midnight
The terrible day had given them a foretaste of what was impending and when , toward noon , the dust grew thicker , the air more and more oppressive , a Hebrew trader , from whom the Egyptian soldiers purchased goods , stole into the store-house to ask the commander to prevent his people from rushing to their doom . Even among the leaders the voices of malcontents had grown loud . Asarja and Michael , with their sons , who grudged the power of Moses and Aaron , had even gone from one to another to try to persuade them , ere departing , to summon the elders again and charge then to enter into fresh negotiations with the Egyptians . While these malcontents were successfully gathering adherents , and the traitor had sought the commander of the Egyptian garrison , two more messengers arrived with tidings that the fugitives would arrive in Succoth between midnight and morning . Breathless , speechless , dripping with perspiration , and with bleeding lips , the elder messenger sank on the threshold of Amminadab 's house , now the home of Miriam also . Both the exhausted men were refreshed with wine and food , ere the least wearied was fully capable of speech . Then , in a hoarse voice , but from a heart overflowing with gratitude and ardent enthusiasm , be reported the scenes which had occurred at the exodus , and how the God of their fathers had filled every heart with His spirit , and instilled new faith into the souls of the cowards .