267 
God knows and cares for every one of them. 
A scientific system is not given methodically here ; but how 
marvellously all the statements agree with our profoundest 
knowledge of science, and even give important suggestions 
beyond our present knowledge. 
The book of Job and the Psalms are full of similar 
statements. Indeed, the old Testament Scriptures throughout 
would well repay scientific investigation. I must, however, 
remember my limits. 
Those who cavil at the scientific and natural statements of 
Scripture, have shown the most discreditable inaccuracy. 
Two examples are furnished from the ostrich and the hare. 
In Job xxxix. 14 — 16, God says of the ostrich, “Which 
leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, and 
forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild 
beast may break them. She is hardened against her young 
(Qvp ba-neem, offspring), as though they were not hers: her 
labour is in vain without fear.” 
The only statement here is about the want of care of her 
eggs, which is perfectly true. The cavillers bring examples 
of her care of her fledged young ones, of which the passage 
says nothing. Birds in general are remarkable for building 
nests for their eggs, and for carefully sitting upon them to 
give them warmth. They select such places as will shelter 
them from injury. The ostrich does nothing of that sort, but 
deals with her eggs exactly as is here described. 
The second case is that of the hare chewing the cud. 
Our English expression of chewing the cud implies that the 
food is cut a second time. The Hebrew is simply to bring up 
a cut thing, without any reference to chewing*, and this the 
hare does. The inquiries, therefore, about the formation of 
the teeth of the hare were simply out of place. 
Even amongst careful commentators the want of accuracy 
upon those subjects has caused much misapprehension and 
difficulty ; e.y., the curse upon the serpent in the narrative of 
the fall. 
Scripture distinguishes serpents into two great classes : 
those who spring at their prey, and those who crawl upon the 
ground. The former are called flying serpents, the latter 
serpents of the dust. 
Many commentators have conjectured that the serpent of 
which Moses speaks had originally legs or wings, and that he 
was deprived of these and caused to go upon his belly. Moses 
says nothing whatever about legs or wings ; so that all the 
difficulty is one caused by mere conjecture. The serpent there 
spoken of had once been able to spring at his prey like the 
VOL. III. u 
