MCv/95 WOODVTASs's FIRST amekicau editiok. ORIENTAL CUSTOMS. VOLUME IL ORIENTAL CUSTOMS: OK AN ILLUSTRATION OP THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, BY ATJ EXPLAM4T0RY APPLICATlOJ^T OF THE CUSTOMS AND MANNERS OP THE EASTERN NATIONS, AND ESPECIALLT THE JEWS, THEREIM ALLUDED TO. TOGETHER WITH OBSERVATIONS ON MASY DIFFICULT AND OBSCURE TEXTS, Collected from the most GELEBKATED TRAVELLERS, AND THE MOST EMSNENT CRITICS. BT SAMUEL JBURDER. VOLUME IL As a due consideration of foreign testimonies and monuments often gives great light to what is obscurely expressed in the Scripture ; so where the Scripture, in these things, with such allowances as it every where declares itself to admit of, may be interpreted in a fair compli ance with uncontcoUed fijreign testimonies, that interpretation is to be esdiraced. Da. owen. jp>|)ilalielp!bia: FSINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM W. WOODWARD, NO, 52, OOZSNER or SECOND AND CHESNOT STREETS. 1807. ^o'Z. be v,2 ORIENTAL CUSTOMS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES* No. 601.— GENESIS i. 5. And the evening and the morning were the first day. THE Mosaical m^ethod of computing days from sun set to sun-set, and of reckoning by nights instead of days, prevailed amongst the polished Athenians. And 'from a similar custom of our Gothic ancestors, during their abode in the forests of Germany^ words expressive of such a mode of calculation (such as fort night, se'nnight) have been derived into our own lan guage. The same custom, as we are informed by Csesar, prevailed among the Celtic nations. " All the Qauls," says he, " measure time, not by the number of days, bpt of nights. Accordingly they observe their birth-days, and the beginnings of months and years, in such a manner, as to cause the day to follow the night." No. 602. — iv. 3. Cain brought of the fruit ofthe ground an offering unto the Lord-I "To offer to the Deity the first-fruits ofthe tender herbage, springing up in the ver nal season, and of the different kinds^ of grain and fruits matured by a warm sun, was the practice of mankind fh VOL. II. B 2 GENESIS. the infancy of the world. The earliest instance of these oblations on record is that of Cain, the eldest son of the first great husbandman, who, doubtless following paternal precedent, brought of the fruit of the ground att offering unto the Lord ; and of Abel, who also, to the sacred altar of God brought of the firstlings of his flock. The Jews, whose religious customs are, in many respects, similar to the Hindoos, in every age and period of their empire, invio lably consecrated to heaven, the first-fruits of their oil, their ivine, and their wheat, and, by the divine institution, even whatsoever openeth the womb, whether of man or beast, was sacred to the Lord. (Numb, xviii. 12.) There was, according to Porphyry (De Absttnentia, p. 73.) a very curious and ancient festival, annually eele- brated at Athens, to the honour of the Sun and Hours, which, in the simplicity of the offerings, remarkably re sembled the practice of the first ages. During that festi val, consecrated grass was carried about, in which the kernels of olives were wrapped up, together with figs, all kinds of pulse, oaken leaves, with acorns, and cakes com posed of the meal of wheat and barley, heaped up in a pyramidal form, allusive to the sun-beams that ripened the grain, as well as to the fire in which they were finally consumed." M.AU'Ricb's Indian Antiquities, wol, v. -p, 132, See also Eusebius's Preparation for spreading the Gospel, b. i. p. 29. Eng. Edit. No. 603. — iv. 15. Andthe Lord set a mark upon Cain.'\ Among the laws attributed to Menu, the following ap pointment is a remarkable instance of coincidence with, if it cannot be admitted to have been derived from, the punishment of Cain. " For violating the paternal bed, let the mark of a * * * * * * be impressed on the forehead with a hot iron. GENESIS. 3 For drinking spirits, a vintner's flag : For stealing sacred gold, a dog's foot : For murdering a priest, the figure of a headless corpse: With none to eat with them. With none to sacrifice with them. With none to be allied by marriage to them ; Abject, and excluded from all social duties. Let them wander over the earth ; Branded with indelible marks. They shall be deserted by their paternal and mater nal relations. Treated by none with affection. Received by none with respect. Such is the ordinance of Menu." " Criminals, of all the classes, having performed an expiation, as ordained by law, shall not be marked on the forehead, but be condemned to pay the highest fine." No. 604. — viii. 11. And the dove came in to him in the evening, and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off,'\ The connection between Noah's dove and an olive leaf will not appear at all unnatural, if we consider what Dr. Chandler has related. He says, (Trav, in Asia Minor, p, 84.) that the olive groves are the principal places' for shooting birds. And in the account of his travels in Greece, (p. 127.) he observes, that when the olive black ens, vast flights of doves, pigeons, thrushes, and other birds repair to the olive groves for food. See also Hassel- quist, p. 212. Harmer, vol. iv. p. 191. No. 605. — xii. 7. There builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him,'\ The patriarchs took care to preserve the memory of considerable events by set- 4 GENESIS. ting up altars and pillars, and other lasting monymentsl Thus Abraham erected monuments in, divers places where God had appeared to him. Gen. xiii. 18. Jacob conse crated the stone which served him for a pillow while he had the mysterious dream ofthe ladder. Gen, xxviii. 18, And the heap of stones which was witness to his cove nant with Laban he called Galeed, Gen, xxxi. 48. Of this kind was the sepulchre of Rachel, the well called Beer-sheba, Gen. xxvi. 33. and all the other wells men tioned in the history of Isaac. Sometimes they gave new namps to places. The Greeks and Romans relate the same of their heroes, the oldest of whom lived near the time of the patriarchs. (Paus,an, Dion, Hal. lib. iii.) Greece was full of their monuments. .^Eneas, to mention no others, left some in every place that he passed through i#i Greece, Sicily, and Italy. (Virgil .Mn. passim.) J"LpURy's Hist, of Israelites, p. 8, No. 606. — ^xiv. 18. Melchizidec king of Salem,"] It was fustomary among the ancients to unite the sovereignty and chief priesthood tpgethgr. Rex Anius, rex idem hominum, Phcebique sacerdos. Mn. iii. 80. King Anius, both king of men, and priest nf Apollo. No. 607. — XV. 10. Divided them in the midst.] There is no footstep of this rite any where in the scripture, except in Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19. (on which passage, see Oriental Customs, No. 294.) But from this affair of Abraham, it appears to have -been very ancient. St Cyril, in his tenth book against Julian, derives this custom from the ancient Chaldaeans. Others derive the nnD, birith, which signifies a covenant, from nns, batar, which signi fies to divide or cut asunder, because covenants were GENESIS. i made by dividing a beast, and by the parties covenanting passing between the parts of the beast so divided : inti mating that so should they be cut asunder who broke the covenant We find in Zenobius, that the people called Molotti retained something of this custom ; for they con firmed their oaths, when they made their covenants, by cutting ojfen into little bits, Patricic, in loe. No. 608.. — xvi. 13. And she called the name ofthe Lord that spake unto her. Thou God seest me,] The religion of names was a matter of great consequence in Egypt. It was one of their essential superstitions : it was one of their native inveiitions : and the first of them which they communicated to the Greeks. Thus when Hagar the handmaid of Sarai, who was an Egyptian woman, saw the angel of God in the wilderness, she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Elroi, the God of vision, or the •visible God : that is, according to the established custom of Egypt, she gave him a name of honour : not merely a name of distinction, for such all nations had. (who wor shiped local tutelary deities) before their communication with Egypt, But after that they decorated their gods with distinguished titles, indicative of their specific office and attributes. Zachariah (chap. xiv. 9.) evidently allud ing to these notions, when he prophecies of the worship of the supreme God, unmixed with idolatry. Says, in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. Out of indul gence therefore to this weakness, God was pleased to give himself a name. And God said unto Moses, lam that lam. Exod. iii. 14. Waeburton's Divine Legation, b. iv. sec. 6. No. 609. — xvii. 10. This is my covenant.] Covenants were anciently made in the eastern countries by dipping 6 GENESIS. their weapons in blood, (as Zenophon tells us) and by prick ing the fiesh, and sucking each other's blood, as we read in Tacitus : who observes (1. i. Annal.) that when kings made a league, they took each other by the hand, and their thumbs being hard tied together, they pricked them, when the blood was forced to the extreme parts, and each party licked it. This was accounted a mysterious covenant, being made sacred by their mutual blood. How old this custom had been we do not know ; but it is evi dent God's covenant with Abraham was solemnized on Abraham's part by his own and his son Isaac's blood, and so continued through all generations, by circumcision : whereby, as they were made the select people of God, so God, in conclusion, sent his own Son, who by this very ceremony of circumcision was consecrated to be their God- and Redeemer. Patrick, in loc- No. 610i — xviii. 1. And he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.] Those who lead a pastoral life in the East, at this day, frequently place themselves in a similar situation. " At ten minutes after ten we had in view se veral fine bays, and a plain full of booths, with the Tur comans sitting by the doors, under sheds resembling porticoes; or by shady trees, surrounded by flocks of goats." CHAii-Di.E^'s Travels itt Asia Minor, -p, 180. No. 611. — xviii. 4. Let a little water, I pray you, he fetched, and wash your feet.] One of the first rites of hos pitality observed towards strangers amongst the ancients, was washing the feet : of this there are many instances in Homer : Tov VKV xt« "¦'fiiur a-fOf yaf Anm^ii a.irifms, &c. Od. vi. 207. GENESIS,, 7 By yove the stranger andthe poor are sent. And what to those we give to Job is lent. Then food supply, and bathe his fainting limbs. Where viaving shades obscure the inazy streams. Pope. Tour other tasi, ye menial trtbe, forbear ; JVoti) wash the stranger, and the bed prepare. Pope. See also 1 Sam. xxv. 41. No. 612. — xix. 1, 2. And there came two angels to So dom at even ; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom : and Lot seeing them rose up to meet thim ; and he lowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servants house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, aud gp on ypur •ways.'] The Eastern people have always distin guished themselves by their great hospitality. Of very many instances the following is a truly characteristic one, " We were not above a musket-shot from Anna, when we met with a comely old man, who came up to me, and tak ing my horse by the bridle, ' Friend,' said he, < come and wash thy feet, and eat bread at my house. Thou art a stranger ; and since I have met thee upon the road, ne ver refuse me the favour which I desire of thee.' We could not choose but go along with him to his house, where he feasted us in the best manner he could, giving us, over and above, barley for our horses ; and for us he killed a lamb and some hens.'' Tavernier's Travels, p. 111. See also Gen. xviii. 6. Judges xvii. 7. Rom. xii. 13. 1 Tim. iii. 2. 1 Pet. iv. 9. See more in Nos. 15. 50. 513, No. 613. — xix. 24. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire,] The curipus Wor- mius tells of the raining of biimstone, May 16, J 646. 8 GENESIS. « Here, at Copenhagen, when the W^hole town was over flowed by a great fall of rain, so that the streets became impassable, the air was infected with a sulphureous smell ; ahd when the waters were a little subsided, one might have collected in some places a sulphureous powder, of which I have preserved a part, and which in colour, smell, and every other q^ality, appeared to be real sul phur." Mus, Worm. 1. i. c. 11. sec. 1. No. 614. — xix. 26. A pillar of ialt] Or, as some un derstand it, an everlasting monument, whence, perhaps, the Jews have given her the name of Adith (Pirke Elieser, cap. 25.) because she remained a perpetual testimony of God's just displeasure. For she standing still too long, some of that dreadful shower of brimstone arid fire over took her, and falling upon her, wrapped her body in a sheet of hitro-sulphureous matter, which congealed into a crust as hard as stone, and made her appear like a piUar of salt, her body being, as it were, candied in it. Kimchi calls it a heap of salt : which the Hebrews say continued for many ages. Their conjecture is not improbable, who think the fable of Niobe was derived hence : who, the poets feign, was turned into a stone upon her excessive grief for the death of her children. Patrick, in loo. No. 6 15. — XX. 12. A)id yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of rrty father, but not the daughter of my mother : and she became my wife,] This peculiar mode of contracting marriage, appears in after ages to have become a common practice. It prevailed at Athens. It was lawful there to marry a sister by the father's side, but it was not permitted to marry a sister by the same mother. Montesquieu (Spirit of Laws, vol. i. p. 54.) says, that this custom was GENESIS. 9 «rigiflally owing to republics, whose spirit would not per mit that two portions of laild, and consequetitly two inhe ritances, should devolve on the same person. A man that married his sister only by his father's side, could inherit but one estate, that of his father : but by marrying his sister hy the same mother, it might happen that his sister's father, having no male issue, might leave her his estate, and corise- qUently the brother that married her might be possessed of two. No. 616. — -xlxi. 10. Wherefore she. said unto Abraham, cast out this boiid-woman and her son ; fir the son of this b'ond-wornan shall hat be heir with niy son.] The following extract will exhibit to the readei a striking similarity of practice with that to which the above cited passage al ludes : and that amongst a race of people very remote both as to local situation and time. " The Alguoquins make a g"eat distinction between the wife to whom they ' give the appellatiort of the entrance of the hut, and those whom they -term of the middle of the hut ; these last are the servants ofthe other, and their children are consider ed as bastards, arid of an inferior rank, to those which are born of the first and legitimate wife. Among the Carribbs also one wife possesses rank and distinction above the rest," Babie's Travels among Savage Nations, in Universal Magazinefor Feb, 1 802,^. 84. No. eiTT — ^xxii. 9. And bound Isaac his son.] Both his hands and his feet, as it is explained in Pirke Elieser, cap. 31. When the Gentiles offered human sacrifices, they lied both their h^nds behind their backs. Ovid 1, 3. De Pont. Elegi ii. Patrick, in loe. No. 618. — xxiii. 11. In the presence of the sons of my people.] Contracts, or grants, were usually made before all the people, or their representatives, till wj^itings were invented, ~ Patrick, in loe. VOL. II. c 10 . GENESIS. No. 619, — xxiii. 16. And Abraham weighed to Ephrori the silver.] Ancient natipns have discovered' a singular coincidence in the management of their money. The Jews appear to have used silver in lumps, perhaps of various dimensions and weights ; and certainly, on some occasions at least, impressed with a particular stamp. The Chinese also do the same. For " there is no silver coin in China, notwithstanding payments are made with that metal, in masses of about ten ounces, having the form of the crucibles they were refined in, with the stamp of a single character upon them, denoting their weight." Macartney, p. 290. vol. ii. p, 266. 8vo. edit, ^ No. 620. — xxiv, 11. At the time of the evening, even the time that nvomen go out fo dranv •water.] Homer men- , tions the same custom of women's being employed in drawing water among the Phaeacians and Lsestrygonians, (Od. vii, 20. et x, 105.) Dr. Shanit, speaking ofthe occu pation of the Moorish women in Barbary, says, "to finish the day, at the time of the evening, even at the time that the women go out to draw water, they are still to fit themselves with a pitcher or goat-skin, and tying their sucking children behind them, trudge it in this manner two or three miles to fetch water." Travels, p, 421. > No. 621. — xxiv, 15. Rebekah came out — with her pitcher upon her shoulder,] The same custom prevailed in ancient Greece. Homer represents Minerva meeting Ulysses as the sun Was going down, linder the form of a Phseacian virgin carrying a pitcher of water, that being the time when the maidens went out to draw water. When near the fam'd Phacacian walls he drew. The beauteous city op'ning to his view. His step a virgin met and stood before ; A polish'd urn the seeming virgin bore. Odyss. b. vii. 25. Pope. GENESIS. 11 See also Odyss. lib. x. 1C^5. A similar custom prevailed also in Armenia, as may be seen in Xenophotis Anabasis, b. iv. No. 622. — xxiv, 20, And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough.] In some places where there are wells, there are no conveniences to draw water with. But in other places the wells are furnished with troughs, and suitable contrivances for watering cattle. The M. S. Chardin tells us, that " there are wells in Persia and Ara bia, in the driest places, and above all in the Itidies, with troughs and basons of stone by the side of them.", Harmer, vol, i. p. 431. No. 623. — ^xxiv. 22. And it came to pass as the camels had done drinking, that the man took u golden ear-ring of mlf a shekel weight, and t'wo bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight, of gold.] The weight bf the ornaments put upon Rebekah appears extraordinary. But Chardin assures us, that even heavier were worn by the women of the East when he was there. He says that the women wear rings and bracelets of as great weight as this, through all Asia, and even heavier. They are rather manacles than brace lets. There are some as large as the finger. The women wear several of them, one above the other, in such a man ner as sometimes to have the arm covered with them from the wrist to the elbow. Poor people wear as many of glass or horn. They hardly ever take them off. They are their riches. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 500. No. 634. — xxiv. S3. Jewels of gold and raiment.] Among the several female ornaments, which Abraham sent by his servant, whom' he employed te search out a wife for his son Isaac, were jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, exclusive of raiment, which probably was very rich 12 GENESIS. and valuable for the age in -which Abraham li*ed. Rich and splendid apparel, especially such as was adorned with gold, was very general in the eastern nations, from the earliest ages : and as the fashions and customs of the Ori entals are not subject to much variation, so we find that this propensity to golden ornaments, prevails even in the present age, among the females in the countries border ing on Judea. Thus Mungo Park, in the account of his travels in Africa, men,tions the following singular circum stance, respecting the ornamental part pf the dress of an African lady. " It is evident from the account of the process by which negrpes obtain gold in . Manding, that the country contains a considerable portion of this pre cious metal. A great part is converted into ornaments for the women : and, when a lady of consequence is in full dress, the gold about her person may be worth, alto gether, from fifty to eighty poinds sterling." We firid also that the same- disposition for rich orna mental apparel prevailed in the times pf the Apostles ; for St. Peter cautioned the female? of quality in the first ^ges of Christianity, when they adorned themselves, not tp jhave it consist, in the outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, afld of wearing gold, or of putting on apparel, 1 Pet. iii. 3. see also Psalm xiv. 9. 13. Upon thy right harid did stand the ipieen in gold ofophir, — Her clothing is of -wrought gold. No. 625. — xxiv. 59. And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse,] Nurses were formerly held in very high esteem, and considered as being entitled to constant and lasting regard. " The nurse in an eastern family is always an important personage. Modern travellers in form us, that in Syria she is considered as a sort of second parent, whether she has been a foster-mother or otherwise. She always accolnpanies the bride to her GENESIS, 13 husband'!; house, 4nd ever remains there, an honoured character. Thos it was in ancient Greece." Siege of Aire, b. ii. p. 35. note. Thas ,k appears to have been in the ages of the Pi(t¥kwchs. GiLLINGWATER M. 5. No. 62S.^xxiv. 6(9. Ani they bliss^d Rebekah.] Nuptjial bjene/fjictjoi^ were used both by the Jews, Greeks, ,a||d ^^omws. , That pfthe Jews was inthip form. •f 'Blessecil be ^hou, O Lord, who b3s created man and wo- maQj and ordaiped marFiag.e," &c. This was repeated eyery day during the wedcWng week^ provided tliere were new guests. The Grecian fprm of benedictiqnw^s «p«'^» tv^, j the ^jaf;in yra^. Quod faiistiim felixque sit. The Jews cpn^tantiy m!^4e.use of the same form: but the Gfpeelss, aud Roman? frequently varied |l^irs J a bepedic^ tipn however, in some form vva^ always used. SeeSsLpEi^ de Jflir.^ j^, jfit G, l.,v, cap, 5, ^p. 627,-^xxv. 30. Redp^ti^ge.] The inhabitants p£ Barbery ^till niakeuse of len|iis, hpilf^ ^pd steered with oil ^pd g.arli'ck, a pottage of a .chocolate colour ; this wa& the red pottage for which Esaw,, from thence galled Edom, S0I4 hi^ ^irth-right. Shaw's I>«i(, p. 140. 9i,e4it, Np, ^28,-:-XXvi, 12, Then Isdat? so-wed in that fatfd, and received in the same year a hundred f 0(4.] s The ai^thpr of the lustei'y pf the piratical states pf Barbary observes, that the Moprs; of that country are divided ipto tribes like the Ara bians, and like thern dwell in tent§, formed into itinerent vi^lagps ; that "these wanderers farmlands ofthe inhabit tant§ of ^he tpwns, sow and cultivate them, paying their rent ¦^ith the' produce, S(Ufh as fruits, corn, wax, &c. They are very skilful in chusing the mp^t advantageous soils for every season, and very careful to avoid the Turkish troops, 14 GENESIS. the violence of the one little suiting the simplicity of the other, p, 44. It is natural to suppose that Isaac possessed the like sagacity when he sowed in the land of Gerar, and , received that yeara hundred fold. His lands appear to have been hired of the fixed inhabitants of the country. On this account the king of the country might, after the reaping of the crop, refuse his permission a second time, and desire him to depart. Harmer, vol. j. p. 85, No. 629. — xxvi. 15. For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.] The same mode of taking vengeance which is here mentioned has been practised in ages subsequent to the time here re ferred to. Niebuhr (Travels, p. 302.) tells us, that the Turkish Emperors pretend to a right to that part of Ara bia that lies between Mecca and the countries of Syria and Egypt, but that their power amounts to' very little. That they have however garrisons in divers little citadels, built in that desert, near the wells that are made on the road from Egypt and Syria to Mecca, which are intended for the greater safety of their caravans. But in a following page (p, 330.) he gives us to understand, that these princes have made it a custom, to give annually to every Arab tribe which is near that road, a certain sum of money and a certain number of vestments, to keep them from destroy ing the wells that lie in that route, and to escort the pil grims cross their country. We find in D'Herbelot (p, 396.) that Gianabi, a famous rebel in the tenth century, gathered a number of people together, seized on Bassora and Coufa, and afterwards in sulted the reigning Caliph by presenting himself boldly be fore Bagdat his capital : after which he retired by little and httle, filling up all the pits with sand which had been dug in the road to Mecca, for the benefit of the pilgrims. Harmer, vol. iv. p. 247. GENESIS. 15 No. 630. — ^xxvii. 16. Put the skin ofthe kids of the goats.] It is observed by Bochart (p, 1. Hierozoic. 1. ii c. 51.) that in the eastern countries goats-hair was very like to that of men : so that Isaac might very easily be deceived, when his eyes were dim, and his feeling no Ifess decayed than his sight. No. 631 . — ^xxviii. 22. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house.] It appears strange to us to hear a stone pillar called God's house, being accustomed to give'names ofthis kind to such buildings only, as are ca pable of containing their worshippers within them. But this is not the case in every part of the world, as we learn from. Major Symes's narrative of his Embassy to the King dom ofAva. ITie temples of that people, vast as many of them are, are built without cavity of any sort, and he only mentions some of the most ancient of those at Pagahm as constructed otherwise. The following extract will suffi ciently illustrate this matter. « The object in Pegu that most attracts, and most merits notice, is the noble edifice oi Shoemajoo, or th^ golden su- prei^. This is a pyramidical building, composed of brick and mortar, without excavation or aperture of any sort : octagonal at the base, and spiral at the top. Each side of the base measures one hundre4 and sixty-two feet. The extreme height ofthe edifice, from the level ofthe coun try, is three hundred and sixty-one feet, and above the in terior terrace three hundred and thirty-one feet. Along the whole extent of the northern face ofthe upper terrace there is a woodea shed for the convenience of devotees, who come from a distaPt part of the country. There are several low benches near the foot of the temple, on which the person, who comes to pray, places his offering, com monly consisting of boiled rice, a plate of sweetmeats, or cocoa-nuts fried in oil : when it is given, the devotee cares 1.6 GENESIS. -Jiot "what beiEomfis of it ; the crows and wild dogs of teix de vour it in the presence of tjhe donor, who never attempts to disturb the animals, I saw several plates of victuals disposed of ip this manner, and understood it was the case with ali that was brought," " The temple of Shoedagan, about two miles and a half north of Rangoon, is a very grand building, although not so high, by twenty-five pr thirty feet, as that oi Shoetnadoo, at Pegu, The terrace on which it stands is raised on » rocky eminence, considerably higher than the circumj^ cent country, and is ascended by above a hundred stone steps. The name of this- temple, whic-h signifies Golsfep- Dagon, naturally recals to mind the passage in the sa?ip- tures, where the house of Dagon is mentioned," an4 the image of idolatry bows down before the Holy Ad?.?' " Many of the most ancient teaJples-at Pagahm are not solid at t&e bottom : a well arohed dome supports a pon- .derous super^ructure : and, within, an image- t>f- G*udon» sits enshrined." No. 632 — xxix. 6. Rathel his daughter.]. Kef name in Hebrew signifies a sheep. It was anciently the Custom to give names even to families from c^tle, both gpeat and small. So Far-rotelh us (lib ii, de re rustica, c. L) Multa nomina habemus'oh uiroque pecore,isfc. it minore, Po:RCHJS, O- viliusjCapriwus; a jtmjjW Equithjs, Taurus, &c. See Sochart, p. 1. Hieroz. lib. ii. cap. 43. Noi 68S. — ^x-icix. 26. Atid Laban said; it must notbe so done in our country, to give the younger befire the first-born'^ Mr. Halhed observes in his preface to the Gentoo Laws, (p. 69.) " We find Laban excusing; himself for having substituted Leah in the place of Rachei to Ja cob, in these words, It must not be so done iri otir country, to GENESIS. 17 give the younger before the first-born. This was long before Moses. So in this compilation, it is made criminal for a man to give his younger daughter in marriage ' before the elder ; or for a younger son to marry while his elder bro ther remains unmarried." » No. 634. — xxix. 32. And she called his name Reuben, for she said. Surely the Lord hath looked upon mine affiction.] Many names which occur in the scriptures were taken from particular incidents and circumstances. Other peo ple besides the Jews have acted in this manner. " The children of the Mandingoes are not always named after their relations ; but frequently in consequence of some remarkable occurrence. Thus, my landlord at Kamalia was called Karfa, a word signifying to replace ; because he was born shortly after the death of one of his brothers. Other names are descriptive of good or bad qualities : as Modi, a good man : Fadibba, father of the town. Indeed the very names of their towns have something descriptive in them as, Sibidooloo, the town of siboa trees. Kenneyetoo, victuals here. Dorita, lift your spoon. Others appear to be given by way of reproach, as Bammakoo, was a crocodile. Karankalla, no cup to drink from. Among, the negroes, every individual, besides his own proper pame, has like wise a kongtong or surname, to denote the family or clan to which he belongs. Every negroe plumes himself on the importance or antiquity of his clan, and is much flat tered when he is addressed by his kongtong." Mungo Park's Travels in Africa, p. 269. No. 635. — xxix. 32. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben.] It seems probable that in common, the mother gave the name to a child, and this both amongst the Jews and the Greeks; though perhaps not without the concurrence of the. father. In the age of VOL. II. n 18 GENESIS. Aristophanes the giving of a name to the child seems to have been a divided prerogative between the father and the mother. Homer ascribes it to the mother : Kim on his mother's knees, when babe he lay. She nam'd Arnjeus on his natal day. Odyss. xviii. 6. Pope. No. 636. — xxxi. 27. That I might have sent thee away •with mirth, and wilh songs, with tabret, and with harp.] A striking similarity prevails between the modern dance of the South Sea islands, as performed before Captain Cook, and the ancient coral dance of Egypt and Palestine. " A band or chorus of eighteen men seated themselves before us ; they sung a slow and soft air ; twenty wpmen enter ed. Most of them had upon their heads garlands, of the crimson flowers of the china rose, or others. They made a circle round the chorus, and, began by singing a soft air, to which responses were made by the chorus in the same tone : and these were repeated alternately. All this while the women accompanied their song with several ve ry graceful motions of their hands towards their faces, and in other directions. Their manner of dancing was now changed to a quicker measure, in which they made a kind of half turn by leaping, and clapped their hands, repeat ing some words in conjunction with the chorus. Toward the end, as the quickness of the music increased, their gestures and attitudes were varied with wonderful vigour and dexterity." Last Voyage, vol. i p. 250. See also 0. C. No. 20. No. 637. — xxxiii. 3. And he passed over before them.] In travelling it was usual to place the women and children in the rear of the company. This was evidently the si- GENESIS. 19 tuation occupied by Leah and Rach^, in their journey with Jacob. From other sources we derive the same in formation. In the history of the caliph Vathek, it-is said, that the black eunuchs were the inseparable attendants of the ladies, the rear was consequently their post. In the argument to the poem of Amriolkais, it is related that one day when her tribe had struck their tents, and were changing their station, the women, as usual, came behind the rest with the servants and baggage, in carriages fixed on the backs of camels. See also Gen. xxiv. 61. No 638. — xxxiii. 4. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him,] Such persons as are intimately acquainted, or of equal age and dignity, mutually kiss the hand, the head, or the shoulder' of each other. ¦ Shaw's Trav, p. 237, This passage and Gen. xiv. 14 Luke xv. 20. Act« xx. 37. Seem to have a reference to the eastern way of kissing the shoulder in an embrace. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 53. No. 639. — xxxiv. 12. Ask me never so much dowry,] It was usual for the bridegroom to give to his bride, or her father, a dowry or portion of money or goods, as a kind of purchase of her person. It was the custom of the Greeks and other ancient nations. (Potter's Greek Ant, b. iv. c. 11.) And is to this day the practice in several Eas tern countries. (Complete System ofGeog, vol. ii. p. 19. 305. The modern Arabs who live under tents purchase their wives. De la Roque says, that " properly speaking, a young man that would marry must purchase his wife : and fathers among the Arabs are never more happy than when they have many daughters. This is the principal part of the riches of a house. Accordingly, when a young man would treat with a person whose daughter he is inclined . 20 GENESIS. to marry, he says to him. Will you give. me your daugh ter for fifty sheep ; for six camels ; or for a dozen cows ? If he be not rich enough to make such offers, he will pro pose the giving her to him for a mare, or a young colt ; considering in the offer the merit of the young woman, the rank of her family, and the circumstances of him that desires to marry her. When they are agreed on both sides, the contract is drawn up bv him that acts as cadi or judge among these Arabs, (Voy. dans la Pal. p, 222.) No. 640. — xxxiv. 27. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister,] " In the east, as well as in Europe, the relations of the principals in a quarrel, seem to have been bound by hon our and custom to espouse their party, and to revenge. their death ; one of the highest reproaches with which one Arabian could upbraid another, being an accusation of having left the blood of his friepd unrevenged." Richardson's Dissert, on Eastern Nations, p. 214. It Was on this principle that the sons of Jacob acted towards Shechem, for his conduct towards their sister. No. 641. — xxxv. 4. Ear-rings.] "Some of the eas tern ear-rings are small, and go so close to the ear as that there is no vacuity between them : others are so large that you may put the forefinger between, and adorned with a ruby and a pearl on each side of them, strung on the ring. The women wear ear-rings and pendants of divers sorts : and I have seen some, the diameter of whose round was four fingers, and almost two fingers thick, made of seve ral kinds of metals, wood, and horn, according to the qua lity of people. There is nothing more disagreeable to the eyes of those that are unaccustomed to the sight for these pendants by their weight widen so extremely the liole of GENESIS. 21 the ear, that one might put in two fingers, and stretch it more than one that never saw it would imagine. I have seen some of these ear-rings with figures upon them, and strange characters, which I believe may be talismans or charms, or perhaps nothing but the amusement of old wo men. The Indians say they are preservatives against en chantments. Perhaps the ear-rings of Jacob's family were ofthis kind." Chardin M. S. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 393, No.642.xli.5.47. And behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, — And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.] In Barbary, one stalk of wheat or bar ley, will sometimes bear two ears : whilst each of tljese ears will as often shoot out into a. number of less ones ; thereby affording a most plentiful increase. May not these large prolific ears, when seven are said to come upon one stalk, explain what is further mentioned of the seven fruit ful years in Egypt, that is, that the earth brought forth by handfuls P This latter passage may, indeed, mean, that the earth brought forth handfuls of stalks from single grains, and not handfuls of ears from single stalks, agreeably to the fol lowing passage from Dr. Shaw. " In Barbary it is com mon to see one grain produce ten or fifteen stalks. Even some grains ofthe murwaany wheat, which I brought with me to Oxford, and sowed in the physick garden, threw out each of them fifty. But Muzeratty, one of the late kalee- fas, or viceroys, of the province of Tlemsan, brought once with him to Algiers a root that yielded foiirs'core : telling us, that the prince of the western pilgrirri's sent once to the bashaw of Cairo, one that yielded six score. Pliny men tions some that bore three or four hundred." No. 643. — xii. 42. And arrayed him in vestures of fne 22 GENESIS. linen.] To be arrayed in a rich dress, and to ride in great pomp and ceremony, were the ancient modes of investing with the highest degree of subordiPate power in Egypt ; and with a small variation still remains so. The history of the revolt of Ali Bey (p. 43.) informs us, that on the election of a new sheik bellet, the pasha who approves of him invests him with a valuable fur, treats him with sher bet, and when the sheik bellet departs, the pasha presents him with a horse richly caparisoned, Harmer, vol. iii. p. 308. No. 644. — ^xlii. 15. By the life of Pharaoh.] Most au thors take this for an oath, the original of which is well ex plained by Mr. Selden, (in his Titles of Honour, p. 4^,) where he observes, that the names of gods being given to kings very early, from the excellence of their heroic vir tue, which made them anciently great benefactors to man kind ; thence arose the custom of swearing by them : which Aben Ezra saith, continued in his time, (about 1 1 70) when Egypt was governed by caliphs. If any man swore by the king's head, and were found to have sworn falsely, he was punished capitally. See more on this sub ject in Oriental Customs, No, 29, No. 645. — xliii. 34. And they drank.] After they had dined, plenty of wine was brought in, for every one to drink as much as they pleased. Such is the custom of the Abyssini^ns to this day : they do not drink or talk at din ner, but after the meat is taken away : as Ludolphus as sures us from Telezius. This he also supposes to have been the ancient custom among other nations, particularly the Romans : for which he alleges the words of Virgil: ' Postquam prima quies epulis, mensaeque remotse, Craleras magnos statuunt, et vina coronant. Mn. i. 727. GENESIS. 28 A different custom however prevailed in Persia ; where the time for drinking wine was at the beginning, not at the close of the entertainment. See Oriental Customs, No, 143. No. 646. — xliv. 5. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth?]yfhen Norden was at Derri in the farthest part of Egypt, in a very dangerous situation, from which he and his company endeavoured to extricate themselves by exerting great spirit, a spiteful and power ful Arab in a threatening way told one of their people, whom they had sent to him, that he knew what sort of people they were, that he had consulted his cup, and had fpund by it, that they were those of whom one of their prophets had said, that Franks would come in dis guise, and passing every where, examine the state of the country, and afterwards bring over a great number of other Franks, conquer the country, and exterminate all, (Trav. vol, ii. p 150.) It was precisely the same thing that Joseph meant when he talked of divining by his cup. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 475. No. 647. — xiv. 22, To all af them he gave each man changes of raiment,'] Presents of garments appear to have been common amongst all ranks of people in the East. The passage now cited is an instance in point. See also 2 Chron. ix. 24 This custom is still preserved. De la Motraye furnishes us with some particular information on this subject. " The visier entered at another door, and their excellencies rose to salute him after their manner, which was returned by a little inclining of his head : after which he sat down on the corner of his sofa, which is the most honourable place : then his chancellor, his kiahia, and the chiaouz bashaw came and stood before him, till 24 GENESIS. coffee was brought in : after which, M. de Chateauneuf presented M de Ferriol to him, as his successor, who deliv ered him the king his master's letters, complimenting him as from his majesty and himself, to which the vizier answered very obligingly : then after some discourse, which turned upon the. reciprocal readiness of propension to wards the continuance of a good intelligence between the Porte and the court of France, which M de Ferriol assured that the king his master was well disposed to cultivate sin cerely, they gave two dishes of coffee to their excellencies, with sweetmeats, and after that perfumefs and sherbet. Then they clothed them with ccffetans of a silver brocade, with large silk flowers ; and to those that were admitted into the apartments with them, they gave others of bro cade, almost all silk, except some slight gold or silver flow ers, according to the custom usually observed towards all foreign ministers." Travels, p. 199. Cafietans are long vests of gold or silver brocade, flowered with silk. See also Ezra ii. 69. Neh. vii. 70. No. 648. — xlvi. 4. Pmhis band upon thine eyes.] This appears to have been a very ancient and general custom, as there are evidences of its existence amongst the Jews, Greeks and Romans. Among the Jews, Tobias is said to have shut the eyes of his wife's father and mother, and to have buried them honourably. Tobit xiv. 15. Mai- monides represents it as a customary rite. Homer describes Ulysses thus expressing himself on the death of Socus : Ah, wretch ! no father shall thy corp-se compose, Tliy dying eyes no tender mother close. II. xi. S7Q. Pope. See also the Odyss. xi. 424. and xxiv. 294. Eurip. GENESIS. 25 Hecub. 430. Firg, ,ffin. ix. 487. Ovid. Trist. iii. El. iii. 43. and iv. £1. iii. 43. No. 649. — xlviii. 14. And Israel striiched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head.] Imposition of hands was a Jewish ceremony, introduced, not by any divine authority, but by custom : it being the practice among those people whenever they prayed to God for any pet- son, to lay their hands on his head. Our Saviour ob served the same custom, both when he conferred his bles sing on children, and when he healed the sick, adding prayers to the ceremony. The apostles likewise laid hands on those upon whom they bestowed the Holy Ghost, The priests observed the same custom when any one was received into their body. And the apostles them^ selves underwent the imposition of hands afresh, every time they entered upon any new design. In the ancient church imposition of hands was even practised on persons when they married, which custom the Abyssinians still observe. No. 650. — xlviii. 20. And he set Ephraim before Mdn- asseh.] The preference given in this instance t6 the young er brother has in many cases been paralleled. Some na tions have even gone so far ^s to form institutions upon this very principle. For the younger son to succeed his father in preference to his elder brothers, was a custom long preva lent in Tartary, and among the porthern nations : and it is to be found ip our old Saxop tenures under the description of Borough-English. Sir William Blackstone^ after mention ing the opinions of Littleton and other eminent lawyers in regard to the origin of this strange custom, conjectures, with great judgment, that it might be deduced from the Tartars. Amongst those people, the elder sons, as they grew to man's estate, migrated from their father with a VOL. II. E 26 GENESIS. certain portion of cattle; and the youngest son only re maining at home, became in consequence the heir to his father's house and all his remaining possessions, Richardson's Dissert, on Eastern Nations, p. 162, N0.6SI. — xlix, 1, And Jacobxalled unto his sons, andsaid. Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that •which shall b^alyou in the last days.] " It is an opinion ot great an tiquity, that the nearer men approach to their dissolution, their souls grow more divine, and discern more of futurity. We find this opinion as early as Homer, (II. xvi. 852,- et xxii.3S8.) for he represents the dyingPatroclus foretelling the fate of Hector, and the dying Hector denouncing no less certainly the death of Achilles. Socrates, in his apology to the Athenians a little before his death, asserts the i.ame opinion. *' But now," saith he, " I am desirous to prophesy to you, who have condemned me, what will happen hereafter. For now I am arrived at that state in which men prophesy most, when they are about to die."j (Platonis Apolog, Socr, Op, vol. i. p. 39. edit. Serrani.) His sch-fAzr Xenophon, ( Cyrop. IVo. sm, prcpe finem, p. 140.) in troduces the dying Cyrus declaring in like manner « that the soul of man at the hour of death appears most divine, and then foresees somethingoffiiture events." Diodorus Siculus (in ini'io, lib. 3S.viii. tom. 2 ) alledgeth great authori ties upon the subject. " Pythagorus the Samain, and some others of the ancient naturalists, have demonstrated that the souls of men are immortal, and in consequence of this opinion, that they also foreknow future events at the time that they are making their separation from the body ip death." Sextus Empiricus (adv. Mathem. p. 312.) con firms it likewise by the authority of Aristotle: " The soul," saith Aristotle, '< foresees and foretels future events, when GENESIS. 2? lit is going to be separated from the body by death." We might produce more testimonies to this purpose from Cicero, and Eustathius upon Homer, and from other au thors, if there were occasion : but these are sufficient to shew the great antiquity of this opinion. And it is possi ble that old experience may in- some cases attain to some thing like prophecy and divination. In some instances also God may have been pleased to comfort and enlighten departing souls with a prescience of future events. But what I conceive might principally give rise to this opinion was the tradition of some of the patriarchs being divinely inspired in their last moments, to foretel the state and con dition of the people descended from them : as Jacob on his death bed summoned his sons together, that he might inform them of what should befal them in the latter days." Newton on the Prophecies, vol. i. p. 85, 2d edit. Np. 652. xlix. 3, 4. Reuben, 'thou art my first born ; — thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed,] In the following extract we find a similar punishment or dered for an offence similar to that of Reuben. " Not withstanding that long contiPued custom there, for the eldest son to succeed the father in that great empire, (of the Mogul) Achaber Shah, father of the late king, upon high and jnst displeasure taken against his son, for climbs jng up unto the bed of Anarkalee, his father's most be loved wife, and for c^er base actions of his,which stirred up his father's high displeasure against him, resolved to break that ancient custom ; and therefore often in his life-time protested, that pot he, but his grand-child Sukan Coob- srirroo, whom he kept in his court, should succeed him in 'that empire." Sir Thomas Roe's Embassy to the Great Mogul, p. 470. 28 GENESIS, No. 653. — xlix. 8, Thy hand shall be intheiieck of thine enemies.] This expression denotes triuniph over an ene my, and that Judah should subdue his adversaries. This was fulfilled in the person of David, and acknowledged by him. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. Psalm ijviii. 40. Tread ing on the neck of a vanquished foe has been a very com mon practice. Amongst the Franks it was usual to put the arm round the neck as a mark of superiority on the part of him that did it. When Chrodin, declining the of fice of mayor of the palace chose a young nobleman, named Gogen, to fill that place, he immediately took the arm of that young man, and put it roupd his own neck, as a mark of his dependance on him, and that he acknow ledged him for his general and chief." « When a debtor became insolvent, he gave himself up to his creditor as his slave, till he had paid all his debt : and to confirm his engagement, he took the arm of his patron, and put it round his own neck. This ceremony invested, as it were, his creditor in his person," Stock- dale's Manners ofthe Ancient Nations, vol. i, p. 356. See Gen xxvii, 40. Deut. xxviii. 48. Isaiah x. 27. Jer, xxvii. 8. Joshua X. 24, Lam. v, 5. No. 654. — xlix. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,] Sceptres, or staves of some kind or other, have been among almost all nations the ensigns of civil authori ty, as they are to this day, being in themselves very proper emblems of power extended, or acting at a distance from the person. Achilles, who was the chief of a Grecian tribe or clan, is described in Homer as holding a sceptre or staff, which The delegates of Jove, dispensing laws, Beav ill their hands. II. i. 2.38. GENESIS, 29 No. 655.'-^xlix. 29, And he charged them, and said unto ^em, I am to be gathered unto my people ; bury me with my fa thers.] Princes and persons of quality, who died in for*- eign parts, were usually carried into their own country to be buried with their fathers. That this was practised in the patriarchal times, appears from the injunction which Jacob laid upon his children respecting his interment. It was also the custom of the Greeks. Homer represents Juno as thus speaking concerping SarpedoP. Give the bold chief a glorious fate in fight ;- And when th' ascending soul has wlng'd her flight. Let Sleep and Death convey, by thy command. The breathless body to his native land. //. iv. 247. No. 656, — ^1, 1, Joseph fell upon his father's face, and kissed him.] It is probable that he first closed his eyes, as God had promised he should do, (Gen. xlvi. 4i) and then parted from his body with a kiss. Of this custom many examples are to be found. Thus Ovid represents Niobe as kissing her slaiin sons : and Meleager's sister kissing him when he lay dead, Corripus represents Justin the younger falhng upon Justinian, and weeping, arid kissihg him. Ut prius ingrediens corpus venerabile vidit, Incubuit lachrymans, atque oscula frigida carpsit Divini patris. No, 657. — 1, 2, And Joseph commanded his servants ihe physicians to embalm his father,] Concerning the practice- of physic in Egypt, Herodotus says, that it was divided a- mongst the faculty in this manner, " Every distinct distem per hath its own physician, who confines himself to the stu dy and care of that alone, and meddles with no other : so. that all places are crouded with physicians : for one class hath the care of the eyes, another of the head, another of 30 GENESIS. the teeth, another of the re^on of the belly, and anoth»r ofthe occult distempers." lib. ii. c 84. After this we shaU not thipk it strange that Joseph's physicians are represent ed as a number. A body of these domestics would now appear an extravagant piece of state, even in the first min ister. But then it could not be otherwise, where each, dis temper had its proper physician 5 sp that every great fa mily, as well as city must needs^ as Herodotus expresses it, swarm with the faculty. There is a remarkable passage in Jeremiah (chap, xlvi, 11.) where, foretelling the over throw of Pharaoh's arniy at the feuphiraites, he describes Egypt by this characteristic of her skill in medicine. Go tip into Gilead, and take balm, (or balsam) 0 virgin the daughter of Egypt ; in vain shalt thou use many medicines, for thou shalt not be cured. WarburTon's Divine Leg'atidn, b. iv. sec. 3. § 3, No. 658. — ^1, 3, And firty days were fulfilled for him, (for SQ^are fulfiilled the days of those -who are embalmed) and the Egyptians mourned for him three-score and teri days.] We' learn from two Greek historians (Herodotus., lib. ii. chap, 85, 86. Diodorus, lib. i. Bibl. p 58.) that the time of mourning was while the body remained with the embalm- ers, which Herodotus says was seventy days. During this time the body lay in nitre, the use of which was to dry up all its superfluous arid noxious moisture : and when, in the compass of thirty days, this was reasonably well effec ted, the remaiPing forty (the time mentioned by Diodo rus) were employed in annointing it with gums and spices to preserve it, which was the proper embalming. The former circumstance explains the reason why the Egyp tians mourned for Israel three-score dtidten days. The lat ter explains the meaning of the forty days "which were ful filled for Israel, being the days of those "who •were embalmed. WarburTon's Divine Legation, b. iv. sec. S* § 4. GENESIS. 31 ¦ No. 659.— 1. 1 3. Mis sons carried him into the la:ndof Ca naan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah,] That Jacob after his decease should be carried from Egypt into Canaan for interment, and Joseph also when he died is perfectly conformable to the practice of the East, Homer represents the shade of Patroclus as thus addressing Achilles, Hear then ; i^4 as in fate and lov^ we join. Oh suffer that my bones may rest witli thine ! ¦Together have we liv'd, together bred. One house received us and one table fed ; That golden urn, thy goddess mother gave. May mix our ashes in one common grave. Pope, II. xxiii. 103. No,660, — 1, 23. The children also of Machir were brought up upon Joseph's knees.] They were dandled or treated as children upon Joseph's knees. This is a pleasing picture of an old man's fondness for his descendants. So in Homer (Odyss. xix, 401,) the nurse places Ulysses, then lately bom, upcwa his maternal grandfather Autolychus's knees. Tor f» 01 'ExifunMia ^/AS(; ivi yniairi fimci. And on the other hand (II. ix, 1, 455.) Amyntpr impre cates it as a curse upon his son Phoenix, that he might have no son to sit upon Amyntor's knees. No, 661 1. 25, The children of Israel.] Though the people were very numerous, they were still called the chil dren of Israel, as if they had been but one family ; in the same manner as they said, the children of Edom, the chil- •dren of Moab, &c. Indeed all these people were still dis tinct ; they knew their own origin, and took a pride in preserving the name of their author. Thence probably it comes that the name of children signified, with the an- 32 GENESIS, cients, a nation, or certain sort of people. ' Homer often says, the children ofthe Greeks, and the children ofthe Trojans. The Greeks used to say, the children of the physicicms and grammarians. With the Hebrews, the children of the East, are the eastern people ; the children of Belial, the wicked ; the children of man, or Adam, mankind. In the gospel we often see the chilflren of this world ; of darkness and of hght ; and also the children ofthe bride groom, for those who go along with him to the wedding, Fleury's Hist, of Israehtes, p. 18. C S3 ] No. 662,— EXODUS i. 16. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, — When ye do the office ofa midwife to the Hebrew ivomen, and see them on the stools, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. To understand the word stools as referring to the wo men to be delivered, involves the passage in perplexity ; but if it be interpreted of those troughs or vessels of stoPe, in which new born children were placed for the purpose of being washed, it is perfectly clear and intelligible. This custom in relation to children is justified by eastern usages; and such a destruction of boys is actually practised in the courts of eastern monarchs. Thevenot (part ii. p, 98.) hints at both these principles. He says that " the kings of Persia are so afraid of being deprived of that power which they abuse, and are so apprehensive of being dethroned, that they destroy the children of their female relations, when they are brought to bed of boys, by put ting them into an earthen trough, where they suffer them to starve." No. 663. — ii, 5. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river.] The people of Egypt, and par ticularly the females of that country, express their vene ration for the benefits received from the Nile, by plunging into it at the time of its beginning to overflow the country. Is it not probable that when the daughter of Pharaoh went into that river, it was in conformity with that idola trous practice ? Irwin (Travels, p. 229, 259 ) relates, that looking out of his window in the night, he saw a band of damsels proceeding to the river side with singing and VOL. II. F 34 EXODUS. dancing, and that the object of their going thither was to witness the first visible rise of the Nile, and to bathe in it, Harmer, vol. iv. p. 279. No. 664 iii. 2. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in aflame of fire.] The traditionary notion of a miraculous light or fire being a token of a divine presence prevailed among the Greeks in the time of Homer : for, after relating that the goddess Minerva attended On Ulys ses with her golden lamp, or rather torch, and afforded him a refulgent light, he makes Telemachus cry out to his father in rapture. n ?r«TSf, » fjieya iau/itt toJ"' a^iaXfioiirit ofaftai, &c. Odyss. xix. What miracle thus dazzles with surprise ? Distinct in rows the radient columns rise ; The walls, where'er my wondering sight I turn. And roofs, amidst a blaze of glory burn j Some visitant of pure ethereal race With his bright presence deigns the dome to grace. Pope. No, 665. — iv, 25, A bloody husband art thou to me,] The learned Joseph Mede (Diss. xiv. p. 52.) has given to these words , of Zipporah the following singular interpre tation. He says that it was a custom among the Jews to name the child that was circumcised by a Hebrew word, signifying a husband. He builds his opinion upon the testirnony of some rabbins. He apprehends that she ap plied to the child, and not to Moses, as most interpreters think, the words above mentioned, Chaton, which is the term in the original, is never used to denote the relation between husband and wife, but that which is between a man and the father or mother of the person to whom he is married : it signifies a son inlaw, and not a husband. EXODUS. 35 A person thus related is a son initiated into a family by alliance. It is in this view of initiated, that Zipporah says to her son, a bloody husband art thou to me ; that is to say, it is I who have initiated thee into the church by the bloody sacrament of circumcision. He endeavours to justi fy his criticism upon the word Chaton by the idea which the Arabians affix to the verb, from whence this noun is derived. The Chaldee Paraphrast also annexes the same notion to the words of Zipporah. Saurin (Diss, on O, T, vol. i. p. 371.) does not seem altogether satisfied with this interpretation ofthe passage: whether it be just or not must be left to the decision of the learned reader. No. 666. — V. 7, Straw to make brick,] Whether this were given and used, to mix with the clay, as is done in some places, that the bricks made thereof might be firmer and stronger; or to burn them with in the furnaces: or to cover them from the heat of the sun, that they might not dry too soon and crack, is not easy to determine. It is said that the unburnt bricks of Egypt formerly were, and still are, made of clay mixed with straw. The Egyp tian pyramid of unburnt brick. Dr. Pococke (Observations on Egypt, p. 5.).) says, seems to be made of the earth brought by the Nile, being a sandy black earth, with some pebbles and shells in it : it is mixed up with chopped straw in order to bind the clay together. The Chinese have great occasion for straw in making bricks, as they put thin layers of straw between them, without which they would, as they dried, run or adhere together. Macartney's Emb. p. 269. No. 667. — vii. 18. The Egyptians shall loath to drink ofthe water of the river,] A peculiar energy will be discovered in these words, if what the abbot Mascrier has said (Lett, i. p. 15.) of the water of the Nile be attended to. " The 36 EXQDUS. water of Egypt is so delicious that one would not wish the heat should be less, nor to be delivered from the sen sation of thirst. The Turks find it so exquisitely charm ing, that they excite themselves to drink of it by eating salt. It is a common saying among them, that if Maho met had drank of it, he would have begged of God not to have died, that he might always have done it." Har mer, vol. ii. p. 295. No. 668. — X. 26. There shall not a hoof be left behind.] Bp. Patrick observes, that this was a proverbial speech in the eastern countries ; similar to a saying amongst the Ara bians, which was first u.ed about horses, and afterwards transferred to other things — present money even to a hoof, that is, they would not part with a horse, or any other com modity, till the buyer haci laid dpwp the price of it to a farthing. No. 669. — xii. 3. In the tenth day of this month they shall take to themselves every man a lamb; ver. 6. and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month.] Frpm hence it appears that the lamb was to be taken from the flock four days before it was killed. For this the rabbles assign the following reasons: that the providing of it might not, through a hurry of business, especially at the time of their departure from Egypt, be neglected till it was too late: that by having it so long with them before it was killed, they rtiight have the better opportunity of observ ing whether there were any blemishes in it; and by hav ing it before their eyes so considerable a time, might be more effectually reminded of the mercy of their deliver ance out of Egypt ; and likewise to prepare them for so great a solemnity as the approaching feast. On these ac counts some of the rabbles inform us it was customary to haye the lamb tied these four days to their bed posts; a EXODUS. 37 rite which they make to be necessary and essential to the passover in all ages. Jennings's Jewish Ant. vol.ii p. 187. No. 670. — xii. 9. Eat not of i' m-w, nor sodden with •wate , but roasted with fire,] The prohibition of eating it raw, for which there might seem to be but little occasion, since mankind have generally abhorred such food, is understood by some to have been given in opposition to the barbarous customs of the heathens, who in their feasts of Bacchus, which according to Herodotus and Plutarch, had their original in Egypt, used to tear the members of living creatures to pieces, and eat them raw. It is ob servable, that the Syriac version renders the clause. " Eat not of it raw, eat not of it •while it is alive'' Spencer deLeg, Heb. 1. ii. c. 4. sect. 2. No, 671. — xii. 10. That •which remaineth ill the morn ing ye shall burn with five,] We read in Macrobius of such a custom amongst the ancient Romans m a feast called Protervia, where the manner was, as Flavianus saith, ut si quid ex epulis superfuisset, igne consumeretur ; that if any thing were left of the good cheer, it should be consumed with fire. L. ii. Saturnal, cap. 2. Patrick, in loe. No. 672. — xii. 15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread,] As by the law of Moses no leaven of any kind was to be kept in the houses of the Israelites for seven or eight days, it might have been productive of great inconvenience, had they not been able by other means to supply the want of it. The MS. Chardin informs us, that they use no kind of leaven whatever in the East, but dough kept till it is grown sour, which they preserve from one dav to another. In wine countries they use the lees of wine "as we do yeast. If therefore there should be no leaven in all the country for several days, yet in twenty- 3,8 EXODUS. four hours some would be produced, and they would re turn to their preceding state. Harmer, vol. i. p, 253, No. 673 xii. 15. The first day ye shall put away lea1)en out of your houses,] Concerning this matter the modern Jews are superstitiously exact and scrupulous. The mas ter of the family makes a diligent search into every hole and crevice throughout the house, lest any crumb of leav ened bread should remain in it : and that not by the light of the sun or moon, but of a candle. And in order that this exactness may not appear altogether superfluous and ridiculous, care is taken to conceal some scraps of leaven ed bread in some corner or other, the discovery of which occasjoris mighty joy. This search nevertheless, strict as it is, does not give him entire satisfaction. After all he beseeches God that all the leavened bread that is in the house, as well as what he has found, may become like the dust of the earth, and be reduced to nothing, Thev are also very exact and scrupulous in making their bread for the feast, lest there shpuld be any thing like leaven mix ed with it. The corn of which it is made, must not be tarried to the mill on the horse's bare back, lest the heat ofthe sun should make it ferment. The sack in which it is put, must be carefully examined, lest there should be any remainder of old meal in it : the dough must be made in a place not exposed to the sun, and must be put into the oven immediately after it is made, lest it should fer ment itself. Jennings's Jewish Ant, vol. ii. p. 211, No. 674. — xii. 26, 27. Tour children shall say, what mean ye by this service.] A custom obtained among the Jews, that a child should ask the meaning of the passover, and that the person who presided should then give an ac- EXODUS. 39 count of its intent and origin, that sb the remembrance of God's mercy might be transmitted to their latest pos terity. This was called the Declaration, or shewing firth. No. 675, — xil. 34, Andthe people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.] The vessels which the Arabs make use of for kneading the unleavened cakes which they prepare are only small wooden bowls. (Shaw's Trav. p. 231.) In these they afterwards serve up their provisions when cooked. It is not certain that these wooden bowls were the kneading-troughs of the Israelites : but it is in- contestible that they must have been comparatively small and light, to be so easily carried away. No, 676. — xiii. 4. The month Abib,] This' answered nearly to our March O, S. and had this name because in Egypt and Palestine corn, particularly barley, (Shames Trav, p, 406.) was in ear that time. So April among the Romans was called ab aperiendo terram, from opening the earth. The author of the Ceremonies and Religious Customs of all nations observes, (vol. iii. p. 108.) that the year among the Hurons, and several other nations of Ca nada and Mississippi, is composed of twelve synodical lu nar months, and that all the lunar months have names suitable to them, They'give the name of the worm-moon to the month of March, because those reptiles begin to discover themselves at that time ; that of the moon of plants to the month of April ; and the moon of swallows to that of May. The Flemings have the same form of speech in their tongue. The month of February is by them called, the month in which they crop or prune the trees ; the month of April that in which the meadows are fit for mowing. The signs of the zodiac also receive 40 EXODUS. their name? in much the same manner. See Pluche'& Hist, du del, vol. i. p. 11, Parkhurst's Heb. Lex. p. 2. No. 677 xiii. 21. The Lord went before them by day in a. pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give ihem light,] Xenophon, in his Lace- dsemonian republic, describing the march of a Spartan king when he goes out to war, mentions a servant or offi cer under the name of fire-carrier, who went before him with fire takeP from the altar, at which he had just been sacrificing, to the boundaries of the Spartan territory, where, sacrificing again, and then proceeding, a fire, kind led likewise from this latter sacrifice, goes before him, without ever being extinguished. No. 678 XV. 20. And all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.] Representations simi lar to this are frequently to be met with in the ancient writers. Hesiod describes the muses as dancing round the altar of Jupiter, Of^ivtrai X.HI Ca/av ifiirS-iyiot KfOfimi;. Ttieog V. 4, . Thus Theseus led the ring in the dance to the sound of the harp. (Callim, Hy, in Del, 301.) Plato assures us that the gods, and the children of the gods, were honoured with dancing. (De Leg. b. vii p. 815.) And he was for consecrating songs and dances to them ; appointing feasts at proper seasons of the year, and for ordering by autho rity what songs were proper to be sung, and what dances to be used, at the sacrifices which were offered to them. Lucian also informs us, that the Indians adored the sun when they rose in the morning, not as the Greeks did, by kissing their hand, but by turning to the east and EXODUS. 4,1 dancing, "and thus appeased the deity niorning and even ing, (De Saltat. § 15, 16, 17,) Chandler's Life of David, vol. ii. p. 116. No. 679. — XV. 23. And when they came to Marah, they c&uld not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter.] Dr. Shaw (Trav. p. 314.) thinks that jjnese waters may be properly fixed at Corondel, where there is a small rill, which unless it be diluted by the dews and rain, is very brackish. Another traveller ('J''o«/r«g? _^off2 Grand Cairo to Mount Sinai, A. D. 1722, p. 14, 15.) tells us that, at the foot of the mountain of Hamam el Faron, a small but most delightful valley, a place called Garofidu, is a rivu let that comes from the mountain, the water of which is tolerably good and ' sufficiently, plentiful, but is bitter, though very dear, Pococke says, there is a mountain knowp to this day by the name of Le 'Marah; and toward the sea is a $alt well called Birhammer, tvhich is probably the same here called Marah. No, 680. — xvii. 6. Thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come art ii, p. 161) says, that the punishment of the third and fourth generation does not always satisfy the king of Persia. " All the pearls that weigh half a medical or more, that EXODUSf 43 are fi^ed up at Bahreim, belong to the king 3 who, ne vertheless, makes a liberal present to the fisherman who brings him such : but also, if any of them fail to do it, and sell such a pearl out of his dominions, were it even at the world's end, the king is soon acquainted with it, and to be revenged, he puts to death the whole family and all the kindred of the fisherman, even to the seventh ge« neration, both males and females. Menu has also iPcor-J porated this principle in his laws. See Sir W. Jones's Works. No. 684. — XX. 12. That thy days may be long in the land.] As disobedience to parents is,' by the law of Moses, threat ened to be punished with death, so on the contrary, long Ufe is promised to the obedient ; and that in their own country» . which God had peculiarly enriched with abun dance of blessings. Heathens also gave the very same encouragement, saying, that such children should be dear to the gods, both living and dying. So Euripides. It was also one of their promises, thou shalt live long, if thou nourish thy ancient parents. Whence children are called by Xenophon r«f oSomo/. Patrick, in loe. No; 685. — xx. 24. An altar of earth shalt thou make unto me.] This command certainly imports, that the altars of the Lord were to be as plain and simple as possible. They were to be made either of sods and turfs of earth, which were easily prepared in most places, whilst they stayed in the wilderness, or of rough and unpolished stone, if the^ came into rocky places, where no sods were to be obtain ed } that there might be no occasion to grave any image upon them. Such altars, Tertullian observes (Apolog. c. 25.) were among the ancient Romans in the days of Nu- 'ma ; when, as they had no sumptuous temples, nor ima- 44 EXODUS. ges, so they had only temeraria de cespite altaria, altars hastily huddled up of earthy without any art. Patrick, in he. No, 686 xxi, 6. And his master shall bore his ear through with an aitil, and he shall serve him for ever.] This Jewish custom was borrowed by other nations, particularly by the Arabians, as appears from a passage of Petropius Arbiter, (Satyricon, p. 364,) where he introduces one Giton expressing himself in these terms, Circumcide nos, ut Judai videamur ; et pertunde aures, ut imitemur Arabes. Juvenal puts the following expressions in the mouth of Libertinus, -Quamvis Natus ad Euphratem, moUes quod in aure fenestrse Arguerint, licet ipse negem. Sat. i. 103. No. 687.. — xxxiii. 12. On the seventh daythou shalt rest ,- that thine ox and thine ass may rest.] We should here ob serve thef great clemency of God, who by this law re quires some goodness and mercy to be exercised even to brute animals, that he might remove men the farther front cruelty to each other. The slaughter of a plough ing ox was prohibited by a law common to the Phrygians, Cyprians, and Romans, as we find recorded by Varro, Pliny and others. The Athenians made a decree, that a mule worn out by labour and age, and which used to ac company other mules drawing burthens, should be fed at the public expence. Ludit herboso pecus omne campo. Cum tibi nonac redeunt Decembres : Festus in pratis vacat otioso. Cum bove pagus. Hor. 1. iii. Od. xviii. ad Faunum, 9. . When the nones of December, sacred to you, return, all EXODUS. 43 our flocks sport in the grassy fields : and the whole vil lage, celebrating your festival, divert themselves in the meadows with the ox, who that day' is allowed to rest. See also Tibullus, 1. ii. El. i. 5. Juv. Sat. vi. 536. Popham on Peptateuch. No. 688. — ^xxiii. 16. The feast of ingathering, which is in the end ofthe year, •when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field,] The same custom prevailed among the Gentils, who, at the end of the year, when they gather ed in their fruits, offered solemn sacrifices, with thanks to God for his blessings. Aristotle (Ethic, lib. viii.) says, that the ancient sacrifices and assemblies were after the gathering in of the fruits, being designed for an oblation of the first-fruits unto God. No, 689. — xxiv, 11, And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand.] It is usually said that God laid not his hand in a way of terror, or anger, on these no bles on account of their intrusion : but in the Monthly Magazine for January, 1804, is the following description of the appearance at court of the Mogul's officers, who partake of his bounty or rewards. " Those officers of the districts, whose time has expired, or who have been recalled from siinilar stations, repair to the imperial pre sence, and receive the reward, good or evil, of their ad ministration. When they are admitted into the pre sence, or retire from thence, if their rank and merit be eminent, they are called near to his majesty's person, and allowed the honour of placing their heads below his sa cred foot. The emperor lays his hand on the back of a person, on whom he means te bestow an extraordinary mark of favour. Others from a distance receive tokens of kind- fless, by the motion of the imperial brow or eyes." Now 46 EXODUS. if the nobles of Israel were not admitted to the same near- ness of approach to the deity as Moses and Aarop, perhaps this phrase should be taken directly contrary to what it> has been. He laid not his hand in a way of special favour, nevertheless they saw God, and did eat and drink in his presence. This sense of laying on the hand is supported by a passage in Bell's Travels to Persia, p. 103. " The minister received the credentials, apd laid them before the shah, who touched them witb his hand, as a mark of re spect. This part ofthe ceremony had been very difficult to adjust : for the ambassador insisted on delivering hi^ letters into the shah's own hands. The Persian ministers on the other hand affirmed, that their king pever received letters directly from the ambassadors of the greatest em perors on earth." Theological Magazine, vol. iv. p; 140. No. 690i — xxv. 10. They shall make an ark.] We meet with imitations of this divinely instituted emblem among several heathen patiops, both in ancient and modern times. Thus Tacitus (de Mor. German, cap, 40.) informs us, that « the inhabitants of the north of Germany, oujr Saxop ancestors, in general, worshipped Herthum, that is, the mother earth, and believed her to interpose in the affairs of men, and to Visit nations : that to her, with in a sacred grove, ip a certain island of the ocean, a vehi cle, cpyered with a vestment, was consecrated, and allowed to be touched by the priest alone, who perceived when the .goddess entered into this her secret place, and with profound veneration attended her vehicle, wjiich was drawn by cows. While the goddess was on her progress, days of rejoicing were kept in every place which she vouchsafed to visit. They engaged in no war, they med dled not with arms, they locked up their weapons : peace EXODUS. 47 and quietness oftly were then known, these only relished, tilt the same priest reconducted the goddess, satiated with Ae conversatitm of mortals, to her temple." Among the Mexicans, Vitziputzli, their supreme god, Was represented in a human shape, sitting on a throne, supported by an azure globe, which they called heaven. Four poles or stidks came out from two sides ofthis globei at the ends of which serpents"^ heads were carved, the whole making a litter, which the priests carried oil their shoulders whenever the idol was shewn in public." Pi- earfi Ceremonies, vol. iii. p. 146. Ib Lieutenant Cool^s voyage round the world, published by Dr, Haivksworth, vol. ii. p. 252, we find that the inha- Ktants ,6f Huaheine, one ofthe islands lately discovered in tite South Sea, had « a kind of chest or ark, the lid of which was nicely sewed on, and thatched very neatly with p^h-nut leaves. It was fixed upon two poles, and sup ported upon little archesof wood, very neatly carved: the use of tie poles seemed to be to remove it from place to place, in the manner of our sedian chair : in one end of it was a square hole, in the middle of which was a ring touch ing the sides, and lea'ving the angles open, so as to form a rbond hole within, a square one without. The first time Mr. Banks saw this coffer, the apperture at the end was stopped^ wSeb a piece of cloth, which, lest he should give offence, he left untouched. Probably there was then something within : but now the cloth was taken away, and upon ISoKng into it, it was found empty. The general resem- Wance between this repository, and the att of the Lord amoHg^thje Jews, is remarkable : but it~ is still more re markable, that upon enquiring ofthe boy what it vras cal led, he said, Ewharre no Eatau, the htmse of God : he could however ^ve no account of its signification or use." Parkhurst's Heb. Lex, p. 690, 4th'edt, 48 EXODUS, No. 691. — ixxviii. 30. The Urim and the Thummim.] There was a remarkable imitation ofthis sacred ornament among the Egyptians ; for we learn from Diodorus^ (lib, i. p. 68, ed. Rhod.) and from ^lian (Far, Hist. 1. xiv, c, S4.) that "their chief priest, who was also their supreme judge in civil matters, wore about his neck, by a golden chain, an ornament of precious stones called truth, and that a cause was not opened till the supreme judge had put on this ornament," No. 692. — xxix. 20- And sprinkle the blood upon the al-. tar round about.] It is, says Bp, Patrick, no improbable conjecture of Fprtunatus Scacchus, that from hence the heathens learned their Taurobolia, and Criobolia, which in process of time they disguised with infernal rites and cere monies. "The Taurobolium of the ancients was a ceremony in which the high priest of Cybele was consj^rated, and might be called a baptism of blood, which they Conceived imparted a spiritual new birth to the liberated spirit. In this dreadful and sanguinary ceremony, according to the poet Prudentius, cited at length by Banier on the ancient, sacrifices, the high priest about to be inaugurated was in-' troduced into a dark excavated apartment, adorned with a long silken robe, . and a crown of gold. Above this apartment was a floor perforated in a thousand places with. holes like a sieve, through which the blood of a sacred, hull slaughtered for the purpose descended in a copious tor rent upon the inclosed priest, who received the purifying stream on every part of his dress, rejoicing to bathe with the bloody shower his hands, his cheeks, and even to bedew his lips and his tongue with it : when all the blood had run from the throat of the immolated bull, the carcass of the victim was removed, and the priest issued forth from the cavity, a spectacle ghastly and horrible, his EXODUS. 49 head- and vestments being covered with blood, and clotted drops of it adhering to his venerable beard. As soon as the pontifex appeared before the assembled multitude, the air was rent with congratulatory shouts ; so pure and so sanctified however was he now esteemed, that they dared not approach his person, but beheld him at a distance with awe and veneration." Maurice's Ind. Ant. vol, v. p. 196, No. 693 — xxix. 24. And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons, and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.], Waving the sacrifice be fore the Lord is a very ancient sacrificial rite. It was of two kinds : one was performed by waving it perpendicu larly, upward and downward : the other by waving it ho rizontally, towards the four cardinal points, to denote the consecration of what was thus waved to the Lord of the whole earth. JenNikg's Jewish Ant. vol. i. p. 291. No. 694. — xxx. 19. For Aaron andhis sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat.] The care which was taken respecting ablutions in general, and with regard to sacrifi ces in particular, was not confined to the Jews ; it is to be observed also amongst the Gentiles. There are numer ous passages of Homer which clearly evince this. Speak ing of the great sacrifice that was preparing to be offered' for appeasing Apollo, he says, X«pn4«VT0 ^ iiruta, »«/ 8Xo;^ut«{ avtXcvTo. //. i. Upon which words Eustathius obsesrves, that it Was the ap- cient custom, before they sacrificed, to wash their hands, for that none but those who were clean and pure might , meddle with- sacred things. VOL. II H 50 EXODUS. No. 695. — Xxxii. 2. From the ears of your wives, of your sons.] Men wore these ornaments in the eastern countries, as well as women ; as we find in the story of the Ishmael- ite and Midianite soldiers. Judges, viii. 24. and Pliny, In oriente quidem et viris aurum eo loci, &c. In the East it is esteemed an ornament for men to wear gold in that place : speaking of their ears. See Bochart Hieroz, p. i. 1. 1. c. 34. No. 696. — xxxii. 6. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings ; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play,] It is highly probable that at this feast they sacrificed after the manner ofthe Egyptians. Herodotus gives an account of a solemn feast which the people of Egypt celebrated at Bubastis in honour of the goddess Diana : to her, he says, they offer many sacrifices, and while the victim is burning they dance and play a hundred tricks, and drink more wine than in the whole year besides. For they convene thither aboPt seven hundred thousand men and women, besides children. Aaron's feast of the golden calf seems to have been in imitation of this. No. 697. — xxxiii. 5. Therefore now put off ihini orna ments from thee.] The Septuagint gives this as a trans lation of these words : now therefore put ff your robes of glory, and your ornaments. It was customary to put off their up per garments in times of deep mourning ; and it is still practiced in the East; " A few days after this we came to a place called Rabbock, about four days sail on this side . Mecca, where all the hagges (pilgrims), excepting those of the female sex enter into hirrawem or ihram, i, e. they take off all their clothes, covering themselves with two hirrawems, or large white cotton wrappers ; one they put about their middle, which reaches down to their ankles i EXODUS. 51 with the other they cover the upper part ofthe body, except the head ; and they wear no other thing on their bodies but these wrappers, only a pair of gimgameea, or thin-soted shoes, like sandals, the over leather of which covers only the toes, their insteps being all naked. In this man ner, like humble penitents, they go from Rabbock till they come to Mecca, to approach the temple ; many times enduring the scorching heat ofthe sun, till the very skin is burnt off their back and arms, and their heads swelled tp a very great degree." Pit^s Travels, p. 115. Harmer, vol, iv. p, 402. No. 698, — xxxiii. 6. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb,] The de nunciation of divine anger was the reason why the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments. A sim ilar indication of fear is observable in the general practice of the Romans. A day was fixed for the trial of the accu sed person. In the mean time he changed his dress ; laid aside every kind of ornament ; let his hair and beard grow ; and in this mean garb went round and solicited the favour of the people, Adam's Roman Antiquities, p. 87, No. 699.— xxxiv. 15. And thou eat of his sacrifice.] To eat part of what was offered in sacrifice appears to have been a very ancient and general practice, ^^'"wwrt/ particu larly alludes to it in the following passage : Moris erat quondam festis servare diebus, Et natalitium cognatis ponere lardum, Accedente nova, si quam dabat hostia, carne. Sat. xi. 8^. But heretofore 'twas thought a sumptuous treat, On birth-days, festivals, or days of state. 52 EXODUS. A salt, dry flitch of bacon to prepare ; If they had fresh laa^at, 'twas delicious fare, ¦Which rarely happened : and 'twas highly pviz'i. If ought were left of what they sacrific'd. prydedt. No. 700. — xxxviii. 8, The women who assembled at the door of : he tabernacle.] A laver of brass was made of the ¦ mirrors of the women who thus assembled. Some have derived this from a custom of the Egyptian women^ who used tb go to the temple with a looking-glass in one haPd, and a timbrel in the other, Vid. Cyril de Adoratt- one in Spiritu et Virtute, tom. i, 1. 2. p. 64. [ ^8 3 No. 701.— LEVITICUS ii. 1. Whenany will offer a med*-ffering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. Flour of the finest sort formed a part of the sacrifical offerings not only of the Jews but of the Greeks likewise. Thus Homer represents Eumaeus as acting. - .¦.. .1 Then on tlie board display'd The ready meal before Ulysses laid, Witli flour imbrown'd. This flour, says Daeier, was made of parched com. Whea the ancients fed upon any thing that had not been offered in sacrifice, they sprinkled it with flour, which was used instead of the hallowed bariey, with which they consecra ted their victims. Since some honours were paid to the gods in all their feasts, this sprinkling of the flour by Eu- masus was a religious act. Flour was sometimes used by the Greeks as a substitute for animals in their hecatombs. They invented a method of imposing upon the gods bjr offering one animal only, and for the reniainder substitu ting little images of paste. No, 7P2, — ii, 1- And he shall pour oil upon it.] This was done to give the offering a grateful relish, according to Maimonides. The heathens used oil in their sacrifices, only not mixed with flour ; but poured upon the flesh of the beast that was sacrificed, to make it burn the bett^ upon the altar, ^o Virgil: fingiie mperque qleumfmdent. ardentikif extts. JEn,vl2Si, 54 LEVITICUS. Frankincense was also put thereon. This was to make a sweet odour in the court of the tabernacle, which other wise would have been offensive by reason of the flesh which was daily burned there. This was common also in the sacrifices of the Gentiles, as appears by a passage in Ovid: Da mihi thura, puer, pinguesfacientiajlammas, ^uodquepiofusum, stridat in igne m,erum. L. V. de Tristibiis, Eleg. v. 11. No. 703. — ^vi. 13. It shall never go out.] This circum stance was so famous, that it was imitated by the Gen tiles, who thought it ominous to have their sacred fire go out ; and therefore appointed persons to watch and keep it perpetually burning. The great business of the vestal virgins at Rome was to look after ivhat was called the eternal fire ; imagining that the extinction of it purpor ted the destruction of the city. The Greeks also pre served an inextinguishable fire at Delphi ; so did the Per sians, and many other people. See Bochart Hieroz. p. i, lib. 2. cap,. 35. and Oriental Customs,No, 51, the Persians took great care to preserve a continual fire, Q, Curtius., giving an account ofthe march of Darius's army, says', the fire which they called eternal was carried before them on silver altars ; the Magi came after it, singing hymPs after the Persian manner ; and three hundred and sixty- five youths clothed in scarlet followed, according to the number of the days in the year. No. 704. — ^vii. 8. The priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt-affering "which he hath offered.] 'It is pro bable that Adam himself offered the first sacrifice, and had the skin given him by God, to make garments for himself and his wife. In conformity to this, the grie§ts LEVITICUS* 55 ever after had the skin of the whole burut^fferings for their portion. This was a custom amongst the Gentiles, who gave the skins of their sacrifices to their priests j by whom they were employed to a superstitious use, by laying upon them in their temples, hoping to have fu ture things revealed to them in their dreams. This Dilherrus hath observed from Virgil: \ Hue dona sacerdos Quum tulit, et ciesarum ovium sub nocte silenti Pellibus incubuit stratis, semnosque petivit ; Multa madis simulacra videt voUtantia miris, Et varias audit voces, fruiturque deorum CoUoqulo. jEn. vii. 1. 86. " Hither when the priest had brought offerings, and in the deep silence of night laid him down on the outspread skins of the victims slain, and disposed himself to sleep, he sees many visionary forms fluttering about in wondrous ways, hears various sounds, and enjoys interviews with the gods." ' We find the priests of Hercules pellibus in morem cincti (Virg. ^n. viii. 282.) clad in skins after their manner, and in Lucian (de Dea Syr. tom. ii. p. 913. edit. Bened,) we meet with a remarkable rite of the offerer himself squatting on his knees, upon the skin of the sacrificed sheep, and putting the head and feet ofthe victim upon his own head. No. 705. — vii. 15, 16. A*^dthe ftesh ofthe sacrifice of his peace- fferings fir thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered — on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten. — ] The longest time allowed for eating the flesh of any of the Mosaic sacrifices was the day after that on which they were killed ; the eating of it on the third day is declared, to be an abomination. This precept may be 56 LEVITICUS. thought to have been unnecessary in so warm a cKmate i hnt we are to remember that the drying: of meat is ofteit practised in those hot countries : that it is sometimes done with flesh killed on a religious account } and that this probably was the cause of the prohibition. The Maho metans who go in pilgrimage to) Mecca are required to ?^rifice sheep ; part of which they eat ;, part they give to their friends, and part they dry for use at other times. Harmer, vol. iii. p, 157. No. 706. — xi. 2. These are the beasts which ye shall eat.] The directions given by Moses in this chapter respecting clean and unclean beasts have a remarkable parallel in the laws of Menu. He forbids the brahmins eating the milk of a camel, or any quadruped with the hoof not cloven. He orders to be shunned, quadrupeds with uncloven hoofs ; carnivorous birds, such as live in towns ; birds that strike -with their beaks; web-footed birds : those which wound with strong talons ; those which dive to devour fish ; all amphibious fish-eaters ; also tame hogs, and fish of every sort. There are a variety of other circumstantial prohibitions, connected with those already cited, of a nature very similar to this specimen. No. 707. — xi, 33, And every earthen vessel whereinte any of them faileth, •whatsoever is in it shall be unclean, and ye shall break it,] The regard which the Jews pay to^ cere monial purity is very great. The minutest attention is given by them to the vessels which are used in domestic economy, that they may avoid pollution. Leooi Modena informs us (page 8.) that " the vessels wherewith they dress their meat and serve it must all be bought new. They presume that some forbidden meats may have been dressed or put into them, and the fume may have pierced into the very substapce of the vessel. If k be of metal or LEVITICUS. sa. stone which cannot receive vapours, they make use of it, first putting it-intb the fire, or seethipg it in. water. This they, do from the prohibition of eating div.ers kipds of meats." :. No. _708. — XV. 13; And bathe his fiesh in running water.] The difference . between bathing in ordipary and in run ning water is here strongly marked, by a positive command in .favour ofthe latter. This circumstance was not pecu liar to the Jewish ritual, but. is to be met with in the Ma hometan law, and in the Indian religion. Inthe Indies it is a most meritorious, act to pray to God in the running stream. Bernier's Travels, vol. ii. No, 709. — ^xv, 17. Every skin,] The same cautiop that has engaged the eastern people that tend cattle not to sleep in the open air, but to make use of tents, induces them not to sit or lie in their tents on the moist ground, but to make use of some kind of carpeting. The poorer sort of Arabs make use of mats, but others of goat-skins for this purpose. Dr. Chandler szys (Trav. in Greece, p. .103.) that he saw some dervishes at Athens sitting on goat-skins : and that he was afterwards conducted into a room, furnished in like manner with the same kind of car peting, where he was treated with, a pipe and coffee by the chief dervish. Skins of goats, as well as sheep and bul locks, must have been among them very. valuable things, and as such the priest that offered any burnt -offering was to have its skin. Harmer, vol. iii. p. 68. No. 710." xvi. 8. Atid Aaron shall cast las upon the two goats, one lot for the Lord, and the other lot fir the scape goat.] The manner in which these lots were cast does not ap- VOL. II I 58 LEVITICUS. peat ia scripture ; but if we may credit the rabMes, there Was an urn brought to the high priest, irito which he threw ti^ro wooden lots, 6n one of which was written^ for the Lord ; on the other azazel, the word which we render the scape-goat. After he had shaken them, he put both his hands into the urn, and brought up the lots, one in each hand ; and as the goats stood, one on each side of him, their fate ^vas determined by the Jot that came up in the hand Pfext to them. If the right hand brought up the lot for the Lord, they Regarded it as a goad omen. If the left hand brought Up that lot, they accounted it as a bad omen, and an indication that God was not pacified. JenninGb's Je-wish Ant. vol. ii. p. 267- No, 711, — xvi. 14, Se-oen.] The number seven was highly regarded, and thought of great eflScacy in religious attion?, pot only- by the Jews, but by the heathePs. Apu- leius says, Desirous of purifying mysetf, I wash in the sea, aSid dip tny head seven times in the waves, the divine Py thagorus having taught, that this humber is above all others iP9st proper in the concerns Of religion. (De Assino aureoi IHj. xi.) Veiy frequent instances of the recurrence of this number are to be found in the scriptures. No . 7 12. — xviii, 2 1 , Thou shalt not let atiy of thy -seed pass through the-fire to Moloch.] We liave a particular descrip tion ofthis idol, in the commentary of Rabbi Simeon, upon Jer. vii. he says, " all the houses ctf idols were in the city of Jerusalem, except that of Moloch, which was out of the city, in a separate place. Tt was a'statue with a head of an ox, and the hands stretched out as a man's, who opens his hand to i:eceive something from another. It was hol- Iciw within, and there were seven chapels raised, before which the idol was erected. He that offered a fowl or a LEVITICUS. «» young pigeon went into the first chapal ; if he offered a shQep or a lamb, he went into the second ; if a ram, into the third ; if a calf, into the fourth ; if a bullock, into the fifth ; if an ox, into the sixth; but he only who offered his o'wn son, went into the seventh chapel ; and kissed the idol Moloch, as it is written, Hos. xiii. 2. Letth^ men that sacrifice, kiss the eahves. The trhild was placed before the idol, and a fire mads under it till it became red hot. Then the priest took the child, and put him into the glowing hands of Moloch ; and lest the parents should hear his cries, they beat drums to drown the noise. Therefore the place was called Tophet, from Thoph, Thuppim, that sig nifies drums. It was also called Hinnon, because of the chiklren's roaring, from the Hebrew word naham, to roar, or because the priest; said to the parents, Jehenelah, It will be of advantage to you." No. 7 1 $,^rxix, 27. Te fhall not round ike c^rperi rf^om head.] The Hebrew word translated corners^ signifies ais? the extremities of any thing : and the meaning is, they were not to cut their hair equal, behind and before ; . as the worshippers of the stars and the planets, particularly the Arabians, did. There are those however who think it re fers to a superstitious custom fimongst the Geptjles, ip their mourning for the dea^. They cut off tb|:ir hair, gnd that round about ; and threw it into the sepulchre with the ftp- dies of their relations and friends ; and sometimes laid it upon the face or the breast pfthe dead, as an offieripg to the ipfieroal gods, whereby they thought jo ^ppe^ise tbem^ 3od make them kind tp th^ decgagg^.. §fp Maimonides de Idfil, c. Jfij. 1. .2, 5. / No. 714.— xix. 28, Nor print anyjnarlsftpon^qu.]'J^e painting of the bodies of eminent personages, or of othei^ upon remarkable occasions, is known to have obtained in 60 LEVITICUS. countries very remote from each other. Our British an cestors were painted, and Ddmpier the celebrated voyager, brought over an East Indian prince, whose skin was very cu riously stained with various figures. The wild Arabs adorn themselves in this manner according to UArvieux, who tells us among other things, in his description ofthe preparatives f6r an Arab wedding, that the women drawj with a certain kiPd of ink, the figures of flowers, fountains, houses, cy press-trees; antelopes, and other animals, upon all the parts of the bride's body. (Voy. dans la Pal. p, 223.) This the 'Israelites were forbidden to do, ' No. 715; — xix, 32, Thou shalt rise up before thehoary head, and honour the face of the old man.] The Jewish wri ters say that the rule was to rise up to them when they were at the distance of four cubits ; and as soon as they were gone by, to sit down again ; that it might appeal? they rose up purely out of respect to thein. Most civilized people haveadopted the practice, Juvenal says, Credebant hoc grande nefas et morte piandum, ; Si juvenis vetulo norassurrexerat^— > Sat, xiii. v. S4. The Lacedaemonians had a law, that aged persons should be reverenced like fathers. See also Homer II, xv. 204. et xxiii. 788. Odyss. xiii. 141. No, 716. — ^xix, 36. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have.] Fraudulent practices were severely punished among the Egyptians, whether they ¦were of a public or private ¦wrong, Diodorus SiculusXeWs us, the law commands that both the hands shoul4 be cut off of those that adulterated money, or substituted new weights. LEvrncus. ei Jnpitef ipse duas, isquato examine Unces Sustinet. Viro. Md. xii. 725. Jove sets the beam, in either scale he lays The champion's fate, and each exactly Weighs. Dryden. > No. 717. xxiii. 24. A memorial rf blowing rf trumpets.] Some commentators have conjectured, that this feast of trumpets was designed to preserve the memory of Isaac's deliverance by the substitution of a ram to be sacrificed. in his stead : it has sometimes been called by the Jews, the binding of Isaac. But it is more probable that it derived its name from the kind of trumpets (ram's horns,), then used, and that it was - intended to solemnize the begin ning of the new year, to remind them of the beginning of the world, and to excite their thankfulness for the fruits, benefits, and blessings of the preceding year. The ex traordinary blowing of the trumpets by the priests at that time in all their cities, as well as at Jerusalem, where two silver trumpets were also used at the temple, as well as those of horn, when the Levites sung Psalm Ixxxi. was well adapted to promote those important objects. No. 718. — xxiv. 11. And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name, and cursed.] The vrords,"ofthe Lord^' which immediately follow, blasphemed the name, being put •in italics in our translation, shew that they form no part of the original text. Among the Palmyrenians it is a cus tom to inscribe on their marbles, " To the blessed name be fear for ever." " To the blessed name for ever good and merciful, be fear." This is exactly similar to the above cited passage, respecting the blasphemy of the Is raelitish woman's son. Fragments, No. 490. 62 LEVITICUS. No. 719. — xxvii. 32. Whatsoever passeth under the rod.] This expresses the manner of the tithing, which accord ing to the Jews was thus performed. The cattle were all brought into a sheep-cote, in which there was but one gate, and that so narrow as to suffer only one to come out at a time. The dams being placed without, and the gate opened, the young ones were invited by their bleating to press out to them. As they passed by, one by one, a man who stood at the gate witb a rod coloured with ochre told them in order ; and when the tenth came out, whether it were male or female, sound or not, he marked it with his rod, and said. Let this be holy in the name of the tenth. .Sof^dir/ thinks that Moses does not here speak ofthe rod of the tithes, but of the shepherd's crook ; for the flock passed upder his rod as often as he numbered them, which was particularly done every evening, Patrick, in loe. X 63] No. 720.— NUMBERS i. 49. Thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi. From this example the heathen learned to exempt all those who ministered to their gods from all other services, especially from war. Strabo notes (Gp>graph. lib. ix,) this custom to have been as old as Homer's time ; for in ;dl his catalogue there is no mention of any ship that went against Troy from Alalcomenoi^ because that city was sa cred to Minerva. Casari)!Ai,-v\.) also observes, that the ancirait Druids were exempt from war and from trilMite, No, 721. — V. 17. And the priest shall take holy •water in an earthen vessel,] Similar tp this ordeal by the water of jealousy is the practice of some of the Africans, among whom Mr. Park travelled. He says, tl^at " at Baniferile, one of our slatees (slave merchants) returning to his native town, as soon as lie had seated himself on a mat by the threshold of his door, a young woman, his intended bride, brought a little water in a calabash, and kneeling down beforehim, desired him to wash his hands ; when he had done this, the girl, ¦with a tear of joy sparkling in her eyes, drank the water; this being considered as the greatest proof she could give Jiim of her fidelity and attachment." Travels, ¦p. 347. " At Koolkorro my landlord brought out his writing- board or mialha, that I might Write him asaphie, to protect him from wicked men. I wrote the board full, from top to bottom, on both sides : aPd my landlord, to be certain of having the whole force of the charm, washed the writing from the board into a calabash with a little water; and having said a few prayers over it, drank this powerful 64 NUMBERS. draught : after which, lest a single word should escape, he licked the board until it was quite dry." Travels, p. 236. No. 722. — vi. 5. And shall let the locks ofthe hair of his head grow.] The Egyptians used to let their hair grow in honour of their gods, particularly of Apollo, Bacchus, and Minerva. This superstitious practice indeed grew to such a height, that they consecrated it to rivers, in which they thought there was some divinity. In Other instances they cut it off, and hung it upon trees, or laid it up in their temples, there to be preserved. At Athens there was a certain day appointed in one of their feasts, in which the hair of their children was cut off, and sacrificed to Diana. And according to Hesychius, before they performed this act, they brought a measure of wine, which they offered to Hercules, and then all who were present drank of it. This circumstance, if not an imitation, is a remarkable coincidence with the drink-offering mentioped ver, 17. Some writers have asserted that the laws pf the Hebrew Nazarites were given to prevent an idolatrous adoption of Egyptian customs : but it seems much more probable, that these usages are posterior to the time of Moses, and that they are borrowed from his institutions. See Patrick, " in loe, f No, 723 vi. 1 8. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair ofthe head of his separation, and put it in the fi) e •which is under the sacrifice of the peace- fferings,] It was probably from this custom ofthe Jewish Nazarites, that the Gentiles learned the practice of consecrating their hair tp their gpds, Lucian represents this as a very common custom, and that he had himself complied with it, . Suetonius relates an instance of it in his life of Nero, NUMBERS. ¦ 6^5 informing us, that he cut off his first beard, put it into a golden box set with jewels^ and consecrated it to Jupi ter Capitolinus. No. 724.^vi. 24. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.J The high priest was accustomed annually to bless the peo-' pie when assembled together. " During this ceremony- he not only three times pronounced the eternal benedic-. tion^ and each different time in a different accent, but, in the elevation of his hands, extended the three middle fin gers of his right hand in so conspicuous a manner as to ex hibit a- manifest emblem of the three Hypostases ; to whom the triple benediction, and repetition of the word Je hovah in a varied tone of voice, evidently pointed. I am jCredibly informed that at this day, on certain high festivals: and solemnities, this form of blessing the people is still ad hered to by theJewish priests, but i? attempted to be ex plained by them, as if allusive to the three patriarchs, Abra-* ham, Isaac, and Jacob; an explanation, of which it may. be doubted whether it savour more of impiety or absurdi ty." Maurices Ind. Ant. vol; iv. p* 209. Captain Innys, of Madras, has asserted that the Mohapi,- medan priests also at present -use the same. form : this is a strong collateral circumstance ; for, since it is notorious that, Mohammed was indebted for a considerable part -of his theological knowledge to the secret instructions of a Jew, he probably learned from that Jew the symbol ; and it was frequently practised in the Arabian mosques so early as the seventh century. No. 725 vii. 17. Andfor a sacrifice of peaee-tfferings, two'oxen, five rams i five he-goats, five lambs of ihe first year,'\ Mr. Selden observes (de Synedriis, lib. iii. cap. 14. num. 3.) VOL. ir. K 66 NUMBERS. that the Greeks dedicated their altars, temples,,and istatues with sumptuous sacri^ces; and that the Romans did the same, with feasting, plays, and public largesses. This cus tom he supposes to have been derived from the Jews, who provided the numerous sacrifices mentioned, in thi$ verse, because the priests, the princes, arid as many of the people as were invited, had a share of them, and feasted before the Lord with great rejoicing. No. 726.-^vii, 87. Alltheoxenfir the. h^mtffertpg were twelve bullocks.] Whether there were any„prayers offered for a gracious acceptance of the sacrifices wljiich should be hereafter niade upon this altar, we are not told, but the sacrifices themselves were in the nature of supplications ; and it is likely they that offered them made their humble petitions with them. And so the Gentiles always did at the dedication of their temples or altars : an instance of which is observed from Gruier by Fort. Scacchus, and by Selden in these words. Hanc tibi aram, Jupiter opt. max. dico dedicoque, uti sis volens propitius mihi collegisque meis, isfc. which is a dedication of an, altar to Jupiter, with a jprayer that he would be gi-acious to him that dedicated it, and to his friends and neighbours. The like dedication there is of a temple tojPriapus near Padua, with this prayer, that he would constantly guard their fields, &c, Patrice, in loe. No. 727, — viii. 16., Instead of the first-born of alt the chil dren of Israelhame I taken them unto me.] The heathens an nexed the same ideas of substitution to the victims which they devoted to their gods. We find a singular instance of it in Ovid, Certain birds, which fed upon the flesh of children, and sucked their blood, were coming down upon the young Prgcasj, and just seiziilg him as their prey. NUMBERS. 67 The nyniph Crane immediately sacrificed a pig, and hold ing in her hands the entrails of that victim, exclaims, — — Noctis Rvea, extis.puerilibus, inquit, Parcite : pro parvo victima parva cadit, Cor pro corde, precor, pro fibris sumite fibras, Hanc animam vobis pro mefiore damus. Fast. vi. lS9. No. 728.— xi. 5. We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely.] Pococke (Trav. vol. i. p. 182.) says, that in Egypt fish is commonly eaten by the people with great pleasure: but that in April and May, whieh is the hot season there, they eat scarcely any thing but fish, witb pulse and herbs, the great heat taking away their appetite for all sorts of meat. This account perfectly agrees with what the children of Isriael are represented as saying. No. 729,— «xii. 3. Now the man Moses was very miek above all the men •who were upon the face ofthe earth.] That Moses should commend himself for his meekness, has been perversely objected to by sceptics and infidels. But cer tainly not upon just ground. Parallel instances occur in profane Writers, which are permitted to pass without een?- sure. In Homer, Ulysses calls himself the wisest of the Grecians. Achilles represents himself the best and most valiant of them. -Sneas talks frequently of his own piety and valour. Xenophon represents Cyrus upon his death bed, as taking notice ofthe greatest beauty of his own cha racter, his humanity. And Moses says of himself that he was the meekest man upon earth. Di bene fecerunt, inopis me quodque pusilli Fihxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loqentis.Sor. b. i. Sat. iv. 17, Nob 730. — ^xvii. 6, The rod rfAarmilj It has been the 68 NUMBERS. Giistom in all ages for elderly men, and for thtose in autho rity, to carry as a mark of dignity, a rod or walkipgrStaff, which at length became the sceptre peculiar to princes. Minos, king-of Crete, is represented in Hesiod as bearing the sceptre of Jupiter : and Homer (II. i. 14.) says, the priest Chryses had a sceptre of gold. The priests among the Greeks and Romans had their recurved rods ; arid . bishops in later ages ha*e their crosiers ; all which are ensigns of dignity and office. Expository Ind. p. •69. : No. 731. — ^xixi 2. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring, thee, a red heifer, without spot.J " The resemblance between the institutes of the Hindoos and the Jews has frequently been noticed .: but I know. not whether the, fol lowing coipcidence has ever beep observed, The-Hin- doos believe that their mediatorial god Vishnowhas al ready been incarnate nine times, and that in his tenth in carnation he will appear in the form of a mighty angel, leading a white winged horse like that in the Apocalypse. These ten incarnations they call Avatars. [S>ee Maurice's History rf Hindostan.) Let us now hear Dr. AUix. " For the Jews, in the ages next to these paraphrases (viz, -the Targuriis), I ought to observe this one thing oi Pirke Elie- zer, (cap,- 14,) there they assert, that God descended nine times, and that the tenth time he shall descend in the age to come, i. e. in the time of the Messiah, The first time was in the garden of Eden : the second, at the confusion of tongues : the third, at the destruction of Sodom : the fourth, at his talking with Moses on Mount Horeb : the fifth, at his appearance on Sinai : the sixth and seventh, when he spake to Moses in the hollow of the rock : the eighth and ninth, in the tabernacle : the tenth, will be, when he shall appear in the times of the Messiah. Such i^ their ancient opinion." (Judgment ofthe Jewish Church, NUMBERS. 69 r~ p. 282.) .The tradition mentioned by i|frt/iw««2 ject to ulcers called .iSlgyptiaca and Syriaca, as Casauboti, observes on Persius, sat,v, p. 467., With tliese the priests of Isis used to threaten and terrify poor people, if they did not worship her. In opposition to this Spencer (de Legi- bus Heb. 1. i. c. 3.) thinks that God made this spgcial pro» 76 DEUTERONOMY. mise-'to'Tiis people, to preserve theni from all such evil diseases, if they kept themselves pure from idolatry. If the worship of Isis, says Bp. Patrick, were as ancient as the days of Moses, this supposition is Very ingenious. No. 746. — vii. 22. Lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.] That wild beasts are at present in that coun try in considerable numbers, and terrify strangers, af>- pears in that passage of Haynes, where describing his ar rival at Gana of Galilee, he says, (p 1 18.) " the approach ing to Cana, at the close of the day, as we did, is at once terrifying and dangerous. The surrounding country swarms with wild beasts, such as tigers, leopards, jackals, &c whose cries and howling, I doubt not, as it did me, would strike the boldest traveller, who had not been fre quently in a like situation, with the deepest sense of hor ror." See also Ezek. xxxiv. 25, Harmer, vol. iv. p, ^171, No. 747. — xii. 31. For even their sons atid their daugh ters they have burnt in the fire to their gods,] This was no toriously practised by the Carthaginians, who, it is certain, derived it from the Phoenicians, the ancient inhabitants of this country Plato mentions it in Protagora, where he says, " the A.thenian laws did not permit them to sa crifice men ; but among the Carthaginians it was a holy rite ; so that some of them permitted their sons to be offered to Saturn." This wicked custom at last overspread all nations, even the Greeks themselves. See more in Oriental Customs, No. 54, No, 748.— xiii. 8, Neither shalt thou conceal him,] This l3^»¦, which requires that relations should both re veal and punish the wickedness of those who were the nearest ip- blood to them, though apparently severe, is DEUTERONOMY. ii actually the law of several countries; where the subjects are commanded, on pain of death, to disclose conspiracies, in which they are not so much as even concerned. In Japan, where the laws subvert every idea of human rea son, the crime of concealment is applied even to the most ordinary cases, A certain narrative (Collection of Voyages which contributed to the Establishment ofthe East India Com pany, p, 423.) makes mention of two young ladies, who were shut up for life in a box thick set with pointed nails, the one for having had a love intrigue, the other for not disclosing it. No. 749. — xvi. 14, Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant.] There was a law similar to this enacted at Athens by Cecrops, who ordained, that the master of every family should, after harvest, make a feast for his servants, and eat together with them, who had taken pains together with him in tilling his ground — delectari enim de um horwre servorum, contemplatu laboris ; for God delighted in the honour done to servants, in consideration of their labour. This law it is probable he borrowed from Moses, as he reigned much about the same time that Israel came out of Egypt. \ No, 750. — xvii. 18, And it shall be, when he sitteth up on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book,] Maimonides gives the following account of this circumstance. " The king was to ¦write the book of the law for himself, besides the book that was left him by his father : and if his father had left him none, or if that were lost, he was to write him two books of the law, the one he was to keep in his archives; the other was not to depart from him, unless when he went to his throne. 78 DEUTERONOMY, Or to the bath, or to a place where reading would be in convenient. If he went to war, it accompanied him j if he sat in judgment, it was to be by him," No. 751 . — ^xix. 1 4, Thou shalt not remove thy neighbotfr^ land-marks, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance.] It was the common practice both with the Hebrews and with the Romans to erect land-marks to distinguish the boundaries of particular estates: and in setting appart land for any use they erected a pillar, upon which was marked its length and. breadth. From many ancient inscriptions it is evident thaf the Romans added the following letters ; H. M. H. N. S, Hoc monumentum haredes non stquitur. See Horace b. i. sat. viii, 1 2. The heathens had a deity cal led Jupiter Terminalis, appointed to preside over bounds and land-marks. Numa Pompilius appointed' stones to be set as bounds to every man's land, and dedicated them to Jupiter Terminalis. He ordered that those who removed them should be slain as sacrilegious persons, and they and their oxen devoted to destruction. No. 752 — XX. 2. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people.] Maimonides and the Talmudical writers speak much of a sacerdos ad bellum unctus : a priest anointed for war, who they say was anointed with the same oil that the high-priest was, being little inferior to him in dignity, though in the sanctuary he ministered only as a coiPmon priest, and wore no other garments than they did. His proper office was to attend the camp in time of war, and encourage the people to the battle. When he had pro nounced the words contained in Deut. xx, 3, 4. stand ing on a high place before the whole army, another priest proclaimed it to all the people with a loud .voice. Dr, DEUTERONOMY, 79 Jennings (Jewish Antiq. vol, i. p, 207.) does not how ever seem satisfied with this account, and infets from the silence of scripture on this point, that there really was n© such officer. No. 753, — xxi. 13. She shall put the raiment rfher capr. tivityfrom ff her.] It was customary among the ancients. for the women, ¦who acpompanied their fathers or husbands to battle, to. put on their finest dresses and ornaments pre vious to an engagement, in order to attract the notice of the conqueror, if taken prisoners. See Ovid. Rented, Amor. 343, No. 754. — xxii. 5. The woman shall not wear that 'which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a womar^s garment.] This prohibitory law seems directed against an idolatrous usage, which appears to be. as ancient as Moses, and which later writers inform us was to be found among several nations in after times ; and that too attended with the most abominable practices. From Plutarch (De isid. et Osir. tom. ii. p. 368. edit Xylandar.) we learn that the Egyptians called the moon the mother of the world, and assigned to her a nature both male and female : and fioy^' (Pantheon,-^, 72.) says of Dianna, Luna, or the moon, that the Egyptians worshipped this, deity both as male and fe male, the men sacrificing to it as Luna, the women as Lu- nus,^ and each sex on these occasions assuming the dress of the other. Parkhurst's Heb. Lex. p. 107. No. 755 — rxxiv. 20. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the'boughs again, it shall be for the stran ger, the fatherless. and the •ijuidow,] The sacred writings sometimes represent olives as beaten off the trees, and at other times as shaken. This does not indicate an m DEUTERONOMY. improvement made in after times on the original mode of gathering them, or different methods of procedure by different people, in the same zge and country, who possessed olive-yards ; but rather expresses the difference between gathering the main crop by the owners, and the way in which the poor collected the few olive- berries that were left, and which, by the law of Moses, they were to be permitted to take. The abbot Fortis in his account of Dalmatia, ( p, 412.) says, that " in the kingdom of Naples, and in several other parts of Italy, they use to beat the branches with long poles, in order to make the fruit fall." Answerably to this, the olives of the Holy Land continue to be beaten do^wn to this time : at least, they were so gathered in the year 1774. Harmer, vol. iv. p. 106. No. 756. — xxv. 4. Thou shall not muzzle the ox wheti he treadeth out the corn,] It is customary in Arabia, and among the Moors in Barbary, to tread out the corn with cattle. The sheaves lie open and expanded on the threshing- floors, and t e cattle continually move round them. The natives of Aleppo still religiously observe the ancient prac tice of permitting the oxen to remain unmuzzled, when they separate the corn from the stra^W, Shamds Travels, p. 221. Russell's Nat. Hist, of Aleppo, vol. i, p, 76, No, 757 — xxv. 5: If brethren dwell together, and one of them die and have no child, the wife rf the dead shall not marry •without unto a stranger : her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife.] From this ancient cus tom the Athenians appear to have had that remarkable law, that no heiress must marry out of her kindred, but shall resign up herself and her fortune to her nearest re- DEUTERONOMY, 81- lation ; and by the same law the nearest relation was oblig ed to marry her. Potter's Gr. Ant, vol. i, p. 159. Among the modern eastern nations we still meet with the laiw or custom of marrying the brother's widow. Thus Olearius (Ambassador's' Travels in Persia, p. 417. .£«^. ed.) informs us concerning the Circassians : " When a man dies without issue, his brother iS obliged to marry the widow, to raise up seed to him." Volney (Voyage en Sy- rie, tom. ii.p. 74.) observes that " the druzes retain, to a certain degree, the custom of the Hebrews, which direc ted a man to marry his brother's widow : but this is not peculiar to them, for they have this as well as-many other customs of that ancient people, in common with the inhabi-. tants of Syria, and the Arabians in general." Amongst the Arabians, if a father left one or more widows, the sons often married them, provided they were not their own mothers. This usage was suppressed by Mohammed ; and before his time it was marked with a degree of detestation. Lord Hailes (Annals rf Scotland, p. 39.) informs us, that this custom prevailed in Scotland so late as the eleventh century : and he supposes it might have originated from avarice, in order to relieve the heir 'from the payment of a jointure. No. 758.-^xxvi. 14. I have not eaten thererf in my mourn ing,] In h'arvest time the Egyptians offered the first-fruits of the earth, and kept the feast of Isis with doleful lamen tations. Julius Firmicus, in relating this circumstance, i S€r\'erely reproves their folly, saying, " Cur plangitis fruges ter;ra ? &c. Why do you bewail the fruits ofthe earth } ' why weep you at the growth of your seed ? &c. ypu should rather give thanks for these things, to the .most high God, whose bounty is not to be lamented ; bijt bewail rather your own error." If this custom prevailed in Moses's time VOL. II. M 82 DEUTERONOMY, it ¦will easily be perceived why he cautioned the Israelites against it. No. 759.-,-xxvii. 2, 3, Thou shalt set thee ttp great stones and plaister them 'with plaister, and thou shalt write upon them all the words rf this law.] Before the use of paper was found out, the ancients, particularly the Phoenicians and Egyptians wrote their iriinds upon stones. This custom continued long after the invention of paper, especially if they desired any thing should be generally known, and be conveyed down to posterity. Patrick, in loe. '. _ _ I No. 760. — ^xxxi, 19, Put it in their mouth.] That is, says Bp.Pfl^nc^, that theymight singit, and thereby preserve it in their memory. It was always thought the most profitable way of instructing people, and communicating things to posterity, to put them into verse. Aristotle (probl, 28. sec. 19.) says, that people, anciently sung their laws, and that the Agathyrsi continued to do so in his days The laws ^ Charondas (as Athemeus informs us out of Hermippus) were sung at Athens over a glass of wine, and were there fore written in some sort of verse. Tully also reports, that it was the custom among the old Romans to have the vir tues and praises of famous men sung to a pipe at their feasts. This he apprehends they learned from the ancient Pythagoreans in Italy ; who were accustomed to deliver verses containing those precepts which were the greatest secrets in their philosophy, and composed the minds of the scholars to tranquillity by songs and instruments of music. No. 761. — xxxii, 40, For I lift up my hand unto heaven,] This was an ancient mode ot swearing, or taking an oath. Gen. xiv. 22. ' So when God promised to bring the Israel ites into Canaan, he is said to lifi up his hand, Exod. vi. 8. DEITEERONOMY. §S Nehem. ix. 15. from hence some think the word promit- tere is derived, signifying, to engage by stretching out the hand ; and that from hence sprang the custom of stretch ing out and lifting up the hand when they took an oath. ThXis also Virgil, Suspjciens coelum, tenditque ad sidera dextram, JE-a, xii. 196.. Tlius Agamemnon swears in Homer .• -, rt irx^ir^rftv ttttirxi^e ftavi^uim. , i7, vii. 412. . To all the gods his sctptre he uplifts. No. 762, — ^xxxiii. 19, And of treasures hid in the sand,] tcheuchzeri in his Physica Sacra, on the place, refers this to the river Belus, which ran through the tribe of Zebu- Ion, and which, according to Strabo, Pliny, and Tacitus, was remarkable for furnishing the sand of which they an ciently made glass. But it seems much more natural to explain the treasures hid in the sand, of those higly Valuable murices and purpurse or purple fish, which were found on the sea-coast near the country of Zebulori and Issachar, and of which those tribes partook in common with their heathen neighbours of Tyre, who rendered the curious dyes made from those shell-fish so famous amoPg the Ro mans, by the names of Sarranum Ostrum, Tyrii Colores. See GoGUET, Origin of X-aws, part ii. b, 2, ch, 2, art. i. vol. ii. p. 95. Edinburgh. No. 763. — xxxiv. , 8, And the children of Israel wept fir Moses 'in the plains of Moab thirty days,] It was usual in the East to mourn for such persons as were absent from home when they died, and were buried at a distance from their relations. Irwin relates (Travels p. 254.) that one of the 84 DEUTERONOMY. inhabitants of Ghinnah being murdered in the.desert gavd birth to a mournful procession of females, which passed through the different streets, and uttered dismal cries for his death. Josephus expressly declares it was a Jewish custom, and says that upon the taking of Jptapata it was . reported that he (Josephus) was slain, and that these ac counts occasioned very great mourning at Jerusalem. Itwas after this manner that the Israelites lamented the death of Moses. ^ He was absent from them when he died, nei ther did they Carry him to the grave, but they wept for him in the plains of Moab. The mourning for Aaron, who died in mount Hor, might probably be of the same kind. Numbers xx. 25 — 29. Harmer, vol. iii. p. 392. [ 85 } No. 764.— JOSHUA vii, 6. And put dust upon their heads. This was an expression of great grief, and of a deep sense of their unworthipess to be relieved. ' With this view it was a very usual practice with the Jews, 1 Sam, iv. 12. 2 Sam. i. 2.; it was al35 imitated by the Gentiles, as in the case of the Ninevites, Jonah iii. 6. Homer ?\so describes Achilles lamenting the death of Patroclus, by throwing dust upon his head, and lying down in it. (Iliad 2, 23, 24.) Thus also>7rg'//.- -It scissS veste Latinus, Conjugis attonitus fatis, urbisque ruina, Canitlem immundo perfusam pulvere turpans. JEn. xii. 609. Latinus tears his garments as he goes. Both for his public and his private woes ; ¦With filth liis venerable beard besmears. And sordid dust deforms his silver hairs. Dryden. See also Oriental Customs, No. 100, and 433. No. 765. — xvii. 16. Chariots of iron.] This does not intimate that the chariots were made of iron, but that they were armed with it.i Such chariots were by the an cients called currusfalcati; and in Greek tfpswavtcfi/pa'. They had a kind of scythes of about two cubits long fastened to long axle-trees op both wheels : these being driven swiftly through a body of men made great slaughter, mowing them down like grass or corn. See Xenophon, Cyro-Padia, lib. vi. Quintus Curtius, lib. iv. cap. 9, 86 JOSHUA, No 766 xxiv. 30, And they buried him in the bor% der of his inheritance in Timnath-Serah.] This place is in Judges il. 9. called Timnath-heres, because of the image of the sun engraven on his sepulchre, in memory of that famous day when the sun stood still till he had completed his victory. This is asserted by several of the Jewish au thors. Memorials alluding to particular transactions iri the lives ©f great men were frequently made use of to adorn their tombs, Tully has recorded concerning Archimedes, that a sphere and a cylinder were put upon his monument. Patrick, in loe. [ 87 ], No. 767.— JUDGES i. 14. And she alighted from off her ass. The alighting of those that ride is considered in the East as an expression of deep respect. Pococke tells us, (Trav. vol. i. p 35.) that they descend from their asses in Egypt whep they come near some tombs there, and that Christians and Jews are obliged to submit to this, Harmer, vol. ii. p. 116. No. 768. — iv. 1 9, And she opened a -bottle of milk, and gave him drink.] Jael certainly shewed her regard to Is rael by destroying Sisera, but it is as certain that she did not do it in the most honorable manner — there was treachery in it: perhaps in the estimation of those people, the greatr est treachery. Among the later Arabs, giving a person drink has been thought to be the strongest assurance of their receiving him under their -protection. When Guy de Lusignan, king of Jerusalem, was taken prisoner, and was conducted before Saladin, he demanded drink, and they gave him fresh water, which he drank in Saladin's presence : but when one of his lords would have dorie the same, Saladin would not suffer it, because he did not in tend to spare his life: on the contrary, advancing to him, after some expostulations, he cut off his head, D'Herbelot, p. 371. Harmer, vol. ii, p, 469. No. 769, — ^v. 10, Te that ride on white asses.] In this song Deborah ,expressly addresses herself to those who sit in judgment, whom she describes as riding upon white asses. Officers of justice, it seems, form a part of the procession, and they are going up to the high place, as 88 JUDGES. usual, for the purpose of holding their annual judgment. They ride on asses, which appear to be white from the garments which have been spread over them for the ac commodation of their riders ; none but white garments being worn by the Hebrews during their public festivals and days of rejoicing. When Alexander the ,Great came to Jerusalem, we are informed by Josephus, (Ant. l.xt, C. 8.) that he was met by the people in white raiment, the priests going before them Philo also, in his book »ep, apsroiv, de scribing the public rejoicings in Europe and Asia, speaks of sacrifices, men dressed in white and garlands, solemn assemblies, and nightly feasts, with pipe and harp. It was customary to throw the white garments thus worn> over animals that carried persons of distinction. Hurdis's Diss, p. 62. Dr, Gill seems rather to favour the idea, that they were realy white asses, not such as were made to appear so from having white garments thrown over them. He observes that a traveller in those parts (Cartwright) tells us, that on the banks of the Euphrates they had beheld every day great droves of wild beasts^ as wild asses, &c. all white. No, 770, — ^v. 11, They that are delivered jrom the noise rf archers in the places of drawing water,] Shaw inentions (Trav, ^. 20.) a beautiful rill in Barbary, which is re ceived into a large bason called shrub we krub, (drink apd away) there being great danger of meeting there with rogues and assassins. If such places be proper for the lurking of murderers in times of peace, they must be suit able to lie in ambush in times of war ; a circumstance that Deborah takes notice of in her song. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 235. ' No. 771, — ^v. 30. Have they not divided the prey — to Sisera aprey of divers colours, aprey of divers colours of needle-work. JUDGES. 89 of divers colours rf needle work on both sides.] These were the richest part of the spoil, being highly esteemed by all people. Pliny (lib. viii. cap. 48.) mentions a great variety of them, both in his own and in ancient times : for he takes no notice that Homer speaks of painted garments, pictas vestes, which shone with flowers arid trees in beau tiful colours. The Phrygians afterwards wrought these with needles, and Attalus invented the interweaving of gold into them. But, for these garments, Babylon was above all places famous ; from whence they had the name of Babylonish garments and were much valued. Josh. viii. 21. In later ages Peter Martyr observes that they were so esteemed, that only the greater sort of persons were al lowed to wear them ; which may be the reason that they are here appropriated to Sisera as his part of the spoil. No. 772. — vi. 19. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of four ^ the fiesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it, J " There is a passage in Dr. Shaw, that affords a perfect commentary on this text. It is in his preface p. 12. 'Besides a bowl of milk, and a basket of figs, raisins, or dates, which upon our arrival were presented to us to stay our appetites, the master of the tent where we lodged fetched us from his flock accord ing to the number of our company, a kid or a goat, a lamb or a sheep ; half of which was immediately seethed by his wife, and served up with cuscasooe : the rest was made kab-ab, i. e, cut into pieces and roasted ; which vie re served for our breakfast or dinner next day'." May we not imagine that Gideon, presenting some slight refreshment to the supposed prophet, according" to the present Arab mode, desired him to stay till he could provide something more substantial for him ; that he im- VOL. II. N 90 JUDGES. mediately killed a kid, seethed part of it, made kab-ab of another part of it, and when it was ready, brought out the stewed meat in a pot, with unleavened cakes of bread which he had baked ;> and the kab-ab in a basket for his car rying away with him, and serving him for some after repast in his journey .' Nothing could be more convenient for the carriage of the reserved meat than a light basket, and Thevenot informs us, that he carried his ready dressed meat with him in a maund." Harmer, vol. i. p 350. No, 773. — vii, 13, And when Gideon was comer] Gid eon, raised up by God himself, and made general of the army of Israel, yet goes as a spy into the camp of Midian. To this 'conduct there was not formeVly any reproach at tached, as it was esteemed honourable to go on such ex peditions by night, or to perform those offices which are now the task of the common soldiers only Homer (il, b, X.) represents Tydides as thus answering a command to penetrate the Trojan camp : The man you seek is here : Through yon black camps to bend my dang'rous way Some god within commands, and I obey. Pope, v. 260. No. 774. — vii. 16. He put a trumpet 'in every man's hand, with empty pitchers,] Though leathern bottles were much used by the people ofthe East, earthen jars or pitchers were sometimes used also. Dr. Chandler (Trav, in Asia Minor, p. ^5.) tells us, that " the vessel in which their water ¦was to be carried was an earthen jar, which not only served them in the wherry in which they coasted some ofthe nearer parts of Asia Minor, but was carried upon the ass ofa poor peasant, along with other luggage, , when they made an excursion from the- sea side up into the country to visit the great ruin at Troas." JUDGES. 91 If this were the practice in Gideon's time, it could not be difficult for him to collect three hundred water jars from among ten thousand men, Harmer, vol, iii. p. 258, No, 775, — vii, 21, 22. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp .' and all the host ran, and cried, and fled .- and the three hundred men blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's Sword against his fellow.] A modern piece of Arab history very much illustrates the defeat of the Midionites by Gideon,and at the same time points out wherein the extraordinary interposition of God appeared. It relates to a contest between two chiefs for the immam- ship of Omam ; and the substance of it is, that one of them whose name was Achmed, finding himself at first too weak to venture a battle, threw himself, with a few soldiers into a little fortress built on a mountain, where he had deposi ted his treasures. Bel Arrab, his rival, at the head of four or five thousand men, invested the place, and would have forced the new immam to surrender, had he not quitted the fortress, with two of his domestics, all three disguised like poor Arabs, ¦who were looking out for grass for their camels, Achmed withdrew to a town a good day's jour"- neyfrom the besieged fortress, where he was much be loved ; he found no difficulty in gathering together some hundreds of them, with which he marched against his ene my, Bel Arrab had placed his camp between some high mountains near the above mentioned fortress. Achmed ordered a coloured string to be tied round the heads of his soldiersj that they might be distinguished from their ene mies. He then sent several small detachments to seize the passes of those mountains. He gave each detachment an Arab trumpet to sound an alarm on all sides, as soon as the principal party should give the signal. Measures being thus laid, the immam's son gave the signal at day-break. 92 JUDGES. and the trumpets sounded on every Side, The whole ar my of Bel Arrab being thrown into a panic at finding all the passes guarded, and judging the number of the enemy to be proportionate to the Poise that was made, was routed. Bel Arrab himself marched witb a party to the place where the son of the new immam wis keeping guard, he knew Bel Arrab, fell upon him, and killed him, and, according to the custom ofthe Arabs cut off his head, which he car ried in triumph to his father. Niebuhr Trav, p. 263. Harmer, vol. iv. p. 237. No. 776. — viii. 20. And he said unto Jether his first-born, up and slay them,] In these ages it would be thought bar barous for a king to command his son to perform an exe cution, like that mentioned in this passage : but anciently it was thought no dishonour. Homer (Odyss. b. xxii.) re presents Ulysses as enjoining such a task uppn his son, which was instantly performed. See also Virgil, .Mn. xi. 15. No. 777. — viii. 26. Th^ chains that were about thtir ca mels necks,] These chains were probably like those which Pococke saw in Egypt, hanging from the bridles of the agas of the seven military bodies of that country, to the breast plates of the animals on which they rode, in the grand procession of the caravan, about setting out for Mecca. They were undoubtedly marks of distinction and grandeur. Harmer, vol. ii. p, 134. No. 778. — viii. 26. And purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian,] Purple seems anciently to have been appropriated to kings, and to them only on whom they be stowed it. It is here mentioned by the sacred historiaP as being found on the Midianitish kings, A garment of fine linen and purple is given to a favorite by kipg Ahasuerus, JUDGES. 99 Esther viii, 15. The Jews made a decree that Simon should wear purple and gold, and that none of the people should wear purple, or a buckle of gold, without his per mission, in token that he was the chief magistrate of the Jews, 1 Maccab, 43, Thus also Homer describes a king : In ample mode A robe of military purple floVd O'er all his frame : illustrious on his breast, The double clasping gold the king confess'd. Odyss. xix. 261. Pope. No, 779. — ix, 13. Wine, which cheereth God and man.] This form of speech, however singular it may appear to us, is perfectly justifiable, as connected with the Jewish sacrifices, and as used in common both by them and by the Gentiles. Wine., as the Jewish doctors assert, was not only used in their sacrifices, but till the drink-offering was poured out they did not begin the hymn that was then sung to God, Virgil, speaking of noble vines, or wines, says, they were Mensis et dils accepta secundis. Georg. lib. Ii. 101. gratrful to the gods and second courses: that is, they were so excellent as to be fit to be used for libations which were made at the second course. No, 780. — ix. 51, But there was a strong tower within the c'ltf, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them,] Besides fortified towps and cities, we find that in the time of the croisades they had towers for the people of open towns to fly to in time of danger. Thus in the reign of Baldwin the second, when the strength of the kingdom was collected together to the 9* JODGES. «iege of Tyfe, the people of Ashkalon suddenly invaded the country about Jerusalem, and put to the sword the greatest part of the inhabitants of a town called Maho- meria, five or six miles from Jerusalem. But the old men, the women, and the children, betakipg themselves to a tower, escaped, (Gesta Dei per Francos, p, 8i0,) Tow ers of this sort appear to have been in use in very early times, Harmer, vol, ii. p. 239, No, 781 — ^xi. 30, And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord,]. Though he did not doubt, yet he supposed that he should be more certain of, the victory, if he made a re ligious vow beforehand of being grateful to God for it. In this he acted conformably to the general practice of great warriors in all ages. Livy frequently mentions it as the custom of the Roman generals, who used to vow to Jupiter or Apollo part of the spoil they should take in war Or to build temples to their honour. Thus the Israelites, when Arad came against them as they were going to Ca naan, made a vow respecting his country, if God would deliver it into their hands. Numbers xxi, 2, No. 782. — xii. 6, Then said they unto mm, say.noiu « Shibboleth: and he said, « Sibboleth."] In Arabia the dif ference of pronunciation by persons of various districts is much greater than in most other places, and such as easily accounts for the circumstance mentioned in this passage. Niebuhr (Trav. p, 72.) relates something similar to it, " The king of the Hamjares, at Dhafar, said to an Arab, a stranger, Theb, meaning to say, Sit down : but as the same word in the dialect of the stranger signified leap, he leaped from a high place, and hurt himself: when this mis take was explained to the king, he said. Let the Arab who comes to phafar first learn the Hamjare dialect," He fur ther ,says, " not only do they speak quite differently in JUDGES. 95 the mountaihs of the small district, which is governed by the imam of Y emen, from what they do in the flat coun try; but persons of superior rank have a different pronun ciation, and different names for things, from those of the peasants. The pronunciation of certain letters also differs. Those which the Arabs of the north and west pronounce as K or Q, at Maskai are pronounced tsch ; so that bukkra kiab is by some called butscher tschiab." No. 783.— xiv, 10. And Samson niade a feast there, fix so used the young men to p'il small number of his officers.. The pacha besieged hini here several months, and was going to blow up the rock by a mine, when the emir capituhtted." ' No. 789.-— 3tvi. 1 7. He teld her all hia heart, and said imto her. There hath not come a razor upon my head,'] PUny (Mat. ^ist.\ib.xih cap. 20.) has preserved thn 100 JUDGES. memory of several mep remarkable for tlieir great ^fength. The heathens were so well acquainted with the circumstances of Samson's histoi'y, that from it they formed the fable' of Nisus the king of Megara, upon whose hair the fortune of his kingdom depended. Patrick, in loe. -'No. 790.— xvi. 19. And she made him sleep upon her knees.] Samson is here described as sleeping upon the lap of Delilah ; for so the phrase of sleeping upon her knees evidently supposes. Her posture, while sit ting on the cushion upon her duan, implies this very attitude of the unwary champion. So Braithwaite (ffourney to Morocco, p. 123.) mentions a favourite court lady, in whose lap the emperor constandy slept when drunk. If this custom were an usual one between intimates, as implying a kind of gallantry, we see how, Delilah might tljus engage Samson, without exciting in him the least suspicion of her insidious purpose. Frag ments by the Editor of Calmet's Diet.. No. 198. , No. 791. — xvi. 27. Now the house was full of men arid women,] Some persons have asserted that no ' building sufficiently capacious to receive so gireat a num ber of people could be constructed, so as to rest chiefly upon two pillars. But this is a mistake ; for Pliny (Nat, Hist: lib. xxxv. cap. 15.) mentions two theatres built by C. Curio, (who was killed in the civil wars on Caesar's side) which were made of wood, and so exten- give as (according to his mpde Of writing) to hold all the Roman people. They were contrived with such art, that each of them depended upon one hinge. This caused Pliny to censure the madness of the people, who would venture into a place for their pleasure, where they sat tam 'infidd instabilique sede, on such an_ uncertain and unstable scat : for if that hinge had given JUDGES. 101 way, there had been a greater slaughter than at the battle bf Caniue. This entirely removes any imaginary difficulty, of this nature at least, from the history of Samson. See also Oriental Customs, No. 86. > . No. 792.— "Xix. 5. Comfort thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards go your way.] " The greatest part of the people of the East eat a little morsel as soon as the day breaks. But it is very little they then eat; a little cake, or a mouthful of bread, drinking a dish or two of coffee. This is very agreeable in hot coun tries ; in cold, people eat more," Chardin MS. If this were customary in Judea, we are not to un derstand the words' of the Levite's father-in-law as sig nifying, stay and breakfast; that is done, it seems, extremely early : but the words appear to mean, stay and dine ; the other circumstances of the story perfect ly agree with this account. Harmer, vol. i. p. 356. No. 793. — xix. 9. Behold, the day groweth to an end.] It is the pitching time of the' day. Marg. The term pitching, here used, undoubtedly refers to tents, and intimates that the day - ¦was so far advanced as to -make it proper to pitch a, tent, or to halt for the night. In the latter part of the afternoon, eastern traivellers begin to look out for a proper place in which to pass the night. So it is said, in the preface to Dr. Shaw's Travels, (p. 1 7.) " Our constant practice was to rise at break of day, set forward with the sun, and travel till the middle of the afternoon ; at which time we began to look out for the encampments of the Arabs ; who, to prevent such parties as ours from living at free charges upon them, take care to pitch in woods, valleys, or places the least conspicuous." Hakmer, vol. iii. p. 238. 102 JUDGES. No, 794.— xix. 29. And when he wds eome into His house, he took a inifef and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all^thi coasts of Israel,] Interr prete,rs say but little concerning the real views of the Levite in this transaction : they merely intimate, that it was done to excite a general indignation against the. authors of the injury he had sustained. His motives certainly -vere good and regular. He intended to unite the whole nation in vengeance against a crime, in which it was interested : but as they tnight be checked in the extent of the puntshirtent by the number, the credit, and the power of the oifenders ; by the natural com miseration which is felt for those who are of the same blood i or by an aversion to involve a city in destruc tion; he sought and seized a method which put them, to the indispensable necessity of espousing his cause. The only part which he had to take was, to cut iri pieces the body of his wife, which he did, or else that of an ox, or other like animal, which had been either devoted or offered in Sacrifice, and to send a part of it to each tribe. In consequence of this every tribe en tered into an indissoluble. engagement to see justice done him for the injury he had received. This is what the interpreters of scripture seem not to have known, and which it is necessary to explain. The ancients had several ways of uniting thePiselves toigether by strict ties, which lasted for a stipulated time : amongst these may be noticed the sacrifice of Abraham, the circumstances of which are mentioned Gen.' XV. % ike. Another method was, to take a bul* lock offered or devoted in sacrifice, cut it in pieces, 2nd distribute it. All whp .had a piece of this devoted bullock were thenceforward connected,, and were to concur in carrying on the affair which had given occa sion for the sacrifice. But as this devoting and dividing JUDGES. iOS was variously practised, it also produced different en* gagements. If he who was at the expense of the sa* crifice were a public person, or in high office, he sent of his own accord a piece of the victim to all who were subject to him ; apd by this act obliged them to epter into his views. If the sacrifice were offered by a pri* vate person^ those only whb voluntarily took a piece of the sacrifice entered into a strict engagement to espouse his interest. Connections of this kind derived their force from the deities, in honour of which the sacrifice was offered: from the true God, when made by the Jews ; frpm idols, when made by the Gentiles. The ~ Jews were content to invoke and take the Lord to wit ness : whereas the pagans never failed to place upon an altar of green turf the deities which presided over their covenant. These deities were called common, because they were the common deities of all who were thus vnited, and received in common the honours which they thought proper to pay them, i A direct proof of these facts is recorded in 1 Sam. xi. 7. And Saul took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands . of messengers, saying. Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be- done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord Jell on the people, and they came out with one consent. Another proof is drawn from the customs observed by the Scy thians and Molossians. Lucian tljus speaks of what passed between these people upon urgent occasions, " When any one had received an injury, and had not the means of avenging himself, he sacrificed an ox, and cut it into pieces, which he caused to be dressed and publicly exposed; then he spread out the skin of the victim, and sat upon it, with his hands tied behind him. All who chose to take part in the injury which had been done took up a piece of the ox, and swore 104 JUDGES. to siipply and maintain for him, one, five horses, another ten, others still more ; some infantry, each according to his strength and ability. They who had only their per son engaged to march themselves. Now an army com posed of such soldiers, far from retreating or disband ing, was invincible, as it was engaged by oath." These circumstances, compared with the account given of the Levite's conduct and the subsequent beha'- vioPr of the tribes, clearly point out, that the methpd used by the Levite to obtain redress was consistent with the established usages of the times, and affected the re tribution he desired to see accomplished. No, 795, — XX. 10, And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel,] This ap pointment was not so much designed to collect food as to dress it, and to serve it up. In the present Barbary camps which march about their territories every year, twenty men are appointed to each tent ; two bf them officers , of different ranks, sixteen common soldiers, one a cook, and another a steward who looks after the provisions. (Pitts's Trav. p. 28,) Among the Greeks, Siccording to JIo7ner, (^11. ii. 126.) they seem to have divided their troops into companies of ten each, one of whom waited on the rest when they took their repast, under the name of the oiw^'®') which is usually translated eup-bearer. But perhaps the per^n that was so charac terized not only gave them their wine when they took their repasts, but had the car£ of their provisions, set out their tables, and had the principal share in cooking their food. Harmer, vol. iv. p. 234. [ 105 ] No. 796.— RUTH il. 4. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, the Lord be with you; and they answered him, the Lord bless thee. Such, says Bp. Patrick, was the piety of ancient times, that they used 'to pray that God would prosper the honest labours of those they saw employed : and they made a return Of the same prayers for those who thus expressed their good will. This was also practised by the heathen, especially in harvest time, which theywould not begin by putting the sickle into the corUj till Cere* had been invoked. Thus Virgil: -Neque ante Falcem maturis quisquam supponat aristis, Qusm Cereri, torti ledlmitus tempoi-a querr-6, Det raotus imcompositos, et carmina dicat. Georg. lib. i. 347. Thus in the spring, and thus in summer's heat. Before the sickles touch the rlp'ning wheat. On Ceres call : and let the lab'ring hind With oaken -wreaths Ms hollow temples bind; On Ceres let him call, and Ceres praise With uncouth dances and with country lays. Deyden. No. 797. — ii, 14. Dip thy morsel in the vinegar.] We are not to understand this of simple vinegar, but vinegar mingled with a small portion of oil ; the Alge- rines indulge their miserable captives with a small por tion of oil, to the vinegar they allow them with their ' bread. Pitts f Account, p, 6,) says; that when he was in slavery his allowance was about five or six spoonfuls of Vol. II. P 106 RUTH; vinegar, half a spoonful of oil, a small quantity of black biscuit, a pint of water, and a few olives. Harmer, vol. iii. p. 160. No. 79S. — iii. 3. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee.] According to the custom of the a'ncient nations, washing generally preceded anointing. Many instances of it occur in Homer ; as when Telemachus is enter tained by Nestor, and when Telemachus and Pisistratus are invited to the court of Menelaus. The custom was so ancient and general, that the Greeks had one word to express this anointing with oil after washing with water, which they called yvr'Ka and yy-c'Kuda,!. See more in Pearson on Creed, p. 99. ed. 8. No. 799. — iii. 9. Spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid.] This phrase imports taking a person under protection and tuition ; and here not a. common, but a matrimonial one. The Chaldee therefore plainly renders it, let thy name be called upon thy handmaid, by taking me for thy wife. From hence, when two persons are married among the Jews, the man throws the skirt of his talith over his wife, and covers her head with it. Buxtorf, Synagoga Judaica, cap. 39. No, 800, — iv, 7, Now this was the manner informer times in Israel concerning redeeming, and concerning changing, to confirm all things; a tnan plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour ; and this was a testi mony in Israel.] It is not easy to give an account of the origin of this custom ; but the reason of it is plain, it being a natural signification that he resigned his in terest in the land, by giving him his shoe wherewith he used to walk in it, that he might enter into and take possession of it himself. The Targum instead of shoe hath right-hand glove ; it being then the custom perhaps^ RUTH. 107 to give that in room ofthe shoe : in later times the Jews delivered a handkerchief for the same purpose. So R, Solomon Jarchi says, we acquire, or buy now, by a handkerchief or veil, instead of a shoe. The giving of a glove was in the middle ages a cere mony of investiture in bestowing lands and dignities. In A, D. 1002, two bishops were put in possession of their sees, each by receiving a glove. So in England, in the reign of Edward the Second, the deprivation of gloves was a ceremony of degradation. With regard to the shoe as the token of investiture, Castell fLex. Polyg. col. 2342) mentions that the em peror of the Abyssinians used the casting of a shoe as a sign of dominion. See Psalm Ix, 8, To these instances the following may properly be added. " Childebert the Second was fifteen years old, when Gontram his uncle declared that he was of age, and capable of go verning by himself. I have put, says he, this javelin into thy hands as a token that I have given thee all my king dom. And then turning towards the assembly he added, you see that my son Childebert is become a man ; obey him. Montesquieu, Spirit of Laws, vol, i, p. 361. No. 801,— iv. 11, The Lord make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah.] Such a solemn benediction of those who were going to be married was very ancient. Gen. xxiv. 60. The Jews continue it to this day. They say that it was always pronoimced in the presence of ten persons at the least, the eldest of whom gave the benediction, which was a ratification of what had been agreed,^ ppon. See Selden Uxor. Hebr. lib. ii. cap, 12, [ 108 ] No. 802 — 1 SAMUEL ii. 19. Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year. The woman made wearing-apparel, and their com mon employment was weaving stuflfs, as making cloth and tapestry is now. We see in Homer the instances of Penelope, Calypso, and Circe. There are examples of it in Theocritus, (Idyll. IS.) Terence ( Heaut. act ii. sc. 2.) and many other authors. But what appears most wonderful is, that this custom was retained at Rome among the greatest ladies in a very corrupt age, since Augustus commonly wore clothes made by his wife, sister, and daughter, CSuet. Aug. 73, See also Prov. xxxi, 13. 19,) Fleury's Hist, of Israelites, p, 72. No, 803, — ^v. 4, The head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold.] The destruction of Dagon before the ark of the Lord clearlv discovered the vanity of idols, and the irresistible power of God, The circumstances attending his demolition are remarkable ; and in them it is possible may be traced a conformity with the manner in which different nations treated the idol deities of each other, Dagon was not merely thrown down, but was also broke in pieces, and some of these fragments were foupd on the threshold. There is a circumstance related in Maurice's Modern History of Hindostan (vol. i, part. 2. p, 296,) which seems in some points similar to what is recorded of Dagon.. Speaking of the destruction of the idol in the temple at Sumnaut, he says, that " fragments of the demolished jdpl were distributed to the several mosques of Mecca, 1 SAMUEL. 109 Medina, and Gazna, to be thrown at the threshold oi their gates, and trampled upon by devout and zealous mussulmans." In both instances the situation of the fragments at the threshold seems to intimate the com plete triumph of those who had overcome the idols, and might possibly be a customary expression of indignity and contempt. Tibullus informs us, that to beat the head against the sacred threshold was with many an expiatory ceremony. It probably originated with the Egyptians in the worship of Isis. Non ego, si merui, dubitem procumbere templis, Et dare sacratis oscula liminibus. B. i. el. 5, For crimes like these I'd, abject, cravpl the ground. Kiss her dread threshold, and my forehead wound. Gkaingee. No. 804. — vi. 4. Then said they, what shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him ? andtheij answered. Jive golden emerods, and five golden mice, ac cording to the number of the lords of the Philistines.] The ancient heathens used to consecrate to their gods such monuments of their deliverances, as represented the evils from which they were rescued. They dedicated to Isis and Neptune a table, containing the express image ofthe shipwreck which they had escaped. Slaves and captives, when they had regained their liberty, pffei"ed their chains. The Philistines hoping shortly to be delivered from the emerods and mice wherewith they were afflicted, sent the images of them to that god from whom they expectecl deliverance. This is still practised among the Indians. Tavernier (Travels, p. ,92.) relates, that when any pilgrim goes to a pagod for the cure of any disease, he brings the figure of the 110 1 SAMUEL. member affected, made either of gold, silver, or copper, according to his quality ; this he offers to his god, and then falls a singing, as all others do after they have offered. Mr. Selden also has observed, that mice were used amongst the ancient heathen for lustratipn and cleansing. De Diis Syris, Syntag, i. cap. 6. No. 805.— vii, 5. And Samuel said. Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.] Apprehensive of the chances of war, it was usual anci ently to perform very solemn devotions before they went out to battle : and it seems that there were places particularly appropriated for this purpose. (See 1 Maccab. iii, 46.) It appears that Samuel convened the people at Mizpeh, in order to prepare them by solemn devotion for war with the Philistines. The fol lowing account from Pococke f Travels, p. 36.) may possibly serve to explain this custom. " Near Cairo, beyond the mosque of Sheik Duise, and in the neigh bourhood of ajburial-place of the sons of some pashas, on a hill, is a solid building of stone, about three feet wide, built with ten steps, being at the top about three feet square, on which the sheik mounts to pray on apy extraordinary occasion, when all the people go out at the beginning of a war, and, here in Egypt, when the Nile does not rise as they expect it should : and such a place they have without all the towns throughout Turkey." Harmer, vol. ii. p. 265. No. 806. — ix. 3. And Kish said to Saul his son, take now one ofthe servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.] The following extract, compared with the cir cumstances recorded in this chapter respecting the business upon which Saul was sent, will greatly illus trate them. " Each proprietor has his own mark, which is burnt into the thighs of horses, oxen, and dromedaries, 1 SAMUEL. Ill and painted with colours on the wool of sheep. The latter are kept near the o^wner's habitation ; but the other species unite in herds, and ai-e towards the spring driven to the plains, where they are left at large till the winter. At the approach of this season they seek, and drive them to their sheds. What is most singular in this search is, that the Tartar employed in it has always an extent of plain, which, from one valley to another, is ten or twelve leagues wide, and more than thirty long, yet does not know which way to direct his search, nor troubles himself about it. He puts up in a bag six pounds of the flour of roasted millet, which is suf ficient to last him thirty days. This provision made he mounts his horse, stops not till the sun goes down, then clogs the animal, leaves him to graze, sups on his flour, goes to sleep, wakes, and continues his route. He negletts not, however, to observe, as he rides, the mark of the herds he happens to see. These discoveries he communicates to the different noguais he meets, who have the same pursuits ; and, in his turn, receives such indications as help to put an end to his journey." Baron Du Tott, vol. i. part 3. p, 4. No. 807. — ix. 7. There is not a present to bring to the man of God.] Presents of eome kind or other are the Tegular introducers of one party to another in the East. Pococke tells us of a present of fifty radishes. Bruce relates, that in order to obtain a favour from him, he received a very inconsiderable present. " I mention this trifling circumstance," he says " to shew how essential to humane and civil intercourse presents are considered to be in the East : whether it be dates, or whether it be diamonds, they are so much a part of their manners, that without them an inferior will never be at peace in his own mind, or think that he has hold of his 112 1 SAMUEL, superior for his protection. But superiors give no pre-* sents to their inferiors." Travels, vol. i. p. 68. No. 808.^-ix. 24, And the cook took up the shoulder and that wh'ich was upon it, and set it before Saul.] The shoulder of a lamb is thought in the East a great de licacy, Abdolmelek the caliph, (Ockley's Hist, ofthe Saracens, vol, ii, p, 277.) upon his entering into Cufah, made a splendid entertainment, " When he was sat down, Amrou the son of Hareth, an ancient Mecbzu' mian, came in : he called him to him, and placing him by him upon his sofa, asked him what meat he liked best of all that ever he. had eaten. The old Mechzumian answered, an ass's neck well seasoned and well roasted. You do nothing, says Abdolmelek : what say you to a leg or a shoulder of sucking lamb, well roasted and covered over with butter and milk ?" This sufficiently explains the reason why Samuel ordered it for the future king of Israel, as well as what that was whith was upon it, the butter and milk, Harmer, vol. i. p. 319, No. 809, — ix, 26, And they rose early, and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to (on) the top ofthe house, saying, up, that Imay send thee away.] Sleeping on .the top of the house has ever been customary with the eastern people. " It has ever been a custom with them, equally connected with health and pleasure, to pass the night in summer upon the house-tops, which for this very purpose are made flat, and divided from each other by walls. We found this way of sleeping extremely agreeable ; as we thereby enjoyed the cool air, above the reach of gnats and vapours, without any other covering than the canopy of the heavens, which unavoidably presents itself in dif ferent pleasing forms upon every interruption of rest. 1 SAMUEL. 11;; when silence and solitude strongly dispose the mind to contemplation." Wood's Balbec, Introduction. No. 810. — X. 1. And kissed Mm.] The kiss of homage was one of the ceremonies performed at the inauguration of the kings of Israel. The Jews called it the kiss of majesty. There is probably an allusion to it in Psalm ii, 12. No, 811. — X. 5, 6, Thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place, with a psal tery and a tabret.] We are told in a book which gives an account of the sufferings of the crew of an English privateer wrecked on the African coast in 1745, and •which occasionally mentions the education of their chil dren, and their getting the Koran by heart, that " when they have gone through, their relations borrow a fine horse and furniture, and carry them about the town in procession with the book in their hands, the rest of their companions foUowing, and all sorts of music of the country going before," Shaw mentions the same cus tom, (Trav.'p. 195,) This seems to be a lively comment on these words, which describe a procession of prophets or scholars. Harmer, vol, ii, p, 106, No, 812. — X. 24. All the people shouted and said, God save the king.] The acclamations of the people attended the ceremony of the inauguration of the Jewish kings. This fully appears in the case of Saul, and also of Solomon : for when Zadok anointed him king, they blew the trumpet and said, God save king Solomon, 1 Kings i, 39, No. 813. — X. 27. And brought him no presents.] When D' Arvieux was attending an Arab emir, a vessel happened to be vn^ecked on the coast. The epiir per- VoL. II, Q 114 1 SAMUEL. ceived it from the top of the mountains, and immedi ately repaired to the shore to profit by the misfortune. Staying some time, it grew so late that he determined to spend the night there under his tents, and ordered supper to be got ready. He says that nothing was more easy, for every body at Tartoura vied with each other as to the presents they brought, of meat, fowl, game, fruit, coffee, &c. Were they not presents of this kind, that the children of Belial neglected to bring ? Harmer, vol. ii.p, 15. No. 814. — xiii. 19, 20, Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philis tines said, lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears : but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to shar pen every man his share.] The policy of the Philistines has been imitated in modern times, " Mulei Ismael went farther towards a total reduction of these parts of Africa than his predecessors had done. Indeed the vigorous Mulei Rashid, his brother and predecessor, laid the foundation of that absoluteness but was cut off in the height of his vigovir, his horse running away with him in so violent a manner, that he dashed out his brains against a tree. But this sherif brought multitudes of stuf-dy Arabs and Africans, who used to be courted by the kings of Morocco, Fez, &c, to such a pass, that it was as much as all their lives were worth to have any weapon in a whole dowar (moveable village, or smalt community) more than one knife, ,and that without a point, wherewith to cut the throat of any shfeep or other creature, when in danger of dying, lest it should jif, as they call it, i, e, die with the blood in it, and become unlav/ful for food," Morgan's Hist, of Algiers, p. 196. No. 815, — xiv, 14. And that first slaughter which 1 SAMUEL. ll;, Jonathan and his armour-bearer made was (of) about twenty me7i, within as it were a half acre of land, tvhich a yoke of oxen might plough.] This mannel- of measur ing a space of ground by a comparison from ploughing seems to have been customary in th^se times, from what is here said of Jonathan, A similar instance also pccurs in Homer. For, speaking of contending chiefs, he says, So distant they, and such tlie space bet-ween. As ¦when two teams of mules divide the green. //. iii. 109. Pose. For the explanation of the comparison, it may be pi-o- pertoadd Dacier's description ofthe manner of plough ing. " The Grecians did not plough in the manner now in use. They first broke up the ground with oxen, and then ploughed it more lightly with mules, . When they employed two ploughs in a field, they measured the space they could plough in a day, and set their ploughs at the two ends of that space^and those ploughs proceeded towards each other. This intermediate space was constantly fixed, but less in proportion for two ploughs of oxen, than for two of mules ; because oxen are slower, and toil more in a field that has not yet been turned up ; whereas mules are naturally swifter, and make greater speed in a ground that has already had the first ploughing." A carucate, or plough land in Domesday Book, from caruca, is as much land as will maintain a plough, or as much as one plough will work, No, 816. — .xiv. 15. So it was a great trembling.] In the Hebrew it is, « trembling of God, thatis, which God sent upon tl^em. This was called by the heathens a panic fear : and, as it was thought to come from the gods, made the stoutest men quake. So Pindar excel lently expresses it ; 116 1 SAMUEL. -'Ev y«p Anifiovvitiri (poZti; Oet/yoif/osi xeii n»ihs Qim. J\femea, ix. 63. V/Aen men are struck with divine terrors, even the chil dren of the gods betake themselves to' flight. No. 817. — XV, 12, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him up a place.] In this place the LXX. read ;««pa a Aaw^, probably because the trophy or monument of victory was made in the shape of a large hand, (the emblem of power,) erected on a pillar. These memorial- pillars were much in use anciently : and the figure of a hand was by its emblematical meaning well adapted to preserve the remembrance of a victory. Niebuhr (Voyage en Arabic, tom, ii, p, 211, French edit.) speak ing of All's mosque at Mesched- Ali says, that " at the top of the dome, where one generally sees on the Tur kish mosques a crescent, pr only a pole, there is here a hand stretched out, to represent that of Ali," Another writer informs us that at the Alhambra, or red palace of the Moorish kings, in Grenada, " on the key-tstone of the outward arch (of the present principal entrance) is sculptured the figure of an arm, the symbol qf strength and dominion," Annual Register for 1779, Antiquities, p. 124, No. 8l8i — xvi. 1. Fill thy horn w'tth o'd.] It is the custom of Iberia, Colchis, and the adjacent country, v/here the arts are little practised, to keep liquors in horps, and to drink out of them. Probably the eastern horns had chains affixed to them, so that they might occa sionally be hung up. If this were the case, it may account for the prophet's supposing that drinking vessels were hungup, Isaiah xxii, 24. Harmer, vol. i. p. 382. 1 SAMUEL. 117 No. 819. — xvi, 17, And Saul said unto his servants, provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.] This command of Saul might originate in a desire to obtain such a person as might by his skill in playing equally contribute to his gratification and state. It seems to have formed a part of royal eastern magni ficence to have had men of tliis description about the court. " Professed story tellers," it may also be ob served, " are of early date in the East, Even at this day men of rank have generally one or more, male or female, amongst their attendants, who amuse them and their women, when melancholy, vexed, or indisposed ; and they are generally employed to lull them to sleep. Many of their tales are highly amusing, especially those of Persian origin, or such as have been written on their model. They were thought so dangerous by Moham med, that he expressly prohibited them in the Koran." Richardson's Dissert, on the manners of the Easty p, 69. No. 820, — xvi, 23, And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God -was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played -with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.] The power of music upon the affections is very great. Its effect upon Saul was no more than it has - produced in mapy other instances, Timotheus the musician could excite Alexander the Great to arms with the Phrygian sound, and allay his fury with another tone, and excite hiin to merriment. So Eric king of Denmark by a certain musician could be driven to such a fury, as to kill some of his best and most trusty servants. (Ath. Kiroh. Phonurg. 1, ii. s, 1 . j&. Vossius de Po'ematum cantu et rythmi viribus.") No. 821, — ixvii. 43. He cursed David by his gods.] 118 1 SAMUEL. It is highly probable that this was a general practice -with idolaters, who, supposing themselves secure of the favour and protection of their deities, concluded that their enemies must necessarily be the objects of their displeasure and vengeance. Hence, anticipating the certainty of divine wrath upon them, they cursed and devoted them to destruction. So did the Philistine act towards David. And so the iRomans used to do, saying, Dii deoeque te perdant. No. 822. — xvii. 44. And the Philistine said to David, come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls ofthe air and to the beasts of the field.] This mode of speaking and challenging was very common with the Orientals. Homer gives the same haughty air to his heroes ; and it was doubtless a copy of the manners and hyperbolical speeches of the times. Thus he makes one say to another : Bold as thou art, too prodigal of breath. Approach, and enter the dark gates of death. //. ii. 107. No. 823. — xvii. 45. I come to thee in the name ofthe Lord of hosts.] The decision of national controversies by the duels of the chiefs was frequent in ancient times. That between the Horatii and Curiatii is well known : and even before that, Romulus, and Aruns king of the Ceninenses, ended their national quarrel by the like method; Romulus killing his adversary, taking his capital, and dedicating the spoils to Jupiter Feretrius. (Val, Max. 1. viii. c. 2. § 3.) Chandler's Life of Dav'id, vol, i. p. 70. note. No. 824. — xvii. 49. And Dav'id^ put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead.] The dexterity with which 1 SAMUEL. 119 the sling may be used as an offensive weapon is surpris ing. It evidently appears in the conflict between D.ivid and Goliath, and may be confirmed by the following citation, " The arms which the Achseans chiefly uaed were slings. They were trained to the art froiA their infancy, by slinging from a great distance at a circular mark of a moderate circumference. By long practice they took so nice an aim, that they were sure to hit their enemies not only on the head, but on any part of the face they chose. Their slings were of a diff'erent kind from the Balearians, whom they far surpassed in dex terity." Polyb. p. 125. No. 825. — ^xvii. 51, Therefore David ran, and stood upon the. Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out ofthe sheath thereof, and slew him and cut off his head therewith.] Niebulir presents us with a very similar scene in his Descript. De I' Arabic, p, 263, where the son of an Arab chief kills his father's enemy and rival, and, according to the custom of the Arabs, cuts off his head, and carries it in triumph to his father. In a note he adds, " cutting off the head of a slain enemy, and car rying it in triumph, is an ancient custom," Xenophon remarks that it was practised by the Chalybes, (Retreat of the ten thousand, lib, iv.) Herodotus attributes it to the Scythians, lib. iv. cap, 60, No, 826, — ^xviii, 3, Then Jonathan and David made a covenant.] Various ceremonies have been used on these occasions. When treaties were made, either of a private or public nature, such usages were observed as were of established authority, or significantly important. The Scythians had a peculiar method of forming their treaties. Herodotus (1. iv. c. 70,) relates that they first poured wine into a large earthen vessel, and then the contracting parties, cutting their arms with a knife, let 120 1 SAMUEL, some of their blood run into the wine, and stained like wise their armour therewith. After which they them selves, and all that were present, drank of that liquor, inaking the strongest imprecations against the person that should violate the treaty. No. 827, — xviii, 4, And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David."] We read in Tavernier (p, (43,) of a nazar, whose virtue and behaviour so pleased a king of Persia, after being put to the test, that he caused himself to be disappa- relled, and gave his habit to the nazar, which is the greatest honour that a king of Persia can bestow on a subject. See also Rom. xiii. 14. Ephes. iv. 24, Col. iii. 10. No. 828. — Xviii. 4. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.] It was anciently a custom to make such military presents as these to brave adventurers. Besides the present instance of the kind, two others may be quoted : the first is from Homer : Next him Ulysses took a shining sword, A bow and quiver, with bright arrows stor'd : A well prov'd casque, with leather braces bound, (Thy gift, Meriones) his temples crown'd. //. X. 307. Pope. The other is from Virgil, in the story of Nisus and Euryalus, EuryaluS phaleras Rhamnetis, et aurea bullis, &c. .M,n.ix. 359. Nor did his eyes less longingly behold The girdle belt, with nails of burnish'd gold j 1 SAMUEL, 121 This present Cscdicus tlie rich bestow'd On Romulus, when friendship fii-st tliey vow'd. And absent, join'd in hospitable ties : He dying, to his heir bequeath'd the prize ; Till by tlie conqu'ring Ardean troops oppress'd. He fell, and they the glorious gift possess'd. Dryden. No. 829. — xviii. 4. And to his girdle.] To ratify the covenant which Jonathan made with David, amongst other things, he gave him his girdle. This was a token of the greatest confidence and affection. In some cases it was considered as an act of adoption. Agreeably to this Pitts informs us, (Travels, p, 217,) *' I was bought by an old bachelor ; I wanted nothing with him ; meat, drink, and clothes, and money, I had enough. After I had lived with him about a year, he made his pilgrimage to Mecca, and carried me with him. But before we came to Alexandria, he was tak^n sick, and thinking verily he should die, having a woven girdle about his middle, under his sash, in which was much gold, and also my letter of freedom, (which he intended to give me when at Mecca,) he took it olF, and bid me put it on about me, and took my girdle, and put it on himself," No. 830, — xviii. 6. The women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul.] It was customary for women to celebrate the praises of God in public on remarkable occasions. See Exod, xv, 20, 21, No. 831. — xviii. 6. And it came to pass ^ as they came, when Dav'id was returned fromthe slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul.] The dancing and playing on instruments of music before R 122 1 SAMUEL. persons of distinction, when they pass near the dwelling- places of such as are engaged in country business, still continues in the East. This was practised by some persons in compliment to the Baron Du Tott. He says (Memoirs, part iv. p. 131.]f "I took care to cover my escort with my small troop of Europeans ; and we con tinued to march on in this order, which had no very hostile appearance, when we perceived a motion in the enemy's camp, from ¦^hich several of the Turcomen advanced to meet us : and I soon had the musicians of the different hordes playing and dancing before me, all the time we were passing by the side of their camp." Harmer, vol. iii. p. 292. No. 832. — ^xvili. 25. And Saul said, thus shall ye say to David, the king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on his enemies.]. The custom has prevailed in later times in some countries, to give their daughters in marriage to the most valiant men, or those who should bring them so many heads of their enemies. Alex. ab. Alex andra (lib, i. cap, 24.) reports of a people in Carmania, that if any were desirous to marry, it was necessary that he should first bring the king the head of an enemy. The Roman custom on this point differed from the He brew, the former requiring' the wife to bring a portion to the husband, that he might be able to bear the charges of matrimony more equally. Patrick, in loe. No. 833, — xix. 13. And Michal took an image, and laid 'it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for its bolster.] A kind oi.net oi goats' hair placed before the teraphim is what is here meant. Such a net Dr. Shaw (Travels, p. 221, 2d edit.) says is " a close cur tain of gauze or fine linen, used all over the East by people of better fashion, to keep out the flies." That 1 SAMUEL. 123 tfiey had such anciently cannot be doubted. Thu? when Judith had beheaded Holofemes in his bed, she pulled do^wn the mosquito net wherein he did lie in his drunkenness from the pillars. Judith xiii. 9, 15. So Horace, speaking of the Roman soldiers serving under Cleopatra queen of Egypt, says, Iflterque signa (turf e.' J militaria Sol aspidt CoNOPEUM. Epod.'m.lS. Amidst the Roman eagles Sol survey'd (O shame !) th' Egyptian canopy display'd. Francis. No. 834. — XX. 30. Then Saul's- anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him. Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman .'] An instance of the pre valence of the same principle in Africa, which induced Saul thus to express himself to Jonathan, occurs in the travels of Mungo Park. " Maternal affection is every where conspicuous among the Africans, and creates a correspondent return of tenderness in the child. Strike me, said my attendant, but do not curse my mother. The same sentiment I found universally to prevail, and observed in all parts of Africa, that the greatest affront which could be offered to a negro was to reflect on her who gave him birth." Travels, p. 264. No. 835. — XX, 41, And fell on his face to the ground.] Such prostrations as these were very common in the East, Stewart, in his Journey to Mequinez, says, " We marched towards the emperor with our music playing, till we came, within about eighty yards of him ; when the old monarch alighting from his horse, prostrated himself on the ground to pray, and continued some minutes with his face so close to the earth, that when we came up to him, the dust remained upon his nose," S^^Newbery's Collection, vol. xvii. p. 139. 124 1 SAMUEL, No, 836,— -xxi. 13, Ahd he changed his behaviour before them, and fe'igned himself mad in their hands.] David is not the only instance ofthis kind. Among the Easterns, Baihasus the Arabian, sumamed Naama, had several of his brethren killed, whose death he wanted to revenge. In order to it he feigned himself mad, till at length he foimd an opportunity of executing his intended revenge, by killing all who had a share in the murder of his brethren, (Anthol. Vet. Hamasa, p, S%S. edit. Schulten.) Amongst the Greeks, Ulysses is said to have counterfeited madness, to prevent his going to the Trojan war. Solon also, the great Athenian law giver, practised the same deceit, and by appearing in the dress and with the air of a madman, and singing a song to the Athenians, carried his point, and got the law repealed that prohibited, under the penalty of death, any application to the people for the recovery of Salamis. Plut. Vit. Solon, p, 82. Chandler's life of David, vol. i. p. 102, note. No. 837, — xxii. 2. And every one that was in debt.] It appears to have been usual in ancient times for such persons as are described in this verse to devote them selves to tlie perpetual service of some great man. The Gauls in particular are remarked for this practice. Flerique, cum aut cere alieno, aut magnitudine tribu- torum, aut injuria potentiorum premantur, sese in ser- vitiitem dicant nobilibus, i^c. Ccesar de Bella Gall. lib. vi. cap. 13, No. 838, — xxii, 6, Having his spear in his hand.] By his spear is to be understood his sceptre, according to -the mode* of expression prevalent in these times. So Justin, (lib. xliii. cap. 3.) speaking of the first times of the Romans, says. Per ea adhuc tempora reges hastas pro diademate habebant, quas Grceci Septra 'dixere, is'c 1 SAMUEL. 125 " In those days kings hitherto had spears as signs of royal authority, which the Greeks called sceptres : for in the beginning of things, the ancients worshipped spears for immortal gods ; in memory of which reli gion, spears are still added to the images of the gods." Thus the kings of Argos, according to Pausanias, called the sceptres spears. No, 839, — xxv, 11, Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give unto men whom I know not whence they are ?] Water is considered as an itnportant part of the provision made for a repast, and is sent as such to shearers and reapers iri particular. The words of Nabal in reply to David's messengers are not in the least surprising. The following passage from Mr. Drummond'.s Travels, p, 216, affords proof of their propriety. "The men and women were then em ployed 'm reaping, and this op eration they perform by cutting of the ears, and pulling up the stubble ; which method has been always followed in the East : other females were busy in carrying water to the reapers, so that none but infants were unemployed." Harmer, vol. i. p, 372,> No. 840. — xxvi. 5. And Saul lay in the trench, ' and , the people pitched round about him.] An Arab camp is always round when the disposition of the ground will admit it, the prince being in the middle, and the Arabs about him at a respectful distance. Their lances were fixed near them in the ground all the day, ready for action. (D' Arvieux, Voy. dans la Pal. p. 173.) Such was probably the situation of Saul. Harmer, vol. ii, p, 245, No. 841. — xxvi. 7. And behold. Said lay sleeping in 125 1 SAMUEL. the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bol ster ; but Abner and the people lay round about him,] A description very similar to this is given by Homer of Diomed sleeping in his arms, with his soldiers about him, and the spears sticking upright in the earth. Without his tent bold Diomed they found. All sheath'd in arms, his brave companions round }¦ Each sunk in sleep, extended on the field. His head reclining on his bossy shield : A wood of spears stood by, that, fix'd upright. Shot from their flashing points a quiv'ring light. //.iii. 89. PoPEw The circumstance of the spears being fixed in the ground might be in conformity to the usual practice of warriors. No. 842. — xxvii. 9. And Dav'id smote the land, and left ne'ither man nor woman alive.] Camillas, after the burning of Rome by Brennus the Gaul, beat his army in two battles, and made such a thorough slaughter of them, as that there was not a messenger left to carry the news of their destruction, (Liv. 1. v, c. 49,) In like manner Mummius the Roman general, when the Lusitanians had envaded some of the allies of Rome, killed fifteen thousand of those ravagers, and, just as David did, killed all those who were carrying away the booty, so that he did not suffer a single messenger to escape the carnage. (Appian. al. de Bell. Hispan. p. 485.) In like manner Gelo gave orders to take none of the Carthaginians alive ; and they were so entirely cut off, that not so much as a messenger was left alive to escape to Carthage. ' (Diodor. Sic. I, xi. § 33.) Chandler's Life of David, vol. i. p. 220. note. No. 843. — xxviii. 7. A woman that hath a familiar 1 SAMUEL. 127 spirit. These pretenders to call up the spirits of the dead were not unfrequent amongst the heathens. We have an instance mentioned by Herodotus (1. v. c. 29.) of Melissa the wife of Periander, who was thus raised up, and who discovered the deposit, that Periander was solicitous to know where it had been concealed. Medea 'm Ovid hoasts, Qiiorum ope, quxim volui, jubeoque tremiscere montes, Et mugire solum, manesquc exire sepulchris. Metam. 1. vii. 199. 205. See also Homer, Odyss. xi. Virgil, Mn. vi. and Ti bullus, 1. i. el. 2. No. 844. — xxxi, 10, And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth.] The custom of dedicating to the gods the spoils of a conquered enemy, and placing them in their temples as trophies of victory, is very ancient. Tryphiodorus intimates this, when he says, that some ofthe Trojans were for consecrating the horse. Eager they urge within some hallow'd shrine, To fix it sacred to the po w"rs divine ; That future Greeks, while they the steed survey'd. Might curse the battle where their fathers bled. Mereick. Homer represents Hector promising that, if he should conquer Ajax in single combat, he would dedicate his spoils to Apollo. And if Apollo, in whose aid I trust, Shall stretch your daring chf-mpeon in the dust. If mine the glory to despoil the foe, On-Phoebus, temple I'U his arms bestow. Pope. Other instances occur in Virgil, A^n. vii. 183. Persius, Satyr vi. 45. See also 1 Sam. xxi. 9. 128 1 SAMUEL, Those who had escaped shipwreck, 6r any dangerous fit of sickness, usually hung up in the temple of Isis tablets, on which was described- the manner of their deliverance or cure. Nunc, dea, nunc succurre mihi ; nam posse mederi Picta docet templis multa tabella tuis. Tibullus, 1. i. el. 3. That you can ev'ry mortal ill remove. The num'rous tablets itt your temple prove. See also Horace, b. i, Od. v, 13. t 129 1 No. 845 2 SAMUEL i. 12. And they mourned and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, andfor Jonathan his son. History has recorded similar instances of conduct in persons remarkable for their military greatness. When the mangled body of Darius was brought to. Alexan der, and he had taken a view of it, his historians, re mark that he openly expressed his sorrow for his mis fortunes, and shed tears over a prince, that died in a manner so unworthy his former rank and dignity. (Plutarch, Vit. Alex, p, 690,) In like manner when Csesar saw the head of his son-in-law Pompey, after it had been separated from his body, forgetting that he had been his enemy, he put on the countenance ofa father-in-law, and paid the tribute of tears due to Pom pey and his own daughter, (Valer. Max. 1, v. c, 10,) Augustus also when he heard of the death of Anthony, retreated into the innermost part of his tent, and wept over the man that had been his relation, fellow-consul, and companion in many public affairs. (Liv. Hist. 1, 25, c, 24, § 15,) See other cases cited in Chandler's History of David, vol, i, p. 278, note. No, 846, — i, 16, Thy blood be upon thy head.] The malediction expressed in these words occurs in the same sense in other passages of scripture, particularly Josh, ii, 19. and 1 Kings ii, 27. It appears to have been customary so to speak both with the Jews and Greeks, a!s repeated instances of it are found in the best writers of the last mentioned people. Homer has this expres sion: O 0-rt K((p»>in mxftxliif, Vol. ii. S 130 2 SAMUEL. which you shall wipe upon your oxvn head. Or, as Eusta thius explains it, a crime which you shall make to cleave to your own head. A similar expression occurs in Sophocles : From whence it appears, that the blood which was found upon the sword was wiped upon the head of the slain ; an intimation that his own blood has fallen upon the head of the deceased, and that the living were free from it. It was usual with the Romans to wash their hands in token of innocence and purity from blood. Thus the Roman governor washed his hands, and. said respecting Christ. I am 'innocent of the blood of this just person. Matt, xxvii, 24. No. 847. — i. 17, And Dav'id lamented with this la- mentatio7i over Saul and over Jonathan his son.] Thre- netic strains on the untimely decease of royal and eminent personages were of high antiquity amongst the Asiatics. Instances of this kind frequently occur in the sacred writings. See 1 Kings xiii, 30, Jer. ix. 17, Amos V, 1, 2, 16, They are also to be met with in profane authors : as in Euripides ; Iphigeniain Taur. ver, 177, Orestes, ver, 1402. No. 848. — iii. 31. The bier.] The word here trans lated the bier is in the original the bed: on these persons of quality used to be carried forth to their gi-aves, as common people were upon a bier. Kings .Avere sometimes carried out upon beds very richly adorned ; as Josephus tells us that Herod was ; he says the bed was all gilded, set ,with precious stones, and that it had a purple coyer curiously wrought, Patrick, in loe. 2 SAMUEL. 131 No. 849. — iii. 34. Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put in fetters.] TheJ'eet as well as the hands of criminals were usually secured, wheu they were brought out to be punished. Thus when Irwin was in Upper Egypt, where he was ill used by some Arabs, one of whom was afterwards punished for it, he tells us (Trav. p, 271, note.) "the prisoner is placed upright on the ground, with his hands and feet bound together, while the executioner stands before him, and with a short stick strikes him with a smart motion on the outside of his knees. The pain which arises from these strokes is exquisitely severe, and which no constitution can support for any continu- aPce," Harmer, vol, iv, p, 205, No, 850, — iii. 35, And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat, while it was yet day — ] This was the usual practice of the Hebrews, whose friends commonly visited them after the funeral was over, to comfort the surviving relations, and send in provisions to make a feast. It was supposed that they were so sorrowful as not to be able to think of their necessary food, Jer, xvi. 5, 7, 8, Ezek. xxiv. 17. See also Oriental Customs, No. 283. Patrick, in loe. No. 851. — \. 6 — 8. Wherefore they said, the blind and the lame shall not come into, the house.] Mr. Gregory (Works, p. 29,) observes, that it was customary in almost every nation, at the founding of a city, to lay up an image magically consecrated, (or talisman), in some retired part of it, on which the security of the place was to depend. The knowledge of this practice he supposes will clearly illustrate the passage now re ferred to. Several Jewish writers agree that the blind and lame Vvere images, and that these epithets were bestowed o^^ 132 > 2 SAMUEL, them in derision. Psalm cxv. 5, 7^ 'They were of brass, and are said to have had inscriptions upon them. - They were set up iri a recess; of the ,fort. Though in scorn called the blind and the lame, yet they were so surely entrusted with the keeping of the place, that if they did not hold it out, the Jebusites said, they should not come into the house : that is, they would never again commit the safety of the fort to such pal ladia as these. No. 852. — vi, 14, And David danced before the Lord ¦with cdl his might.] Upon this circumstance the Jews have grounded a ridiculous custom. Ip the evening of the day on which they drew water out of the pool of Siloam, those who were esteemed the wise men of Israel, the elders of the Sanhedrim, the rulers of the synagogues, and the doctors of the schools, met in the court of the temple. All the temple music played, and the old men danced, while the women in the bal- - conies round the court and the men on the ground were spectators. All the sport was to see these venerable fa thers of the nation skip and dance, clap their hands and sing ; and they who played the fool most egi-e- glously acquitted themselves with most honour. In this manner they spent the greater part of the night, till at length two priests sounded a retreat with trum pets. This mad festivity was repeated every evening, except on the evening before the sabbath, which fell in this festival, and on the evening before the last and great day of the feast. Jennings's Jewish Antiq. vol. ii, p, 235, No, 853, — viii, 2, Casting them down to the ground,] The opinion of the learned authors of the Universal History, (Anc. Hist, vol, ii, p, 135, note 5.) is, that David caused them to fall down flat, or prostrate on the 2 SAMUEL. 133 ground. Le Clerc also says, that it seems to have heen the manner of tlie eastern kings towards those they conquered, especially those that had incurred their displeasure, to command their captives to lie down on the ground, and then to put to death such a part of them as were measured by a line. Both Dr. Chandler (Life of David, vol, ii.p, 157, note) and Bp. Patrick (Comment 'in loe.) are of opinion, that there is no evidence to prove the existence of such a practice amongst the Hebrews. No. 854. — xi. 4, And David sent messengers, and took her.] The kings of Israel appear to have taken their wives with very great ease. This is quite con sistent with the account given in general of the manner in which eastern princes form matrimonial alliances. " The king, in his marriage, uses no other ceremony than this : he sends an azagi to the house where the lady lives, where the officer announces to her, it is the king's pleasure that she should remove instantly to the palace. She then dresses herself in the best . manner, and immediately obeys. Thenceforward he assigns her an apartment in the palace, and gives her a house else where in any part she chooses. Then when he makes her iteghe, it seems to be the nearest resemblance to marriage ; for whether in the court or the camp, he orders one of the judges to pronounce in his presence, that he, the king, has chosen his handmaid, naming her, for his queen: upon which the crown is put on her head, but she is not anointed," Bruce's Travels, vol. iii. p. 87. No. 855. — xii, 20, Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his apparel.] During the time that David continued to mourn, it may be presumed from these words, that he 134 2 SAMUEL, was negligent of his apparel, and that it was not changed. This was also the custom of the Persians. They mourned forty days : and for a. relation or a friend, it was denoted by a total negligence of dress, without any regard to the colour : during the forty days they affected not to shave, and refused to change their clothes. Goldsmith's Geography, p. 220. No. 856. — xii. 23. But now he is dead wherefore shoidd I fast f Can I bring him back again P] Ma'i- monides says that the Jews did not lament infants, who died before they were thirty days old ; but carried them. in their arms to the grave, with one woman and two men to attend them, without saying the usual prayers over them, or the consolations for mourners. But if an infant were above thirty days old when it died, they carried it out on a small bier, and stood over it in order, and said both the prayers and consolations. If it were a year old, then it Was carried out upon a bed. This custom Gierus thinks that David followed, in mak ing no mourning for his child when it was dead, Bp, Patrick however doubts whether the practice were so ancient as to have prevailed in his reign. No, 857," — xiii, 19. , And Tamer put ashes on her head.] This was a general practice with the people of the East, in token of the extremity of sorrow, and was common both to the Hebrews and the Greeks. Job ii, 12. They rent every one his mantle, and sprin kled dust upon their heads towards heaven. Ezek, xxvii, 30, And shall cast up dust upon their heads. Homer affords some instances of the same kind, as it respects the Greeks. Thus of Laertes he says : Deep from his soul he sigh'd, and sorr'wing spread A cloud of R,5hes on his hoary head. s. xxiv. 369. Pope. 2 SAMUEL. 135 And of Achilles : His purple garments, and his golden hairs, Those he deforms in dust, and these he tears. Iliad xyi'ii. Let men lament and implore ever so much, or pour ever so much dust upon their heads, God will not grant what ought not to be granted, Maximus Tyrius, Diss, xxx, p, 366, No, 858. — xiv. 17. As an angel of God so is my lord the king, to discern good and bad.] Chardin relates a circumstance concerning some commercial transactions which he fiad with the king of Persia, in which he ex pressed himself dissatisfied with the valuation which the king had put upon a rich trinket, in answer to which the grand master replied, " Know that the kings of Per sia have a general and full knowledge of matters, as sure as it is extensive ; and that equally in the greatest and smallest things there is nothing more just and sure than what they pronounce." The knotvledge of this prince, according to this great officer of state, was like that of an angel of God. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 287. No. 859. — xiv. 26. He we'ighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight,] In those .days hair was accounted a great ornament, and the longer it was, the more it was esteemed. In after ages art was used to make it grow, and grow thick. They also anointed their hair with fragrant oils, of myrrh, and cinnamon ; and then powdered it with dust of gold : all which made it very ponderous. Josephus informs us that such ostentation was in use amongst the Jews : for speaking ofthe guard w'hich attended Solomon with long flowing hair about their shoulders, he says, that they scattered in their hair every day little particles of gold, which made their hair shine and sparkle by the reflection 136 2 SAMUEL. of the rays of the sun upon it. Tjiese circumstances may in some measure account for the great weight of Absalom's hair. Patrick, in he. ¦¦!" No. 860. — XV. 30. And had his , mead covered.] Covering the head was used by persons in'great distress, or when they were loaded with disgrace and infamy. Esther vi. 12. 2 Sam. xix. 4. Ezek. xii. 6, Thus Darius, when he was informed by Tyriotes the eunuch that his queen was dead, and that she had suffered no violence from Alexander, covered his head, and wept a long while, and then throwing off the garment that covered him, gave the gods thanks for Alexander's moderation and justice, (Curtius, 1, iv. c, 10, § 33.) So also, when the same prince was in the power of Bessus, who soon after murdered him, he took his leave of Artabazus with his head covered. Id. 1, v. c. 12, $ 8, Chandler's Life of David, vol. ii. p. 304. No, 861. — XV, 30. And he went barefoot.] This was an indication of great distress : for in ancient times the shoes of great and wealthy persons were made bf very rich materials, and ornamented with jewels, gold, and silver. When any gi-eat calamity befel them, either public or private, they not only stripped themselves of these ornaments, but of their very shoes, and walked barefoot. In this manner prisoners taken in war were forced to walk, both for punishment and disgrace. See Byncsus de Calceis Hebrceor. I. ii. c, 5. and Guier de Luct. c. 15. § 4, No, 862, — XV. 32, And earth upon his head.] One method whereby submission was formerly expressed was by presenting earth to a conqueror. Hence we find it related of Darius, that being weary of a tedious and fatiguing pursuit, he sent a herald to the king of the Scythians, whose name was Indathyrsus, with this mes- 2 SAMUEL. IS^ sage in his name : " Prince of the Scythians, wherefore dost thou continually fly before me ? why dost thou not stop somewhere or other, either to give me battle, if thou believe thyself able to encounter me, or, if tliou think thyself too weak, to acknowledge thy master, by pre senting him with earth and water ?" Rollin, Anc. Hist, vol. iii. p. 31. See also Oriental Customs^ No. 100. No. 863. — ^ii. 17. And a wenclf went out and told them.] In the East the washing of foul linen is per formed by women by the sides of rivers and fountains, Dr, Chandler (Travels in Asia Minor, p, 21,) says, that *' the women resort to the fountains by the houses, each with a large two-handled earthen jar on her back, or thro'wn over her shoulder, for water. They assemble at one without the village or town, if no river be near, to wash their linen, which is afterwards spread on the ground or bushes to dry," May not this circumstance, says Mr, Harmer, (vol. iv, p, 438,) serve to confirm the conjecture, that the young woman that was sent to. En-rogel went, out of the city with a bundle of linen, as if she were going to wash it? Nothing was more natural, or better calculated to elude jealousy. No, 864, — ^xvii. 28, And earthen vessels.] Speaking of a town called Kenne, Dr. Perry, (view ofthe Levant, • jp. 339,) tells us, that its chief manufacture is in bar- daeks, to cool and refresh their water in, by means of which it drinks very cool and pleasant in the hottest seasons of the year. It is not then surprising that ear-i- then vessels should be presented to David ; at least if this were the use for which they were designed. Harmer, vol, ii. p.' 12* No. 865. — ^xvii. 28. Parched corn.] Parched corn - is a kind of food still retained in the East, as Hasselquist Vol. IL T 1/38 2 SAMUEL, inforiris us, " On the road from Acte to Seide wfe saw a herdsman eating his dinner, consisting of half-ripe ears of wheat, which he roasted and eat with as good an appetite as a Turk does his pillau. In Egypt such food is much eaten by the poor, being the ears of maize or , Turkish wheat, and of their durra, which is a kind of.^ millet. When this food was first invented, art was in a simple state ; yet the custom is still continued in some nations, where the inhabitants have not even at this time learned to pamper nature." No. 866. — xvii. 28, 29. Ahd parched corn— for they said, the people is hungry, and weary, arid thirsty in the wilderness.] The flour of parched barley is the chief provision which the Moors of West Barbary make for travelling. It is indeed much used as a part of their diet at home, " What is most used by travellers is zumeet, tumeet, or flour of parched barley for li- mereece. They are all three made of parched barley- flour, which they carry in a leathern satchel, Zumeet is the flour mixed with honey, butter, and spice : tumeet is the same flour done up with origan oil : and limereece is only mixed with water, and so drank. This quenches thirst much better than water alone, satiates a hurigry appetite, cools and refreshes tired and weary spirits,; overcoming those ill effects which a hot sun and fatigu ing journey might occasion," Jones's Account of the Diet of the Moors of West Barbary. Miscell. Cur. vol, iii. p, 390, Mr, Harmer (vol, i. p. 275) proposes this ex tract as an illustration of the passage now cited. No. 867. — xviii. 11. I would have given thee ten shekels of s'llver and a girdle.] Rewards are both ho- noraiy and pecuniary, and a great distinction is with us carefully preserved. But in the East they are generally , blended together. Du Tott did many great services to 2 SAMUEL. 139 die Turkish empire in the time of their late war with Russia ; and the Turks were disposed to acknowledge them by marks of honour. " His Highness," said the fycst minister, speaking of the grand signor, " has or dered me to bestow on you this public mark of his esteem ;" and, at the same time he made a sign to the master of the ceremonies to invest me with the pelisse, while the hasnadar (or treasurer) presented me with a purse of two hundred sequins. Memoirs, tom, iii, p, 127, Thus Joab would have rewarded an Israelitish soldier with ten shekels of silver and a girdle. The girdle would have been an honorary reward.; the ten shekels would have been a pecuniary one, Harmer, vol. iii, p. 363. No, 868. — xviii. 18. Now Absalom in his life-time had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale ; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.] There seems to have prevailed amongst almost all nations a common sentiment of respect for the dead. The Jews appear to have been inspired by it equally with other, people. The following extract will furnish us with a curious illustration of the fact, and a singular coincidence of circumstances with the case of Absalom, The Scythians and Indians are re markable for the great veneration which they pay to the memory of their ancestors, " When upbraided by Darius for flying before his army, the former exclaim, Pursue us to the sepulchres of our ancestors, and at- ^tempt to violate their hallowed remains, and you shall soon find with what desperate valour the Scythians can fight. The Indians, we learn from Mr, Holwell, haye so profound a veneration for the ashes of their progenitors, that on the fast of Callee worship and offerings are paid to their manes: and Mr. Wilkins, in a note upon the Heetopades, favours us with additional information, 140 2 SAMUEL. that the offerings consisted of consecrated cakes ; that the ceremony itself is denominated stradha : apd that a Hindoo's hopes of happiness after death greatly depend upori his haying children to perform this ceremony, by which he expects that his soul will be released from the torments of naraka or hell. In his sixth note upon the text of the Geeta his account of this ceremony is still more ample ; for in that note he acquaints us that the Hindoos are enjoined by tlie vedasto offer these cakes t6 the ghosts of their ancestors, as far back as the third generation ; that this greater ceremony of the stradha is performed on the day of the new moon in every month ; but that they are commanded by those books daily to propitiate them by an offering of water, which is called tarpan, a word signifying to satisfy, to appease. A speech of the Indian emperor Dushmanta, in the Sacon- tala, remarkably exemplifies this observation. That em peror, struck with horror at the idea of dying childless, exclaims, Ah ine, the departed souls of my ancestors, who claim a'share in the funeral cake which I have no son to offer, are apprehensive of losing their due honour when Dushmanta shall be no more on earth ; who then, alas, wiU perform in our family those obsequies which the vedas prescribe ? my forefathers must drink, instead of a pure libation, this flood of tears, the only off'ering which a man who dies childless can make them.'' Maurice's Ind. Ant. vol. ii. p. 80. N, 869, — xix, 8. Then the king arose, and sat in the gate.] This custom appears to have been very ancient, and is found in other writings than the sacred books. Homer thus represents Nestor. The old man early rose, walk'd forth, and sate On polish'd-stone before his palace gate. With unguents smooth the lucid marble shone, •VVhere ancient Nelus sat, a rustic throne ^; 2 SAMUEL. 141 But he descending to the infernal shade, Sage Nestor fiU'dit, and the sceptre sway'd. Odyss. i. 518. These seats or thrones might be consecrated with oil, to draw reverence to the seats of justice by an act of religion. No. 870. — ^xix. 35. Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women ?] The Mahometan ca liphs are represented as surrounded by yoxmg and hand some ladies in a morning, with all sorts of instruments of music in their hands, standing with great modesty and respect ; who, on their sitting up in their beds, in order to rise, prostrate themselves, and those with instru ments of music begin a concert of soft flutes, &c. In the halls in which they eat and drink, bands of musicians are supposed to attend them in like manner. (Arabian Nights' Entertainments, vol. ix. p. 20.) Theocritus has described the same custom as existing amongst the Greeks, and from the words of Barzillai to David it appears, that something of the kind was practised in the court of that king. No. 871. — XX. 3. They were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.] In China, when an emperor dies, all his women are removed to an edifice called the palace of Chastity, situated within the walla of the palace, in which they are shuPup for the remain der of their lives. Macartney, p. 375. No. 872, — XX. 9. And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.] This is the custom sHll among the Eastern people. The Indians take one another by the chin, that is, the beard, when they would give a hearty salute to a person ; at the same time say ing, Bobba, i. e, father or Bii, brother. See Peter 14^ 2 SAMUEL. della Valle, Travels, p. 410. and Oriented .Cu^topts, No;. 104. and 109. No. 873. — xxiii. 15. And Davi^ fofgqi, and scfid. Oh that one would give me drink of tkezuqter of the jjoell of Bethlehem, which is by the gate.'] Agathocles relates that there were certain fountains in those regions, to the number of seventy, whose waters were 4epom}P.ited goldep, and of which it was death for;any one to drinV, except the king and his eldest spn. This may explain the wish of king David for water from the well of Bethle hem, unless we suppose it to have arisen from a predi lection, like that of the Parthian inonarchs for th.e water of Choaspes, which was carried with them whereever they went, and from that circumstance styled by Tibullus regia lympha, and by Milton, the drink of none but kings. Gillingwater, MS. ¦[ 143 I No. 874.-1 KINGS ii. 5. And shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of ¦war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. It is evident that David meant by these words to de scribe the violence of Joab, the effects bf which seem to have been coincident with the sentiment oi Abdollah, who *' went out and defended himself, to the terror and as- tonishtnent of his enemies, killing a great many with his own handsj so that they kept at a distance, and threw' bricks at him, and made him stagger ; and when he felt the blood run dowri his face and beard, he repeated thi? verse, the blood of our wounds doth not fall down on our heels, but on our feet, meaning that he did not turn his back on his enemies," Ockley's Hist, ofthe Saracens, vol. ii, p. 291. In like manner the blood shed by Joab fell on his feet, on his shoes ; it was not inadvertently, but purposely shed : shed with ferocity, rather than va lour. Fragments, No. 321, No. 875. — ii. 10. So Dav'id sleptxv'ith his fathers, and was buried in the city of Dav'id.] In general the dead were buried out of the eastern cities : and as this was the usual prafctice, it was not departed from, but upon very particular occasions. It was a mark of distinguish ed honour to be interred within a city. " Hali Dey, as a very eminent mark of distinction, was buried withiii an inclosed tomb within the city." Hist, of the Piratical States of Barbary, p. 163. Harmer, vol. ii.-p. 141. No. 876. — ii. 23. And king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah 144 1 KINGS. have not spoken this word against his own life.] Solomon Considered it as a treasonable request, that Adonijah should desire to have David's wife. For, according to the custom of the Hebrews, no man who had been the servant of the king might serv« any other master ; nor might any man ride upon the king's horse, nor sit upon his throne, nor use his sceptre ; much less might any private person marry the king's widow, who belonged only to his successoi'. Thus God gave David all the wives of Saul. 2 Sam, xii, 8, See Selden de Uxor. Heb. lib, i, cap. 10. No. 877. — ii. 28. And caught hold of the horns ofthe altar.] That it was customary to fly to the altar as to a place of safety, is evident from this and various other passages of scripture. It was equally practised by the Jews and other nations. With the Greeks it certainly prevailed. Of the altar of Jupiter Hercseus it is said to one, -fly To Jove's inviolable altar nigh. Odyss. xxii. 372. Pope. The altar mentioned by Virgil was of the same nature :¦ to this Priam fled at the taking of Troy. See JEn. ii. No, 878, — iv. 7, And Solomon had twelve officers over all Is.rael, who provided victuals for the king and his- household.] These are doubtless to be considered as his general receivers ; for " the revenues of princes in the East are paid in the fruits and productions of the earth; there are no other taxes upon the peasants." Chardin, MS. . Harmer, vol, ii, p. 284, V No, 879. — viii. 31. And the oath come before thine altar in this house.] It was the custom of all nations to touch the altar when they made a solemn "oath, calling 1 KINGSi US God to witnees the truth of what they said, and to punish them if they did not speak the truth. Patrick, in loe. N. 880. — ^viii. 63. And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace-offerings which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thou sand sheep.] Such great sacrifices as this were imitated by the heathens in their hecatombs, which consisted of a hundred beasts of a kind. They are described by Julius Capitolinus in his life of the emperors Pupienus Maximus .and Balbinus ; the last of whom, he says, was so transported with joy, that he offered a hecatomb, A hundred altars of turf were raised in one place ; at them a hundred swine and a hundred birds were killed, .k Patrick, in loe. No, 881, — viii, 65, And at that time Solomon held a ¦ feast, and all Israel with him.] Such solemnities were usual among the heathen, when they celebrated the presence of any of their gods. This Ez. Spanke'im (upon Callimachus's Hymn to Apollo, v, 13,) conjectures to have been derived from this famous festival of Solomon, No, 882, — X, 16, Targets^ The raiddle part of the target projected in a sharpish point, as some of the shields afterwards used by the Greeks and Romans did : and we are informed by the writers on their military affairs, that this pointed protuberance was of great service to them, not only in repelling or glancing off missive weapons, but in bearing dowP their enemies ; whence Martial has this aUusion : In turbam incideris, cunctos umbone repellet. In crouds his p6inted boss will aU repell. , Vol, II, U 146 1 KINGS. No. 883. — X. 20. There was not the like madein Ofiy k'tngdom.] In after ages we read of thrones very glorious and majestic, AthenceUs says, that the throne of the Parthian kings was of goldj encompassed with four golden pillars, beset with precious stones. The Persian kings sat in judgment under dT golden vine, (and other trees of gold) the bunches of whose grapes were made of severe sorts of precious stones. To this article may be very properly annexed the following acco.unt of the famous peacock throne of the great mogul. " The great mogill has seven thrones,, some set all over with diamonds ; others with rubies, emeralds and ^pearls. But the largest throne is erected , in the hall ofthe first court of the palace ; it is, in formy like one of our field-beds, six feet long and four broad. I counted about a hundred and eight pale rubiqs in collets about that throne, the least whereof weighed a hundred carats ; but there are some that weigh two hundred. Emeralds I counted about a hundred and forty, that weighed some threescore, some thirty carats. The under part of the canopy is entirely embroidered with pearls and diamonds, with a fringe of pearls round the edge. Upon the top ofthe canopy, which is made like an arch with four panes, stands a peacock, with his tail spread, consisting entirely of sapphires and other proper, coloured stones : the body is of beaten gold, enchased with numerous jewels ; and a greatruby adorns his breast, to which hangs a pearl that weighs fifty carats. ¦On each side of the (peacock stand two nosegays, as high as the bird, consisting of various sorts of flowers, all of beaten gold enamelled. When the kipg seats himself upon the throne, there is a transparent jewel, ¦with a diamond appendant, of eighty or ninety carats weight, encompassed with rubies and emeralds, so sus pended that it is always in his eye. The twelve pillars also that uphold the canopy are set round with rows of 1 KINGS, i-i^ fair pearl and of an excellept water, that weigh from six to ten carats a piece. At die distance of four feet, upon each side of the throne, are placed two umbrellas, the handles of which are about eight feet high, covered with diamonds ; the umbrellas themselves being of crim son velvet, embroidered and fringed with pearl. This is the famous throne which Timur began and Shah Johan finished, and is really reported to have cost a hundred and sixty millions and five hundred thousand livres of our money." Tavernier's, Indian Travels, tom, iii. p. 331. edit. 1713, No. 884.— X. 21. And all king Solomon's drinking- vessels were of gold.] The magnificence of Solomon, particularly with respect to his drinking-vessels, has not been exceeded by modem Eastern princes. The gold plate of the kings of Persia has been much celebrated and is taken notice of by Chardin. He observes, that the plate of the king of Persia is of gold, and that very fine, exceeding the standard of ducats, and equal to those of Venice, which are of the purest gold. Shah Abas caused seven thousand two himdred marks of gold to be melted for this purpose. Now the two hundred ' targets of gold which Solomon made, weighed but little Ifess than the drinking-vessels which Shah Abas made. 1 Kings X. 1 16. We may therefore believe that his royal drinking-vessels were of equal, if not greater weight. Harmer, vol. i. p, 384. ,No. 885. — xi. 3. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses ; and three hundred concubines.] It appears to have been the manner of eastern princes, to have a great number of wives, merely for pomp and state. Father la Compte tells us in his History of China (pt, i, p, 62.) that there the emperor hath a great num- 148 1 KINGS. ber 6f wives, chosen out of the prime beauties o the counti-y. It is also said, that the great mogul has as many wives as make up a thousand, Patrick, in loe. No, 886. — xiii, 26, And'when the prophet that brought him back from the woy heard thereof, he said, it is the man of God, that was disobedient to the word of the Lord] Disobedience in special cases, has commonly been pu nished by those in authority. The Athenians put their ambassadors to death, whom they had sent into Arcadia, though they had faithfully performed their business, because they came another way, than that which had been prescribed to them, ^Elian, Var. Hist. lib. vi. cap. 5. No. 887 -XV. 2. Three years reigried he in Jeru salem, and his mother's name was Maachalu] It has been conjectured by Mr. Baruh, that the phrase, " and h'ls mother's name was," &c. when expressed on a king's accession to the throne, at the beginning of his history, does not always refer to his natural mother, but that it is a title of honour and dignity, enjoyed by one of the royal family, denoting her to be the first in rank. This idea appears well founded from the following extracts. " The oloo kani is not governess of the Crimea. This title, the literal translation of which is, great queen, simply denotes a dignity in the haram, which the khan usually confers on one of his sisters ; or if he has none, on one of his daughters, or relations. To this dignity are attached the revenues arising from several villages, and other rights." Baron Du Tott, vol.ii. p. 64. "On this occasion the king crowned his mother Malacotawit, conferring upon her the dignity and title of iteghe, i. e. as king's mother, regent and governess of the king whea underage," Bruce's Trav. vol. ii. p. 531. 1 KINGS. 149 No. 888. — xvii. 1. Elijah.] "We are deceived by not seeing titles among the Israelites, like those of our nobility. Every one was called plainly by his own name : but their names signified great things, as those of the patriarchs. The name of God was part of most; which was in a manner a short prayer, Elijah and Joel are made up of two of God's names, joined in a different way, Jehoshaphat and Shephatiah signify the judg ment of God : Jehozedek and Zedekiah, his justice : Johanan, his mercy: Nathanael, Elnathan, Jonathan, and Nathaniah, all four, signify, God-given, or the gift of God, Sometimes the name of God was under stood, as in Nathan, David, Obed, &c, as is plain by Eliezer, God my helper ; Uzziel, God my strength ; and Obadiah, the Lord's servant. The (^reek names also are of the same import, many are composed of the names of their gods ; as Diodorus, Diogenes, Herino- dorus, Hsephestion, Athepais, and Artemisia,'' Fleury's Hist, ofthe Israelites, p, 20, No. 889, — xviii. 26, They leaped over the altar which was made.] Baal, whose idolatrous worship is here referred to, was the same as Apollo, or the Sun. Callimachus has given us a remarkable instance of the tmiversal veneration which was paid by the ancient pagans, at his altar in the temple of Delos. Amongst other ceremonies in the worship ofthis idol, itwas cus tomary to run round his altar,^^o strike it with a whip, and with their hands or arms bound behiPd them to bite the olive. For of Delos the poet says. Thee, ever honour'd isle, what vessel dares' Sail by regardless ? 'twere in vain to plead Strong driving gales, or, stronger still than they, Swift-wing'd necessity : their swelling sails Here mariners must furl ; nor hence depart, Till round the altar stri;ck with many a blow 150 1 KINGS. The maze they tread, and, backward bent their, arois^ The sacred olive bite. Hymn ta Delos, v. 433, The former part of this ceremony plainly alludes to singing and dancing round the altar. The latter part seems to accord with what is said of Baal, 1 Kings xviii. 26 — 28. where we read of the priests of Baal who leaped upon the altar they had. made, which the Septuagint render ran round; and they cried aloud, and cut them selves after their manner w'tth knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them. The'ir running round the altar signified the annual rotation of the earth round the sun. Striking with a whip the altar, cutting themselves with knives and lances, crying aloud to their deity, were sjinbolical actions, denoting their desire that he would shew forth his power upon all nature in general, and that sacrifice in particular then before him. Having thus surrounded th^ altar of Apollo, and by these ac tions declared their belief in his universal power, they used to bend their own arms behind them, and so take the sacred olive into their mouths ; thereby declaring, that not from their own arm or power, which was bound, but from his whose altar they surrounded, and from him they expected to obtain that peace, whereof the olive was always a symbol. Gen. viii. 11. There are some evident allusions to these abominable idolatrous practices in the Old Testament ; and for which the Jews are severely reprimanded by the prophets, for following such absurd and wicked ceremonies. Thus saith the ford concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and^ cry peace, Micah iii. 5,; and respecting Ashdod, the pro phet says, / will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from Bmw^i.fi his teeth, Zech. ix. 7. 1 KINGS. 151 No. 890. — xviii. 38. The fire 'of the Lord fell.] Bp, Patrick apprehends that God testified his approbation of Abel's sacrifice by a stream of light, or aflame from the shekinah which burnt it up. In this opinion many ancient writers concur : remarking that footsteps of it may be met with in many other cases. See Gen, xv, 1 7. Levit. ix, 24, Judges vi. 21, 1 Chron, xxi, 26, 2 Chron. vii. 13. Psalm xx, 3, marg. reading, " Some relics of it are to be found among the heathen : for when the Greeks went on ship-board to the Trojan war, Homer represents Jupiter promising them good success in this manner, Iliad, ii. 354,) and thunder sometimes ac companying lightning, Ffrg-i/ makes him establish cove nants in that manner. After ./Eneas had called the sun to witness, Latinus lifts up his eyes and right hand to hea ven, saying, Audiat hsec genitor, qui fcedera fulmlne sancit. Mn. xii. 200. Let the (heavenly)- father hear what I say, who esta blishes covenants with thunder. From some early instances of this kind the heathen seem to have derived their notion, that when a sacrifice took fire spontaneously, it was a happy omen. So' Virgil: Aspice : corripuit tremulis altaria flammis I Sponte sua, dum ferre moror, cinis ipse : bonum sit. Ed. vii!, 105. See also Georg. iv. 384. ' Pausanias says that when Seleucus, who accompanied Alexander in his expedition from Macedonia, was sacri ficing at Pella to Jupiter, the wood advanced of its own accord towards the image, and was kindled without fire. See dlso Levit. ix. 24. 1 Chron. xxi. 26. 2 Chron. vii. 1. 152 1 KINGS. No. 891.^xviii. 44, And he said, go up, say Unto Ahab, prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, ihat the rain stop thee n^t.] That is, says, Bp. Patrick, Elijah saw such abundalnce of rain coming as would cause floods, and render the way impassable, if Ahab did not make haste home : and accordingly, in a very short space of time that little cloud spread itself, and with a great thickness covered the face of the sky. Thus the translator of an Arabian tale from an unpub lished manuscript, in describing the journey of the caliph Vathek, informs us, that the caliph having tra velled three days, on the fourth day the heavens looked angry, and a terrible tempest ensued ; this tempest, says this writer, may be deemed somewhat the more violent, from a supposition that Mahomet interfered, which will appear the more probable, if the circumstance of its obliterating the road through which the camels passed be considered. It frequently happens that a sudden blast will arise in the vast deserts of the East, and sweep away in its. eddies the last passenger, whose camel there fore in vain is sought by the wanderer that follows. (Hist, of Caliph Vathek, p. 247.) William of Tyre hath recorded one of a similar nature, that visted Baldwin in his expedition against Damascus. He, against whose will all projects are vain, suddenly overspread the sky with darkness, poured down such torrents of rain, and so entirely effaced the roads, that scarce any hope of escaping remained. These disasters were portended by a gloominess in the air, lowering clouds, irregular wind, increasing'thunder, and incessant lightning. Gesta Dei per Francos, p. 849. GiLLINGWATER, MS, No, 892. — xix. 13. And itwas so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle.] The Jews accounted it a token of reverence to have their feet bare 1 KINGS. ' 153 in public worship, and to have their heads covered. This was accordingly the practice not of the priests on ly, but of the people also ; and the latter practice remains so to this day. Thus on the divine appearance to Moses in the bush, it is said, he hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God, Exod. iii. 6. ; and on the extraordina ry manifestation of the divine presence to Elijah, he wrapped his face in his mantle. " On the same account ^ perhaps the angels were represented in vision to Isaiah as covering their faces with their wings in the presence of Jehovah. Isaiah vi. 2. The ancient Romans performed their sacred rites with a covering on their heads. Thus Virgil: Spes est paeis, ait. Turn numina sancta precamur Palladis armisonae, quae prima accepit ovantes : Et capita ante aras Phrygio velamur amictu. Mn. iii. 543. Our way we bend To Pallas, and the sacred hill ascend : There prostrate to ihe fierce virago pray, ¦Whose ;emple was the land-mark of our way. Each with a Phrygian mantle veil'd his head. The Grecians on the contrary performed their sacred rites bare headed. St. Paid therefore writing to the Corinthians, who were Greeks, says, every man praying or prophesying with his head covered dishonoureth his head. 1 Cor. xi. 4. No. 893. — xix. 18, All the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.] Bowing the knee was an act of worship, and sb was kissing the idol. This was done two ways : either by -applying their mouth immediately to the image, or kissing their hand before the image, and then stretching it out, and as it were, throwing the kiss to it. Sal- masiiis says, that such kisses were called labrata oscula. Vol. II. X 154' 1 KIIiJGS, and from hence came the phrases oscula jacere, and basia jactare, arid manu venerari, and manu salutare. Pliny also says, in adorando dextram ad osculum refe- r'lmus, totum corpus c'lrcumag'imus. When we Worship, we kiss our hand, and turn about our whole body. No. 894. — XX. 12. As he was drinking, he and the fiings, in ihe pavilions.] The pavilions here spoken of were nothing more than mere booths or common tents, notwithstanding Benhadad and die kings were drinking in them. That great and even royal persons occasion ally refreshed or indulged themselves in this manner, is clear from the following paragraph in Dr. Cliandler's Travels in the Lesser Asia, p, 149. " While we were employed on the theatre of Miletus, the aga of Suki, son-in-law by marriage to Elez Oglu, crossed the plain towards us, attended by a considerable train of do mestics and officers, their vests and turbans of various and lively colours, mounted on long-tailed horses, with sho^wy trappings, and glittering furniture. He reljum- ed, after hawking, .to Miletus: and we went to visit him, with a present of coffee and sugar ; but were told that two favourite birds had flo^wn away, and that he w'as vexed and tired. A couch was prepared for him be neath a shed made against a cottage, and covered with green boughs to keep off the sun. He entered as we were standing by, and fell down on it to sleep, without taking any notice of us,'' Harmer, vol, iii, p, 50, No, 895, — xxi. 8. Seal.] Seals are of very ancient invention. Thus Judah left his seal with Tamer as a pledge. The anciept Hebrews wore their seals or sig nets in rings on their fingers, or in bracelets on their arms. Sealing rings, called annuli signatorii, sigil-. lares, and chirographi, are said by profane authors to 1 KINGS. ISS ' have been invented by the LacedfEmonians, who not con- tentto shut their chests, armouries, &c. with keys, added a seal also. Letters and contracts were sealed thus : first they were tied up with thread or a string, then the wax was applied to the knot, and the seal impressed upon it. Rings seem to have been used as leals in almost every copntry, Pliny, however, observes that seals were scarce ly used at the time of the Trojan war; the method of shutting up letters was by curious knots, which invention was particularly honoured, as in the instance of the Gor dian knot. We are also informed by Pliny, that in his time no seals were used but in the Roman empire : but at Rome testaments were null without the testator's seal, and the seals of seven witnesses, Wilson's Archceol. Diet, art. Seal. , No, 896, — xxi. 27. And went softly,] Going softly seems to have been one of the many expressions of mourning commonly used among the eastern nations. That it ¦^as in use among the Jews appears from the case of Ahab ; and by mistake it has been confounded with walking barefoot. It seems to have been a very slow, solemn manner of walking, well adapted to the state of mourners labouring under great sorrow and dejection of mind. No, 897. — xxii. 43. The high places.] Many of old worshipped upon hills and on the tops of high mountains ; imagining that they thereby obtained a nearer communi cation with heaven, Strabo says that the Persians always performed their worship upon hills. Some nations, in stead of an image, worshipped the hill as the deity, Iri Japan most of their temples are at this day upon emi nences; and often upon the ascent of high mountains ; coipmanding fine views, with groves and rivulets of clear 156 1 KINGS. water : for they say that the gods are extremefy delighted with such high and pleasant spots, (Kcempfer's Japan^ vol, ii, b. 5,) This practice in early time was almost universal ; and every mountain was esteemed holy. The people who prosecuted this method of worship enjoyed a soothing infatuation, which flattered the gloom of super stition. The eminences to which they retired were lonely and sileht; and seemed to be happily circumstanced for contemplation and prayer. They who frequented them were raised above the lower world ; apd fancied that they were brought into the vicinity of the powers of the air, and of the deity who resided in the higher regions. But the chief excellence for which they were frequented was, that they were looked upon as the pecuhar places were God delivered his oracles. Holwell's Mythological Diet. p. 225. [ 157 J No. 898 — 2 KINGS ii. 19. And the ground barren. Marg. Causing to miscarry. If the latter reading is allowed to be more just than the former, we must entertain a different idea of the situation of Jericho than the textual translation suggests. There are ac tually at this time cities where animal life of certain kinds pines and decays and dies ; and where that poste rity which should replace such loss is either not conceiv ed ; or, if conceived, is not brought to the birth ; or if brought to the birth, is fatal in delivery to both mother and oflFspring, An instance pf this kind occurs in Don Ulloa's Voyage to South America, vol. i. p. 93. He says of the climate of Porto BeUo, that "it destroys the vigour of nature, and often untimely cuts the thread of life." And of Sennaar Mr. Bruce (Trav. ¦vol. iv. p. 469.) says that " no horse, mule, ass, or any beast of burthen, will breed or even live at Sennaar, or many miles about it. Poultry does not live there ; neither dog nor cat, sheep nor bullock, can be preserved a season there. They must go all, every half year to the sands. Though every possible care be taken of them, they die in every place where the fat earth is about the town, during the first season of the rains.'" He farther men tions, that the situation is equally unfavourable to most trees. No. 899. — ^iii*' 15. But bring me now a minstrel.] The music of great men in civil life has "been some times directed to persons of a sacred character, as an expression of respect, inthe East: perhaps the playing of the minstrel before Elisha is to be imderstood, in part at least, in the same manner. When Dr. Chandler 158 2 KINGS. was at Athens, the archbishop of that city was upon ill terms with the waiwode: and the. Greeks in general siding with the waiwode, the archbishop was obliged to , ¦withdraw for a time. But some time after, when Chand ler and his fellow travellers were at Corinth, they were informed, that the archbishop was returned to Athens ; that the waiwode had received him kindly, and ordered his musicians to attend him at his palace; and that a complete revolution had happened in his favour. Tra'uels in Greece, p. 244. Harmer, vol. iii. p, 302. No, 900. — iii, 27, Then he took his eldest soil that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offer'ing upon the walLJ In great distress several persons, like the king of Moab, have offered their own children upon their altars, Eusebius (Prcepar. Evang. lib, 5.) and Lactantius (Div. Instit. cap. 21.) mention several nations who used these sacrifices. Cassar (De Bella Gallico, lib, 6.) says of the Gauls, that when they were afflicted with grievous diseases, or in time of war, or great danger, they either offered men for sacrifices, or vowed they would offer them. For they imagined God would not be appeased, unless the life of a man were rendered for the life of a man. See Oriental Cus toms, No. 128. No, 901, — iv, 1, The creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be his bondsmen.] This Was a case in which the Hebrews had such power over their chil dren, that they might sell them to pay what they owed ; and the creditor might force them to it, Huet thinks that fi-om the Jews this custom was propagated to the Athenians, and from them to the Romans, No. 902. — iv. 23. It is neither new moon nor sab- 2 KINGS. 159 bath.] Peter Della Valle assures us (Travels into. Arabia Deserta, p, 258.) that it is now customary' in that country to begin their journeys at the new moon. When the Shunamite proposed going to Elisha, her husband dis suaded her by observing that it was neither new-moon nor sabbath, Harmer, vol, ii, p. 514. No. 903. — iv. 39. And one tvent out into the field to gather' herbs.] To account for this circumstance, why the herbs were gatliered in the field and not in the garden, it may be observed from Russell that at Aleppo, besides the herbs and vegetables produced by regularly cultivated gardens, the fields afford bugloss, mallow, and asparagus, which they use as pot-herbs, with some others which are used in salads, Harmer, vol, i. p. 332. No. 904. — V, 6. That thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.] Schultens (in his MS, orig. Heb,) observes that " the right understanding of this passage depends on the custom of expelling lepers, and other infectious persons, from camps or cities, and reproachfully driving them iii- to solitary places ; and that when these persons were cleansed and readmitted into cities or camps, they were said to be recollecti, gathered again from their leprosy, and again received into that society from which they had been cut off." No, 905, — ^v. 7, And it carne to pass when the king of Israel had read the letter-—^ It was an ancient custom for the kings of Egypt to read all the letters of state themselves, Diodorus Sic. p. 44, No, 906. — ^v, 17, And Naaman said, shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mUles bur then of earth ?] When the Israelites were in the wil- 160 2 KINGS. demess, and Water was so scarce that a miracle was Peces- sary to procure a sufficiency for their susteriance, it must have been almost impossible to have obtained such a quan tity as their numerous ablutions required. In similar cir cumstances of difficulty Contrivances have been adopted, whereby it has been obviated, " If they (the Arab Alge- rines) cannot come by any water, then they jnust wipe theiriselves as clean as they can, till water may conveni ently be had ; or else it suffices to take abdes upon a stone, which I call an imaginary abdes ; i, e, to smooth their hands over a stone two or three times, and rub them one with the other, as if they were washing with water. The like abdes sufficeth when any are sickly, so that water might endanger their life : and after they had so wiped, it is gaise,. i, e, lawful to esteem themselves clean." Pitt's Account, p, 44, In a Mahometan treatise of prayer, published by De la Motraye, (vol, i. p. 360.) it is said, " in case water is not to be had that defect may be supplied with earth, a stone, or any other product of the earth; and this is called tayamum, and is performed by cleaning the insides ofthe hands upon the same, rubbing therewith the face once ; and then again rubbing the hands upon the earth, stone, or whatever it be, stroking the right arm to the elbow with the left hand ; arid so the left with the right," With respect to Naaman the prevailing opinion has been, that he meant to erect an altar of the earth which he requested of Elisha : but it may be proposed to con sideration, whether he had Pot a view to purification, agreeably to the instances which occur in the foregoing extracts. No, 907 v, 18, And he leaneth upon my hand.'] This might be done out of state, or on account of weak- 2 KINGS. 161 ness. In the additions to the book of Esther (xv. 4.) mention is made of two young women that waited on that queen, upon one of whom she leaned, and the other held up her train. It was not only the custom amongst the Persians and Syrians, but the Israelites also. 2 Kings vii. 2, 17. Patrick, in loe. No. 908. — ^vii. 12. And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shetv you what the Syrians have done to us : they knoxv that we are hungry, therefore are they gone out ofthe camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, when they come out of the city, we shall, catch them alive, and get into the city.] In the his tory of the revolt of Ali Bey, (p, 99.) we have an ac count of a transaction very similar to the stratagem supposed to have been practised by the S5Tians. The -pasha of Sham (Damascus) having marched near to the sea of Tiberias, found Sheik Daher encamped there : but the sheik deferring the engagement tiH the next morning, duripg the night divided his army into three pirts, and left the camp with great fires, all sorts of provisions, and a large quantity of spirituous liquors, giving strict orders not to hinder the enemy from taking possessiop of the camp, but to come do'wp and attack them just before dawn of. day. " In the middle of the night, the pasha of Sham thought to surprise Sheik Dahar, and marched in silence to the camp, which, to his great astonishment, he found entirely abandoned, and thought the sheik had fled with so much precipi tation, that he could not cany off the baggage and stores. The pasha thought proper to stop in the. camp to refresh his soldiers. They soon fell to plunder, and drank so freely of the liquors, that, overcome with the fatigue of the day's march, and the fumes of the spirits, they were not long ere they were in a sound sleep. At that time Sheik Sleby and Sheik Crime, who Vol. ii.' Y 162 2 KINGS. were watching the enemy, came silendy to the camp ; and Sheik Dahar, having repassed the sea of Tiberias, meeting them, they all rushed into the camp, and fell on the confused and sleeping enemy, eight thousand of whom they ^lew on the spot ; and the pasha, with the remainder of his troops, fled with much difficulty to Sham, leaving all their baggage behind." Harmer, vol. iv, p, 244. No. 909. — ^ix. 13. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment,- and put it under him on the top ofthe stairs, and blew -with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.] "When I read," says Mr. King, (Archceol. vol. vi. * p, 293,) " that on Jehu's being anointed king over Israel at Ramoth-gilead, the captains of the host, who were then sitting in council, as soon as they heard- thereof, took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, proclaiming, Jehu is king; and wheP I consider the account given by Herodotus of the ancient Ecbatana, which was at no great distance from Syria, and in a country much connected with it ; and reflect also upon the appearance of the top of the stair-cases, both at Launceston and Connisborough, (which were narrow and steep,) I am very apt to conclude, that at either of the two latter places is still to be beheld nearly the same kind of scenery, as to building, which was exhibited to the world on the remarkable occasion of inaugurating Jehu at Ramoth-gilead." No, 910, — X, 15, And he gave him his hand.] In token of acknowledging a newly elected prince it was not uncommon, or inconsistent with the reverence due to his character, to take him by the hand. D'Herbelot (p. 204,) in explaining an eastern term, whith he tells us signifies the election or inauguration of a khalif, in-' 2 KINGS. 163 forms us, that this ceremony consisted in stretching forth a person's hand, and taking that of him that they acknowledged for khalif. This was a sort of perfonning homage, and swearing fealty to him. Harmer, vol, iii. p, 330, This was also sometimes done as a token of friendship and fidelity. Gal, ii, 9, With this view it was also prac tised by the Romans, as appears from Virgil: Ipse pater dextram Anchises, haud multa moratus, , Dat juveni ; atque animum praesenti pignore firmat. Mn. iii. 610, " My father Anchises frankly gives the youth his right hand, and fortifies his mind by that kindly pledge," See Oriental Customs, No, 195, No, 911,1 — xi, 12, And they clapped their hands.] This practice was not only an expression of joy, as in the present instance, but was also the ordinary method in the East of calling the attendants in waiting. Thus In the history of the Caliph Vathek (p. 127.) we are told, that Nourouishar clapped her hands, and immediately came together Gulcheurouz and her women. See also Psalm xlvii. 1. xcviii. 8, No, 912, — xi, 14, And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was.] From vari ous testimonies it appears, that a seat erected near a pil lar or column was particularly honourable and distin guishing. Homer furnishes an instance of this kind. Speaking of Ulysses, he says, The monarch by a column high enthron'd His eye withdrew, and fix'd it on the ground. Odyss. xxiii. 93. Pope. The same custom is also twice mentioned in Odyss, b. viii. See also 2 Kings xxiii, 3, 164 2 KINGS. No, 913. — xix. 7. Behold, I will seiid a blast upon him,] The destruction of Sennacherib and his army ap pears to have been effected by that pestilential wind cal led the simoom. Mr, Briide thus speaks of it : "We had no sooner got into the jilains than we felt great symp toms of the symoom; aPd about a quarter before twelve our prisOPer first, and thep Idris, called oUt, The si moom ! the simoftm ! My curiosity Would not suffer me to fall down without looking behind me ; about due south, a little to the east, I saw the coloured haze as Be fore, It seemed now to be rather less compressed, and to have with It a shade of blue : the edges of It were not defined as those ofthe former, but like a very thin smoke, with about a yard in the middle tinged with those co lours. We all fell upon our faces, and the simoom pas sed with a gentle ruffling wind. It continued to blow in this manner till near three o'clock, so we were aU taken ill that night, and scarcely streng^ was left us to load the camels, and arrange the baggage," Travels, vol. iv, p, 581, In another place Mr, Bruce describes it as producing a desperate kind of indifference about life— ^ that it brought upon him a degree of cowardice and lan guor, which he struggled with in vain ; and that It com pletely exhausted his strength. From the accounts of various ti-avellers It appears to have been almost instan taneously fatal and putrefying. It was consequendy a fit agent to be employed in desolating the army of Sen nacherib, No, 914..^xx, 11, The dial of Ahaz.] At the be- ginning of the world it is certain there was no distinc tion of time, but by the light and darkness, and the whole day was included in the general terms of the even ing and morning. The Chaldseans, many ages after the flood, were the first whb divided the day Into hotirs; they b^ng the first who applied theritselves with any a KINGS. 165 success to astrology. Sun-dials are of ancient use: but as tiiey were of no service in cloudy weather and in the night, there was another invention of measuring the parts of time by water ; but that not proving suffici ently exact, they laid it aside for another by sand. The use of dials was earlier among the Greeks than the Romans. It was above three himdred years after the building bf Rome before they knew any thing of them : but yet they had divided the day and night into twenty- four hours : though they did not count the hours nu merically, but from midnight to midnight, distinguish ing them by particular names, as by the cock-crowing, the dawn, the mid-day, &c. The first sun-dial we read of among the Romans, which divided the day into hours,, is mentioPed by Pliny, (Nat. Hist. lib. i. cap. 20.) as fixed upon the temple of Quirinus by L. Pa- pyrlus the censor, about the twelfth year of the wars with Pyrrhus. Scipio Nasica some years after mea sured the day and night into hours from the dropping of water. No. 915, — XX. 13, And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointtnent, and all the house of his armour.] ¦ Vertomannus, in his voyage to the East, describing the treasure of the king of Calicut, says, that it is ' esteemed so immense that it cannot be contained in two remarkable large cellars or warehouses. It consists of precious stones, plates of gold, and as much coined gold as may suffice to lade a hundred mules. They say that It was collected together by twelve kings who were before him, and that in his treasury- is a coffer three spans, long and two broad, full of precious stones of incalculable value. This custom for the eastern princes to amass' enormous loads of treasure, merely for show 166 2 KINGS, and ostentation, appears to have been practised by the kings of Judea, One instance of it at least is found in the case of Hezekiah, In the passage now referred to. No. 916. — xxi. 11. Manasseh king, of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amor'ites did.] Bodin informs us from Maimonides, that it was customary among the Amorites to draw their new-bom children through a fiame ; be lieving that by this means they would escape many ca lamities ; and that Maimonides himself had been an eye-witaess of this superstition in some of the nurses of Egypt. No. 917, — ^xxiii, 7, The women wove hang'ings for the grove.] In the history of Schemselouhar and the Prince of Persia (Arabian Night's Entertainment), when the former was told that the caliph was coming to visit her, she ordered the paintings on silk, which were in die garden, to be taken do^wn. In the same manner are paintings or hangings said to be used in the passage referred to. The authority given for this custom must be allowed to be sufficient to vouch for the existence of the prac tice in question, to whatever animadversions the work itself may be liable in any other point of view. [ 167 3 No, 918,-1 CHRONICLES ii, 35. And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to xvife. When the people of the East have no sons, they fre quently marry their daughters to their slaves, and that even when they have much property to bestow upon them, Hassan had been the slave of Kamel his prede cessor. But Kamel, " according to the custom of the country, gave him one of his daughters in marriage, and left him at his death one part of the great riches he had amassed together in the course of a long and prosperous ' life," Maillet, Lett. xi. p. 118. Harmer, vol, ii, p. 370. No, 919, — xii, 40, And an oxen.] Dandini seems to have been surprised to see oxen employed to carry burthens upon their backs, like* camels, mules, and asses, when he was making his observations on the cus toms of the East at Tripoli in Syria ; contrarjj^ to the old saying, Optat epiiippia bos piger, optat arare cabaUus. It appears, however, to havebeen a very ancient prac tice, Harmer, vol. ii. p. 465. No. 920. — xvi, 36, And all the people said Amen.] This practice is of very -great antiquity, and was in general use with the Jews iP early times, (Vitringade Synag. Vet. part ii, lib, 3. cap. 1 8,] It was also retained by them after the captivity, Neh, Viii, 6, The Jewish doctors give three rules for pronouncing the word. 168 1 CHRONICLES. 1. That it be not pronounced too hastily and swiftly, but with a grave and distinct voice. 2, That it be not louder than the tone of him that blessed. 3. It was to be ex pressed in faith, with a certain persuasion that God would bless them and hear their prayer. No. 921. — xxii. 8. Thou shalt not build a house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth.] The custom which prohibits persons polluted with blood to perform any offices of divine worship before they were purified, is so ancient and universal, that it may almost be esteemed a precept of natural religion, tending to inspire an uncommon' dread and horror of bloodshed. In the case of David it amounted to a disqualification, as it respected the building of the temple. And with regard to some of the Israelites, it was the cause of the rejection of their prayers. Isaiah i. 15, The Greeks were influenced by the same princi ple, Euripides represerits Iphigenia as arguing that it was impossible for human sacrifices to be acceptable to the gods, since they do not permit any defiled with blood, or even polluted with the touch of a dead body, to come near their altars, (Iphig. in Taur. v. 380,] Homer makes Hector say, 111 fits it me, with human gore distain'd. To the pure skies these horrid hands to raise. Or offer heav'n's gi-eat sire polluted praise. Pope. //. vi. 585; Virgil also makes ./Eneas say. Me bello e tanto digressum et cacde recenti Attrectare nefas, donee me flumine vivo Abluero. Mn. ii. 717. No. 922, — xxvi, 27, Out of the spoils won in battle did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord.] 1 CHRONICLES. 169 According to the law of Moses the. booty was to be di vided equally, between those who were In die battle, and those who were In camp, whatever disparity 'there might be in the number of each party. The law farther re quires, that out of that part of the spoils which was as signed to the fighting men the Lord's share should be separated : and for every five hundred men, oxen, sheep, &c, they were to take ope for the high priest, as being the Lord's first-fruits, and out of the other moiety be longing to the children of Israel they were to give for every fifty men, oxen, sheep, &c, one to the Ltvites, Amongst ihe Greeks and Romans the plunder was brought together into one common stock, and uivided afterwards amongst the officers and soldiers, payii^- soi^e respect to their rank in the distribution. Some times the soldiers made a reserve of the chief part of die booty, to present by way of compliment to their re spective generals. The gods were always remember ed. And the priests had sufficient Influence to procure them an, handsome offering, and other acceptable pre sents. See Homer, II. vii, 81, Eurip. Here. Fur. 476. Virgil £n. iii. 286, et. vii, 183. Wilson's Archceol. Diet. art. Booty. Vol. ji. [ 170 J. No. 923.-r2 CHRONICLES vi. 1, s Then said Solomon, the Lord hath said, that he would dwell in the thick darkness. This notion of God's dwelling in dafrkness prevailed amongst the heathens, who are supposed to have learned it hence, Justin Martyr observes, that Orpheus and another ancient writer called God UnyKfiKtov, altogether hidden. And the Lacedaemonians, who pretend to be allied to the Jews, had a temple dedicated to Zivt SitoTfivot, Jupiter the dark. Patric, in loe. No, 924,— vi, 34, If thy people go out to -war against their enemies.] The most usual time of going forth to war was at the return of spring. In the beginning of spring, says Josephus (Ant. 1, vii. c. 7,) David sent forth his commander In chief Joab, to make war with the Am monites, At another place he says of Adad, that aS soon as spring was begun he levied and led forth his army against the Hebrews, (Ant. 1, viii, c, 8.) Antiochus, in the same manner made ready to invade Judea at the first appearance of spring, Vespasian likewise, earnest to put an end to the war in Judea, marches with his whole army to Antipatris at the commencement of spring, Holoftmies also receives his order, to lead forth the army of the king of Assyria on the two and twentieth day of the first month, that is, a few days after Easter, Judith ii. 1. Hurdis's Dm, p, 30. No. 925. — ix. 24. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment.] Thevenot tells us, (part i. P« 253.) it was a custom in 2 CHRONICLES. 171 Egypt in his time, for the consuls of the European nati ons to send the basha a present of so many vests, arid so many besides to some officers, both when a neW basha came, and a new consul entered his office, as were rated at above a thousand piastres. Doth not this last account remind us of the presents that were made to Solomon by the neighbouring princes at set times, part of which, we are expressly told, consisted of raiment ? Harmer, vol. ii. p, 89, No, 926, — xvi, 14, And they made a very great burning for him.] The Greeks and Romans burnt dead bodies, throwing frankincense, myrrh, cassia, and other fra grant things into the fire : and these were used in such vast quantities, that Pliny represents it as a piece of profaneness to bestow such heaps of frankincense upon a dead body, when they offered it to their gods by crumbs, (Nat. Hist, lib, xii, cap. 18,) The Israelites had no such custom ; but from the ancient Egyptians perhaps adopted the practice, not of burning bodies, but of burning many spices at their funerals, 2 Chron. xxi, 19, Jer, xxxiv, 5, Kimchi here says, that they burnt the bed on which they lay, and other household stuff, that none might have the honour to use them when they, were gone, Patrick, in loe. No, 927, — xxv, 12, And cast them down from the top of the rock.] This mode of punishment was prac tised by the Greeks and Romans, as well as the Jews, In Greece, according to the Delphian law, such as were guilty of sacrilege were led to a rock, and cast down headlong. Mlian. Var. Hist. lib. xi. c. 5. The Romans also inflicted it on various malefactors, by casting them dowP from the Tarpeian rock. Livy, Hist. 1. vi. c. 20. Mr. Pitts in his account of the Mahometans (p. 10.) informs us, that in ' Turkey, at a place called Constan» 172 2 CHRONICLES, tine, a town situated at the top of a great rock, the usual way of executing great criminals is by pushing them off the cliff. No, 928i — xxviii. 23, For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him.] However stupid it was to imagine that they had any power over him, who could not defend themselves from Tiglath-Pileser, yet being of opinion that they were gods, he endeavoured by sacri fices to appease them, that they might do him no fur ther hurt. Thus the ancient Romans by sacrifices intreat- ed the gods of their enemies to come over to them, and to be their friends. See Jackson's Original of Unbelief, cap. 17. No, 929, — xxxv. 25, And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the' singing men andthe singing xuomen speak of Jos'iph 'in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel.] Public characters were lamented in anniversary solemnities with mournful music, and oftentimes in such a manner as might repre sent the circumstances of their affliction or death, as far as they could with propriety. The Persians annually mourn for Housslan (the grandson of Mohammed,) and visit his sepulchre near die ancient Babylon, The mourning continues ten days ; all pleasures are suspend ed ; they dress as mourners ; and they pronounce dis courses relating to his death to numerous assemblies : all this is done in the royal palace in the hearing of the prince himself, as well as in other places among the com mon people, Chardin. The mourning for the death of Josiah, and the mourning for the daughter of Jephthah, were probably of this kind, Harmer, vol, iii, p, 435, No. 930. — xxxvi. 15. Rising up berimes, and sending 2 CHRONICLES. 173 them.] The Jews in general rose very early in the morning. Hence in their style, to rise early signifies to do .1 thing sedulously, and with a good will : thus it is frequently said, that God rose up early to send the prophets to his~people, and exhort them to repentance, Jer. vii, 13, xi. 7. xxxv. 14. It is a consequence of country labour. The Greeks and Romans followed the same custom : they rose very early, and worked till night ; they bathed, supped, and went to bed In good time. Fleury's Hist, of Israelites, p. 49, [' i74 ] No, 931.— EZRA vi, 11. And let his house be made a dunghill for this* Thus the Romans pulled down the houses of very wicked men, for their greater disgrace : of this we have instances in Sp. Cassius and Ovidius PoUio. See also Dan. ii, 5. and iii. 29. No, 932 ^vl, 15. The month Adar.] This was the name, after the Babylonish captivity, of the twelfth month, nearly answering to our February O, S, and perhaps so called from the richness or exuberance of the earth in plants and flowers at that season in the warm eastern countries. " As February advances, the fields, which were partly green before, now, by the springing up of the latter grain, become entirely covered with an agreea ble verdure : and though the trees continue in their leaf less state till the end of this month or the beginning of March, yet the almond, when latest, being In blossom before the middle of February, and quickly succeeded by the apricot, peach, &c, gives the gardens an agreeable appearance. The spring now becomes extremely plea-- sant." See RusselPs Nat. Hist, of Aleppo, p. 13, 30. Hasselquist' s Travels, p, 27. N. 933. — ^vili, 27, Precious as gold,] Yellow or shining brass, marg. Sir J, Chardin, MS, note, has mentioned a mixed metal used in the East, and highly esteemed there, which might probably be of as ancient an origin as the time of -Ezra. He says, " I have heard some Dutch gentlemen speak of a metals in the island of Sumatra and among the Macassars, much ipore esteemed than gold, which royal personages alone EZRA. 175 might wear. It is a mixture, if I remember right, of gold and steel, or of copper and steel. Calmbac is this metal, composed of gold and copper ; it In colour nearly resembles the pale carnation rose, has a very fine grain, and the polish extremely lively. Gold is not of so lively and brilliant a colour," Harmer, vol. ii, p, 490. No. 934, — IX, 3. And plucked off the hair of my head.'] In ordinary sorrrows they only neglected their hair, and let it hang down scattered in a careless manner, the prac tice mentioned in these words was used in bitter lamen tations ; and that also amongst the heathens. Thus Homer, speaking of Ulysses and his companions be wailing the death of Elpenor, says, Odyss. X, 15. They sitting down there howled and plucked oflf their hairs. t 15^6 ] No, 935 NEHEMIAH ii. 8. And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me. The hand is sometimes taken in an ill sense for inflicting punishments. Ruth. I. 13. Jer. xv. 17, arid sometimes in a good sense, for we extend favours to men with the hand. Thus Drusius explains Psalm Ixxxviil, 5. cut off" from thy hfcnd, that is, fallen from thy grace and favour. Pindar (Olymp. 10.) thus uses the hand of God, for his help and aid, bhktu* a-aAa^a, by the hand of God: which the scholiast interprets, by the pow er and help of God. Thus Nehemiah is here to be up- derstood. No, 936. — V. 5. We bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants,] As to the paternal power of the Hebrews, the law gave them leave to sell their daughters, Exod. xxi. 7. but the sale was a sort of mar riage, as It was with the Romans, Fathers sold their children to their creditors, Isaiah I, 1, and in the time of Nehemiah the poor proposed to sell their children for something to live upon ; and others bewailed themselves that they had notlwherewith to redeem their children that were already in slavery. They had the power of life and death over their children, Prov. xix. 18. But they had not so much liberty as the Romans, to make use of this severe privlledge without the knowledge of the magistrate. The law of God only permitted the father and mother, after they had tried all sorts of correction at home, to declare to the elders of the city that their son was stub- bom and rebellious; and upon their complaint he was NEHEMIAH. 177 condemned to death and stoned. Deut. xxi. 19. The same law was in force at Athens. Fleury's ZTw?. of the Israelites, p. 140. No. 937. — ^v. 11. Also the hundredth part of the mo ney, and ofthe corn, the wine, andthe oil, that ye exact of them.] The hundredth part was an usuiy at this time exacted in those countries, as afterwards among the Ro mans : this was the hundredth part of what was lent every month, so that every year they paid the eighth part of the principal. Salmasius however observes, that In the east- em countries, there never were any laws to determine what interest should be taken for money lent for a day, or a week, or a month, 'or a year, (for there were all these sorts of usury,) but every ona was left to demand what he pleased ; and according to what was agreed they paid for what was borrowed, Patrick, in loe, " Nothing is more destructive to Syria than the shame ful and excessive usury customaiy in that country. When the peasants are in want of money to purchase grain, cat tle, &c. they can find none but by mortgaging the whole or part of their future crop greatly under its vdue. The danger of letting money appear closes the hands of all by whom it is possessed ; and if it be parted with, it must be from the hope of a rapid and exhorbitant gain : the most moderate interest is twelve per cent, the usual rate is twenty, and it frequently rises as high even as thirty." Volney's Trav. vol. ii. p. 410. See also Jer, xv. 10, No, 938. — .V. 15. Even their servants bare rule over the people.] By these words it is evident. that some op pressive practices are referred to. They probably relate to the forcible taking away of provisions from the people by the servants of former governors. In these countries this was no uncommon thing: many instances of it Vol, ii, A a 178 NEHEMIAH. might easily be produced: the one which follows may however suffice. After the-jealousy of the poor oppress ed Greeks lest they should be pillaged, or more heavily loaded with demands by the Turks, had prevented their vohmtarily supplying the Baron Du Tott for his money, Ali Aga undertook the business, and upon the Molda vian's pretending not to understand the Turkish language, he knocked him down with his fist, and kept kicking him while he was rising; which brought him to complain in good Turkish of his beating him so, when he knew very well they were poor people, who were often in want of necessaries, and whose princes scarcely left them the air they breathed, " Pshaw ! thou art joking, friend," was the reply of Ali Aga, " thou art in want of nothing, ex cept of being basted a little oftener. But all in good time. Proceed we to business, I must instantly have two sheep, a dozen of fowls, a dozen of pigeons, fifty pounds of bread, four oques (a Turkish weight of about forty-two ounceg) of butter, with salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemons, wine, salad, and good oil of olives, all in great plenty," With tears the Moldavian replied, I have already told you that we are poor creatures, without so much as bread to eat ; where must we get cinnamon ? The whip was taken from under his habit, and the Moldavian beaten till he could bear It no longer, but was forced to fly, finding Ali Aga inexorable, and that these provisions must be pro duced, A quarter of an hour was not expired, within which time Ali Aga required these things, before they were all brought, (Memoirs, vol, I, part 2, p, 10,) No, 939. — X, 34. The wood-offering.] Conceming this offering Maimonides says, " what is the wood-oflFering ? there was a time fixed for families to go out into the for ests, and bring in wood of disposition (to be laid in order upon the altar :) and the day when it came to the turn of NEHEMIAH. 179 a family to bring the wood, they offered up a free-will, burnt-offering, which they called a xvood-offering, and It was to them a good day (or festival) : and they were for bidden to moum, fast, or do any work on it," Josephus speaks of a feast called Huxixfop/a, when it was customary for all to bring wood to the altar, to keep the sacred fire, that it might not go out, De Bello Jud. 1, ii, c, 17, §, 6. No. 940.— xii, 24, And the chief of the Levites ; Hashab'iah, Sherebiah, and Jesliua the son of Kadm'tel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God, -ward over against xvard.] " Though we are rather at a loss for information respecting the usual man ner and ceremony of chanting the Hebrew poems ; and though the subject of this (the Jews) sacred music In general is involved in , doubt and obscurity, thus far at least Is evident from many examples, that the sacred hymns were alternately sung by opposite choirs ; and that the one choir usually performed the hymn itself, while the other sung a particular distich, which was re gularly interposed at stated intervals, either of the na ture of the p'roasm or epode of the Greeks, Exod, xv. 20, 21, Ezra iii, 11, 1 Sam, xviii, 7, and many of the Psalms," Lo'vvth's Lect. on Heb. Poetry, vol. ii, p. 25. r 180 ] No. 941.— ESTHER i. 4. When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundrhd and fourscore days. Some persons apprehend that he was thus long in mak ing preparation for this splendid entertainment, which did not last many days. But this custom is still continued of keepmg an annual festival an hundred and eighty days, according to Jir. Fryer (lett. v. p. 348.) who lived lately in this country, and gives an account of It in his travels. And Cheus, a Chinese emperor, used frequently to make a feast which lasted one hundred and twenty day^. No. 942. — i. 11. To bring Vashti the queen before the king.] The Persians on festival occasions used to prc»' duce their women in public. To this purpose Herodotus relates a story of seven Persians being sent to Amyntas a Grecian prince, who received them hospitably, and gave them a splendid entertainment. When, after the enter tainment, they began to drink, one of the Persians thus addressed Amyntas : " Prince of Macedonia, it is a cus tom with us Persians, whenever we have a public enter tainment, to introduce our concubines and young wives." On this principle Ahasuerus gave command to bring his queen Vashti into the public assembly. No. 943. — ii. 11. And Mordecai walked every day before the court ofthe women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.] The harams in the East were guarded with extreme vigilance. Chardin ESTHER. 181 (Travels, p, 332,) informs us, that it is a crime for any person Avhatever to be enquiring what passes within those walls ; that it is very difficult to be informed of the transactions in those habitations ; and that a man may walk a hundred days, one after another, by the house where the women are, and yet know no more what is done therein than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiendy explains the reason of Mordecai's con duct. No. 944 ^ii. 19, The King's gate.] " The public place for doing business among the Greeks and Romans was the market place or exchange, because they were aU merchants. In our ancestors' tirae the vassals of each lord met in the court of his castle, and hence comes the expression, the courts of princes. As princes live more retired in the East, affairs are transacted at the gate of their seraglio : and this custom of making one's court at the palace gate has been practised ever since the times of the ancient kings of Persia," . Fleury's Hist, of the Israelites, p, 147, No. 945. •^ill. 7, In the first month, (thatis, the month N'lsan) in the twelfth year of king AJiasuerus, they cast pur, thatis, the lot, before Haman, from day today, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.] It was customary in the East, by casting lots Into an urn, to enquire what days would be fortunate and what not, to undertake any business in. According to this superstitious practice, Haman endeavoured to find out what time in the year was^most favourable to ^ the Jews, and what most unlucky. First he enquired what month was most unfortunate, and found the month Adar, which was the last month in the year, answerable to our February, There was no festival during dils month, 182 ESTHER. nor was it sanctified by any peculiar rites. Then he en quired the day, and found the thirteenth day was not au spicious to them, ver. 13. Some think there were as many lots as diere were days In the year, and for every day he drew a lot ; but found none to his mind, till he came to the last month of all, and to the middle of it. Now this whole business was governed by providence, by which these lots were directed, and not by the Persian gods, to fall in the last month of the year ; whereby almost a whole year intervened between the desig-n and its execution, and gave time ' for Mordecai to acquaint Esther with it, and for her to intercede ¦with the king for the revoking or suspending his decree, and disap pointing the conspiracy, Patrick, in loe. •'No. 946. — ill, 10, And the king took his r'lng from his hand, and gave it unto Hainan.] This he did both as a token of affection and honour. With the Persians, for a king to give a ring to any one was a token and bond of the greatest love and friendship imaginable, (Alex. ab. Alex. Geniel. D'ler. I. i, c, 26.) It may be this was given to Haman to seal with it the letters that were or should be written, giving orders for the destruction of the Jews, Among the Romans in aftertlmes, v/hen any one was put into tiie equestrian order, a ring was given to him, for originally none but knights were ' allowed to wear them. It was sometimes used in appointing a successor in the kingdom : as when Alexander was dying, he took his ring from off his finger, and gave it to Perdiccas, by which it was understood that he was to succeed him. Seel Mace. vi. 14, 15. Sit annulus tuus, non ut vos aliquod, sed tanquam ipse tu : non minister alienee voluptatis, sed testis tuce, Cie. ad. Q. Fratr. ESTHER. 183 No. 947. — v. 12. Haman said moreover, Tea, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king unto the ban quet that she had prepared, but myself; and to-morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.] Athenasus mentions it as a peculiar honour, which no Grecian ever had before or after, that Artaxerxes vouchsafed to invite Timagoras the Cretan to dine even at the table where his relations ate,> and to send sometimes a part of what was served up at his own : which some persons looked upon as a diminution of his majesty, and a prostitution of their national honour. Plutarch, in his life of Artax erxes, tells us, that none but the king's mother and his real wife were permitted to sit at his table, and there fore he mentions it as a condescension in that prince, that he sometimes invited hia brothers. So that this particular favour was a matter which Haman had some reason to value himself upon. Biblical researches, vol. ii. p . 1 99, No. 948, — ^vi. 1. The book of records,] That which was practised in the court of Ahasuerus in the passage now referred to appears to have been customary in the .Ottoman Porte, " It v/as likewise found in the records of the empire, that the last war with Russia had occa sioned the fitting out of a hundred and fifty galliots. In tended to penetrate into the sea of Azoph : and the par ticulars mentioned in the account of the expences not specifying the motives of this armament, it was forgotten that the ports of Azoph and Taganrag stood for nothing in the present war ; the building of the galliots was or dered, and carried on with the greatest dispatch," Baron du Tott, vol, ii.p. 15. " The king has near his person an officer, who is meant to be his historiographer : he Is also keeper of his seal, and is obliged to make a journal of the king's ac tions, good or bad, without comment of his own up- 184 ESTHER. on them. This, when the king dies, or at least soon after, is delivered to the council, who read it over, and erase every thing false In it, whilst they supply every material fact that may have been omitted, whether purposely ot not," Bruce's Trav. vol, ii. p, 596. No, 949. — vi. 8, And the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head.] Herodotus relates that the kings of Persia had horses peculiar to themselves, which were brought from Ar menia, and were remarkable for their beauty. If the same law prevailed in Persia, as did in Judea, no man might ride on.the king's horse, any more than sit on his throne, or hold his sceptre. The cro^wn royal was not to be set on the head of the man, but on the head of the horse ; this interpretation Is allowed by Aben-Ezra, by the Targum, and by the Syriac version. No mention is afterwards made of the crown as set upon the head of Mordecai ; nor would Haman have dared to advise that which could not be granted. But it was usual to put the crown royal on the head of a horse led in state ; and this we are assured was a custom in Persia, as it Is with the Ethiopians to this day ; and so with the Romans. Horses drawing triumphal chai-iots were crowned. Gill, in loe. No. 950, — ^vi, 12, Hav'tng his head covered.] This was so natural and significative a method of expressing confusion or grief, that it was adopted by other nations as well as the Jews, Demosthenes being on a particular occasion hissed by the people, went home, with his head covered, (Plutarch in Demosthene.) More instances of this may be found in Lively' s Chronology ofthe Per sian Monarchy, p. 18, 19. ESTHER. IM No. 951. — vii. 8. And Haman was fallen' upon the bed whereon Esther was.] They sat, or rather lay, upon beds, as they eat and drank; and Haman fell down as a supplicant at the feet of Esther, laying his hand upon her knees, and beseeching her to take pity upon him. It was the custom among the Greeks and Romans to em brace the knees of those whom they petitioned to be fa vourable to them. It was indeed usual in their religi ous worship to touch the knees of their gods. Sulpitius Severus apprehends this to have been done by Haman in the present instance. Patrick, in loe. No. 952. — viii. 15. And Mordecai went out from the preseme of the king in royal apparel of blue and white.] White garments were usually worn by those who set up as candidates for any honourable employment in the state : and it was done to shew how justly and in nocently they would perform the duties and offices committed to their charge. See Horace, b. i. od. 35. 1. 21. No. 953. — ix. 26. Wherefore they called these days^ Purim.] This festival was to be kept two days succes sively, the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month Adar, ver. 21. On both days of the feast the modem Jews read over the Megillah, or book of Esther, in their synagogues. The copy there read must not be printed, but written on vellum In the form of a roll ; and the names of the ten sons of Haman are written on it in a peculiar manner, being ranged, they say, like so many bodies hanged on a gibbet. The reader must pro nounce all these names in one breath. Whenever Ha- man's name is pronounced, they make a terrible noise in the synagogue : some drum with their feet on the Vol. II. B b ' 186 ESTHER, floor, and the boys have mallets, with which to knock and make a noise. They prepare themselves for their carnival by a previous fast, which should continue three days, in imitation of Esther's, Esther iv. 16. but they have mosriy reduced it to one day. Jennings's Jewish Jnt, vol. ii. p. SO^f. [ 187 J No. 954.— JOB i. 3. Five hundred she-asses, " It is remarkable that in diis passage female ass^s only are enumerated; the reason is, because in them great part of their wealth consisted ; the males being few, and not held in equal estimation. We find that the for mer were chosen for riding by the natives of these parts ; and the ass of Balaam is distinguished as a female. They were probably led to this choice from convenience ; for, where the country was so litde fertile, no other animal could subsist so easily as this : and there was another su perior advantage in the female ; that whoever traversed these wilds upon a she-ass, if he could but find for it suf ficient browse and water, was sure to be rewarded with a more pleasing and nutritious beverage." Bryant's Observations, p. 61, No. 955. — i. 3, So that this man was the greatest of all the men in the East.] Job might well be styled the greatest man in the land of Uz, when he was possessed of half as many camels as a modem king of Persia. " The kipg of Persia being in Mazanderan in the year 1676, the Tartars set upon the camels of the king in the month of February, and took three thousand of them, which was a great loss to him, for he has but seven thousand in all, if their number should be complete : especially con sidering that it was winter, when it was difficult to pro cure others in a country which was a stranger to com merce, and their importance, these beasts carrying all the baggage ; for which reason they are called the ships of Persia." Chardin. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 486. 188 JOB. No. 956. — i. 5. When the days of their feasting were gone about.] The feasting continued till they had been at each other's house in turn. Something like this is practised by the Chinese, who have their co-fraternities, which they call the brotherhood of the month ; this con sists of thirty, according to the number of days therein, and In a circle they go every day to eat at one another's houses by turns. If one man have not copvenience to receive the fraternity in his own house, he may provide for it at another ; and there are many public-houses very well provided for this purpose. Semedo's Hist of China, i, c. 13, No. 957. — 1.20. And shaved his head.] Among the Jews and neighbouring nations, it was an usual sign of mourning to . shave the head. This was the practice of Job: and in Jer. xii. 5. weread of fourscore men who were going to lamept the desolations of Jerusalem, hav ing their beards shaven, aPd their clothes rent. It was also usual among the Persians (^uint. Curt, de Gestis Alexand. 1. x. c. 5. § 17.) Suetonius in his life of Caligu la observes, that on the death of Csesar Germanicus some barbarous natiops at war among themselves and with the Romans agreed to a cessation of hostilities, as if their grief had been of a domestic nature, and on an occasion which alike concerned them both; he adds, Regulos quosdam (ferunt) tarbam pospisse et uxorum capita rasisse ad indicium maximi luct&s. See also^ Jer, vii. 29. Micah i, 16. Isaiah vii. 20. No, 958,— -ii. 4. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, w'lll he give for his life.] Beforethe invention: of money, trade used to be carried on by barter ; that is, by exchanging one commodity for another. The men who., had been hunting in the woods for wild beasts WQiild carry their skins to market, and exchange them JOB. 189 with the armourer for so many bows and arroWs. As these traffickers were liable to be robbed, they sometimes agreed to give a party of men a share for defending them, and skins were a very ancient tribute : with them they redeemed their o^wn shares of property and their lives. It is to one or both of their customs that these words allude, as a proverb. Biblical Researches, Vol. ii. p. 88. No. 959. — ii. 10. Thou speakest as one of the foolish woman speaketh.] Sanctius thinks that Job refers to the Idumean women, who, like other heathens, when their gods did not please them, or they could not obtain of them what they desired, would reproach and cast them away, and throw them into the fire, or the water, as the Persians are said to do. No. 960. — iii. 1. After this opened Job his mouth.] It is to be observed, says Mr. Blackwell, (Inquiry irito the Life of Homer, p. 43.) that the Turks, Arabians, and Indians, and in general most of the inhabitants of the East, are a solitary kind of people ; they speak but sel dom, and never long without emotion. Speaking is a matter of moment among such people, as we may gather from their usual introductions : for, before they deliver their thoughts, they give notice by saying, I will open my mouth; as here, that is, unloose their tongue. It Is thus in Homer, Hesiod, and Orpheus : and thus also Virg'il; — — — fipem dedit'ore loquendi. Mn.y'i. 76, He made an end of speaking with his mouth. No. 961.— iii. 3. Let the day perish wherein I was . born.] The Greeks had their «*«xlii, 14, , And he callid the name of the first Jemima.] To vary names by substituting a word similar in sound is very prevalent in the East. The foUowing extract from Sir Thomas Roe (p, 425,) Is a striking example of this circumstance, " They speak very much in honour of Moses, whom they call Moosa calim Alia, Moses the publisher of the mind of God : so of Abraham, whom they call Ibrahim carim Alia, Abraham the honoured, or the friend, of God : so of Ishmael, whom they call Ismal, the sacrifice of God : so £>f Jacob, whom they call Acob, the blessing of God : so of Joseph, whom they call Eesoff, the betrayed for God: so of David, whom they call Dahood, the lover and praiser of God: so of Solomon, whom they call Selymon, the wisdom of God: all expressed in short Arabian words, which they sing in ditties, unto their particular remembrances. Many men are called by these names : others are called Mahmud, or Chaan, which signifies the moon ; or Frista, which signifies a star. And they call their women by the names of spices or odours ; or of pearls or precious stones ; or else by other names of pretty or pleasing signification. So Job called his daughters." t 200 ;j Ho. 935.— PSALM xviii. 33. He maketh my feet like hind's feet. This was reckoned a very honourable qualificatioti amongst the ancient warriors, who, as they generally , fought on foot, were enabled by their agility and swift ness speedily to run from place to place, to give orders, attack their enemies, defend their friends, or for any other purposes the service might Require of them. Achilles was woifat anut, swift-footed. Virgil's Nisis is hyperbolically described, Et ventis et fulminis ocior alis. Mn. v. It was one of the warlike Camilla's excellences that she was able Cursu pedum prsevertere ventos. Mn. vii. See also 2 Sam. i, 23, 1 Chron, xii, 8. No, 986, — xviii, 34, He teacheth my hands to war, sp that a boxu of steel is broken by mine arn.s.] This was an argument of great strength. Thus in the story of the bow of Ulysses, which none of the suitors were able to draw, it is said. So the great master drew the mighty bow. And drew with.ease : one hand aloft display'd The bending horns, and one the string essay'd. s. lib. xxi. 409. Wlien Ulysses had thus bent his bow, and shot the ar rows thrcagh the rings ; he glories, and says to his son Telemachus, PSALMS, 201 -Nor have I wrought thee shame ; Nor err'd tliis hand unfaithful to its aim ; Nor prov'd the toil too hard ; nor have I lost That ancient vigour, once my pride and boast. Pope. Herodotus teUs us that when Cambyses sent his spies in to the country of Ethiopia, the king of that country, well understanding the intention of their coming, said to them, when the Persians can easily draw bows of this largeness, then let them invade the Ethiopians, He then unstrung the bow and gave it them to carry to their master. (Tha lia, c, 21.) No. 987,-»-xix, 5, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber.] Marriages among the Hebrews were performed with great public rejoicings. Among other rites then in use Buxtorf (Synagoga Jud.) informs us, that it was usual for a tent or canopy to be pitched in die open air, in which the bride and bridegroom met ; and the bride being delivered to the bridegroom, they came forth with great pomp and joy. No, 988, — xxiii. 5. Thou anointest my head with oil,] The Psalmist here alludes to the custom of eastern countries at feasts in anointing the heads of the guests with oil. Eccl. ix. 7, 8, Matt, vi, 17, On certain occasions the head was aftointed, as well as other parts of the body. Hence Propertius, Terque lavet nostras spica Cilissa comas. Lib. iv. el. 6. v. 74. In the time of Homer it was usual both to wash and anoint before meals not the head only, but the feet also, (Iliad X, 577.") See Luke vii, 38, 46, It is spoken of as an ancient custom by .4rz*^o/Aflwe« (Vest, p. 473,) for daughters to anoint the feet of their parents after they had washed them. \ Vol. II. Dd 302 PSALMS. . No. 989. — xxiii, 5. Thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over.] In the East the people frequently anoint their visitors with some very fragrant perfume ; and give them a cup or a glass of some choice wine, which they are careful to fill till it runs over. The first was designed to shew their love and respect ; the latter to imply that while they remained there, they should have an abundance of every thing. To something of this kind the Psalmist probably alludes in Ihis passage. No. 990. — xxvi. 6, I will wash my hands in innocence,- so w'lll I compass thine altar, 0 Lord.] It was usual » for the priests to go round the altar, when they had laid the sacrifice upon it, and bound it to the horns of it at the fdur corners, and there sprinkled and poured out the blood, Ps. xliii. 4. in order to which they washed their hands. In the worship of the heathen, the same ceremony was pei-formed before the commencement of the service ; so Tibullus: Pura ctim veste venlte, Etmanibuspuris sumite fontis aquam. Lib. ii. El. 1. 13, But come 3"c pure, in sjwtless garbs array'd. For you the solemn fesliv.il is made : Come, follow thrice the victim round the lands, In running water purify your hands. Gbaingee. No, 991. — xxviii, 2, When I lift vp my haiids toward thy holy oracle,] Lifting up the hands was a gesture commonly used iii prayer by the Jews, There are many instances to prove that it was practised by the heathens also. See Homer, II, v. 1 74, So also Horace r Coelo suspinas si tuleris manus Nascente luna B. iii. Od. 23; 1. Other instances may be found in Virgil, Mn. ii. and x. PSALMS. 203 No. 992.— -xxx. Title, A psalm and song at the de dication ofthe house of David,] It was common when any person had finished a house and entered into it, to cele brate It with great rejoicing, and keep a festival to which his friends were invited, and to perform some religious ceremonies to secure the protection of heaven. Thus, when the second temple was finished, the priests, and Levites, and the rest of the captivity, kept the dedication of the house of God with joy, and offered numerous sa crifices, Ezra vi, 16, We read in the New Testament of the feast of the dedication, appointed by JudaS Maccabseus in memory of'the purification and restoration of the tem ple of Jerusalem, after it had been defiled and laid in ruins by Antiochus Epiphanes ; and celebrated annually, to the time of its destruction by Titus,' by solemn sacrifi ces, music, songs, and hymns to the praise of God ; and feasts, and every thing that could give the people plea sure, for eight days successively. (Josephus Ant, I. xii, § 7,) This was customary even amongst private persons. Deut, XX, 5, The Romans also dedicated their temples arid their theatres, (Suet. Octav. c, xliii. § 13.) So also they acted with respect to dieir statues, palaces, and houses. Chandler's Life of David, vol, ii. p, 8. No, 993, — xxxii, 4. My moisture is turned into the drought of summer.] In England and the neighbouring countries it Is common for rain to fall In all months of the year. But it is not so in the Levant. Egypt has scarce any rain at all, and Dr. Shaw affirms that it Is as uncommon in what they call at Algiers the Desert, which is the most southern part of that country. These, however, are pecu liar cases. Rain indiscriminately in the winter months, and none at all in the summer, is what is most common in the East, Jacobus de Vitriaco assures us it is thus in Judea ; for he observes that " lightning and thunder ar& .204 PSALMS, . wont, in the v/estern countries, to be in the summer, but happen in the Holy Land in winter. In the summer it seldom or never rains there : but in winter, though the returas of rain are not so frequent, after they begin to fall they pour down for 'three or four days and nights to gether as vehemently as if they would drown the coun try," (Gesta Dei per Francos, vol, I, p, 1097,) The withered appearance of an eastern summer, which is very dry, is doubtless what the Psalmist refers to when he says, my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. The reference Is not to any particular year of drought, but to what commonly occurs, Harmer, vol. i, p, 6, No, 994, — xxxv, 6, Let their way be dark and slip pery.]- This is an allusion to some of the valleys in the land of Palestine, which were dark, and the roads in fhem very smooth and slippery. Maundrell's Travels, p. 7, No; 995, — xxxv. 7, ' They have hid for thee their net in a pit.] xThis is said in allusion to the custom of dig ging pits, and putting nets into them, for the purpose of catching wild beasts ; they were covered with straw, or dust, or such like things, that they might not be dis cerned. No, 996. — xxxv. 16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts.] This may prpbably refer to some of Saul's cour tiers, who were parasites and flatterers, and made it their business at Said's table and in their banquetlngs to mock at , David. They were hypocritical mockers of or for a piece of bread, as it may be rendered: the same word is used for a pasty or cake, and for flatterers: they used at their feasts to dirow a pasty baked with ho ney to parasites. Wbemse's Christ. Syn. 1. i. c' 6. p. 209. PSALMS. 205 No. 997. — xiv. 9. Kings' daughters xvere among thy honourable women; upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.] It was the custom anciently in tlie East, and it is still among the Turkish princes to have one among their many wives superior to all the rest in dignity. Lady M. W. Montague tells us, (vol. ii. p. 156.) that she learnt from the Sultana Hafiten, favour ite of the late emperor Mustapha, that ,the first those princes made choice of was always after the first in rank, and not the mother of the eldest son, as lOther writers would make us believe. See also 2 Chron. xi, 21, 22, 2 Cron, xv, 16. No. 998. — ^Iv. 17, Evening, and morning, and at noon Tvill I pray.] The frequency and the particulai- seasons of prayer ai-e circumstances chiefly connected with the situation and disposition of such as habituate themselves to this exercise. But from a singular con formity of practice in persons remote both as to age and place it appears probable that some idea must have obtained generally, that it was expedient and acceptable to pray three times every day. Such was the practise of David, and also of Daniel (see ch, vi, 10,) and as a pa rallel, though, as far as connected with an idolatrous sys tem a different case, we are informed that " it Is an In variable rule with the Brahmins to perform their devotions three times every day : at sun-rise, at noon, and at sun set," Maurice's Indian Antiquities, vol.v. p, 129, No, 999. — ^Ivil. 4. And their tongue a sharp sword,] There was a sort of swords called Lingulw, because in the shape of a tongue. A, Cell. Noct. Attic. I. x. c, 25, No, 1000. — ^Iviil. 5. The voice of 'charmers.] Whether any man ever possessed the power to enchant or charm adders and serpents ; or whether those who pretended to 206 PSALMS. do so profited only by popular credulity, it is certain that a favourable opinion of magical power Once existed. Nu merous testimonies tothis purpose may be collected from indent ¦writers. Modern travellers also afford their evir dence, Mr, Browne (in his Travels in Africa, p. 83.) thus dessribes the charmers of serpents. Romeili is an open place of an irregular form, where feats of juggling are performed. The charmers of serpents seem also worthy of remark, their, powers seem extraordinary. The ser pent most common at Kahira is of the viper class, and undoubtedly poisonous. If one of them enter a house, the charmer is sent for, who uses a certain form of words. I have seen three serpents enticed out of the cabin of a ship lying near the shore. The operator handled them, and then put them into a bag. At other times I have seen the serpents twist round the bodies of these psylli in all directions, without having had their fangs extracted or broken, and without doing them any Injury. There appears to have been a method of charming serpents by sounds, so as to render them tractable ancl harmless. The ancients expressly ascribe the Incanta tion of serpents to the human voice. Thus in Apollonius Rhodius (lib. iv, b. 147.) Medea is said to have soothed the monstrous serpent or dragon, which guarded the golden fleece, with her sweet voice. And the laying of that dragon -to sleep is by Ovid ascribed to the words uttered by Jason ; Verbaque ter dixit placidos facientia somnos, Somnus in ignotos oculos subrepit. Metam. 1. vii. 153. So Virgil attributes the like effects on serpents to the song, as well as to the touch of the enchanter. Vipereo generi et graviter spirantibus hydrls, Spargere, qui somnos cantuque maniique solebat, Mulcebatque iras, et morsus arte levabat. . Mn. vii. 1.753, PSALMS. 207 His wsmd and holy Vofds the viper's rage And venom'd ¦wound of serpents could assuage. DnvDEisr. No. 1001. — ^Ixiv. 3. And bend their botus to shoot Wieir arrows, even bitter words.] This appears to be an allusion to the practice of fixing letters in arrows, and shooting or directing them where It was desired they should fall and be taken up. Timoxenus and Artabazus , sent letters to one another in this way at the siege of Po- tidsea. Thus the Jews say Shebna and Joab sent letters to Sennacherib, acquainting him that all Israel were wil ling to make peace with him, but Hezekiah would not suffer them. Gill, in loe. ¦c No. 1002. — Ixviii. 24. They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my king, in the sanc tuary,] Instead of the word goings, Dr. Hurdis (Dis sertations on Psalm and Prophecy, p. 68.) substitutes that oi processions, referring to the custom of the Egyptians at the overflowing of the Nile. He observes that the flood of Egypt, like that of Palestine^ was autumnal, and both maybe ascribed to the same periodical rains. The ceremonies also ohserved in Egypt during the swel ling of the Nlle^ and when it had attained its happiest height, as frequently alluded to by the sacred writers, v/ere perfectly similar to those of the Hebrews. To the present day, we are informed by Irwin, (Travels, vol. i. p. 307.) that at the first visible rise of the river the female chorus, singing and dancing to the sound of in struments, goes in procession by night to the stream. In veneration of the benevolent power who thus dispenses annually the blessings of plenty, it not only praises him till it reaches the brink of the flood, but even bathes In its waters, to express the most unbounded adoration. The very same custom manifestly prevailed when the infant Moses was fovmd floating upon the river. For it 20* PSALMS. is not suffibient to say with our translatoi-s, that when the daughter of Pharaoh went down to the flood, her maidens walked along by the river-side. The word which ex presses their motion is always used by the sacred writ ers to describe the action of the chorus ; as the Psalmist explains it in these words. HuRDis on Psalm and Prophecy, p, 68. ¦ No. 1003. — ^Ixviii. 25. The singers went before.] The s.^me custom prevailed also amongst the Gentiles in their solenln processions : for both before and after, as well as during the time of their libations and sacrifices, they sang hymns in praise of their respective deities : and when they celebrated the supposed advent of their gods at particular times, it was with the greatest demonstrations of joy, with dancing, music, and songs. (See Callimachus, Hy. in Apol. V. 12.) On this account they employed persons to compose these sorts of hymns ; and that the singing of them might be performed with greater harmony and dignity, they chose for this religious service persons trained up to, and well-skilled in, vocal music. For this employment they brought up children of both sexes, who marched in procession at their great festivals. See Ho^ ' race, Carm. Sec. and Catullus,- Carm. Sec. Chandler's Life of David, vol. ii, p. 82. No, 1004. — Ixviii. 30. Rebuke the company of the spear-men.] LiteraEy, Rebuke the beast ofthe reeds,' or canes. This in all probability means the wild-boar, which is considered as destrttctive to the people of Israel, Psalm Ixxx, 13, That wild-boars aboupd in marshes, fens, and reedy places appears from Le Brutn, who says, " we were in a large plain full of canals, marshes, and bull-rushes. This partof the country is infested; by a vast number of ivild-boars, that march in 'ti'oops, PSALMS. 209 and destroy all the seed and fruits of the earth, and pursue their ravages as far as the entrance into the vil lages. The inhabitants, in order to remedy this mischief, set fire to the rushes which afford them a retreat, and destroyed above fifty In that manner: but those that escaped the flames spread themselves all round in such a manner, that the people themselves were obliged to have recourse to flight, and have never disturbed them since for fear of drawing upon themselves some greater calamity. They assured me that some of these creatures were as large as cows," Travels, vol, ii, p, 62, See also Apollonius, lib, ii. 820, Virgil Mn._ x, Ovid. Metain. viii, ¦ Scripture Illust. Expos. Index. No. 1005. — -Ixix. 21. In my thirst they gave me vine-> gar to drink.] The refreshing quality of vinegar can not be doubted; but a royal personage had reason to complain of his treatment in having this only presented ' to him to quench his thirst, when It Was only made use of by the meanest people. Pitts (p, 6.) tells us, that the food that he and the rest had when first taken by the Algerines was geperally only five or six spoonfuls of vinegar, half a spoonful of oil, a few olives, with a small quantity of black biscuit, and a pint of water, a day. The juice of lemons is what those of higher life now use, and probably among the higher orders . the juice of pomegranates might be used, to produce a gratefiU acidity. Harmer, "vol, i, p, 395. No. 1006. — ^Ixxil. 9—11. His enemies shall lick the dust.] In Mr, Hugh Boyd's account of his embassy to the king of Candy in Ceylon, there is a paragraph -which singularly illustrates this part of the Psalm ; and shews the adulation and obsequious reverence, with which an -eastern monarch is approached. ' Vol. ii. E e 210 PSALMS. Describing his introduction to the king^ he says, " The removal of the curtain was the signal of our obeisances. Mine, by stipulation, was to be only kneel ing. My companions immediately began the perform ance of theirs^ which were in the most perfect degree of eastern humiliation. They almost literally licked the dust ; prostrating themselves with their faces alraost close to the stone floor, and throwing out their arms and legs; then rising on their knees, they repeated in a very loud voice a certain form of words of the most extravagant meaning that can be conceived :-— that the head of the king of kings might reach beyond the sun ; that he might live a thousand years, &c," Compare this with the passage of Scripture now re ferred to. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust, i, e. the wild unconquered Arabians shall be brought to abject submission. This is beautifully emblematic of the ti-iumph of Christ over those nations and individuals, whom it appeared impos sible for the Gospel to subdue. The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents : the kings of Sheba apd Seba shall offer gifts. Tea, all kings shall fall down before Mm ; all nations shall serve hiin. No. 1007. — ^Ixxii. 16. They of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.] The rapidity with which grass grows in the East is the idea here referred to. " When the ground there hath been destitute of rain pine months togedier, and looks all of it like the barren sand in the deserts of Arabia, where there is not one spire of green grass to be found, within a few days after those fat enriching showers begin to fall, the face of the earth there (as it were by a new resurrection) is so revived, PSALMS. 211 and^as it were so renewed, as that it is presendy covered ail over with a pure green mantle." Sir Thomas Roe's Voyage to India, p. 360. No. 1008. — ^Ixxv, 8, For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red ; it is full of mixture; and he pour eth out qf the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth sh&ll wring them out and drink them.] At entertainments when they drank healths, it was usual to drain the vessels they drank out of as far as the sediment. So Theocritus : t I'll drink Till to the lees the rosy bowl I sink. Idyl. vii.:86. Fawkes. And Horace: Nee poti fjece tenus cadi. B. iii. Od. 15. See also Isaiah 11. 17, 22^. No. 1009.— -Ixxx, 1 7, Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand.] If we would understand the genu ine import of this phrase, we must attend to a custom which obtaiped in Judea and other eastern countries. At meals the master of the feast placed the person whom he loved best on his right hand, as a token of love and re spect: and as they sat on couches, iP the intervals be tween the dishes, when £he master leaned upon his left elbow, the man at his right hand, leaning also on his, would naturally repose his head on the master's bosom ; while at the same ^time the master laid his right hand on the favourite's Moulder or side, in testimony of Jiis favourable regard. See also John xxi. 20. Pirie's Works, vol, iii. p. 90. No. 1010.— civ. 26. There go the ships; there is that 212 PSALMS. leviathan whom thou hast made to play tlierein.J The terms of the original Hebrew are' here so very strong, that we cannot doubt of the author's intention to couch a figurative sense under the literal and more obvious ac ceptation of his expressions. Leviathan is unquestiona bly the prince and peOple of Egypt, exhibited under the apt emblem of their own crocodile. It is not unusual with the sacred writers to allude to that country under this formidable image. Compare Isaiah xxvii. 1. with Ezek, xxix. 3. If therefore it be here said literally of the great arid wide waters to which the Psalmist is point ing, tliere ships shall make procession, that leviathan thou hast fashioned to perform the actions of Ms. feast therein, the author must Intend to speak of the rejoicings of the Egyptians at the height of their flood, rather than of the sports of the leviathan, of which natural history affords no proof. The veiy term here applied is used to express the action of the multitude when Aaron celebrated the Egyptian feast of the golden calf, and they rose up to dance and sing before it. It is also used to denote the gestures of the triumphal procession of the Hebrews, the motions of the women who sung with timbrels, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. That the Egyptians did anciently make processions by water to their temples, Herodotus bears witness. The feast of Bubastis, which is mentioned by him as the greatest of the Egyptian feasts, commenced with a procession by water. He says that " both men and women embark together, a vast multitude of each in every vessel ; some of the women being furnished with crotala, play with them, while some of the men perform on the pipe, during the whole of the voyage. The remainder both of women and men sing and clap hands. This they particularly do when they draw near to ariy city. The women also at such times call upon the female inhabit PSALMS, 213 tants of those cities severally to exert themselves, and they accordingly come forth and dance." i Hurdis's Diss, p. 133, No. 1011. — cix. 24. My knees are weak through fasting ; and my flesh faileth of fatness.] A sentiment similar to that which is suggested by this passage, and expressed in words not very different, is to be met with in several ancient writers. Thus Tryphiodorus, (De^ struction of Troy, v. 252.) Lest faint and wearied e'er the task was done, Stretch'd through the length of one revolving sun. Their knees might fail, by hunger's force subdu'd. And sink, unable to support tlieir load. Merrick. Plautus, in his Curculio, has taken notice of this effect of hunger, Tenebrze oboriuntur, genua inedia succiduht. Ac. ii. sc. 3.' So also Lucretius, Et quQjiiam non est quasi quod suffulciat artus, Debile fit corpus, languescunt omnia membra : Brachiapalpebrsque cadurit, poplitesque procumibunt. Lib. iv. 948. See Levit. xxvi. 26. Ezek, iv. 16. No, 1012.T— cxvi, 13, The cup of salvation.] It has been observed that the expression, the cup of salvation, was at least imitated by the Greeks in their phrase, the bowl of Liberty, It occurs in Tryphiodorus, (Destruc tion of Troy) but is supposed to be borrowed from Homer, II, vi. 526. These ills shall cease, ¦whene'er by Jove's decree We cro-wn the bowl to heav'n and liberty. Pope. The free bowl, or bowl of liberty, was that in which 214 PSALMS. -n. they made libations to Jupiter, after the recovery of their liberty. Athenceus mentions those cups wluch" the Greeks called yfaftfiarma mva/taTa. and were consecrated to the gods in consequence of some success. He gives us the inscription of one of this sort, ¦ndiich was Ai02 2QTHP02.' No. 1013. — cxviii. 27. Bind the sacrifice with cords . even unto the horns of the altar.] Luther would render this passage, adorn the feast with leaves: and others, bind on the feast-day branches, as was usual on the feast of Tabernacles, Levit. \ xxiii, 40. The heathens used to strew their altars with g^een herbs and flowers, particularly vervain, Ramis tegerem ut frondentibus aras. Virg. Mn. iii. 25. See ¦also Ov'idde Trist, 1, ill. El. 13. No, 1014, — cxxix, 6, Let them be as the grass upon the house tops.] The tops of the houses in Judea were flat, and so grass grew upon them, being covered with plaister of terrace. As it was but small and weak, and, being on high was exposed to the scorching sun, was soon withered. (Shaw's Travels, p. 3.1.0.') Menochius says, that he saw such roofs In the Island of Corsica, flat, and having earth upon them, on which grass grew of its o^wn accord ; but being burnt up In summer time by the sun, soon withered. (De Republica Heb. I. vii. c. S. J), 666,) But what Olaus Magnus i^elates is extraordinary. He says, fliat in the northern gothlc countries they feed theij- cattle on the tops of houses, especially in a time of siege ; that their houses are built of stone, high and large, aaad covered with. rafters of fir and bark of birdh: on this is laid grass-earth, cut PSALMS. 215 out of the fields four-^square, and sowed with barley or oats, so that their roofs look like green meadows : and, that what is sown, and die grass that grows diereon, may not wither before plucked up, they very diligently water it, (De Ritu Gent. Septent. 1. ix. c. 12.) Maundrell (Journey from Aleppo, p, 144,) says, that these "vrords allude to the custom of plucking up com from the roots by handfuls, leaving the most fruitful fields as naked as if nothing had ever grown In them ; and that tliis is done that they may not lose any of the straw, which is geise- rally very short, and necessary for the sustenance of their cattle, no hay being made in that country. No. 1015, — 'Cxxxii. 18. Upon Ms head shall the crown. flourish.] '^' This idea seems to be taken from the nature of the ancient crowns bestowed updn conquerors. From the earliest periods of history the laurel, olive, and ivy furnished crowns to adorn the heads of heroes, who had conquered In the field of batde ; gained the prize in the race ; or performed some other important service to die public. These were the dear bought rewards of the most heroic exploits of antiquity. This sets the propriety of the phrase in full view. The idea of a cro^wn of gold and jewels flourishing is at least unnatural: whereas flourish ing is natural to laurels and oaks. These were put upon the heads of the victors in full verdure." Pirie's Works, vol. iii. p. 124. No. 1016. — cxxxiil. 2. It is like tlie precious oint ment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his gar ments.] The manner of performing the ceremony of anointing theMgh priest has been particulariy transmitted to us by the rabbinical writers. They inform us that the oil was poured on the top of the priest's head, -which was 216 PSALMS. bare, so plentifully, as to run down his face upOn hiS beard, to the collar (not the lower skirts) of his robe. It has been said, that at the consecration of the high priest the unction was repeated seven days together, an opinion fovmded upon Exod. xxix. 29, 30. Jennings's Jewish Ant. vol. i. p. 210. No. 1017.— T-cxxxvii. 9. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones^ This was an instance of cruelty frequently exercised in the sack ing of to^wiis. Thus Isaiah (c. xiii. v. 16.) foretells to .Babylon, that he**- children shall be dashed In pieces be fore her eyes by the Medes, See also Hosea xiii, 16. So also in Homer one exclaims, My city bui-nf, > My bleeding infants dash'd against the floor ; These I have yet to see, perhaps yet more.II. Ii..y. 22. Pope.. He also represents Andromache lamenting over Hector: Thou too, my son ! to barb'rous climes shalt go. The sad companion of thy motlier's woe ; Driv'n hence aslave before the victor's sword ; Condemn'd to toil for some inhuman lord : Or else some Greek, whose father press'd the plain. Or son, or brother, by great Hector slain. In Hector's blood his vengeance shall enjoy. And hurl thee headlong from the to w'rs of Troy. //. xxiv. r32. Pope. No. 1018.— ^cxlix, 5, Let them sing aloud upon their beds,] Among some of the most celebrated of the an cients war was proclaimed by the ministers of reli gion, and military expeditions were opened by devout processions and public sacrifices. The 149th Psalm was doubtless composed ori such an occasion. It was sung when David's army was marching out to war against PSALMI^. 217 the remnant of the devoted nations, and first went up in solemn procession to the house of God, there as it ¦were to consecrate the arms he put into their hands. The beds referred to, on which they were to sing aloud, were probably the couches on which they lay at the banquet attending their sacrifices; which -gives a noble sense to a ¦passage on any other interpretation hardly intelligible. Doddridge's Works, vol. iii. p. 52. [ 218 ] No. 1019.— PROVERBS, i. Ii' Proverbs. " In those periods of remote antiquity, which raay ¦ with the utmost propriety be styled the infancies of soci eties and nations, the usual, if not the only, mode Of instruction was by detached aphorisms or -proverbs. Hu man wisdom was then indeed in a rude and unfinished state : it v/as not digested, methodized, or reduced to order and connection. Thofee who by genus and reflec tion, exercised in the school of experience, had accumu lated a stock; of knowledge, were desirous of reducing it into the most compendious form, and comprised in a few maxims those observations which they apprehended most essential to human happiness. ' This mode, of instruction was, in truth, more likely than any other to prove eflSca- cious with men in a rude stage of society; for it profess- - ed not to dispute, but to command ; not to persuade, but to compel : it conducted them, not by a circuit of argu ment, but led immediately to the approbation and prac tice of integrity and virtue. That it might not, however, be altogether destitute of allurement, and lest il:^ should disgust by an appearance of roughness and severity, some degree of ornament became necessary ; and the in structors of mankind added to their precepts the graces of harmony, and illuminated them with'metaphors, com parisons, allusions, a,nd the other embellishments of style. This manner, .which with other nations prevailed only during the first periods of civilization, with the Hebrews continued to be a favourite style to the latest ages of their literature." Lowth's Lectures on the Hebrew Poetry, vol. i. pi 162. PROVERBS. 219 No. 1020.— -iii. 16. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left riches and honour.] Wisdom is 'here represented as a queen, holding in one hand, in stead of a sceptre, length of days, and In the other, instead of a globe, riches and honopr. The allusion is thought by some to be to an ancient custom of number ing things and the ages of men by the hand and fin gers, beginning with the left hand; and when they came to a hundred, going on to the right. So that in her right hand might be said to be length of days, few persons arriving to that number. (Alex, ab Alex. Ge nial. Dier. 1.- i. c. 14.) To this Juvenal refers when speaking of Nestor, Suos jam dextra computat annos. Sat. x. 249. No. 1021.- — V. 15. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own ¦well.] There may be an allusion in these words to a law which Clement oi- Alexandria (Stromat, 1. i, p. 274,) says Plato had from the Hebrews, which enjoined husband men not to take water from others to water their lands, till they themselves had dug itito the earth called virgin earth, and found it dry and without water. No. 1022.-— vi. 1. -^f thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger.] To strike tiands with another per son was a general emblem of agreement, bargaining, or suretyship. So Homer represents it, //. ii. 341. and iv. 159. And Virgil, En dextra fidesque. Mn. iv. 597. See also Prov. xvii., 18. xxii. 26. Job sn^II. 3. No, 1023." — xii, 27. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting.] Solomon evidently 220 PROVERBS, represents it as an instance of diligence in these words, both that a man should employ himself in hunting, and that he should properly prepare what was so ob tained. The small portion of land which fell to the share of a man could by no means find him full em ployment: and only labour, besides time, was requi site for catching wild animals, which might contribute to his support and maintenance. The present Ai-abs frequently exercise theiriselves in hunting in the Holy Land. (Voy.- dans la Pal. p, 243,) Harmer, vol, i, p, 335. No, 1024. — XV, ,17, A stczlled ox.] This instance of luxury appears to be alluded to in Matt. xxii. 4.- apd Luke xv. 23. In the times of Homer it was ip high esteem, and formed a chief part of their entertain ments. At the feasts made by his heroes, Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Ajax, it is mentioned as the principal part, if not the whole, of what was prepared. See //. vii. 320. Od.'iv, 65. et viii. 60. Virg. Mn, viii. 182. No,- 1025. — ^xvii. 6, The glory of children are their fathers.] The Jews often added the father's name, either for the sake of distinction or respect, to shew that the father was a man of renown. Perhaps Solomon had this custom iP view when he said the glory of children are their fatherst Thus we see in Homer, that the Greeks took the paternal name for a mark of ho nour, (Iliad X, 68,) Sometimes the mother's name was given for the surname; as when the father had many wives, or when the mother was of the better •family. So Joab and hiis brethren are always called the sons of Zeruiah, who was David's sister, 1 Chron. ii. 16. If the name of the father were not distinction enough, they added the Grandfather's, as Gedaliah the PROVERBS. 221 son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Jer. xxxlx, 14. Sometimes a surname was taken from the head of" a par ticular branch, from a town, a country, or a nation if they were originally strangers: as, Uriah the Hittite, Arau- nah the Jebusite. Fleury's History of the Israelites, p. 21. No. 1026. — ^xxii. 14. The mouth of strange women is a deep pit.] Maundrell (p. 5.) describing the passage out of the jurisdiction of the bassa of Aleppo into that of Tripoli, tells us, that the road was rocky and, uneven, but attended with variety. He says, *' they descended into a low valley, at the bottom of which is a fissure into the eardi of a great depth ; bu.t withal so narrow, that it is not discemable to the eye till you arrive just upon it, though to the ear a notice Is given of it at a great distance, by reason of the noise ,of a stream running do^wn into it from the hills. We could not guess it to be less than thirty yards deep, but it Is so narrow that a small arch, not four yards over, lands you on its other side. They call it the sheik's wife; a nairie given it from a woman of that quality, who fell into it and per ished," Probably Solomon might allude to some such darigerous place, in comparing a whore to a deep pit. See also Prov, xxiii, 27, Harmer, vol, i. p, 461, No, 1027. — -xxiii, 30, They' that tarry long .at the wine.] Dandini (p, 17.) informs us that it was the practice of tipplers not merely to tarry long over the bottle, but over the wine cask, " The goodnsss of the wine of Candia renders the Candiots great drinkers, and it often happens, that two or three great drinkers will sit down together at the foot of a, cask, from whence they will not depart till they haye emptied it." See also Isaiah V. 11 . 222 PROVERBS. No. 1028.— xxiv. 11. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain.] It was allowed among the Jews, that if any per son could offer any thing In favour of a prisoner after sentence was passed, he might be heard before execution was done: and therefore it was usual, as the Mishna shews, that when a man was led to executioP, a crier went before him and proclaimed, " This man is now go ing to be executed for such a crime, and such and such are witnesses against him; whoever' ilcnows him to be innocent, let him come forth, and make it appear.J' Doddridge's Works, vol. iii. p. 236, note. ' No. 1029.— ^xxiv, 31. The stonewall.] Stonewalls were frequentl)'^ used for the preservation of vineyards, as well as living fences. Van Egmont and Heyman (vol. ii. p. 39.) describing the country about Saphet, a cele brated city of Galilee, tell us, " the country round it is finely improved, the declivity being covered with vines supported by low walls." Harmer, vol. i. p. 456, No. 1030. — xxv. 26. A righteous man faUing down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring.] One method of rendering streams of water unfit for use to an enemy was, by throwipg filth into them. This was sometimes practised, (Gesta Dei per Francos, p. 1031,) and in particular it was done by the people at a place called Bosseret, Accident has also sometimes had the same effect. The same writer m'eri- tions a large, quantity of water collected in cisterns, as being spoiled by locusts perishing in it. A circumstance of this kind might be alluded to by Solomon in these words. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 234. * No. 1031. — xxv. 27. It is not good to eat much honey.] Delicious as honey is to an eastern palate, it has been PROVERBS. 223 thought sortietlmes to have produced terrible effects. Sanutus (Gesta Dei per Francos, vol. ii. p. 224.) informs us, that the English who attended Edward the First into the Holy Land died hi grertt numbers, as they marched, in June, to demolish a place, which' he ascribes to the excessive heat, and their intemperate eating of friilts and honey. This circumstance seems to illustrate both the remark of Solomon, and the prophetic passage, which speaks of a book sweet in the mouth as a morsel of ho- aey, but bitter jdter it was down. 'Rev. x. 9, 10. Harmer, vol. i. p. 299. No. 1032. — xxvii. 6. The kisses of an enemy are de ceitful.] It was not customary among the Greeks and Romans to give the kiss of adoration to their Idols ; but at Agrigentum in Sicily, where it seems the worship of the Tyrian Hercules was introduced by the Phenicians, who, it Is well known, settled many considerable colonies in that island, we met with a brazen image of Hercules, whose mouth and chin were wom by the kisses of his worshippers. The kiss of adoration is still practised by the Siamese pagans, for in their public worship, after the priest's, benediction, eveiy one goes to an image. and kisses or bows to it, and then marches off in good order." Complete Syst. ofGeog. vol. ii. p. 288. ' No. 1033. — xxxvii. 27. And thou shalt have goat.i' milk enough for thy food.] Milk is a great part of, the diet of the eastern people. Their goats furnish them with some part of it, and Russell tells us (p, 53,) ai-e chiefly kept for that purpose; that they yield it in no inconsiderable quantity; and that it is sweet and well tasted. This at Aleppo is however chiefly from the begiiming of April to September; they being gene rally supplied the other part of die year widi cow!g 224 PROVERBS, milk, such as itis: for the cows being commonly kepV at the gardens, and fed with the refuse, the milk gene rally tastes so strong of garlic or cabbage-leaves as to be very disagreeable. This circumstance sufficiently points out how far preferable the milk of goats must have been. Harmer, vol, I. p, 288. ' 1^0,1034,! — XXX. 17, The eye that mocketh at his fa ther, and despishth to obey his mother, the ravens af the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it."^ That ravens were understood to prey on criminals who had' been executed, appears from many passages in ancient ¦writers. The Greeks often speak of throwing to theWravens. The old man Mnesllochus, in Aristo phanes, intreats for a mitigation of his sentence, and that he may not be hanged to serve as food for ravens. So we read in Horace, . ^non pasces in cruce corvos. Thou shalt not hang on a cross and feed ravens. No. 1035, — xxxi, 13, She seeketh wool and flux.] It was usual in ancient times , for great personages to do such works as are mentioned in these words, both among the Greeks and Romans, Lucretia with her maids was found spinning, when her husband CoUatinus paid a visit to her from the camp, Tanaquills, or Caia Cse- cilia, the wife of king Tarquin, was an excellent spinner of wool, , (Valerius Maximus, 1, x, p, 348,) Her wool, with a distaff and spindle, long remained in the temple of Sangus ; and a garment made by her, wom by Ser- vius Tullius, was reserved in the temple of fortune. Hence it became a custom for' maidens to accompany new-married women with a distaff and spindle, with wool upon them, signifying what they were principally to attend to. (Plin. NaturaT History, 1, viii. c. 48.) PROVERBS. 225 Maidens are advised to follow the example of Minerva, said to be the first who made a web ; and if they desired to have her favour, learn to use the distaff, and to card and spin. (pvid. Fast. 1. iii.) So did the daughters of Minyas, (Ovid. Met. 1, iv. f. 1. v. 34,) and the nymphs. (Virgil. Geor. 1, iv,) Augustus Csesar usually wore no garments but such as were made at home, by his wife, sister, or daughter. (Sueton. in Vit. August, c, 73.) No. 1036. — 'Xxxi, 22. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry.] Homer, who was nearly contemporary with Solomon, represents both Helen and Penelope employed at their looms, //. iii. 125, Od, ii. 94, e^ vi, 52, And to ithis day In Barbary, " thp women alone are employed In manufacturing, of their hykes, or blankets as we should call them : who do not use the shuttle, but conduct .every thread of the woof with their fingers," Shaw's Travels p. 224. No, 1037. — xxxi. 24. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it, and delivereth girdles unto the merchants.] Herodotus informs us, that the'Egyptian women used to carry on commerce. That trade is now however lost ; andthe Arabs of that country are the only, peopl^ who retain any share of it. Maillet (Lett. xi. p. 134.) says, that the women used to deal in buying and selling things woven of silk, gold, and silver, of pure silk, of cotton, of cotton and thread, or simple lla,en cloth, whether made in the country or imported. This is precisely what the industrious Israelitish wohien are supposed to have done. ^ Harmer, vol. Ii, p, 414, Vol, II, I C^ g L 226 ,] No. 1038.— ECCLESIASTES vii. 26. I find more bitter than death the woman whose h^art is snares and nets, and her hands as bands. \ \ The following Insidious mode of robbery gives a very lively comPient upon these words of Solomon. The most Cunning robbers in tlie world are in this country. They use a certain slip with a running noose, which they cast with so much sleight about a man's neck when they ar^ within reach of him, that they never fail, so that they .strangle hiin in a trice, They'have another curious trick also to catch trayellers. They send out a handsome wo- riian Up6n the road, who, with her hair dishevelled, seems to be all Iri tears ; sighing, and complaining of some mis fortune which she pretends has befallen her, Nov/, as she takes the same way as the traveller goes, he easily falls into conversation with her, and finding her beautiful, offers her his assistance, which she accepts : but he hath no sooner taken her up on horseback behind him, but she throws the snare about his neck, and strangles him, or at least stuns him ; until the robbers who lie hid come run- ' ning in to her assistance, and complete what she hath be gun," TAewwo?, part iii. p, 41. No, 1039, — X. 1, Dead flies cause the apothecary's ointment to stink.] " A fadt well kno^wn," says Scheuchzer, (Phys. Sacra, in be.) " wherefore apothecaries take care to prevent flies coming to their syrups and Other fermentable preparations. Eor in all insects there is an acrid volatile salt, which, mixed with sweet or even alkaline substances, excites them to a brisk intestine mo tion, disposes them to fermentation, and to putrescence ECCLESIASTES. 227 itself ; by which the more volatile principles fly off, leav ing the grosser behind: at the same time the taste and odour are changed, the agreeable to fetid, the sweet to insipid." No. 1040.^-xiI. 11. As nails fastened by the masters ¦ of assemblies.] The Romans were accustomed to nupir ber their years by the clavi or nails which were fixed on the temple doors. The praetor, consul, or dictator, drove one annually into the wall of Jupiter's temple upon the ides of March. (See Horace, h. iii. Od. xxiv, 5,) May not these words of Solomon allude to a custom similar to to this ? No, 1041, — xii. 11, Masters of -Assemblies.] It is hiost probable that the assemblies here referred to were for the purpose of pronouncing discourses of an eloquent and philosophical nature. Such assemblies have been common in those countries since the days of Solomon, apd even in his time might not be unknown, Mcicamat signifies, according to D'Herbelot, assemblies and con versations, pieces of eloquence, or academical discourses, pronounced in assemblies of men of letters. This way of reciting compositions, in prose and verse has been as frequent amorig the Orientals, as it was anciently among the Romans, and as it is now In our academies. The Arabians have many books containing discourses of this kind, which are looked upon by them as master-pieces of elot^uence. Harmer, vol. iv. p. 70. [ ' 228 ] No, 1042.-.-SOLOMON'S SONG i. 5, / am black, but comely, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon, Modern tents are sometimes very beautiful, " The Turks spare for nothing in reridering their tents conve nient and magnificent, Thpse belonging to the grand signor were exceeding splendid, and covered entirely - with silk ; and one of them lined with a rich silk stuff, the right side of which was the apartment for the eunuchs. But even this was exceeded by another, which I was in formed cost twenty-five thousand piasters; it was made in Persia, and intended as a present to the grand signor ; and was not finished in less thaP three or four years. The outside of this tent was Pot indeed remarkable ; but it was lined with a single piece inade of camels' hair, and beautifully decorated with festoons and sentences In the Turkish, language," Travels, by Van Egmont and Hey man, vol, i, p. 212, , Nadir Shah had a very superb tent, covered on the outside with scarlet broad-cloth, and lined within with violet-coloured satin, ornamented with a great variety of animals, flowers, &c, formed eritirely of pearls ^d pre cious stones. No, 1043,— i. 10. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels.] Olearius supposes the head-dress of the bride here referred to Is the same with that which is now frequently used in the east. He says, (p, 818,) that all the head-dress that the Persian ladies make use of consists of two or three rows of pearls, which are not wom there about the neck, as in other • places ; but "round the head, beginning at the forehead, and de- SOLOMON'S SONG, 229 scending down the cheeks and under the chin ; so that their faces seem to be set in pearls. Harmer, on Sol. Song, p. 205. No. 1044. — ii. 15. Take us the foxes, the liftle foxes, that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.] Foxes are observed by many authors to be fond of grapes, and to make great havoc in vineyards, Aris-, tophanes (in his Equites) compares soldiers to foxes, who spoil whole countries, as the others do. vine yards. Galen (in his book of Aliments), tells us, that hunters did not scruple to eat ^he flesh of foxes in autumn, when they were gpro^wn fat with feeding on grapes. No, 1045, — iii. 1. Night.] In the East they now have a public festival called Zeenah, in which crowds of both sexes dress out in their best apparel, and laying" aside all modesty and restraint, go in and out. where they please; at other times the women are very closely confined, (Shaw's . Trav. p. 207,) Mr. Harmer (Out lines of a Corjfimentary, p. 270,) seems to suppose the night referred to in these words was one of those fes tivals. - No, 1046, — iii, 3. The watchmen that go about the city found me.] In Persia the watch is kept up very strictly. In the night they suffer no person to . go about the streets without a lantern. They incessantly walk about the street to prevent mischief and robberies," with vigilance and exactness, being obliged to indemnify those who are robbed. " It is reported that one night Shah Abbas, desirous to make trial of the vigilance of these people, suffered himself to be surprised by them ; and had beep carried to prison, had he not been known by one bf the company, who discovering him to the 230 SOLOMON'S SONG, rest, they all cast themselves at his feet ^ to beg hia pardon," Ambassador's Travels, p. 328. See Ezek. xxxiii. 2. No. 1047.' — ilL 1 1 . The crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals.] Such a cere mony as this was customary among the Jews at their marriages. Maillet Informs us the crowns were made of different materials. De,scribing the custom as prac tised by th6 members of the Greek church who now live in Egypt, he says (Lett, x. p, 85,) " that the parties to be married are placed opposite to a reading- desk, upon v/hich the book of the gospels is placed, and upon the book two cro-wns, which are made of such materials as people choose, of flowers, of cloth, or of tinsel. There he (the priest) continues his benedic- •tions and prayrs, into v/hich he introduces aU the pa triarchs of the Old Testament, He after that places these crowns, the one on the head of the bridegroom, the other on that of the bride, and covers them both with a veil," After some other ceremonies the priest concludes the whole by taking off their crowns, and dismissing them with prayers. No, 1048. — V. 13. His cheeks are as a bed of spices.] The ancients by way of indulgence used to repose themselves on large heaps of frag^rant herbs, leaves, and flowers. Among others, we ,may take an Instance from Anacreon, in Ode iv. b, 1, of himself, he says, Reclin'd at ease on this soft bed. With fragrant leaves of myrtle spread And flow'rylote, I'll now resign My cares, and quaff the rosy wine. Fawkes. No. 1049, — vi, 10, Fair as the moon.] This manner »f describing beauty still prevails in the East. D'Hev SOLOMON'S SONG. nSH ielot Informs us, that the later writers cf these coun tries have given to the patriarch Joseph the title of the Moon of Canaan, that is, in their stile, the most perfect beauty that ever appeared above the horizon of Judea, Many eastern writers have applied the comparison parti cularly to the females of those countries. No, 1050.— rvli, 5, Andthe hair of thy head like piir- ple : the king is held (Heb, bound) in the galleries-.] . Mr. Parkhurst proposes to render the words, the hair of thy head is like the purple of a king bound up in the canals, or troughs, The Vulgate is, Comce cafitis tui sicut purpura regis vincta canalibus. " In Solomon's Song," sa}^ Mons. Goguet alluding to diis text, " there is mentioned a royal purple which the dyers dipt in the canals, after hav ing tied it in small bundles." (Origin of Laxvs, vol, ii. p, 99.) The following note is also added: " The best way of washing wools after they are died, Is to plunge them in running water. Probably the sacred author had this practice In view when he said, they should dip the royal purple in canals. As to what he adds, after being tied in little bundles or packets, one may conclude from this circumstance, that instead of making the cloth with white wool, and afterwards putting the whole piece into the dye, as we do now, they then followed another me thod : they began by dying the wool in skeins, and made it afterwards into purple stuffs." His account well illus trates the comparison of a lady's hair to royal purple bound up in the canals. If we may suppose, what is highjy probable, that the eastern ladies anciently braided their hair in nmperous tresses (perhaps with purple ribands, as well as with those of other colours) In a manner some what similar to what they do In our times, according to the descriptiop given by Lady M. W. Montague, 232 SOLOMON'S SONG. No. 1051. — ^viii. 10. I am a wall, and my breasts like towers.] In these words Solomon alludes to mopnts, common in Greece, Egypt, and Sjnria. They were gene rally formed by art; being composed of earth, raised very high, which was sloped gradually with great exactness. The top of all was cro'wned with a tower. They were held in great reverence, and therefore considered as jilaces of safety, and were, the repositories of much trea- sr.re, (Josephus, Bell. Jud. 1, vii, p, 4l7,) There were often two of these mounds of equal height in the same inclosure. To such as these Solomon refers iri this pas sage. Holwell's Mythological Diet. p. 262. t 233 ] 1052.— ISAIAH i. 14. Tour appointed feastSi The sabbath, though it recurred every seventh day, ¦was much the greatest feast the Jews kept. On that day they could not lawfully dress any meat. They had re course to a very curious method of obtaining hot victuals. They preserved heat in their pipkins by wrapping them up In baskets in hay, and putting their provisions, per-J haps previously dressed, into them, by which means the heat was preserved. The poorer Jews, who had not houses of their own capacious enough to make entertain ments in, upon their feast days, in the city of Rome, used to hire the grove which was anciently. dedicated to Egeria, and meet there. They carried their provisions in these baskets of hay ; and the Romans, not knov/Ing the reason why they did so, derided them, and called this basket and hay, a Jew's household stuff, Juvena has an allusion to this practice in the following passage : Nunc sacri fontis nemus et delubra locantur Judxis, quorum copliinus foenumque supellex. Sat. iii. 13. Now the sacred shades and founts arehir'd By banish'd Jews, who their whole wealth can lay In a small basket on a wisp of h.^y. Dryden. No, 1053, — I, 18. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.] Mr, Henry in his ex position of Levit. xvi. Informs us, that the later Jews had a Custom of tying one shread of scarlet cloth to the horns of the scape-goat, and another to the gate of the tem- VoL. II H h 234 ISAIAH. pie, or to the top of the rock where the goat was lost; and they concluded that If It turned white, as they say it usually did, the sins of Israel were forgiven ; as it is ¦writ ten. Though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be as wool. They add, that for forty years before the de struction of Jerusalem by the Romans the scarlet cloth never changed colour at all; which is a fair confession that having rejected the substance, the shadow stood them in no stead. No, 1054. — i. 18, Sins as scarlet.] This colour was produced from a worm or insect, which grew in a coccus or excrescence of a shrub of the ilex kind, (Plin. Nat. Hist. xvi. 8.) like the cochineal worm in the opuntia of America. (Ulloa's Voyage, h. v, cE>p, 2. p, 342,) There is a shrub of this kind that grows in Provence and Lan guedoc, and produces the like insect, called the kermes oak, from kermez the Arabic word for- this colour, ivhence opr word crimson is derived, Neque amissos colores Lana refert medicata fuco, says the poet, applying' the same image to a different purpose. To discharge these strong colours is impossible to human art or power : but to the grace and power of God all things, even much more difficult, are possible and easy. Lov/th, in loe. ¦ No. 1055, — ii.' 4, They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks,] This description of well established peace is veiy po etical. The Roman poets have employed the same image. Martial xiv, 34, Falx ex ense. Pax me certaducis placidos. curvavit in usus : Agricols nunc sum ; militis antefui. ISAIAH. 235 The prophet Joel hath reversed it, and applied it to wai- prevailing over peace. Beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears, Joel iii. 10. and so likewise the Roman poets : Non uUus aratro Dlgnus honos ; squalent abductls arva colonis, Et curvffi rigidum falces conflaiitttr in ensem. Virg. Georg, i. 506. ,So also Ovid Fast. i. 697, Lowth, in loe. No. 1056, — ii, 5, 0 house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light ofthe Lord.] " Inthe evening when they (the Jews) proceeded to testify their joy for the ef fusion of water, the temple was so completely illumi nated by means of lights placed fifty yards high, that it is said, there was not a street in Jerusalem which was not lighted by them. Many carried lighted torches in their hands, Dey ling supposes that there Is an allusion to this custom 'in the beautiful invitation given by believ ing gentiles to the Jews, as above cited." Jamieson's Use ofSqcred History, vol. i. p, 449. No, 1057 iii. 23, The fine linen.] This piust re fer to garments of the Lacedsemonian kind, which might be seen through. We are informed by ancient -writers, that those wom by the Lacedemonian maidens were so made as to be highly indecent, and not to answer a prin cipal end of clothing. It is possible that some of the Jewish ladies might, wear dresses of a similar fashion. Parkhurst (Heb. Lex. p. 123.) supposes that the pro phet meahs vestments of the cobweb kind, which would not hinder the wearers from appearing almost naked; / such as Menander calls J'ta'pa-in x'r^^nv, a transparent vest, and mentions as the dress of a courtesan : and such as Varro styles vitreas vestes, glassy vestments: and 236 ISAIAH. Horace, from the Island of Ccos where die stuff was made, denominates Coan : -Cois tibi ptene videre est Ut nudam. Lib. i. sat. 2. 1- 101. Through the Coan vest You almost see her naked. This Coan stuff was probably a kind of very thin silk or gauze. Lady M. W. Montague describes part of her dress as being of fine white silk gauze, closed at the neck with a diamond button, but the shape and colour of the bosom was very well to be disting-uished through it. Letter xxix. No 1058. — iii. 26, And she being desplate shall sit on the ground.] Sitting on the ground was a posture that denoted mourning and deep distress. Lam, ii. 8. "We find Judaea on several coins of Vespasian and Titus in a posture that denotes sorrow and captivity, — sitting on the ground. I fancy the Romans might have an eye on the customs of the Jewish nation, as well as those of their own country, in the several marks of sorrow they have set on this figure. The Psalmist describes the Jews lamenting their captivity in the same pensive posture. By the zuaters of Babylon we sat down, and wept when we remembered thee, 0 Sion. But what i^ more remarkable, we find Judaea represented as a womap in sorrow sitting on the ground, in a passage of the prophet that foretells the very captivity recorded op this medal." Addison on Medals, Dial. ii. No. 1059. — ^v. 2, And planted it with the choicest vine.] And he planteth it with the vine ofSorek, Lowth, The vine of Sorek was known to the Israelites, being mentioned Gen. xlix. 11. There is something remark- ISAIAH. 237 able in die manner in which it is there spokep of: bind ing his foal unto the vine, and his ass's ' colt unto the choice vine. Chardin says, that at Casbin, a city in Persia, they turned their cattle into the vineyards after the vintage, to browse on the vines. He speaks, also of vines in that country so large, that he could hardly com pass the trunks of them with his arms. (Voyages, tom, iii. p. 12.) This shews that the ass might be securely bound to the vine ; and without danger of damaging the tree by browsing on it. Lowth, in loe. No. 1060.— V. 2. And made a wine-press therein.] And he hewed out also a lake therein. Lowth, By this expression we are to understand not the wine-press it self; but what the Romans called lacus the lake, the large open place, or vessel, which, by a conduit or spout, received the must from the wine-press. In very hot countries it was perhaps necessary, or at least very con venient, to have the lake underground, or in a cave hewn out of the side of a rock, for coolness, that the heat might not cause too great a fermentation, and sour the wine. The wine-press in Persia, Chardin says, are formed by making hollow places in the ground, lined with mason's work. Nonnus describes at large Bacchus hollowing the inside of the rock, and hewing out a place for the wine-press, or rather the lake. He pierc'd the rock ,- and with the sharpen'd tool Of steel wfell temper'd scoop'd its inmost depth ; Then smooth'd the front, and form'd the dark recess In just dimension for the foaming lake. Dionysiac. lib. xii, I,owTH, in loe. No. 1061. -T-vi. 6, Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.] Hoc quoque 238 ISAIAH, inter reliqua neglectse religlonis est, quod emortuo car- bone sacrificatur, (Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. xvi. tom. 2, p. 139.) Pliny mentions as a mark of neglected religion the sacrificing with a dead coal. No. 1062. — ^vil. 15. Butter and honSy shall he eat."] D' Arvieux (Voy. dans la Pal. p, 24,) being in the camp of the grand emir, who lived in much -splendor and treated him with great regard, was entertained on the first morping with little loaves, honey, new-churned but ter and loaves of cream, more delicate than any he ever saw, together with coffee. Agreeably to this he assures us In another place, (p, 197,) that one of the principal things with which the Arabs regale themselves at break fast is cream, or new butter, mingled with honey, Harmer, vol, i, p. 294. No, 1063, — ^vill, 6, 7. Forasmuch as this people re- fuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, — now there fore behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters ef the river, strong and many.] The gentle waters of Shiloah, a small fountain and brook just without Jerusa lem, which supplied a pool within the city for the use of the inhabitants, are an apt emblem of the state of the kingdom apd house of David, much reduced in its appa rent strength, yet supported by the blessing of God; apd are finely contrasted with the waters of the Euphrates, great, rapid, and impetuous ; the image of the Babylonian empire, which God threatens to bring down like a mighty flood upon all these apostates of both kingdoms, as a punishment for their irianifold iniquities. Juvenal, in veighing against the corruption, of Rome by the impor tation of Asiatic manners, says, that the Orontes has. long been discharging itself into the Tiber: Jan^pridem Syrus in Tiberim defluxit Orontes. ISAIAH. 239 And Virgil, to express the submission of some of the Eastern countries to the Roman arms, says, that the waters of Euphrates now flowed more humbly and gently. Euphrates ibat jam mollior undis. Mn. viii. 726. Lowth, in loe. No. 1064. — ix. 5. For every battle of the warrior is zvith confused noise, and garments rolled in blood ; but this shall be xuith burning and fuel of flre.] The burn ing of heaps of armour gathered from the field of battle, as an offering made to the god Supposed to be the giver of victory, was a custom that prevailed among some heathen nations : and the Romans used it as an emblem of peace. A medal, struck by Vespasian on finishing his wars both at home and abrodd, represents the god dess Peace, holding an olive-branch In one hand, and with a lighted torch in the other setting fire to a heap of annour. (Addison on Medals, Series ii. 1 8.) Virgil men tions the custom : O mihi praeteritos referat si Jupiter annos ! Qiialis eram, cum primam aciem Praeneste sub ipsa, Stravi, scutorumque incendi victor acerv6s. Mn. viii. 560. ¦Would heaven, said he; my strength and youth recall. Such as I was beneath Prseneste's wall. Then when I made the foremost foes retire. And set whole heaps of conquer'd shields on fire. Dryden-. See also Joshua xi. 6. Nahum ii. 13. Psalm xlvi. '9, Ezek. xxxix, 8, 10. Bp. Lowth, in loe. No, 1065, — ix, 6, The governmeAt shall be upon his shoulder.] -Rephelius, in his note on this text says, " I ¦ believe that because we carry burthens upon our shoul ders, therefore government is said to be laid upon them." Herodotus (lib. ii. cap. 106.) mentions a statue of Sesos-- 240 ISAIAH. tris king of Egypt, on which some sacred Egyptian letters were engraved, reaching from one shoulder to the other, of this import, / obtained this country by my shoulders. No. 1066.— xi. 15. With his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.] Herodo tus (i. 189i) tells a story of his Cyrus (a very different character from that of the Cyrus of the Scriptures and Xenophon) which may somewhat Illustrate this passage ; in which it is said that God would inflict a kind of pu nishment and judgment on the Euphrates, and render it fordable, by dividing it into seven streams. " Cyrus being impeded in his march to Babylon by the Gyndes, a deep and rapid river which falls into the Tigris ; and having lost one of his sacred white horses that attempted to pass it, was so enraged against the river, that he threat ened to reduce it, and make it so shallow that it should be easily fordable even by women, who should not be up to their knees in passing it. Accordingly he set his whole army to work; and cutting three hundred and sixty trenches frora both sides of the river, tumd the waters into them, and drained them off." No. 1067.— xiii. 10. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened 'in Ms going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine,] The Chaldaeans were de- Vbted above all people in the World to the observation of the heavenly bodies, and their existence was become more essentially necessaiy to them, as a nation celebrat ed' for astronomy and commerce ; a circumstance this, which adds singular fprce and sublimity to a passage, even without this consideration exceedingly grand and poetical. Foster's Essay, p. ZO. ISAIAH. 241 No. 1068. — xiii. 17. Behold, I will stir iip the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver ; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.] That is, they were not to be induced by large offers of gold and silver for ransom to , spare the lives of those whom they have subdued in bat tle ; their rage and cruelty wiU get the better of all such mo tives. We have many examples in the Iliad and the ./Eneid of the addresses of the vanquished to the pity and avarice of the vanquishers, to induce them to spare their lives. Est domus alta : jacent penitus defossa talenta Cselati argenti : smit auri pondera faoti, &c. Mn. x. 526. High in my dome are silver talents roU'd, With piles of labour'd and unlabour'd gold : These, to procure my ransom, I resign ; The War depends not on a life like mine. One, one poor life can no such diff'rence yield, ' Nor turn the mighty balance of the field. Thy talents, (cried the prince) thy treasur'd store. Keep for thy sons. — Pitt. No. 1069. — xiii. 18. Tkeir bows also shall dash their young men in pieces.] Both Herodotus (i. 61.) and Xenophon (Anab. iii.) mention that the Persians used large bows; and the latter says particularly, that their bows were three cubits long. (Anab. iv.) They were ce lebrated for their archers, Jer. xlix. 35. Probably their neighbours and allies the Medes dealt much in the same sort of arms. In Psalm xviii. 34. and Job xx. 24. men tion is made of a bow of brass. If the Persian bows were of metal, we may easily conceive that with a me talline bow of three cubits length and proportionably strong the soldiers might dash and slay the young men, the weaker and unresisting part of the- inhabitants, in the general carnage on taking the city. Bp. Lowth, in loe. Vol. II. I i 242 ' ISAIAH. No. 1070. — xvii. 6. An olive-tree,] The olive-tree, from the effect of its oil in relaxing and preventing, or mitigating pain, seems to have been from the beginning an emblem of the benignity of the divine nature ; and particularly after the fall to have represented the good ness and placability of God through Christ, and the bles sed influences of the holy spirit in mollifying and healing our disordered nature, and in destroying or expelling from it the poison of the old serpent, even as olive oil does that of the natural serpent or viper. Hence we see "a peculiar propriety in the olive leaf or branch - being chosen by divine prpvidence as a sign to Noah of the abatement of the deluge. Gen. viii. 11, we may also account for ohve branches being ordered as one of the materials of the booths at the feast of tabernacles, Neh, viii, 15. and whence they became the emblems of peace to various and distant nations. See Virg, Mn. vii. 1. 154, viii, 1. 116. xi, I. 101, Livy. lib. xxxIx, cap. 16. et lib. xiv. cap. 25, Our late eminent navigators foimd that gi-een braPches carried in the hands, or stuck in the ground, were the emblems of peace universally employed and understood by all the islanders, even in the South Seas» See Capt. , Cook's Voyages pass. Parkhurst's Heb. Lex. p. 193, No. 1071. — xviii, 1, 2, Woe to the land shadowing xuith xvings, which is beyond.the rivers of Etliiopia; that sendeth ambassadors by the sea even 'in vessels of bulrushes. upon the waters, saying, go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto ; a nation meted aut and trodden down, whose lands the rivers have spoiled.] The circumstances of this prophecy accord perfecdy well with Egypt. In this cotmtry wings universally obtained as hieroglyphics of the wind, (Maurice's Ind. Ant. vol. ii. p. 386.) and ISAIAH, 243 a sort of light ships or boats built of papyrus were com monly used on the Nile, Exclusive of the deserts on each side of it, Egj'pt is one continued vale above seven hundred miles long; and from the heart of Abyssinia the Nile brings a species of mud, light and fat, which by the inundation of this river, overspreads, smooths, and fer- talizes the face of a country naturally barren. An event of such importance to the Inhabitants as the overflow of the Nile would naturally Induce them to measure its dif ferent heights. As soon as It retired within Its banks, and the earth became sufficiently dry, the Egyptians sowed their land, and sent forth their cattle to tread the seed into the ground : and without any further care ex pected die harvest. No, 1072. — ^xxiv, 22. As prisoners are gathered in the p'lt, and shcill be shut up in prison.] In this verse the image seems to be taken from the practice of the great monarchs of that time ; who, when they had thro'wn their ivretched captives into a dungeon, never gave themselves the trouble of inquiring about them ; but let them lie a long time in that miserable condition, wholly destitute of re lief, and disregarded. Bp.hovTTn, inloc. No. 1073. — xxviii. 1. Woe to the crown of pride, to ' the drunkards of Ephraim, xvhose glorious beauty is a fad ing flower.] The city of Sebaste, the ancient Samaria, beautifully situated on the top of a round hill, and sur rounded immediately with a rich valley and a circle of other hills beyond It, suggested the idea of a chaplet, or wreath of flowers, wom upon their heads on occasions of festivity; expressed by the proud crown and the fading flower of the drunkards. That this custum of wearing chaplets In their banquets prevailed among the Jews, as well as among the Greeks and Romans, appears from , Wisdom ii. 7, 8. Bf. Lowth, 'in loe. 244 ISAIAHi No. 1074, — ^xxix. 1. Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt.] At Jerusalem vast quantities of flesh was consumed at their sacred feasts, as well as burnt upon the altar. Perhaps this circumstance will best ex plain die reason why the holy city is called Ariel. Ac- cordipg to the Eastern taste, the term is applied in this sense ; that is, to places remarkable for consuming great quantities of provision, and especially flesh. " The mod em Persians will have it," says D'Herbelot, in his ac count of Shiraz a city of that country, " that this name was given to it because this city consumes and devours like a lion, (which is called Shir in Persian) all that is brought to it, by which they express the multitude and, it may be, the good appetite of its inhabitants." The prophet pronounces woe to Zion, as too ready to trust to the number of its inhabitants and sojourners, which may be insinuated by the term Ariel, which he uses. Harmer, vol. i. p. 212. No. 1075. — xxixi 4. And thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.] That the souls of the dead uttered a fee ble stridulous sound, very different from the natural hu man voice, was a popular notion among the heathens, as well as among the Jews. This appears from several passages of their poets ; Homer, Virgil, Horace. The pretenders to the art of necromancy, who were chiefly ¦ women, had an art of speaking with a fefgned voice ; so as to deceive those that applied to them, by making them believe that it was the voice of the ghost. From this art of the necromancers the popular notion seems to have arisen, that the ghost's voice was a weak inarticu late sound, very different from the speech of the living. Bp. Lowth, in loe. No. 1076, — xsix. 8. Or as when a thirsty man ISAIAH. , 245 dreameth, and behold, he drinketh ; but he awaketh, and behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite,] As the simile of die prophet is drawn from nature, an extract which describes the actual occurence of such a circum stance will be agreeable. - " The scarcity of water was greater here at Bubaker than at Benown. Day and night the wells were crouded with catde lowing, and fighting with each other to come at the trough. Exces sive thirst made many of them furious : others being too weak to contend for the water endeavoured to quench their thirst by devouring the black mud from the. gutters near the wells ; which they did with great avidity, thovigh it was commonly fatal to them. This great scarcity of water was felt by all the people of the camp ; and by none more than myself, I begged water from the negro slaves that attended the camp, but with very indifferent success : for though I let no opportunity slip, and was very urgent in my solicitations both to the Moors and to the negroes, I was but ill supplied, and frequently passed the night in the situation of Tantalus, No sooner had I shut my eyes, than fancy would convey me to the streams and rivers of my native land ; there, as I wandered along the verdant bank, I surveyed the clear stream with transport, and hastened to swallow the / delightful draught ; but, alas ! disappointment awakened me, and I found myself a lonely captive, perishing of thirst amidst the wilds of Africa," Park's Travels in Africa, p. 145. No. 1077. — ^xxxiii. 18. Where is he that counted the towers .?] That is, the commander of the enemy's forces, who surveyed the fortifications of the city and took an account of the height, strength, and situation of the walls and towers, that he might know where to make the assault with the greatest advantage. As Capaneus before Thebes is represented in 'a passage of the Phoe- 246 ISAIAH, nissae of Euripides, (v. 187.) which Grotius has applied as' an illustration of this passage. Bp. Lowth, is loe. No. 1078. — xl, 3. Prepare ye the way of the Lord.] This passage is an allusion to the custom of sending persons before a great prince, to clear the way for his passage, . Sir Thomas Roe's chaplain (p. 468.) says, " I, waiting upon my lord aftibassador two years and part of a third, and travelling with him in progress with that king (the mogul) in the most temperate months there, betwixt September ,and April, was in one of our pro gresses betwixt Mandoa and Amadavar nineteen days, making but short journeys in a wilderness, where, by a very great company sept before us to make those pas sages and places fit to receive us, a way was cut out and made even, broad enough for our convenient passage. And in the place where we pitched our tents a gi-eat compass of gi-ound was rid and made plain for them, by grubbing ^ a number of trees and bushes : yet there we went as readily to our tents as we did when they were set up Ip the plains," No. 1079,-=-xliv. 13, The carpenter stretcheth out his rule ; he. marketh it out with a line ; he fitteth it xvith planes ; and he marketh it out with the compass, dnd maketh it after the figure of a man,] The prophet In these words describes the process of forming an idola trous figure. It appears to have been done by filling a line with red chalk ; stretching it over a surface ; strik ing it, and thereby forming lines ; crossing these lines, thereby forming squares ; diUneating the contour of the figure in these squares ; and forming it with dignified proportion and majesty, to represent a sovereign. An actual instance, in illustration of these suggestions, occurs in Denon's Travels 'in Egypt. In plate 124, he gives a figure, of which he says, " I believe it to be ISAIAH, 247 that of Orus, or die Earth, son of Isis or Osiris, I have seen it most frequently with one or other of these divi nities, or making offerings to them, always a figure younger and of smaller proportion than themselves. I found this on one of the columns of the portico of Ten- tyra ; it was covered with stucco and painted. The stucco being pardy scaled off, gave me the opportunity of discovering lines traced as if with red clialk. Curio sity prompted me to take away the whole of the stucco, and I found the form of the figure sketched, with cor rections of the outline ; a divlson into twenty-two parts : the separation of the thighs being in the middle of the whole height of the figure, and the head comprising ra- ther less than a seventh part. No, 1080. — xlvii. 13. The astrologers,] Astrology, divination, and the interpretation of dreams, were fashi onable studies with men of rank. They in general carri ed with them wherever they went pocket astronomical tables which they consulted, as well as astrologers, on every affair of moment, Richardson's Z)me>-f, on the East, p. 191. / No. 1081.— xliji, 2. He hath, made my mouth like a sharp sword.] The metaphor of the sword and the ar row applied to powerful speech is bold, but just. It has been employed by the most ingenious heathen writers, if with equal elegance, not with equal force. It is said of Pericles by Aristophanes,, (see Cicero, Epist, dd Atticum, xii. 6.) ' Apud Diod. 1. xii. His pow'rful speech Pierced the hearer's soul, and left behind Deep in his bosom its keen point infix'd". 248 ISAIAH. See also Pindar, Olymp. ii. 160. Bp. Lowth, in- loe. Though this language is confessedly figurative, it ap pears nevertheless to have been derived from the various uses to which the sword is applied, as an offensive or de fensive weapon. Amongst the Tartars a similar mode of expression has been adopted. Montesquieu calls them the most singular people upon earth, but says they are involved in a political slavery. To this he adds in a note, that when a khan is proclaimed, all the people cry, that his word shall be as a sword, (Spirit of Laws, vol. i. p. 350.) This practice sufficiently accounts for the use of the word in a metaphorical sense. See also Psalm Ivii. 4. Ixiv. 3. Iv. 21. lix. 7. Prov. xii. 18, xxv. 18, xxx, 14. Eph. vi. 17. Heb. iv, 12, Rev. i, 16. ii. 16. xix. 15, 21. No. 1082. — ^I. 6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, I hid not my face from shame and spitting.] Mr. Hanxvay has record ed a scene differing little, if at all, from that alluded to by the prophet. " A prisoner was brought who had -two large logs of wood fitted to the sihaU of his leg, and rivet- ted together ; there was also a hea'vy triangular collar of wood about his neck. The general asked me if that man had taken my goods. I told him, I did not remember to have seen him before. He was questioned some time, and at length ordered to be beaten with sticks, which was performed by two soldiers with such severity as if they meant to kill him. The soldiers were then ordea-ed to spit in his face, an indignity of great antiquity in the East. This, and, the cutting off beards, which I shall have occasion to mention, brought to my mind the suf ferings recorded in the prophetical history of our Saviour. Isaiah 1. 6. " Sadoc Aga sent prisoner to Astrabad — ^his beard was cut off; his face was rubbed with dirt, and his eyes ISAIAH. 249 cut . out. Upon his speaking in padietic terms with that emotion natural to a daring spirit, the genei;al or dered him to be struck across the mouth to silence him ; which was done with such violence that the blood issued forth." Travels, vol. i. p. 297. ,No. 1083. — Ii. 11. And come xvith singing unto Zion.] In describing the order of the caravans Pitts infoims us, " that some of the camels have bells about their necks, and some about their legs, like those which our carriers put about their fore-horses' necks, which, together with the servants (who belong to the camels and travel on foot) singing all night, make a pleasant noise, and the journey passes away delightfully." This circumstance is explanatory of the singing of the Is raelites in their return to Jerusalem. Harmer, vol, i, p, 469. No, 1084. — ^11. 23. Who have said to thy Soul, Bow down, that we way go over.] This Is a very strong and expressive description of the insolent pride of eastern conquerors. The following is 'one Out of many In stances of it. The emperor Valerian being through treachery taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, was treated by him as the basest and most abject slave. For die Persian monarch commanded the unhappy Roman to bow himself do-wn, and offer him his back, on which he set his foot in order to mount his chariot or his horse, whenever he had occasion. Lactantius de Mort, Per- sec. cap. 5. Aurel. Victor, Epitome, cap, 32. Bp. Lowth, in loe. No, 1085, — ^liii, 8, And who shall declare his gene ration ^] It is said in the Mishna, that before any one was 'punished for a capital crime proclamation was made before the prisoner by the public crier, " Who- Vol. II ¦ K k 250 ISAIAH. ever knows any thing of his innocence, let him come and declare it of him." On the original passage the Gemara of Babylon adds, that before the death of Jesus this proclamation was made for forty days, but no defence could be found. It is truly surprising to see such falsities, contrary to well known facts. Bp. Lowth, in loe. ¦ No. 1086. — ^liv. 12. / will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.] The meaning of this passage must be, ¦ " I will inlay the mouldings, and other members of the architecture which ornaments thee as a palace, with the most valuable decorations, as royal halls are adorned in the East. ' " The first object that attracts attention," says Franck- lin, (History of Shah AllumJ is the dewan aum, or public haU of audience for all descriptions of people. It is situated at the upper end of a spacioPs square : and though at present much In decay. Is a noble building. On each side ofthe dewan aum, and aU round the square, are apartments of two stories in height, the walls and front of which, in the times of the splendor of the empire, were adorned with a profusion of the richest tapestty, velvets, and silks. The nobles vying with each other in reridering them the most magnificent, especially on festi vals and days of public rejoicings, which presented a grand sight. See Esther i. 6- From hence we went to the deWari khass. " This building likewise is situated at- the upper end of a spacious square, elevated upon a terrace of marble about four feet in height. The dewan khass in form er times ¦was adorned with excessive magnificence : and though repeatedly stripped and plundered by successive invaders, still retains sufficient beauty to render it admired. ' I judge the building to be a hundred and ISAIAH. 251 fifty feet in length by forty in breadth. The roof is flat, supported by nuraerous columns of fine white marble, which have been richly ornamented with in laid flowered work of different coloured stones : the cornices and borders have been decorated with a frieze and sculptured work. The ceiling was formerly in- crusted" with a rich foliage of silver throughout its ¦whole extent, which has been long since taken away. The delicacy of the inlaying in the compartments of the walls is much to be admired. And it is a matter of bitter regret to see the barbarous ravages that ha^ve beeu made by picking out the different cornelians, and break ing the marble by violence. Around the exterior of the dewan khass, in the cornice, are the following lines writ ten in letters of gold, upon a ground' of white marble. If there be a paradise upon earth, this is it, it is this, it is this. The terrace of this building is composed of large slabs of marble, and the whole building is crown ed at top with four cupolas of the same material. The royal baths 'built by Shah Jehan are situated a little to the northward of the dewan khass, and consist of three very large rooms, surmounted by domes of white marble. The Inside of them about two-thirds of the way up is lined with marble, having beautiful borders of flow ers worked In cornelians and other stones, executed with much taste." i Theological Magazine, vol. iii. p. 195. No. 1087.^ — ^Ivil. 6. The smooth stones.] This refers to stones made smooth by oil poured on them, as was frequently done by the heathen. Theophrastus has marked this as one strong feature in the character of the superstitious man : " Passing by the anointed stones in the streets, he takes out his phial of oil, and pours it on them ; and having fallen on his knees, and made his ado rations, he departs." Bp. Lowth, in he. VOL. II. ' L'l 253 ISAIAH. No. 1088. — ^Ix. 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come vnto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box to.- gether, to beautify the place of my sanctuary.} On great occasions the temple was decorated with branches of various sorts of trees. In the Apocrypha allusions arc to be found to this practice. Upon the same day that the strangers profaned the temple, on the very same day it was cleansed again, even the five and twentieth day ofthe same month, which is Casleu; and they kept eight days with gladness ;' therefore they bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and sang psalms. 2 Mace. x. .5, 6, 7. The usage is again confirmed when the high priest Alcimus, to recover access to the holy altar which he had forsaken. Is said to present to the king Deme trius a crown of gold and a palm, and also (some) of the boughs which were used solemnly in the temple, 2 Mace. xiv. 4. The prophet Isaiah is supposed to have the same allusion in the passage above cited. No. 1089. — Ixil, 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, 0 Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace, day nor night ; ye that make mention ofthe Lord, keep not silence.] The image in this place is taken from the temple ser vice, in which there was appointed a constant watch day and night by the Levites. Now the watches in the East, even to this day, are performed by a loud cry from time to time by the watchmen, to mark the time, and that very frequently, and in order to shew that they themselves are constantly attentive to their duty. " The watchmen in the camp of the caravans go their rounds, crying one after another, God is one, he is merciful; and often add, take heed to yourselves." (Tavern. Voy age de Perse, 1. i. c. 9.) The reader will observe in this extract how mention is made of the name of God by the watchmen. ISAIAH. 25» No. 1090. — ^Ixii. 10. Cast up- the highway,] The following extracts will sufficiently explain the nature of these highways. Herbert says, (p. 170,) "the most part of the night we rode upon a paved causey, broad enough for ten horses to go a-breast ; built by extraor dinary labour and expense over a part of a great de sert, which is so even that it affords a large horizon. Howbeit being of a boggy loose ground upon the sur face, it is covered with white salt, in some places a yard deep, a miserable passage ; for, if either the wind drive the loose salt abroad, which is like diist, or that by accident the horse or camel forsake the causey, the bog is not strong enough to uphold them, but suffers them to sink past all recovery." " The most important and most useful monument of antiquity in this country is the causey built by Shah Abbas the Great about the beginning of the last cen tury, which runs from Keskar in the south-west comer of the Caspian, by Astrabad in the south-east comer, and several leagues yet farther, being in all near three hundred English miles. During this period it has hardly ever been repaired ; it must however be observ ed, that few or no wheel carriages are in use in this country, so that the pavemerit is yet preserved in many places very perfect. In some parts it is above twenty yards broad, being raised in the middle, with ditches on each side. There are many bridges upon it, under which water is conveyed to the rice fields ; but these are made level, and do not interrupt the prospect," HanwAy's Travels in Persia, vol. i. p, 198. No. 1091. — ^Ixii. 10. Go through, go through the gates.] Repetition is a figure very frequent in the Oriental languages, and instances of it occur in several parts of the scriptures. It is also to be found in com mon authors. Chardin, translating a Persian letter. 254 ISAIAH. renders thus, " To whom I wish that all the world may pay homage ;" but says in the Persian it is, " that all souls may serve his name, his name." See Psalms Ixxxvii. 5, Isaiah xxvi. 3, No, 1092 — ^Ixii. 10. Lift up a standqrd for the people.] The original word here used is of a general signification, and means not a standard only, but any sign. This may receive some illustration from a pas sage in Irwin? s Travels, p. 139. He says, that it was cus- tottiary to light up fires on the mountains within view of Cossir, (a town near the Red Sea) to give notice of the approach ofthe caravans that came from the Nile to Cos- sir ; this was of great importance, as they required the assistance ofthe inhabitants of that place. It is to some such management as this that Isaiah refers in these words. Harmer, vol. iii. p. 267. No. 1093, — ^Ixvi, 17. They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens,behind one tree in the midst.] Not only sacred groves in general, but the cen tres of such groves in special, were, as the Abbe Banier has observed, made use of for temples by the first and most ancient heathens. Some one tree in the centre of each such grove was usually had In more eminent and special veneration, being made, the penetrale or more sacred place, which doubdess they intended as the anti- symbol of the tree of hfe and of the knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the garden of Eden. To this strange abuse alludes that prophetic censure of some, who sanctified and purified themselves with the waters of their sacred fountains and rivers in the gardens or groves, behind one tree in the midst. Hence it was that when they came to build temples they called them AXtw, groves, according to that of Strabo, AAiw tiaKacri Ta iff* va,i\x, they call all sacred places or temples ISAIAH, 255 groves. (George, lib. ix,) Their altars were commonly raised in the middle of a court, with one of the trees consecrated to the idol of the place planted near it, over shadowing both it and the idol. Such was that altar in the palace of Priam, described by Virgil. j£dibus in mediis, nudoque sub xtheris axe, Ingens ara fuit, juxtaque veterrima laurus Incumbens ars, atque umbr& complexa penates. Mn. ii. £13. i- In the centre of the court, and under the naked canopy of heaven, stood a large altar, and near it an aged laurel, overhanging the altar, and encircling the house hold gods with its shade. Hollow ay's Origirmls, vol. i. p. 16. No. 1094. — ^Ixvi. 17. And the mouse,] The pro phet is supposed here to allude to myomancy, a kind of divination by rats or mice. [ 256 ] No. 1095.— JEREMIAH vi. I. Set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem. In this place diere might possibly be a very high tower. Kimchi observes that the word signifies a high tower, for the keepers of the vines to watch in. If it were so, it was a very proper place to set up the sign of fire in, to give notice to all the surrounding country. It was usual with the Persians, Grecians, and Romans, to signify in the night by signs of fire, and by burning torches, either the approach of an enemy, or succour from friends. The former was done by shaking and moving their torches ; the latter by holding them stiU. (Lyd. de Re Militari, 1. i. c 3. p. 185,) No. 1096. — vii. 29. Cut off thy hair, 0 Jerusalem, and cast it away.] Michaelis (Supplem. ad Lex. Heb. p. 288.) remarks, that this was done in token of great grief, and cites Curtius (lib. x. c. 14.) in proof that the Persians did the same on the death of Alexander the Great, according to their cus com in mourning ; and re fers to Lucian (de Sacrific") that thus likewise the Egyp tians lamented the funeral of their Apis, and the Syri ans the death of Adonis, No. 1097. — XX. 15. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, a man-child is born unto thee, making him very glad.] It is the custom in Persia to announce to the father the birth of his male children with particular ceremonies. Chardin, Harmer, vol. ii. p. 511. No. 1098. — xxvi. 18. Zion shall be ploughed like a JEREMIAH. 257 field.] The Jews suppose this prophecy to be fulfilled in the utter destruction of the second temple by Titus ; when Terentius, or, as some of the modern Jews call him, Turnus Rufus raised the very foundations of the city and temple, and so fulfilled the prediction of Christy that there should not be left one stone upoi\another. See Joseph. Bell. Jud. lib. vii. c. 7. When conquerors would signify their purpose that a city should never be rebuilt, they used to break up the ground where it stood, Judges ix. 45. Horace alludes to this custom : Imprimeretque muris Hostile aratrum exercitus insolens. Lib. i. od. 16. Hence also Ovid : Et seges est ubi Troja fuit. See Micah iii. 12. No. 1099. — xxix. 18. And deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth,] The transplanting of people or nations has been practised by rifiodern con querors. Thus in the year 796, Charlemagne trans planted the Saxons from their o^vn country, to oblige them 'to remain faithful to him, into different parts of his kingdom, either Flanders or the^ country of the Helvetians. Their- own country was repeopled by the Adrites, a Sclavonian nation, (Henault abrege Chronol. de I' Histoire de France, tom, i, p. 65,) It was the policy of Abbas the First, who ascended the throne of Persia in 1585, to transplant the inhabitants of conquered places from one country to another, with a view not only to prevent any danger from their disaffection, but likewise of depopulating the countries exposed to an enemy, Hanway's Revolvtions of Persia, vol, iii, p. 164, 258 JEREMIAH., No, 1100, — ^xxxi. 15. A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping : Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be CQimforted for her children, because they were not,] From Le Bruyn's Voyage in Syria (p. 256.) we learn, that " the women go in companies, on certain days, out of the towns to the tombs of their relations, in order to weep there ; and when they are ?irrived, they display very deep expressions of grief. While I was at Ramah, I saw a very great company of these weeping women, who went out of the town. I followed them, and after having observed the place they visited, adjacent to their sepulchres, in order to make their usual lamentations, I seated myself on an elevated spot. They first went and placed themselves on the sepidchres, and wept there ; where, after having remained about half an hour, some of them rose up, and formed a ring, holding each other by the hands, as is done in some country-dances. Quickly two of them quitted the others, and placed themselves in the centre of the ring ; where they made so much noise in scream ing, and in clapping their hands, as, together with their various contortions, might have subjected them to the suspicion of madness. After that they returned, and seated themselves to weep again, till they gradually withdrew to their homes. The dresses they wore were such as they generally used, white, or any other colour; but when they rose up to form a circle together, they put on a black veil over the upper parts of their per- No. 1101. — xxxvi, 30. His dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.] The want of burial was considered as a great misfortune, and was therefore particularly dreaded. The Romans were of opinion that the soul had no rest unless the body were properly interred. So Virgil: JEREMIAH, 259 Ha:c omnis, ,quam cernis, inops inhumataque turba est : Portitor ille, Charon ; l\i, quos vehit, undi sepulti, &c. Mn, vi. 325. The ghosts rejected are th' imhappy crew, Depriv'd of sepulchres and fun'ral due : The boatman Charon : those, the buried host. He ferries over to the farther coast. Dryden. No, 1102, — xxxviii, 7, NoW when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the king's eunuchs, who was in the king's house.] The possession of black eunuchs is not very common In the Levant; they are hardly any where to be found, except in the palaces of the sovereign or of the branches of the royal family. When the Baron Du. Tott's wife and mother-in-law were permitted to visit Asma Sultana, daughter of the emperor Achmet, and sister of the then reigning prince, he tells us, that " at the opening of the third gate of her palace several black eunuchs presented themselves, who, with each a white staff in his hand, preceded the visitors, leading them to a spacious apartment, called the chamber of strangers,?' He ^dds, that to have such attendants is a piece of great state, as the richest people have not more than one or two of them, Harmer, vol. ill. p. 327. No. 1103, — xii. 8, But ten men were fiound among them, that said unto Ishmael, slay us not, fior we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, of oil, and of honey.] Shaw tells us, (Trav. p. 139.) that in Barbary, when the grain is winnowed, they lodge it in mattaraores, or subterraneous repositories ; two or three hundred of which are sometimes together, the smallest holding four hundred bushels. I'he^e are very common in other parts of the East, and are mentioned by Russell (p. 20,) a^ being in great numbers about Al?Ppo, which vol. ii. Mm' 2&a , JEREMIAH. makes travelling in the night there very dangerous, the entry into them being often left open when they are empty. Harmer, vol, II, p, 452, No, 1104, — xliv. 17, To pour out dr'ink-offerings.] When the ancient idolaters made their libations, they usually filled the cup entirely full, and crowned it with flowers. Servius on the first book of the iEneid says, antiqui coronabant pocula, et sic libabant, the ancients crowned their cups (with flowers) and then made liba tions. Thus Virgil, speaking of Anchises, says. Magnum cratera corona Induit, implevitque mero. He adorned the great cup with a crown (of flowers) and filled it with wine. See also Horace, B, iii, Od, 13, 1, 2, No. 1105. — xlviii. 37. Upon all the hands shall be cuttings.] " We find Arabs," La Roque tells us from D' Arvieux, " who have their arms scarred by the gashes of a knife, which they sometimes give themselves, to mark out to their mistresses^ what their rigor and the violence of love make them suffer." From this extract we learn what particular part of the body received these cuttings. The Scripture frequently speaks of them in a more general manner. Harmer, vol. ii.p. 516. No. 1106. — xlix. 3. Lament, and run to and fro by the hedges,] The places of burial In the East are with out their cities, as well as their gardens, and consequently their going to them must often be by their garden walls, (not hedges). The ancient warriors of- distinction, who ¦were slain in battle, were carried to the sepulchres of their fathers ; and the people often ^ent to weep over the gravj&s of those whom they would honour. These JEREMIAH. 261 observations put together sufficiendy account for this passage, Harmer, vol. i. p. 464. No. 1 TO7 — Jdix. 19. Behold, he shall come up fiketi lion from the swelling of Jordan against ihe .habitation of the strong.] The comparison used by the prophet in these words will be perfectly understood by the ac count which Mr. Maundrell gives of the river Jordan.' *'¦ After having descended," says he, " the outermost bank of Jordan, you go about a furlong upon a level strand, before you come to the -immediate bank of the river. This second bank is so beset with bushes and trees, such as tamarisk-s, willows, oleanders, &c. that you can see no water till ypu have made your way through them. In this thicket anciently, and the same -is reported of It at this day, several sorts of wild beasts were wont to harbour themselves, whose beipg washed out of the covert by the overfloWiPgs of the river ga^ve occasion to that allusion, he shall come np like a lien from the swelling of Jordan." (Journey frpm Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 82.) Correspondent with this account, Ammianus Marcellinus (lib. 18. <;ap. 17.) tells us, Aat " lions without number range .through the reeds and shrubs of the rivers of Mesopotamia." No. 1108. — 1, 15, Her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down.] Though this could not be the case with foundations in general, it might be with those of Babylon : for Herodotus, who had hiraself been there, informs us (lib. i. c, 178.) that it was surrounded first by a deep and wide ditch full of water, and then by its stupendous walls, fifty royal cubits broad and two hun dred high ; that the earth thrown out of the ditch was made into bricks, with which they first lined both sides of the ditch, and tijen built the wall in the same manner. .Supposing then that the scarp, or inner waU of the 268 JEREMIAH, ditch, served for a foundation to the wall of the city, it is very easy to conceive how such foundations, being built in a marshy soil, and continually exposed to the imdermining power of the water in the ditch, and pressed by such a prodigious weight, might give way and fall, Parkhurst, Heb. Lex, p. 48. No. 1109. — ^11. 41. How is Sheshach taken !] It is Conceived that Babylon is called Sheshach from one of her idols, and that the term is used by way of oppi-obrlum. The idol Shach was worshipped there, and had * festival kept for five days together. It is said that during this festival Cyrus took Babylon. Athenaus speaks of this feast, (Deipnosophista,Yih. xiv. cap. 17.) saying, Berosus in the first book of the Babylonish History relates, that on the sixteenth of the calends of September the feast Saicea was celebrated at Babylon for five days ; during which time it was customary for masters to obey their servants ; one of them, being master of the house, was clothed in a royal garraent, and called Zoganez. See some curious particulars about Sheshach in Assembly's Annotations on Jer. xxv. 26. [ 263 j No. lliO.— LAMENTATIONS ii. 1. And remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger. The footstool was not only a great convenience as an appendage to the throne, but was a peculiar mark of regal honour : on this account the earth is called the footstool of the throne of God. In this manner it is mentioned by Homer: A splendid footstool, , and a throne, that shine With gold unfading, Somnus, shall be thine. //. xiv. 273. Pope. No. 1111 — v. 10. Our skin was black like an oven,'] Portable ovens were frequently used in the East, and were part of the furniture of eastern travellers. These ovens appear to have been formed of different materials, according to the rank of the seversfl owners. Those that are alluded to by the prophet Jeremiah, when de scribing the distresses of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine, seem to be of an inferior kind, and belonged most probably to the ordinary class of tra vellers. Nevertheless there were others of a far supe rior nature, even of very valuable metals. Thus we are informed from an Arabian tale, translated in 1786 from an unpublished MS. that part of the food of the caliph Vathek on his travels was delicate cakes, which had been baked in silver ovens. St. Jerome describes' an eastern oven as a round vessel of brass, blackened on the outside by the surrounding fire which heats it within. [ 264 ] No. 1112.— EZEKIEL ix. 2. And one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's ink-horn by his side. D'Arvieux informs us, that " the Arabs of the de sert, when they want a favour of their emir, gel his secretary to write an order agreeable to their desire, as if the favour were granted; this they carry to the prince, who, after having read it, sets his seal to it with ink, if he grant it ; if not, he returns the petitioner his paper tom, and dismisses him. These papers are with out date, and have only the emir's flourish or cypher at the bottom, signifying the poor, the abject Mahomet, son of Turabeye." (Voy^ dans la Pal. p. 61, 154.) Pococke says (Trav. vol. i. p. 186, note,") that " they raake tjie impression of their name with their seal, ge-. nerally of cornelian, which they wear on their finger, and which is blacked when they have occasion to seal with it." The custom of placing the inkhom by the side^ Olearius says, continues in the East to this day. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 458. No. 1113.' — xii. 3. Prepare thee stitfffor removing, fand remove by day in their sight.] " This is as they do in the caravans, they carry out their baggage in the day-time, and the caravan loads in the evening ; for in the momiiig it is too hot to set out on a journey for that day, and they cannot well see in the night. However, this depends on the length of their journeys ; for when they are too short to take up a whole night, they load ' in the night, in order to arrive at their journey's end early in the morning ; it being a greater inconvenience EZEKIEL. ^65 to arrive at an unknown place in the night, than to set out on a journey then." Chardin MS. Harmer, vol. i. p. 432. No. 1 1 14. — xii. 8. And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me.] The ancients thought that those visions were truly prophetic, which appeared in the morning. Certiora et colat'iora de animi somniari affrmant sy,b extremis noctibus, Tertullian. Ovid thus expresses himself in his epistle of Hero to Leander : Sub auroram, jam dormitante lueerni. Sorimia quo cerni tempore vera solent. Mr. Pope begins his intellectual vision of the Temple of Fame at the same time : ¦What time the morn mysterious visions brings. While purer slumbers spread their golden wings. No. 1115. — xiii. 10. One built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar.] In Persia, where it has been conjectured that the, prophet Ezekiel now was, (see Fragments, No.' 106.) the mortar is made " of plaster, earth, and chopped straw, all well wrought and incorporated together : but this is.not the material with which they cast or set, that is, coat over, their walls. They cast their walls pretty often also, with a mixture made of plaster and earth, which they call zerdghil, (i. e. yellow earth ; though inrfeallty it be not yellow, biit' rather of a musk or cinnamon colour.) They get it on the river side, and work It in a great earthen vessel ; but they put so little earth in propor tion to water, that it reraains liquid like muddy water, or at most like strained juice ; and it is altogether of the colour of that earth. They make use of it to work the plaster in another earthen vessel, where they 266 EZEKIEL. mingle this water with plaster in such a ' quantity, that it retains the colour of the earth. With this mixture they cast their walls, which at first look all grayish ; but, according as they dry, they grow so white, that when they are fully dry, they look almost as if they were plastered over with pure plaster. This mixture is used not only for saving plaster, but also because it holds better than plaster alone, and looks as well." Thevenot's Travels, part ii, p, 86. No. 1116. — xvi, 18, 19, And thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them, — thou hast even set it be fore them for a sweet savour,] The burning of per fumes is now practised in the East in times of feasting and joy ; and there is reason to believe that the same usage obtained anciently in those countries. Niebuhr (Voy. en Arabic, vol. i, p. 307,) mentions a Moham medan festival, " after which every one returned home, feasted, chewed kaad, burnt fragrant substances in his house, stretched himself at length on his sofa, and lighted his kiddre, or long pipe, with the greatest satis- tisfaction," Harmer, vol. iii. p. 191. No. 1117, — xvii. 13, The mighty of the land.] The severity, Afx"'""^" Vulg. Arietes, rams. Thus Homer, speaking of Ulysses marshalling the Greeks : Avros Se, jtliAor as, PiriiruXvTai T'X"' at^^iini ' &C, M. iii. 196. Nor yet appear his care and conduct small ; Prom rank to rank he moves, and orders all. The stately ram tlius measures o'er the ground, And, master of tlie flocks, surveys them round. Pope. Aristotle (H. A. vi, 19,) says, that In every flock they prepare a leader of the males, which, when the shep herd calls him by name, goes before them. EZEKIEL. 267 No. 1118. — xix. 11. She had strong rods for tht sceptres of them that bedr rule.] The allusion here is evidently to the Sceptres of the ancients, which were no other than walking-sticks, cut froiP the stems ot branches of trees, and decorated with gold, or studded with golden nails. Thus Achilles is introduced as swear- ipg by a sceptre, which being cut from the trunk of a tree on the mountains, and stripped of its bark and leaves, should never more produce leaves and branches, or sprout again. Such an one the Grecian judges-car* ried in their hands. See Homer, //. i. 234. No. 1119. — XX. 47. Say to the forest of the south, hear the Word of the Lord ; thus saith the Lord God, behold I xvill kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devout every green tree and every dry tree.] D'Herbelot (p. 330.) has given us a passage of a Persian poet, describ* ing the desolation made- by a pestilence, whose terms Very much resemble the words ofithe prophet: The pestileiHte, like an avenging fire, ruins at once this beautiful city, whose territory gives an odour surpassirtg that of the most excellent perfumes : of all its inliabitants there reraains neither a young man no* an old. This was a lightning that, falling upon a forest, con sumed there the green Wood, with the dry. See also ' Hab. iii. 5. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 186. No. 1120. — xxi, 27, / will overturn, overturn, overturn it.] Perverted, perverted, perverted will I make it, masrg. This passage, according to the mar ginal reading, may be beautifully illustrated from thd turbans of antiquity. Those of independent sovereigns (even to this day in Persia,, see a copy of one in Chaf' din's Travels') had their apex upright. Inferior and Subordinate princes wore theirs bent backwards^ To . VOL. II, V n 268 EZEKIEL. this the prophecy refers, declaring that the crown of Judea should thenceforward be dependent and subordi nate, as it was under the Persians^ Greeks, and Romans, See Christian Observer, vol. i. p. 351. No. .1121. — xxiv. 5. Take the choice of the flock, and burn goat with one horn, dug up in Asia Minor, was lately inspected by the society of Anti quaries in London. The original use of it probably was to be affixed *° ^^ *°P '^^ ^ military standard, in the same manner as the Roman eagle. This supposition is somewhat supported by what is related of Caranus, that he ordered goats to be carried before the standards of his army. (Justin\ih.v'\i.C2cp.l.) See ARCHiEOLO- GiA, or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity, vol. ¦ xiv. p. 14. No. 1135. — xi. 45. He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace^ or pavilion, that Is, the tents for his princes and generals. The word used has the signification of VOL. II. ¦ 0 0 276 ^ DANIEL. fcovering and clothing. Hence some translate it the tents of his curtain ; tents covered with curtains or veils, such as the tents of kings, generals, and principal officers were distinguished by. Fuller (Miscell. .S'acr.^1. v. c. -18. So also Lydius de re militari, \. iv. c. 2. p, 155.) conjectures, that it may refer to an ancient custom of the Roman emperors, who used before a batde to have a scarlet coat spread over their tents, or hung upon'a spear, to give notice of it. And so this furious enemy of the church of God 'is represented as setting up his ensign, preparing for batde, and threateping with utter desolatiop. [ 277 ] No. 1136 HOSEA iii. 4. Teraphim. As to the external form of the teraphim, Jurieu vt" presents it thus. The eastern nations preserved in one of the remote parts of their house the relics of their ancestors ; if they had none of these, their posterity being numerous, they erected empty tombs of stone, wood, or earth, and upon these they set the teraphim at the two extremities, Micah (Judges xviii, 14,) hav ing obtained a sight of some of these oracles among the heathen, and being ignorant of the abominations they practised by them, thought they might be sanctified by dedicating them to God, though by idolaters they were designed for inquiring of the dead. No. 1137, — viii, 11. Ephraim hath made many altars - to sin.] The apcient idolaters were not satisfied with worshipping one deity, or with sacrificing upon a single altar, but greatly multiplied both. They embraced every opportunity of adding to the number already re ceived and established. The Romans were remarkable for the erection of altars upon any sudden bepefit re ceived. Tacitus mentions one consecrated to Adoption ; and another to Revenge. When they felt an earthquake, they betook themselves by public corainand to religious observances : though they did not, as on other occasions, narae the god to whom they dedicated such solemnities, lest by mistaking one for another they might oblige th^ people to a false worship. A. Gell. 1. ii. c, 28., No. 1138. — xii. 1. And oil is carried into Egypt,] Oil Is now presented in the East to be burnt in honour 278 HOSEA. of the dead, whom they reverence with a religious kind of homage. It is most natural to suppose that the pro phet Hosea refers to a similar practice in. the times of antiquity, when he dpbraids the Israelites with carrying oil into Egypt, The Algerines, according to Pitts (Account, p. 1 7,) when they are in the Streights Mouth, make a gathering of small wax candles, which they usually carry with them, and bind them in a bundle ; and then, together with a pot of oil, thrown them over board, as a present to the marabbot or saint, who lies entombed there on the Barbary shore near the sea. HarmSR, vol. iv. p. 305. No. 1 1 39. — xiv. 6. And his smell as Lebanon.] Not only both the great apd small cedars of Lebanon have a fragrant smell, but Maundrell (Journey, May 9.) found the great rupture in that raountain, which " runs at least seven hours travel directly up into it, and is on both sides exceeding steep and high, clothed with fragrant greens from top to bottom, and every where refreshed with fountains, falling down from the rocks in pleasant cascades, the ingenious work of nature. These streams all uniting at the bottom, make a full and rapid torrent, whose agreeable murmuring is heard all over the place, and adds no small pleasure to it." [ 279 ] No. 1140 AMOS ii. 6. They sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes. Maillet, (Lett. x. p. 86.) amongst other articles which are carried before a bride on the day of marriage, men tions wooden^ sandals ; these in the East are called cobcal. They are not of much value, though some times they are ornamented. What Rauwolfff says, in connection with the above circumstance, greatly illus trates this passage of Amos. " The Turkish officers and also their wives go very richly clothed with rich flowered silks, artificially made, and mixed of several colours. But these clothes are commonly given therii by those that have causes depending before them, (for they do not \o\e to part with their own money) to promote their cause, and to be favourable to them." See also Amos viii. 6. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 21. No.' 1141. — iii. 8. The lion hath roared, who will not fear ?] " The strength of the lion is so prodigious, that a single stroke of his paw is sufficient to break the back of a horse ; and one sweep with his tail will throw a strong man to the. ground." Kolben says, that when he comes up to his prey, he always knocks it down dead, and seldom bites it till the mortal blow has been givep. This blow he generally accompanies with a terrible roar. " The roaring of a lion when in quest of prey resem bles the sound of distant thunder; and, and being re echoed by the rocks and mountains, appals the wholie race of animals, arid puts them to a sudden flight : but he frequently varies his voice into a hideous scream or yell." ' iBingley's Animal B'tography, vol. i. p. 253, 267. 280 AMOS. No. 1142. — iv. 10. The pestilence after the manner of Egypt.] Abp* Newcome says, diat this means the unwholesome effluvia on the subsiding of the Nile which causes some peculiarly malignant diseases in this country. Maillet (Lett, i. p. 14.) says, that " the air is bad in those parts, where, when the inundations of the Nile have been very great, this river, in retiring to its channel, leaves marshy places, which infect the^ country round about. The dew is also very dangerous in Egypt." No. 1143. — ^vii. 14. A gatherer of sycamore fruit,] or more properly, a dresser of sycamore fruit. Pococke gives the following account of it. " The dumez (of Egypt) is called by the Europeans Pharaoh's fig ; it is the sycamore of the ancients, and is properly a ficus fatuus, (wdd fig.) The fig is small, but like^the com- irion figs. At the end of it a sort of water gathers together ; apd unless it be cut, and the water let out, it will not ripen. This they sometimes do, covering the bough with a net to keep off the birds : and the fruit is not bad, though it is pot esteemed. It is a large spreading tree, with a round leaf, and has this parti cular quality, that short branches without leaves come out of the great limbs all about the wood ;„. and these bear the fruit. It was of the timber of these trees that the ancient Egyptians made their coffins for their enibalnied bodies, and the wood remains sound to this day." Travels, vol. i. p. 205. - -. This shews the propriety of rendering Psalms Ixxviii. 47. He destroyed their sycamore trees with frost. [• 281 ] No. 1144 — OBADIAH, ver. 18. There shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau. They shall all be cut off by, or swallowed up amOng, the Jews : not so much as a torch-bearer left, one that cari^ies the lights before an army, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions ; which versions, and the custom al luded to, serve very much to illustrate the passage., It was usual with the Greeks (Alex, ab Alex, Genial. Dier. 1. v. c. 3.) when armies were about to engage, that before the first ensigns stood a prophet or priest bearing branches of laurels and garlands, who was called Pyrophorus, or the torch-bearer, because he held a lamp or torch ; and it was accounted a most criminal thing to do him any hurt, because he performed the office of an embassador. This sort of men were priests of Mars and sacred to him, so that those who were conquerors always spared them. Hence, when a total destruction of an army, place, or people was hyperbolically ex pressed, it used to be said, not so much as a torch-bearer, or fire-cairrier, escaped. (Herodot, Urania, sive 1. viii. c. 6.) So Philo the Jew, speaking of the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, says, there was not so much as a torch-bearer left to declare the calamity to the Egyptians. And thus here, so general should be the destruction of the Edomites, diat not one should be left in such an office as just described. £ 282 ] No. 1145,— MICAH V, 8. As a young lion among the flocks of sheep ; which, if he go through, both treadeth down and teareth in pieces. The Hon is remarkable for tearing his prey to pieces. This circumstance is particularly noted both by sacred and profane writers. Gen, xlix. 9. Deut, xxxiii, 22. Psalm xxii. 13. Hosea xiii. 8. Thus also Virgil: Impastus ceu plena leo per ovilia tiu-bans, (Suadet enim vesana fames) manditque trahltque Molle pecus. Mn. ix. 339. The famish'd lion, thus with hunger bold, O'erleaps the fences of the nightly fold. And tears the peaceful flocks. Dbvden. Comp. Homer, II. xi. lin. 176. Buffon says, (Nat. Hist. tom. viii, p. 124,) when the lion leaps on his prey, he gives a spring of ten or fifteen feet, falls on, seizes it with his fore-paws, tears it with ' his claws, and afterwards devours it with his teeth. No. 1146, — ^vi. 7, Shall I give my first-born for my transgression ?] This actually was the practice of the Inhabitants of Florida, The ceremony was always performed in the presence of one of those prinpes or caciques, whom they call plraoustis. The victim raust always be a male infant. The mother of it covers her face, and weeps and groans over the stone, against which the child is to be dashed in pieces. The women who accompany her sing and dance in a circle, while another woman stands up in the middle of the ring, holding the child in her arms, and shewing it at. a MICAH. 283 distance to the paraousti ; who probably is esteemed a representative of the sun, or deity to which the victim is offered ; after which the sacrifice is made, " The Peruvians of quality, and those too of mean sort, woidd sacrifice their first-bom to redeem their own life, when the priest pronounced that they were mortally sick." More's Ekplanation of Grand Mystery, p. 86. And as the king of Moab when ip distress took his first born son, that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering, 2 Kings ill, 27. so " Hacon king of Norway offered his son in sacrifice, to obtain of Odin the victory over his enemy Harald, Aune king of Sweden devoted to Odin the blood of his nine sons, to prevail on that god to prolong his life." See Maillett's Northern Antiquities, vol. i. p. 134, ' No. 1147, — vii. 19, Thou wilt cast all thy sins into the depths of the sea.] It is a custom with the modem Jews on new year's day to sound the hom, to invite the people to hearken with humility and attention to the judgments of Gbd, and to thank him for his, favour and support during the year which is just ended. This festival lasts two days, and all the people in the synagogue are to pray with a loud voice and in a hum bler posture than usual. In Germany the Jews send their children to the grand rabbi to receive his bene diction ; and when they sit down to table, the master of the house takes a bit of bread, and dips it In honey, saying, may this year be sweet and fruitful ; and all the guests do the same. They seldom omit serving up a sheep's head at this entertainment, which they say is a mystical representation of the ram sacrificed Instead of Isaac. The sounding of the horn is performed stand ing, where the law is read, the whole congregation re maining in the same posture. This is made of a ram's horn, being also a monument of Isaac's ram. It is VOL. II. p p 2^4 NAHUM. crooked, as representing the posture of a man hum bling himself. The time for blowing it is from sun-rise to sun-set. The ancient Jews upon the day of atone ment discharged their sins upon a he-goat, which after wards was sent into the desert. Brit the modem Jews, of Germany in particular. Instead of a goat, now do it upon the fish. They go after dinner to the brink of a pond, and there shake their clothes over it with all their might. They derive this custom from the passage of the, prophet Micah now above cited. No, 1148.— NAHUM iii. 10. They cast lots for her honourable men. The custom of casting lots for the captives takep in war appears to have prevailed both with the Jews and Greeks. It Is mentioned by another of the prophets, besides the one now referred to. Strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem. Obad. ver. 11. With respect to the Greeks, we have an instance in Tryphi odorus : Shar'd out by lot, the female captives stand : The spoils divided with an equal hand : Each to his ship conveys his rig)itful share. Price of their toil, and trophies of the war. Destruction of Troy, Merrici, ver. 938, [ 285 ] ' No. 1149.— HABAKKUK i. 8. The'tr horses also are sivifter than the leopards. Leopards tamed and taught to hunt are, it is said, made use of in the East for that purpose, and seize the prey with surprising agility. Le Bruyn tells us (tom^ ii. p. 154.) that he had often seen the bashaw of Gaza go to hunt jackalls, of which there are great numbers in that country, and which he took by means of a leo pard trained to it from its youth. The hunter kee^s it before him upon his horse, and when he meets with a jackall, the leopard leaps down, and creeps along till he thinks himself within reach of the beast, when he~ leaps uppn it, throwing himself seventeen or eighteen feet at a time. If we suppose that this way of hunting was in use in the time of the prophet Habakkuk, the image was suf ficiendy familiar to the common people. Harmer, yol. ii. p. 438. No. 1150. — ii. 2, Make it plain upon tables.] Writ ing-tables were used in and before the time of Homer ; for he speaks (//, vi,) of writing very pernicious things upon a two-leaved table. They were made of wood, consisted of two, three, or five leaves, and were covered with wax ; on this impressions were easily made, con tinued long, and were very legible. It was a custom amongst the Romans for the public affairs of every . year to be committed to writing by the pontifex max imus, or high priest, and published on a table. They were exposed to public view, so that the people might have an opportunity of being acquainted with them« It was also usual to hang up laws approved and recorded on tables of brass in their market-places, and in their 286 HABAKKUK. temples, that they might be seen and read. (Taciti Annates, 1. xi. c. 14.) In like manner the Jewish pro phets used to write, and expose their prophecies pub licly on tables, either in their own houses, or in the temple, that every one that passed by might read them. No. 1151. — ii. 16. — th^ cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee,] In the entertainments of the ancients the cup was delivered towards the right hand ; express mention is made of this practice by Homer : From where the goblet first begins to flow. From, right to left, in order take the bow. Odyss. b. xxi. See also the //. b. i. 597. This custom seems to be referred to in the words of the prophet. No. 1152. — iii. 9. Thy bow was made quite naked.] The oriental bows, according to Chardin, were usually carried in a case hung to their girdles ; it was sometimes of cloth, but more commonly of leather. The expres- sion'in these words of the prophet must consequently be understood of the bow when out of the case. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 513. [ 287 ] No. 1153.— ZEPHANIAH ii. 6. Andthe sea-coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shep herds, and folds for flocks, Abp. Newcome has remarked, that many manuscripts and three editions have a single letter in one of these virords more than appears in the common editions ; which, instead of cherith, gives us a word which signifies caves ; and he thus renders the words : arid the sea-coast shall be sheep-cotes ; caves for shepherds, and folds for flocks. This translation will appear perfectly correct if it be considered, that the mountains bordering on the Syrian coast are remarkable for the number of caves in them. In the history of the crusades it is particularly mentioned that a number of persons retired with their wives and children, their flocks and herds, into subter raneous caves to find shelter from the enemy. (Gesta Dei per Francos, p, 781.) Harmer, vol. iii, p, 60. No. 1154, — ii, 7. In the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening.] An extract from Dr. Chandler's Travels (p. 115.) furnishes a very lively comment on these words, " Our horses were disposed among the walls and rubbish (of Ephesus) with their saddles on ; and a mat was^pread for us on the ground. We sat here in the open air while supper was preparing ; when suddenly fires began to blaze up among the bushes, and we saw the villagers collected about them in savage groups, or passing to and fro, with lighted brands for torches. The flames, with the stars and a pale moon, afforded us a dira prospect of ruin and desolation. A shrill owl, called cucuvaia from its note, with a night- 288 ZEPHANIAH. hawk, flitted near us : and a jackall cried mournfully, as if forsaken by his companions on the mountain." No. 1155. — ii. 14. Flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations : both the cofmorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels thereof] Knobs or chapiters, marg. Chardin (tom. iii. p. 108.) describing the magnificent pillars that he found at Per- sepolis, tells us, that the storks (birds respected by the Persians) make their nests on the top of these columns with great boldness, and are in no danger of being dis possessed. [ 289 ] No. J156.— ZECHARIAH i. 8. A red horse. The word here translated red signifies blood-red, pot ' any kind of bright bay, or other colour usual amongst- horses. But the custom of painting or dying animals for riding, whether asses or horses, explains the nature of this description. Tavernier, ( Trav. p. 111.) speaking of a city which he visited, says, " Five hundred paces from the gate of the city we raet a young man of a good family, for he was attended by two servants, iand rode upon an ass, the hinder part of which was painted red." And Mungo Park informs us, that the Moorish sovereign Ali always rode upon a milk-white horse, with its tail dyed red. See also Zech, vi, 2. Rev. vi, 4, Fragments Supp, to Calmet,- No. 478, No. 1 157, — iii. 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments.] It was usual, especially among the Romans, when a man was charged with a capital crirne, and during his arraignment, to let clown his hair, suffer his beard to grow long, to wear filthy ragged garments, and appear in a very dirty and sordid habit. Hence such were called Sordidati. When the accused person was brought into court to be tried, even his near relations, friends, and acquaintance, before-the court voted, ap peared with dishevelled hair, and clothed with garments foul and out of fashion, weeping, crying, and deprecat ing punishment, (Alex, ab Alex. Genial, Dier. I. iii. c. 5,) The guilty person sometimes appeared before the judges clothed in black, and his head covered with dust. No, 1158.— iii. 8. I will bring forth my servant the 290 ZECHARIAH. branch.] The oak was very early made an object of idolatrous worship, Isaiah i. 29. and in Greece we meet with the famous oracle of Jupiter at the oaks of Dodona. In Gaul and Britain we find the highest religious regard paid to this tree and its mistelto, under the direction of the druids. The mistelto is indeed a very extraordinary ¦ plant, not to be cultivated in the earth, but always growing upon some other tree, as upon the oak or apple. The druids, says Pliny, (Nat. Hist. lib. xvii. c. 44.) hold nothing more sacred than the mistelto, and the tree on w'nich It is produced, p.rovided it be the oak. They make choice of groves of oaks on their own account,' nor do they perform any of their sacred rites without the leaves of those trees, so that one may suppose that they are for this reason called by a Greek etymology druids. And whatever mistelto grows on the oak, they think is sent from heaven, and is a sign of God himself's having chosen that tree. This, however. Is very rarely found ; but when discovered is treated with great ceremony. They call it by a name which In their language signifies *' the curer of all ills :" and having duly prepared their feasts and sacrifices under the tree, they bring to it two white bulls, whose horns are then for the first time tied. The priest, dressed in a white robe, ascends the tree, and with a golden pruning-hook cuts off the mistelto, which is received in a white sagum or sheet. Then they sacrifice the victims, praying that God would bless his own gift to those on whom he has bestowed it. Is it ¦ possible, says Mr. Parkhurst, (Heb. Lex, p. 50.) for a Christian to read this account without thinking of him who was the desire of all nations, of the man whose name was the branch, who had indeed no father on earth, but capie down from heaven, was given to heal all our Ills, and, after being cut off through the divine counsel, was wrapped in fine linen, and laid in the sepulchre for our sakes ? The mistelto was a sacred ZECHARIAH. 2W emblem to other nations, especially to the ancient inha bitants of Italy. The golden branch of Virgil, (jEn. vi. 1. 126.) without which no one could return from the infernal regions, seems an allusion to the mistelto. No. 1159. — iii. 10. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree,] The people of the East not only enjoy themselves In forming parties of pleasure, which repose themselves under trees in warm weather, indulging themselves In eating and drinking there ; but they frequently invite passengers to partake of their re pasts. Dr. Chandler says, (Travels in Asia Minor,-p.250.) " that a Greek at Philadelphia sent them a small earthen v~essel full of choice wine ; and that sotPe families, who were sitting beneath some trees by a rill of water, invited them to alight, and partake of their refreshments." To something of this kind the prophet refers in this pas sage. Harmer, vol. iii. p. 204. No. 1160. — xiv. 20. The bells ofithe horses.] Ainong the heathens ofthe East the Sun was called Baal or Bel, from his supposed dominion over all things ; whence the word came at last to denote a lord or master in general. He was considered as the author of vibratory motion, the source of musical sound ; and such instru ments as emit a sound by percussion were called bells, from bell, or bel, the name by which the sun was denot ed among the druids. For the above reason a beU seems. in very early tiiries to have been made a sign or symbol of victory or domi nion. Thus, as horses were employed in war, and are celebrated in the earliest antiquity for their strength, stately port, and undaunted courage, bells became a part of their martial furniture. This custom obtained in Greece, as is evident from Aristophanes, who calls VOL. II. Q.q 29a ZECHARIAH. die artificers that joined the beds to the furniture of the war-horses, Ku^an^a x^tmuXot. Hence also, to bear the bell still signifies victory or dominion over others. Pirie's Works, vol. iii. p. 202. 'No. 1161 — ^xiv. 20. Bells of the horses.] "The finest breed of Arabian horses is in this country, and has furnished us with those we make use of for the turf. They are here chiefly articles of luxury, used only in war, or for parade. The governor has a large stud opposite the house where I live, which affords me much pleasure, as I pay them frequent visits. They are small, but finely shaped and extremely active. Of this I had an opportunity of judging yesterday, whefi the cavalry had a field day in the great square, which, from the mode of exercise, called to my mind the idea of our ancient tilts and tournaments. The horses were sump tuously caparisoned, being adorned with gold and silver trappings, bells hung round their necks, and rich hous ings. The riders were in handsome Turkish dresses, with white turbans, and the whole formed to me a new and pleasing spectacle." Rooke's Travels to the Coast of Arabia Felix, p. 82. No, 1162. — xiv. 20. In that day shall there be upon the bells ofthe horses " holiness unto the Lord."] Chardin informs us, that something hke this is seen in several places of the East. In Persia, in Turkey, the -reins are of silk, ofthe thickness of a finger, on which is wrought the name of God, or other inscriptions. Harmer, vol. i. p. 470, END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. [ 293 ] No. 1163,— St. MATTHEW ii. 2. We have seen his star. That the heathens thought the rise of a new star, or the appearance of a comet, portended the birth of | great person, has been proved by Origen (contra Celsum, lib. i.) Farther, it appears from Virgil, that it was com monly imagined the gods sent stars to point out the way to their favourites in difficult and perplexed cases ; and that the ancients called globes of fire, appearing in the air, stars. -Subitoque ftagore Intonuit lavum, et de coilo lapsa per umbras > Stella facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit. Mn, ii. 692. No. 1164. — ii. 2. We have seen his star in the east.] The ancients had an opinion, says Shuckford, (Contfec- tion, vol. ii. b. 8. p. 282.) that their great men arid- heroes at their death migrated into some star : and in consequence of that, they deified them. Thus Julius Caesar was canonized because of a star that appeared at his death, into which they supposed he was gone. Vide Sueton. Jul. cap. 88. Virg. Eccl. ix. 47. Horace, 1. i. Od. 12. No. 1165. — iii. 4, And the same John had his rai ment of camel's hair.] His raiment was not made of the fine hair of that animal, whereof an elegant kind of cloth is made, which is thence called camlet, (in imitation of ^which, though made of wool, is the English camlet) but of the long and shaggy hair of camels, which is in the East manufactured into a coarse stuff, apcientiy wom by monks and anchorites. It is ,only »94 St. MATTHEW. when understood in this way, that the words suit the description here giveri of John's manner of life. Campbell's Translation ofthe Gospels, note. No. 1166. — iii. 11. Whose shoes lam not worthy to bear.] The custom of loosing the sandals from off the feet of an eastern worshipper was ancient and indis pensable. It is also commonly observed in visits to grejtt men. The sandals or slippers are pulled oif at the door, and either left there, or given to a servant to bear. The person to bear them means an inferior do mestic, or attendant upon a man of high rank, to take care of, and return them to him again. See Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 289. This was the work of servants among the Jews : and it was reckoned so servile, that it was thought too mean for a scholar or a disciple to do. The Jews say, " all ser vices which a servant does for his master, a disciple does for his master, except unloosing his shoes." John thought it was too great an honour for him to do that for Christ, which was thought too mean for a disciple to do for a wise man. Gill, in loe. No. 1167. — iii. 15. Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.] Previous both to anointing and clothing at the consecration of the Jewish high-priest, there was another ceremony, that of washing with water. This was common both to the high-priest and the other priests. Exod. xxix. 4. From hence some have ex plained these words of our Lord when he desired to be baptize* by John ; that being about to enter upon his priestly office, it became him tobe baptized, orwasihed, according to the law, which he was subject to. Jennings's Jewish Ant. vol. i. p. 204. No. li68 iv. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, St. MATTHEW. 295 teaching in their synagogues."]! The scribes ordinarily taught in the synagogues : but it was not confined to them, as it appears that Christ did the same. It has been questioned by what right Christ apd his apostles, who had no public character among the Jews, taught in their synagogues. In answer to this Dr. Lightfoot ob« serves, that though this liberty was not allowed to any illiterate person or mechanic, but to the learned only j they granted it to prophets and workers of miracles ; and such as set iip for heads and leaders of new sects; in order that they might inform themselves of their dog mata, and not condemn them unheard and unknown. Under these characters Christ and his apostles were admitted to this privilege. Jennings's Jetvish Ant. vol. ii. p. 54. No. 1169.— V. 1. And when he was set, his disciples came to him.] Sitting was the proper posture of mas ters or teachers. The form in which the master and his disciples sat is thus described by Maimonides, " The Master sits at the head or in the chief place, and the dis ciples before him in a circuit, like a crown ; so that they all see the master, and hear his words. The master may not sit upon a seat,, and the scholars upon the ground ; but either all upon the earth, or upon seats. Indeed from the beginning, or formerly, the master used to sit, and the disciples to stand ; but before the destruc tion of the second temple, all used to teach their dis ciples sitting." No, 1170, — V, 14. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid,] " A few points towards the north of Mount Tabor stands that which they call the Mount of the Beatitudes, a small rising, from which our Saviour deli vered his sermon in Matt, v, vi. vii. Not far from this litde hill is the city Saphet, supposed to be the antient 295 St. MATTHEW. Bethulia. It stands upon a very eminent and conspi cuous mountain, aitd is seen far and near. May we not suppose that Christ alludes to this city in these words, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid?" Maundrell's Journey from Aleppo,}). 115. No. 1171. — ^v. 18. One jot or one tittle.] It has been thought that this refers to one of those ducts, dashes, or comers of letters, which distinguish one letter from Euiother, aPd nearly resemble each other. Other per sons have apprehended that it refers to one of those littie strokes in the tops of letters, which the Jews call crowns or spikes, in which they imagine great mys teries were contained. There were some persons among them who raade it their business to search into the meaning of every letter, and of every one of these litde horns or pricks that were upon the top of them. To this custom Christ is here supposed to refer. No. 1172 ^v. 35. Neither by Jerusalem.] It was common with the Jews both to swear and vow by Jem- salera. " As the altar, as. the temple, as Jerusalem," are expressions frequently, to be met with in their writ ings. In the Gemara it is, " He that says as Jerusalem does not say any thing, till he has made his vow con cerning a thing which is offered up in Jerusalem." No. 1173. — ^v. 36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.] It was ordinary among the ancients to swear by the head, thus Virgil: Per caput hoc juro, per quod pater ante solebat. ¦ ;Eii. ix. 300. I swear by this head of mine, by which my father before me was wont to swear. So also Horace, reproaching Barine, says. St. MATTHEW. 297 Sed tu simul obligasti Perfidum voUs caput, B. ii. od. 8. 1. 5. But you, as soon as you have bound your perfidious head with vows. « It may.also be observed, that many used to swear by ^e ashes of their parents : we have the form of this oath in Propertius. Ossa tibi juro per raatris, et ossa parentis ; Si fallo, cinis, heu! sit mihi uterque gravis. B. ii. el. 20. See also Horace, b. ii. od. 8. 1. 9. Mart'iaheiers to this custom of swearing by the head; Per tua jurare sacra caputque tuum. Lib. ix.epig. 49. Homer likewise mentions the adjuring of another hy his head. -tutf XusT avrnM^af^s, OoTj/i*, lib, XV. 2 6 1 . O thou, that dost thy happy course prepare With pure libations and with solemn pray'r ; By that dread pow'r to whom thy vows are paid. By all the lives of these ; thy ovsn dear head; Declare sincerely to no foe's demand Thy name, thy lineage, and paternal land. This also was a common form of swearing among the Jews. " If any one be bound to his friend by an oath, and say to him, vow unto me by the life of thy head, R. Meir says he may retract it, but the wise men say he cannot." See also Juvenal, Sat. vi. 17. No. 1174,— V, 47. If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ?] " The manner of salu tation among the wise men was this: he that salutes says, a good day to my lord ; and he replies saying, a good 198 St. MATTHEW. and long day to my lord; always he that replies doubles the salutation." The persons they usually saluted were their relations or friends. They were not very free in saluting others, as strangers and Gentiles. Gill, in'loc.. No. 1 1 75, — ^vi, 4. That thine alms may be in secret!] This seems to be an allusion to the secret-ehamberj whither money was brought privately for the relief of the poor. " There were two chambers in the sanctuary, the one was the chamber of secrets, and the other the chamber of vessels ; the chamber of secrets was that into which pious persons put in secret ; and the poor children of good men were maintained out (jif it prl- , vately." The Jews say many things in favour of doing alms privately. They tell us that " R. Jannai seeing a certain man give a piece of money to a poor man publicly, said to him, it would have been better if thou hadst not given him any-thing, than to have given him in this manner." The giving of alms to the poor is mentioned by Christ before prayer to God, because it was usual to give alms before prayer. Gill, in loe. No. 1176. — ^vi. 16. For they disfigure their faces,] or " made them black," as the Arabic version renders it. This they did, that they might look so through fasting. Such persons were held In great esteem, and thought to be very religious. The Jews say, " whoevei^, makes his face black on account of the law in this world, .%iui.-t, czioa:t vnto-Kaij/tioiutauiiv Yly.Tf., 2,a or-j. //, xviii. from their chambers forth leading the brides, they usher'd them along with torches through the streets. Statius in his Thebaid (lib. 8,) puts them into other hsnds upcn the same occasion. Xo. 1214. — xxv, 6, And at midnight there was a great cry made, behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to ir.eet hirz.] In " The customs ofthe East Indians and t'.i jeu-s compared."' the folio-wing statement is given of the marriage ceremonies of the former, which is re markable for the affinity it bears to the usages of the latter peo|Je. ¦• On die day of their marriage, the husband and the -vriie, being both in the same palki or piLz-nquin, go out between seven and eight o'clock at iii;:ht, accompanied -with all their kindred and friends. The tniaipets and drums go before them ; and they are lii;;lited bv a number of massals, which are a kind of fiimbeaux. Immediately behind the palanquin of the new married couple walk many women, whose business it is to sing verses, wherein they wish them all kind of prosperitv. The new married couple go abroad in this equipage for the space of some hours, after which they St. MATTHEW. 313 return to their own house, when the woman and demes- tics wait for them, the whole house is enlightened with littie lamps, and many of these massals already mentiop ed are kept ready for their arrival, besides those that accompany diem, and go before their palanquin. This sort of lights are nothing else but many pieces of old linen, squeezed hard against one another in a round figure, and thrust down into a mould of copper. Those who hold them in one hand have in the other a bottle of the same metal with the mould of copper, which Is full of oil, and they take care to pour out of it from time to time upon the linen, which otherwise gives no light." No. 1215. — xxv. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.] This is an allusion ta an apartment or dining- room, which was called by, or had inscribed upon it, the name x"f* joy. See Pignarius de Servis, p. ii. 89, No. 1216, — xxvi, 10, He sat down with the txpelve,] or lay down, as the word signifies ; for the posture of the Jews at the passover table especially, was not pro perly sitting, but reclining or lying along on couches on their left side. This posture was reckoned so necessary, that it is said, " the poorest man in Israel might not eat, until he lies along." This was to be done in the man ner of free men, in remembrance of their liberty. One ofthe Jewish writers says, "we are bound to eat lying along, as kings and great men eat, because it is a token of liberty," This custom was uniformly observed at the passover. , Gill, in loe. No, 1217. — ^xxvi. 26. 27. And as they were eating Jesus took bread.] Though this supper is distinct from the passover, and different from any ordinary meal, yet -there are in it allusions to both, and to several Jewish customs. He that asked a blessing upon bread used, to 314 St. MATTHEW. take it into his hands ; this is a stated rule, that all may See that he blesses over it. It was also common with the Jews to ask a blessing upon their bread ; the form in which they did it was this : " Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the king of the world, that producest bread out of the earth." If there were many at table, one asked a blessing for the rest. The blessing always pre ceded the breaking of the bread. The rules conceming the breaking ofthe bread are : " the master of the house recites and finishes the blessing, and after that he breaks : he does not break a sraall piece, lest he should seem to be sparing ; nor a large piece, lest he should be thought to be famished ; it is a principal comraand to break a , whole loaf." He that broke the bread put a piece be fore every one, and the other took it into his hand. The Jews in eating the passover used to say of the un leavened bread, " This is the bread of aMictlon, which our fathers eat in the land of Egypt." The Jews bles sed and gave thanks for their wine, as well as their food ; they generally did it in this form. " Blessed art thou, O Ltjrd our God, the king ofthe world, who hast created the fruit of the wine." Gill, in loe. No. 1218.— xxvi. 26. Jesus took bread and blessed it.] The person of the greatest dignity amongst the Jews always pronounced the Baraca or benediction on the bread and wine ; for which reason our blessed Lord performed It himself, being with his disciples as theit master and doctor. Pic art' a. Religious Cerem, vol. i. p. 124. No. 1219.— txxvi. 26. This is mifkidy.] It is very probable that our Lord, after he had blessed and broken the bread according to the Jewish custom, imitated also the Jews in these words. This is my body; iot they say when they eat upleavefled bread, " tl^is is the bre*d St. MATTHEW. 315 6f affliction which our fathers eat in the land of Egypt." But Christ signified to his disciples, that they were no longer required to eat that bread of affliction which their fathers had eaten when they came out of Egypt ; but that being the author of a new covenant, he gaVe them his OwP body and blood instead thereof. Picart's Religious Ceremonies, vol. i. p. 125. No. 1230. — xxvi. 28, For this is my blood of the New Testamerit, which is shed for many for the remis^ sion of sins.] The wine used on this occasion was an emblem and representation of the blood of Christ about to be shed for the remission of sin. It was usual even artiong the heathens, to make and confirm their covepaPis by drinking human blOod, and that sometimes mixed with wine. (Alex, ab Alex. Genial. Dier. 1. v. c. 3.) No. 1221,— 'XXvi. 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new xvith you in my father's kingdom.] This declaratioP of Christ is in allusion to an usage at the passover, when after the fi^th cup they tasted of nothing else all that night but water. It intimates that he would drink no more, not only that night, but never after. Gill, in loci No. 1222, — xxvi, 30, When they had sung a hymn.] ^This was the hallel, which the Jews were obliged to sing on the night of the passover. It consisted of six psalms, the hundred and thirteenth, and the five follow ing ones. This they did not sing all at once, but in parts. Just before the drinking of the second cup and eating of the lamb they sung the first part ; and on mixing the fourth and last cUp they sung the remainder { and said over it what they call the blessing of the song, which was Psdm cxlv, 10. They might, if they would, VOL. II. T t «16 St. MATTHEW. mix a fifth cup, and say over it thp great hallel, whick was Psalm cxxxvi. but that they were not obliged to. Gill, in loe. No. 1223 — xxvi. 39. And fell on his face, and prayed."] This gesture was sometimes used by the Jews in prayer, when they were in circumstances of peculiar perplexity. One of their own writers thus describes it : " when they fall upon their faces, they do not stretch out their hands and their feet, but incline on their sides, saying, O my father, abba, father." Gill, in loe. No. 1224. — xxvi. 67. Then did they spit in his face.] This instance of contempt and reproach offered to Christ was at the same time an expression of malice, and a com pliance with custom. The practice has descended to later generations ; for in the year 1 744, when a rebel prisoner was btought before Nadir Shah's general, " the soldiers were ordered to spit In his face, an indignity of great antiquity in the East." Hanway's Travels, vol. i. p. 298. No. 1225. — xxvi. 68. Who is he that-smote thee.] Some learned men have observed that there was a play formerly used, called by the ancients xoMaf (tr^Aor ; at which, one person having his face covered, the rest smote him ; or one put his hands over his eyes, and another smote, or asked him who it was that smote. In this ludicrous way did they use and mock Christ. Gill, in loe. No. 1226.— xxvii. 11. And Jesus stood before the governor.] It was the custom for the judge to sit, and those who were judged to stand, especially whilst witness was given against them. The rabbins observe that the witnesses in giving their tes|imony should also stand. Gill, in loe. St. MATTHEW. 317 No. 1227. — ^xxvii. 24. He took water, and washed his hands before the multitude.] This was in conformity to a custom among the Jews, whereby they testified their innocence as to the commission of murther, Deut. xxi. 6, 7. Psalm xxvi. 6. or to a Gentile one used when murder was committed, for the lustration or expiation of it, (Ovid Fast. 1, 2.) No. 1228. — xxvii. 24. He took water, and washed his hdnds, before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person.] There are two ways in which Pilate is said to have given testimony to the innocence of the lifif, and the reality of the death of Jesus Christ. First by an express written to Tiberius ; and by him presented to the senate ; and also by records written on tables of all things of moment which occurred during his government. These proceedings were agree able to a general custom, whereby all the governors of the provinces gave an account to the emperor of aU such passages as were most remarkable, (Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib, ii, c, 2,) with regard to the written records, itt may be observed that the ancient Romans constantly preserved the remembrance of' all such remarkable things as happened in the city. This was done either in their acta senates, or acta diurna populi, which were diligendy made and kept at Rome. In the same manner the go^vernors of the provinces took care that every thing worthy of notice should be written on public tables, and properly preserved. Agreeably to this custom Pontius Pilate kept the memoirs of the 'Jewish affairs, which were therefore called acta Pilati ; and in which was given a particular account of Christ. To these memorials the primitive Christians appealed in their disputes with the Gentiles, as to a most undoubted testimony. Pearson on the Creed, ip. 198. 8th edit. (See Jones's New Method, vol. ii. p. 404.) 318 St. MATTHEW. No. 1229,r--xxvii. 25. His blood be on us and an mir children.] This imprecation appears to have .been re markably fulfilled in the circumstances connected with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. A strong cor respondence may be traced between their sin and their punishment. " They put Jesus to death, when the nation was assembled to" celebrate the passover: and when the nation too was assembled to celebrate the pass- over, Titus shut thera up within the walls of Jerusalem. The rejection ofthe true Messiah was their crime : and the following of false Messiahs to their destruption was their punishment. They sold and bought Jesus as a slave : and they themselves were afterwards sold and bought as slaves at the lowest prices. They preferred a robber and murderer to Jesus, whom they crucified between two thieves : and they theraselves were after wards infested with bands of thieves and robbers. They put Jesus to death, lest the Roraans should come and take away their place and nation : and the Romans did come and take away their place and nation. They crucified Jesus before the walls of Jerusalem: and before the walls of Jerusale'm they themselves were crucified in such numbers, that it is said room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses for the bodies." Newton on the Prophecies, vol. ii. p. 354. No. 1230. — 'Xxvii. 31. And led him away to crucify him.] Capital punishments both among the Jews and Romans were inflicted without their cities. This was particularly observed in the crucifixion of malefactors. Crecjo ego isthuc, exteraplo tibi Esse eundum aotutuiji extra urbem dispessis manibus, Patibulum cum liabebis. Plautus. Cum Mamertini more atque inst-ituto suo crucem flxissent post urbetn in via Pompeii. Tull. *" St, MATTHEW. 319 No. 1231. — xxvii. 35. And parted his garments,] They stripped Christ of his clothes before they fixed him to the cross, and crucified him naked, as was the custom of the Romans. (Lipsius de Cruce, lib. ii. c. 7.) No. 1232. — xxvii. SB.yAnd sitting down they rvatched him there.] It was usual with the Romans to set a soldier, or soldiers, to watch those who were crucified, not only before they expired, but after they were dead, lest they shoidd be taken down and buried. (Lipsius de Cruce, I. ii. c. 16.) No. 1233. — xxvii. 53. And went into the holy city,] " The Orientals never called Jerusalem by any other narae than El-kods, the holy ; soraetiraes adding the epithet El-sherif, the noble. This word El-kods seems to me the etymological origin of all the Cassiuses of anticjuity, which, like Jerusalem, were high-places ; and had temples and holy places erected on them." Volney, vol, ii. p. 304. No. 1234. — xxvii. 60. And laid it in his own, nex» tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock : and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre.] The Jews distinguish between a new grave and an old one. " A new grave raay be measured, and sold, and divided: an old one may not be measured, nor sold, nor divided." The sepulchres were not only made in rocks, but had doors to go in and out at: these doors were fastened with a large and broad stone rolled against them. It was at the shutting up of the sepulchre with this stone that mourning began : and after it was shut with this sepul chral stone, it was not lawful to open it. [ 320 ] No. 1235 — St^ mark v. 38. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the syna-' gogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. The assembling together of multitudes to the place where persons have lately expired, and bewailing or them in a noisy manner, is a custom still retained in the East, and seems to be considered as an honour done to the deceased. Chardin, MS, informs us that the con course in plaqes where persons lie dead is incredible. Every body runs thither, the poor and the rich ; and the first more especially make a strange noise. Harmer, vol, ii. p, 135. No. 1236. — vi. 56. They laid the sick in the streets^ Max'iTtms. Tyrius tells us_, (in his fortieth Dissertation, pi 477.) that the medical art, as reported, had its rise from the custom of placing sick persons on the side of frequented ways, that so those who passed along, in quiring into the nature of their complaint, might com municate the knowledge of what had been to themselves useful in the like case. No. 1237. — ^vii. 3, Except they wash their hands oft.] Eav /xn muyim n-\i'im(ii,i, except they xvashed with their fist. Theophylact translates v it unless they washed up to their elbow, affirming that irvyij,n denotes the whole of th^ arm from the bending to the ends of the fingers. But this sense of the word is altogether unusual ; for TOiy/*" properly is the hand, with the fingers contracted into thc'palm and made round. Theophylact's translation, however, exhibits the evangelist's meaning. For the St. mark. 321 Jews when they washed held up their hands, and con tracting their fingers, received the water that was poured on them by their servants,, (who had it for a part of their office, 2 Kings ill. 11.) till it ran down their arm^, which they washed up to their elbows. Macknight's Harmony, vol. ii. p. 352. No. 1238. — vii. 5. But eat bread with unwashen hands.] Amongst the ridiculous superstitions of the Jews, it is curious to mark the rule which they estab lished conceming eating with their hands washed or not washed. Bread might not be eaten unless they had first washed their hands, but they were allowed to eat dry fruits with unwashen hands. This circumstance should be particularly noticed, as bread is emphaticaUy mentioned by the Evangelist. See Wootton's Miscell, vol. i. p. 166, No.- 1239.— ix. 43. Into the fire that never shall be quenched,] This is a periplu-asis of heU, and is an al lusion to the valley of Hinnom, from whence hell has its name here and elsewhere, Kimchi (on Psalm xxvii. 13.) says " that it was a place in the land near to Jeru salem, and was a place contemptible ; where they cast things defiled and carcasses ; and there was there a con tinual fire to bum polluted things and bones ; and there fore the condemnation of the wicked in a parabolical way is called Gehinnom," No. 1240. — X. 12. If a woman shall put away her husband,] This practice of divorcing the husband, up-"" warranted by the law, had been (as Josephus informs us) introduced by Salome, sister of Herod the Great, wtio sent a bill of divorce to her husband Costobarus ; which bad example was afterwards followed by Hero- dias and others. By law it was the husband's prero- 32« St mark, gative to dissolve the marriage. The wife could do no thing by herself. When he thought fit to dissolve it, her consent was not necessary. The bill of divorce which she received was to serve as evidence for her that she had not deserted her husband, but was dismissed by him, and consequently free. Campbell's Translation of the Gospels, note. No. 1241 — xiii. 35. Or at the cock-crowing.] The ancients divided the night into different Watches ; the last of which was called cock-crow ; wherefore they kept a cock in their tirit, or towers, to give notice of the dawn. Hence this bird was sacred to the sun, and named axexIw^, which seems to be a compound out of the titles of that deity, and of the tower set apart for his service ; for these towers were temples, Holwell's Mythological Diet, p, 16. . No. 1242, — xiv. 15. A large upper room furnished and prepared/] The English word whieh corrles nearest the import of tr^aiitvov is carpeted: but when the term is used, as here, of a dining room, it Is not meant only of the floor, but of the couches on which the guests reclined at meals. On these they used^ for the sake both of neatness and of convenience, to spread a coverlet or carpet. As this was commonly the last thing they did in dressing the room. It may not improperly be employed to denote the whole. Campbell's Translation of the.Gospels, note. No." 1 243.-— xiv. 61 . The high-priest asked him, and said unto Mm, Art thou the Christ, the son of the blessed?] It is observable that the peculiar attribute of deity is here used to express the divine nature. Sri- preme happiness is properly considered as belonging to God : and as idl comfort flows from him, suitable St. mark. 323 ascriptions of praise and glory are his due. But this form of speech was conformable to the ancient custom of the Jews, • who, when the priest in the sanctuary rehearsed the name of God, used to answer, " Blessed be his name'for ever," The title of the blessed one in their language signified as much as the holy one ; and both, or cither of them, the God of Israel, Hence such expressions are very frequent in the rabbins. See also Rom. i. 25. 2 Cor. xi. 31. No. 1244. — xvi. 1. Had bought ^sweet spices, that they might come atid anoint Mm,] This was the practice of the Jews : hence we read of the spices of the dead. It was one of the things that was customary in Israel to perform to the dead. Maimonides observes, that they anoint them with various sorts of spices. Gill, in loe, y No. 1245. — xvi. 5. And entering into the sepulchre.] The sepulchres of the Jews were made so large that persons might go into them : the rule for raaking them is this : " he that Sells ground to his neighbour to make a burying-place must mal^e a court at the mouth of the cave, six by six, according to the bier, and those that bury." It was into this court that the women entered. Here they could look into the sepulchre and the several graves in it, and see what were in them. VOL. II. u u [ 324 ] N