n would summarise the work of Moses, he
tells us that "he taught them to regard self-assertion against the
Egyptians as an article of religion" (_History_, p. 430). It would be
impossible, within the compass of so many words, more completely to miss
the remarkable characteristic which differentiates this whole narrative
from all other revolutionary movements. Expectancy and dependence here
take the place of "self-assertion."

[27] Not the adults only; nor yet by immersion, whether in the
rain-cloud or the surf.

CHAPTER XV.

_THE SONG OF MOSES._

xv. 1-22.

During this halt they prepared that great song of triumph which St. John
heard sung by them who had been victorious over the beast, standing by
the sea of glass, having the harps of God. For by that calmer sea,
triumphant over a deadlier persecution, they still found their adoration
and joy expressed in this earliest chant of sacred victory. Because all
holy hearts give like thanks to Him Who sitteth upon the throne,
therefore "deep answers unto deep," and every great crisis in the
history of the Church has legacies for all time and for eternity; and
therefore the triumphant song of Moses the servant of God enriches the
worship of heaven, as the penitence and hope and joy of David enrich the
worship of the Church on earth (Rev. xv. 3).

Like all great poetry, this song is best enjoyed when it is neither
commented upon nor paraphrased, but carefully read and warmly felt.
There are circumstances and lines of thought which it is desirable to
point out, but only as a preparation, not a substitute, for the
submission of a docile mind to the influence of the inspired poem
itself. It is unquestionably archaic. The parallelism of Hebrew verse is
already here, but the structure is more free and unartificial than that
of later poetry; and many ancient words, and words of Egyptian
derivation, authenticate its origin. So does the description of Miriam,
in the fifteenth verse, as "the prophetess, the sister of Aaron." In
what later time would she not rather have been called the sister of
Moses? But from the lonely youth who found Aaron and Miriam together as
often as he stole from the palace to his real home--the lonely man who
regained both together when he returned from forty years of exile, and
who sometimes found them united in opposition to his authority (Num.
xii. 1, 2)--from Moses alone the epithet is entirely natural.

It is also noteworthy that Philistia