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maritime trade and navigation. We have no data on which to form distinct conclusions on this matter; but it be conjectured, that being a trading people they would, when situated on the Red Sea, scarcely abstain fro some kind of vessels in which to explore the shores of the gulf and the contiguous coasts at the least. Jos the people of this part of Midian were not shepherds, which allows us to imagine that they were engaged in He adds, rather contradictorily, that they left the care of their sheep to women. This agrees with the fact flock being watered by his daughter; and, which is still more striking, it agrees with the existing practice of Arabia, where the duty of attending the flocks is considered degrading by the men, and is more entirely young women than perhaps in any other part of Arabia. The territory of these Midianites on the Red seem to have extended farther southward than that of the Edomites, as it is not unlikely that the latter p mately superseded them altogether in these parts. These were undoubtedly the Midianites who tremble when they heard that the Israelites had passed through the Red Sea (Hab. iii. 7.) The Orientals do not know any other land of Midian than this. Abulfeda says that the name is preserved in a ruined city, calle on the shore of the Red Sea, on the route of the pilgrims from Egypt to Mecca. This city, he says, was of the tribe of Midian among the Israelites; and that there was still to be seen near it the famous well at wh watered the flocks of Schoaib, as the Moslems call Jethro. Josephus mentions the "city of Madian on the and it is no doubt the same that Ptolemy calls Modianam.

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MOUNTS SINAI AND HOREB, WITH THE CONVENT OF ST. CATHERINE, FROM THE NORTH.

CHAPTER III.

1 Moses keepeth Jethro's flock. 2 God appeareth to

flock to the backside of the desert, and to the mountain of God, even to Horeb

onclusions on this matter; but it ma Le Red Sea, scarcely abstain fra guous coasts at the least. Joseba agine that they were engaged in cam Len. This agrees with the fact of grees with the existing practice in - the men, and is more entirely lek these Midianites on the Red Sea not unlikely that the latter pe iv the Midianites who trembed ii. 7.) The Orientals do reserved in a ruined city, calied Mecca. This city, he says, was the en near it the famous well at which k ms the "city of Madian on the Bed S4 (

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3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, | shall say to me, What i and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: *put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

6 Moreover he said, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon

God.

7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their

sorrows;

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they

shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unt THAT I AM: and he thou say unto the children hath sent me unto you.

15 And God said more Thus shalt thou say unto Israel, The LORD God of God of Abraham, the G the God of Jacob, hath ser this is my name for ever memorial unto all generati

16 Go, and gather the together, and say unto th God of your fathers, the G of Isaac, and of Jacob, ap saying, I have surely visit that which is done to you i

17 And I have said, I w out of the affliction of Egy of the Canaanites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzi vites, and the Jebusites, ur with milk and honey.

18 And they shall hear and thou shalt come, thou Israel, unto the king of Eg say unto him, The LORD brews hath met with us: a we beseech thee, three da the wilderness, that we ma LORD our God.

19 And I am sure t Egypt will not let you g mighty hand.

20 And I will stretch ou smite Egypt with all my will do in the midst thereof he will let you go.

21 And I will give this the sight of the Egyptian come to pass, that, when ye go empty:

22 But every woman sh neighbour, and of her tha her house, jewels of silve gold, and raiment: and y upon your sons, and upon and ye shall spoil the Egy

Josh. 5. 15. Acts 7.33. 3 Matt. 22. 32. Acts 7.32. 4 Or, but by strong hand. 5 Chap. 11. 2, and 1: Verse 1. " Horeb."-We shall give some account of this mountain when tracing the course of march from Egypt to the land of promise. We may here observe, that the sacred locality is unde a body of Greek monks, who occupy an ancient convent at the foot of the mountain, called the " rine;" by whose name also the mountain, supposed to be Horeb, is now distinguished. T

the spot where Mogna fod the Goale of Tot

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afterwards, the present fortified convent was erected under the direction of the emperor Justinian, it wa include the same sacred spot. (See Carne's 'Letters from the East; and Burckhardt's 'Tour in the Pe Sinai.')

Fe

5. "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet." -The reverence indicated by putting off the covering of the fe prevalent in the East. The Orientals throw off their slippers on all those occasions when we should take off They never uncover their heads, any more than we our feet. It would every where, whether among Christia lems or Pagans, be considered in the highest degree irreverent for a person to enter a church, a temple, or with his feet covered; and we shall observe that the priests under the law officiated with bare feet. And no this form of showing respect exhibited in religious observances, but in the common intercourse of life. inspire an Oriental with deeper disgust, than for a person to enter his room with shoes or boots on, regar conduct both as an insult to himself and a pollution to his apartment. These usages influence the c the head and feet. The former, being never uncovered, is in general shaven, and the head-dress general that it could not be replaced without some degree of trouble; while for the feet they have loose and eas which may be thrown off and resumed with the least possible degree of inconvenience.

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JEWELS OF GOLD AND JEWELS OF SILVER." COMPOSED FROM EGYPTIAN DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES IN TE
BRITISH MUSEUM.

CHAPTER IV.

1 Moses's rod is turned into a serpent. 6 His hand is leprous. 10 He is loth to be sent. 14 Aaron is appointed to assist him. 18 Moses departeth from Jethro. 21 God's message to Pharaoh. 24 Zipporah circumciseth her son. 27 Aaron is sent to meet Moses. 31 The people believeth them.

AND Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said. Cast it on the ground

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hosom again

And he put his hand

of the emperor Justinian, it was me
Burckhardt's Tour in the Pecasi

ting off the covering of the fret
asions when we should take off
Christians
where, whether among
o enter a church, a temple, a
ciated with bare feet. And nat
mmon intercourse of life. Fer
with shoes or boots on, regaring
These usages influence the castin
n, and the head-dress gepetali
feet they have loose and easy s
enience.

NGS AND SCULPTURES IN TER

and take it by the t is hand, and caught in his hand: - believe that the L the God of Abraha and the God of Jac hee.

said furthermore hand into thy bos into his bosom: behold, his hand

thine hand into th
his hand inh

not believe thee, neither hearken to the | Midian, Go, return into Eg
voice of the first sign, that they will believe
the voice of the latter sign.

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will
not believe also these two signs, neither
hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt
take of the water of the river, and pour it
upon the dry land: and the water which
thou takest out of the river 'shall become
blood upon the dry land.

10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither *heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the secing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

12 Now therefore go, and I will be 'with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

men are dead which sough 20 And Moses took his and set them upon an ass, to the land of Egypt: and rod of God in his hand.

21 And the LORD said un thou goest to return into thou do all those wonders which I have put in thine I harden his heart, that he people go.

22 And thou shalt say Thus saith the LORD, Israe my firstborn :

23 And I say unto the that he may serve me: an to let him go, behold, I even thy firstborn.

24 And it came to pa the inn, that the LORD met to kill him.

25 Then Zipporah took and cut off the foreskin of it at his feet, and said, Sur band art thou to me.

26 So he let him go: t bloody husband thou art, circumcision.

27 And the LORD sa into the wilderness to meet went, and met him in the and kissed him.

28 And Moses told Aan of the LORD who had sent signs which he had comma

29 And Moses and gathered together all the c

17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine dren of Israel: hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

19 And the LORD said unto Moses in

30 And Aaron spake all the LORD had spoken unte the signs in the sight of th

31 And the people bel they heard that the LORD children of Israel, and tha upon their affliction, then heads and worshipped.

1 Heb. shall be and shall be. 2 Heb. a man of words. 3 Heb. since yesterday, nor since the third day.
4 Ma
Luke 12. 11. 5 Or, shouldest.
6 Chap. 7. 1. 7 Or, knife. 8 Heb. made it touch.

Verse 25. "Zipporah took a sharp stone."-Flints and other hard stones formed the tools and almost all nations before the art of working iron was discovered. We find such instruments still and discover them occasionally buried in different parts of Europe and Asia, showing the u when the people were ignorant of iron. They were no doubt formed, as savages form them at were shaped and sharpened on a kind of grindstone, until, at a great expense of time, labour a brought to the desired figure. They were then fitted to a handle, and used nearly in the sar instruments and tools of iron. From the act of Zipporah, we are, however, not authorized to

We shall

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AND afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said Who is the Lopp

brews hath met with us: let us go, we thee, three days' journey into the do and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; he fall upon us with pestilence, or with sword.

4 And the king of Egypt said unto th Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let people from their works? get you unto burdens.

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the pe

of the land

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