45 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. And again, These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth, after the flood. I have spoken upon this subject in a former 47 treatise; and have shewn that this distribution was by the immediate appointment of God. We have full evidence of this in that sublime and pathetic hymn of Moses, where he addresses himself to the people whom he had so long conducted, and was now going to leave for ever. 48 Remember, says he, the days of old; consider the years of many generations. Ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when he separated the sons of Adam; he set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel: for the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. By this we may see, that the whole was by God's appointment; and that there was a re 45 Genesis. c. 10. v. 5. 46 Ibid. c. 10. v. 32. 47 Observations and Inquiries relating to various parts of Artient History, vol. vi. p. 285. 48 Deuteron. c. 32. v. 7. serve for a people who were to come after. St. Paul likewise speaks of it expressly as a divine ordinance. 49 Εποίησε τε (ὁ Θεος) εξ ἑνος αίματος παν εθνος ανθρωπων κατοικεῖν επι παν το προσωπον της γης, ὁρισας προτεταγμένες καιρες, και τας ὁροθεσίας της και τοικίας αυτων. God made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. This is taken notice of by many of the fathers. Eusebius in particular mentions" the distribution of the earth: and adds, that it happened in the two thousand six hundred and seventy-second year of the creation, and in the nine hundred and thirtieth year of the Patriarch's life. Then it was that Noah, by divine appointment, divided the world between his • three sons. The like is to be found in "Syncellus, Epiphanius, and other writers. The Grecians had some traditions of this partition of the earth, which they supposed to have been by lot, and between Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. 52 49 Acts. c. 17. v. 26. 30 Μερισμος της γης. Τω Βφιβ ετει το κοσμο ενακοσιοσῳ τριακοσιοςῳ έτει το Νωε, κατα θειον δηλονότι χρησμον εμέρισε Νωε τοις τρισιν υιοις αυτή την γην. Euseb. Chron. p. 10. 51 Syncellus. p. 89. Epiphanius. 1. 2. t. 2. p. 703. 53 Φαντο, παλον Κρονίδησι δια τριχα δώματα νείμαι, The sons of Cronus ascertain'd by lot Homer introduces Neptune speaking to the same purpose. 54 Τρεις γαρ τ' εκ Κρονκ ειμεν αδελφεοι, ἐς τεκε Ρειη— Τριχθα δε παντα δέδαςαι, έκαςος δ' εμμορε τιμης. We are from Cronus and from Rhea sprung, out Into three lots; and each enjoys his share. The tradition probably came to Greece from Egypt; and we have it more fully related in Plato. 55 Θεοι γαρ. άπασαν γην ποτε κατά τους τοπους διελαγχανον, ου κατ' ερινδικης δε κλήροις τα φίλων λαγχανοντες κατῳκιζον τας χώρας. The gods of old obtained the dominion of the whole earth, according to their different allotments. This was effected 53 Callim. Hymn. in Jovem. v. 61. 5+ Iliad. O. v. 187. 55 In Critia, vol. 3. p. 109. without any contention; for they took possession of their several provinces in an amicable and fair way by lot. It is said of Noah, from whom all the families upon earth were derived, " that he was a just man, and perfect in his generation: and that he walked with God. We may suppose, that his sons shewed him always great reverence: and after they were separated, and when he was no more, that they still behaved in conformity to the rules which he established. But there was one family which seems to have acted a contrary part; and however they may have reverenced his memory, they paid little regard to his institutions. It is said, that " Cush begat Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Ashur, and builded Nineve, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen, between Nineve and Calah, the same is a great city. We have, in this narration, an account of the first rebellion in the world; and 56 Genesis. c. 6. v. 9. 57 Ibid. c. 10. v. S. the grounds of this apostasy seem to have been these. At the distribution of families, and the allotment of the different regions upon earth, the house of Shem stood first, and was particularly regarded. The children of Shem were Elam and Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. Their places of destination seem to have been not far removed from the region of descent, which was the place of separation. They in general had Asia to their lot, as Japhet had Europe, and Ham the large continent of Africa. And in Asia, the portion of Elam was to the east of the river Tigris, towards the mouth of it, which country, by the Gentile writers, was styled Elymaïs and opposite to him, on the western side, was Ashur. In like manner, above Ashur, upon the same river, was Aram, who possessed the countries called Aram and Aramea and opposite to him was Arphaxad, who in aftertimes was called 5 Arbactus and Arbaces, and his country Arphacitis. Lud probably retired to Lydia, and bordered upon the sons of Japhet, who were possessed of some regions in Asia Minor. This was the original disposition of these families; but the sons of Chus would not submit to the divine dispensation; and 59 Nimrod, who first took upon 53 Justin. 1. 1. c. 3. Ptolemy expresses the country Arrapachitis. 1. 6. c. 1. The chief city was Artaxata. 59 Νεβρώδ, ὁ κυνηγος και γιγας, ο Αιθίοψ τετῳ τῳ Νεβρώδ την |