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| Chapter XVI.
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Chapter XVI.
Then Moses, exulting in
the safety of his own people, and in the destruction of the enemy, by
such a miracle,279
sang a song of
praise to God, and the whole multitude, both of males and females, took
part in it. But, after they had entered the desert, and advanced a
journey of three days, want of water distressed them; and, when it was
found, it proved of no use on
account of its bitterness. And then for
the first time the stubbornness of the impatient people showed itself,
and burst forth against Moses; when, as instructed by God, he cast some
wood into the waters, and its power was such that it rendered the taste
of the fluid sweet. Thence advancing, the multitude found at Elim
twelve fountains of waters, with seventy palm-trees, and there they
encamped. Again the people, complaining of famine, heaped reproaches
upon Moses, and longed for the slavery of Egypt, accompanied as it was
with abundance to please their appetite, when a flock of quails was
divinely sent, and filled the camp. Besides, on the following day,
those who had gone forth from the camp perceived that the ground was
covered with a sort of pods,280
| 280 This is a somewhat
strange description of the manna. Hornius remarks upon it that there
may be a reference to the dew in which the Hebrews believed the manna
to have been enveloped, but that seems a far-fetched explanation. | the appearance of
which was like a coriander-seed of snowy whiteness, as we often see the
earth in the winter months covered with the hoar-frost that has been
spread over it. Then the people were informed, through Moses, that this
bread had been sent them by the gift of God; that every one should
gather in vessels prepared for the purpose only so much of it as would
be sufficient for each, according to their number, during one day; but
that on the sixth day they should gather double, because it was not
lawful to collect it on the Sabbath. The people, however, as they were
never prone to obedience, did not, in accordance with human nature,
restrain their desires, providing in their stores not merely for one,
but also for the following day. But that which was thus laid up swarmed
with worms, while its fetid odor was dreadful, yet that which was laid
up on the sixth day with a view to the Sabbath remained quite
untainted. The Hebrews made use of this food for forty years; its taste
was very like that of honey; and its name is handed down as being
manna. Moreover, as an abiding witness to the divine gift, Moses
is related to have laid up a full gomer of it in a golden
vessel.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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