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our heavenly citizenship. But He also ever"proves" us by this, that the enjoyment of
our right and privilege is made to depend upon a constantexercise of faith.
From Hawwarah, or Marah, a short march would bring Israel to a sweet and fertile
spot, nowknown as Waddy Gharandel, the Elim of Scripture, "where were twelve
wells of water, andthreescore and ten palm-trees; and they encamped there by the
waters." This spot was suitable for amore lengthened encampment. In point of fact, we
find that quite a month passed before their nextstage in the wilderness of Sin. (Exodus
16:1) Even now this valley, watered by a perennial stream,has rich pasturage for
cattle, and many shrubs and trees. Here, and in the neighborhood, the flocksand herds
would find good sustenance, and the people rest. Leaving Elim, the character of
thescenery changes. Instead of dreary level plains of sand, as hitherto, we are now
entering among themountains, and the bright green of the caper-plant forms a striking
contrast to the red sandstone ofthe rocks. Hitherto the route of Israel had been directly
southward, and in pursuing it, they hadsuccessively skirted the Tih, and near Elim a
belt of sand. But now the host was to enter on theSinaitic range itself. From Numbers
33:10, we know that from Elim their journey first brought themagain to the shore of
the "Sea of Weeds." The road which they would follow would be from
WadyGharandel through the Wady Taiyebeh, in a south westerly direction. Here the
sandstone again givesplace to chalk hills and rocks. Where the road descends to the
sea (at Ras Abu Zenimeh) it wouldtouch, probably, the most dreary, flat, and desolate
place in the whole wilderness. This spot was thenext camping-ground of the children
of Israel after Elim. From the shore of the Red Sea the nexthalting-place brought them
into the Wilderness of Sin itself. (Numbers 33:11) That name applies tothe whole
extensive sandy plain, which runs along the shore of the Red Sea, from the camping-
placeof Israel to the southern end of the Sinaitic Peninsula. On leaving the
Wilderness of Sin, (Numbers33:12-14) we read of two stations, Dophkah and, Alush,
before the Israelites reached Rephidim.The Wilderness of Sin, the modern El Markha,
is a dreary, desolate tract, which obtains its namefrom a long ridge of white chalk
hills.
In this inhospitable desert, the provisions which Israel had brought from Egypt, and
which had nowlasted a month, began to fail. Behind them, just above the range of
chalk cliffs, they would see, in thedistance, the purple streaks of those granite
mountains which form the proper Sinaitic group. To thewest lay the sea, and across it,
in the dim mist, they could just descry the rich and fertile Egypt,which they had for
ever left behind. Once more their unbelief broke forth. True, it was only againstMoses
that their murmurs rose. But in reality their rebellion was against God. To show this,
andthereby "to prove them, whether they would walk in the law of God or no,"
(Exodus 16:4) that is,follow Him implicitly, depending upon, and taking such
provision as He sent, and under theconditions that He dispensed it, God would now
miraculously supply their wants. Bread and meatwould be given them, both directly
(^)