146 
It seems to me that Mi\ Robertson Smith has made out a 
strong case with regard to the Arabs in their pre- 
Mohammedan ages ; and he is quite right in tracing the in- 
fluence of their tribes in southern and eastern Palestine ; aud 
perhaps in a great degree he justly connects even in the days 
of David the outrages against Mosaic rules of domestic 
morality to such sources as he indicates. Some of the most 
interesting names involved in this inquiry are such as Oreb 
(Raven) and Zeb (Wolf) ; Caleb (dog) whose position as a 
proselyte from Edom has been so well traced by Dr. Plumptre 
in his excellent Bibical Studies;^ Khamor of Shekhem 
(wild ass), Ja^el (Ibex) ; Epher and Ephron (Fawn), ^Eglon 
(calf), Akhbor (mouse), Shaphan cony or rock-badger), 
Khezer (swine) ; and the like. 
Doubtless the question thus raised will be carefully con- 
sidered and examined in detail by those best qualified to decide 
on its merits. The subject of Biblical names could not be 
fairly treated without indicating this fresh departure. Let us 
remember that it is not the judgment of the prophets that is 
impeached by any of the painful exposures of religious defec- 
tion in the children of faithful Abraham. There is much 
justice in the concluding sentences of the essay. ^^It is a 
favourite speculation that the Hebrews or the Semites in 
general have a natural capacity for spiritual religion. They 
are either represented as constitutionally monotheistic, or at 
least, we are told, that their worship had in it from the first, 
and apart from revelation, a lofty character from which 
spiritual ideas were easily developed. That was not the opinion 
of the prophets, who always deal with their nation as one 
peculiarly inaccessible to spiritual truths, and possessing no 
natural merit which could form the ground of its choice as the 
people of Jehovah. Our investigations appear to confirm this 
judgment, and to show that the superstitions with which the 
spiritual religion had to contend were not one whit less de- 
grading than those of the most savage nations. And, indeed, 
the second commandment, the cardinal precept of spiritual 
worship, is explicitly directed against the very worship of the 
denizens of air, earth, and water, which we have been able to 
trace out. It does not appear that Israel was, by its own 
wisdom, more fit than any other nation to rise above the lowest 
level of heathenism.^^ 
* Strahan, 1870. 
15 
