the antiquities of the jews-1-第31章

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flying　from　them。

5。　But　Moses；　though　the　multitude　looked　fiercely　at　him；　did
not；　however；　give　over　the　care　of　them；　but　despised　all
dangers；　out　of　his　trust　in　God；　who；　as　he　had　afforded　them
the　several　steps　already　taken　for　the　recovery　of　their
liberty；　which　he　had　foretold　them；　would　not　now　suffer　them　to
be　subdued　by　their　enemies；　to　be　either　made　slaves　or　be　slain
by　them；　and；　standing　in　midst　of　them；　he　said；　〃It　is　not　just
of　us　to　distrust　even　men；　when　they　have　hitherto　well　managed
our　affairs；　as　if　they　would　not　be　the　same　hereafter；　but　it
is　no　better　than　madness；　at　this　time　to　despair　of　the
providence　of　God；　by　whose　power　all　those　things　have　been
performed　he　promised；　when　you　expected　no　such　things：　I　mean
all　that　I　have　been　concerned　in　for　deliverance　and　escape　from
slavery。　Nay；　when　we　are　in　the　utmost　distress；　as　you　see　we
ought　rather　to　hope　that　God　will　succor　us；　by　whose　operation
it　is　that　we　are　now　this　narrow　place；　that　he　may　out　of　such
difficulties　as　are　otherwise　insurmountable　and　out　of　which
neither　you　nor　your　enemies　expect　you　can　be　delivered；　and　may
at　once　demonstrate　his　own　power　and　his　providence　over　us。　Nor
does　God　use　to　give　his　help　in　small　difficulties　to　those　whom
he　favors；　but　in　such　cases　where　no　one　can　see　how　any　hope　in
man　can　better　their　condition。　Depend；　therefore；　upon　such　a
Protector　as　is　able　to　make　small　things　great；　and　to　show　that
this　mighty　force　against　you　is　nothing　but　weakness；　and　be　not
affrighted　at　the　Egyptian　army；　nor　do　you　despair　of　being
preserved；　because　the　sea　before；　and　the　mountains　behind；
afford　you　no　opportunity　for　flying；　for　even　these　mountains；
if　God　so　please；　may　be　made　plain　ground　for　you；　and　the　sea
become　dry　land。〃

CHAPTER　16。

How　The　Sea　Was　Divided　Asunder　For　The　Hebrews；　When　They　Were
Pursued　By　The　Egyptians；　And　So　Gave　Them　An　Opportunity　Of
Escaping　From　Them。

1。　When　Moses　had　said　this；　he　led　them　to　the　sea；　while　the
Egyptians　looked　on；　for　they　were　within　sight。　Now　these　were
so　distressed　by　the　toil　of　their　pursuit；　that　they　thought
proper　to　put　off　fighting　till　the　next　day。　But　when　Moses　was
come　to　the　sea…shore；　he　took　his　rod；　and　made　supplication　to
God；　and　called　upon　him　to　be　their　helper　and　assistant；　and
said　〃Thou　art　not　ignorant；　O　Lord；　that　it　is　beyond　human
strength　and　human　contrivance　to　avoid　the　difficulties　we　are
now　under；　but　it　must　be　thy　work　altogether　to　procure
deliverance　to　this　army；　which　has　left　Egypt　at　thy
appointment。　We　despair　of　any　other　assistance　or　contrivance；
and　have　recourse　only　to　that　hope　we　have　in　thee；　and　if　there
be　any　method　that　can　promise　us　an　escape　by　thy　providence；　we
look　up　to　thee　for　it。　And　let　it　come　quickly；　and　manifest　thy
power　to　us；　and　do　thou　raise　up　this　people　unto　good　courage
and　hope　of　deliverance；　who　are　deeply　sunk　into　a　disconsolate
state　of　mind。　We　are　in　a　helpless　place；　but　still　it　is　a
place　that　thou　possessest；　still　the　sea　is　thine；　the　mountains
also　that　enclose　us　are　thine；　so　that　these　mountains　will　open
themselves　if　thou　commandest　them；　and　the　sea　also；　if　thou
commandest　it；　will　become　dry　land。　Nay；　we　might　escape　by　a
flight　through　the　air；　if　thou　shouldst　determine　we　should　have
that　way　of　salvation。〃

2。　When　Moses　had　thus　addressed　himself　to　God；　he　smote　the　sea
with　his　rod；　which　parted　asunder　at　the　stroke；　and　receiving
those　waters　into　itself；　left　the　ground　dry；　as　a　road　and　a
place　of　flight　for　the　Hebrews。　Now　when　Moses　saw　this
appearance　of　God；　and　that　the　sea　went　out　of　its　own　place；
and　left　dry　land；　he　went　first　of　all　into　it；　and　bid　the
Hebrews　to　follow　him　along　that　divine　road；　and　to　rejoice　at
the　danger　their　enemies　that　followed　them　were　in；　and　gave
thanks　to　God　for　this　so　surprising　a　deliverance　which　appeared
from　him。

3。　Now；　while　these　Hebrews　made　no　stay；　but　went　on　earnestly；
as　led　by　God's　presence　with　them；　the　Egyptians　supposed　first
that　they　were　distracted；　and　were　going　rashly　upon　manifest
destruction。　But　when　they　saw　that　they　were　going　a　great　way
without　any　harm；　and　that　no　obstacle　or　difficulty　fell　in
their　journey；　they　made　haste　to　pursue　them；　hoping　that　the
sea　would　be　calm　for　them　also。　They　put　their　horse　foremost；
and　went　down　themselves　into　the　sea。　Now　the　Hebrews；　while
these　were　putting　on　their　armor；　and　therein　spending　their
time；　were　beforehand　with　them；　and　escaped　them；　and　got　first
over　to　the　land　on　the　other　side　without　any　hurt。　Whence　the
others　were　encouraged；　and　more　courageously　pursued　them；　as
hoping　no　harm　would　come　to　them　neither：　but　the　Egyptians　were
not　aware　that　they　went　into　a　road　made　for　the　Hebrews；　and
not　for　others；　that　this　road　was　made　for　the　deliverance　of
those　in　danger；　but　not　for　those　that　were　earnest　to　make　use
of　it　for　the　others'　destruction。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　ever
the　whole　Egyptian　army　was　within　it；　the　sea　flowed　to　its　own
place；　and　came　down　with　a　torrent　raised　by　storms　of　wind；
（30）　and　encompassed　the　Egyptians。　Showers　of　rain　also　came
down　from　the　sky；　and　dreadful　thunders　and　lightning；　with
flashes　of　fire。　Thunderbolts　also　were　darted　upon　them。　Nor　was
there　any　thing　which　used　to　be　sent　by　God　upon　men；　as
indications　of　his　wrath；　which　did　not　happen　at　this　time；　for
a　dark　and　dismal　night　oppressed　them。　And　thus　did　all　these
men　perish；　so　that　there　was　not　one　man　left　to　be　a　messenger
of　this　calamity　to　the　rest　of　the　Egyptians。

4。　But　the　Hebrews　were　not　able　to　contain　themselves　for　joy　at
their　wonderful　deliverance；　and　destruction　of　their　enemies；
now　indeed　supposing　themselves　firmly　delivered；　when　those　that
would　have　forced　them　into　slavery　were　destroyed；　and　when　they
found　they　had　God　so　evidently　for　their　protector。　And　now
these　Hebrews　having　escaped　the　danger　they　were　in；　after　this
manner；　and　besides　that；　seeing　their　enemies　punished　in　such　a
way　as　is　never　recorded　of　any　other　men　whomsoever；　were　all
the　night　employed　in　singing　of　hymns；　and　in　mirth。　（31）　Moses
also　composed　a　song　unto　God；　containing　his　praises；　and　a
thanksgiving　for　his　kindness；　in　hexameter　verse。　（32）

5。　As　for　myself；　I　have　delivered　every　part　of　this　history　as
I　found　it　in　the　sacred　books；　nor　let　any　one　wonder　at　the
strangeness　of　the　narration　if　a　way　were　discovered　to　those
men　of　old　time；　who　were　free　from　the　wickedness　of　the　modern
ages；　whether　it　happened　by　the　will　of　God　or　whether　it
happened　of　its　own　accord；　…　while；　for　the　sake　of　those　that
accompanied　Alexander；　king　of　Macedonia；　who　yet　lived；
comparatively　but　a　little　while　ago；　the　Pamphylian　Sea　retired
and　afforded　them　a　passage　（33）　through　itself；　had　no　other　way
to　go；　I　mean；　when　it　was　the　will　of　God　to　destroy　the
monarchy　of　the　Persians：　and　this　is　confessed　to　be　true　by　all
that　have　written　about　the　actions　of　Alexander。　But　as　to　these
events；　let　every　one　determine　as　he　pleases。

6。　On　the　next　day　Moses　gathered　together　the　weapons　of　the
Egyptians；　which　were　brought　to　the　camp　of　the　Hebrews　by　the
current　of　the　sea；　and　the　force　of　the　winds　resisting　it；　and
he　conjectured　that　this　also　happened　by　Divine　Providence；　that
so　they　might　not　be　destitute　of　weapons。　So　when　he　had　ordered
the　Hebrews　to　arm　themselves　with　them；　he　led　them　to　Mount
Sinai；　in　order　to　offer　sacrifice　to　God；　and　to　render
oblations　for　the　salvation　of　the　multitude；　as　he　was　charged
to　do　beforehand。

BOOK　III。


Containing　The　Interval　Of　Two　Years。

From　The　Exodus　Out　Of　Egypt；　To　The　Rejection　Of　That
Generation。

CHAPTER　1。

How　Moses　When　He　Had　Brought　The　People　Out　Of　Egypt　Led　Them　To
Mount　Sinai；　But　Not　Till　They　Had　Suffered　Much　In　Their
Journey。

1。　When　the　Hebrews　had　obtained　such　a　wonderful　deliverance；
the　country　was　a　great　trouble　to　them；　for　it　was　entirely　a
desert；　and　without
sustenance　for　them；　and　al