ground. Le Clerc also says, that it seems to have been the manner of the 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 loc.) 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 consistent 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 elsewhere 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

was negligent of his apparel, and that it was not changed.

This was also the custom of the Persians.

mourned forty days

They

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 should I fast? Can I bring him back again?] Maimonides 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. it were a year old, then it was carried out upon a bed. This custom Gierus thinks that David followed, in making 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.

was

If

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 common both to the Hebrews and the Greeks. Job ii. 12. They rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled 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 ashes on his hoary head.

Odyss. xxiv. 369. POPE.

And of Achilles :

His purple garments, and his golden hairs,

Those he deforms in dust, and these he tears. Iliad xviii.

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 had with the king of Persia, in which he expressed 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 Persia 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 knowledge 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 weighed 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 of the guard which 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

of the rays of the sun upon it. These circumstances may in some measure account for the great weight of Absalom's hair. PATRICK, in loc.

No. 860.-xv. 30. And had his head 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 of very rich materials, and ornamented with jewels, gold, and silver. When any great 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 Bynæus de Calceis Hebræor. 1. 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

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 thou think thyself too weak, to acknowledge thy master, by presenting him with earth and water?" ROLLIN, Anc. Hist. vol. iii. p. 31. See also Oriental Customs, No. 100.

No. 863.-xvii. 17. And a wench went out and told them.] In the East the washing of foul linen is performed 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 thrown 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 of the Levant, p. 339.) tells us, that its chief manufacture is in bardacks, 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 earthen vessels should be presented to David; at least if this were the use for which they were designed.

No. 865.-xvii. 28.

HARMER, vol. ii. p. 12.

Parched corn.] Parched corn

is a kind of food still retained in the East, as Hasselquist