452. Tabari, i. c. lxvii; Abulfeda, p. 31.
453. The early portion of the life of Moses has been elaborated from Rabbinic sources by Dr. B. Beer. Unfortunately he died before the work was completed, and it has been published as a fragment by his friend, G. Wolf. It extends only as far as his marriage with Zipporah. (Leben Moses nach Auffassung der Jüdischen Sage, von Dr. B. Beer; ein Fragment. Leipzig, 1863.) It is, for the most part, compiled from the Sepher Hajasher, or Book of Jasher.
454. Yaschar, pp. 1241-53. The history of Zepho is quite a romance, too long for insertion here.
455. Yaschar, pp. 1248, 1249; 1253, 1254.
456. Ibid., p. 1255.
457. Midrash, fol. 51; Yaschar, p. 1157.
458. Midrash Jalkut, fol. 52; Yaschar, pp. 1257-9.
459. The curious passages, Isaiah vii. 15, 22, may allude to this tradition.
460. Moses’s life was shortened because he brought water out of the rock contrary to God’s command (Numb. xxvii. 14), striking the rock instead of speaking to it.
461. Beer, pp. 112-6.
462. Some authorities say that Jochebed, when thrust away, married Eliphazan, the son of Parnach (Numb. xxxiv. 25), and bare him two sons, Eldad and Medad (Numb. xi. 25); but others, with more probability, assert that she married Eliphazan after the death of Amram. (Yaschar, p. 1259.)
463. Yaschar, p. 1260.
464. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 446.
465. Rabboth, fol. 118a.
466. Exod. xv. 1.
467. The Arabic name for her is Asia; Yaschar, p. 1261.
468. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 446; Yaschar, p. 1261.
469. Midrash, fol. 51.
470. Midrash, fol. 51; Yaschar, p. 1262.
471. Midrash, fol. 52; Yaschar, p. 1263.
472. According to another version, it was Jethro who advised that the child should be proved with the basins of rubies and coals. (Rabboth, fol. 118 b; Yaschar, pp. 1263, 1264.)
473. Exod. iv. 10.
474. Beer, pp. 26-42. Abulfaraj says that Jannes and Jambres were the tutors of Moses in his youth (Hist. Dynast., p. 17).
475. Yaschar, p. 1265.
476. Yaschar, p. 1265.
477. Yaschar, p. 1263.
478. Parascha of R. Solomon Jaschi, on Exod. ii. 12; also Targums of Palestine and Jerusalem, i. p. 447; Yaschar, pp. 1265, 1266.
479. Pirke R. Eliezer, c. 40; Rabboth, fol. 119a; Yaschar, p. 1266.
480. This illustrates the passage 2 Kings ix. 13.
481. Midrash, fol. 52; Yaschar, pp. 1265-1274.
482. These were two of his seven names.
483. It may be noticed in this as in several other instances, such as those of Rebekah and Rachel, the Rabbis have invented stories to explain the circumstance of the damsels watering the flock, which they supposed derogated from their dignity. This indicates the late date of these traditions, when the old pastoral simplicity was lost.
484. Pirke R. Eliezer, c. 40; Yaschar, p. 1274.
485. The Targum of Palestine, “ten years;” i. p. 448.
486. Beer, pp. 42-62; Pirke R. Eliezer. The Targum of Palestine says the rod was in the chamber of Jethro, not in the garden; i. p. 448. Yaschar, pp. 1277, 1278.
487. Rabbot., fol. 120 a. It is possible that our Blessed Lord’s parable of the Good Shepherd may contain an allusion to this popular and beautiful tradition.
488. Gen. iii. 4. It was the angel Zagnugael who appeared and spoke to him from the bush. (Targum of Palestine, i. p. 449; Abulfeda, p. 31.)
489. Exod. iv. 14.
490. Tabari, i. c. lxxiii. p. 24.
491. Midrash, fol. 54.
492. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 460.
493. Yaschar, p. 1280.
494. Tabari, p. 326.
495. Some say that Pharaoh entreated Moses to spare him for the sake of Asia (Bithia), and that at the mention of his name Moses was softened. (Weil, p. 159.)
496. In Arabic, Risam and Rijam; and Shabun and Gabun, in Persian.
497. Midrash, fol. 56. The Targums say that the enchanters turned the water of Goshen into blood, so that there was no water to the Israelites as to the Egyptians; i. p. 462.
498. Midrash, fol. 55.
499. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 463.
500. Venomous insects (Kalma), gnats (Kinnim). See Wisdom xvi. 1, 3.
501. Targums, i. 464.
502. Targums, i. p. 467.
503. Ibid., i. p. 471.
504. Yaschar, p. 1283.
505. Tabari, i. p. 338.
506. Weil, p. 165.
507. Talmud, Sota. fol. 13.
508. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 478.
509. Targums, i. p. 475.
510. Ibid., i. p. 485.
511. Targum of Jerusalem, i. p. 488; Yaschar, p. 1287.
512. Exod. xiv. 13, 14.
513. Koran, Sura xxvi. v. 63.
514. Weil, p. 168; see also Midrash, fol. 176.
515. Exod. xv. 21.
516. Tabari, p. 350.
517. Ibid. i. p. 355.
518. Both the Rabbis and the Mussulmans lay the blame, not on Aaron, but on another. The Rabbis say it was Micah who made the calf; the Mussulmans call him Samiri. (Weil, p. 170.)
519. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 552.
520. Tabari, i. p. 362.
521. Targum of Palestine, ii. p. 685.
522. Pirke R. Eliezer, c. 45.
523. Weil, pp. 172, 173.
524. Koran, Sura vii. v. 139.
525. Tabari, i. p. 364.
526. Ibid., i. c. lxxv.
527. Targum of Palestine, i. p. 561.
528. Jalkut Rubeni, fol. 117, col. 1.
529. Jalkut Rubeni, fol. 107, cols. 2, 3.
530. Ibid., fol. 107, col. 3.
531. Tabari, i. p. 371; also Midrash, fol. 30.
532. Parascha R. Bechai, fol. 116.
533. Talmud, Tract. Hajada, fol. 12, col. 2.
534. Talmud, Tract. Joma, fol. 75, col. 1.
535. This is sanctioned by Scripture: “Thou feddest Thine own people with angels’ food, and didst send them from heaven bread prepared without their labour, able to content every man’s delight, and agreeing to every taste.” (Wisdom, xvi. 20.)
536. Talmud, Tract. Joma, fol. 75, col. 1; Schemoth Rabba, fol. 115, col. 4.
537. To this tradition perhaps David refers, Ps. xxiii. 5, lxxviii. 19.
538. Targum of Palestine, i. pp. 499, 500.
539. Jalkut Shimoni, fol. 73, col. 4.
540. Targum of Palestine, i. pp. 501, 502.
541. Tabari, i. p. 393.
542. Koran, Sura ii. v. 54.
543. Tabari, i. p. 394; but also Deut. viii. 4, Nehemiah ix. 21.
544. 1 Cor. x. 4.
545. Tabari, i. p. 373.
546. See my “Curious Myths of the Middle Ages,” article on S. George. I have no doubt whatever that El Khoudr, identified by the Jews with Elias, is the original of the Wandering Jew. I did not know this when I wrote on the “Wandering Jew” in my “Curious Myths,” but I believe this to be the key to the whole story.
547. Weil, pp. 176-81; Tabari, i. c. lxxvi.; Koran, Sura xviii.
548. Voltaire has taken this legend as the basis of his story of “Zadig.”
549. Targums, ii. pp. 380, 381.
550. Weil, p. 175.
551. Targums, ii. p. 382.
552. Weil, p. 176.
553. Targums, ii. p. 386.
554. Tract. Kethuvoth, fol. 111, col. 2.
555. Targum of Palestine, ii. p. 390.
556. Targums, ii. p. 391.
557. Tabari, i. c. lxxvii.; Weil, pp. 182, 183; Abulfeda, p. 33.
558. Eisenmenger, ii. p. 305. Possibly the passage Zech. ix. 11, 12, may contain an allusion to this tradition.
559. Ibid., p. 342.
560. Pirke R. Eliezer, c. 45.
561. Perhaps the passage Isai. xl. 4 may be an allusion to this tradition.
562. Talmud, Tract. Beracoth, fol. 54, col. 2; Targum of Palestine, ii. pp. 411-13.
563. Talmud, Tract. Beracoth, fol. 54, col. 2; Targums, ii. p. 416; Yaschar, p. 1296.
564. Talmud, Tract. Sopherim, fol. 14, col. 4.
565. Ibid., Tract. Nida, fol. 24, col. 2.
566. Jalkut Cadasch, fol. 16, col. 2.
567. Eisenmenger, i. p. 389.
568. Talmud, Tract. Sopherim, fol. 14, col. 4.
569. Tabari, i. p. 398.
570. Gen. xxxi. 51.
571. Targums, ii. pp. 419-21.
572. Targums, ii. pp. 432-3.
573. Ibid., pp. 434-5.
574. Jalkut, fol. 240; Rabboth, fol. 275, col. 1; Midrash, fol. 285.
575. Weil, p. 185.
576. Tabari, i. c. lxxix.; Abulfeda, p. 35.
577. Rabboth, fol. 302 b; Devarim Rabba, fol. 246, col. 2.
578. Weil, pp. 188, 189.
579. Weil, p. 190.
580. Rabboth, fol. 302 b.
581. Weil, pp. 190, 191.
582. Lyra Anglicana, London, 1864, “The Burial of Moses.”
583. Talmud, Tract. Sota, fol. 14 a.
584. Tabari, i. p. 396.
585. Talmud of Jerusalem; Tract. Terumoth.
586. Josh. vii. 1-5.
587. Tabari, i. p. 402.
588. Koran, Sura ii. v. 55, 56.
589. Tabari, p. 404.
590. Tabari, p. 401.
591. Ibid. p. 404.
592. Berescheth Rabba.
593. The Mussulmans say Khasqîl or Ezechiel.
594. Judges i. 4.
595. Tabari, i. p. 404.
596. Eisenmenger, i. p. 395.
597. Hist. Dynast. p. 24.
598. Tabari, i. c. lxxxvii.
599. D’Herbelot, Bibl. Orient., s. v. Aschmouil.
600. Koran, Sura ii. v. 247, 248.
601. Koran, Sura ii. v. 248.