obey His command, which calls us forth from
the kingdom of Pharaoh into a land which He promised to us. But of thee,
Hosea, son of Nun, I ask and the Lord our God hears thee: Dost thou, too,
expect no other help save from the God of Abraham, who has made thy race
His chosen people? And wilt thou also testify whether thou wilt ever
regard the Egyptians who oppressed us, and from whose bondage the Lord
our God delivered us, as the mortal foes of thy God and of thy race?"

The warrior's bearded features quivered, and he longed to overthrow the
heap and answer the troublesome questioner with wrathful words, but
Miriam had laid her hand on the top of the pile of stones, and clasping
his right hand, exclaimed:

"He is questioning you in the presence of our God and Lord, who is your
witness."

Hosea succeeded in controlling his wrath, and pressing the maiden's hand
more closely, he answered earnestly:

"He questions, but I may not answer; 'yea' or 'nay' will be of little
service here; but I, too, call God to witness, and before this heap you,
Miriam, but you alone, shall hear what I propose and for what purpose I
have come. Look, Hur! Like you I lay my hand upon this heap and bear
witness that I, Hosea, son of Nun, put my sole trust in the Lord and God
of our fathers. He stands as a witness between me and thee, and shall
decide whether my way is His, or that of an erring mortal. I will obey
His will, which He has made known to Moses and to this noble maiden. This
I swear by an oath whose witness is the Lord our God."

Hur had listened intently and, impressed by the earnestness of the words,
now exclaimed:

"The Lord our God has heard your vow and against your oath I, in the
presence of this heap, take another: If the hour comes when, mindful of
this heap of stones, you give the testimony you have refused me, there
shall henceforward be no ill-will between us, and if it is in accordance
with the will of the Most High, I will cheerfully resign to you the
office of commander, which you, trained in many wars, would be better
suited to fill than I, who hitherto have ruled only my flocks and
shepherds. But you, Miriam, I charge to remember that this heap of stones
will also be a witness of the colloquy you are to hold with this man in
the presence of God. I remind you of the reproving words you heard
beneath this tree from the lips of his father, and call God to witness
that I would have darkened the life of my son Uri, who is