He says that certain Canaanites near the Red Sea gave provisions to the Israelites; "and because these Canaan ships gave Israel of their provisions, God would not destroy their ships, but with an east wind carried them down the Red Sea."[46] This colony settled in what was subsequently called Phoenicia; and here again our traditions are confirmed _ab extra_, for Herodotus says: "The Phoenicians anciently dwelt, as they allege, on the borders of the Red Sea."[47] It is not known at what time this ancient nation obtained the specific appellation of Phoenician.

The word is not found in Hebrew brew copies of the Scriptures, but is used in the Machabees, the original of which is in Greek, and in the New Testament.

According to Grecian historians, it was derived from Phoenix, one of their kings and brother of Cadmus, the inventor of letters.

It is remarkable that our annals mention a king named Phenius, who devoted himself especially to the study of languages, and composed an alphabet and the elements of grammar.

Our historians describe the wanderings of the Phoenicians, whom they still designate Scythians, much as they are described by other writers.