[ J 8 5 1 
and had returned to the People of Ifrael, that he rofe 
up early in the Morning, and builded an Altar under 
the Hill, andTwelve Pillars according to the Twelve 
Tribes of Ifrael (Ex. xxiv. 4.) : Which Altar was 
probably furrounded with thele Twelve Pillars, or 
Twelve large Stones, pitched on an End, and ftuck 
in the Ground > for fo the Word hivd, Matfebah , 
literally dignifies * as a proper Defignation of the 
Quantity of Ground, which ought to be looked upon 
as fan&ified by the Altar, and dedicated to God. 
Of the fame kind alfo we may fuppofe thofe Twelve 
Stones to be, which JoJhua pitched in Gilgal , alter 
the Children of Ifrael had palled the River Jordan 
(Jofh. iv. 20.). The Number of Stones which fur- 
rounded thefe Bethels , I fuppole therefore were 
intirely voluntary, at the Difcretion of the Perfons 
who dedicated the Bethel j and might be fewer or 
more, cither according to the Number of Perfons 
principally concerned in the Dedication, or the Size 
of the Place, or the Number of Stones which could 
conveniently be found large enough tor that Purpofe. 
The Number of thofe, of which I have fent you the 
Draught, are Nine, which furround the Bethel at 15 
Feet and half Diftance from the Centre ; the Height 
of each Stone is about Six Feet above-ground, and 
their Breadth is from Three Feet and half to near 
Four Feet, fome a little more, and fome a little let's. 
The Stone marked (b), which Hands detached from 
the reft, I take to be a Matfebah , or Pillar ere&cd as a 
Memorial of the Burial-place of fome eminent Per- 
fon ; either the Prince or Prieft of the Country, or 
probably both: For antiently the principal Perfon of 
each Family, Tribe, or Nation, officiated both as 
Prince: 
