membered Noah." What a beautiful expression of parental affection! The rain ceases; the ocean falls back into its deepened bed, and the ark rests on the mountains of Armenia." With unutterable joy Noah beholds the tops of the mountains just beginning to show themselves. He sends out a raven; then a dove, which at first returns as she went, but afterwards brings back in her mouth the "olive leaf,” token of peace, and proof that the waters had subsided. Sent out a third time, she returns no more. viii. 1-12.

Now the ground is comparatively dry, and Noah's family leave the ark, accompanied by its numerous inmates. A solemn act of devotion marks the patriarch's gratitude, and is graciously accepted by his almighty preserver. He determines no more to bring such a destruction on the earth. He will not "be extreme to mark what is done amiss;" for man's earliest imaginations are, like his nature, evil. 13-22. Then follows the divine blessing bestowed on the family of Noah, in language like that before addressed to Adam, (i. 28,) with the express grant, however, of animal food, the blood or life excepted." Capital punishment is threatened to the murderer; and, to increase man's horror at the taking of human life, the unconscious, irrational brute is to bear the penalty of his unintentional manslaughter. The dignity of man's nature, created originally in the image of God, is stated as a reason for the severe penalty. By defacing the divine likeness, the murderer attempts, as it were, to mar, not to destroy the divinity itself. ix. 1-7. The promise before made, not to destroy all living things by another flood, a promise equivalent to a solemn agreement made by the creator with his creatures, is renewed; and the rainbow, which probably at that time spanned the vault of heaven, is made the sign of its accomplishment. The promise is repeated, in token of perpetuity. 8-17.

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if

The fact of Noah's three sons being the sole fathers of

the second world is then distinctly stated. This is followed by the narrative of Noah's planting a vineyard, and, on too free indulgence in the wine, through ignorance probably of the strength of the liquor, becoming intoxicated, and indecently exposed. The unfilial behaviour of Ham, and the picus and modest deportment of his two brothers, becoming known to the patriarch on his awaking, he predicts the future fates of their respective descendants. On the posterity of Ham, through his son Canaan, he denounces the curse of degraded servitude, which was remarkably verified in the future history of the Canaanitish nations. By blessing Jehovah as the God of Shem, he implies a benediction of the highest kind on Shem himself, inasmuch as the "people whose God is the Lord" cannot but be "happy." Ps. cxliv. 15. To the posterity of Japheth, he promises wide and extensive territory; and the progress and prodigious increase of numerous colonies, founded by Europeans in various parts of the world, have for ages attested the truth of the prediction, and are still continuing to add to its evidence. The occupancy of territory by the posterity of Japheth, which was originally peopled by that of his brother, may be intended by the phrase, "he shall dwell in the tents of Shem"; but more probably it alludes to the future connexion of the descendants of each, as associated together principally in religious harmony, by the union of Japheth's progeny with the Hebrews in the kingdom of the Messiah." A brief notice of the age and death of Noah forms the conclusion of this part of the book. 18-29.

PART V. CHAP. X. 1-XI. 9.

This part may be subdivided into two sections. The first, x. 1-32, is a brief genealogical notice of the immediate descendants of Noah's sons, comprehending also cer

tain nations or colonies of which they were the founders." The historian reverses the order which he elsewhere follows, beginning with Japheth and ending with Shem. He takes particular notice of Nimrod, a grandson of Ham, who, by founding an important monarchy, and, according to the view given of his character by some Eastern historians, by tyrannical and oppressive conduct, acquired a disgraceful and unenviable celebrity. x. 1-9.48

The principal cities of his kingdom, and those which were perhaps first established, were Babylon, Edessa, Nesibis, and Ctesiphon," (the metropolis of Chalonitis,) in the country of Babylonia, which must be considered as stretching to a considerable extent. 10. In connexion most probably with the history of Nimrod, is the brief notice of Ashur's emigration from that country, and of his building three cities, the principal of which was Nineveh, 11.00 Shem is introduced as the ancestor of the Hebrews, and as the elder brother of Japheth, 21. The division and settlement of the earth are mentioned as contemporaneous with Peleg, and giving rise to his name. 25. His brother Joktan's descendants are then introduced. 26—32.

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The second section, xi. 1—9, contains an account of the confusion of the one language, which was employed by all the descendants of Noah. A body of men travelling from the country beyond the Tigris," settled in the plains of Babylonia, and proposed to build a city and a very lofty tower, with the view of acquiring distinction both among their contemporaries and with posterity, and, by forming themselves into a strong and well guarded community, to prevent their being forcibly dispersed. 1-4. It would seem that these men designed to oppose the divine intention, which required mankind to spread themselves in various regions of the earth. But God determines to frustrate their wily project. Should this first enterprise be allowed to

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succeed, they will increase in hardy rebellion, and go on unrestrained in wickedness. He resolves to confound their language, and thus, by awakening suspicion of each other, to involve their scheme in utter ruin." The consequence was, they were widely dispersed; the projected city remained unfinished; and a name was given it, indicating the confusion, which had been attended with consequences so disastrous to human arrogance. 5-9.

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PART VI. CHAP. XI. 10-26.

We have here a list of Shem's descendants in the line from which Abram sprang. This, together with that which is introduced in the fifth chapter, completes the genealogy of the distinguished Hebrew patriarch, whose biography immediately follows."6

PART VII. CHAP. XI. 27-xxv. 11.

The sacred writer now presents us with the history of Abraham. The narrative treats of the immediate ancestors of the Hebrew nation, and is therefore more particular and diffuse than that which had preceded it; which is a mere introductory sketch, intended to prepare for the subsequent account. This part begins by mentioning the birth of Abraham, and ends with a notice of his death.

Terah the father of Abram removes with his family from the land of their nativity," Ur of the Chaldees," a district lying in the north-eastern part of Mesopotamia, and in modern times reduced to a desolate waste. We are told that their place of destination was the land of Canaan, but that after reaching Haran, a city (or district) situated in the north-western part of Mesopotamia on the Euphrates, they continued there until after the death of Terah." This removal was made in consequence of a divine direction com

municated to Abram, which was probably repeated after his father's death." It was accompanied by a signal benediction, involving, among other promises, the coming of the great descendant of the patriarch, the Messiah, with blessings to be dispensed to all mankind. Abram obeyed, and he and his party left Haran and went to Canaan. xi. 27— xii. 5.

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Entering the land at the north, they gradually advanced towards the south, and were obliged, in consequence of a famine, to take refuge in Egypt. Apprehensive lest the beauty of his wife should induce the Egyptians to put him to death, in order to secure her person, Abram represented her as his sister. Efforts were immediately made by the monarch to procure her as a wife, and with this view the patriarch was treated with great kindness. Some divine inflictions, the nature of which is not stated, most probably led to more particular inquiries; and on ascertaining that the supposed sister of Abram was in reality his wife, she and the whole party were honorably dismissed. 6—20.

On returning into Canaan, the wanderers were obliged to separate into two divisions. They had now become so wealthy, and their flocks so numerous, that it was found impossible to settle in one spot. It is evident, from the tenor of the whole narrative, that the population of Canaan was at this period very sparse. There were indeed several nations already settled in the land, dwelling perhaps in towns and adjacent districts; but much of the open, champain country was still unoccupied. Abram therefore proposed to his kinsman Lot, between whose herdsmen and his own a contention had arisen, probably on the subject of pasturage, to direct his course to whatever region should be agreeable to him, promising that he himself would take another direction. Lot chose the valley of the Jordan, the fertility of which, on account of the abundant supply of water which the river