The Bible Battles, Chapter 20
CHAPTER. XX. Of marching forward and encamping.
WHen peaceable meanes cannot prevaile, but that the cauſe muſt needes be tryed by the dint of ſword, then muſt be conſidered and care had of marching on. The Lord himſelfe ſet an order in going forward▪ and in marching to his people: firſt, he himſelfe went before them in a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, toExo: 13. 21 leade their way: but when the enemy with a mighty hoſt was behinde them, then the Lord got himſelfe betweene his people and the Egyptians, to overthrow them; for as a Generall he cared for the ſafety of his Army which he had brought out ofExo. 14. 19 24. Deu. 20. 9. Num. 2. 34 with verſe 2 Num. 2. 17. Ioel 2. 7, 8. Chro: 12. 33. 3. 5. See the margin. Deut. 25. 18. Egypt with a powerful hand. 2. He appointed that Captains choſen ſhould leade the people. 3. That the people ſhould ſet forward every one after their families according to the houſes of their fathers with the Enſigne thereof, the clo…d being taken vp. 4. Before they marched the trum pets ſounded, and in marching they kept ranke, obſerving order; the weakeſt went hindermoſt. The Heathen alſo did ſee to this: They could march every one in his way, not breaking rankes, not thruſting one another, but every one walking in his path; ſo they kept an equall diſtance from one another; If they be too ne…re they are trouble ſome to themſelues that they cannot vſe their weapons; if too far aſunder they make way for the Enemy to breake in vponupon them; diſorderly marching may not be endured. Scipio correctedFlor exit▪ Liv. 58. & 34. ſuch as hee eſpied out of ranke; ſo did Cato, who would ſtrike them with his leading ſtaffe, and commanded the Captaines to chaſtiſe them.
In going on, ſpies were wont to be ſent forth before, to diſcover the1 Sam: …3. 22, 23. Enemie; This did Saul when he went againſt David; Ioſ…a ſent ſpies intoIoſ: 2. 1. 9. the land before him to know how the people were affected. For to heare of feare and terrour in the Enemie is a great heartening to goe forward. This whetted on Godeon to ſetIud: 7, 10, …1, 13 vponupon the Midianites, and much ſtrengthened his heart. This ſending forth or going to learne ſomewhat from the enemie, was commanded Gideon by God himſelfe. So David ſent out ſpies to vnderſtand what… Sa: 26. 4 1 Mach: 5: 38: & 12: 20 Saul did. And Machabeus ſent ſpies into the hoſt of the Enemies, and ſo did Ionathan. Its wiſedome to hauehave ſome with the Enemy to diſcouer his purpoſes and deſignements, if it may be, as David had Huſhai with Abſolom, and men ſecretly in Ieruſalem to bring him newes. Gabrias the AthenianPluta. Apotheg: Liv: 122 Captaine ſaid, that he deſerved no then me of a Generall, that vnderſtood not the eſtate of his Enemies. Livie reporteth that Hannibal vnderſtood what was done in the Enemies Campe, as well as they, partly by eſpialls ſent into the Campe, and partly by his owne diligence. God2 K. 6. 9. himſelfe ſometime by his Prophet did extraordinarily reveale the ſecret counſel of the Syrian vntounto the King of Iſrael to prevent miſchiefes. From God and man Generals are taught to learne, and ſee, and vnderſtand what their Enemies doe.
When they march and doe ſecure themſelues from ambuſhments, and dangerous paſſages, they muſt conſider2 K 6. 8. well where to encamp; as the Syrian King did warring with Iſrael. The encamping of Iſrael by the Lords direction was foureſquare; and the Tabernacle in the midſt with PrieſtsNum: 2. and Levites to attend their office. There were foure ſtandards pitched; the firſt of Iudah Eaſtward, the ſecond▪ of Reuben Southward, the third of Ephraim Weſtward, and the fourth of Dan Northward. To every of theſe belonged two Tribes; ſo as three Tribes was vnderunder one ſtandard, and the whole hoſt of all three numbred together; Then were there enſignes, which were pitched alſo by the ſtandards, which were the enſignes of their Fathers houſes: In marchingNum: 10. 5, 6, 14, 18 22, 25. they kept this order: 1. the Eaſt ſide went forward, and then the Southſide, then the Weſt, and then the North; before all which went the Arke, to ſearch out a reſting place for them; and when if ſet forward, or reſted, a holy ſpeech was vttered by Moſes either time; this was theNum: 10 33. 36. manner of encamping, and marching in the wilderneſſe.
But they had alſo another kinde and forme of entronching which was round, as appeareth by the manner of ſpeech according to Innius and Tremelius tranſlation; David is ſaid… Sa: 17. 20 to come, ambitu plauſtrorum: ſo asthey lay it may ſeeme intrenched round with carts. They had a care to lodge ſafely by intrenching themſelues. Gorgias campe was ſtrong2 Mach. 4. …. compaſſed about with expere horſemen. This Caeſar had ſpeciall care of, he would not neglect this worke at any hand, nor bee deterred by hisBel. Gal. 2. Civ. 1. Liv. 27. enemies, ſending to offer battell to hinder the ſame. Fulvius the Proconſul neglecting this was ſuddenly ſet vponupon by Hannibal, and overthrowne and all his company. So was Lod…wike Naſſa brother to the Prince of Orange ſlaine, and moſtAnno 1568 of his company, through idleneſſe, and want of skill withall, to entrench well themſelues. In Iſrael the Generall was ever in the Camp. Saul was alwayes in the Campe; ſo was Moſes, and Ioſua, Ioab in the2 Sam: 11 11. 1 Mach. 4. 4. hoſt, and Gorgias in his Campe. Heroicall hearts ſhould diſdaine to follow pleaſure, though lawfull, when they ſhould be in the field; this contempt of pleaſure was in Vriah, one of Dauids Worthies, becauſe the General and the hoſt lay in their Tents.
They did encampe in as convenientNum: 21. Exod: 15. 27. & 16. 12. 15 1 Sa: 29. … Iud. 7. 1. places as they could, by wells of water, and tr…es, as Iſraelites did, and as did the Philiſtims by a fountaine; … by the well of Harad; and Timotheus the wicked Heathen, and Ionathan at the water of Genneſar, 1 Mach: 5. 37. & 11. 67. Exod: 18. 6 & 19. 2. 1 Sa: 26. 3. & 28 4. & 31. 1. Nu: 21. 12. & 22. 1. Deut: 10 7 Iudg: 6: 33. & 7. 8. 1 Chro: 11. 15:vponupon or by a hill or mountaine, as Moſes with Iſrael did; and Saul vponupon Hachilah, and on Mount Gilboah. Alſo in vallies and plaines, as Iſraelites did in the valley of Zared, and in the plaines of Moab neere Iordan: and in Iothah a land of rivers of water. The hoſt of Midian pitched in the valley of Iezreel, and the Philiſtims in the valley of Rephaim, which a ſtrong hoſt may dare to doe.
Whereſoever they encamped, theyIud: 7. 8 2 K: 7, 7 1 Mach. 9: 2 & 4. 20 Iudg: 7, 11 2 K: 7: 8: 10 1 Mach: 4: 23 had their tents to lye in, every one had his tent; not onelyonly Iſraelites in their owne land, but alſo the Heathen: ſo had the Syrians, and Dem…trius hoſt vnderunder Bachides and the lewd Aleimus and others. And in theſe tents they lay by rankes▪ by which they tyed their horſes and Aſſes, and in which they laid vp their victualls, treaſure, and ſuch things as they had; For in them were found golde, ſilver, raiment, blue, ſilke, purple and great riches.
Before they remooved there wasIoſ: 1. 10, 11. & 3: 2, 3, 4 Iud: 7: 19 1 Mach: 12 27. warning given throughout the whole hoſt, and it was tolde them what they ſhould doe. Till they remooved they ſet diligent watch, and carefully keepe it, eſpecially when they thought an enemie ready to ſet vponupon them.