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in the Egyptian rites and fymbols, though it has been long obfcured; and that divine honours were paid to him. This may perhaps be doubtful: but thus far we may be affured, that every honour that a grateful people could in reafon pay to a benefactor, this wonderful man deferved at the hands of the Egyptians.

SOME

FARTHER ACCOUNT

OF THE

ARABIANS

WHO

RESIDED IN EGYPT.

T may perhaps be expected that I should say something

IT

of the time, when the Arabian Shepherds first made their migration from Babylonia; and of the reasons that induced them to leave their native country, and betake themselves to the land of Ham. This is a very remote inquiry; and both the time and the cause of their coming obfcure. Yet there are means left us to trace it out to a degree, though not

per

perhaps precisely; and the grounds on which I shall proceed may, I think, be warranted.

Upon the difperfion of mankind, it is obfervable that the fons of Shem had the preeminence, either by the allotment of their great progenitor, or else by divine appointment: which latter is pretty plainly implied. Hence Elam, Aram, Ashur, and Arphaxad retired to their several provinces, which were not very far removed from the place whence all fet out; and which for many ages retained their names. The fons of Japhet were removed farther; but did not hesitate to obey. As to the lot of Ashur, it seems to have been the region between the two great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates; and that particular spot, which was the center of the general 1 diffipation. But it appears that the fons of Chus, under the influence of their imperious leader Nimrod, stood their ground, and maintained themselves in oppofition to the general partition. They ufurped the lot of Ashur: and Nimrod, to secure what he had unjustly seized upon, immediately set about fortifying the country. He built Babylon, that famous city of old; also Erech, Accad and Calneh, all in the land of Shinaar:

It seems, as if the defign of Providence was that the three branches of Noah's family fhould divide the earth between them: that Afia was to be allotted to the fons of Shem, Europe to Japhet, and Africa to Ham. America was too remote to be then confidered. These three large continents were in great measure peopled according to this diftribution. The only exception was Nimrod together with his people, and the fons of Canaan; who went contrary to the general allotment, and, as it seems to be implied, in oppofition to the divine decree: which was the reason that the Canaanites and Amorites, and all the collateral branches, together with the Amalekites, were fo particularly obnoxious, and devoted by the express ordinance of God to deftruction for their rebellion and impiety. See Syncellus. p 45. Νεωτερίσατο ὁ το Χαμ υιος Χανααν, επέβη τοις όριοις τα Σn, x. T. λ. taken from Eufeb. Chron. p. 10. Νεωτερίσας ὁ το Χαμ ύιος Χανααν επέβη τοις όριοις το Σημ, και κατῴκησεν εκεί παραβας την εντολην Νωε, συν τοις εξ αυτε γενομενοις εθνεσιν ἑπτα,ες δια Μωσέως και Ιησε το Ναυη εξωλοθρευσεν ὁ Θεος, και κατα τινας καιρος δια των Κριτων απέδωκε τοις υιοις Ισραηλ την πατρώαν γην, δίκαιος και εν τάτῳ φανεις ὁ Θεός. See Additional Remarks.

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Shinaar: which land was occupied originally by Asbur; but he was forced to quit it, and leave the kingdom he had laid the foundation of to others. 26 Behold," fays Ifaiab, “the "land of the Chaldeans; this people was not till the Affyrian "founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness" (i. e. the Cufeans or Arabians :) "they fet up the towers thereof, they "raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin." And accordingly we are told in Genefis; "Out of that land went forth Afhur," that is, went by compulfion; for all went out of the land originally; but he went out of the place of his allotment: and having fo powerful an enemy to deal with, and not knowing where his encroachments would end, fet about fortifying in his turn; and built a chain of cities, equal both in ftrength and number to those that had been founded by Nimrod. He 3" builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, And Refen between Nineveh and Calah: "the fame is a great city." 4 Bochart and Hyde, men of most excellent learning, interpret this paffage otherwife: and, instead of "out of this land went Abur and built Nineve," they translate it, Nimrod went out of this land into Afhur or Affyria, and built Nineve. Whether the original will bear this interpretation, let those determine who are fufficiently skilled in it. The chief objection made by these writers to the common acceptation of the passage arifes from this; that Ashur, they say, is here mentioned out of his place: which is the moft frivolous and ill grounded allegation that could be thought of. Nothing is more common with the facred writers, in giving a list of people, than to introduce fome little history of particular persons, as they mention them: of which many inftances may be 5 produced. The perfon here

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2 Ifaiab. 23. v. 13.

3 Gen. 10. v. II, 12.

4 Hyde chap. 2. pag. 41. Bochart Geogr. Sacr. pars prior. Lib. 4. Cap.12. 5 See Gen. 10. v. 5, 14, 18, 19, 30.

7: V. 21.

Gen. 36. v. 24, 30. I Chron.

here fpoken of is Nimrod, of the line of Ham; who is mentioned as an extraordinary character. As he trefpaffed upon Afhur, and forced him to leave the land of Shinaar; his history is so blended with that of Asbur, that one could not be mentioned without the other. What is faid is fo far from being introduced out of it's place, that nothing could come in more naturally, or with greater propriety. It was impossible to omit it, without rendering the history defective. Cufh begat Nimrod: he was a bold and powerful man. He feized upon Babylon, and forced Afhur to leave that country, who went out of the land, and built Nineve and other cities. This is the amount of it: and what can be more natural and proper? These circumstances are not introduced as belonging to the history of Ashur, but of Nimrod, to which they are an appendage. If the genealogy of Ashur had been here spoken of, it might have been excepted to with more fhew of propriety. But that was reserved to it's particular place.

We may therefore venture to accede to the interpretation of the Bible according to our present tranflation; and say that Afhur built Nineve, as Babylon was founded by Nimrod. The differences that must have fubfifted between these two states are not recorded: but it is pretty certain that the fons of Afhur got poffeffion of Babylon very early, and recovered the place of their original destination. It was in consequence of their being expelled from Babylon, that I imagine the Cufeans went into Egypt, and occupied the best of the country; to which they gave their name. Whether it was immediately upon their retreat, and at once, or at different times, is uncertain. Here they certainly settled; and built cities in memory of those, that they left behind: a circumftance of all others the most natural, and of which we have many inftances. Here they had a fucceffion of kings, who were called the Paftor Kings; for all the Cufeans were nomades or fhepherds. It is obfervable that, during their whole refidence

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in this country, they seem to have been in perpetual fear of the Affyrians. They had one king in particular that was named Salatis; who is represented as very cautious and vigilant; placing garrifons in the most convenient places; but especially fortifying all to the east, for fear the Affyrians should form any design of making an attack upon them that way. 6 Φρεραν εν τοις επιτηδειοτατοις καταλείπων τοποις μάλιςα δε και τα προς ανατολην ησφαλίσατο μέρη, προορώμενος Ασσυρίων, τοτε μειζον ισχυοντων, εσομένην επιθυμίαν της αυτης βασιλειας εφόδε. In procefs of time this people was expelled from Egypt: and it is faid at their departure, when upon a compromise they were obliged to leave the country, that they were greatly diftreffed where to betake themselves, for fear of the Affyrians. What other nation, but the fons of Cush, had any reason to be afraid of the Affyrians? And why should the Cuseans theirselves be afraid of this people, unless, as I faid before, they had been grievous aggreffors; and Babylon was now in the hands of their enemies? The Affyrian was for many ages quiet: they contended not for empire till long after: and the first acts of violence began under 7Pul of Nineve, and were continued by his fucceffors. But in these early days there was nothing to be feared from that quarter, except by this nation of the Cufeans, who had made the Affyrian their profeffed enemy; from whose resentment they had fled; and within the verge of whose vengeance they were afraid of returning. From all which we may conclude, that Babylon at this time was not in the hands of the fons of Chus. They must have been ejected by the Affyrians; otherwife there would have been a fafe retreat for this people to their original place of refidence: they might at least have put themselves under the protection of their brethren: fo that there could have been no grounds for their apprehenfions. The Affyrians would

6 Maneth. apud Jofeph. contra Apion. Lib. 1. §. 14. 7 2 Kings. 15. V. 19.

have

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