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must have become well known tohim. Nor could the Israelites themselves have been
quite ignorant of its character, considering theconstant connection between Egypt and
the desert. We are therefore the more disposed to attachcredit to those explorers who
have tried to ascertain what may have been the most likely route takenby the children
of Israel. This has of late years been made the subject of investigation by
scholarsthoroughly qualified for the task. Indeed, a special professional survey has
been made of the Desertof Sinai. The result is, that most of the stations on the
journey of Israel have been ascertained,while, in reference to the rest, great probability
attaches to the opinion of the explorers.
The first camping-place was, no doubt, the modern Ayun Musa (Wells of Moses),
about half anhour from the sea-shore. Even now the care of the foreign consuls has
made this a most pleasantgreen and fresh summer retreat. One of the latest travelers
has counted nineteen wells there, and theclumps of palm-trees afford a delightful
shade. There is evidence that, at the time of Moses, thedistrict was even more
carefully cultivated than now, and its water-supply better attended to. Nor isthere any
doubt as to the next stage in Israel's wilderness-journey. The accounts of travelers
quiteagree with the narrative of the Bible. Three days' journey over pebbly ground
through desert wadies,and at last among bare white and black limestone hills, with
nothing to relieve the eye except, in thedistance, the "shur," or wall of rocky mountain
which gives its name to the desert, would bring theweary, dispirited multitude to the
modern Hawwarah, the "Marah" of the Bible. Worse than fatigueand depression now
oppressed them, for they began to suffer from want of water. For three daysthey had
not come upon any spring, and their own supplies must have been well-nigh
exhausted.When arrived at Hawwarah they found indeed a pool, but, as the whole soil
is impregnated withnitre, the water was bitter (Marah) and unfit for use. Luther aptly
remarks that, when our provisionceases, our faith is wont to come to an end. It was so
here. The circumstances seemed indeedhopeless. The spring of Hawwarah is still
considered the worst on the whole road to Sinai, and nomeans have ever been
suggested to make its waters drinkable. But God stilled the murmuring of thepeople,
and met their wants by a miraculous interposition. Moses was shown a tree which he
was tocast into the water, and it became sweet. Whether or not it was the thorny shrub
which grows soprofusely at Hawwarah, is of little importance. The help came directly
from heaven, and the lessonwas twofold.
"There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them."
(Exodus 15:25)
The "statute," or principle, and "the ordinance," or fight, was this, that in all seasons of
need andseeming impossibility the Lord would send deliverance straight from above,
and that Israel mightexpect this during their wilderness-journey. This "statute" is, for
all times, the principle of God'sguidance, and this "ordinance" the right or privilege of
(^)