Note 6 — I CIRCUMCISION AS A RELIGIOUS RITE.

The imposition of circumcision by the Jews upon vanquished enemies, as the Idumeans and Itureans (Josephus, Antiq. B. 13) sounds the like note; there could hardly be any question of proselytism. At an earlier date these people would have been ruthlessly massacred en masse, like the Amalekites (1 Sam. xv. 8); slaughtered in great part, like the Moabites (2 Sam. viii.); or sacrificed, like Agag (1 Sam. xv. 3), to the deity of the conquerors.