The history of the world

§. VI. Of their compassing Idumaea, and trauailing to Arnon, the border of Moab.

HE therefore leauing the way of Idumaea, turned himselfe towards the East, and marched towards the Desarts of Moab. Which when Arad King of the Canaanites vnderstood, and that Moses had blanched the way of Edumaea; and knowing that it was Canaan, and not Edom, which [unspec 40] Israel aimed at, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thought it safest, rather to finde his enemies in his neighbours Countrey, than to be found by them in his owne: which he might haue done with a farre greater hope of victorie, had Moses beene enforst first to haue made his way by the sword through Idumaea, and thereby though victorious, greatly haue lessened his numbers. But although it fell out otherwise than Arad hoped for, yet being resolued to make triall, what courage the Israelites brought with them out of Aegypt, before they came neerer his owne home, leading the strength of his Nation to the edge of the Desart, hee set vpon some part of the Armie; which, for the multitude occupied a great space, and for the many heards of Cattell that they draue with them, could not encampe so neere together, but that some quarter or o∣ther [unspec 50] was 〈◊〉〈◊〉-more subiect to surprise. By which aduantage, and in that his at∣tempts were then perchance vnexpected, he slew some few of the Israelites, and car∣ried with him many prisoners.

Now it is very probable, that it was this Canaanite, or his Predecessour, which

ioyned his forces with the Amalekites, and gaue an ouerthrow to those mutinous Israelites, which without direction from God by Moses would haue entred Canaan* 1.1 from Cadesbarne. For it seemeth that the greatest number of that Armie were of the Canaanites, because in the first of Deuteron. 44. the Amorites are named alone without the Amalekites, and are said to haue beaten the Israelites at that time. And this Arad, if hee were the same that had a victory ouer Israel, neere Cadesbarne, or if it were his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that then preuailed, this man finding that Moses was retur∣ned from the Red Sea, and in his way towards Canaan, and that the South part of Canaan was first to bee inuaded, and in danger of beeing conquered, not knowing of Moses purpose to compasse Moab, determined while he was yet in the Desart to trie [unspec 10] the quarrell. And whereas it followeth in the third verse of the twelfth Chapter of Numbers, that the Israelites vtterly destroyed the Canaanites and their Cities, they are much mistaken that thinke, that this destruction was presently performed by the Israelites. But it is to be vnderstood, to haue beene done in the future, to wit, in the time of Iosua. For had Moses at this time entred Canaan in the pursuit of Arad, hee would not haue fallen backe againe into the Desarts of Zin and Moab, and haue fetcht a wearisome and needelesse compasse, by the Riuers of Zared and Arnon.

Neither is their coniecture to bee valued at any thing, which affirme, that Arad did not inhabite any part of Canaan it selfe, but that his Territorie lay with∣out [unspec 20] it, and neere the Mountaine Hor. For Hor and Zin Cades were the South* 1.2 borders of Edom, and not of Canaan. And it was in the South of the Land of Canaan, that Arad dwelt: which South part of Canaan was the North part of Edom.

Againe, Horma (for so farre the Israelites after their victory pursued the Canaa∣nites) is seated in the South of Iudaea. There is also a Citie of that name in Simeon. But there is no such place to the South of Edom. And were there no other argu∣ment, but the mutinie which followed presently after the repetition of this victory, it were enough to prooue, that the same was obtained in the future, and in Iosua his time, and not at the instant of Arads assault. For had the Israelites at this time [unspec 30] sackt the Cities of Arad, they would not the next day haue complained for want of water and bread. For where there are great Cities, there is also water, and bread. But it was in the time of Iosua, that the Israelites tooke their reuenge, and after they had past Iordan: Iosua then gouerning them; who in the twelfth Chapter and fourteenth Verse, nameth this Arad by the name of his Citie so called; and with him the King of Horma: to which place the Israelites pursued the Canaanites. And hee nameth them amongst those Kings, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vanquished, and put to death.

Now after this assault and surprise by Arad, Moses finding that all entrance on that side was desended, hee led the people Eastward to compasse Idumaea and the [unspec 40] Dead Sea, and to make his entrance by Arnon and the Plaines of Moab, at that time in the possession of the Amorites. But the Israelites, to whom the very name of a Desart was terrible, began againe to rebell against their Leader; till God by a mul∣titude of fiery Serpents, (that is, by the biting of Serpents, whose venome inflamed them, and burnt them as fire) made them know their error, and afterward, accor∣ding to his plentifull grace cured them againe by their beholding an artificiall Ser∣pent, by his Commandement set vp.

From the Mount Hor, Moses leauing the ordinarie way which lyeth betweene the Red Sea, and Coelosyria, encamped at Zalmona: and thence hee remooued to Phunon, where hee erected the Brazen Serpent; making these iourneys by the [unspec 50] edge of Edumaea, but without it. For Phunon was sometime a principall Citie of the Edomites. Now where it is written in Numbers 21. Verse 4. That from Mount Hor they departed by the way of the Red Sea, which grieued the people, it was not thereby meant that the Israelites turned backe towards the Red Sea;

neither did they march (according to FONSECA) per viam, quae habet à latere mare rubrum; By the way that sided the Red Sea, but in deede they crost, and went athwart the common way from Galaad, Trachonitis, and the Countries of Moab, to the Red Sea, that is, to Esiongaber; Eloth, and Midian: which way, as it lay North and South, so Israel to shunne the border of Edom, and to take the vtmost East part of Moab, crost the common way towards the East, and then they turned againe towards the North, as before.

From Phunon he went to Oboth; where they entred the Territory of Moab, ad∣ioyning to the Land of Suph, a Countrey bordering on the Dead Sea; and from thence to Abarim, the eight and thirtieth Mansion, that is, where the Mountaines so cal∣led [unspec 10] take beginning, and are as yet but small Mountures of Hills, on the East border of Moab; From thence they recouered Dibon Gad, or the Riuer of Zared, which ri∣seth in the mountaines of Arabia, and runneth towards the Dead Sea, not farre from Petra the Metropolis thereof, being the nine and thirtieth Station. And hauing past thàt Riuer, they lodged at Dibon Gad, and from thence they kept the way to Dibla∣thaim, one of the Cities of Moab; which Hieremie the Prophet c. 48. v. 22. calleth the House of Diblathaim, the same which afterward was destroyed among the rest by Na∣buchadnessar. From thence they came to the Riuer of Arnon, and incamped in the mountaines of Abarim: though in the 22. of Numbers, Moses doth not remember Helmon diblathaim, but speaketh of his remooue from the Riuer of Zared, immediate∣ly [unspec 20] to the other side of Arnon; calling Arnon the border of Moab, betweene them and the Amorites: speaking, as hee found the state of the Countrie at that time. For Arnon was not anciently the border of Moab, but was lately conquered from the Moabites, by Sehon, King of the Amorites: euen from the Predecessour of Balac Peor then raigning. From Diblathaim, Moses sent Messengers to Sehon, King of the Amo∣rites, to desire a passage through his Countrie: which though he knew would be de∣nied him, yet he desired to giue a reason to the neighbour Nations, of the warre he vndertooke. And though Edom had refused him as Sehon did, yet hee had no war∣rant from God to enforce him. Moses also in sending messengers to Sehon, obserued the same precept, which he left to his posteritie, and successors, for a law of the war, [unspec 30] namely in Deut. 20. v. 10. in these words, When thou commest neere vnto a Citie to fight against it, thou shalt offer it peace, which if it doe accept of and open vnto thee, then let all the people found therein bee tributaries vnto thee, and serue thee; but if it refuse, &c. thou shalt smite all the males thereof with the edge of the sword. Which ordinance all Comman∣ders of Armies haue obserued to this day, or ought to haue done.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Num. 14. 45.
• * 1.2

  Num. 33. 40.