230 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



applied in the Greek Septuagint (1 Kings, iv. 32.) 

 to those short sententious sayings of Solomon, 

 which in the English version are called proverbs. 

 And in Ecclesiasticus, our translators have ren- 

 dered the same Hebrew word in some places by 

 " parables/' and in others by "wise sentences." 

 Thirdly, in the Gospel it is used in the sense of 

 an apologue or fable ; a mode of conveying 

 instruction, or of explaining certain doctrines, 

 which our Lord thought proper to adopt ; and 

 which had been frequently employed by the Pro- 

 phets in the Old Testament. 



"It was in the first of these three senses," 

 continued my uncle, " that Balaam appears to 

 have taken up his parable. Having stated why 

 he had come to Moab, and having confessed that 

 he could not curse those whom God had not 

 cursed, he immediately prophesies the increase 

 and power of Israel. ' Lo, this people shall 

 dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the 

 nations.' Had he not been inspired, how could 

 he, on a distant view of a people he had never 

 seen before, have discovered the peculiarities 

 which distinguished the Israelites and their pos- 

 terity to the latest ages? Their religion and 

 government were then unknown ; yet lie foretold 

 their entire separation from all other nations ; and 

 the present state of the Jews, and all history, 

 confirm the truth of his prediction.'* 



I asked my uncle why Balak desired the 



