ce. That as for himself, he
shall not be so much concerned for his own preservation; for if he
die unjustly, he shall not reckon it any affliction, but that he is
concerned for them, lest, by casting stones at him, they should be
thought to condemn God himself.

5. By this means Moses pacified the people, and restrained them from
stoning him, and brought them to repent of what they were going to do.
And because he thought the necessity they were under made their passion
less unjustifiable, he thought he ought to apply himself to God by
prayer and supplication; and going up to an eminence, he requested of
God for some succor for the people, and some way of deliverance from the
want they were in, because in him, and in him alone, was their hope
of salvation; and he desired that he would forgive what necessity had
forced the people to do, since such was the nature of mankind, hard to
please, and very complaining under adversities. Accordingly God promised
he would take care of them, and afford them the succor they were
desirous of. Now when Moses had heard this from God, he came down to
the multitude. But as soon as they saw him joyful at the promises he had
received from God, they changed their sad countenances into gladness. So
he placed himself in the midst of them, and told them he came to bring
them from God a deliverance from their present distresses. Accordingly
a little after came a vast number of quails, which is a bird more
plentiful in this Arabian Gulf than any where else, flying over the sea,
and hovered over them, till wearied with their laborious flight, and,
indeed, as usual, flying very near to the earth, they fell down upon
the Hebrews, who caught them, and satisfied their hunger with them, and
supposed that this was the method whereby God meant to supply them with
food. Upon which Moses returned thanks to God for affording them his
assistance so suddenly, and sooner than he had promised them.

6. But presently after this first supply of food, he sent them a second;
for as Moses was lifting up his hands in prayer, a dew fell down; and
Moses, when he found it stick to his hands, supposed this was also come
for food from God to them. He tasted it; and perceiving that the people
knew not what it was, and thought it snowed, and that it was what
usually fell at that time of the year, he informed them that this dew
did not fall from heaven after the manner they imagined, but came for
their preservation and sus