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this was originally meant, that he formed his route in obedience to Alpha, an oracle. From these evidences it appears, that this term was used for an honourable and prophetic title; and it was justly appropriated by the Egyptians to Moses: as he was appointed to be God's oracle, and Aaron his interpreter.

I will be with thy mouth:---and he, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of a god. Again :---See. I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. What could be more apposite than for people to give to this prophetic personage the name of () Alphi; expressed by the Greeks Alpha; which precisely signifies---The Mouth of God. There was an account given by Helladius Besantinoüs of Moses being recorded by the Egyptians under this title: but he explained it in the same idle manner, as Ptolemy Hephæstion had done before. He also referred to Philo Judæus in support of his hypothesis; but there is nothing in Philo to his purpose.

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Exodus, iv. 15, 16.

Chap. vii. 1. 3 Apud Photium, sect. cclxxix. p. 1578. He derived it from Alpha, vitiligo.

He is therefore justly condemned by 'Photius for the falsity of his appeal. He is however a voucher, that the title Alpha was conferred, though he did not understand the purport.

Diodorus Siculus gave an ample account of Moses and the Israelitish nation, in his fortieth book; part of which is still extant. There are many things, which he has not truly represented: yet the account in general is cu rious; and the character of the prophet well maintained. And though he does not expressly tell us, that Moses was called Alphi, yet he mentions what amounts to the same purpose, that he had a communication with the deity, and spake as he directed; so that his words were to be esteemed the voice of God; and the prophet himself his mouth. For he says, that, at the close of the laws given to the Jews, was subjoined, * Μωσης ακέσας το Θεό ταδε λέγει τοις Ιεδαίοις. The purport of which is plainly---that the institutes given by the prophet were received by him immediately from the

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Φλυαρεί και όντος τον Μωσην Αλφα καλείσθαι διοτι άλφοις το σω μα κατεσήρικτος ήν. και καλεί το ψεύδος τον Φίλωνα μαρτυρα. ibid. The words of Photius.

* Τατον προσαγορευεσιν Αρχιερέα, και νομίζεσιν αυτοις αγγελον γενετ και των τε θες προσταγμάτων. Diodori Frag. 1. xl. p. 922.

deity, whose will he made known to the people. In another place mention is made of his receiving these laws from that God---' sov Iaw etinaλspevov, who was called Iao, the same as Jehovah.

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He was represented not only as an Oracle, but as a Deity.

I have mentioned a particular passage in Exodus, where these remarkable words occur

-And the Lord said unto Moses, see I have made thee a God to Pharaoh. This is said by 3 Artapanus and others to have been in some measure fulfilled, and that Moses was esteemed and recorded as a deity. Philo seems to intimate the same. 4 Ήνικα δε Αιγυπτος τας ὑπερ των ασεβηθέντων δικας εκτινεί, τε βασιλεύοντος της χωρας Φαραω (προσηγορευθη) Θεος. But when the people of Egypt suffered the punishments due to their crimes against heaven, he was there stiled the god of Pharaoh, the king of the country.

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Exodus vii. 1. also iv, 15, 16.-Thou shalt be to him (Aaron) instead of God.

3 τύπο των ιερεων ισοθεις τιμής καταξιωθέντα. κ. τ. λ. Apud Euseb. P. E. 1. 9. p. 432.

Philo de Nom. Mutat. v. 1. p. 597.

Josephus speaks nearly to the same purpose. Τετον δε τον ανδρα θαυμασον μεν Αιγυπσιοι και θείον νομίζεσι. They to this day look upon Moses as a wonderful and divine person. We therefore need not be surprised if he had a divine title.

Of the Angel, which withstood him in his Way to Egypt

We have hitherto perceived the doubts and diffidence of Moses, and his great backwardness towards undertaking the high office which had been enjoined him. He proceeded so far as at last to incur God's displeasure. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses. Exod. iv. 14. Alarmed at this, he timely recollects himself; and resolves upon the performance of his duty. And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. ver. 18. This shews that, during the time of his sojournment, he had received little or no intelligence concerning them. Jethro, who perhaps had been pre

' Cont. Ap. 1. 1. p. 464.

admonished, gives an immediate consent by saying--Go in peace. Moses now, having received his final orders and obtained fresh assurances of God's assistance, sets out for the land of the Mitzraim, and takes with him his wife Zipporah and his children. And here a fresh embarrassment ensues; by which the divine displeasure was manifested a second time. God had pleased to make a covenant with Abraham, and ordained circumcision as a test of it, and as a badge to all those who were admitted to his covenant. And it was enjoined in strong terms, and attended with this penalty to the uncircumcised person-that soul shall be cut off from his people: he hath broken my covenant, Gen. xvii. 14. Of this breach and neglect Moses was apparently guilty, having been probably seduced by his Cuthite wife. Upon this account it is said, that the Lord met him in his way towards Egypt, and offered to kill him for not having had this rite performed on his son. There

seems to have been some hesitation on the part of the woman; but the alternative was death, or obedience. Alarmed therefore with her husband's danger, which was iminent,

Exodus iv. 24.

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