Death of Moses
49
Many of the Egyptians paid that devotion to the river which be-
longed alone to God. They acknowledged it as their god, because they
were dependent on its waters to quench their thirst, and to use upon
their lands to cause vegetation to flourish; and it liberally supplied
their tables with fish.
During the plagues on Egypt Pharaoh was punctual in his super-
stitious devotion to the river, and visited it every morning, and as he
stood upon its banks he offered praise and thanksgiving to the water,
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recounting the great good it accomplished, and telling the water of its
great power; that without it they could not exist; for their lands were
watered by it, and it supplied meat for their tables. The first plague
which visited Egypt was to come upon the waters, one of the exalted
gods of Pharaoh. Moses smote the waters before Pharaoh and his great
men, and they saw the waters which they were adoring turned to blood.
It was a putrid mass for seven days, and all the fish that were in it died.
The people could not use the water for any purpose.
Moses instructed the children of Israel in an earnest, impressive
manner. He knew that it was his last opportunity to address them. He
then finished writing in a book all the laws, judgments and statutes
which God had given him; also, the various regulations respecting
sacrificial offerings. He placed the book in the hands of men in the
sacred office, and requested that for safe keeping it should be put in
the side of the ark, for God’s care was continually upon that sacred
chest. This book of Moses was to be preserved, that the judges of
Israel might refer to it if any case should come up to make it necessary.
An erring people often understand God’s requirements to suit their
own case, therefore the book of Moses was preserved in a most sacred
place, for future reference.
Moses closed his last instructions to the people by a most powerful,
prophetic address. It was pathetic and eloquent. By inspiration of God
he blessed separately the tribes of Israel. In his closing words, he
dwelt largely upon the majesty of God, and the excellency of Israel,
which would ever continue if they would obey God, and take hold of
his strength. He said to them, “There is none like unto the God of
Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency
on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms. And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee,
and shall say, Destroy them. Israel, then, shall dwell in safety alone.
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