invading one another's territories: and after
the example of such vessels, _Ishhmael_ and _Midian_ the sons of _Abraham_,
and _Esau_ his grandson, might build larger vessels to go to the islands
upon the _Red Sea_, in searching for new seats, and by degrees learn to
navigate that sea, as far as to the _Persian Gulph_: for ships were as old,
even upon the _Mediterranean_, as the days of _Jacob_, _Gen._ xlix. 13.
_Judg._ v. 17. but it is probable that the merchants of that sea were not
forward to discover their Arts and Sciences, upon which their trade
depended: it seems therefore that Letters and Astronomy, and the trade of
Carpenters, were invented by the merchants of the _Red Sea_, for writing
down their merchandise, and keeping their accounts, and guiding their ships
in the night by the Stars, and building ships; and that they were
propagated from _Arabia Petraea_ into _Egypt_, _Chaldaea_, _Syria_, _Asia
minor_, and _Europe_, much about one and the same time; the time in which
_David_ conquered and dispersed those merchants: for we hear nothing of
Letters before the days of _David_, except among the posterity of
_Abraham_; nothing of Astronomy, before the _Egyptians_ under _Ammon_ and
_Sesac_ applied themselves to that study, except the Constellations
mentioned by _Job_, who lived in _Arabia Petraea_ among the merchants;
nothing of the trade of Carpenters, or good Architecture, before _Solomon_
sent to _Hiram_ King of _Tyre_, to supply him with such Artificers, saying
that _there were none in _Israel_ who could skill to hew timber like the
_Zidonians__.

_Diodorus_ [266] tells us, _that the _Egyptians_ sent many colonies out of
_Egypt_ into other countries; and that _Belus_, the son of _Neptune_ and
_Libya_, carried colonies thence into _Babylonia_, and seating himself on
_Euphrates_, instituted priests free from taxes and publick expences, after
the manner of _Egypt_, who were called _Chaldaeans_, and who after the
manner of _Egypt_, might observe the Stars_: and _Pausanias_ [267] tells
us, _that the _Belus_ of the _Babylonians_ had his name from _Belus_ an
_Egyptian_, the son of _Libya__: and _Apollodorus_; [268] _that _Belus_ the
son of _Neptune_ and _Libya_, and King of _Egypt_, was the father of
_AEgyptus_ and _Danaus__, that is, _Ammon_: he tells us also, _that
_Busiris_ the son of _Neptune_ and _Lisianassa_ _[Libyanassa]_ the daughter
of _Epaphus_, was King of _Egypt__; and _Eusebius_ calls this King,
__Busiris_