s as
seen in the entire period.

Chapter VII.

From Kadesh to the Death of Moses.

Num. 14-Dt. 34.

The Pathos of the Forty Years. The stories of this period have running
through them an element of pathos arising especially from two sources.
(1) Perhaps the experiences of Moses are most sorrowful. That he
should now, after faithfully bringing this people to the very border
of the land which they sought, be compelled to spend forty monotonous
years in this bare and uninteresting desert must have been a
disappointment very heavy to bear. During these wanderings he buried
Miriam, his sister, and Aaron, his brother and helper. He was often
complained of by the people he was trying to help, and because of it
was led to sin in such a way as to cause God to refuse him the
privilege of entering Canaan. It was necessary for him to appoint his
successor and himself be buried in these lands. He was compelled to
renumber the people to find that all but two of those who were above
twenty when they left Egypt had perished. (2) Surely the experience of
the people of Israel during these years is sufficient to arouse a
feeling of pity. Forty years of suffering and unhappiness and the loss
of all opportunity to enter Canaan by those who fell in the wilderness
beclouds the whole story.

The Events of the Forty Years' Wandering. It is now impossible to
trace exactly any except the latter portion of their journeyings. It
is clear that they went from place to place, not of course marching
continuously each day, but changing their location as often at least
as the requirements of pasturage demanded. Of the early portion of
these years we know but little. They seemed to have remained a long
while at Kadesh (Dt. 1:45) and indeed may have made it a sort of
headquarters. The story of the rebellion of Konah with the consequent
punishment, and the budding of Aarons rod by which the appointment of
the family of Aaron to the priesthood was attested are the important
incidents of this period.

Final Scenes at Kadesh. After about thirty-eight years had elapsed
(Dt. 2:14), and the period of wandering was nearly at an end, Israel
is again found at Kadesh (Num. 20:11) on the borders of Edom where the
spies had been sent out and they made their calamitous blunder. Here
at this time happened three important events; (1) Miriam died and was
buried, (2) Moses smote the rock and brought forth water, but because
he smote it instead of speaking