16 



but when Jacob entered Egypt, that is, 213 years after 

 Abraham's return, many superstitious notions prevailed in it, 

 originating most probably from their peculiar polytheistic 

 system, for they then held shepherds in abomination, Gen. 

 xlvi. 34, because shepherds were accustomed to sacrifice 

 animals, which the Egyptians venerated, and on this account 

 they would not eat with the Hebrews, as the^"^ held them 

 polluted, and scarcely permitted any strangers to enter their 

 country before the reign of Psammiticus.* 



In the days of Moses, who was born 1672 years B. C. 

 there is no doubt but idolatry was fully established in 

 Egypt ; for the bull Apis was worshipped, magical arts were 

 cultivated, Exod. vii. viii. xxxii. and various idols adored, 

 Deuter. xxix. l6, 17- Hence the Israelites, after their 

 departure from Egypt, were forbidden to worship the sun, 

 moon, stars, or the likeness of any thing on earth, or on the 

 water, Deuter. iv. 16, 19. In the interval then betwixt the 

 return of Abraham and the birth of Moses, consisting of 349 

 years, not only idolatry was established, but many extrava- 

 gant fables were invented : for instance, they pretended that 

 the Egyptians were the most ancient people upon earth j-j' 

 that Isis and Osiris were sister and brother, and jointly 

 governed Egypt, and were afterwards deified .::|: that Egypt 

 was governed by Gods and Semi'-Gods many thousand 



years. |1 Nay in the succeeding ages they boasted that the 



Egyptians 



*Diodor. 78, 80. t Diodor. p. 13. J Ibid. 17,24. 



li Ibid. 30, and Herod. Lib. 2, § 43. 



