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hich have been mate s to which the name one gum-exuding plas. rabs mann, which is por ; ther of sites or products We take this, hor e distinction. The bes to the north of Mar the only valley in the! re here and there s at the fact should har Sinai, published in the Lescription

ms.

of the

way they preserve it till the following year, and use it, as they do honey, to pour over their unleavene their bread into. I could not learn that they ever made it into cakes or loaves. The manna is fou when copious rains have fallen; sometimes it is not produced at all. I saw none of it among the Aral a piece of last year's produce at the convent; where, having been kept in the cool shade and modera that place, it had become quite solid, and formed a small cake: it became soft when kept some ti if placed in the sun for five minutes, but when restored to a cool place it became solid again in a qua In the season at which the Arabs gather it, it never acquires that degree of hardness which will a pounded, as the Israelites are said to have done, in Num. xi. 8. Its colour is dirty yellow, and the p was still mixed with bits of tamarisk leaves; its taste is agreeable, somewhat aromatic, and as sw eaten in any considerable quantity, it is said to be slightly purgative. The quantity of manna collecte in seasons when the most copious rains fall, is very trifling, perhaps not amounting to more than fiv pounds. It is entirely consumed among the Bedouins, who consider it the greatest dainty which thei The harvest is usually in June, and lasts six weeks; sometimes it begins in July." ("Tour in the Pe Sinai.')

If, for a moment, we allow this to be the manna of Scripture, let us see to what extent a miracle is account for the phenomena recorded there. This mann is only yielded six weeks in the year; b Scripture was supplied at all times of the year during forty years, and a double supply came regula to compensate for its being intermitted on Saturday. It fell also in the Hebrew encampment, wherev be, in all the country between Sinai and Palestine. The mann of Sinai may be kept from one year to manna, if kept till the day after that on which it was gathered, bred maggots, became noisome, and w except once a week, when its freshness was preserved for two days; and except also in the instance of th which was directed to be preserved as a standing memorial of this wonderful provision. The mann is shrubs which produce it, in adhesive particles, whereas the manna was showered down around the Heb If, therefore, so many miraculous circumstances must be allowed; if the identity of the mann and ma we really do not see how the believer can do other than consider the supply as altogether miracu unbeliever can do better for his bad cause than reject the account as a whole. There is no middle pat to account for it on natural principles, so much that is miraculous must be admitted that it does not to contend about the remainder.

As to the substance itself, the identity, or even resemblance, does not seem to us so well establish conceives. Besides the differences, involving a miracle, to which we have alluded, its appearance and colour do not correspond with the description of manna, as "a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost.... like coriander seed, and its colour like a pearl." Besides, the mann dissolves in heat, after it has been kept for a long time in a solid state: but the manna was found in a solid state, and although it dissolved in the sun if not gathered early in the morning, yet if collected it might be pounded into meal, and baked as bread. Burckhardt's manna could not be powdered into meal, and would melt in the attempt to bake it. Moreover, if it was a natural or common product, how is it that the Israelites did not know what it was? (verse 15, and Deut. viii. 16); and how, in that case, could it have been worth while, after the supply had ceased, to preserve a quantity of the manna in the tabernacle and temple as an evidence of the miracle to future generations?

31. "Coriander." -The Coriandrum sativum, or coriander, is an umbelliferous plant akin to the parsley in family characteristics. The flowers grow in an umbel, and are individually small and white. The leaves are much divided, and smooth. The seeds are employed, from their aromatic nature, in culinary purposes, and hence their round and finished shape is well known. In the umbelliferous plants the fruit uniformly separates into two similar halves, which are the seeds; but in the coriander they continue united after they are ripe. If we examine the seed we shall perceive very readily that it is compounded of two, while a reference to the parsley, or any other example of the umbelliferous family, will illustrate the peculiarity of the coriandrum in this respect. The word κοριον, employed by the Septuagint, is evidently the parent of κοριαννον of Theophrastus, whence the Latin coriandrum. It is diffused over all the regions of the old world, hence the simile is intelligible to the inhabitants of the greater portion of the globe.

CORIANDER (Coriandrum sat

33. "Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein." -There have been very different opinions and form of this vessel. The Rabbins disagree among themselves on the subject, some describing it a while others think it was glass, and others still contend for brass or copper. But the Septuagint sa and St. Paul, whose authority is final, says the same (Heb. ix. 4). As to its form, it is generally un urn-like figure. Reland thinks that it had a lid or cover like the pots in which wine was kept, an conclusions on the subject generally by giving figures of the manna-pot, as represented on some S which must be allowed to furnish the best authority on the subject that we are now able to obta by the Greeks and Romans; perhaps on account of the ears: and he very ingeniously traces to this circt origin of a calumny which Josephus confutes without explaining how it arose:-this was, that when Ant dered the Temple, he found there the figure of an ass's head, all of gold, which was worshipped by the Je however, account for this scandalous charge in a different way.

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SAMARITAN COINS, FROM SAURIN'S 'DISSERTATIONS, SHOWING THE PROBABLE FORM OF THE GOLDEN POT OF

CHAPTER XVII.

1 The people murmur for water at Rephidim. 5 God sendeth him for water to the rock in Horeb. 8 Amalek is overcome by the holding up of Moses hands. 15 Moses buildeth the altar JEHOVAH-nissi.

And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?

3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

5 And 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.

upon the rock in Horeb; and tho smite the rock, and there shall com out of it, that the people may drink Moses did so in the sight of the e Israel.

7 And he called the name of the Massah, and 'Meribah, because of th ing of the children of Israel, and b they tempted the LORD, saying, Is th among us, or not?

8 Then came Amalek, and foug Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said unto Joshua, us out men, and go out, fight with A to morrow I will stand on the top of t with the rod of God in mine hand.

10 So Joshua did as Moses had him, and fought with Amalek: and Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of t

11 And it came to pass, when Mos up his hand, that Israel prevailed: an he let down his hand, Amalek prevai

12 But Moses' hands were heavy they took a stone, and put it unde and he sat thereon; and Aaron an stayed up his hands, the one on th side, and the other on the other side his hands were steady until the going of the sun.

13 And Joshua discomfited Amole

ery ingeniously traces to this cirem
Arose:-this was, that when At
which was worshipped by the lens

M OF THE GOLDEN PUT OF Mos

n Horeb; and thou shalt nd there shall come w people may drink he sight of the

elders

1 the name of the bah, because of the a of Israel, and beca RD, saying, Is the Li

malek, and fought

unto Joshua. Choos

:

14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for "I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

15 And Moses built an alta the name of it JEHOVAH-m 16 For he said, "Because t sworn that the LORD will h Amalek from generation to ge

3 Num. 24. 20. 1 Sam. 15.3. That is, the LORD my banner. 10 Or, because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the

11 Heb, the hand upon the throne of the LORD.

Verse 1. "The children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin...and pitched in Rephic mountains called El Tyh stretches across the peninsula of Sinai, from the Gulf of Akaba, to near the of Suez. The common road, which we suppose the Israelites to have taken and which they most ob wherever they might have crossed between Suez and Birket Faroun-turns off from the shores of th towards Sinai, after the extremity of these mountains towards the west has been rounded. We unders Sin to comprehend most of the space to be traversed between the point where the road turns off to w of Mount Serbal, which is the first of the larger mountains of the Sinai group. This is of course, from a flat and uniform desert; but it is still a desolate wilderness, but more or less hilly and rocky, with dimensions, but generally sandy or stony, strewed with the bones of camels, generally without plants o without water, except in the rainy season, when the valleys are traversed by the torrents that descend tains. Burckhardt, who however says nothing about the identity of this region with the desert of while traversing it from Sinai, his party met several Arabs, who had started in the morning from th and had ventured on the journey without water, or the hope of finding any till the following day, reach Wady Feiran. Now Morkha is near the gulf at one extremity of this desert region, and Mount Serbal at the other, the distance between the two points being about thirty miles; and we su been nearly the route of the Israelites. We do not mean to say that the desert of Sin was limited mention; we only attempt to define its limit in the direction of the journey, at the same time not deny

⚫ might be applicable to all the country between the shore of the gulf on the west, and the Sinai g Pursuing this view, we would fix Rephidim as the part of this region which approaches to Mount Se Wady Feiran. It is true that none have attempted to place Rephidim here, but have adopted with report of the monks of Sinai and the neighbouring Arabs, who fix it among the higher summits of S the position, however, we feel we are not only illustrating the consistency and truth of the narr assisting to obviate a doubt which has been cast upon the miracle performed at Rephidim. If we ta monly indicated, at the very foot of Mount St. Catherine, as the true scene of the miracle, how happens it Rephidim, the Israelites made a stage to Sinai, when the place locally indicated is at Sinai? and besides, regions of the mountains water naturally abounds in every direction, and the miracle would not have whereas near the spot we indicate no water is to be found, and the Hebrew host must have suffered so the desert of Sin, as to account for their urgent need of water and their clamour for it. Where we must have wanted water, but where it is commonly fixed they would have had ample opportunity to c not only on their arrival, but before coming thither. It is indeed certain that water was at no great dis even at the Rephidim we have chosen; and it may be asked why they were not directed to advance. supplied by miracle. This question certainly conveys a less forcible objection, than to ask why they miracle in a place where water was already abundant. The answer to the former question however m Hebrews were at the last extremity of thirst, and too much exhausted by their journey through the farther. But we have a still stronger answer, which to our minds is conclusive in favour of the assigned, and which is also of importance for the incidental elucidation it affords of the attack of which has hitherto only formed the foundation for random conjectures. The fact is, that their p region of drought to that of water was cut off by the Amalekites, who occupied the outskirts of the Wady Feiran. We gather this fact from a passage, quoted for another purpose, from the Egyptian ge by Burckhardt, who does not himself seem to have perceived its important bearing on the present sub

it. fight with Acai speaking of the town of Feiran here, in the valley of the same name, says it was one of the towns

on the top of the mine hand

s Moses had said Amalek: and Masth to the top of the be ass, when Moses Dirh prevailed: and wher malek prevailed were heavy; put it under hin Aaron and He one on the out other side; an

the going dow

The ruins of this and other towns, with towers, aqueducts, and sepulchral excavations, still appear in mountains on each side. The valley was evidently then once occupied by a settled people, and a mentions an attack from the Amalekites at Rephidim, it is satisfactory and reasonable to conclude tha in saying that the valley was occupied by this people, and it is safe to infer that they did not care to progress of the Hebrews, and perhaps, having also their cupidity excited by the rich spoils which gathered from the Egyptians, ventured to attack them, probably promising themselves an easy vie undisciplined and mixed multitude.

The valley now called El Ledja, which is locally indicated as the Rephidim of the text, occurs in region of the Sinai group, between the two peaks which respectively bear the name of Mount Mousa, reg of Scripture, and Mount St. Catherine, which is identified with Horeb. It is therefore so elevated a va be indeed miraculous were there no water in or near it. This valley is very narrow, and exceedingly = blocks having rolled down from the mountains which overhang it. Upon the whole, there is not in bourhood of the mountains a spot more unlikely to have been the scene of the miracle. However. the valley is about two hundred yards broad, there is an insulated block of granite, about twelve fee irregular shape, approaching to a cube, which the monks in the neighbouring convent concur v pointing out as the rock which Moses struck with his rod, and from which the water gushed forth. apertures upon its surface from which the water is said to have issued; they are about twenty in nearly in a straight line around the three sides of the stone, and are for the most part ten or twelve or three inches broad, and from one to two inches deep; but a few are as deep as four inches. Bur we are indebted for this account of the valley and its rock, adds,-" Every observer must be convince examination, that most of these fissures are the work of art, but three or four perhaps are natural, an have drawn the attention of the monks to the stone, and have induced them to call it the rock of m of of art evident in the holes themselves, the spaces between them have be

travellers even of the fifteenth century mention this stone, the deception must have originated at an earlier Burckhardt entirely acquits the present inhabitants of the convent and peninsula of any fraud on the subj conscientiously believe that this is indeed the very rock from which the waters gushed forth. The neighbou venerate it highly. "They put grass into the fissures," says Burckhardt, "as offerings to the memory of M same way as they place grass upon the tombs of their saints, because grass is to them the most precious gif and that upon which their existence chiefly depends. They also bring hither their female camels, for t that, by making the animal crouch down before the rock, while they recite some prayers, and by putting into the fissures of stone, the camels will become fertile, and yield an abundance of milk. This superstiti encouraged by the monks, who rejoice to see the infidel Arabs venerating the same object with themselves."

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CHAPTER XVIII.

1 Jethro bringeth to Moses his wife and two sons. 7 Moses entertaineth him. 13 Jethro's counsel is accepted. 27 Jethro departeth.

WHEN 'Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;

2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

3 And her two sons; of which the name

zer; for the God of my father, said h mine help, and delivered me from the of Pharaoh:

5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, with his sons and his wife unto Mose the wilderness, where he encamped a mount of God:

6 And he said unto Moses, I thy f in law Jethro am come unto thee, an wife, and her two sons with her.

7 And Moses went out to mee father in law, and did obeisance, and k him; and they asked each other of 'welfare; and they came into the tent.

must have originated at an earlier yes ninsula of any fraud on the shed. ers gushed forth. The neighin as offerings to the memory of s is to them the most precious t ither their female camels, fic some prayers, and by putting insp Lance of milk. This supersitat same object with themselves"

my father, said he. ed me from the src

es' father in law.
wife unto Moses
he encamped at t

Moses, I thy fate
unto thee, and

with her.
t out to meet b
eisance, and kissed
ach other of the

to the tent

law

the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: 'for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.

13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:

16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between "one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this

10

thing is too heavy for thee; able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Hearken now unto my give thee counsel, and God sl thee: Be thou for the people t that thou mayest bring the God:

20 And thou shalt teach ther and laws, and shalt shew the wherein they must walk, and th they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provi the people able men, such as fe: of truth, hating covetousness such over them, to be rulers of th rulers of hundreds, rulers of fiftie of tens:

22 And let them judge the seasons: and it shall be, that matter they shall bring unto the small matter they shall judge: s easier for thyself, and they sh burden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thi command thee so, then thou s to endure, and all this people s to their place in peace.

24 So Moses hearkened to his father in law, and did all

said.

25 And Moses chose able me Israel, and made them heads ove rulers of thousands, rulers of hur of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 And they judged the p seasons: the hard causes they Moses, but every small matter themselves.

27 And Moses let his f depart; and he went his way land.

6 Heb. found them. 7 Chap. 1. 10. 16. 22, and 5. 7, and 14. 18. 8 Heb. a man and his fellow. 9 Heb. fuding thou wilt f

Verse 2. "After he had sent her back."-We do not read in Exod. iv. of Moses sending back his v Midian. He certainly took them with him when he set out for Egypt. It is concluded that he sent the transaction, by the way which the fourth chapter records; but some of the Rabbins say that he to the advice of his brother Aaron, when the latter came out to meet him on his approach to Egypt. J the conversation that is pretended to have taken place on the occasion. The fact probably is, that he when he found that their safety might he endangered if they went with him, or from feeling that 1 would, for the time, interfere too much with the due discharge of the great duty he had undertaken.

25. "And Moses chose able men," &c. Many writers think that, notwithstanding the subsequent ap great council of seventy elders (Num. xi. 16), the constitution here established continued to operate the forty years' wanderings, but after the settlement in Canaan. In Egypt the Israelites were probab Egyptian judges, and hence, no rules for the administration of justice being in operation among ther Egypt, Moses necessarily remained the sole judge of the nation until the present very judicious pl The institution is on a peculiar arithmetical principle, associated, apparently, with the military divisic thousands, hundreds, and tens. This was a model proper for them when encamping and marching in but, if it continued to exist, it must have undergone considerable modification when they came to se

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