Volume 2

370
L(fe of Jesus Lnrist
from the vale of Ephron. One half-hour to the south of
this brook lay Jogbeha, a little, unknown place, quite
hidden away in a hollow behind a forest. It was founded
by a Prophet, a spy of Moses and Jethro, whose name
sounds like Malachai. He is not, however, one and the
same with the last Prophet, Malachias. Jethro, the fatherin-law
of Moses, employed him as a servant. He was exceedingly
faithful and prudent, on which account Moses
sent him to explore this country. He had come two years
before Moses arrived himself, had explored the country
for miles around even as far as the borders of the lake,
and had given an account of all that he saw. Jethro at
that time dwelt near the Red Sea, but upon Malachai's
report, he went with the wife and sons of Moses to Arga.
Malachai was at last pursued as a spy. They hunted him
to kill him. There was no city here in those times, only a
few people living in tents. Malachai took refuge in a
morass, or cistern, and an angel appeared and helped
him. He brought him upon a long strip of parchment the
command to continue three years longer reconnoitering
the country. The inhabitants, that is those who lived in
the tents, provided him with clothes such as they themselves
wore, long, red tunics and jackets of the same
color. Malachai also explored the country around
Betharamphtha. He lived for some time among the tentdwellers
of Jogbeha, and by his superior intelligence rendered
them great assistance.
In the hollow in which Jogbeha was hidden was a
ditch filled with water and quite covered with reeds, and
on the spot in which Malachai lay concealed was a well
that had been filled up. It began later on to bubble and
cast out quantities of sand with occasional colunlns of
vapor and sometimes pebbles. By degrees was formed
around the well a hill, which was soon clothed with verdure.
The morass was filled up by earth brought from a
neighboring mountain, and buildings were erected upon