The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-01-18
[Fw The ItIlmiagtonian,
BIBLE sKErCHEs.--Coatinued

stroyed the Amalekites and taken the spols
into their possession, they, from state of
penury. began to dazzle in wealth and splen-
dor.--They had gold, silver and brass
scarlet, blue, purple, and fine twncd linen;
camcls, oxen, COWS, calves, sheep and goats;
fine flour, wine, oil, and precious stones.
Indeed an attempt to sum up the value OF
the whole would be extremely futile. For
by many it is thoughtthat the holy garments
of Aaron and his sons, were they rcckoncd
according to the estimation in which the ar
sicles are held at the present day, would be
equal to fitting out moderate navy OF
ships. lne Children of Israel having ar
rived at Mount Sinai, Moses, after making
due arrangements, and using the necessary
cautions against speculative inquiry, ascend
ed to the top of the Mount, and, as 1t IS
written, talked with God, face to face and
that on two tables Of stone the finger OF
God wrote the Commandments, and about
the time of their completion noise and
shouting was heard in the camp of Israeli
The tidings and cause soon reached the ears
of Moses, upon which account he bcsought
the Lord not to let his wrath wax hot, but
to repent Of the evil which he had thought
to do to his people; and however strange it
may appear, Moses acted in the capacity Of
both intercessor and dictator. Yet the Sc
qucl proves that he on seeing the nakedness
of portion of the children of Israel, (for
Aaron had made them SOY became angry
himself, and caused to be slain three thou
sand of his brethren. Those of the tribe of
Levi became executioners; whose number
we have no method of obtaining, seeing they
for some cause were not to be numbered
with the rest of the children of Israel But
if we suppose them prolific with those OF
the other eleven tribes, their numbers
mounts to s3,333. Notwithstanding Moses
having thus atoned for this sin, probably
of ignorance, because no man having true
or we'll grounded faith in God, falls into
such error in few days,) "let the LORD
plagued the people because they made the
calf that Aaron made" This calf was
made out of the car rings and Jewels oil
those now dead, and which being manufac'
turcd into powder or dust, and sprinkled III
water, was given the people to diink--nut
whether intended as future blessing or
curse to the individuals who drank it, IS not
clearly defined.
Moses now having found grace in the
eyes of the. Lord walked before the tent
DOORS "And it came to pass when Moses
went out of the tabernacle that all the pco-
pie rose up and stood every man at his tent
door, and looked after Moses, until he was
| gone into the tabernacle;" "and all the peo-
ple saw the cloudy pillar stand at the ia
bernacle door; and all the people rose up
, and worshippcd, every man IN his teh'
door" Now to suppose their mode OF en-
campment to resemble city, it would have
, been impossible for every person to have
! seen Moses from their respective tent doors
, because the tents necessary to hold one mil
lion people, about six times the number in
habiting Philadelphia, must have occupied
at convenient distances, twelve hundred a
: cres of ground. If we suppose the teht
built upon the periphery Of great circle
they then must have occupied at reasonable
distances asunder, upwards of 200 miles
i, the semi-diameter whereof would be thirty
!, three miles, which is distance too tar tt
see any object nearthe surface otthe ground
e for If there were none other impedimen
u than the rotundity of the earth, this in itsel
implies impossibility; therefore must leav'
the reader to form his own conjcctures-
= Moses having the second time presented th
# law, it was accepted of by the people
: large. The tribe of Levi, consisting o
sS.33S souls, the men were classed accord
ing to the several dignitcs OF their fathers
l. Moses ranked first as prophet, and Aaro
: as high priest, whose sons after him wer
2 forever invested with inherent rights to TIL
d same. I need not here detain the reade
u with the various grades and Offices attached
to the Levitical priesthood; suffice to say
!. the whole male part of the tribe OF Levi
d held Offices and officiated in all matters tina
n concerned men and women. Consequent,
= they were not altogether idle at any time.
Ictus now turn cur attention 10 singl