The Pillar of Cloud and Fire.

NUMBERS IX. 15—23.

We have a further account of the pillar of cloud and fire; and we are told that as soon as the Tabernacle was put up, this cloud rested over it, something like the clouds which you may have seen resting in the air on a fine day over the top of some high hill, and perhaps shining with bright colours on the side next the sun, and looking dark on the other. "So it was alway: the cloud covered the Tabernacle by day, and the appearance of fire by night."

This cloud was meant to show the Israelites that God was present in a particular manner in his Tabernacle. You know that he is present everywhere, so that we can never get out of God's sight: but this was a token given to Israel only, to show that he was present with them, not only to see them and to hear them, but to protect them.

This cloud was also a sign for the people to follow, as armies follow a flag which guides them; for, "when the cloud was taken up from the Tabernacle, then, after that, the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched," or put down their tents to dwell in : "as long as the cloud abode upon the Tabernacle, they rested in the tents." So, if the cloud moved, they marched and if it rested, they rested; whether by night or by day: for by day it was dark, and they could see it; and it, perhaps, even cast a shadow over all the army, to keep it from the burning sun; and by night it was bright, and served as a bright moon to guide all their steps, and keep them from the confusion which such an army must have fallen into without such an aid. So, "whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried," or rested, "upon the Tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not but when it was taken up, they journeyed. At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses." Probably, some one was also on the watch, to see the motions of the cloud night and day, as soldiers are kept as sentinels, and take turns with each other; and the children of Israel were also always ready to march at a moment's notice, as we ought always to be ready to obey the will of God, which we also often learn from his holy word; for this world is to us what the wilderness was to the Israelites.

The Silver Trumpets, and March from Sinai.

NUMBERS X.

The children of Israel had pitched their tents before Mount Sinai for about a year, and they were now expected to remove; but, before they marched, they were commanded to make two silver trumpets; these, when both were blown, were to call the whole congregation together; and when one only was blown, it was to call the chiefs together. When any alarm was blown, or, instead of one long and continued sound, the notes of one trumpet were made to rattle, the people were to march; and each time the rattling alarm sounded, making a noise like tara-tan-tara, different bodies were to march one after another, so as to prevent jostling and confusion. If the alarm was to prepare for war, then a tara-tan-tara was blown on two trumpets.

These trumpets were also to be blown in the day of "gladness," or whenever Israel might triumph over their enemies; on "solemn days," or festivals, as the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacle; in the beginnings of their months, especially on the first day of the seventh month, which was a feast of blowing of trumpets: but you have been already told that nobody now knows exactly why this feast was kept: and lastly, these trumpets were to be blown over the "burnt-offerings," and over the "sacrifices" of their "peace-offerings," as expressing joy for the acceptance of them; and especially when they had, by faith, a view of the great sacrifice of Christ, which these offerings were intended to represent.

There were only two trumpets, for that was the number of the priests, who were Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron; and the priests only were to blow these trumpets. In Solomon's time there were a hundred and twenty priests, and then there were as many trumpets. And now the cloud moved, and all Israel moved. "And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses;" or, as we read in the ninth chapter-"At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched;" that is, set up their tents:-"as long as the cloud abode upon the Tabernacle, they rested in their tents:" Moses having given them God's command; and as we give things with the hand, it is here said to be given by the hand of Moses.

We may suppose that the cloud had stood for some time after it "was taken up from off the Tabernacle of the testimony," which was that part of

the Tabernacle where the ark of the testimony stood, even the most holy place. There must have been a great deal of work, to take down all the tents, and pack up all the goods; but as every family managed their own, the work was not so long in doing as we might at first suppose.

Here we have their order of march. "In the first place went the standard," or colours, "of the camp of the children of Judah;" just as our soldiers often march with flags flying to distinguish the different regiments; and they had for their captain, "Nahshon, the son of Aminadab." Then there was the Tabernacle, borne by the two families of the Levites, the sons of Gershon, and the sons of Merari, who were appointed to carry it. For this there were six waggons.

The second squadron was Reuben's, with its flag flying, and its captain; and this was followed by the Kohathites, bearing the sacred furniture of the Tabernacle; and those who had gone before with the Tabernacle set it up against these came with the furniture.

Then, third in order after the ark, followed Ephraim's squadron; and Last, "the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rere-ward," or gathering body, "of all the camps throughout their hosts." These took with them what were left of the rest-some being unfit to mix with the body, as were the unclean, and some were too feeble to go first, so they were allowed to march behind, and get forward at a slower rate.

What a noble army was here! How grand a sight it must have been to have seen it marching! For Judah's camp had a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred men fit for war; and Reuben's, an hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty warlike men; and Ephraim's, one hundred and eight thousand one hundred men fit for soldiers; and Dan's, one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred strong men; besides the Levites and others that were behind. Would not you have liked to have seen the flags flying over this great multitude, which made in all more than half a million of men, besides women and children, and priests?

The Murmuring Israelites fed with Quails.

NUMB. XI.

The people had for some time behaved themselves pretty well, and nothing very wrong is related about them since they committed the sin of worshipping a golden calf, but here we find them complaining.

What were their complaints about? When we consider how kindly God guided their camp, what good victuals they had, and what good company, and what care was taken of them in their marches, that their feet should not swell, nor their clothes wear, of which you will read in Deuteronomy,what cause could they have to complain ?

Good Mr. Henry says, "Those that are of a fretful, discontented spirit will always find something or other to quarrel with, though the circumstances of their outward condition be ever so favourable."

Such conduct is very ungrateful to God, and very displeasing to him; and so he consumed the ringleaders of these murmurers as he did Nadab and Abihu: “And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched. And he called the name of the place Taberah, which means a burning; because the fire of the Lord burnt among them." And, by giving the spot this name, they would remember what they brought upon themselves by murmuring; and others would hear and fear, and take warning, not to sin as they did, lest they should smart as they did.

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But what a provoking people were Israel! How fast one offence followed another! They soon murmured again. When they left Egypt, mixed multitude went up also with them ;" some perhaps being disposed to leave their country because it was wasted by plagues, and some hoping to benefit by sharing in the prosperity of Israel. These people, however, did not fear God, and they fell a-lusting," or earnestly wishing for what they thought better food, and for their own country. And the children of Israel followed their bad example, and they began to talk about what nice things they used to get in Egypt,-fish, and cucumbers, and melons, and leeks, and onions, and garlic,—and to complain of the manna. You may wonder that they reckoned leeks, and onions, and garlick, which is like onions, among the good things which they so greatly desired; they are, however, very nice things in that part of the world, and so richly flavoured that ours will give scarcely any notion of them. And they talked as if they had lived in Egypt like princes, and spoke of the manna as if it was the most unpleasant food in the world.

A traveller of the name of Burckhardt has lately discovered a food among the Arabs, a people in that country where the Israelites travelled, which

they call Mann, and which he thinks was the manna. It is true that that food is said to have come down from heaven; but so does this, for it is always found in years when there has been plenty of rain; and in the month of June, it drops like dew from the thorns of a tree called the Tamarisk, and covers the ground about it. This food is gathered before sunrise, when it has a substance that can be taken up by the hand, but it dissolves and becomes like water as soon as the sun shines upon it. The Arabs boil it, strain it through a coarse piece of cloth, and put it into leathern skins; in this way they preserve it till the next year, and use it as they do honey, to dip their bread into. The colour of this food is a dirty yellow, and its taste is very fine and as sweet as honey, and considered by the Arabs as the greatest dainty which their country affords.

Now, it is not unlikely that this is the kind of food which God miraculously multiplied for the people of Israel, and that he gave them this "greatest dainty," and yet they were not satisfied. If it was this food, it must have been greatly multiplied, because the Arabs cannot find more than five or six hundred pounds even in a plentiful year; whereas, I have before told you, that the Hebrew camp wanted not less than ninety-four thousand four hundred and thirty-six bushels of this food every day; and this was continued for forty years, whether those years were wet or dry.

God also promised to let the Israelites have as much meat as they desired. Moses wondered how they could get so much meat, and he said, “The people amongst whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them; or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?"-meaning, that if all the sheep, and goats, and bullocks were slain, which they had for sacrifice, they would not last for a month; and expressing surprise how so many fish, as seemed to him necessary, could be caught.

But God fulfilled his word about the meat. "And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled