modern Egyptologists.  That monotheism must have been a foreign importation, because it is contrary to that sexual dualism of Godhead which is the fundamental characteristic of Semitic religion, is an untenable exaggeration which has recently become popular out of opposition to the familiar thesis about the monotheistic instinct of the Semites (Noldeke, Literar.  Centralbl., 1877, p. 365).  Moab, Ammon, and Edom, Israel’s nearest kinsfolk and neighbours, were monotheists in precisely the same sense in which Israel itself was; but it would be foolish surely in their case to think of foreign importation.

Manetho’s statements about the Israelites are for the most part to be regarded as malicious inventions:  whether any genuine tradition underlies them at all is a point much needing to be investigated.  The story of Exod. ii. 1 seq. is a mythus of frequent recurrence elsewhere, to which no further significance is attached, for that Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians is vouched for by no earlier authorities than Philo and the New Testament.  According to the Old Testament tradition his connexion is with Jethro’s priesthood or with that of the Kenites.  This historical presupposition of Mosaism has external evidence in its favour, and is inherently quite probable. *******

2.  THE SETTLEMENT IN PALESTINE.

The kingdom of Sihon did not permanently suffice the Israelites, and the disintegration of the Canaanites to the west of Jordan in an endless number of kingdoms and cities invited attack.  The first essay was made by Judah in conjunction with Simeon and Levi, but was far from prosperous.  Simeon and Levi were annihilated; Judah also, though successful in mastering the mountain land to the west of the Dead Sea, was so only at the cost of severe losses which were not again made up until the accession of the Kenite families of the south (Caleb).  As a consequence of the secession of these tribes, a new division of the nation into Israel and Judah took the place of that which had previously subsisted between the families of Leah and Rachel; under Israel were included all the tribes except Simeon, Levi, and Judah, which three are no longer mentioned in Judges v., where all the others are carefully and exhaustively enumerated.  This half-abortive first invasion of the west was followed by a second, which was stronger and attended with much better results.  It was led by the tribe of Joseph, to which the others attached themselves, Reuben and Gad only remaining behind in the old settlements.  The district to the north of Judah, inhabited afterwards by Benjamin, was the first to be attacked.  It was not until after several towns of this district had one by one fallen into the hands of the conquerors that the Canaanites set about a united resistance.  They were, however, decisively repulsed by Joshua in the neighbourhood of Gibeon; and by this victory the Israelites became masters of the whole central