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moved from the scenes of political warfare or social strife, excluded them from the annals of history. We can, on the whole, only describe the manners and customs, not write the history, of the Arabian Bedouins, although they are one of the most ancient tribes of the world. But, however briefly our text alludes to that long period, it does not treat it defectively; we find no feature wanting to represent to ourselves a complete picture of that interval; a simple subject requires but a few bold lines, and the division of the two Books (Genesis and Exodus), which is markedly indicated by the repetition of Jacob's genealogy, carries the reader over the gap of centuries.

III. THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT FIXED AFTER YEARS OF THE WORLD AND OF THE CHRISTIAN ERA.

We have hitherto only endeavoured to determine the principal events of our Book according to the absolute statements of the Bible, irrespective of the chronology of universal history, which is, however, indispensable for a clear understanding of that important period of Biblical history; for we can only comprehend and appreciate the significance of a historical fact by considering it in connection and relation with the other important synchronical events. Two points are chiefly to be examined:-1. In what year of the world, and before the vulgar era, the Exodus of the Israelites took place; and, 2. Under which Egyptian king that event happened.

1. As to the first question, we do not hesitate to adopt the usual Hebrew account, according to which the first year of the Christian era is the 3760th year of the world (repudiating that of Josephus, who gives a much larger number). Now we learn from 1 Kings vi. 1, that Solomon began the building of the temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 480 years after the Exodus; and as, according to modern chronological researches, Solomon reigned from 1015 to 975 B.C., it follows:-(a) that the Exodus took place in 1491 B.C. (viz. 1011 +480); or, (b) in 2269 A.M. (viz. 3760-1491), i.e. about the time of the immigration of Danaus and Cadmus into Greece, with which, indeed, Diodorus of Sicily, brings the Exodus of the Israelites into connection.1 Now we can easily, with the

1 See infra, § 3, vi.

aid of the results established in the preceding remarks, fix the chronology of the chief events narrated in our book, namely:

1. Jacob and his family immigrated into Egypt 1839 A.M. (viz. 2269-430) or 1921 B.C. (viz. 1491,+430). 2. Jacob died 1856 A.M. (viz. 1839+17) or 1904 B.C. (viz. 1921-17).

3. Joseph died 1910 A.M. (viz. 1856+54) or 1850 B.C. (viz. 1904-54).

4. Moses was born 2189 A.M. (viz. 2269 – 80) or 1571 B.C. (viz. 1491+80).

5. The Exodus took place 2269 A.M., or 1491 B.C.

6. The Book of Exodus contains the history of 360 years, viz. from 1910 to 2270 A.M. or from 1850 to 1490 B.C.-The number 145 usually stated for this period is therefore erroneous.

We presume, that these computations will be found sufficient for our purpose; and we shall not be expected to enter here into the much vexed question concerning the shorter (Hebrew), and longer (Greek) chronologies, or the relation between the years of the world and those of the Christian. era. The single fact, that the creation of the world is by some fixed at 3760 years before Christ (vulgar Hebrew account), whilst others put it down at 5508 B.C. (Dr. Hales, after Josephus), thus fluctuating within an interval of not less than 1748 years, this one fact will suffice to show the extreme uncertainty respecting this subject. We may, however, add, that the Hebrew computation, which is based on the Biblical statements, deserves the preference before the questionable alterations of the Septuagint and Josephus, and those who follow them.

2. The second question, "under which king the Israelites left the Egyptian dominions," is, if possible, enveloped in still denser clouds; and it would be fruitless to fatigue the reader by leading him through the labyrinth of conflicting traditions and statements, of contradictory names and irreconcilable numbers; for there are scarcely two coinciding reports on the same subject in the vast and dry accounts of the Egyptian dynasties, and, after all the time and exertion spent on the investigation of this subject, we arrive, at the best, only at a sterile and unprofitable nomenclature, which increases very little the extent of our Biblical knowledge. We refrain, therefore, from repeat

ing here our examination of the various and very diverging conjectures proposed with regard to that monarch; and think it the most advisable course to follow that account, which, by its antiquity and internal probability, has at present the greatest relative claims to our consideration. Josephus states, on the authority of Manetho, that the Israelites left Egypt during the reign of the King Ramses V., Amenophis, who was the last of the sixteen monarchs of the eighteenth (Diospolitanic) dynasty, and whose misfortune at the Red Sea might have caused the fall of his house. This statement agrees with other chronological dates connected therewith. For the three dynasties succeeding that which ended with Amenophis, viz. the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first, reigned, according to Julius Africanus, together, during 474, or, according to Eusebius, during 496 years. Further, Shishak (1 Kings xiv. 25), i.e. Sesonchis, the founder of the twenty-second dynasty, or that of the Bubastides, who reigned 21 years, ascended the Egyptian throne in the last part of Solomon's reign, who built the temple in the fourth year after his accession, or 480 years after the Exodus. Therefore, even according to the larger of the two numbers above cited (496), the Exodus may fall into the time of Amenophis, who reigned 30 years, according to Josephus (ch. 15), and 40 years, according to Eusebius. Champollion also arrived, by the study and combination of the ancient inscriptions, at the same result: "La captivité dura autant que la XVIIIe dynastie, et ce fut sous Ramsès V. ou Aménophis, au commencement du XVe siècle, que Moyse délivra les Hebreux." Authentic and valuable information on this and many other important archæological points may reasonably be expected from the study of the ancient sculptured monuments, which have already yielded many useful and interesting results pregnant of greater promise.

We conclude by summing up the results of our remarks: 1. The sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt lasted 430

years.

2. From the death of Joseph to the birth of Moses elapsed a period of 279 years.

3. The Exodus took place 2269 A. M. or 1491 B.C.; and 4. Under Ramses V., Amenophis, the last king of the eighteenth dynasty.

§ 3. ACCOUNTS OF ANCIENT PROFANE WRITERS ON THE

EXODUS.

The fates of the Israelites, connected as they were with the history of several important nations of antiquity, were too remarkable from the commencement, not to attract and arrest the attention of the ancient historians. It is true, few, if any, of the old writers were able to perceive in the internal life of the Israelites, and in the purity of their new doctrines, the incalculable influence which they exercised upon the course and development of universal history; but even the extraordinary external character of the destinies of the house of Jacob, which from a few ancestors, branched out into a numerous nation, powerful enough to extirpate or to subjugate the mighty tribes of Canaan; even these events, considered as a mere episode of history, were necessarily calculated to excite the interest of reflecting minds, and to attract even the curiosity of the more superficial observer. And thus we possess a variety of accounts furnished by ancient historians concerning the sojourn of the Israelites in, and their departure from, Egypt. But these narratives are mostly of a very singular nature. It is the privilege of individuals with carefully cultivated and trained intellects, to penetrate with an unbiassed and unprejudiced eye into the circumstances and habits of others, however differing from their own, to estimate their importance and character, and to form an accurate and calm judgment. This power of abstraction, or objectivity, was withheld from most of the ancient writers; they generally judge other polities after the notions prevalent in their own respective countries, condemning everything which is at variance with their ideas or institutions; and whilst they thus, on the whole, furnish authentic and accurate information concerning their own lands, their reports about foreign nations are generally disfigured by erroneous and one-sided conceptions, and too often distorted by prejudice, national antipathy, and religious animosity. This is, in general, also the character of the profane accounts of the Exodus of the Israelites; but they are, nevertheless, both interesting and important, for it is certain that none of them is in any way derived from the Bible; they are original information, taken from different other sources, especially, no doubt, from Egyptian records; and although they repre

sent the events in a fanciful and exaggerated manner, they certainly corroborate the narrative of the Bible in every essential particular, which agreement must give additional authority to the sacred records, even in the eyes of those who are accustomed to value their religious importance higher than their historical accuracy.

We shall introduce those profane accounts, mostly in literal translations, or, if they are too lengthened, in abridgments, and shall only, when necessary, add a few remarks on their character and trustworthiness, as the reader will himself easily observe the deviations from the sacred narrative.

I. MANETHO (usually believed to have lived as the chief of the priests of Heliopolis, about 280 B. C., in the reigns of Ptolemy Lagi and Philadelphus) relates: "The Egyptian king, Amenophis, wished, on the advice of an oracle, to purify the country of 80,000 leprous Jews, and sent them into the quarries on the east side of the Nile,1 but later, he assigned to them, as their abodes, the town Ayaris,2 which had been quitted by the Hyksos, and which was consecrated to Typhon. There they chose Osarsiph, a priest of Osiris, from Hieropolis, who was later called Moses,3 as their leader; he gave them new and strict laws, commanded them to abandon idolatry, to kill and eat all animals held sacred among the Egyptians, and to associate with nobody except their own brethren, in order thus to estrange them from Egyptian customs. Osarsiph then fortified the town of Avaris, and made all military preparations for an attack against the Egyptians; he further sent ambassadors to the Hyksos, who had been expelled by the preceding king, Thummoris, and were then living in Jerusalem. The Hyksos, tempted by the promise, that Avaris, which had formerly been in their possession, should be restored to them, came to their aid with 200,000 men. Amenophis, although he was at the head of 300,000 men, did not dare to accept battle, but retreated to Memphis, and went then, with many ships, and a great army, to Ethiopia, where he found a hospitable reception from the king, his friend. The Hyksos [whom Manetho calls Solymites] made, in the mean time, great devastations in Egypt, burnt towns and villages, destroyed the images of the 1 Compare Exod. i. 11, 14; v. 6 et seq. 2 See note on i. 11, sub Raamses.

3 See note on ii. 10.

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