journey;" whether it means the space over which an individual could travel in one day, in which case it would be much greater-or the whole army could traverse, which would be much less. If the journey of an individual is intended, it might be about thirty miles; but if the sacred historian refers to the whole army, a third part of this space is as much as they could march in one day in the sandy desert, under a vertical sun. In the opinion of Bochart, this immense cloud of quails covered a space of at least forty miles diameter; for a day's journey is at least twenty miles. Ludolf thinks, it ought to be reduced to sixteen miles; and others, to half that number, because, Moses refers to the march of Israel through the desert, encumbered with their women and children, their flocks and herds, and the baggage of the whole nation; which must have greatly retarded their movements, and rendered the short distance of eight miles more than sufficient for a journey of one day. It is equally doubtful, whether the distance mentioned by Moses, must be measured from the centre, or from the extremities of the encampment; it is certain, however, that he intends to state the countless numbers of these birds which fell around the tents of Israel.y Some interpreters have doubted, whether the next clause refer to the amazing multitude of these birds which strewed the desert, or to the facility with which they were caught; the wind let them fall by the camp-" as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth." after them the Vulgate, render it, two cubits high above the earth. The Seventy, and They flew, as it were Others imagine, the * Hieroz. vol. iii, lib. i, cap. 15, p. 105. space, to quails were piled one above another over all that the height of two cubits; while others suppose, that the heaps which were scattered on the desert with vacant spaces between, for the convenience of those that went forth to collect them, rose to the height of two cubits. The second opinion seems entitled to the preference; for the phrase "to rain," evidently refers to these birds after they had fallen to the ground, upon which they lay numerous as the drops of rain from the dense cloud. Besides, the people could scarcely have gathered ten homers a piece, in two days, if they had not found the quails lying upon the ground; for a homer is the largest measure among the Jews, and contains nearly six pints; according to some Hebrew writers, the load of an ass, from whose name the term is supposed to be derived. The surprising abundance of these birds may be inferred also from the quantity which the tribes collected : "And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails; he that gathered least, gathered ten homers." The persons employed, were not a few of the people, but a great multitude that were not prevented by other domestic engage ments or important reasons; and that discovered on this occasion, much alacrity and perseverance. Unwilling to lose so valuable an opportunity of gratifying their inordinate desires, and providing for their future wants, they continued their active exertions for several days; and that we may know the result of their diligence, and form some idea of the abundant supply with which divine providence had favoured them, the sacred historian states, "he that gathered least, gathered ten homers." This word (pin) homer, is properly distinguished from (ny) omer, a much smaller measure, and from (1) hamor, an ass, or the load which is commonly laid upon that animal. But some writers make it equal to the cor, which is more than double the weight, and is the common load of a camel. But it was not necessary that every one should gather ten camel loads of quails; for God had promised his people flesh for a month, and would have fulfilled his promise by bestowing on every individual the third part of a cor, or camel's burden. The truth of this assertion will appear, when it is considered, that every Israelite received for his daily subsistence, an omer of manna, which is the tenth part of an epha. But an epha is the tenth part of a cor; and by consequence, a cor contains an hundred omers. If then, an omer is sufficient for one day, a cor must be sufficient for an hundred days, that is, for more than three months. Hence, if every Israelite gathered ten cors of quails, they collected thirty times more than God had promised. Bochart endeavours to remove this difficulty, by observing, that Moses, in this verse, speaks only of the heads of families, leaving out of his enumeration, the women, children, and slaves. But it is evident, that Moses did not use the word people, in this restricted sense; for he states, that the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people that gathered the quails," and the Lord smote them with a very great plague. And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah; but these things are surely said of the whole people. Dissatisfied with this solution, Bochart proposes another with which he is better pleased: The ten homers are not ten cors, but ten heaps; for in this sense, the word is sometimes used. Thus, in the prophecies of Habbakkuk, homer signifies a heap of many waters; and in the book of Exodus, a heap of frogs." Onkelos and other interpreters, accordingly render it in . Hab. iii, 15. Exod. viii, 14. this passage, ten heaps. If this be admitted, Moses has not determined the quantity of these birds which every one gathered; but only says, that every one at least gathered ten heaps, that is, by a familiar phrase among the Hebrews, a very great number; for ten is often used in Scripture for many. This version ought to be preferred, both on account of what has been already stated, and because the cor is a measure of corn, not of flesh. The view now given is of some value; for if every Israelite gathered ten cors of quails, the number of these birds must have been so great as to exceed all belief. But it has been shewn, that instead of ten cors, an Israelite did not collect and use the third part of one. It is not meant to limit the power of God; but surely no violence should be offered to human belief, by requiring more from it, than God has revealed in his word.c The vast multitude of these birds, appears also from the long time that the many thousands of Israel subsisted upon them in the desert. Jehovah promises, with uncommon emphasis, "Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month." The complete fulfilment of this promise, although not recorded by Moses, may be justly inferred from the great quantity which the people gathered and laid up in store, after drying them in the sun, for their subsistence. The Psalmist distinctly alludes to it in these words: "So they did eat and were filled; for he gave them their own desire." Thus were six hundred thousand footmen, besides women and children, supplied with quails for a whole month, by the b See Gen. xxxi, 7. Num. xiv, 22, &c. 4 Nor power and goodness of Jehovah. In the colder regions of Europe, where the quail is less frequent, this could not have been done without a new creation; but in warm climates, the case is very different. There these birds are found in immense numbers. From Aristophanes it appears, that no bird was more common in Greece; and Juvenal asserts, that none were of less value at Rome. will that appear wonderful, when the assertion of some writers is considered, that, in the beginning of spring, within the space of five miles, an hundred thousand of these birds are sometimes caught in one day; and this astonishing number continues to be taken for nearly a whole month. Varro asserts, that turtles and quails return from their migrations into Italy, in immense numbers. Hence, their flight when they approach the land, is alleged by Pliny, to be" attended with danger to mariners; for these birds, wearied with their journey, alight upon the sails, and this always in the night, and sink their frail vessels." The same fact is stated by Solinus as quoted by Bochart: "When they come within sight of land, they rush forward in large bodies, and with so great impetuosity as often to endanger the safety of navigators; for they alight upon the sails in the night, and by their weight overset the vessels." Many places also have borne the name of Ortygia, from the multitude of quails which crowded their fields. Thus, Delus was called Ortygia; the island of Syracuse was known by the same name, also the city of Ephesus, as well as a grove very near it, and another in the vicinity of Miletus. For the same reason, the whole d a O, 871. e Sat. 12. . f De Re Rust. lib. iii, cap. 5. Nat. Hist. lib. x, cap. 33.-Buffon says, when they meet with a contrary wind they alight on ships. Nat. Hist. vol. ii, p. 408. |