26 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

which made the way much longer; but they were
obliged to do it, for the king of Edom would not let
them pass through his land.

George. Why did they not force their way through ?

Grandfather. Because God forbade them to do that,
for the Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the
brother of Jacob.

Marianne. Did they ask leave to go through the
land of Edom ?

Grandfather. They did, and promised to keep on the
highway, and to pay for everything they needed; but
the Edomites refused permission, and assembled an
army to prevent them. It lengthened the journey of
the Israelites, and the people were wearied, and mur-
mured against God and against Moses, and said that
they had been brought up out of Egypt to die in the
wilderness. It was very wicked in them to speak so,
when they had been miraculously preserved for so many
years. The food that had been so wonderfully provided
for them they found fault with, and said that their soul
loathed it. This wickedness called for punishment.
The Lord sent fiery serpents, and they bit the people,
which caused many of them to die. These fiery ser-
pents are very common both in Egypt and Arabia.
They are short, spotted with different colours, and have
wings like a bat. Their bite is very dangerous.
There is no mention made before this of the Israelites
being infested with them, although they are so common
there. The Lord had hitherto kept these dangerous