nk. So they labored
at it till the water was so agitated and purged as to be fit to drink.

3. And now removing from thence they came to Elim; which place looked
well at a distance, for there was a grove of palm-trees; but when they
came near to it, it appeared to be a bad place, for the palm-trees were
no more than seventy; and they were ill-grown and creeping trees, by the
want of water, for the country about was all parched, and no moisture
sufficient to water them, and make them hopeful and useful, was derived
to them from the fountains, which were in number twelve: they were
rather a few moist places than springs, which not breaking out of the
ground, nor running over, could not sufficiently water the trees. And
when they dug into the sand, they met with no water; and if they took
a few drops of it into their hands, they found it to be useless, on
account of its mud. The trees were too weak to bear fruit, for want of
being sufficiently cherished and enlivened by the water. So they laid
the blame on their conductor, and made heavy complaints against him;
and said that this their miserable state, and the experience they had of
adversity, were owing to him; for that they had then journeyed an entire
thirty days, and had spent all the provisions they had brought with
them; and meeting with no relief, they were in a very desponding
condition. And by fixing their attention upon nothing but their present
misfortunes, they were hindered from remembering what deliverances they
had received from God, and those by the virtue and wisdom of Moses also;
so they were very angry at their conductor, and were zealous in their
attempt to stone him, as the direct occasion of their present miseries.

4. But as for Moses himself, while the multitude were irritated and
bitterly set against him, he cheerfully relied upon God, and upon his
consciousness of the care he had taken of these his own people; and he
came into the midst of them, even while they clamored against him, and
had stones in their hands in order to despatch him. Now he was of
an agreeable presence, and very able to persuade the people by his
speeches; accordingly he began to mitigate their anger, and exhorted
them not to be over-mindful of their present adversities, lest they
should thereby suffer the benefits that had formerly been bestowed on
them to slip out of their memories; and he desired them by no means, on
account of their present uneasiness, to cast those great