and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in
the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness!...

"And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return
into Egypt.

"Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the
congregation of the children of Israel."

But Joshua, who was a soldier, when Moses thus somewhat ignominiously
collapsed, retained his presence of mind and his energy. He and Caleb
"rent their clothes," and reiterated their advice.

"And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying,
The land which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

"If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give
it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

"Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the
land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them...
fear them not.

"But all the congregation bade stone them with stones."

By this time Moses seems to have recovered some composure. Enough, at
least, to repeat certain violent threats of the "Lord."

Nothing is so impressive in all this history as the difference between
Moses when called upon to take responsibility as a military commander, and