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DOMESTIC AND ORNAMENTAL VESSELS OF THE EGYPTIANS, COLLECTED FROM VARIOUS EGYPTIAN SCULPTURES.

their horses involved. The same course was adopted by the Romans towards elephants, which they killed,-because, on the one hand, they had no desire themselves to obtain the assistance of such auxiliaries, and knew, on the other, that these creatures were sometimes dangerous to the troops in which they were employed.

To "hough" a horse is to "hamstring" it; that is, to cut its thigh-sinew. Michaelis, who has devoted an article to this subject, and to whom we acknowledge great obligation for various illustrative information about horses, observes, that most expositors, from ignorance of military affairs and of the veterinary art, suppose the command in Jesh. xi. to mean, not that the horses should be killed, but merely lamed in the hind legs, and then let go. But, as he observes, "a horse so treated, must, instead of running off, fall instantly back, and writhe about miserably till he die; which generally happens from loss of blood, from the severance of the artery of the thigh. The hamstringing can be done in an instant, and the animals generally bleed to death; and if they should survive, the wound never heals; so that if even the enemy recover them alive, he is ultimately obliged to destroy them." He adds, that he does not see the superior humanity of the supposed intention to lame the horses without putting them to death. The permanent laming of a horse that would still live, would rather have been extreme cruelty; for being then useless, no one would be Likely to care for it, or supply it with food.

But

10. "Vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass."—If what Denon says be true, that the arts of other nations are only spoils of those of the Egyptians, it will be right to consider that the vases and other vessels, whether of pottery or metal, in use among that most ingenious people, furnished the models for the style, fashion, and material of those possessed by, at least, their more immediate neighbours-including the Hebrews, Syrians, and others. We bare therefore given a small collection of Egyptian vessels; and our conviction that they may be taken as examples of some of the vessels mentioned in Scripture, is founded on stronger reasons than the alleged derivation of all the arts from Eypt-and that is, on their ancient universality and their existing prevalence. Wherever they originated, certain it , that we everywhere recognise the same essential forms in the ancient vases and domestic vessels. The Greek vases do not more certainly resemble those of Egypt, from which they are confessedly derived, than do those of ancient Persia and Babylonia. But then, also, they are modern European and modern Oriental. We may well derive the former from the Egyptians, or indirectly from the Greeks, and we see them preserved, more or less, in our water Fachers, jars, ewers, bowls, ale and wine glasses, goblets, flower-glasses, tea-pots, and many other examples. then again we recognise the same forms—or at least many of them-in China, India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria— everywhere in the East. In Bagdad, or in any other town in that most ancient of historical regions in which Bagdad situated, we see in the shop of an ordinary potter a variety of forms of common vessels, which we do not hesitate at te to recognise as "classical," or as "Egyptian." If we dig in the neighbouring primitive soil of Babylonia, or Chaldea, or the "plain of Shinar," we there find precisely the same forms as are exhibited in the shop of the potter, whose wares we hesitate any longer to call classical or Egyptian. They are universal: and therefore they are Exptian, and Syrian, and Hebrew: although of course, we must make some allowance for occasional peculiarities, esulting from the individual wants or tastes of a particular nation. Now, of these ancient universal forms, the remains of Egypt certainly furnish the most complete and various specimens ; and it is almost impossible to be much mistaken E referring to them for the purpose of Scriptural illustration: it being only necessary to recollect that in such specimes we sometimes discover a tendency to the grotesque in style and ornament, which we may reject as a general Lastration, regarding it as a peculiarity of Egyptian taste.

Concerning the paintings of Egyptian metallic vases, the following is the observation of the author of Egyptian Atiquities in the Library of Entertaining Knowledge:'-“ The art of working in the precious metals, such as the making of golden ornaments on gold vases of large size and beautiful workmanship, might be inferred from a variety «l incidental notices in ancient writers, but is confirmed by the representations given in Rosellini. Here we see numerous vases, painted yellow, which no doubt is intended to represent gold. Many of these, though exceedingly grotesque in some of their details, are often very finely formed, and indicate not only a high state of manual skill, but mach taste and imagination. Other plates in the same work contain drawings of a great variety of vases and vessels, some of which, for the lightness and beauty of their form, are not to be surpassed by any specimens of ancient or modem art." (Vol. ii. p. 329.)

13. “Valley of Salt."-See 1 Kings xiv. 7. Not the Syrians, as here, but the Edomites, are always mentioned in connection with this valley. That the Edomites are intended is evident from the following verse, and is clearly expressed in 1 Chron. xviii. 12, where we doubtless have the correct reading.

18. "Cherethites... Pelethites.”—See 1 Chron. xviii. 17. In the notes on the same chapter will be found some remarks on other particulars mentioned in this chapter.

CHAPTER IX.

1 David by Ziba sendeth for Mephibosheth. 7 For Jonathan's suke he entertaineth him at his table, and restoreth him all that was Saul's. 9 He maketh Ziba his farmer.

AND David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew tim kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king sad unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is 'lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

5¶Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto

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David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. | shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's And David said, Mephibosheth. And he have food to eat: but Mephibosheth answered, Behold thy servant! thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

7¶ And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

9¶ Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou

11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Verse 11. "He shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons."-The general reader may be perplexed to know why, when David intended Mephibosheth to eat at his own table, he yet directed Ziba to bring to Jerusalem the produce of his estate, that he might have food to eat (verse 10). The fact seems to be, that David by no means intended that Mephibosheth, or any one else, should eat constantly with him; but only that he should have a right to the honourable distinction of a place at his table, on those public occasions and festivals when the king was accustomed to dine with the princes of his own family, and, perhaps, with the chief officers of state. This is still customary in the East; where the king usually eats alone, but on certain occasions admits his relations and great functionaries to his table. This is a very great privilege; but of course, it does not affect the favoured person's ordinary means of subsistence. The situation of Jonathan's son in David's court seems to have been analogous to that of David himself in the court of Saul. He, as the king's son-in-law, had an assigned place at the royal table, but was not expected to occupy it till the new moon. (See the note on 1 Sam. xxv. 5.)

CHAPTER X.

1 David's messengers, sent to comfort Hanun the son of Nahash, are villainously entreated. 6 The Ammonites, strengthened by the Syrians, are overcome by Joab and Abishai. 15 Shobach, making a new supply of the Syrians at Helam, is slain by David.

AND it came to pass after this, that the 'king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then

return.

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men.

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came 8 And the children of Ammon came out, into the land of the children of Ammon. and put the battle in array at the entering 3 And the princes of the children of Am-in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and mon said unto Hanun their lord, "Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that ne hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the mid lle, even to their buttocks, and sent

them away.

of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

11 And he said, If the Syrians be too 5 When they told it unto David, he sent strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but

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if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians and they fled before him.

14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem. 15 ¶ And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and

they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any

more.

Verse 4. "Shaved off the one half of their beards."-The shame of the men, and the indignation of David, clearly demonstrate that scarcely any indignity could exceed that with which the king of Israel's ambassadors were treated by Hanun. So it would now be considered, in those nations of the East by which the beard is cherished. It is not our purpose to inquire into the source of that tenderness and respect with which this appendage of the human face is regarded among nations which have scarcely any other feeling in common; but we shall merely state a few facts which seem to illustrate the force of the present narrative. Some parts of the subject have already been touched upon in diferent notes, and we may refer those who desire further information to the article Beards,' in the Penny Cyclopedia, and to two papers, one on 'Beards,' and the other on 'Shaving,' in Nos. 158 and 161 of the 'Penny Ma

Cazine.'

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All the feelings concerning the beard which the Scriptures indicate, are no where more strongly manifested than among the Arabs. D'Arvieux, who has devoted a chapter to the exposition of their sentiments on this subject, correctly states, that the Arabs have such a respect for the beard, that they look upon it as a sacred ornament, which God has given to men to distinguish them from women. They never shave it, but let it grow from their very youth. There 180 greater mark of infamy among them than that of shaving it. They regard it indeed as an essential part of their region, under the belief that Mohammed was never shaven. It is also the badge of a free man, and a shaven face is the brand of a slave. In this impression the Turks concurred when D'Arvieux wrote; but since his time great alteratns have in this respect taken place among them. It was well, if they thought nothing worse of a shaven European, than that he was a runaway slave, of whom his own country was ashamed. Under this view, well might the ambassadors of David be overwhelmed with shame at the insult and degradation they had received. The Arabs, in short, regard the beard as the perfection and completion of man's countenance, which they believe to be infinitely less disfigured by the loss of the nose than by that of the beard. "It is," adds the accurate observer, to whose remarks we are indebted,-"it is a greater mark of infamy in Arabia to cut a man's beard off, than it is with us to whip a fellow at the cart's tail, or to burn him in the hand. Many people in that country would far rather die than incur that punishment. I saw an Arab who had received a musket shot in the jaw, and who determined rather to perish than allow the surgeon to cut his beard off to dress his wound. His resolution was at length overcome; but not until the wound was beginning to gangrene. He never allowed himself to be seen while his beard was off; and when at last got abroad, he went always with his face covered with a black veil, that he might not be seen without a beard ; and this he did till his heard had again grown to a respectable length."

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More lately, the Wahabee chief, Saoud, acted upon this respect for the beard, in his punishment of grave offences, committed by persons of consideration. The loss of the beard was the severest punishment he ever inflicted; and it Was considered far less tolerable than death itself, by those who had to endure it. Burckhardt, in his Materials for History of the Wahabys,' relates an anecdote which strongly illustrates the force of Arabian feeling on this point:Saoud had long been desirous to purchase the mare of a sheikh belonging to the tribe of Beni-Shammar, but the wer refused to sell her for any sum of money. At this time, a sheikh of the Kahtan Arabs had been sentenced to lose his beard for some offence. When the barber produced his razor in the presence of Saoud, the sheikh exclaimed, O Saoud, take the mare of the Shammary as a ransom for my beard! The punishment was remitted; the sheikh was allowed to go and bargain for the mare, which cost him 2500 dollars, the owner declaring that no consideration could have induced him to part with her, had it not been to save the beard of a noble Kahtany." The same traveller serves, that the Arabs who had the misfortune to incur this disgrace, invariably concealed themselves from view ntil their beards grew again. Numerous other examples of respect for the beard, and the disgrace of losing it, might be adduced; but the above will perhaps be considered to convey an adequate illustration of the present text.

6. "Sent and hired the Syrians."—The events of this war being more precisely stated in 1 Chron. xix., we reserve for that chapter such remarks as the narrative seems to require.

CHAPTER XI.

26

18 Joab sendeth the
David taketh Bath-

12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here. to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

go into mine house, to cat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as 1 While Joab besieged Rabbah, David committeth thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. adultery with Bath-sheba. 6 Uriah, sent for by David to cover the adultery, would not go home neither sober nor drunken. 14 He carrieth to Joab the letter of his death. news thereof to David. sheba to wife. AND it came to pass, 'after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2¶ And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was 'purified from her uncleanness and she returned unto her house.

5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 6 ¶ And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him 'how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there "followed him a mess of meat from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?

11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then

13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

14 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men

were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

21 Who smote 'Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.

24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

1 Heb. at the return of the year. 21 Chron. 20. 1. Or, and when she had purified herself, &c. she returned. 5 Heb. of the peace of, &c, leb. went out after him. 7 Heb. strong. 8 Heb. from after him.

4 Levit. 15. 19. and 18. 19. 9 Judges 9. 53,

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