or River of Egypt. 27 



the Banks of the Ktle, will be one and the fame Thing. Sthor 

 confequently, which is the fame with the Kile^ may be faid, 

 with Propriety enough, {Jop^. 15. 3.) to be [ »jfl'7jr alpem~\ 

 before Egypt, to lye upon the Face of it ; or before thou en- 

 tereft into it ; as the Word may be differently underftood and 

 rendered. 



Ihsit Egypt, properly fo called, was thus confined within J^^ Eaftem 

 the Reach and Influence of theNi/e, will further appear fromJacent to the 

 the Nature and Quality of thofe Diftri^ls, which bordered ted by the 

 upon It on each Side, ror^ to omit the Libyan and to fpeak 

 only of the Afiatic Territories: — Thefe were for the moft 

 Part wild and uncultivated : fit only for fuch People to inhabit, 

 who were hardy and laborious, and whofe Occupation lay chiefly 

 in Cattle: and as fuch, they would have been an improper 

 PoflTeflion, for the lazy and luxurious Egyptians. Whereas the 

 Thilifiines, their Neighbours, throve and grew numerous in 

 this Country : for belides the feveral Kings, upon the Sea Coaft, 

 we learn, {Gen.i6. 16. and ii. 2.1.) that Abimelech had a 

 fettled Polity and Government, in the inland Country ; with 

 Thicol Captain of his Hoji, and Alotizzah one of his Friends ; 

 or (as he would be called according to the Faftiion of thefe 

 Times,) one of his Privy Counfellors or Favourites. The fame 

 flourifliing and populous Condition, which this Country was 

 in, during the Time of the Tatriarchs, we find it likewife to 

 have enjoyed, at the Departure of the Ifraelites out of Egypt. 

 For it is faid (Exod. 13. 17.) that God did not lead them by the 

 way of the Land of the Thiliftines, although that was near, 

 left they fljould fee War in the way : from the Number, no 

 Doubt, of it's warlike Tribes and Communities, who would 

 difpute their PaflTage with the Sword. 



Yet all this Land, the Land of the Thiliftines, even to the The ?hu;. 

 Banks of the River Nile, was included in the Land of Canaan,n"\\y %fi- 

 and given by Promife to the Children oi Ifrael. For the Thi- 

 liftines themfelves were Strangers in this Land, and are there- 

 fore called by the LXX. {Judg. 3. 31. and 14. i. &:c.) <Imo?)!^aoi, 

 as being originally of another {fuM^i) Race or Country. It ap- 

 pears homGen. 10. ig, 14.. that they vjqyq Egyptians', and, be- 

 ing driven out of their own Country, they feized upon that 



G X which 



tians. 



