The actual _fact_ of the case,--the _truth_ concerning the physical phenomenon alluded to,--comes in, and surely may be allowed to have some little weight. Since expansion _is_ a real attribute of the atmosphere which divides the waters above from the waters below,--and solidity is _not_,--it seems to me only fair, seeing that the force of the expression is thought doubtful, to assign to it the meaning which is open to fewest objections. But "the Hebrews," (says Mr. Goodwin,) "understood the sky, firmament, or heaven to be a permanent solid vault, as it appears to the ordinary observer." This, he adds, is "evident enough from various expressions made use of concerning it. It is said to have pillars[116], foundations[117], doors[118], and windows[119],"--(p. 220.) Now, I really do not think Mr. Goodwin's inference by any means so "evident" as he asserts. If Heaven has "pillars" in the poetical book of Job, so has the Earth[120]. The "foundations" spoken of in 2 Sam. xxii. 8, seem rather to belong to _Earth_ than to Heaven,--as a reference to the parallel place in Ps. xviii. 7 will shew[121]. Is Mr. Goodwin so little of a poet, as to be staggered by the phrase "windows of Heaven," when it occurs in the figurative language of an ancient people, and in a poetical book[122]? For the foregoing reasons, I distrust Mr. Goodwin's inference that "the Hebrews understood the sky to be a solid vault, furnished with pillars, foundations, doors, and windows." But whether they did, or did not, it is to be hoped that he is enough of a logician to perceive that the popular notions of God's ancient people on this subject, are not the thing in question. The only FACT we have to do with is clearly _this_,--that _Moses has in this place employed the word "rakia_:" and the only QUESTION which can be moved about it, is (as evidently) the following,--whether he was, or was not, to blame _in employing that word_; for as to _the meaning which he, individually, attached to the phenomenon_ of which "_rakia_" is the name, it cannot be pretended that any one living knows anything at all about the matter. A Greek, Latin, or French astronomer who should speak of Heaven, would not therefore be assumed to mean that it is _hollow_; although κοῖλον, '_coelum_,' '_ciel_,' etymologically imply no less.