their simple manners and usages. He went to them with nothing but his staff in hand; he returned rich in cattle, flocks, asses and camels, male and female slaves, and twelve sons. Soon after he rejoined his father, Isaac died in his 180th year. The names of Jacob's twelve sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. Joseph was the favourite of his father, and in consequence was hated by his brothers, who sold him to Midianite traders on their route to Egypt for twenty pieces of silver, where he was re-sold to Potiphar, a chief officer of the king. But divine providence watched over him, and advanced him with surprising rapidity to be the all-powerful minister of that country. His history is one of the most affecting and interesting narratives in the Bible. Joseph was evidently especially raised up for the twofold purpose of effecting an extensive change in the social condition of Egypt, and of obtaining a settlement for his brethren in that fertile country, where they might rapidly increase, and prove their adherence, under the severest persecution, to the worship of the one God. Egypt, before that period, had enjoyed many centuries of civilization, and was then populous and in a high state of cultivation. It is presumed that the territorial property of the country was then divided between a military aristocracy and the priests. Joseph took advantage of the seven years of plenty and of famine which had been revealed to him for that purpose, to purchase for the crown the two-thirds of the soil in the possession of the military caste, whilst he allowed the other third to continue vested in the priests. He afterwards redistributed the land thus acquired among the people at the uniform rent of one-fifth of the produce, which appears to have formed the principal source of national revenue for many ages afterwards. This is the most extensive, peaceful, agrarian redivision of property, as well as the most natural, productive, and equitable revenue system, that is recorded in history (see note, p. 44). These measures, however calculated to raise the royal authority, appear to have been highly popular, and to have obtained for Joseph the gratitude of the people. Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians," but when his father came to Egypt, during the famine, with all his family (together seventy-five persons, Acts, 7:14), and their flocks and herds, he and they were hospitably received; and the Hebrew* shepherds obtained a settlement in the district of Goshen, on the borders of Canaan, the richest pasture land in the country. Jacob died seventeen years after, aged

66

• Abraham was called by the Canaanites "the Hebrew" (Gen. 14: 13), probably from eber, "the other side," because he came from the other side of the Euphrates. The appellation afterwards became the proper name by which his descendants were known to foreigners (Gen. 40:15. Exod. 1: 15, 16, &c.), whilst the "children of Israel" was their domestic name.

147, and his body was conveyed by Joseph to Mamre. Before his death, Jacob conferred the blessing on each of his sons, which constituted them the chiefs of their families or tribes; the most ample being given to Joseph, whose sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, he had previously blessed and adopted-hence they also became the chiefs of their families, which afterwards ranked among the tribes of Israel. Joseph retained his power eighty years, and protected his brethren until his death, at the age of 110 years. He foretold the return of his brethren to Canaan, and made them swear to embalm his body, and to carry it out of Egypt with them. (Gen. 41:46; 50: 22—26.

3. The Israelites, or Hebrews, enjoyed the protection of the government, until the king of a new dynasty became alarmed at their numbers, and resorted to the most oppressive measures to prevent their revolt. The greater number appear to have been reduced to servitude, and employed on public works, and in building Pithom, Rameses, and other fortresses (called treasure cities). But as oppression did not lessen their numbers, the tyrant ordered their male children to be destroyed at their birth. This cruel measure was evidently enforced, from the circumstances related in connexion with the exposure, the finding, and the adoption of Moses by the daughter of Pharaoh. The history of this illustrious person is narrated by himself with singular simplicity, and is too important not to be made the subject of particular study. He was educated at the court of Pharaoh in all the learning of the Egyptians; but having been nursed by his mother, he grew up with the knowledge of his birth, and, when eighty years old, he appeared as the chosen deliverer of his brethren. The supernatural power by which he was enabled to accomplish that object, was given to him by God. Pharaoh and the Egyptians submitted to loathsome plagues and severe calamities before they would consent to the departure of the Hebrews; and then only, when "the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on the throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of cattle" (Exod. 12:29). Pharaoh during that fatal night urged Moses to depart with all the Israelites, and their flocks and herds; but they did not stir before the morning, perhaps lest the slaughter should be attributed to them. They then departed from Rameses (probably the capital of Goshen), carrying with them the bones of their great ancestor Joseph, and proceeded to Succoth, then to Etham, and in place of going into the Desert of Shur or towards Canaan, they diverged to the south, and encamped at Pihahiroth, on the Egyptian side of the Red Sea. On Pharaoh receiving intelligence of this presumed false movement, he recovered from his panic, and followed after the Hebrews with a numerous host and six hundred warchariots. In the utmost dismay, the Hebrews beheld their pur

suers behind, the sea before them, and on the right impracticable passes. Moses alone preserved his self-possession, and "stretched out his hand over the sea," when the waters were rolled back by a violent wind, so as to permit the Hebrews to cross on dry ground. The Egyptians eagerly pursued, but when they were in the midst of the passage, the wind suddenly fell, "and the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh." This point of time is called the Exodus (or departure).

4. After the passage of the Red Sea, the Hebrews proceeded through the Deserts of Shur and Sin to Mount Sinai, where they encamped three months thereafter. Moses then organised the people under more regular and effective discipline. These arrangements being completed, he delivered, after the most solemn preparations and under the most terrific circumstances, that remarkable constitution to his people, which presupposed their possession of an extensive territory, in which, as yet, they had not an acre, and their change from a wandering horde to an industrious agricultural community. Who but Moses ever possessed authority to obtain the voluntary submission of a people to statutes so severe and uncompromising? Before leaving Sinai, thirteen months after the departure from Egypt, the people were numbered according to their tribes, every male from twenty years old, all that were able to go forth to war." The whole number of fighting men was 603,550,* besides 22,000

• As particular attention has been directed to the evident falsification of the Chronology in the present Hebrew text of the Bible, the following note on the above census from the Rev. H. H. Milman's History of the Jews, is deserving of attention.

"Of the difficulties and discrepancies, which occur in the sacred writings of the Hebrews, perhaps two-thirds are found in passages which contain numbers. Of the primitive Hebrew system of notation we are most likely ignorant; but the manner in which numbers are denoted in the present copies of the sacred books, is remarkably liable to error and misapprehension (see Dissertation in the last edition of Calmet). It is by no means easy to reconcile the enormous numbers, contained in the census, with the difficulty felt a few months before in repulsing the Amalekites, Exod. 17, and the language of other passages in the Scriptures, particularly that of the seventh chapter of Deuteronomy. The nation which could arm 600,000 fighting men is described as "the fewest of the people," as inferior in numbers, it should seem, to each of the seven "greater and mightier nations" which then inhabited Canaan. And it is remarkable, that while there has been much controversy, whether the whole area of Palestine could contain the Hebrew settlers, the seven nations are "to be put out by little and little, lest the beasts of the field increase upon" the new occupants. The narrative of the campaign, in the book of Joshua, is equally inconsistent with these immense numbers; e. g. the defiling of the whole army of 600,000 men, seven times in one day, round the walls of Jericho; the panic of the whole host at the repulse of 3000 men before Ai. (Josh. 7.) The general impression from this book is, that it describes the invasion of nations, at once more warlike and numerous, by a smaller force, which, without reliance on divine succour, could not have achieved the conquest; rather than the irruption of a host, like that of Attila or Zengis, which might have borne down all opposition by

66

males of a month old and upwards of the Levites, of whom none were permitted to engage in war (Numb. 1). The Hebrews then broke up their camp, and advanced towards the promised land, each tribe in military array under its own leader. During the march, a formidable mutiny broke out, when a council of seventy elders was appointed to assist Moses in suppressing it, and to prevent its recurrence (see ? 38, p. 48). When they arrived at Kadesh Barnea, on the southern frontier of Canaan, twelve spies (one from each tribe) were sent to make observations on the nature of the country, the character of the inhabitants, and the strength of their fortifications. After an absence of forty days, they reported that the country was exceedingly fruitful; and that the men were of great stature, they being as grasshoppers in their sight," which so terrified the Hebrews that they refused to advance, and raised the cry, "Let us return to Egypt." In vain the brave Joshua and Caleb, the spies from the tribes of Judah and Ephraim, reproved the general pusillanimity. In bitter disappointment, Moses perceived that a people inured to slavery from their birth were unfit to become a conquering and independent nation, and therefore ordered an immediate retreat-not to return to Egypt, or to attempt an easier conquest, but to remain in the desert for forty years, until every male above twenty years old should die, except Joshua and Caleb. During the remaining thirty-eight years of that period little is related except the names of their encampments. When the old generation had died, and a new race sprung up, trained to the free, bold, and hardy habits of the desert, they were led again to Kadesh, the point from which they had retreated. Many formidable difficulties, however, opposed their penetrating into Canaan on that frontier. These led Moses to betray a distrust in the divine protection, when he was informed that he should not lead the nation into the promised land. (Num. 20:12.) At this time Aaron died, and was buried on Mount Hor, where the place is still pointed out with every appearance of truth. The Hebrews then diverged from Kadesh round the Dead Sea, and occupied the whole country to the east of the Jordan, where the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, obtained their allocation of land, on condition that their warriors should assist in the conquest of the country on the west of the Jordan. When the termination of the forty years approached, Moses summoned the assembly of all Israel to receive his final instructions and admonitions. Having commit

the mere weight of numerical force. We have not, however, thought fit to depart from the numbers as they stand in the sacred writings; though if we might suppose that a cypher has been added in the total sum, and throughout the several particulars; or, if we might include men, women, and child ren under the 600,000, the history would gain, in our opinion, both in clearness and certainty."

ted the law to the custody of the Levites, and appointed the valiant Joshua as his successor, he ascended to the top of Mount Nebo, from which he obtained an extensive view of the surrounding country, and there died in his hundred and twentieth year. The place of his burial was unknown, lest, perhaps, superstitious rites should be practised in after times at his sepulchre. Considered merely in a historical light, Moses has exercised a more extensive and permanent influence over the destinies of his own nation and mankind at large, than any other individual recorded in history; whilst his institutions for the preservation of the true knowledge of God have conferred an inestimable service on the whole human race.

5. The Hebrews lamented the death of Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. On the fourth day thereafter, they advanced to the Jordan, when its waters preternaturally rolled back, until the whole army crossed over on dry ground. The first military operations of Joshua were directed against Jericho, a powerful city near the Jordan, which was entered on the miraculous falling of its walls on the seventh day after its investment; the whole population were put to the sword, except Rahab (who had favoured the escape of the Hebrew spies sent by Joshua), and the city razed to its foundation. The next remarkable event was the defeat of the five confederate kings, headed by Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, whom Joshua defeated with immense slaughter, at whose prayer the sun and moon stood still," and hasted not to go down about a whole day," that he might complete the extermination of his flying enemies. After this victory the conquest was rapid and easy; city after city fell, tribe after tribe was exterminated. At the end of seven years the Hebrews grew weary of the war, and longed to enjoy the fruits of their victories. Fatally for the future peace of the commonwealth, the war was suspended before the conquest was complete. The whole country within the promised boundaries, including the unsubdued portions, was then divided by lot among the nine tribes of Simeon, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and the half of Manasseh-the priestly tribe of Levi having their settlement among the tribes generally. Each tribe was left to reduce to subjection or to expel the possessors within its territory, which they were never able to accomplish. After the division of the land, the Israelites enjoyed "rest from war" during the remainder of Joshua's life, who died at the age of 110 years, and the elders that survived him.

6. As no one was appointed to succeed Joshua in the general command, each tribe assumed the administration of its own affairs as an independent community, the only bond of national union being the community of religious worship. Advantage was soon taken of the neglect of co-operation for mutual defence. The Canaanites revolted, and expelled several of the

D