The history of the world

§. VII. Of the passage of Israel from Succoth towards the Red Sea: and of the diuers wayes leading out of Aegypt.

FRom Succoth in the morning following, Moses led the Israelites towards the Desart of Etham, to recouer the Mountaine foot, by the edge of that Wildernesse, though hee intended nothing lesse then to goe out that way, of all other the neerest. But being assured of the multitude of Horsemen and armed Chariots, that followed him, hee kept himselfe [unspec 30] from being incompassed, by keeping the rough and Mountainous ground on his left hand. At Etham hee rested but one night, and then hee reflected backe from the en∣trance thereof, and marched away directly towardes the South; the distance be∣tweene it and Succoth being about eight mile. That hee forbare to enter Arabia be∣ing then in sight thereof, it seemeth to proceed from three respects; the first two naturall; the third diuine. For Pharaoh being then at hand, and hauing receiued in∣telligence of the way which Moses tooke, perswaded himselfe, that the numbers which Moses led, consisting of aboue a Million, if not two Millions of soules, (for as* 1.1 it is written Exod. the 12. Great multitudes of sundry sorts of people went out with them) could not possibly passe ouer those Desart and high Mountaines with so great multi∣tudes [unspec 40] of Women, Children, and Cattell, but that at the very entrance of that fast∣nesse he should haue ouer-taken them, and destroyed the greatest numbers of them. For these his owne wordes: They are tangledin the Land, the Wildernesse hath shut them in, doe shew his hopes and intents; which Moses by turning another way did fru∣strate. Secondly, Moses by offering to enter Arabia that way, drew Pharaoh to∣wardes the East-side of the Land of Gosen, or Rameses: from whence (missing Moses there) his pursuit after him with his Chariots was more difficult, by reason of the roughnesse of the way; and howsoeuer, yet while the Hebrewes kept the Mountaine foot on the left hand, they were better secured from the ouer-bearing violence both of the Horse and Chariots. Thirdly, Moses confidence in the Al-powerfull God was [unspec 50] such, by whose spirit, only wise, he was directed, as hee rather made choice to leaue the glory of his deliuerance and victorie to Almightie God, than eyther by an escape the next way, or by the strength of his multitude, consisting of 600000. men, to cast the successe vpon his owne vnderstanding, wise conduction, or valour. The third

day he marched with a double pace from Etham towards the Valley of Pihacheroth, 16. mile distant; and sate downe betweene two ledges of Mountaynes adioyning to the Red Sea, to wit, the Mountaynes of Etham on the North, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 towards the South: the same which Osorius calleth Climax: on the top whereof there stood a* 1.2 Temple dedicated to 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And, as Phagius noteth, the word so compounded, is as much to say, as, Dominus speculae, siue custodiae; Lord of the watch-towre. For the Aegyp∣tians beleeued, or at least made their slaues beleeue, that if any of them offered to escape that way into Arabia, this Idoll would both arrest them, and force them to returne to their Lords and Masters. For the Aegyptians had gods for all turnes. AEgyptij 〈◊〉〈◊〉 foecundi; The Aegyptians were fruitfull in gods, saith Saint Hierome. But [unspec 10] Moses, who incamped at the foot of this Mountayne with a million of soules, or as other conceiue, with two millions, found this Lord of the watch-towre asleepe, or out of countenance.

Now these two passages leading out of Aegypt into Arabia vpon the firme land, Moses refused, as well that of Pelusium and Casiotis, the fayrest and shortest of all o∣ther,* 1.3 in respect of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as the other by Etham, from which he reflected, for the reasons before remembred, and tooke the way by the Valley of Pihacheroth, between the Mountaynes, which made a straight entrance towards the Sea. After whom Pharaoh made so great speede with his Horse-men and Chariots, as he gaue the He∣brewes no time at all to rest them after so long a march; but gate sight of them, and [unspec 20] they of him, euen at the very brinke and wash of the Sea: insomuch as the He∣brewes being terrified with Pharaohs sudden approch, beganne to despaire, and to mutine, at that time when it behoued them most to haue taken courage for their owne defence; laying it to Moses charge, that themselues foresaw those perills in which they were wrapped. And feare, Which, saith the booke of WISEDOME, is the* 1.4 betraying of those succours which reason offereth, made them both despaire in Gods for∣mer promises, and to be forgetfull of their owne strength and multitudes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  It is probable that all those Aegyptians and others brought by the Hebrews to the know∣ledge of the true God, fol∣lowed Moses at his departure.
• * 1.2

  Climax is ra∣ther so called in respect of a passage vp and downe, then that it is any proper name.
• * 1.3

  Exod. 13. v. 17.
• * 1.4

  Cap. 17. 11.