4 They spare not to aver, says the author, from a tradition, that upon this mountain of Damoan the Ark rested. Hard by is a village named Morante,” where they suppose the wife of 43 Noah to have. died. I mention these accounts, however inac-: curately transmitted, to shew how universal the history was of that great event, of which I have been treating. The scene of action was attributed to different places; but the real appulse of the ark was upon the mountain of Arat, called Ar-arat, in the province of Har-Men, upon the river Arach, or Araxes. After the sacred writer has described the preservation of Noah and his family, and their descent from the Ark, he gives a short history of the Patriarch, and mentions his residence upon the spot, and his planting of the vine. He afterwards proceeds to shew how the reparation of mankind was effected in that family, and how they multiplied upon the earth. When they were greatly increased, he gives a list of their generations, and describes them with great accuracy upon their separating, according to their places. of destination: and concludes with telling us, 42 Herbert's Travels. p. 201. The mountain Da Moan signifies Mons Lunus, or Lunaris. 46 45 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. And again, 4 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth, after the flood. I have spoken upon this subject in a former 47 treatise; and have shewn that this distribution was by the immediate appointment of God. We have full evidence of this in that sublime and pathetic hymn of Moses, where he addresses himself to the people whom he had so long conducted, and was now going to leave for ever. 48 Remember, says he, the days of old; consider the years of many generations. Ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when he separated the sons of Adam ; he set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel: for the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. By this we may see, that the whole was by God's appointment; and that there was a re 45 Genesis. c. 10. v. 5. 46 Ibid. e. 10. v. 32. 47 Observations and Inquiries relating to various parts of Artient History, vol. vi. p. 285. * Deuteron. c. 32. v. 7. serve for a people who were to come after. St. Paul likewise speaks of it expressly as a divine ordinance. 49 Εποίησε τε (ὁ Θεός) εξ ἑνος αίματος παν εθνος ανθρωπων κατοικείν επι παν το πρόσωπον της γης, ὁρισας προτεταγμένες καιρες, και τας ὁροθεσίας της και τοικίας αυτών. God made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. This is taken notice of by many of the fathers. Eusebius in particular mentions 5° the distribution of the earth: and adds, that it happened in the two thousand six hundred and seventy-second year of the creation, and in the nine hundred and thirtieth year of the Patriarch's life. Then it was that Noah, by divine appointment, divided the world between his three sons. The like is to be found in " Syncellus, Epiphanius, and other writers. The Grecians had some traditions of this partition of the earth, which they supposed to have been by lot, and between Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. 49 Acts. c. 17. v. 26. 30 Μερισμος της γης. Τῳ Βφοβ ετει το κοσμο ενακοσιοσῳ τριακοσιοςῳ ετεί το Νώε, κατα θειον δηλονότι χρησμον εμέρισε Νωε τοις τρισιν ύσοις αυτή την γην. Euseb. Chron. p. 10. 53 Φαντο παλον Κρονίδησι δια τριχα δώματα νείμας. The sons of Cronus ascertain'd by lot Homer introduces Neptune speaking to the same purpose. 54 Τ Τρεις γαρ τ' εκ Κρονα ειμεν αδελφεοι, ές τεκε Ρει We are from Cronus and from Rhea sprung, out Into three lots; and each enjoys his share. The tradition probably came to Greece from Egypt; and we have it more fully related in Plato. 55 Θεοι γαρ άπασαν γην ποτε κατα τους τοπους διελαγχανον, ου κατ' εριν—δίκης δε κληροις τα φίλων λαγχανοντες κατῳκιζον τας χωρας. The gods of old obtained the dominion of the whole earth, according to their different allotments. This was effected 53 Callim. Hymn. in Jovem. v. 61. 54 Iliad. O. v. 187. 55 In Critia, vol. 3. p. 109. without any contention; for they took possession of their several provinces in an amicable and fair way by lot. It is said of Noah, from whom all the families upon earth were derived, "that he was a just man, and perfect in his generation: and that he walked with God. We may suppose, that his sons shewed him always great reverence: and after they were separated, and when he was no more, that they still behaved in conformity to the rules which he established. But there was one family which seems to have acted a contrary part; and however they may have reverenced his memory, they paid little regard to his institutions. It is said, that " Cush begat Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Ashur, and builded Nineve, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen, between Nineve and Calah, the same is a great city. We have, in this narration, an account of the first rebellion in the world; and 56 Genesis. c. 6. v. 9. 57 Ibid. c. 10. v. 8. |