and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment : and the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the

LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib.

And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in this season from year to year.

Question.-Why was "this month to be the beginning of months?"

Answer. The month Abib, which is at the same period of the year as our March, had been previously reckoned the seventh month of the year. The name means "a ripe ear of corn," which shows that some kinds of grain

ripened earlier than with us. This month has been reckoned the first of the ecclesiastical or religious year from the time of Moses until the present day. Q.-Is the remembrance of the Passover still kept by the Jewish people?

A. Yes; it is one of the most solemn seasons.

Q.-Do Christians observe this season?

A.-Our Easter is held at the same time. The lamb slain for the people is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is spoken of in the New Testament as the Lamb of God. He is our Passover, and belief in Him will save us from the wrath of God against sinners; Christ in our hearts, like the sprinkled blood of the lamb on the doorposts, is our salvation. The lamb to be chosen was to be without blemish; Jesus was without sin.

Q-What was unleavened bread?

A.-Bread made hastily without yeast or other material to "leaven" or lighten it.

Q-How many Israelites left Egypt under the guidance of Moses?

A. The number mentioned, about six hundred thousand, does not include the women and children. It is estimated that nearly two millions left the country. To such an amazing number had the descendants of Jacob risen in about four hundred years. Moses and those who knew of the Lord's promise must have thought of the words "sand on the sea-shore," when they saw the immense number of Israelites on the road to the border of the Red Sea.

Q. Who were the "mixed multitude" referred to? A.-They may have been wandering tribes who had settled for a time in Egypt, and who followed the Israelites, partly for protection. Perhaps they feared to stay in the country after the Israelites had left, thinking that Pharaoh might, in his disappointment and rage, act cruelly toward them.

AND it came to pass, when Pharaoh

had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea : and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

And the

LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon : before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children

of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.

And they did so. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baalzephon.

And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid:

and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward but lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go

back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left.

And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians.

And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left.

Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

Question. It is said that the children of Israel

"went up harnessed." What does that mean? Answer. The meaning most probably is that they marched in regular order "five in 'a rank" some translators understand it—as they did when harnessed together to draw large blocks of stone in Egypt.

Q.-Did the people remember the promise of God? A.-They did; and Moses took with them the bones of Joseph, so certain was he that the promise would be kept, and that they should reach Canaan, although they were directed not to go the shortest way through the country of the Philistines.

Q. How were the Israelites guided in the way ? A. By what appeared by day to be a column or pillar of cloud, and by night was changed to a bright light. This went before them. Throughout this book of Exodus, the Divine presence is described as being made known by a fiery splendour. It appeared to Moses in the bush, and afterwards in the wilderness on Mount Sinai, and in the tabernacle. Q-Why did Pharaoh think the people would be entangled in the land?

A.—He supposed they would not be able to get beyond the wilderness on the borders of the Red Sea. At first he seems to have expected them to return after keeping their feast at Etham, but when he found out that they intended to fly from the land, he thought he could easily pursue and perhaps destroy them.

Q. What kind of chariots did the Egyptians use? 4. Each chariot was drawn by two horses, and two men rode in it. One drove and carried a shield to protect him from arrows or darts; the other was fully armed. In the Egyptian paintings, still preserved in the temples, are many representations of these chariots.

Q-Why did the Israelites, when reproaching Moses, allude to the graves in Egypt?

A. It was a bitter taunt. They could see nothing before them but destruction, not having faith in the power of the Lord as Moses had. Egypt was remarkable for the number of tombs, some of which were very large, and remain to this day. "If" (that was the meaning of these words) " you only brought us here to die, we might as well have stayed in Egypt."

Q-May we learn anything from the removal of the pillar of cloud from the front to the space be tween the Israelites and those who pursued them?

A. The providences of God are often obscure to those who do not believe. They find only darkness, when the people of God see a great light. We pray, "Lighten our darkness," and are told that believing people walk in light.

Q.-How was the Red Sea divided?

A. It was a miraculous act, effected by the power of God, who, however, employed natural means to produce it. A strong east wind blew "all the night," and drove back the waters. It is thought that at that time the Red Sea was joined to some lakes which still exist to the north, and covered what is now a sandy track between. At this part the water would be shallow, and a strong wind for several hours might make a dry passage possible. But the act was not the less miraculous, for, had not the power of the Lord been specially exerted, the wind would not have had such tremendous power. Being an east wind, it would blow across the sea, and so drive the water back on either hand, making, as it were, a wall.

depths were congealed in the heart of

the sea.

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed : thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

The people shall hear, and be afraid. Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of

Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands have established.

The LORD shall reign for ever and

ever.

And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Question.-How did Moses and the Israelites show their joy after their deliverance?

Answer. By a grand song, in which all the people joined. Moses had studied all the arts of the Egyptians, and poetry and music were among them. Some long poems, written about his time, have been discovered. The Israelites were eminent for musical gifts, and their language was highly poetical. It is thought that the song of Miriam, and the women with her, was repeated as a chorus after each verse of the song of Moses, to the music of the timbrel, a kind of tambourine, struck by the hand. In the Book of Revelation, it is said that the redeemed will "sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." Q.-Miriam is spoken of as a prophetess. Does that mean that she could foretell future events?

A.-No; prophets are those who speak by the direct inspiration of God, and the message they deliver may be a command referring to some present matter or a prediction of the future, or, as in the case of Miriam here, words of rejoicing and thankfulness. St. Paul uses the word prophecy in the same sense as preach.

Q.-Why are the dukes of Edom and the inhabitants of Canaan and Palestina mentioned in the Song of Moses?

A.-Moses knew that the Promised Land was inhabited by herce people whom the Israelites must conquer, and he was sure that the Lord would enable them to do so. "Dukes" mean chiefs or leaders. "Palestina means the land of the Philistines, and the name is even now commonly applied to the whole of the Holy Land.