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FRom Esiongaber he turned againe towards the North, and pitched in [unspec 50] the Wildernesse of Zin, which is Kadesh: or in Beroth, of the children of Iacan; where they sate downe in the first Moneth of the fortieth yeere after they left Aegypt. For at the next Mansion Aaron died in the first day of the fifth Moneth of the fortieth yeere: the nine and thir∣tieth
yeere taking end at Esiongaber. And at this Citie of Cades (for so it was thought* 1.1 to be) or neere it, died Miriam or Mary, Moses sister, whose Sepulchre was to bee seene in Saint Hieromes time, as himselfe auoweth. From hence ere they departed* 1.2 to the Mountaine Hor, all the people murmured most violently against Moses, by reason of the scarcitie of water. For neither the punishments by fire from Heauen; by beeing deuoured and swallowed vp by the earth; by the sudden pestilence, which often seized them; nor any miracle formerly shewing, either the loue or wrath of God, could preuaile with this Nation any longer, than while they were full fed and satisfied in euery of their appetites: but in stead of seeking for helpe and reliefe at Gods hands, when they suffered hunger, thirst, or any other want, they mur∣mured, [unspec 10] repined, and rebelled, repenting them of their changed estates, and casting vngratefully on Moses all their misaduentures; yea, though they well knew that their owne Fathers had left their bodies in the Desarts, and that they were now entred into the fortieth yeere, wherein all their miseries were to take end. And beeing, as it were, in the sight of the Land promised, they againe as obstinately tempted God as in former times, and neither trusted his promises, nor feared his indignation. But as the will and purposes of God are without beginning; so his mercies being with∣out* 1.3 end; he commanded Moses to strike a Rocke adioyning with his rod; and the wa∣ters issued out in a great abundance, with which both themselues and their cattell were satisfied. Neuerthelesse, because God perceiued a kinde of diffidence both in [unspec 20] Moses and Aaron, at this place; therefore he permitted neither of them to enter the Land promised, whereto perchance their worldly desires might inuite them. But it pleased Him to ende the trauailes of Aaron at the Mountaine Hor, beeing the next, and foure and thirtieth Station. At which Mountaine of Hor, Aaron was* 1.4 despoiled of the Garments of his Priest-hood, and the same put on Eleazar his Sonne, as God had commanded. Which done, Moses and Eleazar descended the Mountaine; but God receiued Aaron on the top thereof, and hee was no more seene.
Of this Mountaine called Hor, otherwise Mosera, as in Deuter. 10. vers. 6. those Horites tooke name, which the Idumeans had formerly vanquished. Some there are [unspec 30] which make Mosera, which was the seuen and twentieth Mansion; and Mosera which they write Moseroth for difference, which was the foure and thirtieth Man∣sion, and is also called Hor, to be two distinct places: because Moses in passing from Cadesbarne towards Esiongaber, incamped at Mosera, after he departed from Hesma∣na, and before hee came to Beniaacan. And this Mosera, which is also called Hor, he* 1.5 came vnto after hee left Cades, where Miriam, Moses sister died; the first beeing the seuen and twentieth, and the second being the foure and thirtieth Mansion. But for Hor, which is also called Mosera, it should haue beene written, Hor iuxta Mosera; Hor neere Mosera: for it is but one roote of a Mountaine, diuided into diuers tops, as Sinai and Horeb are: Whereof the West part Moses calleth Mosera, and the East [unspec 40] part Horeb. By the West part Moses encamped, as he past towards the Red Sea, on his left hand; by the East part, as hee went backe againe North-wards towards Moab: as in the description of Moses his passage through Arabia, the Reader may perceiue.
Now it was from Cades, before they came to Hor, because Hor belonged to Edom, that Moses sent Messengers to the Prince of Idumaea, praying him that hee might passe with the people of Israel through his Territorie into the Land of Canaan, which bordered it. For it was the neerest way of all other from the Citie of Kadesh, where Moses then encamped; whereas otherwise taking his iourney by the Riuers of Zared, Arnon, and Iordan, hee might haue runne into many hazzards [unspec 50] in the passage of those Riuers, the farre way about, and the many powerfull Kings, which commaunded in those Regions. Now the better to perswade the Prince of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hereunto, Moses remembred him, that hee was of the same race and familie with Israel: calling him by the name of Brother, because both the
Edomites and Israelites were the Sonnes of one Father, to wit, Isaac; inferring thereby, that hee had more reason to fauour and respect them, than hee had to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Canaanites; against whome Esau his Ancester had made warre, and dri∣uen out the Horites (who were of their ancient races descended of Cham) out of the Region of Seir, calling it by his owne name Edom, or Edumaea. Hee also ma∣king a short repetition of Gods blessings bestowed on them, and of his purposes and promises; assured Edom, or the King thereof, that hee would no way of∣fend his people, or waste his Countrey, but that hee would restraine his Armie within the bounds of the Common, and Kings high wayes, paying money for whatsoeuer hee vsed, yea, euen for the water, which themselues or their Cattell [unspec 10] should drinke. For Moses was commaunded by God, not to prouoke the children of Esau. But the King of Edumaea knowing the strength of his owne Countrey, the* 1.6 same beeing neere Canaan, rampard with high and sharpe mountaines: and with∣all suspecting; as a naturall wise man, that 600000. strangers being once entred his Countrey, it would rest in their wills to giue him law, resoluedly refused them pas∣sage, and deliuered this answere to the Messengers: That, if they attempted to en∣ter* 1.7 that way, he would take them for enemies, and resist them by all possible meane. And not knowing whether such a deniall might satisfie or exasperate, hee gathered the strength of his Countrie together, and shewed himselfe prepared to defend their passage. For, as it is written; Then EDOM came out against him (to wit, MOSES) with* 1.8 much people, and with a mighty power. Whereupon Moses considering, that the ende [unspec 20] of his enterprise was not the conquest of Seir or Edumaea, and that the Land promi∣sed was that of Canaan: like vnto himselfe who was of a naturall vnderstanding the greatest of any man, and the skilfullest man of warre that the world had, hee refused to aduenture the Armie of Israel against a Nation, which being ouer-come, gaue but a passage to inuade others; and which by reason of the seate of their mountainous Countrey, could not but haue endangered, or (at least) greatly enfeebled the strength of Israel, and rendred them lesse able, if not altogether powerlesse, to haue conque∣red the rest. [unspec 30]
Num. 20. 1.
Num. 20. 3.
Num. 20. 9.
2553.
〈◊〉〈◊〉. 33.
〈◊〉〈◊〉. 24.
Num. 20. 20. & 21.
Num. c. 20.