without their ornaments, until it was recalled. During the same time also Moses removed his own tent out of their polluted camp; and only from time to time went thither to make known the commands of God.

When the Lord had pardoned his people and received them again into his favour, He commanded Moses to hew two tablets of stone, like those which he had broken, and to present them to him on the top of the mount. It was also promised to him that, according to his humble request, he should there obtain a fuller view of the glory of the Divine presence than he had hitherto enjoyed;-as full a view as mortal man could see and live, but infinitely short of the actual glories of His presence and His throne. Accordingly, as directed, he repaired to the mount with the tablets in his hands, and hid himself in a cleft of the rock. The Lord then descended upon the mountain in a cloud which hid the glory of his presence entirely from the people below, but which, as it passed by the place where Moses lay, enabled him to see as much of that glory as flesh and blood could bear: but what he did see, he, with proper and reverent reserve, abstains from describing; only we know that as the veiled glory passed by, a Voice was heard proclaiming, " JEHOVAH, JEHOVAH, a God merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy to a thousand generations; forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; and not altogether destroying: visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and the children's children, unto the third or fourth generation."

Moses again remained forty days in the mount, without meat or drink. At the end of that time he received back the tablets of stone, written over with the same words which the broken tablets had contained-the ten commandments; and this was probably intended as a token of the renewal of the covenant between God and the Hebrew people. Moses knew not that he had received a ray of that surpassing glory which had shone upon him, by virtue of which his countenance beamed with such heavenly light that Aaron and all the people, when he came down, were afraid to approach him. This light remained upon his countenance, and was so dazzling, that he found it convenient to cover his face with a veil in his general intercourse with the people, and appeared unveiled only when he drew near to God to receive His commands, and when he repeated those commands to the people, in whose eyes his authority and importance were, doubtless, much enhanced by this splendid peculiarity in his personal appearance.

During this stay of Moses in the mount, a visionary pattern of the tabernacle or portable temple, which he had formerly been directed to construct, was exhibited to him, and he was commanded to carry into effect the instructions he had received, all proceedings thereon having been prevented by the late unhappy circumstances.

The plan of the new establishment was highly acceptable to the Israelites, and they entered into it with great eagerness and zeal. It held out to them the prospect of a splendid temple, with costly utensils, and with a numerous priestly caste, the chief of them gorgeously arrayed, to present incense, and offerings, and sacrifices. A splendid ritual they had been accustomed to admire and (as we learn from various intimations) to imitate in Egypt; and this admiration and imitation had but lately led them into a very great sin. The new establishment must therefore be to some extent regarded as a concession to the notions of a people, who, like all others at that time, were incapable of understanding that purely spiritual worship which God himself would have counted of the most value. It is, indeed, easy to see that a people circumstanced as the Israelites were, and imbued as they were with Egyptian notions, might be the more easily kept in the right way through a splendid ritual directed to the proper object; while, by a rigid interdiction of all these ceremonies, and acts, and apparatus of worship, which existed in other nations, such a people would stand exposed to very great danger of being corrupted or drawn aside from their own more severe and simple system. As matter of mere human policy, therefore, it was, in the first instance, probable that such ritual institutions would be given to this people. But although we see that there was in these institutions much of concession to the ineradicable notions of the people for whom they were

designed, they were so framed as to comprehend great ulterior objects, and to realize the largest amount of religious and political good which could possibly be derived from them.

As it is necessary that these institutions should, in the next chapter, engage a portion of our attention, we have only alluded to the subject here, in order to explain the uncommon satisfaction which the Israelites manifested on this occasion. No sooner were they made acquainted with the materials which would be required for the works of the tabernacle and its contents, and for the dresses and ornaments of the priests, than they poured in, with the most profuse liberality, whatever suitable articles they possessed: so that in a very short time Moses was obliged to have it proclaimed throughout the camp, that no more offerings were to be made for the sanctuary, as there was already enough, and more than enough for every purpose. The lists of the articles contributed is very interesting, not only as showing the large quantity, but the nature and quality, of the wealth in their possession, and all of which they had probably brought from Egypt. These consisted chiefly of articles in brass, silver, and gold, intended to be melted down for the service required, together with precious stones, costly woods, rich stuffs, skins, oils, incense, and spices. The women were eminently distinguished on this occasion. They contributed their personal ornaments and trinkets; while their mirrors, of polished brass,

were given up to form the brazen laver. Among all pastoral nations, the duty of forming into cloth the wool of the sheep, and the hair of the goat, devolves upon the women, and forms the principal occupation of their lives; and on the present occasion the women of Israel were busied in spinning, twisting, and weaving the clothes required for the hangings of the tabernacle.

When we consider that all the offerings were voluntary, with the exception of the small sum of half a shekel of silver, levied upon every male above twenty years of age, and yet find that the whole contribution of gold and silver only was worth about 185,000l. of our money, we shall have a strong idea, not only of the willing zeal of the Israelites, but of the splendour of the small fabric on which so much wealth was expended.

The manner in which weaving is carried on by the women of pastoral tribes is shown in the cut at page 144. Our present ent exhibits the intermediate process of winding the yarn.

The practical director of all the work was an ingenious man of the tribe of Judah, Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur; and with him was Aholiah, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, "an engraver, and designer, and embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet,

and in cotton." It is so far satisfactory, that these curious, and, for the age, interesting works were not executed under the direction of Egyptians, although it is not unlikely that the skill of such of that nation as were in the camp was made available in some of the practical operations; but there can be no question that Bezaleel and Aholiah had been instructed in Egypt in that knowledge which qualified them for the service they undertook. No one will, at the present day, contend that the Hebrews could know anything of the finer arts, but what they had learnt of the Egyptians during their sojourn and bondage in Egypt. And in this point of view the costly and ingenious works which were executed in the desert throw much light upon the state of the arts in that early age among the Egyptians, while they illustrate the extent of the obligations of the Israelites, in the finer arts of life, to that ingenious people. The information thus supplied is perfectly in agreement with that which the sculptured and painted remains of ancient Egypt now offer to us.

Such was the earnestness of all parties, that the tabernacle, with all its rich furniture, and costly apparatus, together with the splendid dress of the high priests, and the robes of the common priests, were all completed in less than six months. The tabernacle was erected, and all things connected with it disposed in proper order on the first day of the second year of the departure from Egypt. The Levites were then set apart as a sacerdotal and learned caste, like the priestly caste in Egypt; and out of this caste the family of Aaron was solemnly consecrated to the higher offices of the priesthood-Aaron himself being appointed the high priest. When all was finished, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle; and the more public and outward sign of his presence, the pillar of cloud-that pillar which became a blaze of fire by night -rested upon it. The setting of the whole in order probably occupied a week; for it was not until the eighth day of the month that the regular services of the splendid ritual were commenced by the new high priest, who then offered upon the great altar the various kinds of sacrifices which the law required. In token of divine acceptance and complacency, a fire darted forth from that "glory" which represented the Lord's presence, and consumed the burnt offering. When the people saw this, "they shouted, and fell upon their faces." It was afterwards directed that the fire thus miraculously kindled should be kept up and employed in all the sacred services.

It seems to have been shortly after this that the chiefs of each tribe came, on successive days, and appeared before Moses and Aaron with a very considerable offering for the sacred service, contained in six carts, each drawn by two oxen-in all, seventy-two carts. The offering of every chief was precisely the same, consisting of a silver platter, weighing five pounds

1

five ounces, troy; a silver sprinkling basin, of about three pounds, and a golden incense pot, of about five ounces. Besides this, their offering contained fine flour and incense, together with several animals, for a feast-offering. Their donations were received by Moses and Aaron, and set aside for the service of the tabernacle.

Not long after this a grievous calamity befel the priestly family. Nadab and Abihu, the two eldest sons of Aaron-those who were with Moses in the mount-went into the tabernacle to offer incense, having in their censers common fire, instead of that hallowed fire which had been miraculously kindled on the altar of burnt offering. This neglect was punished by a fire [perhaps lightning] from the Lord, which struck them dead on the spot, without injuring their robes, or the exterior of their persons. This may seem harsh; but it was obviously necessary at the commencement of these institutions that their sanctity should be protected, and the highest reverence for the divine presence inculcated, at whatever cost. "Holy will I be accounted," said the Lord on this occasion, "by those who approach me; and before all the people will I be glorified." Aaron was silent. Moses ordered the bodies of his nephews to be carried outside the camp, and buried without any mourning or funeral ceremony. It is probable that the sin of Nadab and Abihu was caused and aggravated by drunkenness; for, immediately after this the Lord spoke to Aaron, forbidding that he or his sons should drink wine, or strong drink, when they were to officiate in the tabernacle, lest they died; suggesting that Nadab and Abihu had done so, and had died for it. All these circumstances appear to have occurred in the first month of the second year of the departure from Egypt.

At the beginning of the next month, Moses was directed to take a census of the adult male population—that is, of the men above twenty years of age, fit to bear arms. The reason for this probably was, that the last census (which enabled the historian to state that the number of such persons who left Egypt was 600,000) had been taken by the Egyptians, and was perhaps some years old. Moses and Aaron were assisted in this undertaking by twelve persons of consideration-heads of families-one from each tribe. The result of this census is valuable, from the information it gives of the relative numerical importance of the several tribes; thus,—

But as the Levites were not destined to bear arms, they are not included in this computation; but from an enumeration of that tribe taken for another purpose, we learn that the males above a month old did not exceed 22,273, so that the number of adult males of that tribe could hardly have been one-half that of the lowest of the other tribes.

When the population had thus been numbered, a regular organization of the camp was instituted. The whole host was formed into four great divisions, each consisting of three tribes, and taking its name from the principal tribe. These were to encamp, under their several banners, so as to form a hollow square, in the centre of which was the tabernacle, immediately around which the Levites were to encamp. The east side of the square was formed by the camp of Judah-containing the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon: Ephraim, with Manasseh and Benjamin, was on the west on the north were Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; and

on the south, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. This beautiful and orderly arrangement attracted the admiration of strangers, as we may gather from the exclamation of Baalam,-" How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!"

It was also directed that in their removals the eastern division should first leave the ground, followed by the southern division, and that by the tabernacle, while the west and north divisions were to succeed in the rear. The removal of the pillar of cloud was to be the signal for their removal, and its resting for their rest.

During the protracted stay at this place, Moses was favoured with frequent intercourse with God, in which he received the body of laws which bear his names, and which were delivered not in any regular or systematic form, but as occasion seemed to require or suggest. At first Moses received the command from the Lord upon the mountain, under the circumstance of great solemnity, which we have recorded. After his second stay of forty days upon the mountain, it does not appear that he again repaired thither to receive the divine commands. The next form in which these awful interviews were conducted commenced before this last visit to Sinai, and appears to have continued until the erection of the tabernacle. After the sin in the matter of the golden calf, Moses, it will be remembered, removed his tent at a considerable distance from the camp, and called it the Convention tent. He seems to have resided there for a time; and if we rightly collect the meaning of the sacred narrative, after this sin had been forgiven, he returned to live in the camp, but left this tent standing, under the charge of Joshua, who was always there. Wherever Moses went to consult the Lord, or to receive his commands, he proceeded to this tent; and when he entered the tent, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door, while the Lord spoke therefrom to Moses. Whenever Moses left the camp to proceed to this tent, the people came to the doors of their own tents, and followed him with their eyes until he entered the tent; and when they saw the pillar of cloud come and settle at the door, they all arose and worshipped, every one at the door of his own tent.* After the erection of the tabernacle, Moses entered it whenever he sought counsel of God; and then he heard a VOICE speaking to him from between the cherubim above the ark, in the most holy place.

It seems to have been about this time† that Jethro, the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, found out that the famous prophet through whom the Lord had delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, was no other than the husband of his daughter. No sooner did he learn this than he set forth, with his son Hobab, to convey to him his wife and two sons. They were all received very affectionately by Moses, who took his father-in-law to his tent, and gave him a full account of all which had occurred since their separation. And when the old man heard of the wonders which had been wrought for the deliverance of Israel, he blessed Jehovah, and acknowledged that he now knew him to be greater than all other Gods. This sort of expression may imply that he had previously rendered him a divided worship, and, after all, falls short of the true Hebrew belief. That there was no God but Jehovah, was that belief; but we see, always, that the highest point of doctrine which even the best of men, not Hebrews, could reach, was, that Jehovah was the greatest of the Gods. Among the great differences of opinion and shades of belief, this was a broad and important distinction. In accordance with this conviction, Jethro delayed not to present to Jehovah burnt offerings and other sacrifices; after which Aaron and the elders of Israel came to pay their respects to the father-in-law of Moses, and to eat with him of the feast offerings.

During his stay in the camp, Jethro was much struck to observe the fatigue and anxiety which Moses underwent in sitting all day surrounded by a crowd of people to hear their complaints, and to settle their differences, according to the statutes which had lately been promulgated. He warned him that this labour was too heavy for him, and that he could not

Exod. xxxiii. 7-11.

The chapter which records this visit (Exod. xviii.) is placed between that which records the arrival at Rephidim and the victory over the Amalekites, and that which records the encampment at Sinai, suggesting that Jethro came while the Hebrews were at Rephidim. But Lightfoot has shown, from the clearest internal evidence and the historical connection, that the account of Jethro's visit is not related in the order of time-which order would have given it the place which we assign it in our narrative. See Lightfoot's Harmony uuder A. M. 2515.'