ple; but this is what might be expected, and is indeed a clear mark of its antiquity. But this matter is treated more at large, in another place, to which the reader is referred. (See § 72-76.)

The book is said to contain many things that are immodest. We admit that some things in the book would be immodest under other circumstances; but as the case is, this feature is an internal mark in its favor. It shows that the record belongs to a primitive age, when the ideas of propriety and fitness that now prevail, had not been suggested, at least, had not grown into their present shape and form..

52. Again; a combination of circumstances, each in itself unimportant, will sometimes furnish an argument that amounts almost to a demonstration. In view of this fact, let the following circumstances be added to the particulars already noticed. The early inhabitants of the globe lived, in what we would now call a prairie country. We find them at the very first, with their flocks and herds; and we continue to see notices of this kind, all through the book; nor is there any intimation that the ground had to be cleared of its forests before this branch of labor could be pursued. There are many people in the world by whom this circumstance would be understood as an internal mark of its untruth. There was a time, when to us, had it attracted our attention, it would have occasioned not a little embarrassment. But now, knowing that prairie lands form a considerable portion of the earth's surface, I can easily believe that the part of the earth, where the Bible places the origin of the race, was of this kind; and I can farther see great propriety in selecting such a location for such a purpose. The references in Genesis to the wilderness and to groves, are such only as apply to a prairie country where portions of timber land do now and then occur.

53. There is another species of internal evidence, to which more or less importance will be attached. It consists of what are called "undesigned coincidences." In all true writings there are more or less circumstances that are "coincident" with each other, without any apparent intention of the author that they should be so; and it is this last circumstance, that gives them their importance. What is here intended will be best understood by a few examples. It is common with us to name persons after others among our acquaintances or relations; and we find the same practice to have prevailed, to some extent, in ancient times. Hence, in the two genealogies of Adam, one through Cain, and the other through Seth, we find some similar names. Enoch and Lamech occur in both; and some of the other names are so nearly alike, that they may have been originally the same; and indeed are regarded as the same in the Septuagint or Greek version. A fictitious writing might have the coincidence here referred to; but it would be quite as likely not to have it.

54. But there are other examples more to the point. In the genealogy of Ham, we find the names of Sheba and Dedan. They were Ham's great-grandchildren. So in the genealogy of Shem, we find a Sheba; and in the family of Abraham by Keturah, we find a Sheba and Dedan. That the writer intended these coincidences, we have no reason for supposing. Notice also that the father of the last Sheba and Dedan was one Jockshan; and the father of Sheba, in the lineage of Shem, was also Jockshan. One would be inclined to think that the latest Jockshan, named his son Sheba, because another Jockshan had done the same; but at length, having another son, he names him Dedan, remembering that the same combination of names (Sheba and Dedan) was found among Ham's descendants. What was

more natural than this, allowing the record to be true; though we should not expect to find such a circumstance in a false or fictitious one. Many other similar examples could be produced; and they are the more remarkable as we know that the Hebrews generally named their children on a different principle, forming the name from some circumstance occurring at the birth of the child.

55. Nearly allied to the foregoing, is the practice of naming places from persons. The writer does not tell us how Haran, the first residence of Abraham, after leaving Ur of the Chaldees, came by its name; but as Abraham had recently lost a brother Haran, it was quite natural that the place should be named from him. So Mamre, the residence of Abraham in Canaan, was obviously named from Mamre, one of Abraham's confederates; though the name of the place and of the person, are never mentioned in such connection, as to make the coincidence obvious, except to the careful reader. Sidon was the oldest son of Canaan, and is mentioned in the list of Ham's posterity; and in process of time, with no special reference to his name, we find an important city, bearing the same name, in the north-west corner of Palestine.

Not very unlike this is the next instance to be noticed. In one part of the narrative, we read of the Amalekites, as one of the tribes of Canaan; in another and still later passage, we find one Amalek, among the descendants of Esau. Now it hardly admits of doubt, that the tribe was named from the man, and are indeed his descendants. This is accounted for, from the fact, that in naming the tribes of Canaan, some are spoken of by anticipation. There is an apparent incongruity, which an impostor would have avoided; but there is also a coincidence which is an evidence of truth; and all the more conclusive, as being joined with the apparent incongruity.

Again; one of the grand-sons of Nahor, is Aram. Was not Padan-Aram, the residence of Nahor, named after him? This Nahor and his family are called Syrians; but the original is Arameans.

56. Again; we read of Abraham going down to Egypt, in consequence of a famine in the land of Canaan; and while there, he received many valuable presents from Pharaoh, among which were servants and handmaids. At a subsequent period, and writing about a very different subject, the author tells us that Sarah had an Egyptian handmaid whose name was Hagar. Still later, this Hagar was sent away from her home, and was found in the way to Shur; and we learn in another part of the book that Shur lay in the direction of Egypt. What more natural than that Hagar should seek her former home in Egypt, and being a female and a slave, what more natural than that she should lose her way? At a subsequent period, when driven out, a second time, with her child, she is said to have wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba; and this place, too, we know lay in the same direction.

57. Finally; the difference between Palestine and Egypt, is made obvious by scores of allusions and circumstances, entirely incidental, and plainly having no such purpose on the part of the writer. Going to Egypt from Canaan, is habitually spoken of as going down to Egypt; and from the latter place to the former, was going up to Canaan. In Egypt, too, we find a regular, established government, a king and his officers, a captain of the guard, a chief butler, a baker, a prison and gallows. Here were fine linen and golden chains, chariots and horsemen; and here the choicest productions of the East found a ready market. In Palestine these things are not found; and it is worthy of being added, that money, and gold and silver ornaments, are not alluded to, until after the first journey to Egypt. The productiveness

of the country, even when famine prevailed elsewhere, is often alluded to, and had, as we all know, a natural cause. Such a circumstance, as seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine, was, in Egypt, a natural occurrence, though we know of no other country on the globe, of which the same thing could be affirmed. We say, then, in conclusion of this particular, that Genesis has all the internal and external marks of truth, that can be fairly required or expected under the circumstances.

58. Except a few passages in Chaldee, the Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language, some peculiarities of which, taken from the book of Genesis, may be here noticed.

1. Hebrew idioms:

59. (a.) The name of God is often used for emphasis. Examples: "The earth was corrupt before God." The earth was very corrupt, is the meaning. "The men of Sodom were wicked sinners, before the Lord, exceedingly." They were exceedingly corrupt. "The garden of the Lord," may refer to the garden of Eden, and it may not; but the meaning is, a very beautiful garden. "That I may bless thee, before the Lord," has simply this meaning;-that I may invoke upon thee the richest blessings. "With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister," is, in the original, with the wrestlings of God, have I wrestled with my sister. "God's host," may, according to the same idiom, mean, only a great company. vi. 11; xiii. 13; xiii. 10; xxvii. 7; xxx. 8; xxxii. 2. 60. There are other instances, but these are suf ficient to illustrate the principle. Sometimes there may be a doubt how such instances should be translated. Hence the phrase, "Spirit of God," i. 2, has, by some, been thought to mean a great wind; for