The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 88 – Section 89
SECT. LXXXVIII.
MOſes now by the Lords Commandment wrote this following Journal of the Iſraelites Travels from Egypt to the Land of Canaan, wherein are ſet down all the ſeveral Stations or Places where they pitched their Tents, and abode for ſome time. And this was done the better to aſſure Poſterity of the wonderful Deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt, and of Gods leading them thorow the Wilderneſs to the Land of Promiſe, and that by this expreſs Deſcription of their ſeveral Stations, not only the certainty of this ſtory might be evidenced, but that they might be put in mind of the Rebellion of their fore-Fathers, and of Gods ſeverity in Chaſtizing them for it; as alſo of his Goodneſs and Faithfulneſs manifeſted to the Seed of Abraham, notwithſtanding their many Provocations. Their moſt remarkable Stations were theſe: Firſt, Rameſes, *See Sect. 1. of Chap. 4.whether they reſorted by Moſes's Direction from all parts of the Land of Goſhon. And the reaſon is intimated why they went out with an high hand in the preſence of the Egyptians, (they not oppoſing them) namely, becauſe God had pulled down their pride, by ſlaying their Firſt-born; yea upon their Gods alſo He had executed Judgment, cauſing poſſibly ſome ſuch notable accident to befal the Egyptian Idols as did the Philiſtines Dagon, which fell down before the Ark, ſee Exod. 12.12. Their ſecond Station was Succoth, their third Etham, where the Lord began firſt to go before them by day in a Pillar of Cloud, and by night in a Pillar of fire. From Etham they turned unto Pihahiroth, a narrow paſſage between two ledges of Mountains, into which being entred, Pharaoh overtook them with a great Army, and thought they could not have eſcap'd him; but God divided the Red-Sea, which the Iſraelites paſſing thorow, the Egyptians aſſayed to follow them, and there were miſerably drowned. The Iſraelites having paſt thorow the Sea, went three days journey in the Wilderneſs of Etham without any water, and pitched in Marah. Here they found the Waters very bitter, inſomuch that they began to murmur againſt Moſes; but God ſweetened the Waters, by the caſting in of a Tree, Exod. 15.23. From Marah they came to Elim, where were twelve Fountains of Water. From Elim they encamped by the Red-Sea, †See Sect. 8. of this Book.and from thence removed to the Wilderneſs of Sin, ſo called from Sin, a City in Egypt, over againſt which this Wilderneſs lay. Hither they came juſt a month after their departure from Rameſes: Here they murmur grievouſly for want of Food, and God gave them Quails for one meal, and Manna from Heaven, which was continued till they came into Canaan. From Sin, they came to Dophkah, and from thence to Aluſh, and from thence to Rhepidim, *See Sect. 10. of this Book.where wanting water again they were ready to ſtone Moſes; but water was fetched for them miraculouſly out of a Rock in Horeb. Here they had a Victory over the Amalekites who ſet upon them. From Rephidim they came to the Wilderneſs of Sinai. Hither they came at the beginning of the third month, (Exod. 19.1.) and ſtayed till the ſecond day of the ſecond month of the ſecond year, Numb. 10.11, 12. Here the Law was given, and the Tabernacle framed, and the people puniſhed for making and worſhipping a golden Calf, and Nadab and Abihu ſmitten dead for offering ſtrange fire. Here the people were firſt numbred, and then ordered as to their Encampings about the Tabernacle, and in their Journeys towards the Land of Canaan. From Sinai they marched by Taberah (ſignifying a burning) becauſe there the fire of God (till quenched by Moſes's prayer) conſumed the hindermoſt in the Camp, for their murmuring; and ſo they came to Kibroth-Hattavah. Here the people fell a luſting for Fleſh again. And God now gave them Quails for a whole month together in great abundance, whereon they ſurfeited, and died miſerably with the fleſh between their teeth. Then they came to Hazeroth. Here Aaron and Miriam murmured againſt Moſes, and ſhe was ſmitten with Leproſie, Numb. 12. Then they came to Rithmath in the Wilderneſs of Paran near Kadeſh-barnea, whence Spies were ſent to ſearch the Land. Upon the evil report of ten of them the people horribly murmur. God was very wroth with them for it, and appoints Moſes to return again to the Red-Sea, and declares, That not one of that Generation ſave Caleb and Joſhua, ſhould enter into Canaan. Then they came to Rimmon-Parez: and from thence to Libnah call'd Laban, Deut. 1.1. and then to Riſſah, then to Kehelatha, thence to Mount Shapher, thence to Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth (ſignifying Aſſemblies) ſo called as ſome think, becauſe of the mutinous Aſſemblies of Corah, Dathan and Abiram in that place. Thence to Tahath, and pitched at Tarah; thence to Mithcah, and pitched at Haſhmonah, and encamped at Maſeroth, and then came to Bene-Jaakan, and incamped at Hor-gidgad, from thence to Jothathah a Land of Rivers of waters, Deut. 10.7. Here the Rock Rephidim-water (as it ſeems) ſtopped its courſe,*See Dr. Fuller's Piſgah-ſight. (God ſuſpending Miracles when he affords means) and as 'tis probable the Iſraelites drank of the water of the Country till they came to Kadeſh. Then they encamped at Ebronah, from thence they marched to Eziongaber, a place by the Red-Sea, where was a Harbour for Ships in Edom's Land, 1 Kings 9.26. From thence to Kadeſh in the Wilderneſs of Zin. Here Miriam died. The people in this place wanting water, murmur again, and had water again given them out of a Rock. Here God was very angry with Moſes and Aaron for their unbelief, and here they had the Sentence of Death paſſed on them, though reprieved for a time, and rendred uncapable of entring into Canaan. They came hither in the beginning of the 40th year, and hence they ſent to crave a paſſage thorow Edoms Land, but it was denied them; God Commands them not to force it, but to find another way. From Kadeſh they removed to Mount Hor in the edge of the Land of Edom, where Aaron died. Then they came to Zalmonah, ſo called poſſibly of Zolom an Image. For this is thought to be the place where the Iſraelites, for murmuring again for want of water, and loathing Manna, were ſtung with fiery Serpents, and the braſen Serpent was by God's direction erected for their Cure and help. As for their five following Stages, viz. Punon, Oboth, Jie-abarim, and Dibon-Gad, (ſo called, becauſe it was repaired and poſſeſſed by the Tribe of Gad, Ch. 32.34.) and Almon-Diblathaim, we find no memorable accident happening at them. Thence they came to the Mountains of Abarim, and then to the Plains of Moab. And here God commanded Moſes to charge the Iſraelites to drive out the Inhabitants of the Land, viz. by deſtroying them, Deut. 7.22, 23. and to deſtroy their Pictures, and molten Images, and High Places, and to divide their Land by lot among themſelves. But if they did not take care to drive them out, then he declares, The Canaanites ſhould be pricks in their Eyes, and thorns in their Sides, and a continual Vexation to them, and He would bring that deſtruction on them for their Diſobedience, which he thought to bring on the Canaanites, viz. root them out of the Land.
Numb. 33. whole Chapter.
SECT. LXXXIX.
THe Lord now by Moſes declareth unto Iſrael the Bounds (a)V. 3. The Wilderneſs of Zin lay at the very Eaſt-end of the South-border, in the corner whereof it joyned with the Eaſt-border, right againſt the South-end of the Salt-Sea; that is, the Lake of Sodom called alſo the Dead-Sea, ſee Gen. 14.3. V. 7. This was not that Mount Hor where Aaron died, which was South-w…rd in the edge of Edoms Land, Ch. 33.37, 38. but another Mountain on the North-ſide of Canaan, by ſome ſuppoſed to be Libanus, and by other Mount Hermon.and Limits of the Land of Canaan lying within Jordan, which he intended to give them, that they might be aſſured they ſhould poſſeſs it, and might know how far they were to proceed in their Conqueſts, and where to ſtay, and according to theſe Bounds and Limits might make a diviſion of the Land among the nine Tribes, and half the Tribe of Manaſſeh; the Tribe of Reuben, Gad, and the other half Tribe of Manaſſeh having their lot on the other ſide Jordan. The perſons that were to make the diviſion were Eleazar the High Prieſt, Joſhua, and one Prince of every Tribe who are particularly named. The Tribes are here named in their particular Order, in which they ſhould inherit the Land, their Inheritance abutting one upon another, as their Names are here joyned together, to make it the more evident to them that they were alloted their Portions by the Wiſdom and Providence of God.
Numb. Ch. 34. whole Chapter.