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BS

600 N4 1849

ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by the

AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

No books are published by the AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION without the sanction of the Committee of Publication, conging of fourteen members, from the following denominations of Christians, viz. Baptist, Methodist, Congregationalist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Reformed Dutch. Not more than three of the members can ve of the same denomination, and no book can be published to which any member of the Committee shall object.

seems indicated by the mention of Phicol, the chief captain of Abimelech's host. The captain of the guard, was an officer in Egypt. The incidental allusion to the " digging down of walls" and "putting the hand on the neck of enemies," and "instruments of cruelty," seem to have in view warlike operations. xxi. 22; xxxvii. 36; xlix. 5, 6, 8.

SECTION XV. GOVERNMENT.

154. Some sort of government is essential in any form of society. In the age of which we are writing, the patriarchal seems to have been the prevailing form.

The father was the presiding sovereign over his family, including his own children, and, to some extent, his grand children. And even when a son had a family which he was expected to govern, he still felt bound to regard the wishes of his father. The kings that ruled over the cities mentioned in chapter fourteenth, were both civil and military rulers. They are called "kings," while Abraham is not so desig nated, yet he was doubtless so regarded by others. And the part he took in the war as leader of his "trained servants," shows that he occupied the same position.

155. The government of Egypt shows a more advanced state of society than that of Canaan. Pharaoh was king, and he had his subordinate princes, his harem, his chief butler and baker, his magicians and wise men, his captain of the guard, his state prison and his gallows; and surely the last named appendages have always been regarded as evidences of civilization. xii. 15, 19; xl. 1; xli. 19; xli. 2; xxxix. 20; xl. 19.

That the officers of government in Egypt were distinguished by some badge of authority, is plain from what is said of the ring of Pharaoh, the vestures of fine linen, and the golden chain, that were put upon

M. C. Marley: Biblical Reven E.

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