NOTICES IN EXODUS of its
AND NUMBERS.
modern Egyptologists, Dr. Brugsch,* foundation the fabric of earlier
151
for a time shook to The authority of
belief.
its propounder was great, his acquaintance with the ancient geography of Egypt unrivaled, and his argument conducted with extreme skill and ingenuity it was not to be wondered ;
therefore, that his views obtained for a time very general credence. But researches conducted subsequently to the enunciation of his views, partly with the object of testing them, partly without any such object, have shown his theory to be untenable! 5 and opinion has recently reverted to the old channel, having gained by the discussion some additional precision and detiniteness. propose in the present chapter to consider the Exodus geographically, and to trace, " as distinctly as possible, the " journeys of the Israelites from their start on the day following the destruction of the " first-born to their entrance on the " wilderness of Etham after their passage of the Red Sea. The point of departure is clearly stated both in Exodus (ch. xii, 37), and in Xumbers (ch. xxxiii. 3. 5) to have been at,
We
We
" Rameses." What does this mean? hear in Scripture both of a " land of Rameses " (Gen. xlvii. 11), and of a city " Raamses," or Rameses. It is not disputed that these two words are the same nor does it seem to be seriously doubted that the land received its name from the town. From which, then, are we to understand that the Israelites made " their start ? It has been argued strongly that " the land is intended $ and with this contention we are so far agreed, that we should not suppose any general gathering of the people to the city of Rameses, but a movement from all parts of the land of Rameses or Goshen to the general muster at Succoth. Succoth seems to us to have been the first rendezvous. But a portion of the Israelites, and that the leading and guiding portion, started probably from the town. Menephthah resided at Pa-Ramesu, a suburb of Tanis. Moses and Aaron held communication with him ;
;
* The views of Dr. Brugsch were first propounded at the International Congress of Orientalists, held in 1S74. were afterwards " They of published in the English translation of his History Egypt," London, 18TU. " t See Mr. Greville Chester's papers in the Quarterly Statements" of the Palestine Exploration Fund, July, 1880, and April, 1881; and Mr. Stanley Poole's paper in the British Quarterly Bedew for July, 1883. " Kadesh-Barnea " (New York, 1884), p. 382. t See Dr. Trumbull's