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THE BLASPHEMER STONED.

OND the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children

of Israel and this son of the Israelitish wornan and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: and they put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be showed them. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp, and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he

QUAILS SENT TO THE CAMP.

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blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.' -LEV. xxiv.

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QUAILS SENT TO THE ISRAELITES.

HE discontent and murmuring of this ungrateful and impatient people arose on every occasion wherein

a want was felt or feared: their dainty appetites began to sicken at the manna sent down from heaven, and they longed again for the luxuries of Egypt-the fleshpots, the fish, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. They relished not the manna, whose taste was as the taste of fresh oil; but they fell a longing, and wept again, and said, 'Who shall give us flesh to eat?' And the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly. And He said, 'Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils,

and it be loathsome unto you. And there went forth a wind from the Lord, that brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people; and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.'-NUM. xi.

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THE SPIES RETURN FROM CANAAN.

S the children of Israel drew near the promised

land, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send

thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall he send a man, every one a ruler among them.' And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and gave them minute directions as to the con

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duct and the object of their mission. 'So they went up, and searched the land: and they came unto the brook Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation; and brought back word unto them, and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.'-NUM. xiii.

EBELLION in a new form now broke out in Israel.

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These men became jealous of the power and

authority of Moses, and, taking with them a num

ber of the principal persons of the congregation, they with

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stood Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, ‘Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: and he spake unto Korah, and unto all his company, saying, Even to-morrow the Lord will show who are His, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto Him. This do: take ye censers, Korah, and all his company; and put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to-morrow and it shall be, that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent me. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and all that appertained to them.'-Num. xvi.