Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/302

280 But the people were athirst for water, and the people murmured against Moses and said, "Why hast thou made us come up out of Egypt to kill us, and our children, and our cattle, with thirst?"

And Moses prayed before the Lord, saying, "What shall I do for this people? Yet a little while, and they will stone me."

And the Lord said to Moses, "Pass over before the people, and take the rod, with which thou didst smite the river, in thine hand, and go from the face of their murmuring. Behold, I will stand before thee there, on the spot where thou sawest the impression of the foot on Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock with thy rod, and therefrom shall come forth waters for drinking, and the people shall drink."

And Moses did so before the Elders of Israel. And he called the name of that place Temptation and Strife; because the people strove with him there, and tempted God.

Tabari gives these particulars concerning the smitten rock. In the desert there was no water. Moses prayed to God, and He commanded him to strike a rock with his staff.

Some say that this was an ordinary stone in the desert, others that it was a stone from Sinai which Moses carried about with him that he might stand on it whenever he prayed. Moses struck the rock, and twelve streams spouted from it.

Then Moses said, "You have manna and quails in abundance, gather only sufficient for the day, and you shall have fresh on the morrow." But they would not obey his word; therefore the Lord withdrew the birds, and the people were famished. Then Moses besought the Lord, and the quails were restored to them. And this is how the quails fell in the camp. A wind smote them as they flew over the camp, and broke their wings.

Then the people murmured again, and said to Moses, "The heat is intolerable, we cannot endure it."

So he prayed, and God sent a cloud to overshadow Israel; and it gave them cool shade all the day.

After that, they complained, "We want clothes." Then God wrought a marvel, and their clothes waxed not old and ragged, nor did their shoes wear out, nor did dirt and dust settle on their garments.