Edom, as is evident from Num. xxxiv. 3, 4. and Jofh. xv. CHAP. II. 1, 3. I have alfo obferved, that Kadesh lying in the wil- SECT. V. derness of Zin was in all probability different from Kadesh bly fituated in the wilderness of Paran. But it remains further to be on the north-eaft confidered, how the wilderness of Zin lay in refpect to or eaft of mount Seir, or the land of Edom. The generality of writ- Edom. ers do indeed make it lie to the west of Edom, and the fame with Kadefh-barnea. That it was not the fame with Kadesh-barnea, but a place diftinct from it, the reasons above alledged, fect. v. paragr. 2, 3. feem fo clear to me, that I could not but readily diffent from the opinion generally received. However there are fome expreffions in the facred history, which induced me, for fome time after, to look on the encampment of the Ifraelites in the wildernefs of Zin to have been (according to the general opinion) on the weft of Edom. But upon further confideration I have been induced to recede ftill further from the common opinion, and to think that more probable, which places the encampment of the Ifraelites in the wilderness of Zin on the east fide of Edom, as may be seen in the map of the journeys of the Ifraelites. The chief motive for altering my first opinion herein was this. We read, Deut. ii. 3. that God faid to Mofes, Ye have compassed this mountain (viz. mount Seir, ver. 1.) long enough; turn you northward. It is plain from Num. xxxiii. 36. that the Ifraelites were then at Ezion-gaber. Now if the encampment of the Ifraelites in the wilderness of Zin (which was next after that at Ezion-gaber) was on the weft or northweft of Edom, then the Ifraelites first marched from Eziongaber northward to the wilderness of Zin, on the weft of Edom, and then (being denied paffage through Edom) marched back again fouthwards towards Ezion-gaber, and fo round the land of Edom to the eaft fide: but as it seems not only inconfiftent with the divine wisdom, to order them to march fo far north on the weft fide of Edom, only to come back again; fo it plainly contradicts the reason of the orders being given to turn northward, namely, because they had compassed mount Seir long enough. For by their T4 PART II. their march, according to the common opinion, they were put under a neceffity of compaffing it fill longer. Which abfurdity and fome other difficulties are removed by fuppofing the encampment in the wilderness of Zin to have been on the east of Edom. 1. The Ifrael Hor, and there Aa ron dies. SECT. VI. Of the Journeyings of the Ifraelites, from Kadesh in the BOTH in Num. xx. 22—29. and Num. xxxiii. 37, 38. ites encamp we read, that the Ifraelites removed from Kadesh in the in mount wilderness of Zin, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the band of Edom; and that Aaron went up into mount Hor, at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Ifrael were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. In Num. xx. 24. the reason is expreffed, why God would not permit Aaron to enter into Canaan, namely, because he rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Where that by Meribah is to be understood Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin; and that by ye is to be understood more peculiarly Mofes and Aaron, is evident from Num. xxvii. 12. And the Lord faid unto Mofes, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and fee the land which I have given unto the children of Ifrael. And when thou haft feen it, thou alfo fhalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye rebelled against my commandment in the defert of Zin, in the ftrife of the congregation, to fanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin. Whence we learn, that the occafion of Mofes and Aaron's not entering into the land of Canaan was one and the fame. SECT. VI. Hor. 1 It is exprefsly faid in the text, that mount Hor was by CHAP. II. the coaft, (Num. xx. 23.) or by the edge of the land of Edom. Num. xxxiii. 37. And we are exprefsly told, Deut. 2. ii. 12. that the Horims dwelt in Seir beforetime; and ac- of mount. cordingly we read, Gen. xiv. 6. that Chedorlaomer king of Elam with his confederates fmote the Horites in their mount Seir. Now whether the Horites took their name from mount Hor, or the mount from them, cannot be poffibly determined. But fince it is plain, that places did at first take generally their names from the inhabitants, it seems not unlikely, that both the tract or country afterward denoted by mount Seir, and alfo the inhabitants thereof, took the names, one of mount Hor, the other of the Horims or Horites, from one Hor, of whom these were defcended, and who in the more early ages of the world poffeffed this tract: and that although, in process of time, the name of mount Seir came to be used to denote the faid tract, yet the old name of mount Hor was preferved in that part of it, where stood the mountain here fo called by Mofes, and on which Aaron died. Since it was the very next encampment of the Ifraelites, after that in the wilderness of Zin; and fince, by what has been before observed, it is probable that the wilderness of Zin lay to the east or north-east of Edom; hence it will follow, that mount Hor muft lie likewife on the eastern coaft of Edom. Hebrew rupted, and ftored from It will be proper here to take notice of a great difficul- 3. ty, which arises concerning the place of Aaron's death and The present burial, from comparing the two forecited places, Num. XX. text, Deut.. 23-29. and xxxiii. 37, 38. with Deut. x. 6. In both the x. 6. cortwo former places of the book of Numbers, it is exprefsly the true faid, that Aaron died on the top of mount Hor; but in reading reDeut. x. 6. it is faid, that the children of Ifrael took their the Samarijourney from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan, to Mofera: teuch. there Aaron died, and there he was buried. But it is clear enough from the account given us of the encampments of the Ifraelites in Num. xxxiii. that Mofera or Moferoth, ver. 31. was a very different encampment from that at mount tan Penta PART. II. mount Hor, ver. 37. Great pains have been taken to reconcile these texts one with the other; but all hath been only loft labour. For it is plain from the Hebrew-Samaritan text, that Deut. x. 6, 7. is extremely corrupted by the mistake of transcribers.. I have above fhewn the true ancient reading of the former part of ver. 6. I fhall now here fet down the whole paffage as it ftill ftands, rightly preferved, in the Hebrew-Samaritan or old Hebrew text; which in English runs thus: The children of Ifrael took their journey from Moferoth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan (or, among the children of Jaakan.) Thence they took their journey, and pitched at Gidgad (or Hagidgad.) Thence they took their journey, and pitched in Jotbatha, a land of brooks of waters. Thence they took their journey, and pitched at Ebronah. Thence they took their journey, and pitched at Exion-gaber. Thence they took their journey, and pitched in the defert of Zin, which is Kadesh. Thence they took their journey, and pitched in mount Hor. And there Aaron died, and was buried; and Eleazar his fon ministered in the priest's office in his ftead. At that time the Lord Separated the tribe of Levi, &c. Thus ftands the Hebrew-Samaritan text in the forementioned place of Deut. x. 6, 7. which as it exactly agrees with the order of the encampments mentioned Num. xxxiii. 31-38. fo it is not to be doubted, but it is therefore the true ancient reading; and that the present reading in the Hebrew Chaldaic or common Hebrew text has arisen from fome mistake in transcribers, or other accident. 4. Other en campments raelites. The Ifraelites decamping from mount Hor, continued their march round mount Seir, and pitched (as we read of the If- Num. xxxiii. 41, &c.) in Zalmonah, then in Punon, and then in Oboth. And Num. xxi. 4-10. we read, that between their decamping from mount Hor and encamping at Oboth, the foul of the people was much difcouraged because of the way; infomuch that they spake against God and against Mofes. Whereupon the Lord fent fiery ferpents among them, and they bit them, and many of them died. But upon their confeffing their fin, and Mofes praying for them, SECT. VI. them, God ordered a ferpent of brafs to be made, and put CHAP. II. on a pole; (fuppofed to prefigure the crofs of our bleffed Saviour, who has delivered mankind from the old ferpent ;) and it came to pass, that if a ferpent had bitten any man, when he beheld (or looked up upon) the ferpent of brass, he lived. 5. emenda Hebrew Departing from Oboth, the Ifraelites encamped at Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab, (Num. xxxiii. 44.) in the Another wilderness that is before Moab, toward the fun-rifing, Num. tion of the xxi. 11. And what Mofes faith, Deut. ii. 9. The Lord faid prefent unto me, Diftrefs not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I have not given thee of their land for a poffeffion, but I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a poffeffion. This whole paffage immediately follows in the Hebrew-Samaritan text, that which is above cited from Num. xxi. 11. and it is very likely, that it was originally inferted here, being very appofite; though it is omitted in the common Hebrew text. 6. Of the val another From Ije-abarim the Ifraelites removed, (more northward,) and pitched in the valley of Zered, Num. xxi. 12. ley of ZeThe fame may be otherwise rendered, the brook Zered, and red, and fo it is actually rendered in our translation, Deut. ii. 13. emendaIndeed it is very likely, that in the valley of Zered there tion of the prefent Hemight be a brook, which therefore went by the fame brew text. name. Mofes particularly remarks, Deut. ii. 14, &c. that the Space in which the Ifraelites came from Kadesh-barnea, until they were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; and that in that time all the generation of the men of war (i. e. all from twenty years old and upward, Num. xiv. 29.) was wafted out (i. e. dead) from among the hoft, as the Lord fware unto them, Num xiv. 28-35. And when all the men of war were thus confumed and dead, then the Lord fpake unto Mofes, faying: Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coaft of Moab, this day. And when thou comeft nigh over-against the children of Ammon, diftrefs them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of their land any poffeffion, because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a poffeffion. Deùt. ii. 16—19. Now though |