it she refused to set foot on it, but knelt and worshipped. The wise King of Israel, who had come forth to meet his guest, was greatly surprised at her behaviour ; but when she told him whence the trunk came, and the purpose it was destined to serve, he had it taken up, carefully cleaned, and preserved in one of the treasure-chambers of the Temple. There it remained until it was required to make the cross on which Christ died. Anyone who cares to examine the present stone bridge over the Kedron, close to Absalom’s Pillar, can see some of the large stones where the trunk once lay.
VII
THE DEATHS OF MOSES AND AARON
On reaching the confines of Palestine the Beni- Israel encamped in the country near the Wady Misa.[1] One evening, soon after they had reached it, Hariin pointed out to Misa a place on a distant hillside which looked very green and beautiful in the light of the evening sun, and expressed his wish to visit it. Misa promised that they should do so next day. Accordingly, on the following morning, the two brothers, accompanied by their sons, set off on an expedition to the spot. By the time they reached it they were glad to shelter from the sun in an artificial cave they found there. On entering they were much surprised to see a handsome couch
- ↑ Petra.
