IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 1.25 u: mk 2.2 2.0 1.4 1.8 1.6 V] ^^ y L (meaning "CON- TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont film6s en commen^ant par le premier piat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte 'jne empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche h droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcesseire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 .".4" JW>-Ju.ti^ (■ t!t^t Miiahitt ^tmt. BY THE REV. B. F. DeCOSTA, Author of "The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen." NEW YORK: Aisrsoisr r>. m, randot^ph & co. 1871. "_;—:: — r:':rr'J!3e5*-^-w«w! MVPfl«|i|l|«U'iil'- I PJ 502)1 D4 THE MOABITE STONE. ERUAPS it would hardly be an exaggeration to say, that there are two antiquities: an antiquity of the Past and an antiquity of the Future. One is the inspiration of his- tory ; the other the burden of prophetic song. If this were not so, how could Abraham have seen the day of Christ, or Christianity become venerable before its founder was born? And both of these periods belong to the antiquary, if he wills it so. At the present time there are too many vague views abroad in regard to what constitutes the antiquary and his vocation. First NoTK — This paper was contributed to the AMBnicAjf QuAntERLY Church Rbview, to appear in July, 1871. It was based on the following works : The Moahile Stone'; a f«c-iS'i»ii7eof the original inscription, with an English Transla- tion and a historical and critical Commentary. The Palestine Exploration Fund : Quarterly Statement, No. VI. The Recovery of Jerusalem : an Account of Recent Excavations and Discoveries in the Holy City. By Captain Wilson, R, E. and Capt^.ln Warren, R. E., with an Introduc- tory Chapter by Dean Stanley. It was the aim of the author of this paper to give a resume of the whole question, and present the facts connected with the Moabite Stone in a form adapted for general use, and free as possible from technicalities. The article includes all the facts known to the author down to the present time (June 13) ; but it is stated that Dr. Ginsburg is already preparing a second edition of his learned and valuable work. It is not apprehended, however, that he will find anything of importance to recall, but it is thought that he may give us additional light in regard to the closing portions of the inscription. It is to be hoped that this paper may contribute something to the interest already felt in the American Palestine Exploration Fund, at least among those students of Biblical Antiquities into whose hands it is likely to fall. 8 The Moallte Stone. ?', of all, there is the notion, that the antiquary is a man of the Past. But if the remark already made be true, this view should be dis- missed. Indeed we do wrong when we consider the antiquary as one wrapped up exclusively in the Past, like the madman who, last year, was enamored of Cleopatra; and regard him as one out of sympathy with the Present, and hopeless of the Future. The true antiquary is no musty, retired individual, backward in his motions, narrow in his aims, pVone to magnify trifles and hoard his possessions, and view all recent times as out of joint. Yet, it is to be regretted, this falsv, conception is embodied in literature, while, worst of all, it is often justified by living examples. Too few of our an- tiquaries ever feel like Arnold of Rugby, who, when he saw the first railroad train rushing down on its way from the metropolis, thanked God that the feudal age was past. And this is why we have the narrow statement of Webster, the prince of definers, to the effect, that an antiquary is "one versed in antiquity;" and hence the sarcasm of Pope, who says: " With sharpened sight pale antiquaries pore, The inscription value, but the rust adore ;" while Waiter Scott insinuates that the antiquary is a dolt. But, as far as possible, the Past should be made a thing for present and prospective use. While Ave admire the setting sun our heart and hopes should be with the coming day. If we go backward, it should be for the purposes of an advance. The Past is not dead, and the ages that are gone should be laid under living contribution for our own day. The Past cannot die. Often when an age is dismissed from the calendar it then begins, for the first time, to live, and to bo powerfully felt. It is, therefore, the bu- siness of the antiquary to study the Past for the benefit of all suc- ceeding times. He must deal not alone with its rust, but with its reasons, v^'ith whatsoever is good and true, and useful to living men. His studies should be made to L^inister to human hopes, to dispel the mysteries of the Present, the ke^ of which is buried in the mouldy Past, and thus do all in his power to save the world from errors and superstitions which, even now in the Nineteenth Century, linger amid its light like belated ghosts, not yet dismissed to their Qongenial shades. In a word, the antiquary who does nothing for his own times is unworthy of the profession and the name. I The Moahite Stone. 6 The antiquary should also be known by his broad, comprehen- sive and liberal spirit. While a man, not of one, but of every age, so be should be a citizen of every country, ignoring the pro- vincial s[)irit that seeks to .shed exclusive glory around some fa- vored spot; a spirit that is often the abettor of falseliot 1 and the foster-father of fraud. lie should be a man of the world, in the highest and noblest sense. Sic non vohis is the motto his banner should bear, while he goes onward in his investigations, jealous of no man's well earned and consequently well-deserved fame, open to the truth as the day to the light, and in sympathy with the progress of mankind. Nor will the world ever fail to applaud the antiquary who thus deals with the Past for the benefit of the Present, or be slow to re- cognize his superior aims. The spirit in which a man pursues his calling possesses a peculiar and easily-recognized significance. Especially is this the case in connection with biblical and ecclesias- tical antiquities, where the tone of the investigator's mind reveals his purpose, and his methods tell us what the world has to hope from his aims. The spirit of the antiquary often indicates whether he is din;<;ing around the roots of a reliojion that is false or true, and shows the hopefulness of his Christianity. It is even not too much to say, that we may judge of a school of religious thought by the character of the historical researches to which it gives rise; for every school of thought refers to the Past, in con- nection with its aspirations for the Future. These researches sig- nify plainly whether the school in question is mining deep, or merely scratching upon the surface. What, then, shall we say of that ecclesiastical antiquary who strains every nerve to find an ancient surplice for the man who needs a soul, — and whose zeal reaches its climax with the acquisition of some long-forgotten or- nament to wear over a brain that is numb, or a heart that is cold ? On the other hand, how noble are the investigations of those students of antiquity whose researches deal with the o'-iginal ele- ments of Sacred History, and who have for their subject themes connected with the Providence and Word of God. Exhibitions like these indicate the deep source from which they spring, and, at the samo time, assure us, that the investigators are in sympathy •with '^nat class of religionists of whom the world has many hopes. These are the researches of the living Church, the studies, of a 1 ^x=;; 6 The Moahitc Stone. devout and robust Christianity, which, unlike mediaeval archae- ology, and ultramontane antiquity, has nothing to invent and nothing to conceal. Otherwise it is, in the main, and with some distinguished exceptions, the reforming branch of the Church of God, whose archicological labors possess this hopeful significance; for while the decrepid and legend-loving section entertains its votaries with the sordid shoes of Joseph of Arimathea, the Palestine Ex- ploration Society, speaking for the great party of progress, gives to the world discoveries, that excite genuine wonder, and, at the same time, foster, not a shallow credulity, but a deep and rever- ential faith. Thus widely divergent in their dogmas and investi- gations, the two wings of the Church go on in their work, the one party putting manuscripts, like the Sinaitio Codex, into the rubbish box, and the other taking them out ; the one in the Con- vent of St. Catherine, filling the traveler's ears with idle tales, and the other, measuring rod and theodolite in hand, giving scien- tific surveys of the whole G ebal-Mousa region, thus localising the encampments of Moses and disposing of infidel sneers; the one inventing traditions over the site of the Holy Sepulchre, the other digging around the walls of ancient Jerusalem, fixing the positions of the towers, marking the remains of ancient bulwarks, and har- monizing the statements of early historians with the declarations of the inspired Word. All these things go to illustrate the wide difference existing be- tween what we might call the two religions, but which are, never- theless, only two forms of the old faith, one of which represents repression, and the other the spirit of free, enlightened inquiry. It is hardly necessary to prophesy the final effect upon the world. But let us now turn to the more immediate subject of this Article, the Moabite Stone, which is beyond question one of the most valuable of all recently-discovered monuments of an- tiquity. First, however, let us make one observation in regard to the volume lately published by the conductors of the Palestine Explo- ration, a volume which shows in the most striking manner how genuine antiquarian research is conducted in the interest of our own times. We find, that in 1864, the condition of Jerusalem had become so unhealthy as to excite great commiseration, as well as alarm, f The Moahite Stone. for the safety of the inhabitants. The uncleanliness had every- where) become intolerable, both on account of the great lack of sewerage, and suitable supplies of pure water. Century after century the rubbish had everywhere been accumulating, until at last it was thought by philanthropists that something should im- mediately be done for the relief of the suffering people. At this juncture, Miss Burdett Coutts, always foremost in good works, manifested a deep interest in the subject, and contributed a liberal sum for the purpose of making the needed examinations to discover the old water-course through which, in ancient times, the fair city of God received those supplies which the rock-hewn cisterns alone could not yield.* The Jerusalem of the Past was, therefore, made the subject of exact archajological inquiry for the benefit of the Jerusalem of the Present, with its narrow quarters, its fever- breeding streets, and its wretched inhabitants, to whom impure water is sold in goat-skin sacks from door lo door. And the in- quiry thus made for the ancient aqueduct, — in order that the needed supplies might bo furnished Avithout money and without price from fountains bubbling up with crystal, pure and sparkling, as the dew distilled on Hermon's Hill, — has led to other discove- ries than those originally anticipated. Here, then, we have a noble illustration of the usefulness of antiquarian research; in con- nection with which, in addition to the partial recovery of Jerusa- lem, has also been brought to light the monument known as the Moabite Stone, a relic of the highest value. In discussing this remarkable monument of antiquity, it will be necessary to inform the reader of the circumstances attending its discovery ; venturing also a few remarks on the Moabites, and the region where they found their home. Moab was the son of Lot's elder daughter, and brother of Am- mon, the father of the Ammonites. From the "cradle of the race of liot " in the mountains above Zoar, situated east of the Jordan * " It may be added, that in this investigation the interesting question of the sup- posed spring within the walls of Jerusalem and under the Temple Courts, has been for the first time followed to bottom ; and the result appears to be, that, while there is no actual spring within the walls, the whole mount is so honey-combed with cisterns as to give ample materials for the conjecture of Tacitus, and for the imagery of Scripture, while, at the same time, it takes away from them the foundation of exact and literal truth." {Recovery of Jerusalem, p. xvi). 8 The Moabite Stone. i and north-cast of the Dead Sea, tlie brother-tribes spread far and wide. Ainmon went to the north-east, and occupied tliosc waste places possibly known at an earlier day as Ham, inhabited by Zu- zim, while Moab, with a more peaceful and settled disposition, re- mained nearer his original seat. Among tlie fertile highlands which crown the eastern borders of the Dead Sea and extend northward to the mountains of Gilead, the children of Moab be- came firmly established, the original inhi 'itants known as the Enims gradually becoming extinct before the invaders, even as the American aboriginal tribes disap[)earcd on the approach of the Europeans. Tliey thus became possessed of a district ecpial in its pastoral capacities to the agricultural advantages of IMiilistia and Sharon, located by the sea. Yet of the highlands they were not the sole possessors, since, ere long, the Ammonites crossed the Jordan, and pushed them back southward behind the natural boundary of the River Arnon. At the time the Israelites reached this region in their journeys, the two tribes were engaged in war, and Sihon had taken Heshboii and reigned there, while his victory was recited in a sort of popular ballad now preserved in the Book of Numbers. (Chap. xxi. 27). Of the connection of Moses with this people it will not be ne- cessary here to speak, and we need only to add that after attain- ing to a large degree of civilization and power the Moabites were at last destroyed, «nd the cities that they built became desolate, the modern Bedouins now being left in the land as their repre- sentatives, while some have sought to discover descendants in the well-known tribe of Druses. The region whei-e they dwelt, like other places east of the Jordan, has been little visited, and is poorly known. Only a comparatively small amount of informa- tion has been contributed by Seetzen, Burckhardt, Irby and Man- gles, and De Saulcy ; but while there may be some difference of opinion on certain points connected with the country, all agree that it abounds in an extraordinary number of ruins. Among these ruins is that of Diban, the ancient Dibon of Scripture, whose name, while slightly varied in orthography, to-day maintains the old sound. It was in this remarkable region that the Moabite Stone was found, preserved intact by the rainless climate so many hundred years. The story of the discovery is very easily told, bui the history The Moahite Stone. 9 of the steps taken to secure the treasure is not perfectly plain, since the Bedouins, so intimately concernetl in the affair, after beginning negotiations in an atnicablo spirit, ended with a lamen- table quarrel, in the course of which the stone was reduced to fragments. It appears that the discoverer of this stone was the Rev. F. Klein, a German in the service of the English Church Missionary Society, who, in 1868, made a journey to Jebel Ajloon and the Belka, and, August 19th, arrived at Dibftn (ancient Dibon) about one hour north of the Wady Majeb (Arnon), lie tells us that, for the sake of his friend Zattam, son of the Sheik of the famous Beni-Sachr, under whose protection he traveled, he was received in the most friendly way by the tribe of the Beni-IIamideh, en- camped near Diban. Carpets were spread in the tent of tlio Sheik and coffee prepared with all the usual ceremony. And while they were engaged with tl'e entertainment, Zattam informed hiin that, among the ruins of Dibati, scarcely ten minutes from the present encampment, was an interesting stone with an inscription that no one heretofore had been able to read. Mr. Klein was at once filled with impatience, but was unable to persuade Zattam to leave his couch and narghilee. Accordingly the Slieik of Beni-IIami- deh, who spoke of the stone as one of the wonders of the region, volunteered to show him the way ; declaring what was perfectly true, namely, that no European had yet looked upon the treasure. Mr. Klein says : "When I came to the spot where this precious relic of antiqui- ty was lying on the ground, I was delighted at the sight, and at the same time greatly vexed I did not come earlier, in order to have an opportunity of copying at least a good part of the in- scription, which I might then under the protection of Zattam have done without the least molestation. I, however, had time enough to examine the stone and its inscription at leisure, and to copy a few words from several lines at random, chiefly with a view, on my return to Jerusalem, to ascertain the language of the inscription, and prevail on some friends of science to obtain either a complete copy of the inscription, or, better, the monument itself. " The stone was lying among the ruins of Diban perfectly free and exposed to view, the inscription uppermost. I got four men to turn it round (it was a basaltic stone, exceedingly heavy) in or- wnrnf^mpimmmm f9mm -'■■—rrT. mmms^. 10 The Moabite Stone. der to ascertain whether there was no inscription on the other side, and found that it was perfectly smooth and without any inscrip- tion or other marks. What time was left me before sunset I now cuiployed in examining, measuring, and making a correct sketch of the stone, besides endeavoring to collect a perfect alphabet from the inscription." On his return to Jerusalem, he showed the sketch and parts of the inscription to Dr. Peterman, who took immediate steps to se- cure the stone for e Museum of Berlin. An Arab was engaged as a negotiator, but the greedy Bedouins put insuperable obstacles in the way. Another agent was appointed without success ; and finally the Moabites made an effort to excite competition among the Franks at Jerusalem, among whom was Captain Warren, Agent of the Palestine Exploration Society. But, on hearing that the Prussian Consul had already commenced negotiations, de- signed to secure the stone for the Prussian Government, he of course di' not feel at liberty to concern himself about it until the Spring of the next year, when he learned with surprise that nothing had been done to get a "squeeze" of the Stone. Being called away in July, he was still unable to take any action beyond writing to Eng- land on the subject. But M. Genneau, the French Consul at Jerusalem, suspecting that the Stone was one of great importance, employed several agents to obtain "squeezes," and also contracted to pay about j£375 for it, though it had previously been promised to the Prus- sians for a far less sum. As a consequence, the Moabites became excited, while the Governor of NablUs also desired to obtain pos- session of the prize, and thus secure the money for himself. When therefore M. Genneau's agent, Yegaub Caravace, reached the ground, fighting had already taken place; and next the Moabites, in their anger, made a fire under it, threw on water, and so broke it up, afterwards distributing the various fragments among the different families to place in the granaries, and serve as favor- able charms to win a blessing upon their corn. When Cap- tain Warren was returning to Jerusalem, the following Novem- ber, he learned the melancholy fact of its destruction, and was presented with one of the fragments, by an Adwan, who brought the news. Thus the oldest known Semitic lapidary record yet dis- covered, after standing unharmed 2700 years, was finally destroyed The Moabite Stone. 11 through the bad management of those who should have left the Prussian Consul to secure the stone. The relic thus fought over and destroyed, was of black basalt, about three feet five inches high and one foot nine inches in width and thickness, rounded both at top and bottom to nearly a semi-circle, notwithstanding, Professor Rawlinson teaches in his Article in the Contemporary Review (August, 1870,) that the stone was square at the bottom. The inscription consisted of thirty-four straight lines one inch and a fourth apart. It has already been stated, that during the negotiations to secure the stone, M. Genneau secured a " squeeze." For this purpose he sent an Arab with two horsemen, furnishing him with the needed material to make the impression. While the Arab, Yegaub Caravace, was taking the impression, the Moabites engaged in a fight about the ownership of the stone, and consequently the squeeze was imperfectly done and saved with difiiculty in seven crumpled fragments. Captain Warren also sent his Adwan, and obtained impressions of the two largest fragments of the stone, now unfortunately broken, together with the twelve small pieces of the stone itself. Impressions of other fragments were afterwards obtained, and finally the text was restored as we have seen it in the so-called facsimiles. The work of reconstruction was performed chiefly by M. Genneau, who, it is generally con- ceded, has accomplished his task in a most scholarly manner, though he does not explain the particular methods employed. He has, since the outset, issued two revised texts with elaborate notes. But, with all the study and care bestowed, the text is imperfect. There are still wanting thirty-five entire words, fifteen half words and eighteen letters. Nearly two-thirds of the stone, consisting of thirty-eight fragments, are in the possession of M. Genneau and the Palestine Exploration Society. Next we must speak of the paleographical character of the stone, a point lately discussed in the Contemporary Review, by Professor Rawlinson. The characters used in the inscription are those of the so-called Phenician tongue, a language and alphabet common more than seven centuries before Christ. This people, so aptly styled the English of antiquity, exhibited marvellous enter- prise and great force of character, appearing equally powerful in the marts of the world's commerce and on the well-fought field. ' ^-^1 mm BBfgg M il^l 'I 12 Tlie Moahite Stone. The mode of writing, practiced by them, had at this time spread a'l over Western Asia, and become established in France, as we learn, especially from the inscribed slab of Marseilles.* In *■ In cnnnection with the Moabite Stono, it is important for the better undcr?tnnd- ing of the discussion, to give both the Marseilles and Eshmunazer inscriptions. The latter will be found on a succeeding page. The Marseilles Stone was found at that place, on the ruins of a t"mple of Hiial, in 1845. The following is the translation of the Rev. Nathan Brown, D. D., read by him, in connection with a learned paj)cr on the Pheni- cian literature, at a recent meeting of the New York Association for the Advancement of Science and Art. " House of Raal. These are the requisitions for the sacrifice tribute, established for perpetual observance by Ilalisbaal the Ruler, son of Bodtanith, son of Bod — and Ilalis- baal the Ruler, son of Bodeshmun, son of Halisbaal, and the associate directors. For a bullock offered entire, whether an oblation or a whole peace offering, the priests shall have ten shekels of silver for each victim: and with the whole burnt ofl'ering they shall have in addition, the tribute of flesh, three hundred misquals (or pounds); and with the ob- lation, grain and fine flour, as well as the skin, viscera and feet; and the rest of the flesh shall belong to the owner of the sacrifice. For a young bullock that has horns, but does not strike with the horn or hoof, and is not used for labor, or for a stag entire, whether an oblation or a whole peace offering, the priests shall have a duty of five silver shekels, for each victim ; and with the whole burnt offering they shall hsv-e in addition the tribute of flesh, pounds one hundred and fifty; and with the oblation, grain and fine flour, as well as the skin, viscera and feet, and the rest of the fle.ih shall belong to the owner of the sacrifice. For a ram or he goat offered entire, whether an oblation or a whole peace offering, the priest shall have one silver shekel and two gerahs for each victim ; and with the oblation they shall havn in addition the tribute of flesh, thirty pound.":, and grain and fine flour, as well as the skin, viscera and feet; and the rest of the flesh shall belong to the owner of the sacrifice. For a lamb, or kid, or fawn of a stag, offered entire, whether an oblation or whole peace ofl'ering, the priests shall have three-fourths of a shekel of silver, and two gerahs for each victim ; and with the oblation they shall have in addition the tribute of grain and fine flour, as well as the skin, viscera and feet, and the rest of the flesh belongs to the owner of the sacriflcn. For all produce of the garden, whether flowers for a whole peace offering, or jujubes, or onions, the priests shall have three-fourths of a silver shekel and two gerahs for each offering, and the peace ofl'ering shall be for the priests. For every bird, or first fruits, or sacrifice of spicesj or sacrifice of oil, the priests shall have two gerahs for each ofl'ering. For every oblation offered before the gods, the priests shall have grain and fine flour, and the oblation. . , Upon cakes, and upon milk, upon lard, and upon every ofl'ering which men shall ofl'er there shall remain Of every ofl'ering which a poor man shall offer, whether property or birds, nothing shall remain to the priests. Every leper or person with scurvy, and every murderer, is rejected ; and every man, of that which he offers. . . . The man of the congregation shall give upon each sacrifice, according to the rate fixed in the regulations. The tribute which he shall bring is fixed, and he shall give according to the regulations made by the ruler xialisbaal, son of Bodtanith, and ilalisbaal, son of Bodeshmun, and the associate directors. Every priest who shall exact a tribute exceed- ing that which is decreed in this tablet shall be punished, and he shall give to the owner of the saoriflce who presented it, double the amount in silver, of all the duties which he usjustly exacted." See also "Inscription Ph6nioienne de Marseilles. Nouvelle Inter- pretation. Par M. L. Abb6, J. J. L. Bargfis. Paris, 1858." The Iloabite Stone. 13 their trading voyages tlioy afterwards pushed on to the shores of England and Ireland, where they left their mark upon language and customs; and possibly reached America, likewise, at a time when the Northmen, the undoubted Pre-Columbian discoverers of America in the tenth century, were still unknown. Unfortunately, in America the supposed visits of the early Phenicians lack monu- mental proof. Yet the forms of the letters used by this people Avere the forms of those characters through the medium of which Ahab and Elijah may have corresponded, and in which Moses wrote the Pentateuch. These characters are the same as those of the Eshmunazar inscription, which, in interest if not in length, is the second in rank of the few specimens of Phenician literature now extant. Thoy vshow that the Moabites used the same language, though the Moabite approaches nearer to the common Hebrew than the Phenician. Indeed, nearly all the words on the Moabite Stone are found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Thus the paleographic character of the inscription goes to confirm what was demonstrated two centuries ago by Bochart, and declared again by Gesenius, long before the discovery of the Eshmunazar stone fifteen years ago — namely, that the Phenician language was cognate with the Hebrew of the Old Testament. It is hardly necessary to observe here that henceforth the students of the Phoe- nician tongue will labor with better aids and with a superior zeal. As soon as the contents of the Moabite Stone became known, various scholars hastened to give interpretations, and crude trans- lations were sent out from a number of sources, creating no little excitement in England, where they sounded like a " page of the Bible." These have been followed by careful revisions, and, per- haps, in the present state of the text, all has been done that can be done with profit. Any future emendations of the present text will be very likely to prove valueless. We still need a perfect transcript of the stone. Among those who have labored on the inscription, the first is M. Genneau. He was followed by the Count de VogUe, Mr. Grove, Emanuel Deutch, Captain Warren, M. Neubauer, Professor Schlottman, Professor Niildeke, Professor Rawlinson and others. We will give here the work of Dr. Ginsburg, some of the parts supplied being indicated by brackets : a ^?r^. ^^ss^ wm 14 Tnc Moabite Stone. M I 1 ./! ' HI t 1. I Mesha* am son of Chemoshgad t King of Moab the 2. Dibonite. My father J reigned over Moab thirty years and I reigned 3. after my father. And I erected this stone to Chemosh § at Karcha || [a stone of] 4. [Sa] Ivation, for he saved me from all despoilers and let me see my dcpire upon all my enemies, 5. and Om[ri] King of Israel who oppressed Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his 6. [la] nd- His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab. In my days he said [Let us go] 7. and I will see my desire on him and his house, and Israel said, I shall destroy it forever. Now Omri took the land, 8. Medebal] and occupied it [he and his son and his son's] son, forty years. And Chemosh [had mercy] 9. on it in my days ; and I built Baal-meon,** and made there in the ditch and I [built] 10. Kirjathaim,tt for the men of Gad dwelled in the land [Atar]oth from of old and the K [ing of I] srael fortified 11. A [t]aroth,JJ and I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the wa[rriors of] 12. the wall, for the well pleasing of Chemosh and Moab ; and I removed from it all the spoils and [of- 13. fered] it before Chemosh in Kirjath ; and I placed therein the men of Siran and the me[n of Zerath] 14. Shacher.g^ And Chemosh said to me, go take Nebo|||l against Israel. [And I] * A great desire has been shown by critics to exercise their ingenuity on the text of Mesha's inscription ; and all has perhaps been already done that can be expected with- out a more careful rendering of the text. And while the general sense of the document is clear, we can with the more equanimity abstain from guessing, until we have a fac- simile that will give every possible fragment that has thus far eluded the explorers. The writer will only allude to such points as may seem to require remark from the very nature and purpose of this article. For instance the custom of setting up memorial stones like these is referred to in 1 Sam. vii. 12; and 2 Sam. viii. 13. f The lacuna after Chemosh in the inscription has been filled up by Gnd, fortune, which appears to be accepted as the true reaiing. Thus it signifies whose fortune is Chemosh. It is analogous to liaaUjad, (Joshua xi. 17). X It appears from this that Mesha's father was not a king. § Evidently done as a pious act to Chemosh. The habit of religious thought on the part of the Moabite appears identical with that of the Jew, except as regards its object, which was Chemosh, on whom — see Num. xxi, 2U; Judges xi. 2\; Jer. xlviii. 7, 13, 46. II A suburb of Dibon. f Medcba, a Moabite city east of Jordan where the Amorites fought Joab. ** The present Maein, a ruin south-east of Heshbon. ft About two hours from Baal-Meon. \X A city of Gad. Num. xxx. 11, 34. g^ See Joshua xiii. 19. II |{ Named from its proximity to the mount from which Moses saw the Promised land. The Moabite Stone. 15 15. AVent in the night, and I fought against it from the break of dawn till noon, and I took 16. it and slew in all seven thousand [men] but I did not kill the women 17. and maidens, for [IJ devoted them to AshtarChemosh *; and I took, from it 18. [the ves] sels of Jehovah and offered them before Chemosh. A King of Israel forti[fied] 19. Jahaz, and occupied it, when he made war against me ; and Chemosh drove him out before [me and] 20. I took from Moab two hundred men, all chiefs, and fought against Jahaz and took it, 21. in addition to Dibon. I built Karcha, the wall of the forest, and the wall 22. of the city, and I built the gates thereof, and I built the towers thereof, and I built the palace, and I made the prison.^ f of the men of ... . . . . . with [in the] 24. wa'l. And there was no cistern within the wall in Karcha, % and I said to all the people make for yourselves 25. every man a cistern | in his house. And I dug the ditch || for Karcha with the [chosen] men of 26. [IJsrael. I built Aroer and I made the road ^ across the Arnon, 27. I built Beth-Bamoth,** for it was destroyed ; I built Bezer, for it was cu[t down] 28. by the fifty men of Dibon, for all Dibon was now loyal ; and I sav[ed] 29. [from my enemies] Bikran, which I added to my land, and I built] 30. [Beth-Gamul], and Beth-Diblathaim, and Beth-Baal-Meon, and I placed there the Mo[abites] 31. [to take possession of ] the land. And Horonaim . . . dwelt therein 32. And Chemosh said to me, go down and make war against Horonaim and ta[ke] it 33. Chemosh in my days 34. year and I * Schlottman considers this name impor.ant in connection with Canaanite mythology, as the original of the Aphrodite of Aristophanes. f Here we are reminded of the sad fact that the prison is almost always the accompa- niment of the palace. X A suburb of Dibon. g The place was probably honey-combed, like Jerusalem, with vats sunk in the rock. II This phrase, " dug the dit.-jh " is elsewhere translated, " decreed the separation." Schlottman favors the view that it refers to a covenant made by Mesha with his god Chemosh to remain forever in a state of non-communion as regards the Jews. \ Burckhardt mentions ruins opposite Ar*ir-Aroer called Mehadetel Haj which occupy iwo hours in passing through them. Near by are the ruins of the Roman bridge, proba- bly based on the work of Mesba, which was evidently a work of great magnitude. ** Bamoth, that perhupa of Numbers xxi. 19. «24 B. G., they were free, which is a fact that we did not know before. The declaration that Omri reconquered Moab at the above dates and that Mesha afterwards delivered his people by force of arms, e.xplains other points. Now from the year of the invasion of Moab by the Kings of Israel, Judali and Edom (the narrative of which has already been given from 2 Kings, iii.) down to the death of Ahaz, a period of about one hundred and eighty years, we hear nothing of the rela- tion of Moab to Israel. And yet we know that the Moabites were actually masters of the country, not only south, but north of the Arnon, occupying that region whicli the Amorites originally wrested from them, but which the Jews, in turn, conquered from the Amorites, and assigned to Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. How, then, did the Moabites reconquer the territory from the two and a half tribes, and rise to that condition of wealth and power described by Isaiah, where, in his Burden of Moab, he presents a great and warlike people, abounding in " armed soldiers," with wealth "laid up," "summer fruits,'' and harvests, "vineyards," "gladness" and " joy out of the plentiful field," the "shouting" treaders of the purple vintage, the high altars of Chemosh with their gorgeous ritual performed in an atmosphere faint with the fragrance of the aromatics of the East, and, above all, the " haughtiness" and " the pride of Moab," ruling in as- sured safety, " from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion"? (Isaiah xv. 16.) When we ask, and how did the Moabites attain to a position of such ease, splendor and strength ? ^ It was king Josiah'g mission to destroy these high places: "And the high places that icere before Jerusalem, which were on the right band of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zi- doniaiis, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomi- nation of the children of Ammon did the king defile." 2 Kings xxiii. 13. ; :; The MonhUe Stone, 23 It is not neccssfiry to dwell upon tlio answers that have boon pivon in tinioa past, which suppose that during the intorron;iiuin following the death of Jeroboam II. (TOy — 21 B. C.) they rooov- ercd their cities, a task rondorod all the more easy by the carry- ing away of Reuben to Assyria, which was begun by Pul (770 ]}. C.) and completed by Ti'glath-pileser. If such an invasion had been performed at the time referred to, we should probably have found it enumerated by Isaiah in the " Burden" witli the rest of the sins of Moab. But the Triumphal Pillar of Dibon explains this point, and shows U8 that it was Mesha who reconquered the territory about 884 B. C, and rebuilt the cities which Israel had originally taken from his nation by Omri *J34 B. C. And the country thus taken from the Jewish transjordanic tribes remained in possession of the Moabites down to 726 B. C, when the claims of the cot queror had been recognized and when they had risen to the proud and prosperous condition described by the Seer in the Burden of Moab. Thus this remarkable stone, after standing silent in the desert for so many ages, is brought forward to cry out against the guesses and surmises of the well-meaning but misled antiquary. Another fact is also clear, namely, that after achieving these victories and restoring the cities, he made Dibon the capital of his Kingdom. The historical information given by this stone is important, if not extensive, and at the same time it forms so much contempora- neous testimony to the historical basis of the Old Testament, which is no longer a solitary book, speaking in unparalleled and unsup- ported language out of the dim past. The composition of Mesha written in the characters employed at the time, not only in Phoeni- cia, but in Jerusalem and Samaria, is older than two thirds of the Hebrew Scriptures, as old as the closing days of Elijah, and with- in a century of the age of Solomon's Temple, the foundation of which still remains, after a lapse of two thousand eight hundred years. Skeptical criticism which would question the antiquity of the Hebrew oracles, is therefore rebuked, and its vaunted a priori arguments dismissed to the winds, by this new and remarkable monument, which in addition to other advantages, gives the names of twelve places me.:tioned in Numbers, the forty-eighth chapter of Jeremiah alone containing ten. r^ / I' i''. 1 ' 24 The MoaUte Stone. But we must turn from this aspect of the Moabite stone, to glance at its theological importance. We find that, after the cap turc of Nebo, Mesha says (line 18): " I took from it the vessels of Jehovah and offered them before Chemosh." This simple sentence sheds light upon a hitherto uncertain question, for it indicates that the transjordariic tribes of the Jews had a separate service and ritual of their own. This has hitherto been regarded as matter of tradi- tion. It is true that the Acts of the Apostles (xv. 21) tell us how " Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day," while Josephus {cont. Apion) says that Moses permitted the people in general " to leave oft" their employments, and to assemble together for the hearing of the law and learning it exactly, and this not once or twice or oftener, but every week." (B. II. S. 18.) Yet such exercises did not imply any ceremonial service, at least a service of a high order. This required an elaborate ritual, with altars, bowls, sacri- ficial vessels and musical instruments. Consecrated apparatus like this appears to have been possessed by the people of Nebo, and these " vessels of Jehovah," Mesha took at the capture and oflfered them before his god Chemosh. How long the worship at Nebo had been established, and whether their ritual was that of the ancient Tabernacle or of the more recent order of the Temple, we cmnot say. Yet it is clear that they had a worship of a superior character, which is a fact that we learn exclusively from the Moa- bite Stone. We are also taught by this stone that in the days of Mesha the Tetragrammaton was used, for we have the name Jehovah in the inscription, which incommunicable name could be uttered by the High Priest alone, in the Benediction on the great day of Atone- ment, in confessing the sins of the nation. When the priests and people in the outer court heard it, they fell upon their faces, and exclaimed, " Blessed be the name of His glorious majesty forever and ever." And every student of the Hebrew Scriptures is fami- liar with the fact that TV\TV (Jehovah) is pointed HliT, or with the ^JlTJi {Adonai) thus avoiding its utterance. And as regards the antiquity of this use, critics have hitherto been unable to agree. Nevertheless Jewish tradition has boldly maintained that the use began with Moses. And clearly the aversion of the Jews to the utterance of the Tetragrammaton is very ancient, but still not The Moahite Stone. 25 more ancient than the Moabite stone, for here we have the name whicli evidently was then so common that the Moabites had heard it and now placed it upon their triumphal stone. Next consider the distinct Utiguistic importance of the stone. And here \'q are reminded of a passage in Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, a passage which will surely be revised. The writer says: " Of the language of the Moabites we know nothing or next to nothing. In the few communications recorded as taking place between them and the Israelites no interpreter is mentioned. (Ruth; 1 Sam. xxii. 3, 4, etc.) And from the origin of the n-^tion and other considerations we may, perhaps, conjecture that their language was more a dialect of Hebrew than a diffeieut tongue." And the only suggestion offered by the editors of the work, the closing portions of which in the American edition have lately come from the press, is that materials for an investigation of the language might be found in some Moabite names preserved in the Scriptures. But a blaze of light has now been poured upon the subject by the discovery of the Moabite Stone, which bears a composition in the identical language of that ancient people ; and we no longer depend upon a "perhaps " or conjecture. We know the absolute truth. And here it must also be remembered that the inscription of Mesha is something entirely distinct from the cuniform characters of Ni leveh and the hieroglyphs of Egypt. It is the oldest known original alphabet writing in the world, a pre-Maccabean composition in a language almost precisely like the Biblical Hebrew. Its antiquity and purity, therefore, render it a model, while from it we may ascertain what were the linguistic peculiarities of the Hebrew Scriptures in the original manuscripts, and thus be able to learn whether or not we are following them, when we adopt the Masorite editions with their divisions of words. Now, while we have hitherto followed the Masorite custom, and adopted the convenient divisions, there have been many indications that went to show the prevalence of the Scriptio continua. With a few unimportant exceptions, we know that those ancient exam- ples with which we were hitherto acquainted, including the oldest Fhenician inscriptions, made no divisions of words. The Mar- fT !■■ ; 2fi The Moahite Stone. ) > \ ('' f I ! seilles stone and the Ashmunesar sarcophagus * of Sidon, how- ever valuable in other respects, go to confirm the authority of the Hcriptio continua. From all these things it has been argued that in the original Scriptures there was no division of words, and that the convenience of division is an innovation. Besides it was said, and with truth, that the oldest editions of the Scriptures show divisions of words different from those accepted at present, and also that the Jews wrote a certain number of consonants on one line, which was made an unvarying rule for the rest, and could not have been one more or less. They, therefore, followed the usage * The following is a translation of the inscription on the stone found at Sidon fifteen years ago, by Dr. T joinpson. " In the month Bui, in the fourteenth — xiv. — of my reign, King Ashmunazer, the King of the Sidonians, son of Tabnith, King of the Sidonians, King Ashmunazcr, King of the Sidonians spake, saying, I am snatched away before my time, like the flowing of a river. Then I have made a house for my funeral resting place, and am lying in this sarcophagus, and in this sepulchre the place which I have built. My prohibition to every royal person and to every man not to open my sepulchre, and not-to seek with me treasures, nor to take away the sarcophagus of my funeral couch, nor transfer me with my funeral couch upon the couch of another, and, if men command to do so, listen not to their opinion, because every royal person, and every man who shall open this funeral couch, or who shall take away the sarcophagus of this funeral couch, or who shall transfer me with the funeral couch, he shall have no funeral with the dead, nor bo buried in a sepulchre, nor leave behind them son or posterity ; and the holy gods. Vrith the king that shall rule over them, shall cut off that royal person, and that man who has opened my couch, or who has abstracted this sarcophagus, and so also the posterity of that royal person, or of that man, whoever he may be; nor shall his root be planted downward, nor his fruit spring upward ; and he shall be accursed among those living under the sun, because I am to bo pitied — snatched away before my time, like a flowing river. Then I have made this building for my resting place, for I am Ashmunazer, King of the Sidonians, son of Tab- nith, King of the Sidonians, grandson of Ashmunazer, King of the Sidonians; and my mother, luimiastoerth, priestess of Astarto, and sovereign queen, daughter of King Ash- munazer, King of the Sidonians. It is we who have built the temple of the gods * * in Sidon by the sea, and the heavenly powers have rendered Astarte favorable. And it is we who have erected the temple to Esmuno, and the sanctuary of Ene Diiiil in the mountain. The heavenly powers have established me on (he throne ; and-it is wo who have built the temple of the gods of the Sidonians in Sidon by the sea, the temple of Baal Sidon, and the temple of Astarte, the glory of Baal Lord of Kings, who bestowed on us Dor and Joppa, and ample corn lands which are at the root of Dan, extending the power which I have founded, they added them to the bounds of the land, establishing them to the Sidonians forever. '' My prohibition upon every royal person and upon every man who shall open upon me, or uncover me, or shall transfer mo with this funeral couoh ; lest the holy gods desert them, and cut off that royal person, or that man, wuoever he may be, and their posterity forever." The Land and the Book, Vol. I. p. 201. See also, " M6moire sur le sarcophage et L' Inscription Fun6raire D'Kschmounazar lloi de Sidon. Par M. L'Abb6 J. J. L. Barges. Paris, 1866." i Tlie Moahite Stone. 27 of antiquity. But then what was the usage of antiquity ? That of course must be settled by its oldest known alphabetical monu- ment, winch is the Moahite Stone. This sets aside all the ingenious learning that has been brought to bear against our Masorite usage. While its character is Phenician, its language is Moabite, and nearer to the Hebrew than to the former, as close as the Phe- nician tongue may approximate to the Hebrew. And in this monument the words are divided with points, and the text is divided into verses by vertical strokes. There is every reason then to believe that this was the custom in the original Hebrew, preserved in modern Synagogue Rolls which reject the vowel points, on account of their modern origin. We, therefore, ration- ally infer that the Hebrews, so intimately allied to the Moabites in everything else, for example as in their syntax and parti jles, must have followed them in their punctuation also. Again, on the question in regard to the use of the scriptio plena and scriptio defectiva of the Masorite text, some have argued that the vowel, consonants or matres lectionis, forming the mnemonic sign ^IflJ^ {Ehevi) — when they indicate a vowel did not occur in the original Hebrew. This point is discussed very fully by Dr. Ginsburg, who shows that the argument is without founda- tion, and that the Moabite Stone proves that the vowels were originally represented by the consonants ^"lill< {Ehevi)', which, of course, is a very important point to establish. Finally we have to speak of the Paleographical importance of the Moabite Stone. Says Dr. Ginsburg — " In this respect, this triumphal Pillar is perfectly peerless, inasmuch as we obtain an alphabet which is more than a century and a half older than any other Epigraphic document containing the same species of writing ; and it is three centuries older than the Sarcophagus of Eshr^unazer, which has hitherto been considered the most ancient inscription of iny considera- ble length." Having already described the characters employed as Pheni- cian (though it should be remembered that these characters were generally employed by all the chief nations at that time, even though the Phenicians did invent them) we come directly to the point before us, and inquire what makes the inscription so import- ant in the palajographical view. This importance arises from the fact that it gives us fresh knowledge in regard to the number of 28 The Moabite Stone. r. ii ■; ! ?! 'V. I': A/ V letters contained in the primitive alphabet, from which the Greek characters were derived. Herodotus tells us that the Phenicians who accompanied Cadmus gave the Greeks, among other things, the letters of the alphabet. Pliny also says, that the Cadmean alphabet brought into Greece, contained sixteen letters ; and that afterwards Palamedes and Simonides each added four. He also gives the affirmation of Aristotle, that there were originally eighteen letters, two more being added by Epicharmus, instead of Pala- medes. It has accordingly been declared that the original Sem- itic alphabet contained only sixteen letters. On the other hand, the Alphabetical Psalms and Poems,* the initial letter of each verse of which begins with a letter of the alphabet, from which it appears that there were originally twenty-two. In opposition to this it has been replied that, at some post- Babylonian date, these compositions were recast, and the acrostic arrangement devised to suit a more modern alphabet. But this is swept away by the Moabite Stone, which was erected nine hundred years before Christ, and contains twenty-two f letters, demonstrating t'lRC even long before this time, twenty-two letters were in use. / The integrity of the Scriptures is thus maintained, in a most un- expected manner, by the oldest alphabet writing in the world. This, every one must concede, is an advantage of no little magni- tude. The Moabite stone also shows us the origin of the forms of the Greek alphabet, whose archaic characters are identical, we may say, with those of the Moabites. This will appear from a com- parison of the forms, which have already been conveniently tabu- lated, in parallel lines, including also, the alphabets of the Esh- munazer and Marseille Stones, and the Assyrian Tables and Gems, the forms being arranged according to their respective age. The Archaic Greek is thus as it were, traced back to the ancient quarry from which it was taken ; for instance, the Greek Xi, a perpendicular line with three cross bars (rjr), said to have been invented by Simonides (530 B. C.) being easily identified with the Moabite Samech. We have now nearly reached the limits of the space proposed * P». 25, 34, 37, 101, 112, 119, 145 ; Prov. 31 : 10-31 ; Lam. 1-4. f We say twentj-two because Teth has clearly been lost from the word ataroth in the eleventh line. ll-^ The Moahite Stone. 29 for this Article, and must draw to a close. Yet we may neverthe- less remark, that in the treatment of this subject little account has been taken of the differences of opinion expressed thereon during the past year by various writers, for the reason that much has been written that appeared, not only a little pedantic, usefully so we trust, but premature. Revision has been the task of nearly all those who have labored on tlie Moabite inscription not in vain. And in the future we shall, it is to be hoped, have a more perfect text, and also learn more of the methods employed to secure the present so-called /rtc-s«?M?7t'. Still the general views of the subject most recently laid before the public, will probably, in the main, be permitted to stand. At the outset a somewhat exclusive advan- tage was claimed for the inscription by several individuals ; and hence Professor Rawlinson insisted upon the paleographical value of the stone p.t the expense of its historical character, aver- ring that it fell far behind the Assyrian inscriptions in respect to the illustration of Sacred History, and that stones with the cuni- form letter, equal in value to the Moabite stone, are being brought to light every year, without attracting any special notice. Yet while no one can easily undervalue the revelations from Nineveh, it is still undeniable that the Moabite inscription asserts its lessons in a peculiarly pointed manner, and that, few as may be its words, they necessitate a revision of a numerous class of cognate educa- tional and philological works relating to the Hebrew language and literature. Accordingly, we believe that no competent critic will be found at last cherishing a desire to take away aught from any of the special values now claimed for the inscription, but that scholars and antiquaries will, with a general consent, allow the high and enduring usefulness of its varied peculiarities. And this suggests the importance of keeping in mind the great differ- ence between the Moabite Stone, and that of Marseilles and Eshmunazer. As valuable as may be the latter, they cannot after all be compared with the new-found pillar of Mesha. While the Marseilles slab, and the coffin lid of the Sidonian King, after furnishing valuable material for the compilation of Phenician grammar, pass into comparative obscurity, the Moabite Stone must hold its place in the practical studies of the Biblical scholar, and form a sort of standard reference on certain questions in theological schools. r^l » ,< M l III ^ 1' ■— ^ tmmm 9i 1 ' 30 The Moabite Stone. ! ' I ' 1 1 li u .•) ! 1 But shall this be the last of the Moabite atone ? Is it doomed to stand out in its present solitariness in the barren field of Moab- ite Literature; or shall it be regarded simply as the first fruits of a generous antiquarian and Biblical harvest? This is a question for our people to decide, since it is highly probable that the de- serted cities and crumbling palaces of ancient Moab have other treasures waiting to reward the well directed labors of a liberal zeal. It is true the author of the Article on "Moab"* already referred to, speaking of the fulfillment of the " Burden of Moab," assures us that " we shall never know who the ' lords of the heathen ' Avere who, in that terrible night, laid waste and brought to silence the prosperous Ar-moab and Kir-moab. On the occa- sion of that flight over the Arnon, when the Moabite women were huddled together at the ford, like a flock of young birds, pressing to cross to the safe side of the stream, when the dwellers in Aroer stood by the side of the high road which passed their town and eagerly questioning the fugitives as they hurried up, ' What is done ?' — received but one answer from all alike — ' All is lost ! Moab is confounded and broken down !' " Yet, now that the dis- covery of the Moabite Stone is on record we must not adopt the language of doubt. A proud, wealthy and civilized people like that of Moab, the rivals of the more favored Jews, and a people whose boastful prosperity was, so to speak, prophesied at for a space of nearly two hundred years, — certainly found more tri- umphs to record than one. It is therefore the business of societies like that of the American Palestine Exploration Fund to search for their monuments, to uncover the grass-grown walls, to lift up the fallen columns, to restore the shattered tablets of Moab. This is a work intimately connected with the illustration and vindication of the Word of God. It is true that there are diffi- culties to be met. The " Sick man of the East," a pitiful anachronism compounded of weakness and tyranny that the pro- gress of civilization should ere this have forever swept away, is watching the explorer with a jealous eye. The Bedouins them- selves are suspicious, and far from reliable. But the disciples of Mahomet can be bought with backsheesh, and the most Jesuitical fir- man can be transmuted into an accommodating document with a * See Smith's Dictionary of the Bible. "^t^mmmmmm The Ilodbite Stone. 31 little gold. The first thing really needed is a proper appreciation of the importance of the work to be done, and, second, a suitable supply of funds. Confidence in the enterprise is mentioned first, because the mental creates the material, and the earnest faith and purpose of liberal American Christians cannot successfully be de- nied. If they say that the thickly-strewn ruins of Moab shall be explored, it will be done. And besides there is a greater charm about this country than many suppose. It is true that the long suspended judgment pro- claimed by Jeremiah at last fell upon the people. Openly did they deride those words, " For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken : and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together. xVnd the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plains shall be destroyed, as the Lord hath spoken." (Chap, xlviii. 7, 8.) But the tented traveler today realizes their truth, and on the very ground where Meslia set up his Triumphal Pillar, he also reads again, " Thou daughter that dost inhabit DiBON, come down from thi/ glory, and sit in thirst ; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds." Yet we can but take a deep interest in Moab, and long to know more of its past. The people sprang from the same stock as Israel, and in common with the Canaanites, they used an almost identical lan- guage. They enjoyed at times pleasant intercourse with the Hebrew nation. To-day the ashes of Moses rest in Moab where God buried him ; buried him in an unknown grave, and (let those who yearn for peculiarly consecrated ground, and the perpetua- tion of enmities after death, remember it,) hard by the sanctuary of Baal-Peor, the false one to whom during life Moses was an im- placable foe. Moab was the country of Elijah, who " was a man of Gilead." The Israelites journeyed this way when approaching the land of Canaan, and afterwards friendly and devout Jews re- sorted to Moab in a season of famine. Then the Perean days of our Lord, occupying portions of the last five months of His public life, carried Him to this country, where He delivered some of His tenderest instructions, and where His soul overflowed in marvelous acts of divine, disinterested benevolence. While who can ever for- get that this land was the home of the grandmother of King L /j ^S^ i^ K f TS y 32 The Moahite Stone. '■' 1 David, the gentle and loving Ruth, who clave to Naomi's God, and whose idyllic story will touch the hearts of countless readers to the end of time ? It is this land, invested with so many vener- able and tender, as well as tragic associations, our present land of Biblical promise — that the reverent antiquary, earnestly desiring to know the truth of history and eager to illustrate the Divine Word, is invited to enter, and, in a sense that no Mohametan fir- man contemplates, make his own. We have referred to the American Palestine Exploration So- ciety. In connection with the English Society, it proposes to act at once, and ere this summer goes by one or more of its agents will perhaps be abroad, searching among the ruins of Moab, a field to which it has been specially assigned by the English So- ciety, the latter intending to confine itself to its old and selected ground. Americans should therefore feel a deep interest in the work, a work that for ages has been waiting to be done, and which is a work whose accomplishment would perhaps at no period have appeared so grateful as it would now: and whose accomplishment, moreover, has possibly been reserved until our own time to meet by its fruition the assaults of a Strauss and the sneers of a Kenan. 'S\ H i^^.