latter instances than the Hebrew text of

our own version, and more full precisely upon those points which are wanted in evidence. On such a trifle does the practicability of establishing an argument of coincidence turn; and so perpetually, no doubt, (were we but aware of it,) are we prevented from doing justice to the veracity of the writings of Moses, by the lack of more abundant details.

In all this, it appears to me, that without any care or circumspection of the historian, as to how he should make the several parts of his tale agree together without any display on the one hand, or mock concealment on the other, of a harmony to be found in those several parts-and in the mean time, with ample scope for the admission of unguarded mistakes, by which a mere impostor would soon stand convicted,

* Septuagint, Numbers, x. 6.

the whole is at unity with itself, and the internal evidence resulting from it, clear, precise, and above suspicion.

XIX.

1. THE arrangements of the camp provide us with another coincidence, no less satisfactory than the last-for it may be here remarked, that in proportion as the history of Moses descends to particulars, (which it does in the camp,) in that proportion is it fertile in the arguments of which I am at present in search. It is in general the extreme brevity of the history, and nothing else, that baffles us in our inquiries; often affording (as it does) a hint which we cannot pursue for want of details, and exhibiting a glimpse of some corroborative fact which it is vexatious to be so near grasping, and still to be compelled to relinquish it.

In the 16th chapter of the Book of Numbers we read, "Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and on the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men, and they rose up before Moses with certain of the congregation of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown. And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord."* Such is the history of the conspiracy got up against the authority of the leaders of Israel.

The principal parties engaged in

*Numb. xvi. 1.

it, we see, were Korah of the family of Kohath, and Dathan, Abiram, and On, of the family of Reuben. Now it is a very curious circumstance that some thirteen chapters before this, chapters occupied with matters of quite another character, it is mentioned incidentally that "the families of the sons of Kohath were to pitch on the side of the Tabernacle southward."* And in another chapter yet further back, and as independent of the latter as the latter was of the first, we read no less incidentally," on the south side (of the Tabernacle) shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben, according to their armies." The family of Kohath, therefore, and the family of Reuben, both pitched on the same side of the Tabernacle -they were neighbours, and were therefore conveniently situated for taking secret coun+ Ibid. ii. 10.

*Numb. iii. 29.

sel together. Surely this singular coincidence comes of truth-not of accident, not of design;-not of accident, for how great is the improbability that such a peculiar propriety between the relative situations of the parties in the conspiracy should have been the mere result of chance; when three sides of the Tabernacle were occupied by the families of the Levites, and all four sides by the families of the tribes, and when combinations (arithmetically speaking) to so great an extent might have been formed between these in their several members, without the one in question being of the number. It does not come of design, for the agreement is not obvious enough to suit a designer's purpose-it might most easily escape notice :-- it is indeed only to be detected by the juxta-position of several unconnected passages falling out at long