¹⁷ Accordingly, since Moses, as it seems, has failed also to give a complete account of the immediate creator of this universe, let us go on and set one against another the opinion of the Hebrews and that of our fathers about these nations.

¹⁸ Moses says that the creator of the universe chose out the Hebrew nation, that to that nation alone did he pay heed and cared for it, and he gives him charge of it alone. But how and by what sort of gods the other nations are governed he has said not a word,----unless indeed one should concede that he did assign to them the sun and moon [Deuteronomy 4. 19]. However of this I shall speak a little later. Now I will only point out that Moses himself and the prophets who came after him and Jesus the Nazarene, yes and Paul also, who surpassed all the magicians and charlatans of every place and every time, assert that he is the God of Israel alone and of Judaea, and that the Jews are his chosen people. Listen to their own words, and first to the words of Moses: And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Israel is my son, my firstborn. And I have said to thee, Let my people go that they may serve me. But thou didst refuse to let them go.[ Exodus 4. 22] And a little later, And they say unto him, The God of the Hebrews hath summoned us; we will go therefore three days journey into the desert, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God.[Exodus 4. 23 ] And soon he speaks again in the same way, The Lord the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness [Exodus 5. 3].