There sin and grace are introduced
as forces into the order of events in the most mechanical way, the
course of events is systematically withdrawn from all analogy,
miracles are nothing extraordinary, but are the regular form in
which things occur, are matters of course, and produce absolutely
no impression. This pedantic supra-naturalism, "sacred history"
according to the approved recipe, is not to be found in the
original accounts. In these Israel is a people just like other
people, nor is even his relationship to Jehovah otherwise conceived
of than is for example that of Moab to Chemosh (chap. xi. 24).
Of theophanies and manifestations of the Godhead there is no lack,
but the wonders are such as to make one really wonder. Once and
again they interrupt the earthly nexus, but at the same time
they form no connected system; they are poetry, not prose and
dogma. But on the whole the process of history, although to
appearance rougher and more perplexed, is nevertheless in reality
much more intelligible, and though seemingly more broken up,
actually advances more continuously. There is an ascent upward
to the monarchy, not a descent from the splendid times of Moses
and Joshua (Judges i.
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