difficulties -from its briefness, its abruptness, its rapid transitions, the unusual character of its incidents, and

its sudden and marked Divine interpositions. These difficulties are not so much exegetical or critical -

although such are certainly not wanting - but rather concern t he substance of the narratives themselves,

and touch the very essence of Holy Scripture. For myself, I am free to confess that I entered on my present

undertaking, I shall not say with apprehension but with great personal diffidence. I knew, indeed, that what

appears a difficulty might find its full and satisfactory solution, even though I were not able to indicate it,

and that a narrative might have its Divine meaning and spiritual purpose, even though I should fail to point

it out. Yet I imagine that most readers of the Books of Joshua and Judges will in some measure understand

and sympathize with my feelings. All the more is it now alike duty and privilege, at the close of these

investigations, to express it joyously and thankfully, that the more fully these narratives are studied, the

more luminous will they become; the more will their Divine meaning appear; and the more will they carry to

the mind conviction of their truthfulness, and to the heart lessons of their spiritual import. Perhaps I may be

allowed in illustration of these statements to point to my study of the characters of Balaam and Joshua, and

of the histories of Gideon, of Jephthah, and especially of Samson.

From this circumstance, and faithful to the plan, which I proposed to myself in this series, of gradually

leading a reader onwards, the sacred narrative has received in this volume more full treatment - the

discussion of such textual questions as fell within its scope, being, however, chiefly thrown into the

footnotes. Many questions, in deed, on which I could have earnestly wished to enter, lay quite outside the

purport of the present series, and had therefore reluctantly to be left aside. These concern chiefly the

antiquity and the authenticity of these books of Holy Scripture. I venture to think, that a great deal yet

remains to be said on these points - the chief defect of former treatises lying, in my opinion, in this, that they

rather busy themselves with refuting the arguments of opponents, than bring forward what I would call the

positive evidence. That such positive evidence abundantly exists, a somewhat careful study has

increasingly convinced me. I am not ashamed to own my belief that, notwithstanding confident assertions of

writers on the opposite side, we may trustfully and contentedly walk in "the old paths;" and the present

volume is intended as a reverent contribution, however inadequate, towards the better understanding of

what, I verily believe, "holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Spirit," and that, "for doctrin e, for

reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

Alfred Edersheim

Loders Vicarage, Bridport

February 23, 1877