The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-25
BONE NEW BOOKS.
Daa the nibis he H.-men,.ed with AreAsei.

In Eoppt and Babylon tScrbners) to reconcile
the conclusions and conicctures OF Egyptol-
ogists and Assyriologiats with tho Scripturnl
illusions to the early history OF the Nile and
the Euphratcs valleys. We have seen before
some partial experiments Of the kind. but tho
comparison has never been carried out on so
extended n scale. or bv person SO familiar
with tho results Of modern research. Aftor oil
deductions have been made for tho occasional
Indulgence OF n disposition to adopt, out OF
several systems OF chronology. or OF several In
terpretntions OF given Inscription. that which
best suits tho purpose OF the moment. or to
slight evidence that seems unfavorablo to the
sxactness Of tho concordance aimed at 1t can
not be denied that u strong case is made out
for the accuracy OF references in tho Old Testa-
ment to facts Of which We havo Independent
proof In Pharaonio or Chaldean monuments.
In tho FIRST twelve chapters OF this volume
the numerous notices OF Babylon scattered
through the writings embraced in the Old Tes-
lament canon arc collated with the most nearly
corresponding data supplied by Chadean ira
ditions handed down through other channels.
or BY the decpherment OF tho cuneiform cpl
graphs uncnrthed in Mesopotamia. Wo may
illustrate the methods and the fruits OF this
inquiry by specimens OF tho parsllelism estab-
lished or approached in connection with the
old. tho middle. and the final stage of Chadcan
civilization. Thus. the Biblical account Of tho
building OF the Tower OF Babel and OF tho
subsequent confusion OF tongues among the
builders is said to have recently received
confirmation from cunelform Inscription.
Among the clay tablets brought from Baby
ionia by Mr.. George Smith and deposited In
the British Museum is one. unfortunately much
mutilated but which seems clearly to have
contained the Baby account OF the mat
ter" II the translation given by Canon Raw
linson can be accepted. tho document does un-
nuestionably corroborate tho main points OF
the tradition delivered by Scripture. for It as
serts the construction of an immense mound
and the Interruption OF the labor through tho
inability Of tho workmen to understand each
others speech. Again there Is in Genesis an
Gllusion. which long puzzled Assyriolosis lists. to
an attack upon the Kings OF Sodom and Go
morrah and their allies By u coalition OF more
eastern nations. in which the King OF Shinar
tBabylonial seems to have been subordinate to
aKing Of Elan tMedea and PERSIA, Now un-
til very lately what known regarding
tho early history OF the country east OF
the Euphrates pointed to the continued sub
lection OF Elan tuD to period immedi-
ately antecedent to tho conqucsts of Cyrus
the Great to tho more civilized States in the
valley OF the rigrs and in Mesopotamia. Re-
Gently. however traces have been found OF an
Elamitic conquest of Babylon. and the estab-
lishment OF an Eamitic dynasty or at least
suzerainty there Mt n very early date. On a
cuneiform tablet "Asshur- bani- pal. the son OF
Esar-haddon. relates that in his eighteenth
year (B. c.. G5D he restored to the Babylonnn
city OF Erech certain images OF gods which had
been carried thence as trophies OF victory / .635
years previously by Northumberland. King OF
Elan. to adorn his capital city OF Susa. Tho
primitive Babylonian monuments also show a
second conquest OF Babylon from tho same
quarter. and the supsrposition OF q short-lived
dynasty known as Elamits about b. c. 1000"
Canon Rawlinson thus seems to justify his In
ference that in the early period OF Babylonian
history contemplated by tho passage in Gen
isis Elan was q country OF about equal power
with Babylon. and one which actually did from
time to time exercise ascendancy over its west
ern neighbors.
With regard to the many centuries that
elapsed between the epoch which the notices In
Genesis had in view and the period referred to
In the Books Of Kings and Chronicles the Old
Testament Is silent on the subject OF Babylon.
During this long interval the Hebrews had not
been brought into direct contact with tho
southern Mesopotamian power. tho dominant
Assyran empire having barred the path be-
tween them. When we come to the Chron iccs.
however, We light upon a curious statement
(which for some timc was supposed to i'm poach
tho accuracy Of the Bible narrativeI that
King Manassoh was carried by the captains OF
tho King OF Nssyria 10 BlbYion. This anoma-
lous transfer of the AsSyrnn court to the
capital Of tributary but distinct coun-
try has been stlgmatized as a bundar
Of tho jewish historian. Bat the imagined
error il transformed by fuller nc.lunin lance
with Assyrian records into q cogen. voucher
for Scriptural authenticity. Ii appears from
tho Assyrian monuments that Esar- haddon.
who WAS Manass"h's contemporary. inaugu-
ratod new policy with respect to Babylonia.
Most Assyrian Kings. who found themselves
strong enough to reduce that country to sub
lection. had governed il by means Of native or
Assyrian Viceroy. Such. for instance. was the
plan adopted by Sennacherib, Esar- haddon's
father. But E5ar-ha',,lon. when he came to the
throne. acted differently: he assumed the
double title OF King OF Assyria and Babylonia
appointed no Vceroy. but having built himself
apalace In Babylon. reigned there In person
reiinuuishing Nnoveh altoget her to.
ward the end OF his life to his eldest son."
One OF tho first illusions to Egypt in Gor.esls
IL the account OF Abrahnm's journey to that
country. where. among the presents hs received
from tho reigning Pharaoh. sheep. oxen. and
canels are enumerated, but no horses. Now
whether We take the date OF Abrahnm's visit
as about b. c. 1920. with Usher. or with Poole
and others as 100 years earlier. 1t seems almost
certain TINT 1t must have fallen in the time OF
that elder Egyptian empire which preceded
tho Hyksos invasion. and which had dev.o ped
the original Egyptian civilization" The pic
toru records and inscriptions Of the dynasI les
belonging to the old empire show that State
granarios thon existed, which would invite tho
resort Of foreigners in times OF scarcity, and
that tho animals domesticated in the Milo val
10y included all those mentioned "A given to
Abraham except tho camel. while they did not
include the horse. Tho ass was the ordinary
boast OF burden during the epoch when tho
pyramids were erected. On the other hand.
horses. so abundant in Egypt at the date Of the
exodus. were unknown under the earlier
monarchy. having been introduced by the
Hyksos invaders from the northeast. and frst
largely used by the Kings Of tho eighteenth
dynasty. SO far the process Of confirmation
runs on smoothly. but the presence OF the
camel in the narrative OF Goness seems to
prasnnt n difficulty which Is met by Canon