V 
356 
hosts of the Lord went out.” • • • • “ The Lord did bring, the 
children of Israel out of the land of Egyp !/ 
(xu 17 41 51). In the wilderness of Sinai they w 
numbered in detail -by their armies 3 ’ (Kumb n n. x 
vassim) • &c. &c. It is in perfect consonance with this, that 
on their entrance into the desert, they were able to wm a 
pitched battle against the martial nation . °J on t“ red 
(Ex xvii.l ; and, just on their emergence from it, conquered, 
atlhe swok’s ™int, the forces of Heshbon, and of Bashan 
and of Midian, winning from the last-named j J spoi , and 
from the first two a vast territory, full of walled cities 
unwalled towns and villages (Num. xxi. xxxi.). there were 
threescore cities, “all of them fenced with . high walk gates 
and bars,” in Bashan alone (Dent. m. 4 , 5). The whole t 
this immense region was at once possessed and iMab'ted by 
two and a half out of the twelve tribes. Now, if we adop 
Dr Thornton’s emendation, that the whole twelve cou c 
furnish but 600 armed men, we shall have tte mtfons 
of an armv of 600 men conquering these wailike nation , 
capturing their strong fortresses, and then occupying en 
great, fertile, and hitherto populous territories, by a sorry 
colonv of one hundred and ten warriors . _ j i 
19. y The Sacred Story repeatedly calls the peoP 1 ® J[ ae 
bv the dignified term “ nation.” Jehovah says, Ye shall be 
unto me an holy nation”- (Exod. xix. 6). Moses, appealing 
to their gratitude, asks, “Hath God assayed to go and tak^ 
Him a nation from the midst of (mother nation. . . . • °° „ 
ing to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt ? 
(Dent. iv. 34). And, just before, he had L 1 ^ nte8 
roundino 1 peoples, saying, m admiration o . \ 
possessed ly Israel, “Surely this great nation is a wise an 
"trSffistn to Sat oth OT (ad not 
reallv did say. More than eighty years before the Exode (to 
iT was before Moses was borS) we find the increase of Israe 
moving the jealousy and the fear of the powerful king of 
Dcnrnt He calls his people to his counsels, an 
Krfe» V« of huUgi™. 
the children of Israel are more and mightier than ue 
supers “ d sSr 
