(1) Waters of Marah. Directing their course to the southeast. the Hebrews were three days without water; and when they found some in Marah, it was so bitter they could not drink it, they murmured against Moses, saying he had brought them into the wilderness to kill them with thirst. Moses cried to God for their relief ; and God showed him a tree (perhaps the bitter Ardiphine), and he cast it into the waters and they became sweet. Marching thence, they came to Elim, where were twelve fountains of excellent water, and seventy palm-trees.
(2) Quails and Manna. On the fifteenth day of the second month. which was the thirty-first from their departure, they came to the wilder ness of Sin ; their food was quite spent, and now they murmured again, saying that Moses had brought them into the wilderness to kill them with hunger. Moses cried to the Lord. That very night a multitude of quails fell about their tents; and next morning the manna, which continued with them forty years, began to fall.
(3) Rephidim. When they came to Rephi dim. Moses. by God's direction, smote a rock with his rod, and thence came water, whose streams seem to have followed them about thirty-nine years. Here. chiefly by Moses' intercession, and by his holding up the rod of God in his hand, the Amalekites were defeated ; and to commemorate the victory, Moses reared up an altar, and called it lehavah-nissi, that is The Lord is my banner. While they tarried here, Jethro brought Moses his wife and children ; and to ease him of his great burden in judging the people, advised him to ap point heads of thousands, hundreds, and fifties, and tens ; and let these judge all the lesser causes. This measure, being approved by God, was im mediately put in execution (Exod. xiii-xviii; Deut. xi:4; Josh. xxiv :5-7; Neh. ix:9-15; Ps. lxxviii 1-29; cv:26-43; cvi :7-14; cxxxv: 8, 9, and exxxvi :11-15).
(4) Mount Sinai. On the first day of the third sacred month, the Hebrews came to Sinai. On this mount, God had told 'Moses the Hebrews would serve him. When Moses first ascended the mount, God told him his intention to enter into a cove nant with the people. When Moses rehearsed this to the people, they professed their readiness to do whatsoever the Lord should command them. When Moses returned to the mount, and repre sented their ready compliance with the divine will, God ordered him down to direct the people to sanctify themselves, and wash their clothes, as, on the third day, God would descend on the tnountain, and enter into covenant with them.
After they had purified themselves, flames from the top of the mount, and terrible claps of thun der, made all the congregation, Moses not ex cepted, to tremble and quake ; and all the country about shook and was illuminated. Boundaries were fixed around the mount, that neither man nor beast might touch it ; and all were com manded not to gaze. as if curious to behold any corporeal similitude of God amidst the fire. With an audible voice, that all Israel might hear, God proclaimed the covenant relation between him and them, and the ten summary precepts of the moral law, in a manner adapted to every particular person. The terrible thunders so frightened the Hebrew assembly that they begged the Lord would speak his mind only to Moses, and Moses declare it to them. Moses returned to the mount, and there received a variety of political and cere monial laws.
Descending, he erected twelve pillars for the twelve tribes, and offered by the hands of some young men, burnt-offerings and peace offerings on an altar erected of rough stones. The half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar; with the other half lie sprinkled the hook in which he had writ ten the laws he had received, and the people. After which, he and Aaron, and his sons, and seventy of the elders of Israel, went a little way up the mount, and feasted before the symbols of the presence of God. Thus was the covenant solemnly ratified (Exod. xix-xxiv; Dent. iv-v).
(5) Divine Directions. Leaving Aaron and Hur, and the seventy elders, to govern the people, Moses took Joshua along with him, at least part of his way, and went up to the mount, where they continued without any food for the space of forty days. God then gave Moses directions concern ing the formation of the ark, altars, vails, curtains, candlestick, and other things pertaining to the tabernacle; and concerning the priests' garments. and their consecration, and concerning burnt offerings, incense, and perfume, and conccrning the Sabbath; and ordered Bezaleel and Aholiab to frame the work of the tabernacle.