539. [Gen. xxi. 30.] The number of these wells throughout the East, provided by benevolent individuals, is owing, says Dr. CHANDLER, "to the nature of the country and the climate. The soil, parched and thirsty, demands moisture to aid vegetation; and a cloudless sun, which inflames the air, requires for the people the verdure, shade and coolness, its agreeable attendants. Hence they occur not only in the towns and villages, but in the fields and gardens, and by the sides of the roads and of the beaten tracks on the mountains. Many of them are the useful donations of humane persons, while living, or have been bequeathed as legacies on their decease. The Turks esteem the erecting them as meritorious, and seldom go away, after performing their ablutions or drinking, without gratefully blessing the name and memory of the founder."

540. [Gen. xxix. 3.] The argali, or wild sheep, from the country in which it is found, it is certain, does not drink. Mr. Pallas says of it ;-" This animal lives desert mounupon tains, which are dry, and without wood, and upon rocks, where there are many bitter and acrid plants.”

Dr. LAMBE's Additional Reports on
Regimen, p. 267.

541, [Gen. xxix. 10.] To succour the Langobritæ, Sertorius got together two thousand skins, and filled them with water; ordering all useless persons out of the town, that the water might be fully sufficient for the rest during the whole course of the siege.

See PLUTARCH's Lives, vol. iii. p. 250.

542. [Gen. xxix. 3.] The wonen in Persia go in troops to draw water for the place. I have seen the elder ones sitting and chatting at the well, and spinning the coarse cotton of the country, while the young girls filled the skins which contain the water, and which they all carry on their backs into the Town.

MORIER'S Embassy to Persia.

543. [Gen. xxiv. 13.] At the fountain of Belgrad, which Lady Montague has so picturesquely described, it is amusing to see the Greek females, on a feast day, assembled to draw water, habited in their gayest attire. The form of the amphora, or pitcher with double handles, and the whole attitude produced by their manner of bearing it on their shoulders, are strong vestiges of the antique. Their dances with garlands, and their rude music of the lyre, Zamboona, and meskale, transmit the customs of the most distant ages to our own days.

wash their clothes in the tanks, and gather the flowers of the nymphea, for their innocent sacrifice at the dewal, and its foliage for plates and dishes; which are renewed every meal from the lotos, or some other vegetable with a large leaf. Gen. xxiv. 13. Exod. ii. 16. FORBES' Orient. Memoirs, John iv. 6. Mark xiv. 12-15. vol. i. p. 191.

Rebekah and Rachel probably came thus to draw water, in a religious capacity, for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord. See Josh. ix. 27.

544. [Gen. xxix. 6.] Rachel in Hebrew signifies a sheep. It was antiently the custom to give names even to families from cattle, both great and small. So Varro tells us (lib. ii. de re rusticá, c. 1.), Multa nomina habemus ab utroque pecore, &c. a minore, Porcius, Ovilius, Caprilius; a majore, Equitius, Taurus, &c. See Bochart, p. i. Hieroz. lib. ii. cap. 43. BUrder.

JACOB AND RACHEL.

545. [Gen. xxix. 17, 18.] Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved her; and said to Laban, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

Grace was in all her steps, Heaven in her eye;
In ev'ry gesture, dignity and Love.

546. [Gen. xxix. 22.] In the earliest ages, marriage was considered as an important transaction, and feasts were instituted at its celebration; which feasts, we have reason to believe, were frequently the whole of the ceremony: they served to make the contract public; and were in place of those writings, which in our times ascertain the rights and privileges of the parties.-The Rabbies inform us, that this feasting when the bride was a widow, lasted only three days, but seven if she was a virgin.

547.

Dr. W. ALEXANDER'S Hist. of Women, vol. ii. pp. 192, 196.

The Nuptial Rites of the modern Jews are extremely simple and significant, and probably of great antiquity. The Bride and Bridegroom are placed under a canopy, each of them covered with a black veil. The Rabbin of the place, the Chanter of the Synagogue, or the husband's nearest relation, takes a cup of wine and having pronounced this Benediction, "Blessed be thou who hast created Man and Woman, and hast ordained marriage, &c." presents the Cup to the Bridegroom, and then to the Bride, who just taste the liquor. The Bridegroom afterwards puts a ring upon the Bride's finger, in the presence of two witnesses, saying, "By

this ring thou art my spouse, according to the custom of Moses, and the children of Israel." They then read the contract of marriage, which the Bridegroom puts into the hands of the Bride's Relations: afterwards they rehearse six Blessings; the married couple drink wine, and the vessel is thrown with violence against the floor, and broken to pieces. In some places they throw handfuls of wheat upon the married couple, saying, "Increase and multiply."

LEO of Modena's Ceremonies of the Jews, p. 4.

548. [Gen. xxix. 26.] In the East, they are constant in all things the habits are at this day in the same manner, as in the precedent ages; so that one may reasonably believe, that in that part of the world, the exterior forms of things (as their manners and customs) are the same now, as they were two thousand years since; except in such changes as may have been introduced by religion, which are nevertheless, very inconsiderable.

Sir JOHN CHARDIN's Preface to
Trav. in Persia, p. vi.

552. [Gen. xxiv. 67.] In Africa the houses, or tents, in which the women live, are interdicted to all men except their husbands; and if any of these are so poor as not to have a separate tent, or hut, for their wives, they will sooner receive their visitors, or transact any business without, in the open air, than suffer them to come in, unless it be a parent, or very near relation.

Modern Univer. Hist. vol. xiv. p. 44.

555. [Gen. xxix. 26.] In the Gentoo Laws, it is made equally criminal for a man to give his younger daughter in marriage before the elder; and for a younger son to marry while his elder brother remains unmarried. HALHED'S Preface, p. 69.

556. [Gen. xxix. 27.] In Guinea, those who are rich have in the house two women perpetually exempt from labor. One is properly the wife; the other is she who is consecrated to These Bossums are their God, and thence called Bossum. slaves, bought with design to be consecrated to their God, and therefore always the most handsome that can be selected. See BOSMAN'S Guinea, p. 420.Pinkerton's Coll. part Ixvi.

557. [Gen. xxx. 16.] D'ARVIEUX, in his Travels (part i. p. 65. of quarto edit. 1711), says, that among the Mahometans there are three sorts of wives (we should read women), married, hired, and bought.

558. [Gen. xxix. 24.] CHARDIN observes that none but very poor people 'in the East, give a daughter in marriage, without giving her a female slave for a handmaid, there being no hired servants there as in Europe. Sec Prov. xii. 9.

559. [Gen. xxix. 24, 29.] What a father gave his daughter, in the way of marriage establishment, absolutely belonged to herself as her own property. She might, however, transfer it to her husband, at her own good pleasure. Thus Sarah had a handmaid, Hagar, belonging to herself, whom she gave to Abraham, that she might, as it is expressed, obtain children by her, Gen. xvi. 2, 3.-Rebekah, whose marriage was altogether noble and free from any thing like sale, or traffic, had several companions given her, Gen. xxiv. 61; so that her establishment was on a liberal scale: but we do not find that she gave away any of them to her husband, though she was long married without having children. And even this selfish Laban, who sold his daughters, gave to each of them a maid on her marriage; and that was all they carried from their father's house: to these maids Jacob could not claim the smallest right, till they were given him by Rachel and Leah. See No. 446. SMITH'S Michaelis, vol. i. p. 466.

MANDRAKES.

560 [Gen. xxx. 14.] And Reuben went, in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah.

Dudaim (Hebr.) probably signifies firstfruits such as were used in the Agape, or love-feasts of the Antients-On great festival days the Jews made feasts for their family, the priests, the poor, and orphans; or sent portions to them. By their law, certain sacrifices and first fruits were set apart for this purpose.-On the day of pen tecost, they offered as first-fruits, in the name of all the nation, two loaves, of two assarons (about three pints) of flour each, made of leavened dough.-The first-fruits were of wheat, barley, grapes, figs, apricots, olives, and dates.

CALMET, Art. Agape, and First-fruits.

In Africa, all the harvests of the antient Guanches were celebrated with great solemnity by public festivals.

561.

GOLBERRY'S Trav, by Blagdon, vol. i. p. 52.

When the Teleoutes celebrate their feast of the spring, the kam, or priest, repairs to the fields, where all the males of the community, decently habited, assemble about him He recites a number of prayers, during which the congregation make libations of milk, &c., and scatter parched corn about the ground. This done, he eats and drinks of the offerings, giving a small portion to each person of the assembly, who eat and drink it with great devotion. Historical account of Russia, vol. iii. p. 274.

562. [Gen. xxx. 16.] And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me ;-that is, to eat with me, or lie by me at our festal supper. See Esther v. 12.

Thus Jacob became harvest king, and Leah harvest this queen Whoever had the first-ripe year. wheat and barley, were entitled to this honor. These spiritual or religious marriages of subordinate churchwomen with the high-priest were renewed every seven years. In the first seven years Leah has four sons who religiously belong to Jacob in consequence of her first covenant with him. After he has made a second covenant with her as here recorded, she bears two other sons who equally belong to him with the former. This fact explains all that we read respecting temporary marriages, by purchase, spilling the millet, &c. See Gen. xxxviii. 9.

563. [Cen. xix. 33.] In the East, women lie not at table with the men, except at betrothings, adoptions, or marriages.

JACOB LEAVES LABAN.

[Gen. xxxi. 17, 18.] Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

564. [Gen. xxxi. 18, 21.] When a marraige in Lapland, is consummated, the husband does not carry away his wife, but remains one year with his father-in-law; at the end of which period, he goes to settle himself where he pleases, and carries with him all that belongs to his wife. The presents even which he made to his father-in-law during the courtship are given back, and the parents repay those which have been made them by some rein-deer, according to their ability. PINKERTON'S Coll. of Voy, and Trav. vol. i. p. 166.

573. [Gen. xxxi. 46, 52.] And Jacob said to his brethren, Gather stones: and they took stones, and made a heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban said, This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

Made a heap, gal (Hebr.), a circle, after the manner of the druids.-Where the Persians observe such a large circle of hewn stones, they affirm it to be an indubitable sign, that the Caous making war in Media, had held a council in that place: it being a custom with those people, that every officer who came to the council, brought with him a stone to serve him instead of a chair.

574.

Sir JOHN CHARDIN, p. 371.

The following are the conditions of a peace concluded betwixt the two kings of England and Scotland: -"That Malcolme shall enjoy that part of Northumberland which lieth betwixt Tweed, Cumberland, and Stainmore, and doo homage to the kinge of England for the same. In the midst of Stainmore there shall be a crosse set up, with the king of England's image on the one side, and the king of Scotland's on the other, to signify that one is on his march to England, and the other to Scotland. This crosse was called the Roi-crosse, that is, the crosse of the kinge."

HOLINSHED, Lond. 1808, 4to. v. 280.

The situation of the cross, and the pains taken to defend it, seem to indicate that it was intended for a land-mark of importance.

Originally, people never thought of going to rest, but in their usual clothes; and it continues the practice in many parts of Asia, and other countries where the accommodation of beds is still in an imperfect state.

Sir JOHN SINCLAIR'S Code of Health, vol. i. p. 745,

578. [Gen. xxxii. 31.] Dr. Tissot tells us of a peasant who, having dreamt that a serpent was twisted around his arm, exerted some violent effort to relieve himself from this

supposed enemy, and his arm was for a long time subject to

a violent convulsive motion, which returned three or four times a-day, and sometimes lasted an hour. Dr. ZIMMERMANN.

579. [Gen. xxxii. 26.] Let me go, for the day is breaking; that is, the sphere of Jacob's soul, which had, during the night, assumed within itself an Image of the Christ above, is now constrained to let it go, when the hemisphere of night is now turning from the Sun of Righteousness into the presence of the natural sun. It would seem that the Spiritual Sun and the natural sun are in the opposite hemisphere of our atmosphere in the night between Wednesday and Thursday, and co-incident in what we properly call the Lord's day. This is to be understood of that part of the earth where the Lord's church is successively predominating, as it travels from east to west.

WALTER SCOTT's Rokeby.

ANTIENT MONEY.

580. [Gen. xxxiii. 19.] And Abraham bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. The Hebrew kesitoth signifies lambs, with the figure of which the metal was doubtless stamped, or coined into money.-The primitive race of men being shepherds, and their wealth consisting in their cattle, in which Abraham is said to have been rich; for greater convenience metals were substituted for the commodity itself. It was natural for the representative sign to bear impressed the object which it represented; and thus accordingly the earliest coins were stamped with the figure of an ox, or a sheep, &c. Gen. xxiii. 16. See MAURICE, Indian Antiq. vol. vii. p. 471.

581.

The Antients, before the invention of coin, paid the price of a purchase in cattle; whence it came to pass that, coin being once invented, they stamped it, in allusion to the former practice, with the figure of an ox, a lamb, &c.: and hence came the proverb Boun epi glosses (Grk.)," he has an ox on his tongue." A proverb applied to the Rhetoricians, who had accepted what we call a retaining fee, and were consequently already agreed. Isai. vii, 23,

582.

COWPER'S Homer, Note on Iliad xxi. l. 94.

"The coin of Attica was commonly stamped with the figure of an ox, and this circumstance gave occasion to the phrase frequent among the Greeks, of a thing being worth ten or a hundred oxen.” Lev. iv. 28.

583,

REES' Cyclopædia, Artic. Attica.

That piece of Jewish money, called a Kesita, was, according to the Talmudists, enstamped with the figure of a lamb.

See TALM. in Rosh. Hassanah, fol. 26. a. The Kesitah was, in value, about five farthings or three half-pence. Univer. Hist. vol. ii. p. 409,

584. The word Kesitoth occurs only, in Gen. xxxiii, 19, in Joshua xxiv, 32, and in Job xlii. 11. As from Gen. xvii. 12, 13.-xxiii. 16.—xlii. 16, compared with Acts vii. 16, it appears that money was then and there come into use, the pieces of such money were probably called lambs from the figure of a lamb stamped on each; as a species of Athenian money was called an ox for the same reason, and as we call a piece of gold a Jacobus because the picture of that king is upon it. Family Bible.

585. [Gen. xxiii. 15, 16.] Both among the posterity of Abraham and other nations, wealth was estimated by the number, and quality of cattle; and cattle were the principal instruments of commerce. Thus we read in many places of Homer, of a coat of mail worth a hundred oxen; a caldron worth twenty sheep; a cup or goblet worth twelve lambs, and the like. The words belonging to commerce, or exchange of commodities, in the Greek language, are mostly derived from the names of certain animals, by means of which that exchange was originally carried on. Thus, the word itself which signifies to truck or commute one kind of goods for another, is derived from that which signifies a lamb*; the verb which is translated to sell, comes from the noun, which translated, signifies a colt or young horse+; the Greek word, which in our language is to buy, comes from that which signifies an ass; the term that denotes rent or revenue, and that which signifies a sheep, are of kindred composition and import§. A criminal, according to the magnitude of his guilt, was condemned to pay a fine of four, twelve or a hundred oxen. A wealthy person is called a man of many lambs¶. Two rival brothers are represented in Hesiod, as fighting with each other, about the sheep of their father; that is, contending who should be his heir. HUNTER'S Lectures, page 415.

In Latin also, the word (pecunia) money, it is well known, is derived from a word (pecus) signifying cattle. See LITTLETON's Latin Dictionary.

586. [Gen. xxiii, 16.] There is very great reason to believe that the earliest coins struck were used both as weights and money and indeed, this circumstance is in part proved by the very names of certain of the Greek and Roman coins. Thus the Attic mina and the Roman libra equally signify a pound; and the stater of the Greeks, so called from weighing, is decisive as to this point. The Jewish shekel, was also a weight as well as a coin: three thousand shekels, according to ARBUTHNOT, being equal in weight and value to one talent. -This is the oldest coin of which we any where read; and exhibits direct evidence, says MAURICE, against those who date the first coinage of money so low as the time of Croesus or Darius. See Indian Antiquities, vol. vii, p. 470.

Gen. xxxiii. 19.