, so numerous, and striking; and confidence in his promises; lost ९९ all power over their consciences and their hearts. With very few if any exceptions, the whole mul titude broke out in murmurings against Moses and Aaron. "Would to God," said they, 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." The Lord heard their complaints. In his great forbearance towards such an ungrateful people, he resolved to try them still farther, and, by his renewed mercies, endeavor to lead them to a right state of mind. He told Moses that, to furnish an abundant supply for their wants, he would rain down bread from heaven; and that the people should go out, and gather a certain rate every day, that he might prove them, by such unmerited blessings, whether they would be obedient to him or not. On the sixth day, however, they were to gather twice as much as on the other days, and to prepare it also to be eaten; that no labor might be performed with regard to it, not even in cooking it, on the ensuing day, or Sabbath. So careful, we see, was God not to leave them any excuse for needless work during that season of holy rest; but to incite them to the faithful observance of its duties, and to afford them the fullest opportunity of enjoying its inestimable benefits. Alas! how many most wickedly and ungratefully make the Sabbath, of all other days, the one for luxurious ease, and bodily gratification, especially in the preparation of food! They thus unjustly and cruelly deprive those who have been toiling in their service all the week, of the rest which is necessary to recruit their exhausted strength. They not only prevent them from enjoying the blessings of private meditation, reading, and prayer, and of public worship, but, by pampering their own appetites, stupify and unfit themselves, also, for the proper use of these, and similar privileges! Do any who are professing christians, thus sin against God, and the souls of their fellow-men? Reader, do you? or does the family of which you are an inmate? And do you participate in the guilt by your consent and example ? After receiving the divine communication, Moses, with his brother Aaron, made known the subject of it to the children of Israel. They told them that at evening, by having flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full, they should know that it was the Lord who had brought them out from the land of Egypt. In further confirmation of this, they should, also, in the morning, witness a peculiar and wonderful manifestation of his glory. "For," added they, "that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him; and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." |