After reaching Kadesh-barnea, the Israelites in their wanderings had come into contact with various Bedawin tribes--Kenites, Jerahmelites, Edomites, and Midianites, with whom they had in turn fought or allied themselves, according to the exigencies of their pastoral life. Continual skirmishes had taught them the art of war, their numbers had rapidly increased, and with this increase came a consciousness of their own strength, so that, after a lapse of two or three generations, they may be said to have constituted a considerable nation. Its component elements were not, however, firmly welded together; they consisted of an indefinite number of clans, which were again subdivided into several families. Each of these families had its chief or “ruler,” to whom it rendered absolute obedience, while the united chiefs formed an assembly of elders who administered justice when required, and settled any differences which arose among their respective followers. The clans in their turn were grouped into tribes,* according to certain affinities which they mutually recognised, or which may have been fostered by daily intercourse on a common soil, but the ties which bound them together at this period were of the most slender character. It needed some special event, such as a projected migration in search of fresh pasturage, or an expedition against a turbulent neighbour, or a threatened invasion by some stranger, to rouse the whole tribe to corporate action; at such times they would elect a “nasi,” or ruler, the duration of whose functions ceased with the emergency which had called him into office.** * The tribe was designated by two words signifying “staff” or “branch.” ** The word _nasi,_ first applied to the chiefs of the tribes (_Exod._ xxxiv. 31; _Lev_. iv. 22; _Numb_. ii. 3), became, after the captivity, the title of the chiefs of Israel, who could not be called _kings_ owing to the foreign suzerainty (_Esdras_ i. 8).