The Legends of the Jews, vol 3 | Page 9

angel hosts
standing ready to hasten to the assistance of the people. [22]
They were not agreed as to what they were to do. There were four
contending parties. The opinion of the first party was that they seek
death by drowning in the sea; of the second, that they return to Egypt;
the third was in favor of a pitched battle with the enemy, and the fourth
thought it would be a good plan to intimidate the Egyptians by noise
and a great hubbub. To the first Moses said, "Stand still, and see the
salvation of the Lord;" to the second, "The Egyptians whom ye have
seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever;" to the third,
"The Lord shall fight for you;" and to the fourth, "Ye shall hold your
peace." "What, then, shall we do?" these asked their leader, and Moses
answered them, saying, "Ye shall bless, praise, extol, adore and glorify

Him that is the Lord of war!" Instead of the sword and the five sorts of
arms which they bore, they mad use of their mouth, and it was of
greater avail than all possible weapons of war. The Lord hearkened
unto their prayer, for which He had but been waiting. [23]
Moses also addressed himself to God, saying: "O Lord of the world! I
am like the shepherd who, having undertaken to pasture a flock, has
been heedless enough to drive his sheep to the edge of a precipice, and
then is in a despair how to get them down again. Pharaoh is behind my
flock Israel, in the south is Baal-zephon, in the north Midgol, and
before us the sea lies spread out. [24] Thou knowest, O Lord, that it is
beyond human strength and human contrivance to surmount the
difficulties standing in our way. Thine alone is the work of procuring
deliverance for this army, which left Egypt at Thy appointment. We
despair of all other assistance or device, and we have recourse only to
our hope in Thee. If there be any escape possible, we look up to Thy
providence to accomplish it for us." [25] With such words Moses
continued to make fervent supplication to God to succor Israel in their
need. But God cut short his prayer, saying: "Moses, My children are in
distress - the sea blocks the way before them, the enemy is in hot
pursuit after them, and thou standest here and prayest. Sometimes long
prayer is good, but sometimes it is better to be brief. If I gathered the
waters together unto one place, and let the dry land appear for Adam, a
single human being, should I not do the same for this holy congregation?
I will save them if only for the sake of the merits of Abraham, who
stood ready to sacrifice his son Isaac unto Me, and for the sake of My
promise to Jacob. The sun and the moon are witnesses that I will cleave
the sea for the seed of the children of Israel, who deserve My help for
going after Me in the wilderness unquestioningly. Do thou but see to it
that they abandon their evil thought of returning to Egypt, and then it
will not be necessary to turn to Me and entreat My help." [26]
Moses, however, was still very much troubled in mind, on account of
Samael, who had not left off lodging accusations before God against
Israel since the exodus from Egypt. The Lord adopted the same
procedure in dealing with the accuser as the experienced shepherd, who,
at the moment of transferring his sheep across a stream, was faced by a
ravening wolf. The shepherd threw a strong ram to the wolf, and while
the two engaged in combat, the rest of the flock was carried across the

water, and then the shepherd returned and snatch the wolf's supposed
prey away from him. Samael said to the Lord: "Up to this time the
children of Israel were idol worshippers, and now Thou proposest so
great a thing as dividing the sea for them?" What did the Lord do? He
surrendered Job to Samael, saying, "While he busies himself with Job,
Israel will pass through the sea unscathed, and as soon as they are in
safety, I will rescue Job from the hands of Samael." [27]
Israel had other angel adversaries, besides. Uzza, the tutelary Angel of
the Egyptians, appeared before God, and said, "O Lord of the world! I
have a suit with this nation which Thou hast brought forth out to Egypt.
If it seemeth well to Thee, let their angel Michael appear, and contend
with me before Thee." The Lord summoned Michael, and Uzza stated
his charges against Israel: "O Lord of the world! Thou didst decree
concerning this people of