136 PROP. HULL; LL.D.j F.R.S., ON HOLY SCRIPTDKE ILLUSTRATED AND 



sider the object and pui-port of the inscription. This, as I 

 have ah-eaciy observed, can be clearly gathered from the 

 contents. Ihe tojolet tells its own tale. It is, in fact, an 

 historical monument elected by Mesha, King of Moab, re- 

 counting his Wars with Omri, King of Israel; the capture of 

 Ataroth. a city of the Gaddites, the slaughter of the men, 

 the reservation of the women, and the carr^nng away of the 

 vessels Used in the worship of Jehovah (Yahveh) as an 

 offering' to Chemosh. Many more of IMesha's exploits are 

 recorded, and numerous names of places which he built or 

 desti'oyed. But what we are here chiefly concerned with is 

 the testimony the inscription bears to the historical accuracy 

 of the Books of the Kings (1 Kings xvi, 21 ; 2 Kin^-s iii, 4). 

 For it fills up a gap in the brief account we have in these 

 books regarding the reign of King Orari. The Moabites 

 had been reduced to subjection by David, but after the 

 separation of the kingdoms, probably regained their in- 

 dependence. During the reigns of Jeroboam and Ahab they 

 were again tributaries; but after the death of Ahab ]\Iesha 

 rebelled against the King of Israel, as we learn from 2 Kings 

 iii, 4. This successful insurrection thus referred to in the 

 Biblical history, is recorded bvAlesha himself on the Moabite 

 8tone, and his victory is ascribed to Chemosh, called in the 

 Bible the God of Moab. as AVe read, " Woe to thee, Moab ! 

 thou art undone, people of Chemosh " (Numb, xxi, 29) ; and 

 again, "Chemosh, the abomination of Moab" (1 Kings xi, 7). 



How remarkably conlirmat(U'y of all we read in the books 

 of the Old Testament regarding this period of Israelitish 

 history is all this ! We have here recorded names of persons, 

 places and eV^ents, which we find in the Books of Kings and 

 Chronicles, together with others which are supplementary. 

 Jehovah is recognised as the God of Israel ; Chemosh is 

 worshipped as the god of ]\Ioab. to whom ]\Iesha is indebted 

 for his victories. We find the names of Dibon, Nebo, Bael- 

 Meon, Ataroth, Kiriathain, Aroer, the river Arnon and Horo- 

 naim, which last is referred to in the Book of Isaiah as 

 connected with the destruction of Moab (Isa. xv, 5) ; but 

 which was captured by JMeshd from the Edomites, as we 

 learn from the inscription. 



Thus the Moabite Stone is amongst the latest of those 

 monuments which modern i-esearch has brought to light in 

 this age of hypercriticism to bear testimony to the veracity 

 of the Bible record. 



4. Th€ Siloam Inscription. Dui'ing the excavations carried 



