VIII THE PREFACE. 



Syrians o^Talefiine: i.e. xhtHehrews o): IJraelites\ (becaufe 

 the Thtliftines themfelves, who were originally Egyptians and 

 gave Name to the Country, were uncircumcifed.) Now by 

 confidering C^/-/. ^r- I'Z- in the original Text, agreeably to the 

 Hebrew Didion and Brevity of Expreffion, we may receive one 

 plaufible Argument, why Herodotus may be equally miftaken 

 in this AiTertion. For the Rahhinical Commentators obferve, 

 upon this Verfe, (which we tranflate, ^nd behold j/our Eyes 

 fee, and the Eyes ofmj brother Benjamin^ that it is 7ny Mouth 

 ihatfpeaheth untojyou.) th<[t Jofeph gave the Tatriarchs therein, 

 three Proofs of his being their Brother. The firft was the To- 

 ken of Circumcifion, peculiar, at that Time, as they affirm, to 

 the Family oi Abraham \ which he is fuppofed to have difco- 

 vered, by unfolding his Garment, whilft they flood near hiniy 

 and bidding them regard it. Behold, fays he, j^w/r Eyes fee, 

 by this Token, that I am no Stranger, but of the Lineage of 

 Abraham. And then to fliew that he was not defcended from 

 IJljmael, he lays down, for his fecond Proof, the near Refem- 

 blance oiHis ot^;? Features to Thoje oi his Brother: Benjamin ; 

 who was born of the fame Mother, ^nd behold, continues he, 

 the Eyes (or Countenance) of my Brother Benjamin, how nearly 

 they refemble my own. The third Proof was his Language ; 

 moreover, he adds, it is my Mouth that fpeaheth unto you. For 

 he had now begun to talk with them in their own Tongue, hav- 

 ing hitherto converfed with them by an Interpreter. We may 

 add fome further Light and Authority to thisExpofition, from 

 the following Obfervations; viz. i/?. that notwithftanding he 

 had already told them, he was Jofeph, (v. g.) yet, this muft 

 undoubtedly appear to be altogether impoffible to Reuben, in 

 particular ; who underftood, all along, that he had been de- 

 voured by Wild Beafts. It muft feem no lefs improbable to 

 the reft. For as they were too confcious of their having fold 

 him to the ipjmeelites, (who were generally employed in the 

 Exchange of Merchandife from one Place to another, ) they 

 could not entertain the leaft Imagination of his being the Se- 

 cond Perfon in E^ypt ; or even that he fliould be a fettled In- 

 habitant of that Kingdom. Befides all this, the Egyptian Drefs, 

 and fifteen years Difference in his Age, fince his Brethren faw 

 him, would occafion fuch an Alteration in his Perfon, as might 



w^ell 



