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BOOK IV.-DOMESTIC ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS AND OTHER NATIONS, INCIDENTALLY MENTIONED IN THE SCRIPTURES.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE DWELLINGS OF THE JEWS.

THE earliest dwellings of mankind, after they began to multiply, are supposed to have been CAVES: thus Lot and his daughters abode in a cave after the destruction of Sodom: and both ancient and modern travellers attest, that, in some parts of the East, caves have been employed for the purposes of habitation. In succeeding ages, they abode in tents; (Gen. xviii. 4;) and, in progress of time, houses were erected; those of the rich were formed of stone, or bricks, but the dwellings of the poor, were formed of wood, or more frequently of mud, (as they are to this day, in various parts of the East,) a material which is but ill calculated to resist the effects of the impetuous torrents, that descended from the mountains of Palestine. Our Lord alludes to this circumstance at the close of his sermon on the mount. (Matt. vii. 26, 27.) In the East Indies also, nothing is more common than for thieves to dig, or break through these mud walls, while the unsuspecting inhabitants are overcome by sleep, and to plunder them. To similar depredations, Jesus Christ appears to allude, when he exhorts his disciples, not to lay up their treasure where thieves break through and steal. (Matt. vi. 19, 20.) In the holes and chinks of these walls, serpents sometimes concealed themselves. (Amos v. 19.)

The following diagram will convey some idea of the form of an oriental house.

As the style of Architecture and manners of the East have remained unaltered, the description of a modern oriental house will enable us to form a tolerably correct notion of the structure of the Jewish houses. In the East, the streets are usually narrow, the better to shade them from the sun, and sometimes they have a range of shops on each side. If, then, we enter a house from the street, A A, we shall pass through the outer porch, B, into a square court open to the weather. This court, strewed with mats or carpets, is the usual place for receiving large companies at nuptials, circumcisions, and on other occasions. The banquet of Ahasuerus was given in a court of the royal palace; (Esth. i. 5;) and in a court the multitude was assembled to hear the discourse of Jesus Christ, mentioned in Luke v. 19, where it is termed To μerov, (to meson,) the midst. The court is, for the most part, surrounded with a cloister, over which is a gallery, C C C, with a balustrade, or piece of lattice, or carved work, going round it, to prevent accidents and from this cloister, we are led into apartments of the same length as the court. D, is an inner porch, at the entrance into the main building. The gates were always shut, and a servant acted the part of porter. (John xvii. 16, 17. Acts xii. 13.) The roofs were flat, (as they still are,) and were formed of earth, spread evenly along, and rolled very

hard, to exclude the rain; but upon this surface, grass and weeds grow freely, to which there is an allusion in Psal. cxxix. 6. and Isa. xxxvii. 27. These roofs are surrounded by a wall, breast high, to prevent persons from falling through such a defence, or battlement, was required by Deut. xxii. 8. It was this parapet which the men demolished, in order to let the paralytic down into the court, or area of the house. (Mark ii. 4. Luke v. 19.) The back part of the house is allotted to the women: in Arabic it is called the Harem, and in the Old Testament the Palace. Manahem, king of Israel, was assassinated in his harem, or palace. (2 Kings xv. 25.) The harem of Solomon was an inner and separate building. (1 Kings vii. 8. 2 Chron viii. 11.)

The furniture of the oriental dwellings, at least in the earliest ages, was very simple: that of the poorer classes, consisted of but few articles, and those such as were absolutely necessary. Instead of chairs, they sat on mats, or skins; and the same articles on which they laid a mattress, served them instead of bedsteads, while their upper garment served them for a covering. (Exod. xxii. 25, 26. Deut. xxiv. 12.) This circumstance accounts for our Lord's commanding the paralytic to take up his bed and go unto his house. (Matt. ix. 6.) The more opulent had (as those in the East still have) fine carpets, couches, or divans, and sofas, on which they sit, lay, and slept. (2 Kings iv. 10. 2 Sam. xvii. 28.) In later times, their couches were splendid, and the frames inlaid with ivory, (Amos vi. 4,) and the coverlids rich and perfumed. (Prov. vii. 16, 17.) On these sofas, in the latter ages of the Jewish state, (for before the time of Moses, it appears to have been the custom to sit at table, Gen. xliii. 33.) they universally reclined when taking their meals, (Amos vi. 4. Luke vii. 36-38,) resting on their side, with their heads towards the table, so that their feet were accessible to one who came behind the couch.

CHAPTER II.

ON THE DRESS OF THE JEWS.

In the early ages, the dress of mankind was very simple. Skins of animals, furnished the first materials, which, as men increased in numbers and civilization, were exchanged for more costly articles, made of wool and flax, of which they manufactured woollen and linen garments; (Levit. xiii. 47. Prov. xxxi. 13;) afterwards, fine linen and silk, dyed with purple, scarlet, and crimson, became the usual apparel of the more opulent. (2 Sam. i. 24. Prov. xxxi. 22. Luke xvi. 19.) In the more early ages, garments of various colours were in great esteem: such was Joseph's robe, of which his envious brethren stripped him, when they resolved to sell him. (Gen. xxxvii. 23.) The daughters of kings, wore richly embroidered vests. (Psal. xlv. 13, 14.) It appears that the Jewish garments, were worn pretty long; for it is mentioned, as an aggravation of the affront done to David's ambassadors, by the king of Ammon, that he cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks. (2 Sam. x. 4.)

The most simple and ancient garment, was a tunic; it was a piece of cloth, commonly linen, which encircled the whole body, was bound with a girdle, and descended to the knees. Those who are clothed with a tunic merely,. are sometimes said to be naked, as in John xxi. 7. An under garment, or shirt, was worn under the tunic. To prevent the latter from impeding the person, girdles were worn round the loins, whence various figurative expressions are derived in the Scriptures, to denote preparation, active employment, and despatch. Sometimes, also, these girdles served as a pouch to carry money, and other necessary things. (Matt. x. 9. Mark vi. 8.) Over the tunic was worn an upper garment, or mantle : it was a piece of cloth nearly square, several feet in length and breadth, which was wrapped round the body, or tied over the shoulders. The feet were protected from injury, by sandals bound round the feet; to loose and bind them on, was the office of the lowest menial servants. The beard was considered a great ornament: to pluck, or mar it in any way, was considered a great disgrace. (2 Sam. x. 4.)

A heavy head of hair, was considered a great ornament, (2 Sam. xiv. 26,) as baldness was accounted a source of contempt. (2 Kings ii. 23.) The hair was combed, set in order, and anointed, especially on festive occasions. To this practice, there are very numerous allusions in the Scriptures. A sort of mitre, probably similar to the modern turbans, was worn to defend the head. A prodigious number of magnificent habits was, anciently, regarded as a necessary part of the treasures of the rich: and the practice of amassing them is alluded to in Job xxvii. 6, and Matt. vi. 19. It appears from Psal. xlv. 8, that the wardrobes of the East, were plenteously perfumed with aromatics.

The dress of the women differed from that of the men, chiefly in the quality of the materials, and in the women wearing a veil. Rings, necklaces, pendants, and other ornaments, still worn by the fair sex, formed part of the apparel of the Jewish ladies: and like the oriental women of our time, they tinged their eyelids with the powder of lead ore. Thus Jezebel did, who, in 2 Kings ix. 30, is said to have painted her face: and Job's youngest daughter (xli. 14,) had a name (Keren-happuch, that is, the horn of pouk, or lead ore,) in reference to this practice.

Mirrors formed an important accompaniment to the female wardrobe: anciently, they were made of molten brass polished, and were carried in the hand.

CHAPTER III.

MARRIAGE CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS,

MARRIAGE, was regarded by the Jews, as a sacred obligation, and celibacy was accounted a great reproach. Polygamy was tolerated, but not authoritatively allowed. The concubines, of whom we read, were secondary, or inferior wives, whose children did not inherit the father's property, except on failure of issue by the primary, or more honourable wives. Thus, Sarah was Abraham's primary wife, by whom he had Isaac, who was the heir of his wealth. But besides her, he had two concubines, namely,