THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.

43

Third: Both men and beasts were tormented by ciniphs, a small stinging insect.

Fourth: A plague of flies.

Fifth: A pestilence among the cattle.

Sixth Dreadful ulcers, or boils, which afflicted both men and beasts.

Seventh: A storm of thunder, lightning, and hail. Eighth: A plague of locusts.

Ninth: A darkness of three days, caused by vapors, so thick and heavy that they could be felt. Only in the land of Gessen the air was pure.

Tenth: The Angel of Death passed through the whole land of Egypt, killing the first-born in every house.

Before the last plague, the Lord commanded Moses to see that the Israelites sacrificed, in every house, an unspotted lamb. They were to partake of it with unleavened bread, standing with staves in their hands, and their garments girded, as if for a journey; they were also to sprinkle the door-posts with blood. The destroying angel passed by every house that was marked in this manner, but in all the others he slew the first-born. The Lord commanded also, that the same sacrifice should be offered every year, to commemorate the deliverance of the people. The Paschal Lamb was a figure of our Divine Saviour, by whose blood we are saved from eternal death.

When the Egyptians were struck by this last

What did God command before the tenth plague? Of what was the Paschal Lamb a figure?

plague, they were filled with terror. Then Pharao called for Moses and Aaron, and bade them lead the Israelites into the desert, as they had desired. He permitted them to take their flocks and herds; and God changed the hearts of the Egyptians, so that they lent them much gold and silver, and an abundant supply of garments. Thus, more than two hundred years after Jacob settled in Egypt, there departed six hundred thousand Israelites, without counting the children.

CHAPTER XIX.

DESTRUCTION OF PHARAO AND HIS HOSTS.-WANDERINGS OF THE ISRAELITIES IN THE DESERT.

G

OD showed His protecting presence to the Is

raelites, guiding the vast multitude by a cloud, which went before them all the day, changing to a pillar of fire at night.

In the meantime, the Egyptians began to recover from their terror, and to regret the loss of so many valuable slaves, whose labor they could always command. They remembered all the gold and silver and precious garments they had lent them, and they were uneasy, fearing to lose this wealth.

Pharao was also sorry that he let the people go,

How did God protect the Israelites? What led Pharao to pursue them?

DESTRUCTION OF PHARAO AND HIS HOSTS. 45

so he assembled a large army, with horses and chariots, and set out to pursue them. He found the Israciites encamped by the Red Sea. When they saw the king and his army, they gave themselves up for lost, and forgetting the mercies of God, began to murtur against Moses, for having brought them out to be slaughtered in the desert.

Then two great wondors took place. The cloud, which had gone before them, changed its place, and spread, like a great fog, between them and Pharao's army, so that they were hidden from view. Then Moses stretched his rod over the sea, and the waters rolled up on either side, and left a dry passage at the bottom, so that the whole multitude crossed in safety. Pharao thought that he could pass in the same manner, and went on some distance; but as soon as he and his army were in the bed of the sea, Moses stretched forth his rod gain, and the waters returned to their usual place, ourying Pharao and his hosts beneath the waves.

One would suppose that after such great miracles, the Israelites would never murm again; but it was not so. At Mara they complained of the bitterness of the water, and afterwards when their provisions failed, they began to lament for the flesh-pots of Egypt, and to reproach Moses with aaving brought them into the wilderness to die.

Then the Lord sai to Moses "Behold I will

Relate the passage of the Red Sea and destruction of Egyptian host.

rain bread from heaven for you." Moses learned what this promise meant on the following morning, when the face of the wilderness was covered with manna. This was a sweet substance, small like coriander seed, and looking, as it lay thick upon the ground, like hoar-frost. God gave the manna this property, that it satisfied every reasonable appetite, and maintained them in health and strength.

This wonderful food, which fell daily from Heaven, is considered a figure of the Holy Eucharist; and Our Lord Himself made this comparison, speaking to the Jews. He told them that their fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and were dead; that He was the Living Bread that came down from Heaven, and that those who partook of this Bread, should never die.

CHAPTER XX.

GOD GIVES WATER FROM A DRY ROCK.-VICTORY OVER

THE

THE AMALECITES.

HE Israelites came to a dry and sandy tract of country, where they could find no water. In this difficulty Moses prayed to God, and the Almighty commanded him to take his rod, and to go to the rock of Horeb. Moses did as he had been directed; when he had come to Horeb, he struck the ary rock, ana a

What occurred at Horeb and Cades?

CD GIVES WATER FROM A DRY ROCK.

47

plentiful stream of water gushed forth. Moses repeated the same miracle in a place called Cades; but on this occasion, he struck the rock twice. God knew that he had done this, half fearing the water would not come. This seems a very trifling fault, but it was revealed to Moses, that in punishment for his want of faith, he would never be permitted to enter the Land of Promise.

The march of the Israelites led them near the country of the Amalecites. These idolaters assembled a powerful army intending to destroy the strangers, or reduce them to slavery. The Israelites were disheartened, but Moses bade them confide in God. He chose Josue to command them, and notwithstanding that they were weary with their journey and poorly armed, the Lord granted them a signal victory.

On this occasion, God showed that prayer is more powerful than armed hosts. While Josue combatted in the valley, Moses prayed on the mountain, his hands raised to heaven. When through weariness he could no longer extend his hands, the ranks of the Israelites wavered, and the Amalecites seemed about to gain the day. Perceiving this, Aaron and Hur placed themselves on either side, and held up the hands of Moses until the enemy was completely defeated.

What victory did the Israelites gain? What is said of prayer!