Through the obliging assistance of several friends, I have been enabled to procure the requisite details as to the tidal phenomena at Suez; and the result of my inquiries on this subject turns out to be, that the phenomena which agree circumstantially with the details of the Mosaic account, take place when the moon's age is only eleven days. I transcribe the particulars of some observations taken on the spot, in accordance with my written instructions.

The moon passed the meridian of Suez at 9h 20m in the evening of March the 5th, when the first observation was taken, of which the particulars were transmitted to me. On the following morning it was low water, or rather, the tide began to rise at 4h 35m; moon's age, 11 days; high water at 10h 15m in the fore

noon.

In order to apply these details correctly, we must bear in mind that after the strict time of low-water, which, in calculation, is the nominal beginning of its rising, the flow is imperceptible to observation for more than an hour, under ordinary circumstances, that is, when the tide is not affected by the wind. But after that lull, the tide begins to rise more or less rapidly. Under ordinary circumstances, it would all but reach its highest point, and oscillate about that point more than an hour before the computed time of high water, when the first imperceptible ebb commences. If we say that it is low water three hours, the tide rises three hours, and is high and stationary three hours, and ebbing three hours, we describe the observed phenomenon very fairly, though not with mathematical precision. How rapidly the tide does rise when once it begins, and how soon before the calculated medium point of high-water, and oscillates about that level until the time of ebbing returns, are circumstances depending mainly on the wind, and must be considered in addition to the standard phenomenon as observed when there is little or no wind. The following extract from the letter transmitted to me from Suez, with the other particulars, will guide us in estimating the allowance to be made on this accountIt is a well-known fact, that during strong northerly winds, the tide begins ebbing sooner, and during strong southerly winds, the flood makes sooner than when there is little or no wind. Also during strong southerly winds, the mean height both of high and low water, is greater than usual, and during strong northerly winds the mean height is less; in the latter case from the water being blown down the sea, in the former from its being blown up.'

Now if we proceed to apply these particulars to the case under discussion, we find that after a more than commonly violent gale blowing from a northern quarter, and one of many hours' con

tinuance since Moses says that the strong wind blew all that night-the mean height, both of high and low water, of the evening tide, must have been considerably less than usual. How much less, depends on the violence of this particular wind, as well as on its direction and duration before the gale arose-of which Moses did not think it necessary to say anything. But we know, by the structure of the spot compared with the natural level of the tides, that a depression of four feet in the level of the water would make it passable on foot; one of five feet would render the bottom wholly dry. The lowest point of the tide, on the moon's 11th day, is at about four in the morning; but near the shore it would have been sufficiently out at three, for the Hebrews to begin crossing, during the lull of the elements that generally precedes a sudden change of wind after a violent gale. So that nothing can be more opportune than the concurrence of events thus far.

By the time that the turn of the tide first becomes sensible to observation, which, when there is no contrary wind, is at half-past four, it is so slight, even for half an hour after, that the deepest part of the strait, its central channel, might not be washed by the waves again until the Hebrew multitude were very near the opposite shore. This brings us to five in the morning, when twilight begins.

But the sea returned to its strength when morning appeared.' The flowing current had hardly set in, when the Egyptianshaving entered the bed of the sea a little before, where, from the upward slope towards the shore, it was still quite dry-now came upon the rapidly advancing central current, having probably made about a third of the way across. But after five o'clock, the mass of waters, which had been unusually depressed for so long, now begins to rush forward with a corresponding impetuosity, which would be all the greater if the lull had been followed by a change in the direction of the wind. Thus the flood makes sooner,' and surprises the Egyptians just as they were in the state of terror and confusion already described, unable either to advance or recede before the rush of this overwhelming cataract of waters.

Now if the dates of Moses had referred to a lunar reckoning, the above-mentioned tidal phenomena, acting in conjunction with a violent gale from the north, ought to be found occurring on the 21st day of the moon. But nothing can be more unfortunate than the whole series of coincidences with this day. For on the 21st day of the moon it is high water, and the ebb is just beginning, at about half-past five in the morning, when, according to Moses, the sea ought to be returning to its strength, the Hebrews ought to be just safely landed on the opposite shore, and the Egyptians ought to be nearly a mile out in the bed of the sea.

Moreover, as the water generally reaches its greatest elevation,

and remains all but stationary, before the ebb commences, it must have been high tide all the time occupied in the crossing, when Moses says the bed of the sea became dry. And although such a high tide, so close after a strong north wind, would be much lower than the average, there would be too much water for the passage to be fordable; since, under ordinary circumstances, it was not generally fordable even at low tide.

From the issue of this very decisive test, we may receive it as a certain fact, that Moses must have used some Egyptian calendar of his time, in recording the date of the first passover; and we obtain the following connection of this with the Hebrew method, which the Hebrews resumed immediately after their liberation, at the restoration of their primitive religious and national institutions:-In the year of the first passover, the 21st of Abib, or Epiphi, when the passage of the sea took place, being the 11th day of the moon; the 10th of Abib must have been the day of the new moon, which was the appointed time of the old Hebrew spring-festival; and the first passover, on the 14th of Abib, must have begun when the moon was four days old,-not at her full, as afterwards.

Such is the result from the tides. We will now compare this with the history, to read its meaning. F. CORBAUX.

e

THE SONGS OF DEGREES.

THE origin and even meaning of the titles of those peculiar Psalms which stand between Ps. cxx. and Ps. cxxxiv., have been involved in great obscurity, and as a natural consequence great diversity exists amongst the interpreters of them. Those who are looking for doctrines pass over them with a single sentence to the effect, that they are obscure-and that commentators are not agreed about them. Compilers and annotators collect a number of conflicting hypotheses by which the general reader is thoroughly bewildered. If again the inquirer begin to examine for himself, he must encounter those peculiar anomalies which are to be found in the region of Philology. Thus he will find one theorist passing by the current general meaning of the word in Hebrew and fastening upon a solitary instance, building a theory upon that, as 1 Chron. xvii. 17. Then again he will find that another theory very popular at one time, and indeed still maintained by many, depends also upon a single unusual meaning of the word concerned-Ezra vii. 9. And perhaps, most remarkable of all, he will find the most popular theory at present in circulation, bestowing a meaning upon that

e To be continued.

word which it is actually never once used to designate within the whole compass of the Hebrew scriptures! We refer to Hengstenberg's theory of Pilgrimages to Jerusalem at the annual festivals, which we shall examine pretty fully in the following pages. At the same time we shall also see that Hengstenberg has pointed out a symmetry of arrangement in regard to these songs which can be applied with decided advantage in all investigations regarding them. But we shall not detain the reader with any further introduction than to remind him of the old Jewish tradition, of which we shall make some use, although, on account of so much in it that is useless, commentators, in their recoil from it, have treated it with so much contempt as not to avail themselves of one or two elements which we are disposed to consider useful.

We cannot do better than commence our investigation of the subject by a rigid analysis of the Title itself; for it is evident that vagueness with regard to it, must impart corresponding insecurity to our subsequent conclusions. The words of this Title are nibyen and it is with the latter of these only that we are now to be concerned. y occurs 47 times in the Hebrew scriptures; and omitting for the present the 15 which are now the subject of discussion, we have still 32 examples of the occurrence of the word, and these we think afford ample ground for enabling us to come to a clear and satisfactory conclusion regarding its meaning; in Exod. xx. 26; 1 Kings x. 19, 20; 2 Kings ix. 13; 2 Chron. ix. 18, 19; Nehem. iii. 15; xii. 37; Ezek. xl. 6, 22, 26, 31, 34, 37, 49; xliii. 17. The word means always, steps or stairs, and by one or other of these words it is rendered in our version. In 2 Kings xx. 9 (twice), 10 (thrice), 11 (twice); Isaiah xxxviii. 8 (five times) the word is used to mean the degrees on a dial. In a few passages the meaning is not so obvious, as in Amos ix. 6; Ezek. xi. 5. These passages, along with the solitary one in 1 Chron. xvii. 17, which does not stand in the way of our present inquiry, make up 31. There remains one more passage-a very important passage, for it is the main support of two theories which have received very extensive credit-we refer to Ezra vii. 9. Now, however, we think we are entitled to decide what is the obvious and general meaning of n. In the first list which we have given amounting to 16 examples, we have the plain ordinary use of the word intimated by steps or stairs, such steps, namely, as lead up to a throne &c. In the second list, comprising 12 examples, we have the successive degrees on a dial designated by nibyn, steps. That degrees and steps, which are closely associated in thought, should be designated by the same word nib in a primitive language like Hebrew, is very natural, and accordingly we find it to be so.

Nevertheless taking hy to go up as the root whence ny is derived, we see, that the meaning denoted by step is the primary, and the meaning denoted by degree the secondary.

But it is time for us to return to the passage in Ezra vii. 9. In this verse the ascent from Babylon to Jerusalem by the Jews of the 70 years captivity is called happy, the going up' of our version. This is the only case in which hy is so rendered. We have now, moreover, a meaning totally new. There is a great difference between steps up to a throne or a temple and degrees of a dial on the one hand, and on the other an ascent, a journey, an anabasis from Babylon to Jerusalem. What we have now, must be an unusual meaning-rendered obvious only by the connection in which it stands. Yet Yet upon this solitary passage, both Hengstenberg and Ewald are in a great measure dependent for support to their several theories. For Hengstenberg calls the nibyen songs for the pilgrims, i. e. on their journeys from all parts of the country up to Jerusalem at the annual festivals. Now, without this passage in Ezra vii. 9, he would not have a single example in the whole of the scriptures in which hy was used to denote a journey or anything approaching thereto. The same reasoning applies to Ewald, inasmuch as, in supporting the theory which refers the nibyen w to the ascents of the Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem, he requires to make ny signify a journey, contrary to its ordinary meaning; and beyond all doubt we must look for the ordinary and obvious meaning which is conveyed by the words nibyen. But in addition to what we have said, there is still another consideration to be urged, tending to show that the solitary passage in Ezra vii. 9, is not sufficient to support the theories of Hengstenberg and Ewald. We refer to the simple matter of fact that there are other words in the Hebrew language, whose ordinary obvious meanings are pilgrimages, journeys, and ascents. Moreover it so happens that there is one by bearing a strong resemblance to the word ny with which we are concerned. It occurs 19 times, and is rendered by going up, ascent, mount, &c. In connection with these two similar words the suggestion at once occurs,-may not the one have been put for the other? The consonants are all the very same for each, and the vowel points are all alike with the exception of only one. Not only so, but that one vowel, a qumetz, is very easily formed in rapid writing instead of a seghol. We have seen the seghol in small Hebrew Bibles, undistinguishable from the qumetz. Thus we think we have travelled over sufficient ground to show that hy is not to be taken as meaning a