236 



s^iudent will remember several instances, where the productibn 

 and evidence of a single or even mutilated MS. has eluci- 

 dated passages that appeared, otherwise, absolutely irrelevant 

 or contradictory. The numbers in the Books of Kings and 

 Chronicles are evident and numerous instances of this. (Vide 

 Bochart, and many others.) A single MS. has explained a 

 passage in the history of the deluge, which perfectl}^ recon- 

 ciles all the difficulties that have been alledged on the dura- 

 tion and period of that awful year. 1 know that critical in- 

 genuity may, and has endeavoured to destroy the force and 

 evidence of this passage, on the grounds that the introduction 

 of the enclitick particle, rs, is inconsistent Avith the genius of 

 the original, " quid non pbtuit," &c. But, independent of 

 the answers that might be adduced from the Hebraistic and 

 Syriac idioms and constructions, equally inconsistent with the 

 purity of the text, with which the New Testament abounds, 

 we have the MSS. which afforded Usher and Marsham reason 

 to suppose this period referred to the interval between the 

 promise and the birth of Isaac, and which equally solve the 



difficulty.* 



But 



• The passage, as quoted by Mrshani, is as follows: (p, 309) KKrU^nfoiarr^trti rm ymi 



^•TWV w'i £T£Tt TITpWKOITiOlf TCTIVTrKeVTa r.ai /JLlTX TCCVta EdliJ)tl XftTOti. Jla Cdldlt. K. OtCphanUS, ita 



liabet code.x velustissimus in Bibliotliecl regia, ita vertit Vulguta, " Sorte distribuit eis 

 terram eorum quasi post 1-50 annos : & post hsec dedit Judices. Usher p. 07. (^hronologia 

 Sacra ad finem Aiinalium Editione Barlow, Bremoe, 1686. sc scriptum invenisse Johannes 

 Mariana pro editione vulgata. KaTixXtipoJoT>!0-i» avroT; t>iv ym «vt4» i-o-!! fiira', TirpMo-ia 



The 



1 



