apparel, and proclaimed a fast which was kept with the utmost strictness and solemnity throughout the camp, while their zealous conductor obtained a sight of the divine glory, or of the* angel under whose protection the people were to march towards the land of Ca naan. Moses, having remained on the Mount other forty days, and made two new tables to supply the place of those he had recently broken, presented himself again before the congregation, who were much surprised to observe such a radiant glory upon his face, that they were unable to look upon him till he had covered it with a veil. He now demanded a free-will offering of all sorts of materials for the tabernacle, sacerdotal vestments, utensils, &c., and was cheerfully supplied by the people with the richest jewels, metals, and other valuable things, including oils, ointments, and exquisite perfumes, which he distributed to proper workmen and artificers under the direction of Bezaleel and Aholiab, whom God had endowed with extraordinary skill and wisdom to execute all the different designs according to his express di rection. As various passages of holy writ imply, that no one can see God and live, while others relate the appearance of the Supreme Being in the most familiar manner, is requisite to observe, that the glorious person who appeared to the patriarchs and prophets was Jesus Christ, the second person in the blessed Trinity, who is spoken of by St. Paul as the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of his person; and who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God. Vide Hebrews, 1 chap. and 3d verse, and Philippians, 2 chap. and 6th verse. B. C. This work was performed with such diligence and alacrity, that in less than 1490. six months the tabernacle, with all its splendid furniture and costly apparatus, was completed, and set up at the foot of Mount Sinai, where Aaron and his sons, after a solemn consecration, began to offer sacrifices upon the new altar according to the ceremonial law. Aaron had not long enjoyed the pontifical dignity, before his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, were struck dead by fire from Heaven; in consequence of their presuming to burn incense in the tabernacle with strange fire, in opposition to the command of Moses. That rebellious disposition, which had been manifested on several occasions since the departure of Israel from the land of their cruel servitude, soon broke out afresh under temporary inconveniences, notwithstanding the frequent manifestation of God's incomparable love, and the recent calamities which were with difficulty obviated by the mediation of Moses. Thus a violent murmuring at Taberah, on account of a long march, occasioned the destruction of the extremities of the camp by a miraculous fire: an audacious complaint against the manna, with a tumultuous demand for flesh, was followed by a dreadful distemper, which swept vast numbers to an untimely grave, while they were feasting on an abundant supply of quails: an insurrection, resulting from mere cowardice and distrust, at the report of the spies* whom Moses had sent to *These persons extolled the richness of the promised land in the highest terms, and produced some specimens of its fertility in a large cluster of grapes, some fine pomegra nates, to examine the promised land, caused their heavenly patron to affirm, that none of them who were above twenty years of age, except Joshua and Caleb, should enter into that rich inheritance; but that they should wander about from place to place, till all their bodies should return to their native dust in the wilderness: and the rebellion of Korah called down such exemplary vengeance from the Most High, that the ringleader, with two hundred and fifty of his associates, who stood with their censers before the tabernacle, were destroyed by a supernatural fire; while the families of Dathan and Abiram (other conspirators) were swallowed up by a partial earthquake, and fourteen thousand seven hundred other delinquents fell beneath the hand of the destroying angel, before Aaron could make preparations for a public atonement. B. C. 1453. The Israelites, having wandered near thirty years in the desert of Arabia Petræa, removed from Ezion-Gaber to Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, where a fresh murmuring arose for want of water, and Moses was again commanded to bring them a fresh supply out of the rock, but he performed the operation in such a manner as was displeasing to God, who therefore excluded him and his brother Aaron from entering into the promised land. Here the Hebrews defeated Arad, one of the Canaanitish monarchs, and destroyed some of his towns; calling the field of victory Kormah, or utter destruction, nates, figs, and other fruits; but at the same time represented the destined conquest as impracticable, on account of thestrength of the cities, and the extraordinary stature and bravery of the inhabitants. though though the total ruin of that country did not happen till the time of Joshua. Their next encampment was at the foot of Mount Hor, on the borders of the land of Edom. Here Moses conducted Aaron and his son Eleazar to the summit of the mountain, and having stripped the former of his sacerdotal robes, in sight of all the people, transferred the office of high priest to Eleazar. At the conclusion of this ceremony Aaron died, and was buried on the spot: but the place was kept so private, that none of those countries could ever discover it. Miriam, the sister of Moses, expired soon after, in the hundred and thirtieth year of her age. The fatigue of their next march, and a scarcity of provision, caused the people once more to murmur against their divine conductor, who immediately sent such large flights of fiery serpents into the camp, that multitudes of them died for their transgression, and the survivors were compelled with deep humility, to intercede for deliverance. Moses was then commanded to cast a brazen serpent, of the same figure with those that infested them, and to set it on a pole on some rising ground, that the sufferers might look upon it and be healed. After several marches between the countries of Moab and Ammon, they came to the land of the Amorites, where Sihon, king of Heshbon, (having refused them a passage through his territories) was overthrown in a pitched battle, and utterly despoiled of his kingdom. Og, the king of Bashan, underwent the same fate upon a similar occasion, About this time Balak, king of Moab, B. C. in compliance with Balaam's advice, or 1452. dered dered his subjects to invite the Hebrews to a grand festival, where they were enticed from one crime to another by the most beautiful of the Moabitish and Midianitish women, till at length they did not scruple to bring a great number of these fair deluders to the camp. This transaction occasioned a plague, which carried off twentyfour thousand offenders. But the authors of the misfortune had no cause of triumph; as five of the idolatrous kings, who were in alliance with Balak, were put to the sword, and the Israelitish army took an ample revenge in burning the cities, massacreing the male inhabitants, among whom was Balaam, and carrying off a considerable booty, one fiftieth part of which was given to the priests, and a similar share to the Levites. Moses was now commanded to take an account of all the children of Israel that were able to bear arms, whom he accordingly found to amount to six hundred, and one thousand seven hundred and thirty, beside twenty three thousand Levites. He also received orders to direct the distribution of the promised land among the tribes by lot, not into equal parts, but in proportion to the number of families in each tribe. The numbering of the people being finished, God commanded Moses to ascend Mount Nebo, and take a view of that delightful land, from which he was excluded on account of his indecent deportment in the desert of Zin. The Jewish legislator obeyed, and, having received an intimation of his approaching death, endeavoured to settle the public affairs in the best order he could establish. He accordingly caused Joshua to be solemnly nominated for his successor; and directed the elders to build a capacious altar upon Mount |