#70 On the Animals designated in the Scriptures by 



There is also a reference to the fate of the cities of the plain of 

 Jordan, in the 20th verse of the same chapter. The date is, 

 then, later than the time of Abraham. On the other hand, we 

 have clear evidence that it was earlier than the time of Moses. 

 The book of Job is so consistent in design, and so complete in 

 execution, in its beginning opening up, and in its conclusion 

 finishing one great argument, as to carry on its face the impress 

 of an original work, the production of one great and highly poe- 

 tical mind. The phraseology and structure of all the sentences 

 are unique, and there is a very slight but uniform dialectic dif- 

 ference between it and the other Hebrew writings of the Old 

 Testament. When we find remarkable coincidences, in images, 

 forms of expression, and sentiments, brought out in the same 

 order, between passages in this book and others in the briefer 

 hymns and poems of other Hebrews, we can have no reason to 

 doubt, from the above characters in Job, that it is the original 

 and the others imitations. When we come down to the great 

 Hebrew lyric poets, David and Solomon, we find in their poems 

 such innumerable coincidences with Job, as leave no doubt they 

 had that book in their hands as a familiar manual, filling their 

 minds with poetical images, and forming a model for their 

 phraseology ^ just as the Greeks had Homer, and the English 

 now have Shakspeare and Milton. When we trace this matter 

 up to an earlier date, we discover also, in the few poems of 

 Moses which have been transmitted to us, coincidences with 

 passages and images in Job, which can be accounted for in no 

 other way but by allowing that Moses also had the book in his 

 hands. We cannot here enter into this matter in all the detail 

 of which the subject is worthy ; but let any one compare the 

 following passages of Job and Moses, and he will see the con- 

 clusion is inevitable, that the book of Job was familiar to 

 Moses ; Job iv. 9, M By the blast of God they perish, and by 

 the breath of thy nostrils are they consumed with Exodus 

 xv. 7, 8, <{ Thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them 

 as stubble, and with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were ga- 

 thered." Job vni. 8-10, " For inquire, I pray thee, of the for- 

 mer age, and prepare thyself to search of their fathers : shall 

 not they teach thee and tell thee ?" with Deut. xxxii. 7, " Re- 

 member the days of old, consider the years of generation and 



