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CHAPTER III.

The Genuineness and Authenticity of the Four last Books of the Pentateuch confirmed by a comparison of the book of Deuteronomy with those of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.

THE exordium to the last book of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy, is remarkable. It states that it is not, like the previous books, a complete and direct journal of all the events, as they occurred; but only a recapitulation of what Moses thought proper to notice, in his parting address to the people, a little before his death. Hence, a comparison of this with the preceding books, may afford a distinct proof of the truth of them all ;—from the undesigned coincidences, that might naturally occur, between narratives written at the time the events took place, and a recapitulation, under such circumstances, forty years afterwards,

It may be premised, Ist, That the very minuteness, or reconditeness of a coincidence, gives a greater value to an argument founded upon it; because, the more circuitous it is, the more difficult it would have been to fabricate ;—and, 2ndly, That if the narrative and recapitulation seem at first to contradict each other,— but on close investigation, the apparent contradiction vanishes, it confirms the absence of art, and proves the truth and reality of the whole.

I. The very peculiarity of the position in which the Jews are represented to be, (such as they were never in before or since,) on leaving Egypt all congregated together, and dwelling in tents; having no landed property or houses, or local tribunal, &c.,-is a presumption of truth. No fictitious writer would have ventured to fabricate a history so manifestly difficult to describe; nor if he had, could it have been so artfully done, but that some inconsistency of fact or expression would betray itself in the work. But this is never the case in the Pentateuch: its facts and language are, in every case, both direct and incidental, exactly suited to the peculiarity of the people's circumstances.

II. To adduce particulars :-A variety of things necessary to be noticed on their actual entrance into Canaan, are for the first time mentioned in this last address of Moses. Then, and not before, does he speak of "the place which the Lord should choose to

put his name therein" (Deut. xii. 5.): then, and not before, does he enjoin them to bring their sacrifices and offerings to the same holy place: then, for the first time, are rules given for the Levites migrating to attend God's service in any other city. Appointed stations of judges and officers are first fixed; the phrase, "gate of the city," is perpetually occurring, though never mentioned before. Moreover, we have, (now that they were coming into actual conflict with their enemies, whose land they were progressively to possess,) for the first time, the legitimate causes of excuse from war stated,—such as, having built a new house, planted a vineyard, or being betrothed to a wife (Deut. xx. 5.). All these things imply a change of society, from a congregational camp to a settled abode in the promised land. Now, also, Moses enlarges upon the fertility and excellence of the land. Had he done so at any earlier period, it would only have excited impatience at their detention. And when the manifestly unstudied and artless style of the writer is considered, this peculiar difference of the last book from the preceding ones, and its suitableness to existing circumstances, seems to result from reality alone: it evidently is not the laboured artifice of fiction.

III. There are coincidences of a more recondite and circuitous kind. In the modes, for instance, of purification from leprosy, and from pollution by a dead body.

In the former, the directions are prospective, with reference to their being settled in Canaan, and are all applicable to a house; whilst in the latter, which was of perpetual obligation, no change is made, but all the old directions, applicable to a tent, remain in force. Now a dead body lying in a house would produce no effect different from its lying in a tent, and therefore no difference of purification was necessary: whereas in purifying from leprosy, all the materials of a tent, as wool, leather, &c., are mentioned, as exhibiting peculiar symptoms of infection, and therefore the mention of the tent itself was unnecessary; but the materials of a house being different, required a particular specification. All this could never have entered a fabricator's head.

The directions as to the service of the Levites, in taking care of the Tabernacle, furnish many evidences of the same kind: to adduce but two. In the 3rd and 4th chapters of Numbers, the parts of the Tabernacle to be carried by each family of the Levites, are minutely specified; the two next chapters relate to something entirely different; the 7th states that the princes of Israel offered six waggons, and twelve oxen, which Moses employed, and assigned to two families of the Levites, "according to their service;" (for the third were specially appointed to carry the Holy of Holies upon their shoulders): now to one of these families

two waggons, and to the other four are assigned; the reason of this inequality is not specified; but on referring to the 4th Chapter, v. 31. we find the latter had the solid heavy parts, whilst the former had only the light materials, as curtains, &c., to carry. Such a peculiar and minute coincidence is quite natural, on the supposition of Moses, who arranged the matter, being the recorder of it: but it is wholly impossible that a forger should think of it. Again in the 2nd chapter of Numbers, it is directed that—(the twelve tribes being arranged in four divisions)—on their march, the Tabernacle with the Levites should go between the second and third: but in the 10th chapter there is an apparent contradiction; for at verse 17, we read of the Tabernacle proceeding after the first division. This however is reconciled afterwards: for at verse 21, we find that, though the less sacred parts, (as the outside works, &c.) were carried after the first division; yet the Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies itself, (the Tabernacle κατ' ἐξοχήν), with its furniture, did not set out till after the second; the reason moreover is assigned,—that those who had the outside parts, might thus have time to set them up, and prepare for the reception of the Sanctuary, by the time it arrived. Could a forger have written this? could one, who had lived at a time when these marches had all ceased, and the Israelites were fixed in the land, have thought of

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