straits (ch. v. 7-19). It is in accordance with this part of the narrative, and sheds some additional light upon it, to find that the bricks of the Pithom chambers, while generally containing a certain amount of straw, are in some instances destitute of it. The king's cruelty forced the Israelites to produce in some cases an inferior article.

The military organization of the Egyptians at the time of the Exodus is represented as very complete. The king is able, almost at a moment's warning, to take the field with a force of six hundred picked chariots, and numerous others of a more ordinary description, together with a considerable body of footmen. It does not appear that he has any cavalry, for the word translated "horsemen" in our version probably designates the riders in the chariots. Each squadron of thirty chariots is apparently under the command of a "captain" (ch. xiv. 7). captain" (ch. xiv. 7). The entire force, large as it is, is ready to take the field in a few days, for otherwise the Israelites would have got beyond the Egyptian border before the Pharaoh could have overtaken them. It acts promptly and bravely, and only suffers disaster through circumstances of an abnormal and indeed miraculous character. Now, it appears by the Egyptian monuments that the military system was brought to itshighest perfection by Seti I. and Rameses II. It is certain that, in their time, the army was most carefully organized, divided into brigades,' and maintained in a 1" Records of the Past," vol. ii., p. 68.

state of constant preparation. The chariot force was regarded as of very much the highest importance, and amounted, according to the lowest computation, to several thousands. It is doubtful whether any cavalry was employed, none appearing on the monuments, and the word so translated by many writers' being regarded by others as the proper designation of the troops who fought in chariots.2 Infantry, however, in large well-disciplined bodies, always attended and supported the chariot force. Under Menephthah the system of his father and grandfather was still maintained, though no longer in full vigour. He required a fortnight to collect sufficient troops to meet the Libyan invasion.3 He had then, however, to meet an army of trained soldiers, and had no need to hasten, since he occupied a strong position. Under the circumstances of the Exodus, it was necessary to be more prompt, and sufficient to collect a much smaller army. This he appears to have been able to do at the end of a few days.

It was scarcely to be expected that the Egyptian records would present any evidence on the subject of Menephthah's loss of a son by an untimely death. Curiously, however, it does happen that a monument,

1 As generally in the "Records of the Past," and by M. Chabas in his "Recherches pour servir," etc., pp. 85, 88, 89, etc.

2 M. Lenormant almost always replaces the "cavalry" of other translators by the expression "des chars" ("Manuel d'Histoire Ancienne," vol. ii., pp. 255, 256, etc.). He observes in one place, "The military education of the Egyptians did not include teaching men to ride, since they fought in chariots."

at present in the Berlin Museum, contains a proof of his having suffered such a loss.1 There is no description of the circumstances, but a mere indication of the bare fact. The confirmation thus lent to the Scriptural narrative is slight; but it has a value in a case where the entire force of the evidence consists in its being cumulative.

Three results would naturally follow on the occurrence of such circumstances as those recorded in Exodus. Egypt would be for a time weakened in a military point of view, and her glory, as a conquering power, would suffer temporary eclipse. The royal authority would be shaken, and encouragement afforded to the pretensions of any rival claimants of the throne. The loss of six hundred thousand labourers would bring to an end the period of the construction of great works, or, at the least, greatly check their rapid multiplication. Now this is exactly what all historians of Egypt agree to have been the general condition of things in Egypt in the later years of Menephthah and the period immediately following. Military expeditions cease until the time of Rameses III., a space of nearly forty years. The later years of Menephthah are disturbed by the rise of a pretender, Ammon-mes, who disputes the throne with his son, and, according to Manetho, occupies it for five years. Seti II., or Seti-Menephthah, has then a short reign; but another claimant is brought forward by a high 1 Brugsch, "Histoire d'Egypte," p. 175. 2 Ap. Syncell., "Chronographia,” p. 72, C.

official, and established in his place. Soon afterwards complete anarchy sets in, and continues for several years,' till a certain Set-nekht is made king by the priests, and tranquillity once more restored. The construction of monuments during this period almost entirely ceases; and when Rameses III. shows the desire to emulate the architectural glories of former kings, he is compelled to work on a much smaller scale, and to content himself with the erection of a comparatively few edifices.

1 See the "Great Harris Papyrus," translated by Dr. Eisenlohr in the "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology,” vol. i., p. 359, et seq.

CHAPTER XVII.

NOTICES OF EGYPT IN EXODUS AND NUMBERS.

"The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth."EXOD. xii. 37.

"It came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not [through] the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near . . . But God led the people about [through] the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea . . . And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness." -EXOD. xiii. 17-20.

"Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-Zephon; before it shall ye encamp by the sea.”—EXOD. xiv. 2.

"These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Mosės and Aaron. And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. . . And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-Zephon: and they pitched before Migdol. And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim . . . And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.”—NUMB. Xxxiii. 1–10.