EXODE
401
EXODE
go to have followed the shore to the plain of Baideah at the mouth of wady Tuwarik, and there crossed ; but if (as some travellers affirm) there is room for such a passage along the shore by Kas Attuka, the Israelites might have escaped by the same route by simply re- treating, or, if that had been prevented by the Egyp- tians following along the same path behind them, they might still have fled up the wady Tih, and thence around Jebel Attaka and the head of the sea. A still later view (Captain Moresbj% in Aiton's Lands of the Messiah, p. 107) places the scene of the passage still farther south, at the mouth of the next valley opening on the Red Sea near Ras Abu Deraj ; but it would be difficult to show how the Israelites could have reached this spot from their former position in the edge of the wilderness, and it would also bring them out too far south on the other side of the Red Sea. Indeed, the mountains approach so steeph' the shore all along at these points, that thej^ could only have arrived at the valley or plain of Baideah, where we have supposed the passage to have been made, by turning sharply at Ethain around the western base of Mount Attaka, and so partly back into the wad}' et-Tih, through which they were immediately pursued by the Egyp- tians. The latter thus hemmed them in completely, and drove them forward to the extreme edge of the shore projecting in front of Mount Attaka, around which they were unable to escape. Here it was that Providence opened to them a miraculous path through the deep waters to the opposite point (at the mouth of Wad}"^ Beyaneh), near which are situated the wells of Moses, which doubtless derived their name from the first encampment of the Hebrews after their rescue. See Red Sea.
IV. The Route from the Red Sea to Sinai. — When safe on the eastern shore, the Israelites, had they taken the shortest route into Palestine, would have struck at once across the desert in a south-easterly di- rection to el-Arish or Gaza. But this route would have brought them into direct collision with the Phil- istines, with whom they were as yet quite unable to cope. Or they might have traversed the desert of Paran, following the pilgrim road of the present day to Elath, and, turning to the north, have made for Palestine. In order to accomplish this, however, hos- tile hordes and nations would have to be encountered, whose superior skill and experience in war might have proved fatal to the newly-liberated tribes of Israel. Wisely, therefore, did their leader take a course which necessitated the lapse of time, and gave promise of af- fording intellectual and moral discipline of the highest value. He resolved to lead his flock to Sinai, in order that they might see the wonders there to be exhibited, and hear the lessons there to be given. At Sinai, and on the journe}' thither, might the great leader hope tliat the moral brand which slavery had imprinted on his people would be eff'aced, and that they would ac- quire that self-respect, that regard to God's will, that capacity of self-guidance which alone could make lib- erty a blessing to the nation, and enable Moses to real- ize on their behalf the great and benign intentions which God had led him to form. There were, howev- er, two ways by which he might reach Sinai. By fol- lowing a south-easterly direction, and proceeding across the desert et-Tih, he would have reached at once the heart of the Sinaitic region. This was the shorter and the more expeditious road. The other route lay along the shore of the Red Sea, whicli must be pursued till an opening gave the means of turning suddenly to the east, and ascending at once into the lofty district. The latter was preferable for the reason before assigned, namely, the additional opportunities which it offered for the education of the undisciplined tribes of recent- ly emancipated slaves.
Moses did not l>egin his arduous journey till, with a piety and a warmth of gratitude which well befitted the signal deliverance that his people had just been III.— C c
favored with, he celebrated the power, majesty, and goodness of God in a triumphal ode, full of the most appropriate, striking, and splendid images ; in which conmieniorative festivity he was assisted by "Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron," and her associated female band, with poetry, music, and dancing. The nature of these festivities gives us full reason to con- clude that, if the people at large were still slaves in in- tellect and morals, there were not wanting individuals in the camp who were eminently skilled in the best re- finements of the age. The spot where these rejoicings were held could not have been far from that which still bears the name oi Ayi'm Mitsa, "the fountains of Moses," the situation of which is even now marked by a few palm-trees. This was a suitable place for the encampment, because well supplied with water. Here Robinson counted seven fountains, near which he saw a patch of barley and a few calibage-plants.
1. In tracing the track pursued by the host, we should bear in mind the limitation that a variety of converging or parallel routes must often have been required to allow of the passage of so great a number (Robinson, Researches, i, lUG). Assuming the passage of the Red Sea to have been effiscted at the spot indi- cated above, they would march from their point of land- ing a little to the E. of S. Here they were in the wil- derness of Shur, and in it " they went three days and found no water." The Israelites seem to have proceed- ed along the coast, probably following the route usually pursued by modern travellers, being at a short distance from the shore and parallel with it. The district is hilly and sandy, with a few water-courses running into the Red Sea, which, failing rain, are dry. " These wadj-s," says Robinson, "are mere depressions in the desert, with only a few scattered herbs and shrubs, now with- ered and parched with drought." See Shur.