METALS MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



269 



recorded before the Flood. It will be desirable to suspend 

 allusions to the close reasons for adopting the true signification 

 copper, which is the only correct translation of the Hebrew 

 word nekhusheth, as opheret, or bronze, does not occur in the Old 

 Testament; they had better be stated later on, showing how 

 the error originated. 



Tubal Cain, of the seventh generation from Adam, " was an 

 instructor of every artificer in brass and iron " (Gen. iv, 22). 

 Nor is it possible to imagine that the trees could have been 

 felled and worked to build the enormous Ark, without the use 

 of these metals, which were likewise required for the nails and 

 sundry other fittings. 



B.C. 1.452. When the children of Israel spoiled the 

 Midianites — the descendants of Ishmael — they were com- 

 manded that "the gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, 

 and the lead, everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make 

 it go through the fire, and it shall be clean." (Numb, xxxi, 22.) 



B.C. 1444. Joshua blessed the half tribe of Manasseh, and 

 spake to them, saying, "Keturn with much riches unto your 

 tents . . . with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and 

 with iron." (Josh, xxii, 8.) 



B.C. circum 1120. The Philistines took Samson, "and put 

 out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him 

 with fetters of brass.'' (Judg. xvi, 21.) 



B.C. circum 1063. " There went out a champion out of the 

 camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height 

 was six cubits and a span, and he had an helmet of brass upon 

 his head : and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the 

 weight of the coat was 5,000 shekels of brass ; and he had 

 greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target (margin : gorget) of 

 brass between his shoulders." (i Sam. xvii, 5, 6.) 



B.C. 1014. Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, 

 which provided victuals for the King and his household. " The 

 son of Geber in Eamoth-Gilead, to him pertained the towns of 

 Jair, the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, to him also 

 pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, three score 

 great cities, with walls and brasen bars" . . . (i Kings 

 iv, 13). See also I Kings xiv, 27 ; n Kings xxv, 7, and Ezek. 

 xxvii, 13. 



Copper with reference to the Tabernacle. 



B.C. 1491. The Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto 

 the children of Israel that they bring me an offering : " this is 



