fhewn in our (d) Commentary upon that place; neither is it neceflary for us to repeat it here, perhaps they might be added by a later hand, after the Expulfion of the Canaanites by the Children of Ifrael; and perhaps 'tis one of those fuperfluous Obfervations which frequently occurr in the Sacred Volumes, which might have been omitted, without any Injury done to the History.

4. In Chap. 13..8. we meet with the word Hebron, by which name that Town did not go till after Mofes's time, as appears from Joshua 14. 15. Chap. 15. 13. where it is faid to have changed its old name Arba in the days of Caleb and Joshua; and indeed that City feems to derive its name Hebron from the Nephew of Caleb. But Learned Men have rightly observed, that this paffage might be added by another hand fince the time of Mofes, to expound an obfcure Name by one that was better known. See likewife Chap. 21.2.

5. The like Conjecture is drawn from the word Dan, which we find Chap. 14. 14. and 'tis urged, that the name of it was Laifh or Lefhem, till it was taken by the Children of Dan. See

(d) Some are of opinion, that out of the eleven Families of the Canaanites, fome of them were called fo, lx, above the reft, who inhabited these places. And 'tis true indeed, that the Canaanites are often mentioned as a particular Tribe, fee Gen. 13.7. Chap.15.21. Exod.3.8, 17. Chap.33.2. Chap. 34. 11. and elsewhere. But then they are exprefly faid to have lived near the Sea,and near Jordan, but not at Sichem. However perhaps they dwelt here in Abraham's time, and Mofes had a regard to that. Our Author prefers this Solution to the reft.

Joshua

Foshua 9.47. But we have handled this Matter in our Commentary, where we plainly make it appear, that it is not well (e) grounded.

6. In Chap.20.7.we read the word (ƒ) Nabi, a Prophet, which notwithstanding seems not to have been in use till after Mofes's Age,1 Sam.9.9. After all, perhaps the meaning of the Sacred Hiftorian may be this, That not fo much the word Nabi was left off in the time of Saul, as that it was not used in that Phrafe, Let us go to the Seer.

7. Mofes fpeaking of the Mountain, where Abraham was to have offer'd up his Son as a

(e) Jofephus relating this Hiftory, lib. I. c. 1o. tells us, That Abraham attack'd the Affyrians, ei savor, near Dan, and adds, For this is the name of one of the heads of Jordan. If this is true, 'tis certain that this Head was fo called, long before the City Laih obtained its new name; and afterwards when the Children of Dan poffeffed themselves of these places, that not only this Fountain, but the neighbouring City took the fame name. A place may happen to receive the fame Appellation for two feveral causes, as for inftance, Beersheba, i. c. the Well of the Oath, was fo called from two Covenants that were made near it. See Gen.21.31.Chap.26.33. And this might be the cafe of Dan.

(f) This word feems to have been in ufe with the Hebrews at firft; afterwards the word Roe a Seer was more commonly used; but at laft Nabi came in fashion again. Horace de Arte Poeticâ has #paffage which is very applicable to this purpose,

Multa renafcentur que jam cecidere, cadéntque
Que nunc funt in honore vocabula, fi volet ufus.

The fame Fate has befallen this word, which that judicious Poet obferves to have happened to several more: It was used in Moses's time; under the Judges it grew out of date, and after them was again revived.

Sacrifice, has the following words, Chap.22.14, And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh, as it is faid to this day, in the Mount of the Lord it fhall be feen. Some are of opinion, that this was the Mountain Moria upon which the Temple was built, and which did not go by that name till the Temple was erected upon it. But this is a meer Conjecture, and although Moriah and Jehovah fireh feem to fignifie the fame thing, yet it does not follow from thence that 'tis but one name. With no greater reason on their fide do others obferve, that Mofes could not be the Author of that Proverbial Saying (for fo they call it)Profpicietur in monte Jehova, fince the Perfon that added it to the Text, feems to speak of it as if it were still ufed in his time. But why might not Mofes fay, that this Proverb was in ufe etiamnum hodie, fince perhaps this Form was used, from the days of Abraham down to Mofes. This I am certain of, that there is nothing in the whole Matter, which does not fitly agree with Mofes's time. There was a convenient diftance enough between Abraham and Mofes, for the latter to take notice, that the aforefaid Form, of which Abraham was the Author, continued till his own time. Nay, if the Interval had not been quite fo great, yet Mofes might very warrantably exprefs himself after that manner, fince this Form is fometimes used by those that writ but a few years after, of which we

find

find two Examples in St. Matthew, Chap.27.8. Chap. 28. 15. as others have observed before me. To these we may add fuch-like passages out of St. Jerom, for he, fpeaking of the Ecclefiaftical Writers of his own Age, expreffes himself after the fame manner, Sabadius Bishop of Agennum in France.-Vivit ufque hodie, lives till now, or to this day, or to this day, decrepitâ feneЯtute, pixel vu Z, as the Greek Interpreter has rendered it. Didymus of Alexandria—Vivit ufque hodie, and has paffed the eightieth year of his Age ; περίεσιν ἄχει τόδε. Εpiphanius Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus- Supereft ufque bodie, and in his old Age is writing several Books. Eunomius of the Arian Party, ufque hodie vivere dicitur. Prifcillianus Bishop of Abila, ufque bodie, to this very day, is accused by fome, of the Gnoftick Herefie, though others maintain that he was not guilty of what is laid to his Charge. Prifcillianus was flain by Maximus the Tyrant, but feven years before St. Jerom writ this. We have touched upon this fomewhat largely, because several places in the Sacred Hiftorians are illustrated by this Obfervation.

8. Likewise they object the name of Migdal Heder, Gen. 35.21. that is, The Tower of the Flock; by which name is fuppofed to be meant, a Tower upon one of the Gates of Jerufalem, which was called the Sheep-gate; but this is uncertain; however if we may believe latter Ages, the Tower of the Flock did not belong

to

to Jerufalem. Confult our (g) Observations upon this place of Genefis. Nor is there any reason why this place fhould not retain its ancient name in following Ages.

9. They fuppofe that Mofes could not poffibly write, Chap. 36. 31, nor reckon up fo many Kings of Edom. Now these were the Kings that reigned in Edom, before there was any King in Ifrael. After this follow the names of eight Kings, who reign'd fucceffively one after another, and make as many Generations as there were from Jacob to Obed, Grand-father to David, and Contemporary to Saul the first King of Judea; fince from Jacob to Mofes there are only four, taking Mofes into the account. Now fome answer, That Mofes foreknew that the Ifraelites would fet up Kings over themfelves, to which purpose they cite Deuteronomy, Chap. 17. 14. But is it credible, that God likewife revealed to him, how many Kings the Edomites were to have, and by what Names they were to be called, before the Jewish Theocracy was turned into a Kingly

(e) There was a Tower at Jerufalem, or not far from that City, of the fame name, as we are informed by Micah 4.8. St. Ferom, following the Tradition of the Inhabitants in his time, places it not far from Bethlehem in his Epitaph of Paula, who after fhe had vifited Bethlehem, Not for from thence, fays the, he defcended to the Tower of Ader, i. c. of the Flock, near which Jacob fed his Flocks, and the Shepherds watching by night, were So happy as to hear, Glory be to God on high, &c. Which as it might be true, fo it receives no great Confirmation from fo Fabulous a Voucher as Tradition is.

Govern