What has been further objected against this passage of the
Israelites； and drowning of the Egyptians； being miraculous also；
viz。 that Moses might carry the Israelites over at a low tide
without any miracle； while yet the Egyptians； not knowing the
tide so well as he； might be drowned upon the return of the tide；
is a strange story indeed ！ That Moses； who never had lived here；
should know the quantity and time of the flux and reflux of the
Red Sea better than the Egyptians themselves in its neighborhood！
Yet does Artapanus； an ancient heathen historian； inform us； that
this was what the more ignorant Memphites； who lived at a great
distance； pretended； though he confesses； that the more learned
Heliopolitans； who lived much nearer； owned the destruction of
the Egyptians； and the deliverance of the Israelites； to have
been miraculous： and De Castro； a mathematician； who surveyed
this sea with great exactness； informs us； that there is no great
flux or reflux in this part of the Red Sea； to give a color to
this hypothesis； nay； that at the elevation of the tide there is
little above half the height of a man。 See Essay on the Old Test。
Append。 p。 239； 240。 So vain and groundless are these and the
like evasions and subterfuges of our modern sceptics and
unbelievers； and so certainly do thorough inquiries and authentic
evidence disprove and confute such evasions and subterfuges upon
all occasions。
（32） What that hexameter verse； in which Moses's triumphant song
is here said to be written； distinctly means； our present
ignorance of the old Hebrew metre or measure will not let us
determine。 Nor does it appear to me certain that even Josephus
himself had a distinct notion of it； though he speaks of several
sort of that metre or measure； both here and elsewhere。 Antiq。 B。
IV。 ch。 8。 sect。 44； and B。 VII。 ch。 12。 sect。 3。
（33） Take here the original passages of the four old authors that
still remain； as to this transit of Alexander the Great over the
Pamphylian Sea： I mean； of Callisthenes； Strabu； Arrian； and
Appian。 As to Callisthenes； who himself accompanied Alexander in
this expedition； Eustathius； in his Notes on the third Iliad of
Homer； （as Dr。 Bernard here informs us；） says； That 〃this
Callisthenes wrote how the Pamphylian Sea did not only open a
passage for Alexander； but； by rising and did pay him homage as
its king。〃 Strabo's is this （Geog。 B。 XIV。 p。 666）： 〃Now about
Phaselis is that narrow passage； by the sea…side； through which
his army。 There is a mountain called Climax； adjoins to the Sea
of Pamphylia； leaving a narrow passage on the shore； which； in
calm weather； is bare； so as to be passable by travelers； but
when the sea overflows； it is covered to a great degree by the
waves。 Now then； the ascent by the mountains being round about
and steep； in still weather they make use of the road along the
coast。 But Alexander fell into the winter season； and committing
himself chiefly to fortune； he marched on before the waves
retired； and so it happened that were a whole day in journeying
over it； and were under water up to the navel。〃 Arrian's account
is this （B。 I。 p。 72； 73）： Alexander removed from Phaselis； he
sent some part his army over the mountains to Perga； which road
the Thracians showed him。 A difficult way it was； but short。 he
himself conducted those that were with him by the sea…shore。 This
road is impassable at any other time than when the north wind
blows； but if the south wind prevail； there is no passing by the
shore。 Now at this time； after strong south winds； a north wind
blew； and that not without the Divine Providence； （as both he and
they that were with him supposed；） and afforded him an easy and
quick passage。〃 Appian； when he compares Caesar and Alexander
together； （De Bel。 Civil。 B。 II。 p。 522；） says； 〃That they both
depended on their boldness and fortune； as much as on their skill
in war。 As an instance of which； Alexander journeyed over a
country without water； in the heat of summer； to the oracle of
＇Jupiter＇ Hammon； and quickly passed over the Bay of Pamphylia；
when； by Divine Providence； the sea was cut off … thus Providence
restraining the sea on his account； as it had sent him rain when
he traveled ＇over the desert＇。〃
N。 B。 … Since； in the days of Josephus； as he assures us； all the
more numerous original historians of Alexander gave the account
he has here set down； as to the providential going back of the
waters of the Pamphylian Sea； when he was going with his army to
destroy the Persian monarchy； which the fore…named authors now
remaining fully confirm； it is without all just foundation that
Josephus is here blamed by some late writers for quoting those
ancient authors upon the present occasion； nor can the
reflections of Plutarch； or any other author later than Josephus；
be in the least here alleged to contradict him。 Josephus went by
all the evidence he then had； and that evidence of the most
authentic sort also。 So that whatever the moderns may think of
the thing itself； there is hence not the least color for finding
fault with Josephus： he would rather have been much to blame had
he omitted these quotations。
BOOK 3 FOOTNOTES
（1） Dr。 Bernard takes notice here； that this place Mar； where the
waters were bitter； is called by the Syrians and Arabians Mariri；
and by the Syrians sometimes Morath； all derived from the Hebrew
Mar。 He also takes notice； that it is called The Bitter Fountain
by Pliny himself； which waters remain there to this day； and are
still bitter； as Thevenot assures us and that there are also
abundance of palm…trees。 See his Travels； Part I。 ch。 26。 p。 166。
（2）The additions here to Moses's account of the sweetening of the
waters at Marah； seem derived from some ancient profane author；
and he such an author also as looks less authentic than are
usually followed by Josephus。 Philo has not a syllable of these
additions； nor any other ancienter writer that we know of。 Had
Josephus written these his Antiquities for the use of Jews； he
would hardly have given them these very improbable circumstances；
but writing to Gentiles； that they might not complain of his
omission of any accounts of such miracles derived from Gentiles；
he did not think proper to conceal what he had met with there
about this matter。 Which procedure is perfectly agreeable to the
character and usage of Josephus upon many occasions。 This note
is； I confess； barely conjectural； and since Josephus never tells
us when his own copy； taken out of the temple； had such
additions； or when any ancient notes supplied them； or indeed
when they are derived from Jewish； and when from Gentile
antiquity； … we can go no further than bare conjectures in such
cases； only the notions of Jews were generally so different from
those of Gentiles； that we may sometimes make no improbable
conjectures to which sort such additions belong。 See also
somewhat like these additions in Josephus's account of Elisha's
making sweet the bitter and barren spring near Jericho； War； B。
IV。 ch。 8。 sect。 3。
（3） It seems to me； from what Moses； Exodus 16：18； St。 Paul； 2
Corinthians 8：15； and Josephus here say； compared together； that
the quantity of manna that fell daily； and did not putrefy； was
just so much as came to an omer apiece； through the whole host of
Israel； and no more。
（4） This supposal； that the sweet honey…dew or manna； so
celebrated in ancient and modern authors； as falling usually in
Arabia； was of the very same sort with this manna sent to the
Israelites； savors more of Gentilism than of Judaism or
Christianity。 It is not improbable that some ancient Gentile
author； read by Josephus； so thought； nor would he here
contradict him； though just before； and Antiq。 B。 IV。 ch。 3。
sect。 2； he seems directly to allow that it had not been seen
before。 However； this food from heaven is here described to be
like snow； and in Artapanus； a heathen writer； it is compared to
meal； color like to snow； rained
down by God；〃 Essay on the Old Test。 Append。 p。 239。 But as to
the derivation of the word manna； whether from man； which
Josephus says then signified What is it or from mannah； to
divide； i。e。 a dividend or portion allotted to every one； it is
uncertain： I incline to the latter derivation。 This manna is
called angels' food； Psalm 78：26； and by our Sacior； John 6：31；
etc。； as well as by Josephus here and elsewhere； Antiq。 B。 III。
ch。 5。 sect。 3； said to be sent the Jews from heaven。
（5） This rock is there at this day； as the travelers agree； and
must be the same that was there in the days of Moses； as being
too large to be brought thither by our modern carriages。
（6） Note here； that the small book of the principal laws of Moses
is ever said to be laid up in the holy house itself； but the
larger Pentateuch； as here； some where within the limits of the
temple and its courts only。 See Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 1。 sect。 17。
（7） This eminent circumstance； that while Moses's hands were lift
up towards heaven； the Israelites prevailed； and while they were
let down towards the earth； the Amalekites prevailed； seems to me
the earliest intimation we have of the proper posture； used of
old； in solemn prayer； which was the stretching out of the hands
＇and eyes＇ towards heaven； as other passages of the Old and New
Testament inform us。 Nay； by the way； this posture seemed to have
continued in the Christian church； till the clergy； instead of
learning their prayers by heart； read them out of a book； which
is in a great measure inconsistent with such an elevated posture；
and which seems to me to have been only a later practice；
introduced under the corrupt state of the church； though the
constant use of divine forms of prayer； praise； and thanksgiving；
appears to me to have been the practice of God's people；
patriarchs； Jews； and Christians； in all the past ages。
（8） This manner of electing the judges and officers of the
Israelites by the testimonies and suffrages of the people； before
they were ordained by God； or by Moses； deserves to be carefully
noted； because it was the pattern of the like manner of the
choice and ordination of bishops； presbyters； and deacons； in the
Christian church。
（9） Sinc