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frankly avow my disbelief of the genuineness of xAiafoe, though found in 
MSS. ABCDh. The original passage in Num. xxv. 9 has 24,000. Here we 
see St. Paul does not give the same number ; and I understand the fact to 
be that a smiting (' maggephah ), not a plague, of the chief men took place, 
according to the direction in verse 4. Two men were killed out of each 
tribe ; and St. Paul says twenty-three, because he omits the Simeonite killed 
by Phinehas. 
As to the question raised by Mr. Titcomb, and left for me by Mr. Reddie, 
respecting the period of the Judges, I decline the subject, as I have already 
done in paragraph 10 of my paper. It belongs to biblical chronology. 
I must remark, in conclusion, that those who differ from me in other 
points will agree with me in this, that a paper has not been altogether useless 
which has been happy enough to bring out such valuable speeches as those 
of Mr. Titcomb and the Chairman. 
