III.

THE ISRAELITES IN EGYPT.

§ 27. BIRTH OF MOSES. [Exodus i. ii.]

After the death of Jacob and Joseph, the Israelites had no longer a common chieftain, but every tribe had a distinct name, taken from that of their several chieftains, that is to say, from the names of the sons of Jacob. Yet all the tribes lived in entire seclusion from the Egyptians, so that their pure knowledge of God could not be disturbed by Egyptian idolatry.

In the course of time, a new king arose, who knew not Joseph, nor the meritorious services which he had rendered Egypt, and regarded with indignation and animosity the flourishing condition and mighty increase of the Israelites. He feared their vast multitude, and apprehended that they, looked upon as they were as foreigners, might rebel, or leave the land against his will, and join his enemies. He, therefore, afflicted them with intolerable burthens, forced them to perform the most rigorous services, and treated them in the most cruel manner. And when he saw that he did not succeed in accomplishing his object by all these means, he issued the inhuman decree, that all newborn male children should be cast into the river: hoping that thus the Israelites would gradually die out. But God had so ordained it that the descendants of Jacob should be preserved, in order that He might accomplish, through them, great and miraculous deeds. The more the Israelites were afflicted, the more they multiplied and increased. In the year 2413, after the Creation of the World, a handsome boy was born also to Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi. They hid him in their house three

months. But they could no longer conceal him; for the eye of envy is watchful, and treachery never sleeps. Jochebed, therefore, wove a little ark of bulrushes, put the child into it, placed it amidst the flags by the river's brink, and bade her daughter Miriam stand afar off to watch the child. It happened then that the daughter of the king came down to the river to bathe. She saw the ark, and ordered one of her maids that were with her, to take it out of the water and bring it to her. When she opened it, and saw a weeping child in it, she exclaimed with emotion: "Oh! this is one of the Hebrews' children.” When Miriam observed the emotion of the king's daughter, she ran to her and said: "Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for thee?" And Pharaoh's daughter replied to her: "Yes, go." And the maid hastened and called the child's mother, who thus had her own child returned to her from the hand of the princess.

When the child had grown up, the daughter of Pharaoh took him as her own son, and called him Moses, that is, "the Child rescued from the Waters."

§ 28. MOSES MANIFESTING HIS ATTACHMENT TO HIS PEOPLE. [Exodus ii.]

Moses, being educated at the palace of the king, had ample opportunity to develop his talents, and learn all the wisdom of the Egyptians, which afterwards was of great advantage to him. The Princess herself regarded him as her son. No doubt, if he had desired it, he could have attained to the highest offices and dignities of Egypt, and he could have enjoyed, at the royal court, all the pleasures that the world could afford. But the sight of his suffering brethren filled him with profound grief; he disdained the glory that the Egyptians could bestow upon him, while the sad condition of his brethren engaged all his thoughts

and feelings. Once, seeing an Egyptian cruelly beat an Israelite, he was so deeply moved by the sight that, in taking the part of his brother, he allowed his zeal to carry him so far, that he slew the Egyptian-no doubt inad vertently, in the zeal of his interference-and then hid him in the sand. On the following day he found two Hebrews striving together, and said to him who was in the wrong: "Why smitest thou thy fellow?" Upon which the man replied: "Who made thee a ruler and judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian?" Then Moses became afraid, and said to himself: "Surely the thing is already become known." Now, when Pharaoh heard of the event, Moses was no longer secure in Egypt. He, therefore, fled to Midian, and sat down fatigued by his journey, near a well.

There lived a priest in Midian, named Jethro, who had seven daughters. These just came out with their flocks to draw water; but other shepherds came and drove them away. Moses could not endure to see this injustice, he helped the maids, and thus enabled them to water their flocks. When they had returned to their father's house, they related all that had happened. Then said Jethro: "Where is the man? why have ye not invited him here to eat?" Moses was at once sent for, and consented to dwell with Jethro, who gave him his daughter Zipporah for his wife, and kept henceforth the flock of his father-inlaw. He had two sons, whom he called Gershom and Eliezer.

In the meanwhile, the king of Egypt died; but the condition of the Israelities grew still more miserable. "And they sighed by reason of their bondage," and they cried for help to their Father in heaven, and He harkened unto their lamentations.

§ 29. THE APPOINTMENT OF MOSES. (Exodus iii)

Moses, as we have just heard, kept the flock of Jethro. For many years he had led the life of a simple and modest shepherd, and reflected, in the solitude of the desert, upon the misery of his fellow-Israelites in Egypt. During this

time he had acquired, moreover, that calmness and discretion which were necessary for him as the deliverer of his people from the hand of the tyrant. The heat and rashness of his youth had abated, and thus he was well matured for the plans which God had laid out concerning the redemption of Israel.

One day he tended his flock near the foot of Mount Horeb. All at once he beheld a bush in flames, and yet, the bush was not consumed. He drew near more closely to examine the appearance, when the voice of God addressed him, saying: "Moses, draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." And God said furthermore: "I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. I have seen the affliction of my people, thy brethren, and have heard their lamentations, and I am come down to deliver them. Go to Pharaoh in Egypt, and demand of him that he should let my people depart from Egypt. And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go; but I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders, and after that he will let you go. Moses, believing that he was not equal to such a task, would not accept the appointment, and said: "But the people of Israel will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice, and will say: God hath not appeared unto thee." Then said God to him: "Behold! by my help the Israelites will hearken unto thy voice." Moses still hesitated to undertake the great work, and said: "Thou knowest, O my Lord! that I am not eloquent, but that I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” Then God answered him, saying; "Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Eternal? Now, therefore, go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." Moses said: "O my Lord! send him whom thou wilt send." Then said the Eternal with great force: "Do I not know that thy brother Aaron is very eloquent? He will come forth to meet thee, and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. He shall be thy companion and thy spokesman before the king and the people.

Moses thereupon returned to his father-in-law, took leave from him, and then started upon his journey to Egypt. While journeying through the wilderness, he met his brother Aaron, and conversed with him concerning the great task which God had intrusted to him. They then went together to Egypt, gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel, and communicated to them the will of their God. And the people believed, bowed their heads, and worshipped.

§ 30. THE DELIVERANCE OF THE ISRAELITES FROM THE EGYPTIAN BONDAGE. [Exodus xii.]

Moses and Aaron stepped before Pharaoh, and demanded of him, by virtue of God's command, to let the Israelites go on a three day's journey to celebrate a feast in the wilderness. But the heathen king proudly replied upon this demand: "Who is the Eternal, your God, that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go? I know not your God, neither will I let Israel go. There is too great a number of idle people in the land; wherefore will ye keep them from their work? Get you unto your burdens! Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us go and celebrate a feast in the desert. But now ye shall be forced to do still harder work, in order that ye may forget all desire of celebrating feasts!" And the Israelites were indeed still more oppressed, and, full of indignation, they said to Moses and Aaron: "The Lord look upon you and judge, because ye have made our savor to be abhored in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us." Then Moses prayed, saying: "Lord, wherefore hast Thou so evil-entreated this people? Why is it that Thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath oppressed this people still more, and Thou hast not yet delivered them." God then renewed his promise of help and protection, and the speedy delivery of the Israelites. Moses conveyed these promises to his brethren; but they would not listen to him, for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage.