(Gen. ix. 21-23). Subsequently, Noah's descendants became so numerous that it was necessary to extend their limits, and they began to explore other regions,

In Gen. xi. 2, we are informed that the posterity of Noah journeyed to the east, or from the east. The original will bear either rendering. We are to understand that, before this time, they had doubtless wandered in different directions, but how far from Ararat we do not know. It seems that the great body of them were not separated far from each other, else how could such wandering hordes have been collected together on the plains of Shinar to build the tower of Babel? They must have proceeded some distance from Ararat, for that is in a northerly direction from Babylon. If they had remained in the vicinity of that mountain it would have been said of them that they traveled south in going to Shinar, and not east, nor from the east. It is probable that they had traveled a considerable distance from Ararat, either south-east or south-west, and when they moved towards Shinar, they went either east or west-it is impossible to tell which, nor is it of much importance to decide that point. Still it should be considered that the preposition (mem) more usually means from, and it is more natural to regard it here as having that signi

indicated. But it is pretty evident that the spot was in some part of Armenia as we have shown, and as the mountain in the north of that country is much more elevated than any other peak it seems to accord more nearly with the scripture account to suppose that its summit, as is now generally believed, was the spot where the ark rested.

מִקֶדֶם The Hebrew word is *

It is not probable that all of Shem's posterity returned to Shinar, though doubtless most of them did.

fication, than as signifying to. If it means from in this place, it is very probable that the posterity of Noah had wandered to the south-east of Ararat, before they set out for Babylon.

The erection of Babel was next commenced, whose object seems to have been to prevent being separated from each other. They wished to have some great central point around which they could permanently dwell (Gen.xi. 4); but their vain desire was not gratified. The lightnings of heaven demolished their lofty tower, their language was confounded and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth (Gen. xi. 8). It is probable that from the commencement of the journeyings from Ararat they did not intend to be separated. They extended their limits when they found it necessary, still the largest portion of them probably continued together, and finally, before they had wandered a great distance from the place where the ark rested, they formed the plan of building a city of sufficient magnitude and splendor to furnish them a permanent residence, and central point of attraction.

Ths description of the deluge, and of the first settlement of mankind, was written by Moses more than 1450 years B. C., and the lawgiver must have either compiled the history of that and other events from records and monuments kept in the family of Noah; or from tradition, which must have been very correct in those early times, in reference to important events, as life was very long, and the circumstances of those occurrences would have to be handed down to Moses by few persons, and those relatives to each other; or finally, he must have received the facts which he presents, wholly from the

immediate inspiration of God. In either case, it is very certain that he presented a true account, and the customs of his ancestors, to which he refers, are undoubtedly delineated with accuracy.

After the confusion of tongues the posterity of Noah dispersed in different directions, and in the tenth chapter of Genesis, we have an account of the lands which they occupied.

Japheth and his posterity were to inhabit the Isles of the Gentiles (Gen. x. 5). The Hebrew of this expression isi iyyey haggóyim, and must refer, it would seem, to places where Gentiles or Heathen resided. But it may with propriety be asked, what islands, so soon after the deluge, had such inhabitants? Between the time of the occurrence of that event and that of the confusion of tongues, according to the usual computation, only 113, though according to Dr. Hales, 600 years intervened. During six centuries, and even during one, the descendants of Noah must have multiplied to a considerable extent, and may have extended their migrations to some of the islands of the Great Sea; but Moses is speaking (Gen. x) of these very descendants of Noah (i. e., Japheth's posterity) as going to occupy the Isles of the Heathen. This seems entirely to exclude the idea that Japheth's posterity may have already settled there and become Heathen or Gentiles. Farther, the terms Heathen and Gentiles are of later origin than that early period, and we think that the translators of the Scriptures might have employed less ambiguous terms. There may have been, in those early times, and probably were, persons who rejected the religion of Noah, their progenitor, and may have been called, in one sense, Heathen; but

they could not properly have been designated, as in our English Bible, by the term Gentiles, for there were then neither Jews nor Gentiles. Nor can we believe that the sacred historian intended to indicate the Antediluvians by the term translated Gentiles-that Japheth's descendants were to inhabit the Isles occupied, before the deluge, by the Heathen. There were then, with a few individual exceptions, none but haters of God, who might properly enough be called heathen. There were, indeed, Isles of the Heathen at the time when Moses wrote this account; but is it not as reasonable to suppose that he intended to designate them as the residence of Japheth's posterity, as to suppose that his object was to give the appellation which those places, intended as the residence of Japheth's posterity, bore at the time that the division of the earth among the sons of Noah, was made?

The term translated Isles is often used in a general sense to denote islands, coasts, or maritime regions, especially of the Mediterranean, as in Ps. lxxii. 10. The Hebrew word translated Gentiles is the general term denoting nations, and especially such as did not belong to the jurisdiction of the Jews. May it not also denote not only Gentile nations, but places-any thing not Jewish? At the early period when the division of lands was madewhen there were no such distinctions as Jews and Gentiles, the term, judging from its present signification, may have referred to places not in the possession of Noah's posterity-foreign regions, and both terms together may have been used as a general expression to indicate that Japheth was to occupy a region of sea-coast and islands which he did not then possess. Whether Noah and his posterity were near Mount Ararat, or in the vicinity of

Babylon, or in some other place, it is certain that the nearest maritime region, where there were many islands, was the Mediterranean, and it is natural to suppose the numerous islands of that sea to have been the region to which reference is made. Strong confirmatory evidence of the correctness of this supposition, is furnished by the name of one of Japheth's posterity. It is Kittim, his grandson, after whom the place where he subsequently resided, was undoubtedly called. When the division of lands was made, perhaps different localities took the names of the individuals who were to occupy them. It has been a general custom in all ages to name places after distinguished individuals. Rosenmüller asserts that most of the proper names in the tenth chapter of Genesis, are names of places as well as of persons (Alterth. ii. p. 94; cf. Joseph. Ant. i. vi. 1). The Hebrew term for Kittim or Chittim is kittim or kittiyyim. It sometimes occurs in connection with iyyey, translated isles of Chittïm, (Jer. ii. 10; Eze. xxvii. 6), sometimes in connection with erets, earth, and is translated land of Chittim, (Isa. xxiii. 1,) and sometimes simply the term kittim is used and merely anglicized Josephus, (Ant. i. vi. ), and others, sup

or

in our translation (Isa. xxiii. 12). 1), Gesenius, (Heb. Lex. under

pose the term to refer to the Island of Cyprus. The Hebrew word being in the plural, should be translated Cyprians or Citienses. As reference is made to more than one island, it would be natural to suppose that the islands in the vicinity were intended, i. e., the islands and coasts of Greece and of the Ægean sea. Indeed the term Kittim, in its wider sense, comprehended the islands and