The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-02
.Cwritten for the Farmer.l

The descent into Egypt of the Pa triarch Jacob and his ranaily tln der stress of sore famine, recorded in Genesis. 4sth Chapter, 26-27 Verses, bers, (the female members of the family and their husbands not includ- ed in the enumeration.)
 The subsequent return several gen eration later Of the mighty host un- der the leadership of Moses number led more than six hundred thousand men. twenty years old and upward. eAlI that were able to go forth to war" Exodus, 18th chapter, S7th verse. Numbers 1st chapter. 45-47 yer ses.1
 The tribe of Levi, which had been selected as custodian of the Taber- nacle appointments, and teacher of the religious rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic ritual. as also the women and children and the old men unable in this enumeration, so that the whole number of Jacobs descendants on their return to Canaan. aggregated more than two millions
 Bib Heal commentators, and writers, have never seriously attempted to ex- plain this marvellous increase in the patriarchaI family of Jacob while SO journing in Egypt.
 Thomas Scott, D.D., of England, in his commentary on the Bible says 'tThe word rendered men, literally de- notes strong men. and it IS generally supposed that not only minors and women but such men as were inca pablo of great exertion by reason Of age, were excluded in this computa- ton, so that the whole company could not be much less than two millions an immense increase from seventy persons in a little more than two hun dred years.''
 The great commentator pr. Adam Clark, remarks: But this is not inn probable, as the children of Israel must have married at a very early age, to have produced in about two hundred and fifteen years. : no less than six hundred thousand persons above twenty years old, besides wo- men and children. What an as- founding increase from seventy souls two hundred and fifteen years before where latterIy they had endured the greatest hardships"
 A brief sketch of the lives of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Ja- cob founders of the Hebrew nation, may offer an explanation of the mighty host, that under the leader ship of Moses returned into Canaan after a ga1Iing servitude in Egypt.
 The casual interpretation of the Biblical record, naturally leads one to suppose that only the limited num-
 
 namely seventy male members of Ja- cob's family, with the daughter and grand-daughters and their husbands and sons wives, accompanied the Pa trtarch and his sons into Egypt, but a careful survey of the history of the Patriarchs, will readily eliminate this fallacy.
 Abram-Abraham.
 After the death of his father Terah, Abram now seventy-f1ve years old continued the migratory Journey his father had begun in UT of the Cha1- deess (Genesis 11th chapter, 31st verse;, accompanied by his nephew Lot, their families, and possessions and all the souls they had gotten in Haran, and entered Canaan. (Genesis 12:1-5.)
 During famine in Canaan, soon after their arrival, both Abram and Lot went down into Egypt, and Pha- roah entreated Abrahann. well, and gave him sheep and oxen, and camels and men-servants. and maid-servants. Upon the return of Abraham and Lot to Canaan, their riches in hocks and herds were so extensive that the rich plains and hillsides on the southern and eastern slopes of Hebron and Bethel, were not able to support their united hocks and herds, and a peace full separation was effected.
 Some time after the separation of Lot from Abram, an episode occurred