Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/267

XXXII.] The Egyptians brought up oxen and ploughed over the spot, in hopes of destroying thereby the vanished infants; but, when their backs were turned, the children sprouted from the soil, like little flowers, and walked home unperceived. Some say that 10,000 children were cast into the Nile. They were not deserted by the Most High. The river rejected them upon its banks, and the rocks melted into butter and honey around them and thus fed them, and oil distilled to anoint them.

This persecution had continued for three years and four months, when, on the seventh day of the twelfth month, Adar, the astrologers and seers stood before the king and said, "This day a child is born who will free the people of Israel! This, and one thing more, have we learnt from the stars, Water will be the cause of his death; but whether he be an Egyptian or an Hebrew child, that we know not."

"Very well," said Pharaoh; "then in future all male children, Egyptians as well as Hebrews, shall be cast indiscriminately into the river."

And so was it done.

2. THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF MOSES. Kohath, son of Levi, had a son named Amram, whose life was so saintly, that death could not have touched him, had not the decree gone forth, that every child of Adam was to die.

He married Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, his aunt, and by her he had a daughter Miriam; and after four years she bore him a son, and he called his name Aaron.

Now when it was noised abroad that Pharaoh would slay all the sons of the Hebrews that were born to them, Amram thrust away his wife, and many others did the same, not that they hated their wives, but that they would spare them the grief of seeing their children put to death. After three years,