pomegranates, as we do lemons, in forming their delicious and cooling drinks. The honey of bees, he adds, is very abundant in the land of promise; particularly near Nazareth, where they make their bee-hives, he says, of clay, four feet long, and half a foot in diameter, as in Egypt. Of which they lay ten or twelve, he adds, one on another, on the bare ground; and then build over them a small roof.—Mr. MAUNDREL perceived also in many places of the great saltplain near Jericho, a smell of honey and wax as strong as if he had been in an apiary. And Dr. SHAW tells us, that it is impossible for pulse, wheat, or grain of any kind, to be richer or better tasted, than what is sold at Jerusalem.

2614. [Deut. viii. 8.] The olive-oil of Palestine was not only most abundant, but also, peculiarly excellent; and Hasselquist prefers it even to that of Provence.

Smith's MICHAELIS, vol. iii. p. 137.

the Angelic Sun first (as the earth turns daily towards that sun), and joining itself with that influence come down again in blessings on the obedient; whilst the infernal sphere arising from the disobedient, thrown back upon them from Hades, is next precipitated in curses on their devoted

heads.

2617. [Deut. xi. 10.] In irrigating the oriental gardens and orchards, two menials raise water from a well into a reservoir by a yoke of oxen, working on an inclined plane, extended according to the depth of the well; the head-gardener attended by a boy conducts it from thence, by artificial channels, to each bed of herbs, and every favourite flower. These little conduits being made in the mould, near the borders, require constant attention to remove obstructions, and give a free circulation to the rill, which seldom exceeds a few inches in breadth. This the gardeners sometimes do in a stooping posture with their hands, oftener in au upright position with their feet, and by practice become very expert. FORBES' Oriental Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 241.

2615. [Deut. ix. 18, 19.] The late Dr. JOHN HUNTER, as appears from his own account, retained his senses though the heart had apparently ceased to act. See No. 1272, 1013. See his Life, as prefixed to his Work on the Blood, Inflammation, and Gun-shot Wounds.

2616. [Deut. xi.] Those that obey the LORD have the inner man opened, and receive their governing influence from Puradise; whilst those who disobey have their inner man shut, and their outer man opened under the influence which they receive and appropriate through the medium of Hades. The former is the blessing, the latter the curse, pointed out in this Chapter, as respectively consequent on obedience, aud on disobedience.

When the ceremony of blessing and cursing, here referred to, was realized according to the account we have in Josh. viii. 33; six tribes, representing the spirits in Paradise, stood on Gerizim, to the east of the intervening valley; and the other six tribes, or at least their chiefs, stood also as representing the spirits in Hades, on mount Ebal, to the west. -The reason is obvious: as Paradise is higher than Hades, and as the spiritual atmospheres (like the natural) send up rays ever diverging from the zenith or perpendicular point supposed to stand over any particular place; the heavenly sphere, re turning from the obedient, will in Paradise (whither it arises) necessarily catch the easterly influence of

In the cisterns of Egypt formed for preserving the overflowings of the Nile, there are plugs fixed at the bottom, which are drawn up when the various sorts of pulse, saffron, musk, melons, sugar-canes, &c. there planted in rills, require to be refreshed. On this the water gushing out is conducted from one rill to another by the gardener, who is always ready, as occasion requires, to stop and divert the torrent, by turning the earth against it with his foot, and opening at the same time with his mattock, a new trench to receive it. Dr. SHAW's Trav. p. 408.

2621. [Deut. xi. 24.] The full extent of the land, thus promised, can hardly be said to have been peaceably possessed, during any considerable length of time, by the Israelites as its rightful owners. Reuben indeed, having subjugated the Hagarites, inhabited eastward to the entering in of the wilderness, from the river Euphrates; 1 Chron. v. 9. And Solomon eventually had dominion over all the region on this side the river from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river and he had peace on all sides round about; 1 Kings iv. 24. 2 Chron. ix. 26. But in this

extensive empire, we find Solomon ruling the Gentiles rather than the Israelites in what may be called the Exterior Canaan. For an account of the Interior of that country, as originally settled by the Nine Tribes and a Half, see Josh. xiii xxii.

In the Exterior Canaan, before the Israelites besieged any city, they were strictly commanded to offer terms of peace, Deut. xx. 10. But no peace was to be made with the sinful idolaters in the Interior of the land, Deut. vii. 2, 4: they were to be utterly banished into the Exterior. Thus sin is removed, only from the Internal to the External Man, where it remains to tempt and to humble us.

2622.

-

On the banks of the Euphrates there are crows black and white; and it is observable, says Captain HAMILTON, that the black keep the Arabian side of the river, and the white the Persian; and if any presume to interlope into the others' province, they raise the posse, and drive them back to their own territory.

Pinkerton's Coll. part xxxii. p. 290.

2625. [Dent. xii. 2.] The green tree appropriated by the Brahmins of Hindostan to this kind of worship, is called by some the Indian fig-tree; by others, the Banian-tree, and the war-tree. From its branches stems shoot downwards, and, taking root, produce another tree, whose branches propagate in like manner so that one tree spreads over a large space of ground. To this tree they bring offerings under it they receive unctions, pay their adorations, and celebrate their festivals. See Modern Univer. Hist. vol. vi. p. 600.

2626. [ 2, 3.] The old inhabitants of Canaan, in imitation of their forefathers who had intended to set up a Name or Idol on Babel (Gen. xi. 4), did actually make for themselves Images, the large ones of wood or stoue, the smaller of gold or silver, or covered with gilt; some carved, some molten, some engraved.They called their cities after the name of their gods. Some of their Images stood in their temples; some in groves of growing timber, hung over with costly tents or tabernacles: And where they had high places, which, says HUTCHINSON, I suspect were raised of timber, or part of timber (because some of them were burnt), with altars on their tops, the Images stood on poles, or pillars, on high above the altars; and some on the tops of their towers, it is likely, in imitation of the tower of Babel.

2623. [29.] Gerizim abounds with springs, gardens and orchards, and is covered with a beautiful verdure; while Ebal is as naked and as barren as a rock. Thus, the former was properly adapted for the ceremony of blessing, and the latter for the ceremony of cursing.

Dr. A. CLARKE, on Deut. xxvii. 4.

2627. [ 14.] Throughout the Mosaic history Jerusalem appears highly distinguished as the place where, as early as the days of Abraham, the TRUE GOD had a Priest, to whom the Patriarch presented the tenth part of his spoils, Gen. xiv. 18-20.

See Smith's MICHAELIS, vol. iii. p. 101.

2624. [Deut. xii.] In this Chapter, the blood or the wine denotes the interior influence from the Infinite Human, as it comes to the spiritual-minded out of the Grand Man of Heaven; the flesh, or the sacrificial bread, denotes the external influence from the finite angelic Human, as it descends from the same Grand Man on the external-minded, the people at a distance from the Holy Place, in the gates of moral justice. Consider here the nature and quality of a proselyte of the gate.

2628. [

- 15.] All others of the deer-kind are inconstant in their affection: but the roe-buck never leaves it mate; and as they have been generally bred up together, from their first fawning, they conceive so strong an attachinent, that they never after separate.

GOLDSMITH'S Hist. of the Earth, &c. vol.iii. p. 134. The roe buck and the hart.]- Raisins are of two sorts. See Lev. i. 14-17. —The flesh of the Golden Galician grape is hard, but of a tolerable flavor.

SPEECHLY, on the Vine, p. 7.

2629. [Deut. xii. 27.] In a sacrifice found at Narbonne, a vase is seen with a handle, out of which they are pouring WINE into a patera; which vase exactly resembles what Antiquaries call the præfericulum.

See No. 824, 781, 2087.

Archæologia, vol. xiv. p. 25.

2635. [Deut. xiv.] In this Chapter we are taught, that the influences from good societies, exhibited in Paradise, may be received by men on earth; whilst the influences from unclean animal-appearing societies in Hades, are not to be received.

2630. [Deut. xiii. 1. And he give thee a sign] That is, by natural means. Thus BEAULIEU, in the account of his expedition to the East Indies, tells us that at Table Bay they had a severe storm from the north-east, which, says he, we foresaw the night before. Under the wind there appeared a great black cloud, in the centre of which we observed what the Portuguese call the ox-eye, which is generally esteemed the harbinger of a storm."

MAVOR, vol. ii. p. 216.

For the dead] That is, in the opinion of CALMET, in reverence of the dead idols. This is consistent with the preceding words, "ye are the children of the LORD your God;"―ye shall not imitate the votaries of idolatry; for instance, the prophets of Baal, who cut themselves, in their profane rites, till the blood gushed out upon

them.

This cutting, tearing the flesh, &c. appears to be the practice of most idolaters. MAVOR, in his account of Drake's voyage, tells us that, near a commodious harbour of the Moluccas, the English were apprized by the voices and gestures of the Indians, that they meant to pay them a kind of religious veneration, ascording to the customs of the country. After a long oration delivered by one of the savages, their women first began to tear themselves with their nails and to fall prostrate on the ground, in token of reverence. After Drake had been, as it were, deified by the king and his grandees, the common people tore their flesh in such a Had affect the feelings of the English. 'pare her nails" been a proper translation in chap. xxi. 12 of this Book, we might have supposed that the alluded to, being idolaters, had suffered their nails to grow to an exorbitant length, for purposes similar to the above; and that, as upon marrying the Israelites, they were required to worship only the one living and true God, they were not henceforth to bear any symptoms cf idolatrous practices,not even to the Manes of their dead.

manner as

to

-

women

-

Where every debtor is thus generally in possession of land ; where his person, his wife, and his child, may, in cases of non-payment, be brought to sale; and where justice is expeditious, and costs the creditor nothing; - there and there alone, may the law venture to exhort to the duty of lending, and brand with the stigma of baseness, the unfeeling man, who withholds from his brother when in need of his aid, a loan, which he might grant him with perfect security, and without the smallest risk. Ibid. p. 352.

2646. [Deut. xv. 7, 8.] Ye modern Jews! brethren according to the flesh! see here, how your fathers who were believers lived contentedly, and happily, on the plentiful increase that God made their land produce; they neither traded nor sought for other people's lands, nor labors; much less did they live on usury and fraud.

HUTCHINSON.

2649. [Deut. xvi. 13. Feast of Tabernacles] In Aleppo at this feast, the booths or tabernacles of the Jews are variously constructed, and disposed in different situations, according to the size and other conveniences of the house. They are sometimes placed ou the small terraces in front of the upper rooms; but most commonly in the court-yards: sometimes on the flat tops of houses. The ordinary method of building them is by fastening to the corners of a wooden divan four slender erect posts; which serve to support on all sides a reticulated work of green reeds; a smail place only in the front being left for the entrance. This work on the outside is covered with fresh myrtle; and is hung on the in-side with chintz or burdet hangings. The roof is thatched with reeds not stripped of their leaves and the

best cushions and carpets are employed to dress the divan. These divans have the advantage of being easily moved; and two or more may be joined together. In some of the principal houses a permanent wooden kiask, built on a stone mustaby, in the middle of the court, is made to serve the purpose; which, being already latticed, is easily covered with reeds and myrtle-branches. There is still another method used, in order to avoid the litter of withered leaves. This is by erecting a temporary booth, cousisting of slight posts papered over, and wreathed from top to bottom with flakes of cotton: hangings supply the place of walls; and the whole is roofed with mats.

RUSSEL'S Aleppo, vol. ii. p. 69.

2651. [16.] About Sidon, and at the foot of mount Lebanus, they gather a triple produce from the same vine every year; that is, they have three vintages in one year. In March, after the vine has produced the first clusters, they cut away from the fruit that wood which is barren. (BORCHARD, Exactissim. Descript. Terræ Sanct. in nov. Orb. p. 332.) — Grapes ripen (again) at Algiers, and in the empire of Morocco, about the end of July; yet the (second) vintage, as Shaw informs us, does not take place till September, with which account Borchard agrees, Korte has observed, that the grapes are then ripe about Aleppo, notwithstanding which they remain on the vines until November.

2654. [Deut. xvii. 7.] This legal custom, in which the accusing witness laid his hand on the head of the criminal, will give an appropriate and merciful turn to many expressions of Scripture that, improperly understood, appear to be ferocious and bloody.

See Lev. i. 4. xvi. 21. Gen. xxii. 12. Neh. xiii. 21. Esth. ii. 21. iii. 6. ix. 2. Matt. xxi. 46. Luke xx. 19. xxi. 12. 1 Tim. v. 22.

2655. [- 16.] Absalom was the first who introduced horses into Israel; previously, the kings used to ride on mules, and the greatest nobles on asses.

Solomon was the first that brought chariots and horses into use in Israel: these he sent for out of Egypt, obliging several neighbouring kings to pay him six hundred shekels for every chariot aud four horses, and a hundred and fifty for every single horse.

Univer. Hist. vol. iii, pp. 532, 554. According to an estimate published in the year 1800, the number of horses in England and Wales only, amounted to 1,750,000; besides colts. It was said moreover, that these horses and colts would consume the produce of 7,500,000 acres of land; an extent of territory adequate to support more than half the inhabitants of the two countries.

2656.

Arabia and Syria had in autient times no breed of horses. The Phoenician and Syrian kings had their horses from Egypt, and that through Palestine; so that when they sustained any great loss in horses, it was not easily repaired; especially as Egypt of old had no maritime commerce; and, at any rate, the transporting of horses by sea is difficult and expensive.

A great deal of land that might be applied to the production of human food is requisite for the maintenance of horses in every country and in England, this is a subject of perpetual complaint, the high price of corn being ascribed to the immense number of superfluous horses.

Dr. JARROLD, Month. Mag. for July, 1814, p. 487.

At Constantinople, three thousand are continually kept for the Sultan, besides a