382 
that “ the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied 
and grew.”* Again, after the first attempt to destroy the 
males, Moses says, “the people multiplied, and waxed exceed- 
ing mighty .”f And this must have been the case more than 
eighty years before the Exodus. 
10. By the fact that Moses was the grandson of Levi our 
attention is further called to this, that child-bearing, not only 
before, but for some time after, the Flood, continued to a far 
more advanced period of life than it does in these modern 
times. And in this is a cause of increase of the Israelites 
which renders all modern analogies, especially that of France, 
utterly futile. But again, while Moses was in the fourth gene- 
ration from Jacob (and other individuals might have been 
similarly situated), we have intimations that in other families 
(and perhaps also in this), there might have been ten anci 
even twelve generations in 215 years. In the genealogy of 
Ephraim J Joshua is stated to have been at least the tenth in 
descent from Jacob. And of the correctness of this statement 
we have the remarkable confirmation in the recorded fact, that 
Joseph within seventy years saw Ephraim’s children of the 
third generation. This would give, if we reckon from Josepii, 
an average of seventeen years for a generation, and twelve of 
these then might have been included in 215 years. . 
11. It is time, however, that we turn to the positive and dis- 
tinct statements which Moses makes as to this much-questioned 
number. Only first let me again notice that which, by the 
author of the paper on “ The Numerical System of the Old 
Testament,” appears to be completely overlooked, namely, the 
interweaving of the idea of the vast multitude of people into 
the entire history of the Exodus, and its intimate connection 
with prophecy, with miracle, and with directions from Jehovah. 
I point first to its connection with prophecy. God had said to 
Abraham, “ Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven.” And 
Moses writes, “ Your fathers went down into Egypt, threescore 
and ten persons ; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee 
as the stars of heaven for multitude.” § . To Abraham it is 
promised, “ I will make of thee a great nation ^ and to Jacob, 
“ Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee 
a great nation.” And Moses not only asserts that God bad in 
their case “ taken a nation from the midst of another nation,” || 
but he enacts a law that in all their subsequent generations 
every Israelite on presenting his first-fruits should confess 
before the Lord, “ A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and 
* Excd. i. f lb. J 1 Chron. vii. 20 — 27. § Deut. x. 22. 
|| Deut. iv. 34. 
