country of Libya, received from the ancients the name of Ortygia. But quails abounded no where in greater numbers than in Egypt, and the surrounding countries, whither they were allured by the intense heat of the climate, or the great fertility of the soil. Hence, the remark of Josephus, that the Arabic gulf is peculiarly favourable to the breeding of these birds. We have also heard the tes timony of Diodorus, concerning the countless number of quails about Rhinocolura; and the ancients mention a species of quail peculiar to Egypt, which is so numerous at a certain season of the year, that the inhabitants, unable to consume them all, are compelled to salt them for future use. This was done in times, when, according to Theocritus, the vale of Egypt contained more than thirty thousand cities;1 and by the testimony of Josephus, seven hundred and fifty myriads of people, without including the inhabitants of Alexandria From this statement it must be evident, that in order to supply the many thousands of Israel with quails for a whole month, no act of creation was necessary; but only a strong breeze, to direct the flight of those innumerable flocks, which encumber the African continent, to the camp of Israel. We read that our Lord multiplied the loaves and the fishes, when he fed the attending multitudes; but no inspired writer insinuates, that Jehovah created or multiplied the quails with which he sustained his people in the wilderness. He had only to transport them on the wings of the wind, from the vale of Egypt, and the shores of the Red sea. It was in

i

Antiq. book iii, chap. 1, 5, 13.

h Idyll. lib. xvii, 1. 79. J See Bochart. Hieroz. lib. i, cap. 16, p. 107.-No country abounds more with quails than the Crimea; during the summer these birds spread over the whole country. De Tott's Mem. vol. i, p. 395.

deed a stupendous miracle, to collect such immense numbers, to bring them into the desert precisely at the time which he had appointed, and to let them fall about the camp, that they might be gathered by his people; but the provision itself existed already in the stores of common providence, and required only to be conveyed to the spot where it was needed.

The first supply of quails, was followed by no visible judgment from heaven; for although they were guilty of murmuring against the Lord, he spared them in his love and in his pity; but they provoked him on this occasion, by their indecent desire of good living; by loathing the manna, which was provided for them by his distinguishing kindness; by regretting the provisions which they had enjoyed in Goshen; and by denying the divine power and goodness, which they had already experienced in supplying them with quails, soon after they came out of Egypt, and of which they had every day the most substantial proofs, in giving them bread from heaven. Incensed by this undutiful conduct, Jehovah unequivocally notified his righteous displeasure, before he granted their demands : "Ye shall it eat a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" These words are a proof, that he had heard the murmurings of his people with great indignation. When, therefore, the month was completed, and while the flesh with which they had gorged themselves was yet in their mouth, "the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.” Various are the views which interpreters have given of

this judgment; but their opinion seems entitled to the preference, who suppose it was a fire from heaven, by which some of the people were consumed. Their undutiful murmurings were punished in this manner, a very short time before: "And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp." Bochart indeed, considers this brief statement as a summary view of the scene which is more minutely described in the rest of the chapter. The same place, he thinks, is called Taberah, from the conflagration, and Kibroth-hataavah," because there they buried the people that lusted." But this opinion seems to rest upon no solid foundation; no trace of a more brief, and then of a more extended narrative, can be discovered in the passage. The sacred writer plainly describes two dif ferent calamities, of which the first was indisputably by fire, which renders it not improbable that the second was also produced by the same devouring element. This probability is greatly increased by the words of David, in his sublime description of this very judgment: "Therefore, the Lord heard, and was wroth; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not God, nor trusted in his salvation." An instance of similar perverseness is recorded of this people, soon after they came out of Egypt. But, although they were perhaps equally blameable, they were not subjected to the same punishment; for, in this instance, Jehovah bestowed upon them a supply of quails that evening; and the day after, he rained manna from **Exod. xi, 1.

VOL. II.

Psa. lxxviii, 21.

Z

m

m Exod. xvi, 2.

heaven around their tents. He had a right to punish them for their iniquity; but he graciously turned away his anger, and yielded to their importunities. And for this forbearance, several reasons may be assigned. If any fall a second time into the sins which had been already forgiven, he is more guilty than before; because he both insults the justice, and tramples on the grace and mercy of God. Besides, in this instance, the people of Israel murmured against their leaders, because they were pressed by famine, and in want of all the necessaries of life. But in the desert of Paran, bread from heaven descended in daily showers around their encampment, in sufficient quantity to satisfy the whole congregation; they lived on angel's food; they were satiated with the bread of heaven; and by consequence, the flesh which they demanded with so great eagerness and importunity, was not required to supply their necessity, but to gratify their lustful desires. When they murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sin, they had but lately come out of Egypt

they were still in a rude and untutored state, for the law was not yet given; but in Paran they rebelled, after long and various experience of the divine care and goodness, after the law was given, and after they had been instructed by many sufferings, in the evil nature and bitter consequences of sin; their conduct, therefore, was much more criminal, and deservedly subjected them to severe castigation.

The Cock.

No certain allusions to this domestic fowl, occur in the Old Testament Scriptures. But in the writings of the apostles and the evangelists, we find two unequivocal reférences to it; one to the crowing of the cock, and the other

n

Our

to the tender affection of the hen for her brood. blessed Lord refers to the former, in his warning to the disciples: "Watch ye, therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning." The cockcrowing was, properly, the time which intervened between midnight and the morning; which is evident from the words of the evangelist just quoted. Availing themselves of this circumstance, the Romans divided their day and night into various parts, which they distinguished by appropriate names. Midnight was the point at which their day commenced and terminated; then followed, what they called the inclination of midnight; after that, the cockcrowing; then the conticinium, or time of silence, when all was still; this was followed by the dawn, which ushered in the morning; and this in its turn was succeeded by the noon day. The Greek term which denotes the cock-crowing, is often used in the plural number, because that wakeful bird announces more than once, the approach of light. He begins to chaunt at midnight; and again raises his warning voice, between midnight and the dawn; which, on this account, is often called the second cock-crowing. Thus Juvenal:

"Quod tamen ad cantum galli facit ille secundi,
Proximus ante diem caupo sciet."

Sat. ix, 1. 106.

The second cock-crowing corresponds with the fourth watch of the night; for, says Ammianus, he ascended mount Casius, from whence, at the second crowing of the cock, the rising sun might be first descried. But, according to Pliny, from the towering height of mount Casius, the sun might be seen at the fourth watch, ascendAmmianus, lib. xxii.

n Mark xiii, 35.