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is certainly lost in the remote infancy of human settlements and institutions.

The Egyptian name of the city was No, Ezek. xxx. 14; to which was added Amon, or Amoun, which was, according to Herodotus, a title of Jove among the Egyptians. This would suggest that the city denoted was the chief seat of the worship of Jupiter Ammon. And such was No; for the Septuagint renders it, Ezek. xxx. 15, by Diospolis, " The city of Jove," on account of its devotion to the worship of Jupiter. Dr. Hales says, that it has been mistakenly supposed that the term Amon, or Amoun, denotes Ham, the youngest son of Noah, and the father of Misraim; and he adds, that its real signification is "Truth," or "Veracity," whence the Lord is styled El Amunah, "God of truth," Deut. xxxii. 4. Plato says, that "the secret and invisible creative power supreme among the Egyptians was called Ammon;" and Plutarch, that the term signified "hidden." This was also an epithet of the true God: "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?" Judg. xiii. 18; and it accords with the inscription on the temple of Neith, or " Wisdom," at Sais, in Lower Egypt, as recorded by Plutarch:

I AM ALL THAT HATH BEEN, AND IS, AND WILL BE;
AND MY VEIL NO MORTAL YET UNCOVERED.

MY OFFSPRING IS THE SUN.

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This may explain the ancient aphorism, "Truth lies hid in a well;" as primarily relating to the incomprehensible nature of the Supreme Being, "the only true God," John xvii. 3, who was styled by the Egyptians Scotos agnoston, meaning "darkness that cannot be pierced," and by the Athenians, Agnostos Theos, "THE UNKNOWN GOD." Acts xvii. 23. The Grecian name of this city, Thebes, was probably derived from Thebeh, "an ark," like Noah's, the memory of which would naturally be preserved by the first settlers after the deluge in all parts of the earth. Bruce, indeed, observes, that "the figure of the temples in Thebes do not seem to be far removed from the idea given us of the ark."

Thebes was the metropolis of the country of Egypt; far eclipsing the metropolitan cities which arose in Middle and Lower Egypt. It was venerated by the ancient Egyptians as the parent city, the seat of sacred mysteries, and of learning and the arts. Long after Memphis had become the political metropolis of the united kingdom, and from its more advan

tageous situation for trade had diverted from Thebes the wealth it derived from commerce, it survived in splendour and magnificence. Even at the present day, it has been said, while Zoph, and Zoan, and On, have scarcely left behind a vestige of their existence, the desolate temples of Thebes remain in almost all their pristine glory, and promise to carry down the records of her glory and desolation to the end of time.

The poet Homer, in his immortal verse, speaks of the great wealth of Thebes, and mentions its hundred gates, from each of which issued 200 men with horses and chariots, etc. This poetical allusion has been taken by some for history. Diodorus, however, intimates that the force was not raised in the vicinity of Thebes; and with reference to the hundred gates, he states the conjecture of some persons that the city derived its title of Hecatompylos from the numerous propyla, or gateways of temples and public buildings. The notion of its having gates is strongly objected to by some travellers, inasmuch as not the least indication can be discovered that the city was enclosed by a wall.

Concerning the buildings of the city we have no detailed description from ancient sources, but only of the public monuments. It is probable, however, that in this and other ancient cities of Egypt, while the temples were erected with such strong materials as would resist very long the power of time, the mass of private dwellings were of a very lowly character, such as mud or brick. When we speak, indeed, of the splendour of ancient cities, we must understand it exclusively of its public buildings and monuments, and not of handsome streets and comfortable habitations, which a modern city exhibits.

But we not only learn from profane history that Thebes was one of the most powerful cities in days of yore; Scripture bears testimony to the same fact. There is a striking passage in Nahum iii. 8-10, wherein there is an implied comparison between No, or Thebes, and Nineveth, with an apparent preference given to the former. The prophet interrogates Nineveh thus: "Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?" And then in the next verse he says, "Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite." How strong and great Thebes was, history and its existing monuments testify; and its population may be inferred from its be

ing called "populous," in comparison with the great city Nineveh, as well as from the accounts of its extent. These accounts differ greatly, but D'Anville, analyzing the various statements, deduces that its circuit was equal to twenty-seven Roman miles, being an extent to which few modern capitals approach, and which London itself does not greatly exceed. Of the wealth of Thebes some idea may be formed from the accounts of the spoils obtained by the Persians under Cambyses, and the quantity of precious metal collected after the burning of the city. This last, according to Diodorus, amounted to upwards of 300 talents, about 26,020 pounds troy, of gold, and 2,300 talents, or 199,518 pounds of silver; the former worth 1,248,9607., and the latter 598,5441. sterling. This destruction is said to have levelled not only the private house, but the greater part of its numerous temples.

But this was not the first time that Thebes had suffered from the desolations of war. The prophet Nahum intimates, in the passage referred to, that it was devastated before Nineveh. After drawing the comparison between the two cities, he says, "Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets; and they cast lots for her honourable men,* and all her great men were bound in chains." This corresponds to the first blow which the splendour of Thebes received when the Ethiopians invaded Egypt, 769 years B. C. It suffered again, very probably, when Nebuchadnezzar ravaged Egypt, 570 years B. C., after which it was burned by the Persian king. But it even then survived, and was still a city of some note. Eighty-six years B. c. it was indeed of such strength and consequence, as to dare to rebel against Ptolemy Lathyrus, and it endured a three years' siege before it was taken and plundered. It was again punished for rebellion by Gallus, in the reign of Augustus; after which the zeal of the early Christians led them to deface and destroy, as much as lay in their power, its remaining monuments, on account of the outrageous idolatry there displayed. But some of its monuments still remain, testifying at once to its ancient grandeur and to the truth of the inspired volume, which foretold its destruction. See Jer. xlvi. and Ezek. xxx. 14-16.

The ruins of Thebes, as described by travellers, testify an extent of magnificence of architectural design almost without a parallel. Karnac and Luxor are situated on the eastern

* It was customary with many of the ancient nations to cast lots for the principal captives who were taken in war.

side of Thebes, distant from each other about two miles. Karnac, which is the largest edifice in Egypt, was dedicated to Priapus. The mole is 140 paces in length, and twenty five in thickness. It leads to a court 110 paces in length, and the same in breadth. Two ranges of six columns conduct to a portico of 136 columns. The two middle ranges of these are eleven feet in diameter, the others are seven feet, the length of the vestibule is seventy-eight paces, the breadth twenty-five; this leads into a court where there are four obelisks, and twelve colossal figures. Two other courts conduct to what are supposed to be the apartments of the kings; besides which, there are many extensive buildings connected with the palace by avenues of sphinxes, lions, and rams. Some of these avenues extend towards Luxor. The entrance to Luxor is composed of two obelisks, which at present rise seventy feet above the surface of the ground, and are understood to be about thirty below it; two colossal statues of black granite, each thirty-eight feet high; and two masses of building of an oblong shape, and tapering_sides fifty-five feet high, and covered with hieroglyphics. These large masses are so crowded together that from the front of the moles to that of the obelisks the distance is only fourteen paces. On the western side of Thebes, is the site of Memnonium, and the statue of red granite thrown down by Cambyses. The space between the Memnonium and Medineet Abou, about a mile and a quarter, is covered with fragments of Colossus. The tomb of Osymandas is supposed by some to have been here. The palace of Mendineet Abou has a covered passage still preserved. This is fifty-five paces long, and sixty-five broad, and is formed by four rows of columns placed on the four sides of the court. These columns are forty-five feet high, and seven feet in diameter. The tombs

of the kings are situated in a narrow valley between the mountains of Libya, about four miles from the river. Strabo says, that there were seventeen tombs remaining in his time; and if we include a grotto near the Memnonium, the same number still remains.

From the nature of the sculptures, and the distribution of the apartments, Karnac, Luxor, and Memnonium, are supposed to have been residences of the kings of Egypt. All other buildings are considered as having been appropriated to religious purposes. Some, however, think, from the nature of the authority exercised by the Egyptian priesthood, that the palace and the temple were commonly united.

ZOAN, OR TANIS.

Zoan is rendered by the Septuagint, Tanin, or Tanis, which was a city of Egypt, situated near the mouth of one of the branches of the Nile, thence called Etium Taniticum. It appears to have been one of the most ancient capitals of Egypt. The sacred historian tells us, indeed, that it was built only seven years after Hebron, the chief residence of the patriarch Abraham and his family, Numb. xiii. 22: and that it was one of the royal cities, we gather from the fact that the plagues of Egypt were inflicted "in the field of Zoan." Psa. lxxviii. 12. Even in the days of Isaiah, it is mentioned as a seat of government. "Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish," Isa. xix. 11. As, however, in verse 13, Noph, or Memphis, is similarly noticed, and as it is certain there were not at that time two kings in such close vicinity, it is supposed that the kings of that period divided their residence between Zoan and Noph, as those of Persia did between Susa and Ecbatana. Bryant and others think that Tanis was too distant from the land of Goshen to have been the scene of the miracles recorded in Exodus, and they look for Zoan at Sais, which Bryant determines to have been situated a little above the point of the Delta, not far from Heliopolis, and therefore bordering close on the land of Goshen. But this is restricting the regions of Goshen within narrower limits than are assigned it by the best authorities whom we have followed in our description of that land; and therefore the Septuagint may be correct.

ON, OR HELIOPOLIS.

The

On, which is mentioned as early as in the days of Joseph, who married the daughter of the high priest of that city, Gen. xli. 45, is noticed under several names in Scripture. Hebrew name for it was Bethshemesh, or "house of the sun," which, 66 or city of the sun," is the meaning of all the names given to the place, except that of Aven, or Bethaven, Ezek. xxx. 17, Hos, x. 5, which means 66 vanity," or "house of vanity," a nick-name the Hebrews were accustomed to apply to noted places of idolatrous worship. The Greek name of the place was Heliopolis, by which name the Septuagint version renders it, a rendering that has not been disputed.

The city derived its name from the worship of the sun, to

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