trade of Africa, Persia, and India. But the vast wealth hereby imported is not yet more observable, than that in all the time of both these kings and of their successors, for the space of an hundred and fifty years and upwards, there is not the least mention of any one ship once suffering wreck in those long coasting voyages, so extremely dangerous from the rocks and banks near the shore, nor indeed of any shipwreck at all but one, in all the Scripture History of the Jewish and Israelitish kings, and that at the very mouth of the harbour, as the fleet was just going out."

It appears from the account of Moses*, that a talent of silver weighed or was equal to three thousand shekels, i. e. according to Bishop Cumberland, to ninety-three pounds three quarters avoirdupoise, or in our money to three hundred and fifty-three pounds eleven shillings and ten pence: and a talent of gold of the same weight to five thousand seventy-five pounds fifteen shillings and seven pence'. But Michaelis, Supplement, p. 367, reckons the Jewish talent to be equal to little more than thirty Paris pounds, that is, I think, to somewhat more than thirty-two pounds and a half English, avoirdupoise. And this k Exod. xxxviii, 25, 26. Exod. xxvi. 39.

i Mr. Lee.

lower estimation of the talent will best suit with what we read in 2 Sam". Now behold in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance". And with the Hebrew and English, as to the sums of gold here mentioned, agree both the seventy and vulgate of our present copies. Let us then consider the amount of these sums according to Bishop Cumberland's estimation of the gold and silver Jewish talent, and we shall find that according to this, an hundred thousand talents of gold could not be less than five hundred seven millions five hundred seventy-five thousand pounds sterling and a thousand thousand talents of silver, than three hundred fifty-three millions five hundred thousand pounds sterling. And these two sums added together amount to eight hundred and sixty-one millions, and seventy-five thousand pounds sterling a most prodigious and incredible sum! Since as Whiston has remarked, "it is perhaps more than our earth ever had upon it at one time, and vastly too great for the particulars," in which the gold and silver were to be employed. If therefore we mean to defend the veracity Chap. xii. 30. which see. n 1 Chron. xxii. 14.

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of the sacred historian, what shall we say to these things? We must I think, say either, Ist. That the talent of gold and silver intended in 1, Chron. xxii. 14. is much less than Bishop Cumberland reckoned it, or 2dly. That the Hebrew and consequently the seventy and vulgate versions are here erroneous, or 3dly, That both these causes must be alledged in order to reconcile the history in Chronicles to credibility. As to the first, I observe that Michaelis (Supplement and Lex. Heb. page 1269) estimates even the Mosaic talent of gold at four thousand three hundred ninety-seven and a half golden Hanoverian ducats, which, reckoning each ducat at nine shillings and three pence, will amount to two thousand thirty-three pounds sixteen shillings nearly, or to very little more than two-fifths of the value at which Bishop Cumberland estimated the Jewish talent. And as to the Mosaic talent of silver Michaelis estimates it at seven hundred eighty-seven half rix dollars, which at three shillings and sixpence a rix dollar makes the talent of silver amount to nearly one hundred thirtyseven pounds, sixteen shillings; or about two-fifths of Bishop Cumberland's valuation. 2dly, As to any error in the Hebrew copies of 1 Chron. xxxii. 14. it is true that Dr. Kennicott's various read

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ings will not assist us in correcting it whatever it be. But in the Arabic version of this text, "gold a thousand talents, and silver a thousand talents," are the traces of a very important various reading in that copy of the of the seventy from which this version was made. (See Du Pin Dissertat. Prelim. tom. 1, Part II. page 602.) Now according to the Arabic version, the talent of gold would amount by Bishop Cumberland's estimation to five millions seventy-five thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds sterling; and the talent of silver to somewhat than three hundred fifty-three thousand five hundred pounds; and both these sums together to about five millions four hundred twenty-nine thousand five hundred pounds sterling.

Josephus, who is sufficiently fond of relating whatever might redound to the honor and splendour of his nation, yet in his Ant. lib. 7. chap. 14. states the precious metals prepared by David for the building of the Temple at ten thousand talents of gold, and one hundred thousand talents of silver, which is just a tenth part of what is mentioned in the present Hebrew, and septuagint text of 1 Chron. xxii. 14. and consequently amounts on Bishop Cumberland's estimation to eighty-six millions one hundred seven thousand five hundred pounds

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sterling. But is not this even too large a sum for David to have prepared in his trouble, or, as the Hebrew may perhaps be rendered, by his labour or pain? Josephus himself seems to have thought that it would appear exaggerated; for when he has occasion again to mention. these riches, Sect. 9, though he specifies the one hundred thousand talents of silver, he denominates the gold only by the general terms of much gold. In an age when kings and princes used to hoard up vast quantities of gold and silver, as the eastern princes still do, it is by no means improbable that David in those successful wars which he waged against the Philistines, Moabites, Amalekites, and the kings of Zobah, Syria, and Edom", might collect gold and silver to the amount of five millions and a half of our money; but I must leave the Reader himself to determine whether it be probable that he could amass above eighty-six millions; and submit it to his own reflection, if he embraces the account of Josephus, instead of that in the Arabic version, whether he will not be inclined to reckon the talent at a lower rate than Bishop Cumberland has done. The talents of gold and silver in Josephus would, according to Michaelis's computation, amount to about two-fifths n See 2 Sam. viii. 1-14. 1 Chron. xviii. 1-11.