The death of Siphtha, which is recorded in the inspired narrative, would render it needful that Sethos II. his co-regent, and now sole king of Egypt, should visit the Delta. Probably enough it would be the first time that he had been in that part of his dominions, where his guardians had been supreme for so many years.

Assuming this very probable circumstance, the first thing that would attract the attention of Sethos on his arrival in the Delta, would be the utter failure of his grandfather's design for the extermination of the strangers that sojourned therein. Notwithstanding nearly a century of oppression, the thousands of Israel swarmed every where, and the land was filled with them.

He would also not fail to observe the great falling off in the products of their forced labours which had marked the reign of his uncle and co-regent, as compared with the works wrung from the Israelites by the tyrannies of Ramses his grandfather. The crowd of courtiers, flatterers, and needy adventurers that always surround a sovereign, would help on this impression. They would remind him of the leaning of Siphtha towards the liberal policy of the Aphophean Pharaohs his ancestors, and of the mild gentle character of his queen. The weak humanities towards Israel, which had characterised their reigns, would furnish a constant theme for their

banter, and jibe, and ridicule, and the defect in the work of Israel, of their indignation. Under the pressure of these circumstances the character of Sethos II. underwent a very common change. The reckless careless profligate, suddenly started forth the morose inexorable tyrant. The most stringent and cruel orders were issued to the officers over the forced labours of the strangers. No mitigation of their toils was to be allowed for a moment. Let them die under their burdens, no matter. The lash of the taskmaster resounded every where, and there was a great cry throughout the land of Egypt. "And the children of Israel sighed by reason of their bondage, and they cried,

"And their cry came up unto God by reason of their bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them." Exod. ii. 23-25.

"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his fatherin-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back-side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said,

I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

"And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now, therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

"And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I

should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, Jehovah the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

"And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty but every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians." Exod. iii.

"And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice : for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put

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