1. Ashkenaz.

50.

60.

1. Elisha.

2. Tarshish. 60.

THE SONS OF HAM.

1. Cush. Vide in the map, 1. in Armenia, lat. 40, long. 70. 2. In Arabia, lat. 20 to 30, long. 50 to 60. 3. In Ethiopia, lat. 10 to 20, long. 50 to 60. 60. 3. In Ethiopia, lat. 10 to 20, long. 50 to 60. N.B. It is probable a tribe of Cushites were originally situated still more easterly than the above countries; perhaps even in eastern Bactria.

2. Mizraim. Vide in the map, lat. 20 to 30, long. 40 to 50, Egypt.

3. Phut. Vide in the map, lat. 30, long. 20 to 30. 4. Canaan. Vide in the map, lat. 30 to 40, long. 50

to 60.

Re

CHAPTER XI. VERSE 2. And mankind journied from the EAST, DEM. Under the articles EAST and KEDEM, in Dictionary, may be seen the embarrassment which this word has given to those who suppose mount Ararat of Armenia, to be where the ark rested after the deluge; for Armenia is direct north of Babylonia, so that the writer, if he meant that mountain, should rather have said, Mankind journied from the north. But, if we accept the idea, that the ark lodged on the vide our MAP of Paradise; then it will appear, that mountains of Caucasus of captain Wilford; for which they journied strictly from the east; and this expression will contribute to confirm the statement derived by the captain from the Hindoo Puranas.

There is, however, another acceptation of the word east; that it signifies a specific country, or province; and this sense, in effect, will coincide with the other, since the present Bahkter signifies “the east,” and province of the Persian empire; but we must not since Bactria, or Bactriana, was the easternmost consider this province as having been the same at all times in our map of the world it is marked according to another division, east of the Caspian sea, but north-east of Babylon. This province originally incity Balk or Bactria, was a part of it, perhaps even cluded parts much more south and east; so that the might give name to it; q.d. Balktria, Balktriana.

Now it reigns as an uncontradicted tradition in the East, that Abraham originally dwelt at Balk; and if this be the proper import of the word Kedem, "east," then Scripture seems to say the same. In Isaiah, xli. 2. we have an allusion to the original country of this patriarch, "who raised up the righteous man, Abraham, from the east," [where, however, the word is not Kedem, but Metzrah, which denotes the sunrising] and the same is said of Cyrus's coming against Babylon, "calling a ravenous bird from the east," Isai. xlvi. 11. Now the east here cannot possibly mean Mesopotamia, since that lies north-west of Babylon, whereas Media, Cyrus was a Mede, lies east; and it appears by major Rennel's map in his Herodotus, that not only Media but Bactriana also,

lies east of Babylon; and we know that Cyrus subdued these provinces before he attacked Babylon, and he advanced to attack that city direct from these parts, where he had conducted the war in person; so that he flew, as it were, as straight as a ravenous bird flies, from the east to Babylon. If it be supposable that the provinces known in very early ages by the name of Kedem, "the east," were afterward known by another word denoting "the east," as they now are by the name Bactria, which also denotes "the east;" then the idea that this very country is the place from whence this portion of mankind journied, would be rendered still more probable. The scholar who recollects the use of the Greek word Anatolia, will perhaps find a parallel in this article.

TOWER OF BABEL.

On the subjects of "brick instead of stone, and slime, bitumen, instead of mortar," see our plate and remarks on early writing." It should appear, that though the great design of these builders was defeated, yet the tower was raised to a certain height at this time; probably it was afterward ornamented, and various enrichments and finishings were bestowed on it by Nebuchadnezzar; but whether it was raised in height, may, I think, be doubted. The height of this tower, as described by ancient authors, was about 500 feet. The great pyramid of Egypt is about 480, which is 20 feet less than the tower; but allowance must be made for what is buried in the sand. The steeple of old St. Paul's Church was 534 feet in height; the height of the present St. Paul's is but 340 feet; Salisbury steeple is now the highest in Britain, and is about 400 feet. These comparative measures may serve to shew, that although the tower of Babel was of great magnitude and height, yet that other buildings have been raised up to heaven, as the Hebrews speak, at least equally with this famous edifice.

CHAPTER XII. VERSE 16.

ABRAHAM'S RICHES.

Abraham had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.

These riches, these flocks and herds, imply the pastoral life of this patriarch; not gold and silver, the profits obtained by commerce, but the increase of the herd, and of the fold.

The word y TJAAN, rendered sheep, includes both the goat kind, and the sheep kind; we shall find this frequently as we proceed. It denotes also a flock of either kind.

The word pваKаR, rendered oxen, has also an extended signification, and implies sometimes a herd. of cattle; so calves are called "sons of the herd," beni bakar, 1 Sam. xiv. 32.

The word for ass is on CHⱭмOR. In the East

the ass is not so gray in colour as among ourselves, but is redder; the Arabic chamara signifies to be red: but the word rendered she-asses is ms ATONOTH, which in my opinion signifies fiery, these must have been of a different species from the former to be described by a word so different. Were they so called from any line of descent? from being pye-balled? from being painted? or were their ancestors of a race dedicated to the deity Fire? Though the word is feminine, they could hardly be females only; nor could the sex of these animals merely be meant by the word. Niebuhr says, French Edit. 2to. p. 144. "two kinds of asses are found in Arabia. The small and lazy are as little esteemed in the East as they are in Europe. But there is one kind, which is large, and full of courage, which appeared to me more convenient for travelling on than horses, and which is very dear in price." Are these the atonoth of this passage? Might the Hebrews call a horse of metal, fiery? and so of asses, might they describe an ass full of courage, as full of fire? whence atonoth, bold, hardy, spirited, fiery.

The camel, GAMEL. This is the regular word to denote this creature, of which there are several races, and several names, according to its age, &c.

CHAPTER XV. VERSE 9.

ABRAHAM'S SACRIFICE.

Take an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle dove, and a young pigeon.

There are great difficulties here to determine the true import of these words; some read, three heifers. of one year old; others, cut into three parts each; others, an heifer of the third birth; i.e. the third offspring of its parent: LXX, dauahiv Tpiɛti(xoav, Jerom, Vitulam triennem; with which our version agrees, supposing, no doubt, that these animals are described as being at the prime time of life, at the most valuable period of their age; vide Hosea x. 11. and Virgil, Eccl. 3. The other words in this passage, are such as usually denote the animals by which they are translated.

And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abraham drove them away. Others read, " Abraham sat down by the carcasses." This attitude of Abraham was an attitude of attendance, like a servant on his master; like David before the Lord, [vide plate of EASTERN ATTITUDES, fig. H.] 2 Sam. vii. 13. So that Abraham waited in this reverential manner till evening, and as the shades of evening obscured all around, the light which visited these sacrifices became more observable, more clear and shining.

To an agreement of importance, the passing of the parties between the parts of a sacrifice, was the ancient way of confirming a covenant. [Vide FRAGMENT, No. 129.] And, probably, as Abraham had

put no fire to his sacrifices to consume them, they were consumed by this flame, which was to him an unequivocal token of supernatural interference on this occasion, [vide the instance of Elijah,] since they would not naturally have generated flame.

We are to consider Abraham as first sitting reverentially beside his sacrifice; then as falling down in a kind of prophetic trance: for which vide Adam, Gen. ii. 21. During this trance the future circumstances of his posterity were revealed to him.

CHAPTER XIX. VERSE 24.

DESTRUCTION OF SODOM.

The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. Every thing no doubt is directed by the Divine Author of all things, and is originally from him; but I can by no means admit, that fire, in this instance, was rained from the Lord, from the celestial heaven. We know that the word heaven often means the air, or atmosphere, and such I presume is its import in this passage.

Lightning may be called fire from heaven with evident propriety, as it is in Scripture; but lightning can hardly be said to be rained. It might, however, be the beginning of those meteors which overthrew these cities; but it should seem from all present appearances, that a volcano was the immediate cause of their destruction. This would naturally be at tended with prodigious lightnings, with earthquakes, and such violent risings of the earth, as would destroy all the dwellings and their inhabitants. As we do not know exactly whereabouts this volcano burst forth, we shall suppose that the previous state of this country was that of a number of islands, for we read that it was extremely well watered, chap. xiii. 10. In the central island suppose this phenomenon to appear, and to discharge its masses of melted minerals, of fiery cinders and ashes around it; these would fall, strictly speaking, in a rain of fire; and having been first thrown up to an incalculable height in the air, they might be said to be rained from heaven; i.e. the atmosphere, without even employing the amplitude of Eastern phraseology. This eruption of fire first raised these islands, but when it ceased they sank below their former level; and the stream of the Jordan flowing over them, covered the whole surface with a body of water, which we now call the Dead Sea. It is a mass of water impregnated with bituminous salts, so strongly, that nothing flourishes near it, nor can it support animal life. The volcanic matters which are found in it, and around it, all testify that here has been an eruption of fire, and we are beholden to the sacred writings for informing us at what period that eruption happened. All travellers agree in this; but I shall quote from Volney, vol. i. p. 303. "The hollow through which the Jordan flows, is a country of volcanoes; the bituminous and sulphureous

sources of the lake Asphaltites, the lava, the pumice stones, thrown on its banks, and the hot bath of Tabaria, demonstrate that this valley has been the seat of a subterraneous fire, which is not yet extinguished, [compare Jude 7.] Clouds of smoke are often observed to issue from the lake, and new crevices to be formed on its banks. Strabo expressly says, lib. xvi. that the tradition of the inhabitants of the country was, that formerly the valley of the lake was peopled by thirteen flourishing cities, and that they were swallowed up by a volcano. Earthquakes which usually succeed these eruptions are still felt in this country.

VERSES 25, 26.

LOT'S WIFE.

She looked back behind HIM, says the Hebrew and our version; others read, behind her: both may be true. It should even seem, that she was punished in the very act of returning; whence the caution, Luke xvii. 32. "Let him not return back. Remember Lot's wife."

Of what nature was the salt into which Lot's wife was changed? Salt is taken sometimes symbolically, sometimes metaphorically; so for incorruptibility; "a covenant of salt," Numb. xviii. 19. so for sterility, Deut. xxix. 23; Psalm cvii. 34.

Of what nature was the pillar into which Lot's wife was changed? This is full as interesting a question as the other; and indeed the answer to this may lead us to answer the other.

The word, netjib, rendered pillar, is used to signify an erect attitude; a standing still; a fixureSo, Gen. xviii. 2. “ Abraham lifted up his eyes, and lo three men stood, they were fixed in the place where they were, as if in deep conversation, &c. they were so engaged as to be immoveable, therefore Abraham ran to them." So, Gen. xxxvii. 7. My sheaf arose, and stood upright, like a quality, receiving homage, inflexible, immoveable. And what is more to our purpose, Exod. xv. 8. "the flood stood upright as a heap" the word then does not signify a regular, well finished statue, but a heap, an upright stock, a motionless fixture; as we say to a person, “you stand like a post." Such an erection did Jacob station, when he took the stone which had served for his pillow; and set it up for a pillar, or monument, certainly not fashioned into the human or any other studied form, but, rough as it was.

Now, as to the cause of the privation of life from this woman, and her conversion into an inert mass, we learn from Deut. xxix. 23. that "the whole land is brimstone, and salt of burning; it is not sown, nor bears, nor any herbs grow therein: like the overthrow of Sodom," &c. By the brimstone here mentioned, we understand the sulphuric and fatal vapours, which always attend volcanic eruptions, as well as brimstone itself; and certainly Lot's wife has not been the only one who has suffered by proximity to volcanic efflu

via; witness the history of the death of the elder Pliny, at Vesuvius, related in the younger Pliny's Letters. But Moses says, salt of burning formed one of the agents in the overthrow of Sodom; this, I presume, is what we now call asphaltum, because, being a bitumen, it might be ranged by the Hebrews among salts; as it is by other ancient writers: hence Herodotus speaks of salt burning in a lamp. As asphaltum is very inflammable, it justly bears the epithet of burning, or fiery. And this is the accurate character of the place to this day, asphaltum being found on the Dead Sea, or sea of Sodom. On the whole, then, we infer that Lot's wife, delaying her flight, and too slowly quitting the scene of devastation, was surprised by a shower of bitumen, or sulphur, falling upon her and around her; amid which she stood erect, motionless, deprived of life; and formed the centre or nucleus, for a mass which gathered around her, and which becoming hard and permanent as it cooled, was well known as the monument and fixed station of this unhappy woman.

CHAPTER XXVIII. VERSES 18, 19.
JACOB'S STONE ERECTED AT BETHEL.
GILGAL.'

Vide our Plate of "

The Rabbins hold this stone in great veneration, and have many stories in relation to it, sufficiently fantastical; but, probably, their meaning is symbolical, the true religion.

The word Beth-el seems to have been the parent of the Bethulia or Bethylia among the heathen: they are mentioned by Sanchoniatho, Photius, Hesychius, and Pliny, lib. xxxvii. cap. 9. For the idea of sanctity connected with these stones, vide the Illustrations of our plate of GILGAL.

CHAPTER XXX. VERSE 14.

DUDAIM, MANDRAKES.

Solomon's Song.

Vide Illustrations on

VERSES 32, 32.

JACOB'S MANAGEMENT OF HIS SHEEP. The first thing noticeable in this history is, the distinction formed by the colours of these animals. We have formerly remarked, that Y TJAAN, signifes sheep and goats, as Shem does kids and lambs. Now these are described as, pa NAKOD, spotted: punctis respersa, SMALL SPOTS: but thalu, signifies LARGE SPOTS, and might well be rendered pye-balled; maculis variegata.

The rods of Jacob are the second thing observable. Some think this thought was suggested to him miraculously; others think it was the offspring of his own reflection; perhaps many thoughts may be suggested to us, which we never distinguish from our own reflections: but this subject is too deep for us.

The application of these rods is perfectly natural,

and their influence on the sheep, &c. is analogous to some of the principles of our own breeders of animals, as well as to the skill of our gardeners, in blotting out, &c. colours from flowers, as tulips, &c.

There is an art, which, in their piedness, shares
With great creating Nature,—

Yet Nature is made better by no mean,
But Nature makes that mean;
The art itself is nature.

Winter's Tale.

But, together with a knowledge of natural causes in the patriarch, we undoubtedly unite the divine blessing; and we believe, that the divine blessing in similar events seldom offers violence to natural causes, which are its own appointments.

A third thing observable in this history is, the species of woods employed by Jacob, which are,

1. Lebanah, 2, the WHITE-poplar, as is generally supposed; so the Vulgate renders; but the LXX, and Aquila, λevxns, "the white," implying the poplar and our acquaintance with the trees of the East is too small to controvert their renderings.

2. Luz, x, the almond-tree, as is generally thought: and whose name in Arabic is, lusah; but others say, the nut-tree.

3. Ormun, y. The LXX read platanos; Vulgate, plane: Onkelos reads dulb, which is the Arabic name of the platanus. This word is found in Stephens, and in the Pandects of Medicine.

The reader will judge from hence, that our translators have mentioned such British trees as they thought proper; we still want Eastern information.

CHAPTER XXXII. VERSE 1.

Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him, &c.

Dr. Geddes finds so much difficulty in this passage, as do some others, that he supposes it happened in vision, yet even so he cannot account for it. It must be owned, that we see no reason why the angels of God met Jacob: no instance of their interference is mentioned. But if we take the word angels in some of those senses which are marked in the additions to the article ANGELS, in Dictionary, perhaps we may have a glimpse of a sense which removes all difficulties. I shall mention a very different version of the passage; mentioning is not recommending, but which may assist the thoughts of some future inquirer into this matter. It seems to be applicable to the preceding and subsequent parts of the history; but the words are taken in a sense not very common, though possibly it is just.

Laban departed, and Jacob went on his way, and there met him, there occurred to him, there lighted upon him, in a bad sense, to his hurt, in this very place, sundry agents sent from God, i.e. evils of divine providence, as, first, that of Laban recently

noticed; secondly, that of which he stood in great fear, as Esau, of whose approach, with 400 men, he here received the news. But said Jacob, when he perceived the approach of these difficulties, these evils, this, my family, my property, my concerns, this is the camp of God: I am secure under divine protection; and, as he here divided his family, &c. into two parties; he called the name of that place "the camps, "Mahanaim.

VERSE 15.

Jacob's present to Esau is noticeable on account of the proportion he observes between the cattle, respecting the individuals of the sexes.

It leads us also to consider the names for cattle, par, the bull, parah, the cow: for it appears by Psalm Ixix. 32. that par is more than a bull-calf, as it is described with horns. Parah, in Job xxi. 10. is taken for a cow which suckles her calf: nevertheless, par is frequently named, "the son of a bull;" and parah seems to be a heifer, which has not had young, nor been trained in the yoke, Numb. xix. 2. The she-asses of this present are the athonoth of Gen. xii. 16.

CHAPTER XXXVI. VERSE 21.

This Anah found the MULES in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. More probably these mules were fountains of salutary streams, or hot waters, as the Vulgate reads; the Syriac says, waters in the desert; Diodorus of Tarsus, fountains in the desert; but others think, a people is meant whom Anah attacked and discomfited, for which valiant exploit he became renowned.

Nevertheless, if Anah was the father of the Heneti, as several have supposed, then our version bids fair to be correct. These people first bred mules, as Strabo, Theophrastus, and Plutarch, mention: and thus the Scholiast on Homer, Iliad ii. v. 852. says, speaking of the Heneti, "this is the first country where was invented and found, originally, the breed of mules ;" or rather the breeding of mules, for mules do not breed. But, is the mule, the mixed offspring of a horse and an ass, truly meant here? we are told that Anah kept his father's asses; but not a word of horses, or mares, which are absolutely indispensable in producing mules.

CHAPTER XXXVII. VERSE 25.

A company of Ishmaelites bearing SPICERY, and BALM, and MYRRH, going to Egypt.

Spicery, NECOTH, this word is found also Gen. xliii. 11. but its signification is uncertain. The paraphrast Jonathan, the Arabic version of Erpenius, and Bereshith Rabba, sect. 91. render it wax. The LXX render it perfumes; Aquila says, storax. Jerom puts in the first place aromatics; in the second storax. The Syriac version puts resin; Kimchi, a

desirable thing; Jarchi, a composition of aromatics. Bochart supports his opinion, that this word signifies storax, by observing, 1st, that this drug is abundant in Syria, according to Pliny, lib. xii. cap. 25. from whence it is even now brought to Marseilles, and distributed throughout Europe. Artemidorus, apud Stephanum in zapv, says, it abounds in Phenicia; Josephus, lib. xv. cap. 23. says, in Galilee. 2dly, It is among the most famous aromatics. 3dly, Pliny says, "The Arabs collect the storax, which they burn in their houses to correct ill smells." 4thly, Moses joins with this necoth, resin, honey, and myrrh; which agree with the nature of the storax. The resin of the Syriac translators, and the gum of the Arabic, coincide with this sentiment.

Hillerus, who came after Bochart, rejects all the reasons we have assigned, and affirms, that maa necuth, is the same as necututh, which signifies pounded, pressed; and that the word ought to be understood of olive oil pressed; or what is called virgin oil; "pure olive oil beaten," Exod. xxvii. 20; Lev. xxiv. 2 Numb. xxviii. 5. Virgin oil is that which is procured from the fresh olives, pressed in a mill constructed on purpose; it is of a beautiful yellow colour, sweet, and of good smell. This idea agrees with all other places where becuth, or ɔɔ necuath, occur; because Egypt stood in need of the best and purest oil to compose its essences and perfumes, which were made up as unguents. Now it is certain, that the country of Gilead furnished the most valuable oils, xxxix. 2. In short, the present sent by Jacob to the Gen. xliii. 11; Deut. viii. 8; 2 Kings, xx. 13; Isai. governor of Egypt, was by no means an ordinary present, since kings shewed their liberality and magnificence in sending oils to each other, 1 Kings, v. 11; 2 Chron. ii. 10. [vide Ezra iii. 7; Ezek. xxvii. 17.] But there seems to be a text still stronger; Hosea xii. 1. They make a covenant with the Assyrians; favour, with the same design as that of covenanting and oil is carried into Egypt; no doubt to procure with the Assyrians. Now, this was the very wish of Jacob in sending necoth to Joseph. But still this difficulty occurs, why is this word used here to denote what elsewhere is called oil? Might it be oil not only of a prime kind, but impregnated with aromatics, &c. or, the ottar; i.e. essential oil, of certain plants, or flowers. This unites the sense of several of the ancient renderings.

Balm. This drug is also mentioned, Jer. viii. 22; xlvi. 11. The Targum of Onkelos, the Vulgate, and others, say simply resin. To consider it as the famous balsam, known in the present day as the balsam of Mecca, is to contradict Josephus, who says the first sprig of that tree, was brought to Solomon by the queen of Sheba, Antiq. lib. viii. cap. 2. but vide Bruce's Travels, vol. v.

Myrrh, or stacte, is the purest and most valuable kind of myrrh; according to Dioscorides, lib. i. cap. 74; Pliny, lib. xxii. cap. 15.