Moses repeated these to the people, who pro- mised to obey them; Moses wrote them down. The next day Me built an altar and set up twelve mazzeboth, one for each tribe. Under his direc- tions, certain young men offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. Moses sprinkled half the blood of the victims on the altar; and then read to the people the Book of the Covenant, contain- ing the laws just referred to. The Israelites again promised to obey these laws, and Moses sprinkled the people with blood: ‘Behold the blood of the covenant which J” has made with you concerning all these words,’ Ex 24*-8,
(r) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, hearing what God had done for Moses and Israel, came to visit him at Horeb, and brought to him his wife and his two sons.* Jethro and Moses, together with Aaron and all the elders of Israel, partook of a sacrificial feast before God. Observing the con- tinual concourse of the pense to Moses ‘ to inquire of God,’ Jethro advised him to appoint subordinates to deal with lesser matters. Moses accordingly epromted rulers of tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands. Then Jethro departed to his own land, Ex 18.+
(s) {At this point, apparently, some account was given of the construction of the ‘Tent of Meeting,’ and perhaps of the Ark; for we are now told that Moses used to pitch the tent outside the camp, and worshippers used to go out to it. When Moses went out to the tent, the people stood at their tent-doors to watch him. As he entered, the pillar of God descended, and stood at the door of the tent; and the people prostrated themselves. Meanwhile, within, ‘J” spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.’ When Moses returned to the camp, Joshua, his minister, remained as attendant to the ‘Tent of Meeting,’ Ex cnt Τὰς
(Ὁ) The Israelites, guided by the Ark, departed from the Mount of ye When the Ark set forward Moses used to pronounce the blessing—
‘Rise up, O J”, and let thine enemies be scattered ; Let them that hate thee flee before thee’ ; and when it rested—
‘Return, O J”, unto the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel,’
Nu 1053208. 84-38, 8 (u) At Taberah, a consuming fire from J”, sent
* Cf. ii. (d); ‘after he had sent her back’in y.2 is a har- monistic addition to reconcile J and E.
t There are probable traces of J in this chapter. Of. P (q). Sometimes given to J.
to punish the people for murmuring, was quenched at the intercession of Moses, Nu 11",
(v) At the command of J”, Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting with seventy elders; J” came down in a cloud and spake to him, and ‘took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the elders,’ so that they prophesied. Two of the selected seventy, however, Eldad and Medad, had stayed in the camp ; nevertheless the spirit came on them, and hey prophesied. A young man ran to the Tent of Meeting to tell Moses, whereupon Joshua urged Moses to forbid them; but Moses replied, ‘Art thou jealous for my sake? Would that all J”s people were prophets, and that J” would put his spirit upon them,’ Nu 112% 17-24-30, *
(w) Miriam and Aaron attacked Moses, saving, T ‘Has J’ spoken only by Moses, and not also by us?’ J” suddenly summoned Moses, Miriam, and Aaron to the Tent of Meeting, and declared to them, that while He made Himself known to prophets in visions and dreams, He would speak plan to Moses face to face, and Moses should
ehold the form (¢éminah) of J”. Miriam was smitten with leprosy, but healed at the intercession of Moses, Nu 12.
(x) At Rephidim, Amalek attacked Israel. Moses committed the direction of the battle to Joshua, while he himself, with Aaron and Hur, went up to the top of a hill, and held aloft the ‘rod of God.’t When it was held up, Israel prevailed ; when it was lowered, Amalek. But when Moses was exhausted, Aaron and Hur made him sit down while they held up his hands till sunset. Then Amalek was completely routed. J” bade Moses record in a book the victory, and J”s purpose to war against the Amalekites till they were extermi- nated. Moses built an altar called J’-nissi, ‘J" my banner,’ Ex 1786,
(y) Two Reubenite chiefs, Dathan and Abiram, rebelled against Moses because he sought to make himself a prince over Israel, and had failed to fulfil his promise to bring them into a land flowing with ii and honey. Summoned to appear before Moses, they declined ; whereupon he went to them. bade the other Israelites separate themselves from the rebels, and appealed to J” to punish them by a hitherto unknown chastisement—the earth shoule open and swallow them up—as a sign that he had J”s authority for his leadership of Israel. _Where- upon the earth opened, and swallowed them up with their households, and they went down alive into Sheol, Nu 1061». 30. 18, 14. 160, 25. 36. 710-825. 33. cae
(z) When the people reached Kadesh, Miriam died and was buried, Nu 901, (bb) Moses urged the people to invade the land ; but, at their request, consented to send 12 men to survey it. ‘These went as far as Eshcol, returned with a gigantic cluster of grapes and other fruit, but reported that the inhabitants were numerous and powerful. Whereupon the people cried out against Moses, and ropmeed to appoint a new captain, and return to Egypt.|| . . . Moses bade the people return to the wilderness of the Red Sea; but, in spite of him, they advanced towards Canaan, but were