awful punishment to fall upon Pharaoh. At Etham the cloud which went before the Israelites suddenly altered its course, and, instead of entering the desert, descended by the western side of the Red Sea to Pi-hahiroth:* whither the people followed it, and encamped between Migdol and the sea. They were here in a mountainous district, with the sea in their front; and in this apparently dangerous situation, they saw the Egyptians coming in pursuit of them. Pharaoh had repented of having given his consent to their departure, and had hastily assembled his army,t and followed after them, with "six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them :" he overtook them at evening, as they reached the sea.

And when the Israelites beheld the Egyptians, they were sore afraid; and they murmured against Moses, and said, " Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians; for it had been better for

* Pi-hahiroth, the mouth or pass of Hiroth, an opening in the mountains.

+ The soldiers of Egypt were a distinct caste, and lived in certain cities, from whence they could be called together at a short notice. Trades and professions were hereditary in Egypt. The warriors formed the second caste: the priesthood was the first, in which was the king, who was both king and priest.

us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."

But Moses said, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show you to-day. For the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

The cloud which had hitherto gone before the camp of the Israelites suddenly removed, and stood between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of the Israelites, so that the one came not near the other all the night; and it gave light to the Israelites, but it was a cloud, and darkness to the Egyptians.

"And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left."

Thus were the Israelites miraculously delivered from the hands of their enemies; and now quickly followed the final punishment of Pharaoh and his host.

When, in the morning, the Egyptians saw that the Israelites had escaped, they hastily pursued after them, and entered the dry path between the wall of water which stood upon either side, and through which the Israelites had

safely passed. They entered,-Pharaoh and all his host, his horsemen, and his chariots of war; but when they reached the middle they were filled with sudden fear, for the LORD troubled them; and they drove their chariots heavily, and they cried, "Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians."

Then the LORD commanded Moses to stretch his rod over the sea again, "and the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them: there remained not so much as one of them." "Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians: and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore."

This was the wretched end of Pharaoh and of the Egyptians who followed him: it should warn all persons to stop in the career of wickedness, and to repent sincerely, while there is time. Pharaoh did not once really repent, because he did not leave off sinning against God; being sorry for a little while, and then doing the same thing again is not repenting, nor will such unprofitable sorrow save us from God's displeasure, any more than it saved Pharaoh.

Moses and the Israelites were grateful to God for delivering them out of the hand of the Egyptians; and they sang the following beautiful song in commemoration of the event:

THE SONG OF MOSES.

"I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath "triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider "hath he thrown into the sea.

"The LORD is my strength and song, and he "is become my salvation; he is my God, and I "will prepare him an habitation; my father's "God; and I will exalt him.

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"The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his

name.

"Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast "into the sea; his chosen captains also are "drowned in the Red Sea.

"The depths have covered them: they sank "into the bottom as a stone.

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Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious "in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed "in pieces the enemy.

"And in the greatness of thine excellency "thou hast overthrown them that rose up against "thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which con"sumed them as stubble.

"And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters "were gathered together: the floods stood up"right as an heap, and the depths were congealed "in the heart of the sea.

"The enemy said, I will pursue, I will over"take, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be "satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, "my hand shall destroy them.

"Thou didst blow with thy wind; the sea "covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty

"waters.

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the "gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, "fearful in praises, doing wonders?

"Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth "swallowed them.

"Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people "which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided "them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

"The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow. "shall take hold on the inhabitants of Pales❝tina.

"Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed: "the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take "hold upon them all the inhabitants of Canaan "shall melt away.

:

"Fear and dread shall fall upon them: by "the greatness of thine arm they shall be as "still as a stone; till thy people shall pass over, "O LORD, till the people pass over which thou "hast purchased.

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"Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in "the mountain of thine inheritance; in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee “to dwell in; in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which "thy hands have established.

"The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.

"For the house of Pharaoh went in with his "chariots, and with his horsemen into the sea, "and the Lord brought again the waters of the