the antiquities of the jews-1-第24章

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clamored　against　him；　and　had　stones　in　their　hands　in　order　to
despatch　him。　Now　he　was　of　an　agreeable　presence；　and　very　able
to　persuade　the　people　by　his　speeches；　accordingly　he　began　to
mitigate　their　anger；　and　exhorted　them　not　to　be　over…mindful　of
their　present　adversities；　lest　they　should　thereby　suffer　the
benefits　that　had　formerly　been　bestowed　on　them　to　slip　out　of
their　memories；　and　he　desired　them　by　no　means；　on　account　of
their　present　uneasiness；　to　cast　those　great　and　wonderful
favors　and　gifts；　which　they　had　obtained　of　God；　out　of　their
minds；　but　to　expect　deliverance　out　of　those　their　present
troubles　which　they　could　not　free　themselves　from；　and　this　by
the　means　of　that　Divine　Providence　which　watched　over　them。
Seeing　it　is　probable　that　God　tries　their　virtue；　and　exercises
their　patience　by　these　adversities；　that　it　may　appear　what
fortitude　they　have；　and　what　memory　they　retain　of　his　former
wonderful　works　in　their　favor；　and　whether　they　will　not　think
of　them　upon　occasion　of　the　miseries　they　now　feel。　He　told
them；　it　appeared　they　were　not　really　good　men；　either　in
patience；　or　in　remembering　what　had　been　successfully　done　for
them；　sometimes　by　contemning　God　and　his　commands；　when　by　those
commands　they　left　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　sometimes　by　behaving
themselves　ill　towards　him　who　was　the　servant　of　God；　and　this
when　he　had　never　deceived　them；　either　in　what　he　said；　or　had
ordered　them　to　do　by　God's　command。　He　also　put　them　in　mind　of
all　that　had　passed；　how　the　Egyptians　were　destroyed　when　they
attempted　to　detain　them；　contrary　to　the　command　of　God；　and
after　what　manner　the　very　same　river　was　to　the　others　bloody；
and　not　fit　for　drinking；　but　was　to　them　sweet；　and　fit　for
drinking；　and　how　they　went　a　new　road　through　the　sea；　which
fled　a　long　way　from　them；　by　which　very　means　they　were
themselves　preserved；　but　saw　their　enemies　destroyed；　and　that
when　they　were　in　want　of　weapons；　God　gave　them　plenty　of　them；
…　and　so　he　recounted　all　the　particular　instances；　how　when　they
were；　in　appearance；　just　going　to　be　destroyed；　God　had　saved
them　in　a　surprising　manner；　and　that　he　had　still　the　same
power；　and　that　they　ought　not　even　now　to　despair　of　his
providence　over　them；　and　accordingly　he　exhorted　them　to
continue　quiet；　and　to　consider　that　help　would　not　come　too
late；　though　it　come　not　immediately；　if　it　be　present　with　them
before　they　suffer　any　great　misfortune；　that　they　ought　to
reason　thus：　that　God　delays　to　assist　them；　not　because　he　has
no　regard　to　them；　but　because　he　will　first　try　their　fortitude；
and　the　pleasure　they　take　in　their　freedom；　that　he　may　learn
whether　you　have　souls　great　enough　to　bear　want　of　food；　and
scarcity　of　water；　on　its　account；　or　whether　you　rather　love　to
be　slaves；　as　cattle　are　slaves　to　such　as　own　them；　and　feed
them　liberally；　but　only　in　order　to　make　them　more　useful　in
their　service。　That　as　for　himself；　he　shall　not　be　so　much
concerned　for　his　own　preservation；　for　if　he　die　unjustly；　he
shall　not　reckon　it　any　affliction；　but　that　he　is　concerned　for
them；　lest；　by　casting　stones　at　him；　they　should　be　thought　to
condemn　God　himself。

5。　By　this　means　Moses　pacified　the　people；　and　restrained　them
from　stoning　him；　and　brought　them　to　repent　of　what　they　were
going　to　do。　And　because　he　thought　the　necessity　they　were　under
made　their　passion　less　unjustifiable；　he　thought　he　ought　to
apply　himself　to　God　by　prayer　and　supplication；　and　going　up　to
an　eminence；　he　requested　of　God　for　some　succor　for　the　people；
and　some　way　of　deliverance　from　the　want　they　were　in；　because
in　him；　and　in　him　alone；　was　their　hope　of　salvation；　and　he
desired　that　he　would　forgive　what　necessity　had　forced　the
people　to　do；　since　such　was　the　nature　of　mankind；　hard　to
please；　and　very　complaining　under　adversities。　Accordingly　God
promised　he　would　take　care　of　them；　and　afford　them　the　succor
they　were　desirous　of。　Now　when　Moses　had　heard　this　from　God；　he
came　down　to　the　multitude。　But　as　soon　as　they　saw　him　joyful　at
the　promises　he　had　received　from　God；　they　changed　their　sad
countenances　into　gladness。　So　he　placed　himself　in　the　midst　of
them；　and　told　them　he　came　to　bring　them　from　God　a　deliverance
from　their　present　distresses。　Accordingly　a　little　after　came　a
vast　number　of　quails；　which　is　a　bird　more　plentiful　in　this
Arabian　Gulf　than　any　where　else；　flying　over　the　sea；　and
hovered　over　them；　till　wearied　with　their　laborious　flight；　and；
indeed；　as　usual；　flying　very　near　to　the　earth；　they　fell　down
upon　the　Hebrews；　who　caught　them；　and　satisfied　their　hunger
with　them；　and　supposed　that　this　was　the　method　whereby　God
meant　to　supply　them　with　food。　Upon　which　Moses　returned　thanks
to　God　for　affording　them　his　assistance　so　suddenly；　and　sooner
than　he　had　promised　them。

6。　But　presently　after　this　first　supply　of　food；　he　sent　them　a
second；　for　as　Moses　was　lifting　up　his　hands　in　prayer；　a　dew
fell　down；　and　Moses；　when　he　found　it　stick　to　his　hands；
supposed　this　was　also　come　for　food　from　God　to　them。　He　tasted
it；　and　perceiving　that　the　people　knew　not　what　it　was；　and
thought　it　snowed；　and　that　it　was　what　usually　fell　at　that　time
of　the　year；　he　informed　them　that　this　dew　did　not　fall　from
heaven　after　the　manner　they　imagined；　but　came　for　their
preservation　and　sustenance。　So　he　tasted　it；　and　gave　them　some
of　it；　that　they　might　be　satisfied　about　what　he　told　them。　They
also　imitated　their　conductor；　and　were　pleased　with　the　food；
for　it　was　like　honey　in　sweetness　and　pleasant　taste；　but　like
in　its　body　to　bdellium；　one　of　the　sweet　spices；　and　in　bigness
equal　to　coriander　seed。　And　very　earnest　they　were　in　gathering
it；　but　they　were　enjoined　to　gather　it　equally　（3）　…　the　measure
of　an　omer　for　each　one　every　day；　because　this　food　should　not
come　in　too　small　a　quantity；　lest　the　weaker　might　not　be　able
to　get　their　share；　by　reason　of　the　overbearing　of　the　strong　in
collecting　it。　However；　these　strong　men；　when　they　had　gathered
more　than　the　measure　appointed　for　them；　had　no　more　than
others；　but　only　tired　themselves　more　in　gathering　it；　for　they
found　no　more　than　an　omer　apiece；　and　the　advantage　they　got　by
what　was　superfluous　was　none　at　all；　it　corrupting；　both　by　the
worms　breeding　in　it；　and　by　its　bitterness。　So　divine　and
wonderful　a　food　was　this！　It　also　supplied　the　want　of　other
sorts　of　food　to　those　that　fed　on　it。　And　even　now；　in　all　that
place；　this　manna　comes　down　in　rain；　（4）　according　to　what　Moses
then　obtained　of　God；　to　send　it　to　the　people　for　their
sustenance。　Now　the　Hebrews　call　this　food　manna：　for　the
particle　man；　in　our　language；　is　the　asking　of　a　question。　What
is　this　？　So　the　Hebrews　were　very　joyful　at　what　was　sent　them
from　heaven。　Now　they　made　use　of　this　food　for　forty　years；　or
as　long　as　they　were　in　the　wilderness。

7。　As　soon　as　they　were　removed　thence；　they　came　to　Rephidim；
being　distressed　to　the　last　degree　by　thirst；　and　while　in　the
foregoing　days　they　had　lit　on　a　few　small　fountains；　but　now
found　the　earth　entirely　destitute　of　water；　they　were　in　an　evil
case。　They　again　turned　their　anger　against　Moses；　but　he　at
first　avoided　the　fury　of　the　multitude；　and　then　betook　himself
to　prayer　to　God；　beseeching　him；　that　as　he　had　given　them　food
when　they　were　in　the　greatest　want　of　it；　so　he　would　give　them
drink；　since　the　favor　of　giving　them　food　was　of　no　value　to
them　while　they　had　nothing　to　drink。　And　God　did　not　long　delay
to　give　it　them；　but　promised　Moses　that　he　would　procure　them　a
fountain；　and　plenty　of　water；　from　a　place　they　did　not　expect
any。　So　he　commanded　him　to　smite　the　rock　which　they　saw　lying
there；　（5）　with　his　rod；　and　out　of　it　to　receive　plenty　of　what
they　wanted；　for　he　had　taken　care　that　drink　should　come　to　them
without　any　labor　or　pains…taking。　When　Moses　had　received　this
command　from　God；　he　came　to　the　people；　who　waited　for　him；　and
looked　upon　him；　for　they　saw　already　that　he　was　coming　apace
from　his　eminence。　As　soon　as　he　was　come；　he　told　them　that　God
would　deliver　them　from　their　present　distress；　and　had　granted
them　an　unexpected　favor；　and　informed　them；　that　a　river　should
run　for　their　sakes　out　of　the　rock。　But　they　were　amazed　at　that
hearing；　supposing　they　were　of　necessity　to　cut　the　rock　in
pieces；　now　they　were　distressed　by　their　thirst　and　by　their
journey；　while　Moses　only　smiting　the　rock　with　his　rod；　opened　a
passage；　and　out　of　it　burst　water；　and　that　in　great　abundance；
and　very　clear。　But　they　were　astonished　at　this　wonderful
effect；　and；　as　it　were；　quenched　their　thirst　by　the　very　sight
of　it。　So　they　drank　this　pleasant；　this　sweet　water；　and　such　it
seemed　to　be；　as　might　well　be　expected　where　God　was　the　donor。
They　were　also　in　admiration　how　Moses　was　honored　by　God；　and
they　made　grateful　returns　of　sacrifices　to　God　for　his
providence　towards　them。　Now　that　Scripture；　which　is　laid　up　in
the　temple；　（6）　informs　us；　how　God　foretold　to　Moses；　that　water
timid　in　this　manner　be　derived　out　of　the　rock。'

CHAPTER　2。

How　The　Amalekites　And　The　Neighbouring　Nations；　Made　War　With
The　Hebrews　And　Were　Beaten　And　Lost　A　Great　Part　Of　Their　Army。

1。　The　name　of　the　Hebrews　began　already　to　be　every　where
renowned；　and　rumors　about　them　ran　abroad。　This　made　the
inhabitants　of　those　countries　to　be　in　no　small　fear。
Accordingly　they　sent　ambassadors　to　one　another；　and　exhorted
one　another　to　defend　themselves；　and　to　endeavor　to　destroy
these　men。　Those　that　induced　the　rest　to　do　so；　were　such　as
inhabited　Gobolitis　and　Petra。　They　were　called　Amalekites；　and
were　the　most　warlike　of　the　nations　that　lived　thereabout；　and
whose　kings　exhorted　one　another；　and　their　neighbors；　to　go　to
this　war　against　the　Hebrews；　telling　them　that　an　army　of
strangers；　and　such　a　one　as　had　run　away　from　slavery　under　the
Egyptians；　lay　in　wait　to　ruin　them；　which　army　they　were　not；　in
common　prudence　and　regard　to　their　own　safety；　to　overlook；　but
to　crush　them　before　they　gather　strength；　and　come　to　be　in
prosperity：　and　perhaps　attack　them　first　in　a　hostile　manner；　as
presuming　upon　our　indolence　in　not　attacking　them　before；　and
that　we　ought　to　avenge　ourselves　of　them　for　what　they　have　done
in　the　wilderness；　but　that　this　cannot　be　so　well　done　when　they
have　once　laid　their　hands　on　our　cities　and　our　goods：　that
those　who　endeavor　to　crush　a　power　in　its　first　rise；　are　wiser
than　those　that　endeavor　to　put　a　stop　to　its　progress　when　it　is
become　formidable；　for　these　last　seem　to　be　angry　only　at　the
flourishing　of　others；　but　the　former　do　not　leave　any　room　for
their　enemies　to　become　troublesome　to　them。　After　they　had　sent
such　embassages　to　the　neighboring　nations；　and　among　one
another；　they　resolved　to　attack　the　Hebrews　in　battle。

2。　These　proceedings　of　the　people　of　those　countries　occasioned
perplexity　and　trouble　to　Moses；　who　expected　no　such　warlike
preparations。　And　when　these　nations　were　ready　to　fight；　and　the
multitude　of　the　Hebre