From a photograph in the possession of the Forbes Library
and used by permission.
[End illustration]

{241}

THE MARCH TO THE PROMISED LAND

THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND THE CLOUD OF SMOKE.

And on the day that the tabernacle was set up the cloud covered the
tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony: and at even it was upon
the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning. So it
was always: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after
that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the
cloud abode, there the children of Israel encamped. At the commandment
of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment
of the Lord they encamped: as long as the cloud abode upon the
tabernacle they remained encamped. And when the cloud tarried upon the
tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of
the Lord, and journeyed not. And sometimes the cloud was a few days
upon the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of the Lord
they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the Lord
they journeyed. And sometimes the cloud was from evening until
morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they
journeyed: or if it continued by day and by night, when the cloud was
taken up, they journeyed.

Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud
tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the {242} children of
Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up,
they journeyed. At the commandment of the Lord they encamped, and at
the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of
the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

_The Long Journey from Sinai Begins_.

And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the
twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the
tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel set forward
according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the
cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran. And they first took their
journey according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

And they set forward from the mount of the Lord three days' journey;
and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days'
journey, to seek out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the
Lord was ov