of his kingdom: for the Israelites, having seized all the country from the brook of Arnon unto that of Jabbok, massacred all the inhabitants without distinction. Og, the king of Bashan attempted, soon after this transaction, to arrest the progress of Israel's victories; but he, like Sihon, was soon despoiled both of his dominions and his life.

After these exploits, the Hebrews resumed their journey, and proceeded to the plains of Moab, which were situated on this side Jordan, by Jericho. Whilst they were encamped in this place, Balak, king of the Moabites, began to regard them with a jealous eye, and formed a strong alliance with the Midianites and Ammonites, in order to retard their progress: but previously to declaring hostilities, he resolved to try how far the power of enchantment might operate against the objects of his mingled dread and envy. Accordingly he dispatched messengers to Pethor, in quest of a famous diviner, called Balaam, earnestly requesting that he would come to court with all possible haste, and curse the numerous host which had given such cause of uneasiness to the king and his allies. Balaam desired the messengers to remain at his house that night, in order that he might enquire of God whether he should comply with their master's desire; but, being warned not to undertake the journey, nor to presume to curse the especial favorites of Heaven, he told them next morning that the Lord had refused his permission, and so dismissed them.

Balak was much disappointed at this answer; but still resolved to gain the accomplishment of his wish, and sent a fresh deputation, consisting of persons of distinguished quality, who might possibly allure the prophet

by promises of preferment, and an ample remuneration. To their splendid offers Balaam replied, that if the king would give him his house full of silver and gold, he durst not transgress the command of the Almighty. However, being anxious to gratify them, he consulted the Deity once more, and obtained permission to go, on condition that he said nothing inconsistent with the decrees of Providence. Hereupon he rose early in the morning, and set out, with the Moabitish nobles; but it seems that he either designed to violate the Divine injunction, or pleased himself with the hope of eluding it, and thus obtaining the favour of Balak: for his progress was soon impeded by an angel, who, with a drawn sword, terrified the ass on which the diviner rode, and caused her to turn three times out of the way. Balaam, not perceiving the celestial opponent, was greatly irritated at the supposed stubbornness of his beast, and struck her repeatedly with his staff: but the Lord miraculously opened the animal's mouth, and caused her to expostulate with her master on his unmerited severity. The prophet, however, paid no attention to this prodigy, till, perceiving the angel, he was convinced of his error, and prostrated himself on the ground, exclaiming, "I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now, therefore, if it displease thee, I will go back again." This proposal, however, was rejected, and Balaam was permitted to proceed, after receiving a fresh injunction to say nothing more than God himself should dictate.

4

Balak, hearing of the prophet's arrival, went out to meet him in one of the frontier cities of his kingdom, and took him thence to Kirjath-hazoth, where he offered a sacrifice of sheep and oxen, and introduced his

guest to all the princes of Midian. Next morning he conducted him to the high places of Baal on Mount Abarim, whence he might have an entire prospect of the Israelitish camp; and there the king built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram upon each altar, a ceremony which was afterward repeated in two other places. But as Balaam was utterly disappointed in seeking for enchantments that might enable him to fulfil his employer's request, and as he was positively commanded to utter a benediction instead of a curse, he confessed at the third time of offering the sacrifice, that no enchantment could prevail against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel, and pronounced an emphatic blessing on Israel, saying, "Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee." The king, enraged at this frustration of his hopes, commanded the prophet to retire immediately from his dominions, and Balaam returned home: but it appears that, previously to his departure, he advised the Moabites and Midianites to entice the Hebrews to idolatry: for we read that the tribes of Jacob were, shortly afterward, invited to the idolatrous sacrifices, and allured to the most unpardonable practices by the Moabitish women, so that, at last, they introduced their fair deluders into the camp, and abandoned themselves to such incontinence, that God sent a pestilence among them, which swept off about twenty-four thousand individuals; and Moses was commanded to try and hang all the heads of the people who had countenanced this defection. Notwithstanding the awful effects of the plague, the execution of the command given to Moses, and the consternation which now began to overwhelm the generality of the survivors, a chief of the tribe of Simeon, named Zimri,

had the unparalleled audacity to bring a Midianitish female into the camp, and to lead her, in sight of the whole congregation, toward his tent. His presumption, however, was soon punished: for Phinehas, son of Eleazar the high-priest, followed the idolatrous pair, and with a javelin thrust them through their bodies; for which act of pious zeal God confirmed the priesthood to the posterity of Phinehas, and the plague was imme. diately stayed.

Some time after this defection, God commanded Moses to take an account of all the Israelites that were able to bear arms, from twenty years old and upward, whom he, accordingly, found to amount to six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty, exclusive of the Levites, who being numbered from one month and upward, amounted to twenty-three thousand. This account was taken in the plains of Moab; and it appears that the recent pestilence made an entire end of the rebellious generation, which had been excluded from entering the Land of Promise; for, on examination, there was not one of them found, except Joshua and Caleb, who had been exempted from the sentence that was pronounced against the murmuring assembly in the wilderness of Seir: "The Lord," says the inspired pen

man, " had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of

Nun."

Shortly after this transaction, Moses was commanded to ascend Mount Nebo, which is a part of the long ridge called Abarim, and take a view of the delightful country from which he was excluded, on account of his improper conduct in the desert of Zin; and he was, also, given to understand that he should die very soon in this mountain. The Jewish legislator obeyed his Maker's injunction, and, without testifying the least surprise or dread, at the intimation of his approaching dissolution, he earnestly requested that a successor might be appointed to guide and direct the Israelites in their further progress; that the sacred congregation might not become like a flock of sheep having no shepherd. To this petition the Deity replied, by commanding him to set Joshua, the son of Nun, before the highpriest and all the assemby of Israel, and to invest him, in the most public manner, with ample authority. And Moses took the earliest opportunity of setting this favorite of Heaven apart, by the imposition of his own hands, and with the general consent of the people, as head and general of the twelve tribes who were about to take possession of that good land, which their fathers had forfeited by disobedience.

After Moses had instructed the people in several ceremonial institutes and regulations, he received a command from the Almighty, to avenge the Israelites on the people of Midian, who, as we have already observed, occasioned a gross and fatal defection after Balaam had exerted himself in vain to involve them in a general curse. Accordingly a detachment, consisting of twelve thousand men, was sent against the enemy; and God crowned their exertions with such brilliant success, that five Midianitish princes were slain by the sword; their cities were reduced to ashes; the male inhabitants, among whom was the prophet Balaam, were all slaughtered without distinction; the women and children were taken captive; and the victors returned to Moses