405. For what purposes, generally speaking, were tithes payable under the Mosaic Law?

406. What provision was made for the maintenance of the Jewish priests?

407. What regulation did Moses make concerning oaths and vows? 408. What moral lesson is conveyed by the Jewish distinction of Clean and Unclean food?

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

409. Distinguish between first and second tithes.

410. To what purposes were the first tithes applied?

411. When were the second tithes payable, and for what purposes? 412. Under the Mosaic economy, was there any legal process for enforcing payment of tithes ?

413. In what part of the Pentateuch do we find an account of the vow of the Nazarite? Describe the ceremony, and give its meaning.

CHAPTER XXIII.

REMAINDER OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.

(Num. xx. 14.-xvii. 13.)

THE time during which the Israelites lay encamped at Horeb was eleven months and nineteen days. At length, the Law having been promulgated,—the Tabernacle having been reared, and its services begun,—a census having been taken (Num. 1.) —and the arrangements of the camp, together with the order of march, having been established (Num. x. 14-28.),-this encampment was broken up, and the Israelites set forward on their journey through the Wilderness, in a north-easterly direction, towards Canaan. This took place on the twentiet day of the second month in the second year after the departu from Egypt. The number of the people, above twenty years old, fit for military service, was 603,550; to which if we add the Levites, with the women and children, the total appears to ha been between two and three millions. The following

re

was the

order of encampment. On the east, Judah (74,600), between Issachar (54,400), and Zebulun (57,400), under the standard of Judah, bearing the figure of a lion,-first division. On the south, Reuben (46,500), between Gad (45,650), and Sime (59,300), under the standard of Reuben, bearing the figure of man's head,-second division. On the west, Ephraim (40,500, between Benjamin (35,400), and Manasseh (32,200), under the

standard of Ephraim, bearing the figure of an ox, — third division. On the north, Dan (62,700), between Naphthali (53,400), and Asher (41,500), under the standard of Dan, bearing the figure of an eagle with a serpent in its talons,fourth division. The Tabernacle was in the centre, immediately surrounded by the tribe of Levi, having Moses, Aaron, and the priests on the east or in front, the Kohathites (2,750) on the south, the Gershonites (2,630) on the west, and the Merarites (3,200) on the north. During a march, Judah's division took the lead, followed by two families of Levites, carrying the Tabernacle, with six waggons. Reuben's division came next, followed by the Kohathites, with the furniture of the Tabernacle, covered up. Then came the division of Ephraim; and Dan brought up the rear. "When the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys; but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys." (Exod. xl. 36-38.) Two silver trumpets were provided as a means of mustering the people, and giving the signal for a march. (Num. x. 1, 2.) And "when the ark set forward, Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.' And when it rested, he said, 'Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.'" (Num. x. 35, 36.)

At the beginning of the progress from Horeb, Hobab, the brother-in-law of Moses, who was at that time in the camp, was disposed to return to his own country, Midian; but Moses entreated him to remain with the Israelites as a guide, whose services would be of great value in the course of the journey. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire shewed them when, and in what direction, they should travel; but it was felt to be of great importance that they should have with them some one acquainted with the particular features and character of the country. (Num. x. 29-32.) It has been supposed that Hobab complied with this request, and that we find traces of his descendants among the Hebrews in subsequent portions of their history. (Judges, i. 16., iv. 11.; 1 Chron. ii. 53.; 2 Kings, x. 15. 23.; Jer. xxv. 2.)

After three days' march, the Israelites, probably oppressed with fatigue, began to give utterance to feelings of discontent; "and when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled, and the fire of

L

the Lord burnt among them*, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched; and he called the name of that place Taberah ” (i. e. burning). (Num. ii. 1—3).

Before they arrived at the next station, the people, following the example of the mixed multitude of camp followers, began to express dissatisfaction with the manna, representing it as but a poor substitute for the vegetables and fish of which they had partaken in Egypt. Moses now began to find himself fainting, and too much disheartened, beneath the burden of his charge; when, in answer to his humble and earnest complaint, the Lord directed him to select seventy elders of the Israelites, who should share with him the duties of his office, and bade him announce to the people a speedy supply of flesh, in such abundance as should occasion a surfeit. The elders, accordingly, were chosen, and ranged round the Tabernacle; when the Lord put his Spirit upon them, enduing them with gifts such as might qualify them for association with Moses. Two of their number, Eldad and Medad, who remained in the camp, received their portion of the Spirit notwithstanding their absence from the Tabernacle, and proceeded, in virtue of the gift, to discharge their office, much to the surprise and displeasure of some of the friends of Moses, including Joshua, but greatly to the satisfaction of Moses himself; who, in answer to the suggestion of Joshua, requiring a prohibition of their prophesying, nobly exclaimed, "Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!"-And now came the promised supply of flesh. A strong wind from the Lord brought from the sea a large number of quails, which fell on all sides of the camp; these the people gathered," and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp," probably in order to dry them, and so to preserve them as a store for their future supply." And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah"

* "The indulgence allowed to their weakness on their departure from Egypt is no longer conceded to them after the training and orga nisation they had undergone, and after the further opportunities afforded them of understanding their relation to the Lord, and of knowing His care, His bounty, His power, and His judgments. All murmurings before they came to Sinai were passed over, or merely rebuked; all murmurings and rebellions after Sinai bring down punishment and doom."- KITTO, Daily Bible Illustrations vol. ii. p. 165.

(i. e. the graves of lust or evil desire). (Num. ii. 4-35.) This incident of Sacred History is adapted to teach us that whenever we desire anything inordinately, or without due reference to the will of God, we may expect that the object of our desire, if attained, will become to us a source of suffering and

sorrow.

The station next reached was Hazeroth (the enclosures), i. e. probably, according to Burckhardt and others, Ain-el-Huderah, or one of the Wadys in its neighbourhood, situate not far west of the Gulf of Akabah.* Here Miriam and Aaron attempted to excite a seditious feeling and movement against Moses, finding fault with him on the ground of his having married an Ethiopian (Cushite, or Arab) wife, and laying claim to the possession of equal authority. It has been thought probable that they were jealous of the influence of Hobab in the camp; or that they were displeased at the appointment of the seventy elders; but, be this as it may, certain it is that the Lord rebuked the malcontents, and punished Miriam with leprosy. This led Aaron to acknowledge his sin, and to sue for pardon, and for the recovery of Miriam; a suit which, at the intercession of Moses, was granted. Miriam, however, was shut out of the camp seven days; during which time the people halted at Hazeroth. (Num. xii.) It was thus shown, at an early period, that the priesthood was not supreme in Israel; but that it was properly subject to the theocratic civil governor, who was the immediate representative of Jehovah himself as "the king of the Jews."

Having left Hazeroth, the Israelites proceeded northwards, or rather towards the north-east, and (probably after several other encampments) pitched their tents at Kadesh (Num. xii. 16., xiii. 26.), i. e. Kadesh Barnea, which lay near the mountains of the Amorites, in the wilderness of Zin. Some difficulty has been experienced in fixing the site of Kadesh; but perhaps it may now be considered as tolerably clear that this place was somewhere in the immediate neighbourhood of Mount Hor.

* "The determination of this point is perhaps of more importance in Biblical History than would at first appear; for if this position be adopted for Hazeroth, it settles at once the question as to the whole route of the Israelites between Sinai and Kadesh. It shows that they must have followed the route to the sea, and so along the coast to Akabah; and thence probably through the great Wady-el-Arabah to Kadesh. Indeed, such is the nature of the country, that having once arrived at this fountain, they could not well have varied their course, so as to have kept aloof from the sea, and continued along the high plateau of the western desert." - ROBINSON, Biblical Researches, sect. iv.

From this spot, at the suggestion of the people, who were com manded to go up and take possession of Canaan (Deut. i. 22.), Moses sent twelve rulers, one of each tribe, to make a survey of the country, and to bring back a report of the condition of the people, and of the route to be pursued. These spies, accordingly, proceeded into Canaan, as far as Hebron. "And they came unto the brook of Eshcol [doubtless, in a valley not far from Hebron, on the highway to Jerusalem], and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff, and they brought of the pome granates and of the figs.... And they returned from searching the land after forty days." (Num. xiii. 23. 25.) Their account of the excellence and fertility of the country was most favourable; but to that report was added, by ten out of the twelve searchers, a formidable description of the numbers, stature, and warlike bearing of the inhabitants, and of the apparently insuperable strength of their walled cities. By this intelligence the people were so greatly disheartened that they broke out into loud complaints against Moses and Aaron, and even talked of electing another leader, who should conduct them back to Egypt. Such was the folly of their plans as affecting their own prospects; such their unbelief and ingratitude towards the Most High. Caleb and Joshua, the two faithful spies, endeavoured to encourage the people by a representation of the fruitfulness of the land, combined with an exhortation to trust in the Lord, who was able to subdue the people before them, and to put them in possession of the promised country. But in vain; the people rejected their exhortation, and were ready to put them to death by stoning. At this crisis the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tabernacle in view of all the people; and a threatening of the destruction of the whole nation by pestilence was pronounced, together with a promise to Moses that his posterity should become a greater and mightier people than that which had been thus far conducted from Egypt. Moses, however, earnestly interceded on behalf of Israel, pleading with the Lord for a vindication of the Divine glory in the conquest of Canaan. "And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word; but as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderness, have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice, surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me