Migdol.

On.

Rameses and Pithom.

Rivers.

5. MIGDOL.-This was a border city on the Red Sea. Exod. xiv. 1.

6. ON, Gen. xli. 45.-This was called by the Seventy, Heliopolis, a city of the Sun. Heliopolis was situated at the apex of the Delta.

7. RAMESES AND PITHOM.-These were treasure cities, built by the Israelites, Exod. i. 11. and they were situated in the land of Goshen, which lay on the eastern side of the Nile, and the Pelusiotic branch. That Rameses lay on the eastern side of the Nile is evident; for the Israelites, on leaving Egypt, did not cross the waters of the Nile. Compare Gen. xlv. 10. xlvii. 11. Exod. xii. 37. xiii. 20. xiv. 2.

The following were the principal rivers belonging to Egypt.

River of 1. THE RIVER OF EGYPT.-This is mentioned as Egypt. the river which separated Egypt, on the northeast, from Canaan, Gen. xv. 18. By the river of Egypt, some understand the Nile; but there are difficulties attending this opinion. The Seventy, call the stream of Egypt, Isa. xxvii. 12, which may be the same as the river of Egypt, Gen. xv. 18, Rhinocorura.*

* Sometimes written Rhinocolura.

85

REESE LIBRARY

OF THE

UNIVERSITY

OF

Dr. Butler places on his map of ancient Egypt, a

town by the name of Rhinocorura, in the extremeTA

about twenty miles south

Modern travellers, who have not discovered any

northeast of that country,
of Gaza; but no river.
have visited this district,
river. They have, however, visited this part, only in
the dry seasons. One, speaks of a bed of a river.
Perhaps, the River of Egypt is a small stream, near
the town Rhinocorura, now, El-Arish, that dries up
in mid-summer; or it may be the Torrens Ægypti that
runs into the Sirbonian Bog, which lay some dis-
tance west of the town Rhinocorura, and east of
the Pelusiotic mouth of the Nile, near Mount Casius.

2. THE NILE.*-This, in a sense, is the only Nile.
river of Egypt. It rises south of Egypt-runs north
through the whole length of the country, about six
hundred miles, from Syene, to the Mediterranean Sea;
and formerly emptied into it, by the seven following
branches, or mouths, as designated by the Latins.
Beginning at the east-

1. Ostium Pelusiacum-from the city Pelusium.

Mouths of

the Nile.

Rahab or
Delta.
Situation.

Why so called.

Libya.

Location.

Boundaries.

6. Ostium Bolbitinum, from the city Bolbitine.
7. Ostium Canopicum 66 66 66

Canopus.

Some of the above mouths, or channels, are at present nearly lost.

RAHAB OR DELTA.

The country which lay between the eastern, and western branches of the Nile, was called, as is supposed, Rahab, Psa. lxxxvii. 4. by the Hebrews, on account of its resembling a pear, in its shape-from RAAB, or RAHAB, a pear. The Egyptians call it Rib, or Riph, a word meaning a pear. The Greeks called this district DELTA, because it was triangular, and resembled, in shape, their letter Delta.

LIBYA.

This district, in the allotted settlement of Mizraim, lay to the west of Egypt. This country is included in the plantation of Mizraim, for the following rea

sons.

1. Josephus says, that Labim, the way in which he writes the name of Mizraim's son Lehabim, erected a colony, and gave it the name of Libya.

2. There is a strong affinity between Lehabim, or Labim, and Libya.

Libya was bounded on the east, by Egypt-on the south, by Cush, or Ethiopia, in Africa-on

the west, by the land of Put-and on the north, by

the Mediterranean Sea.

For the sake of description, Lybia may be divided Division. into Upper, and Lower Libya.

UPPER LIBYA.

Upper

Libya.

This may be viewed as bounded on the east, by Boundaries. Upper Egypt-on the south, by the Cushanic, or Ethiopic Country-on the west, by the allotment of Put-and on the north, by Lower Libya.

This district, probably, extended into the interiour of Africa, and its inhabitants mingled with the Ethiopians. See Jer. xlvi. 9. Ezek. xxx. 5.

Extent.

LOWER LIBYA.

Lower
Libya.

This lay on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Boundaries. and it may be viewed as bounded on the east, by Lower Egypt-on the south, by Upper Libya-on the west, by the allotment of Put-and on the north, by the Mediterranean Sea.

SETTLEMENTS OF THE SONS OF MIZRAIM. Settlements

Through the extensive country, that we have contemplated, embracing Egypt and Libya, the settlements of the sons of Mizraim were scattered. In noticing the probable locations, and relative position,

of the sons

of Mizraim.

of the settlements of these sons of the patriarch, we may observe the following order,-beginning at the north of Egypt-proceeding south, through this country-and then north, through Libya, to the Mediterranean Sea.

Situation.

CASLUH 1 M.

Casluhim, it is thought, settled in the northeastern part of Egypt, or between the Delta, and the River of Egypt, for the following reasons.

1. In this district is found a mount, that, in ancient times, was called Casius, a town called Casium, and a country called Casiotis-all retaining somewhat of the name Casluh, or Casluhim.

2. Out of Casluhim, came Philistim, Gen. x. 14. The Philistim, or Philistines that spread along the Mediterranean Sea, in the west of Canaan, were from Caphtor. Amos ix. 7. Jer. xlvii. 4. a name that was more particularly given to the district of Lower Egypt. It is very probable, that Casluhim settled in that part of Egypt which adjoined Canaan.