8 Chap. 41. 21, 22. 8 Job 9. 12. Chap. 14. 27. Heb. daughters of the owl. 18 Ezek. 36. 22, &c.

Verse 2. "When thou walkest through the fire," &c.-This allusion, as well as that in verse 25 of the preceding chapter, is probably derived from the dangers attending the Eastern custom of setting the dry herbage on fire in the ground. Any one who has had occasion to observe an extensive conflagration of this nature, extending, as it were in a flood of flame, will feel a great propriety and beauty in the association of dangers arising from it with those from passing through water. Some imagine that there is a reference to the punishment of burning alive; but this appears to us less probable than the other explanation.

24. "Bought me no sweet_cane.”—From this it would appear to have been used in the temple service, and that doubtless as incense. It was probably the Calamus aromaticus, concerning which, see the note on Jer. vi. 20.

YET now hear, 'O Jacob my servant; and his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength Israel, whom I have chosen :

2 Chap. 35. 7. Joel 2. 28. John 7. 3 Chap. 41. 4, and 48. 12. Revel. 1. 8, 17, and 22. 13. 4 Deut. 4. 35. 39, and 32. 39. 1 Sam. 2. 6 Heb, desirable. Psal. 97. 7. Chap. 1.29, and 42. 17, and 45. 16. 12 Heb. daubed. 13 Heb. setteth to his heart.

20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glori

fied himself in Israel.

24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I

am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the "decayed places thereof:

27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, ""Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

15 Heb. wastes. 162 Chron. 36. 22, 23. Ezra 1. 1, &c. Chap. 45. 13.

Verse 5." Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord."-The Septuagint has, "shall write upon his hand, I belong to God." That an inscription upon the hand, not with the hand, is intended, is sufficiently clear. Lowth, and Boothroyd after him, render, "Shall inscribe his hand to Jehovah." From the translation of the Seventy, it appears that they understood it, as Lowth does, as an allusion to the marks rendered indelible by fire, or by staining, upon the hand or some other part of the body, signifying the state or character of the person, and to whom he belonged: the slave was marked with the name of his master; the soldier with that of his commander; the idolater with the name or ensign of his god. It seems that the early Christians imitated this practice; for Procopius in his note on this text says, that "Many marked their wrists or their arms with the sign of the cross, or with the name of Christ." See the notes on Levit. xix. 28, and ch. xlix. 15.

12. "He is hungry...he drinketh no water."-The Rev. J. Williams states that when the South Sea Islanders made an idol, they strictly abstained from food: and although they might be, and were sometimes, three days about the work, no water, and, he believes, no other food, passed their lips all the time. This fact would convey a satisfactory elucidation of an allusion rot easily otherwise explained.

13. "The carpenter stretcheth out his rule," &c.-The particulars in this description of idol-making are more minute than we elsewhere find in the Bible. In many respects it seems so strikingly to agree with the process followed by the Egyptian idol-makers, that we have given three of the numerous representations in Rosellini, copied from Egyptian paintings, and add the following particulars, for which we are indebted principally to Mr. Wilkinson's Materia Hieroglyphica,' printed at Malta, 1828, 1830.

When the Egyptians intended to sculpture, they began by smoothing the surface, and drawing a number of parallel lines at equal distances; at right angles to which were traced other lines forming a series of squares. The size of these squares depended upon the size of the figures to be formed; but whatever was their size, nineteen parts or spaces were always allowed for the height of the human figure. If smaller figures were to be introduced, intermediate lines were 801

VOL. 11.

5 к

then ruled which formed smaller squares, and consequently, a figure of smaller proportion. May not this explain the marking out with a line and with a compass, mentioned in our text?

After the first outlines of the figure had been traced, it was inspected by a master, who wrote, in various parts of it, in hieratic, such observations and instructions as he wished to be attended to by the artists in the progress of the work, and which of course were obliterated as the sculptures were formed. These were the work of other artists, distinct from the draughtsmen ; and the remainder was completed by others, who added the colour, gilding, or polish, and who introduced the minute parts of dress and ornament. To this it may not be amiss to add that the sculptors were not only guided by certain artístical rules, but, in the representations of their gods, were bound to observe certain forms prescribed by the priests, and which it was accounted sacrilege to transgress. The more effectually to accomplish this object, and preclude the intervention of any thing forbidden by the laws in subjects accounted sacred, the profession of an artist was not allowed to be exercised by any common or illiterate person. Indeed. Mr. Wilkinson has shown the probability that they were, in some sort, attached to. and formed a branch of, the priesthood.

These observations apply primarily to working in stone; whereas the text appears to speak of wooden images, overlaid, it would seem, with metal. But the same essential rules appear to have been observed, in the main, whatever were the materials with which the idols were formed. The paintings of Egypt afford very ample illustration of working in wood and the operations of carpenters, from the felling of the tree, and the sawing up of the wood, to the fabrication of various articles of domestic and warlike use. The cuts we have selected, for the purpose of suggesting some ideas as to the instruments and mode of operation among ancient carpenters, appear to exhibit various stages in the fabrication of spears or pikes. Of these the first cut seems the most interesting. As compared with others, it shows that when a beam was to be cut into planks or poles, it was set on end and sawed down perpendicularly, not horizonta.ly

EGYPTIANS CUTTING PLANKS OR POLES.

over a sawpit as by our sawyers. The preceding cut shows the beam as bound with ropes to keep the parts together in the progress of the operation. This is sawed nearly down to the uppermost rope, and the workman is applying another below before he takes that one off. This is shown by a saw which remains in the wood nearly down to the first rope. The other man, who from a common neglect of perspective in Egyptian paintings, seems to be near and chopping at this same beam, is really, as Rosellini observes, engaged in a distinct and independent operation-that of cleaving the piece of wood on which he has planted one of his feet. This figure is chiefly interesting as showing that a hatchet, very similar to our own, was in common use at this very early date. The other two cuts derive any interest they possess from their displaying the manner in which the artizans worked, and some of the tools which they employed. It does not appear that a work-bench was ever used; but that, as at present in the East, the workmen either pursued their labours squatted upon the ground, or else, when necessary, stood up, and rested the article on which they were employed, upon a block or any other convenience that offered.

14. "Cypress."-The word thirzah, occurs here only; and it seems very uncertain what particular tree is intended: but the Arabic root, as well as the purpose to which it was applied, would suggest that it furnished a strong and durable wood. Besides the cypress, the holly, pine, thuja orientalis, and others, have been suggested as alternatives. As we see no certainty in this matter, it may suffice to say that the cypress tree seems to have as strong a claim as any other that has been named.

"Ash."-The word Noren, which our translators have rendered "ash," is by the Seventy translated TITUS, or Larch, which seems to be the tree intended. It is a fast growing tree, and its wood is scented like the cedar of our black of lead pencils. The rapidity of its growth would naturally recommend itself to one who wished to have a god hewn out the tree, which he had himself planted; while the freedom with which any kind of deal burns when kindled rendered it very proper for fuel. The larch, or Pinus lariz, has its delicate leaves in bundles, after the manner of the cedar of Lebanon, the cones are of an elegant form, while every feature has something light about it, though the trees attain a large size. It is a native of warm climates; and produces a kind of Venice turpentine, and the inner portion of the wood gives forth a gum which so nearly resembles gum Arabic, that the experienced can scarcely tell the difference. 24. "Thus saith the Lord," &c.-Here may be considered to begin that magnificent and most definite prophecy which foretells the future existence, the very name, and the principal acts of Cyrus-particularly his victories; the taking of Babylon by him, with various details, fulfilled to the very letter, of the circumstances attending that grand historical event; and the restoration of the captive Hebrews to their own land, under the decree of that renowned conqueror. On that part which relates to the fall of Babylon we shall touch but slightly at present, reserving our remarks for the parallel prophecies in Jeremiah.

5K 2

803