to avenge ourselves of them for what they have
done in the wilderness, but that this cannot be so well done when they
have once laid their hands on our cities and our goods: that those who
endeavor to crush a power in its first rise, are wiser than those that
endeavor to put a stop to its progress when it is become formidable; for
these last seem to be angry only at the flourishing of others, but the
former do not leave any room for their enemies to become troublesome to
them. After they had sent such embassages to the neighboring nations,
and among one another, they resolved to attack the Hebrews in battle.

2. These proceedings of the people of those countries occasioned
perplexity and trouble to Moses, who expected no such warlike
preparations. And when these nations were ready to fight, and the
multitude of the Hebrews were obliged to try the fortune of war, they
were in a mighty disorder, and in want of all necessaries, and yet were
to make war with men who were thoroughly well prepared for it. Then
therefore it was that Moses began to encourage them, and to exhort them
to have a good heart, and rely on God's assistance by which they had
been state of freedom and to hope for victory over those who were ready
to fight with them, in order to deprive them of that blessing: that they
were to suppose their own army to be numerous, wanting nothing, neither
weapons, nor money, nor provisions, nor such other conveniences as, when
men are in possession of, they fight undauntedly; and that they are to
judge themselves to have all these advantages in the Divine assistance.
They are also to suppose the enemy's army to be small, unarmed, weak,
and such as want those conveniences which they know must be wanted,
when it is God's will that they shall be beaten; and how valuable God's
assistance is, they had experienced in abundance of trials; and those
such as were more terrible than war, for that is only against men; but
these were against famine and thirst, things indeed that are in their
own nature insuperable; as also against mountains, and that sea which
afforded them no way for escaping; yet had all these difficulties been
conquered by God's gracious kindness to them. So he exhorted them to
be courageous at this time, and to look upon their entire prosperity to
depend on the present conquest of their enemies.

3. And with these words did Moses encourage the multitude, who then
called together the princes of their tribes, an