355 
recorded in our Scriptures stand on a very different foot- 
lng from the facts; and while [he] clings most stoutly to 
the tacts as recorded, [he] gives up the numbers.” I 
protest against this eclectic process. The numbers are an 
integral part of the narrative, are thoroughly interwoven with 
the facts in it, and cannot be separated. Whatever of error the 
numbers are liable to, through human infirmity, to the same 
are the faces liable ; for the statement that the numbers were 
expressed m the orginal MS. by alphabetic or other signs, 
modified by points, is not proved, and is not relevant. Do 
ancient MSS. exist in which the numbers are so expressed V 
Dut even if it be so, though isolated numbers which present 
difficulties (as 700 and 7,000, in 2 Sam. viii. 4, and 1 Chr. 
xvin. 4), may be thus accounted for, cases in which the 
number occurs again and again many times, with great ampli- 
*" d ? Retail and with many concomitant confirmations (such 
as the 600,000 of Israel), derive no light from this peculiarity, 
n our present Hebrew text the numbers are expressed in words 
at length, and there is nothing that I know of to throw them 
out of the category of words in which the fads are recorded 
lb 1 propose, mainly, to examine that number against 
which m al1 ages lances have been shivered. It is the cheval 
de bataule of the impugners of the Sacred Text. Dr. Colenso 
lias mainly occupied his first volume with it. Dr. Thornton gives 
it a prominent place in his animadversions. I refer to the 
number of the people of Israel that left Egypt, “six hundred 
thousand men besides children.” It is said to be impossible 
£*?? number should be m itself true; impossible that it 
dew. 1 v ue T t mcrease of tbe households that went 
down into Egypt. These are distinct questions. 
1 Tbor “ t< ? n expressly admits the possibility of the 
ask^ TsV 2 ’ ‘V 116 latt6r as P ect > but he pointedly 
wa k s bnf I finn Pr ° ba ^ 6 ? • H ® c £" cludes ^at the true number 
was but 600 armed warriors. The gentlemen who led in the 
most narf °£, the pa P®. r ' allowe d this number (for the 
default ’ h ° Ugb h B ° me dlversit y of judgment), to go by 
hosfis si* 6 Pe !? le debvered b 7 Jehovah were an immense 
host is seen on the surface of the whole history. I will 
•ire smiken ? xa “?P* es ln P°int. In many passages they 
out the child 1 Und ® r T the . term hosts, or armies (fax). “ Bring 
(Exod v?Sr n “ ThTT • • • 7 ? CC0 , rdin g t0 their armies ” 
neoDle the'cVld T f ^ may bnn g for th mine armies, my 
P r °P ’• , ehddren of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, by 
brought 11 vo men - (Vn - 4)> “ In this selfsame da T have I 
brou D ht your armies out of the land of Egypt.” “ All the 
