his wives and children and all that he had, and this task he completed with difficulty in the space of two hours. Moses says emphatically: “He sent them across.” It sounds as if he first led his household to the stream and crossed over by himself and tested in what part it could most easily be crossed and later finally led his wives and children across. After he had crossed, however, he separated himself from his whole family in a lonely spot and prayed with great anxiety because he was still full