Chapter VII

THE HISTORICAL ELEMENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

Moral and Religious distinct from Historical Inspiration--Myth and
Allegory--The Higher Criticism--All Ancient History unconfirmed by
Monuments untrustworthy--Cyrus--Old Testament and
Monuments--Jerusalem--Tablet of Tell-el-Amarna--Flinders Petrie's
Exploration of Pre-Hebrew Cities--Ramses and Pi-thom--First certain
Synchronism Rehoboam--Composite Structure of Old Testament--Elohist
and Jehovist--Priests' Code--Canon Driver--Results--Book of
Chronicles--Methods of Jewish Historians--Post-Exilic
References--Tradition of Esdras--Nehemiah and Ezra--Foundation
of Modern Judaism--Different from Pre-Exilic--Discovery of Book
of the Law under Josiah--Deuteronomy--Earliest Sacred
Writings--Conclusions--Aristocratic and Prophetic Schools--Triumph
of Pietism with Exile--Both compiled partly from Old
Materials--Crudeness and Barbarism of Parts--Pre-Abrahamic Period
clearly mythical--Derived from Chaldæa--Abraham--Unhistoric
Character--His Age--Lot's Wife--His double Adventure with
Sarah--Abraham to Moses--Sojourn in Egypt--Discordant
Chronology--Josephus' Quotation from Manetho--Small Traces of Egyptian
Influence--Future Life--Legend of Joseph--Moses--Osarsiph--Life
of Moses full of Fabulous Legends--His Birth--Plagues
of Egypt--The Exodus--Colenso--Contradictions and
Impossibilities--Immoralities--Massacres--Joshua and the
Judges--Barbarisms and Absurdities--Only safe Conclusion no
History before the Monarchy--David and Solomon--Comparatively
Modern Date 209

PART II.--EVIDENCE FROM SCIENCE.