Travels in Syria and the Holy Land | Page 7

the Israelites were numbered and received
their laws.
About the beginning of May, in the fourteenth month from the time of
their departure from Egypt, the children of Israel quitted the vicinity of
Mount Horeb, and under the guidance of Hohab, the Midianite, brother-
in-law of Moses, marched to Kadesh, a place on the frontiers of Canaan,
of Edom, and of the desert of Paran or Zin.[Numbers, c.x. et seq. and
c.33. Deuter. c.i.] Not long after their arrival, "at the time of the 'first
ripe grapes,'" or about the beginning of August, spies were sent into
every part of the cultivated country, as far north as Hamah.[Numbers,
c.xiii. Deuter. c.i.] The report which they brought back was no less
favourable to the fertility of the land, than it was discouraging by its
description of the warlike spirit and preparation of the inhabitants, and
of the strength of the fortified places; and the Israelites having in
consequence refused to follow their leaders into Canaan, were punished
by that long wandering in the deserts lying between Egypt, Judaea, and

Mount Sinai, of which the sacred historian has not left us any details,
but the tradition of which is still preserved in the name of El Tyh,
annexed to the whole country; both to the desert plains, and to the
mountains lying between them and Mount Sinai.
In the course of their residence in the neighbourhood of Kadesh, the
Israelites obtained some advantages over the neighbouring
Canaanites,[Numbers, c.xxi.] but giving up at length all hope of
penetrating by the frontier, which lies between Gaza and the Dead Sea,
they turned to the eastward, with a view of making a circuit through the
countries on the southern and eastern sides of the lake. [Numbers, c.xx,
xxi.] Here however, they found the difficulty still greater; Mount Seir
of Edom, which under the modern names of Djebal, Shera, and Hesma,
[p.xv]forms a ridge of mountains, extending from the southern
extremity of the Dead Sea to the gulf of Akaba, rises abruptly from the
valleys El Ghor and El Araba, and is traversed from west to east by a
few narrow Wadys only, among which the Ghoeyr alone furnishes an
entrance that would not be extremely difficult to a hostile force. This
perhaps was the "high way," by which Moses, aware of the difficulty of
forcing a passage, and endeavouring to obtain his object by negotiation,
requested the Edomites to let him pass, on the condition of his leaving
the fields and vineyards untouched, and of purchasing provisions and
water from the inhabitants.[Numbers, c.xx. Deuter, c.i.] But Edom
"refused to give Israel passage through his border," and "came out
against him with much people, and with a strong hand."[Numbers, c.xx.]
The situation of the Israelites therefore, was very critical. Unable to
force their way in either direction, and having enemies on three sides;
(the Edomites in front, and the Canaanites, and Amalekites on their left
flank and rear,) no alternative remained for them but to follow the
valley El Araba southwards, towards the head of the Red Sea. At
Mount Hor, which rises abruptly from that valley, "by the coast of the
land of Edom,"[Numbers, ibid.] Aaron died, and was buried in the
conspicuous situation, which tradition has preserved as the site of his
tomb to the present day. Israel then "journeyed from Mount Hor, by the
way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom,"[Numbers, c.xxi.]
"through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongeber," until
"they turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab, and

arrived at the brook Zered."[Deuter, c.ii.] It may be supposed that they
crossed the ridge to the southward of Eziongeber, about the place
where Burckhardt remarked, from the opposite coast, that the
mountains were lower than to the northward, and it [p.xvi] was in this
part of their wandering that they suffered from the serpents, of which
our traveller observed the traces of great numbers on the opposite shore
of the AElanitic gulf. The Israelites then issued into the great elevated
plains which are traversed by the Egyptian and Syrian pilgrims, on the
way to Mekka, after they have passed the two Akabas. Having entered
these plains, Moses received the divine command, "You have
compassed this mountain long enough, turn you northward."--"Ye are
to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which
dwell in Seir, and they shall be afraid of you." [Deuter, c.ii.] The same
people who had successfully repelled the approach of the Israelites
from the strong western frontier, was alarmed now that they had come
round upon the weak side of the country. But Israel was ordered "not to
meddle" with the children of Esau, but "to pass through their coast" and
to "buy meat and water