Twelve men were chosen, one from each tribe, and sent ahead to see what
manner of place Canaan was, if there was land enough, and if the people
dwelling there were friendly.
The twelve men set out, and after forty days came back again to the
camp, bringing rich fruits which they had gathered there. "The land of
Canaan is a beautiful country," they said, "and it is filled with fruits
and corn; but we fear the people there, for they are fierce and
warlike."
At this many of the Israelites were frightened. Again they forgot God's
promises and began to upbraid Moses for having taken them from their
comfortable home in the wilderness.
Then God was angry with them; and he spoke to them in tones of thunder,
telling them that for their wickedness they should never be permitted to
see the promised land of Canaan; that they should die in the wilderness;
and that only the children and the few faithful elders should live to
reach the Promised Land.
This was a most grievous punishment to the people; but in a few days
they had forgotten it, and again rebellion arose among them.
Three men, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, grew jealous of the power of Moses
and Aaron, and asked why all glory should be theirs.
Moses, worn with the faithlessness of his people, fell upon his face and
wept when these jealous men spoke thus to him. His heart ached with the
injustice of it, and he despaired ever of teaching his people.
The next day Korah and all his people came and stood before the
tabernacle, as Moses had bid them. Then the voice of the Lord spoke,
bidding the people move away from the tabernacle, leaving the three
doubting men and their families standing alone.
Then there came a burst of thunder; the earth rocked and groaned; then a
great gulf opened beneath the feet of Korah and Dathan and Abiram, and
they, with all their children, were swallowed up.
Then God commanded Moses to take twelve rods; and upon the rods to write
the names of the twelve tribes. On the rod of the tribe of Levi he was
to write the name of Aaron, because Aaron was of that tribe.
"Place now the rods in the tabernacle; and the rod bearing the name of
him I appoint High Priest shall bud and blossom."
[Illustration: DEATH OF KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM.]
And when the morning came, behold the rod of Aaron had budded and
blossomed. Then the people were content; and the rod was kept ever after
in the tabernacle.
For a time peace was in the camp, and more than once the Israelites came
near unto the Promised Land. But it had been said they should never
reach it; and so many, many times they fell back and turned away.
Over and over again they rebelled at Moses and Aaron, until the patience
of those two was exhausted. They forgot themselves to ask for guidance,
and once, unable to endure greater trial, they cried out, "O ye rebels!
ye rebels!" and there was anger in their hearts as they spoke.
By and by the time came for Aaron to die. So Moses took the priestly
garments from him and gave them to Eleazer. Then Aaron died, and the
Israelites mourned for him thirty days.
Then the people wandered on and on. Once they were bitten by serpents;
and that they might be healed, Moses lifted a brazen serpent in the
wilderness and bade the suffering ones to look upon it and live.
But now the forty years were nearly at an end; Canaan, too, was very
close; and, although the elders knew that it was not for them to see the
Promised Land, yet their children would; and so there was joy in the
camp.
But now the death of Moses was at hand. He was one hundred and twenty
years old, and had wandered forty years, leading the rebellious
Israelites in the wilderness. So God said to Moses, "Come thou up into
Mt. Pisgah. From there thou shalt see the fair land of Canaan spread out
before thee, although thou mayst never go thither."
So Moses called his people together and told them that his end was at
hand. He told them of all God had done for his people, and how
wonderfully they had been led forth from bondage. He then bade them take
Joshua for their leader; for he it was who should lead them into the
Promised Land.
The people wept most bitterly, and many prostrated themselves before the
good man who had borne so much for them.
Then Moses turned and went up into Mt. Pisgah. There lay the fair land
of Canaan at his feet, with its fertile valleys and rich fruits and
abundant harvests of corn.
Upon this fair scene Moses gazed; then, raising his face towards God,
thanked Him that the wanderings of the children of Israel were now at an
end.
Then he laid himself down and died. The Lord buried him, but no man
knew how or where.
And when the children of Israel knew he would come no more to them, they
wept too for him thirty days upon the plains of Moab.