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gave to the Israelites the city Avaris, which had been deserted by those shepherds who had possessed it---and which stood in the nome of Sais.

If then the ancient Saïte province can be ascertained, the region and city, which the children of Israel possessed, will be farther manifest. This region occurs under different denominations, being stiled the land of Gothen, the land of Rameses, the field of Zoan, and the Arabian nome. By some of the Egyptian writers, as we have seen, it was called the nome of Saïs. This last was the name both of the province and chief city. That it was a different place from the lower Saïs may be farther proved from Plato, who was well acquainted with it, as well as from other writers, however it may have been at times' confounded with it. The difference will appear plainly from the history of its situation. E51 τις κατ' Αιγυπτον εν τῷ Δελτα, περι ὁ κατα κορύ φην σχίζεται το τε Νειλε ρευμα, το τε Νειλε ρευμα, Σαΐτικος επικα λεμενος Νόμος. Τετε δε τε Νομε μεγιση πολις Zais. There is a particular portion of Egypt at

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This was owing to the city being in different ages described under different names.

2 In Timæo, v. 3. p. 21.

the top of Delta, where the Nile is first divided, called the Saitic nome; to which nome the great city of Sais belongs. Pomponius Mela, speaking of the principal cities of Egypt, says, Earum clarissimæ procul a mari, Saïs, Memphis, Syene. By this we find that it was in a position very different from the other Saïs, which stood nearer to the maritime towns of Lower Egypt. It is said to have abounded with crocodiles and river-horses, which were never seen below. Nicander, in his Theriaca, takes notice of the hippopotamus, and speaks of it as being found above this city.

* Ίππο, τον Νειλος ύπερ Σαϊν αιθαλοεσσαν
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Upon this the Scholiast observes, that these animals appeared there in great numbers. Σαῖς πολις Αιγυπτε γέμεσα ἱπποποταμων. Now it is very certain that they never frequent the part of a river near the sea, nor were they ever found in Lower Egypt among the branches of the Nile. The city is farther de

L. 1. c. ix. p. 61.

3 Scholia, ibid.

2 P. 40. edit. Turneb.

Pliny gives a like account of the crocodiles in these parts. Plurimi crocodili super Saïticam præfecturam. vol. 2. 1. 28. P. 463.

scribed by Proclus, who, as well as Plato, resided much in Egypt. • To de y Δελτα YiV8ται μεν τε Νειλε σχιζομενε περι τον Σαϊτικον Νόμον, απο μιας ευθείας επι δεξια και αρισερα και επιθα λattav EžiovTos. The region stiled Delta is formed by a division of the Nile, which begins at the nome of Saïs; and instead of proceeding downward in one direct stream, now parts to the right and to the left, and thus enters the sea. From these evidences we are again taught, that there were not only two cities of the same name, but we have their situation plainly distinguished; and the superior city was in the vicinity of Heliopolis, and corresponds exactly with the portion of country given by Pharaoh to the father and brethren of Joseph. Manetho, though he has confounded the history greatly, yet mentions the names of Rameses and Moses, and of Joseph, whom he calls Osarsip, instead of Sar-Osiph, the Lord Osiph; and between the two latter he does not make a proper distinction. Thus much we learn expressly from him, that the king of the country afforded the Israelites a settlement in the province of Saïs.

From hence it seems plain, that this pro 'Proclus in Timæum, p. 30.

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vince was the same as Rameses and Goshen, and the field of Zoan, and the same also as the Arabian nome. It lay to the west, opposite to the Nomus Hammoniacus, in which were the chief pyramids, and where the road commenced which lay to the famous temple of Jupiter Ammon. Pliny, having enumerated the provinces to the east upon the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, proceeds to those on the opposite side westward. Reliqua (pars Egypti continet) Arabicum, Hammoniacum, tendentem ad Jovis Hammonis oraculum, &c. If this nome had been named from its situation, it should have been called from its proxi-. mity the Libyan nome: and Strabo does ascribe its chief city, under the name of Cercesura, to that part of the world. 'Hev ovv Ηλιοπολιτις εν τη Αραβία εσιν, εν δε τη Λιβύη Κερxsσouga Toλis. The nome of Heliopolis is in Araκέσουρα πολις. bia, but the city Cercesura in Libya. He made the Nile the limit of the two great continents; and what he says is very consistent, when he is properly understood. We have here fresh evidence, that it was not called the Arabian nome from its situation, for it was rather to be adjudged to Libya, though by some made

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* L. 17. P. 1160.

μεν ουν

neutral. Manetho was misled by the appellation Nopos Agalas, which was substituted instead of Tabir Cushan, Nouos Agaliar, the nome of the Arabians; and he has been followed by other writers. By which means they have placed the best of the land of Egypt in a desert.

We have seen that Plato speaks of this city as one of the most respectable in Egypt, by styling it---μεγιση πολις Σαΐς. It was a strong place and of great consequence, and esteemed the key to Upper and Lower Egypt. From hence I have been induced to think, that it was the same as the city Sin in the scriptures, against which the wrath of God was denounced by the prophet Ezekiel. And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain.—— And I will pour forth my fury upon Sin the strength of Egypt. This latter verse is rendered by the authors of the Greek version, and I believe very properly--. και εκχέω τον θυμον με επι Σαϊν τον ισχυν Αιγυπτε. The former verse also in the Aldine copies is translated after the same manner---και ταραχθησεται ἡ Σαΐς. In other copies it is idly rendered Zonin, Syene; for which there was not the least authority. Syene, though probably a city of some con

1 C. 30. v. 15.

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