The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-08-23

time of the year the time was the time Of the
FIRST ripe grapes" Rev. john w. Neyin, ID. D., |
ina his Biblical Antiquities, p. ST. states: The
vintage, or season for gathering grapes, began
early in the Fail, about the middle Of Septem-
Der (Tisri or Ethaniml, and generally lasted
about two months" The first ripe grapes
would be on the vines early in September. We
the. Feast OF Ta5ernacles, which was
a harvest festival, including the grape vintage,
began on the 18th of Iisri. Elk, %: Is; Lev,
%: SO; Deu., is 49,
q Place
The Israelites left Mt Sinai, going north.
Their first station was Tabcrah. IA 80 Next
they reached Kilbroth Hattaayah. (1I:3i, IS;
80: Is, H. The fourth stop was at Hazeroth.
III: 35; SO II, 49, Hazeroth WIS about 50
miles from Mt. Sinai. The fifth station vas
Kadesh- Barnea. (13: &c; Deu 1:19-} We
learn from Deu., l: 2, that KadCsh-Barn was
II days journey from Mt. Sinai. But the
Israelites did not 80 without stopping, They
remained at Klbroth Hattaavah for four
weeks. (11:20.) At HazerGth they stopped
for a week. f12 10, 49, In direct line
kadesh-Barnea is about 100 miles from Mt.
Sinai. 1t is in the wilderness OF Paran. (l3:
&C.. That was the only station in all the wan
behring's called a city. go: 49, 1t was IN the
southern border of the Promised Land. "a:
4; josh, Al They stopped at Kadesh-
Barnea many days (Deu., 1 46. Compare
many days in M, 9:19.)
g. The Circumstances.
The Israelites had reached the very border Of
the Promised Land. I'll their hopes we're
seemingly soon to be realized. Bcwitching de-
scriptions had been furnished them in advance
as to the beauty, fruitfulness and healthfulness
of the territory. With full confidence III Gods
promises, and in complete assurance Of the
divine power and goodness, they should have
I IL Z xF
the country But they paused. They thought
it safe first to make sure of their ability 10 90
in and master thesituation. They lacked faith
in God. IN their apprehensions they sug-
gested to Moses the idea Of sending a COM
mittee of investigation throughout the land,
and find out whether all things were clear
for their entry. Notice it was a PROPOSE
ton Of the people to Moses TO send body
of spies into the land before the Israelitish
I:22.) 1t was cowardly for GJ0000 soldiers,
armed, disciplined, aud with complete and sure
commissaTy provisions to halt More, too, it
was a shameful distrust Of the power Of God,
as shown at Egypt, along the route and about
Mt. Sinai. Had the object beea simply to
TecOnnOter with a view of seeing best methods
of overcoming the Cauaanitcs, there would not
be much reason for criticism. But the Land
of Promise was worth a struggle God and
they would conquer it. IL is plain the people
were not yet ready for forming themselves
into an independent Government. They need
ed yet further discipline. IL is as IL was at
Ethan. eek, -: 20.l 1t would not do to per-
nit the people to move on at once into separate
nationality IN Canaan. Hence God turned
them out into the wilderness and forced them
to wander about for 50 years more.
A. The Spies.
Moses acceded to the request of the people to
send a accommodating party throughout the
land He showed his political skill in select
ing one from each tribe We have the list in
verses 4-l6. We are specially interested in
two, Caleb and Joshua-Caleb from the tribe
of Judah aud Joshua from the tribe of Eph-
rain. The name Joshua means he shalt save.
He was type of Christ, and we mark with in
terest the sameness Of their names-Joshua,
Jesus.
5. The Charge to the Spies
The charge was given By Moses. The ocea-
sion was very interesting one. There was
probably public meeting. The u were to
receive their instructions. The charge as well
as the report was made in the hearing Of the
whole congregation. lV. 26.J
The spies we're to begin at Kadesh- Barnea
and proceed from the south to the north.
TO get a range or outlook which might aid
them in their work they were TO ascend q
neighboring mountain. Deu., / 49, tells OF
the mountain of the Amorites in connection
with Kadesh Barnea. In NJ. Ii: Al, we read
of hilltop" near Kadesh-Barnea. From a
summit the spies could catch glimpse or birds
eye view of the region.
They were charged to see the land to spy it
| oHt to make o critical examination Of the soil
and products; to notice whether it were good
| or bad, whether it were barren or productive
| whether in its richness it, e. g., were woody or
| instead desert; aud all this in the face oil
L., e.
| milk and honey.
| Then the spies were to observe the charac-
| teristies Of the people; whether they were
| strong or weak whether few or many whether
| they massed together in walled towns or lived
unprotected by stFongholds, as do nOmadiC
| tribes.
Moses requested them to bring some speci
mems of the products of the land. These would
| be convincing, favorably or the reverse, &C
cording as they were inferior or choice.
| Then, conscious of the perils which be5et thu
| spies, Moses exhorts them to be brave to KEEP
| up courage, to remember who is their God anC
the extent of His power.
g. The Rec0auoiter
| There must have been some system by which
| the II went throughout the land. They coalC
not have gone in single group for such
party would incite suspicion. By dispensing
and meeting at prearranged spots they could
/ gunner u IHOE6 Iutl GCCDuuG Oh ZIG lCIfiLOry
| The land of Canaan IS about 140 miles long anC
80 to 40 wide Forty days were devoted to the
spying. They probably studied DISCUSSES.
First, the spies went north, leaving thu
| wilderness of Paran wherein Kadesh- Barne,
was and entering the Wilderness of Tin, pass
ing on till they reached the extreme northern
boundary, near the southern base of Mt
Lebanon, at Rehob and Klamath. Returning
south V. 22) they came at length to Hebron
Zoan was the capital OF Egypt when the Israel
ties left that land 1t was thought to be very
old, but Moses declared Hebron was older thar
Zoan by seven years. Hebron was place o
profound interest to the IsTaelites, as being thu
place of burial of Abraham and Sarah an(
other ancestors of the Jewish race Nea
Hebron was Eshcol. The name was given Il
the place from the incident which we study
the word E5hcol meaning a cluster of grapes
| The spies would select bunch as specimens Il
take into camp at point near where they lef
the land of Canaan, so that when brought int
camp they would be fresh and make the hes
appearance.
But the spies were also to examine carefully
the claims OF people occupying the land. The!
found there warlike races The men, having
liberty and free range of country, were vigorou
and healthful. The Israeltes had been slave
and given much to sedeutary vacations
Doubtless they were inferior in size when pu
side by side with the Canaanites But the re
port Of the spies is doubtless extravagant. No
all the inhabitants were giants. Men of grea
stature are the exception in every country
The family of one Anak was noted for the siZ