PART X.

LAWS OF THE JEWS, AND THEIR SANCTIONS.

SECT. I. The Moral Law.-Clearly revealed to our first parents; became ob-

scured through the prevalence of sin; was promulgated anew from Mount

Sinai

50

SECT. II. The Ceremonial Law-1st. Taught the Jews the leading doctrines

of religion in a sensible and impressive manner. 2d. Served to preserve them

from idolatry-by removing that ignorance of God which introduced it-

by giving them a full and perfect ritual of their own-by appointing certain

marks to distinguish them from idolators—by restricting most of their rites

to particular places, persons, and times-by prohibiting too familiar an in-

tercourse with the heathen nations-and by the positive prohibition of every

idolatrous rite. Here the singular laws of the Jews explained, such as sacri-

ficing to devils, making the children pass through the fire to Moloch, using

divination, observing times, eating with, or at the blood, seething a kid in

its mother's milk, rounding the corners of their heads, and marring the cor-

ners of their beards, making cuttings in their flesh for the dead, confound-

ing the distinctive dresses of the sexes, sowing their fields with divers seeds,

plowing with an ox and an ass together, allowing cattle of different kinds to

gender, using garments of linen and woollen, condemning eunuchism, bring-

ing the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, to the house of the Lord. Sd.

The ceremonial law served to prepare their minds for a brighter dispensa-

tion. Reasons assigned for its comparative obscurity. The gradual abolition

of the ceremonial law

. 53

SECT. III. The Judicial Law -The forms of government in the different pe-

riods of the Jewish history; patriarchal, the theocracy, an elective monar-

chy, a hereditary monarchy till the captivity: governors after it; the Asmo-

næan family; Herod; the Romans. The revenue of the Jewish kings

90

SECT. IV. Civil Punishments among the Jews.-1st. Inferior-as restitution,

depriving them of their beards, destroying their houses, imprisonment with

various aggravations, confinement in the cities of refuge, whipping, cutting

off the hands and feet, putting out the eyes, fighting with wild beasts,

slavery, selling children for their parent's debt, like for like. 2d. Capital—

strangling, hanging, stoning, burning, beheading, crucifixion, dashing to

pieces, drowning, tearing to pieces, trampling to death, sawing asunder,

murdering in the dungeon.-An account of eastern prisons-the executioners

of the law-and the ceremonies used before execution.

95

SECT. V. Ecclesiastical Punishments among the Jews.-The Nezipè or Admo-

nition, its nature and duration. The Nedui or Separation. The Herim or Cut-

ting off. The Shemetha or Greater Excommunication. A Copy of it 104

PART XI.

CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS.

SECT. I. Habitations of the Jews.-These affected by the state of society.

Tents in pastoral districts described. Villages of stone in rocky situations,

and mud in plains. Fenced cities; their walls, gates, locks, wooden keys,

bolts and bars. Private winter houses of the Jews; of stone, brick, or mud:

manner of defending them from the weather. Doors often ornamented: the

hole at the side for the portion of the law. Houses in the form of a square,

with a court in the middle; their appearance plain towards the street; the

windows, lattices; their appearance towards the court beautiful. Their

chambers, kiosks, olee or upper rooms; door to the street low; doors into

the court large. Ground floor for the family; principal rooms in the second

story; fire-places in the family rooms; braziers in the public apartments.

Stairs sometimes ornamented with vine; manner of finishing their principal

rooms. Way of cooling their chambers; furniture of rooms, carpets;

the divan. Chambers of the poor; their beds. The beds of the rich;

their musqueto nets. Bed-chambers always lighted during the night;

often alluded to in Scripture. The summer houses of the Jews described;

the roofs of houses flat, with battlements: their utility. The eastern

nails of houses; keys of wood described. Dr. Shaw's account of eastern

houses. Streets of eastern cities dirty in wet, and dusty in dry weather; nar-

row; the reason why. The gate of the city the most public place. Bazars:

Dr. Russell's and Mr. Kinneir's account of them. Tolls erected at the gate.

No clocks; manner of knowing the hour. Police regulations; nuisances re-

moved; water brought by conduits, tanks, or reservoirs. The pools of Solo-

mon described; Gihon, Siloam, Jacob's well. Rights of citizenship. Roads

between city and city. Dogs at large without any owner; several texts al-

luding to this

112

SECT. II. Marriages of the Jews.-Espousing; copy of the contract; dowry

given to the bride, laid out in marriage dresses; custom at Aleppo and in

Egypt. Persons in the East always marry young; young men to virgins;

widowers to widows. The bride elegantly dressed; virgins married on the

fourth day of the week, and widows on the fifth: one divorced or a widow,

could not marry till after ninety days. The marriage procession of the bride-

groom to the house of the bride: the marriage ceremony; procession of both

parties to the house of the bridegroom: commonly in the night. The songs

and ceremonies during the procession; marriage supper; office of architri-

clinus the paranymphi; the shushbenin. Music and dancing after supper.

Signs of virginity: consequences if they appeared not. Marriage feast lasted

eight days: that of a widow only three. The bride had commonly a slave

given her by her parents. Husbands exempted from military service for a

year; Alexander the Great did this after the battle of the Granicus. A large

family accounted a blessing; sterility, a curse. Concubinage not reckoned

disgraceful: difference between a concubine and a wife; Solomon's concu-

bines much exceeded by some eastern monarchs. Polygamy, its effects on

population and domestic happiness. Divorce; copy of a bill of divorce; for-

malities used on delivery. Copy of a divorce at the wife's instance. The jus

leviratus, or law concerning the brother's widow; its existence before the

giving of the law; ceremonies anciently observed; ceremonies observed in

case of refusal. The Athenian law similar to the Jewish; also the Circas-

sians, Druses, and Mahomedans. The frequent allusions in Scripture to the

marriages of the Jews
137

SECT. III. Children of the Jews.-Reasons why so much desired: ceremonies

at the birth: circumcision; the persons present; their different offices;

prayers on the occasion. Circumcision of sick children deferred for a time.

Children dying before the eighth day, how disposed of; a feast commonly

after circumcision. The case of bastards and daughters; origin and uses of

circumcision. Probable reasons for fixing on the eighth day. Why it was

omitted in the wilderness. Treatment of children while minors as to food,

clothing, &c.; children much attached to their mother; and why; singular

manner of carrying them. The nature of their education. The degree

they acquired at the age of thirteen; could choose their tutors at fourteen;

the solemn ceremony then used; different ages at which they could marry,

and attend the passover. The birthright of the eldest; in what it consisted.

Parkhurst's reflection on it

159

SECT. IV. The Dress of the Jews.—1st. Of the Men. Hair black, worn short,

except when in mourning. The weight of Absalom's hair considered. The

beard worn long; razors; anointing with oil. The bonnet or covering for

the head. The cethneth or tunic. The telith or coat; shelme or hyke; girdle

with its purse; cloak or mantle; shoes and sandals; phylacteries; scrip;

staff-2nd. Of the Women. Lower ranks very simple; higher very expensive.

Plaiting the hair, elegant head-dresses, painting the eyes with alkahol; nose

jewels; ear-rings; veil; necklaces and chains of gold; bracelets; nails

stained with alhennah; shifts; zone round the breast; linen vests; gown,

or upper robe; girdle about the middle; drawers; tinkling ornaments on the

legs; sandals; travelling veils ; cloaks or burnooses; perfume boxes; hand-

kerchiefs; hand-mirrors; large wardrobes in families; fashionable colours;

remarks

169

SECT. V. Entertainments of the Jews.-Furniture of an eastern kitchen.

Fire-places; fuel, either wood, grass, or dried cow-dung. Bread, how baked,

leavened, toasted. Testimony of travellers. Public ovens, their way of send-

ing bread to them. Eastern bread not good above a day. Their better kind

of cakes; their cracknels. Bread their principal food, eaten with oil, &c.;

wheat, parched corn, barley, beans, summer fruits, roots; milk. Butter,

how made by them; butter-milk a luxury; leban, how prepared; cheeses of

the East, how made, not good. The general diet at Aleppo, and of the

Arabs. An eastern breakfast, dinner, and supper. They use no spoons; are

careful how they drink water; have wine at table; their wine often muddy;

the cup-bearer's office; banqueting cups. Manner of sitting at meat. Public

feasts: portions sent to those who could not attend; men and women sat often

at different tables: the fragments given to the poor. People in the East visit

after supper, as well as through the day. The earliest accounts of a grace

at meat. Modern Jews very particular as to their food; have butchers with

certificates that they kill according to law; two kinds of dishes; their way of

eating; their bread, and manner of baking

197

SECT. VI. Rank and Employments of the Jewish Women.—The state of women

before christianity very degrading. Condition of Jewish women in pastoral,

agricultural, and commercial situations. Grinding corn every morning;

managing the concerns of the family; feeding cattle; carrying water; work-

ing with the needle; spinning; weaving; tapestry

219

SECT. VII, Jewish Manner of Travelling.—Disposition of their dress: never

travelled in the heat of the day but from necessity; saluted no person when

in haste; feet washed when they entered a house. Rode on asses, horses,

mules, camels, and dromedaries; had no stirrips; used hirans and counes;

provender for their animals; provisions for themselves; articles of conve-

nience and commerce. Skins for water; every article carried in skins. Dis-

tance measured by hours; wells the common resting-places; these often

infested by robbers; no inns; khanes, or caravansarais. Caravans; manner of

travelling; sometimes very numerous. Kings travelled in state; had the

dust allayed with water; harbingers sent before them, and pioneers to level

the roads. Customs observed by the modern Jews on a journey ⚫ 227

SECT. VIII. Jewish Marks of Honour and Disgrace.-1. Marks of honour

which servants paid to their masters. Slaves, their price; their submis-

sive attitude; washed the hands of their masters; served him before

they ate themselves; servants of different ranks; eunuchs; singing men

and singing women. 2. Marks of respect paid by inferiors in general to

superiors. Bowing the head; bowing the knee; bowing to the ground;

kissing the hand, or what came from it; gave them the chief seat; made

yearly presents; allayed the dust before them when travelling: spreading

their garments. A spear, or lamps, indicated the tent of a chief. 3. Marks

of respect among equals. The salam, or salutation; eastern salutations took

up much time; their way of saluting when at a distance, and when at hand;

kissing; falling on the neck; taking hold of the beard. Manner of conduct-

ing visits; these held in the court in summer, and house in winter. The en-

tertainment at an eastern visit; sprinkling with rose-water; perfuming the

guests; their signs of mirth. 4. Marks of honour paid to inferiors; those to

principal officers; Joseph; Mordecai; changes of raiment; purple robe;

gold buckle and clasp ; a key on the shoulder a mark of office; explanation

of a horn as an emblem of dignity and power; breaking a chain a mark of

freedom. 5. Marks of disgrace. Cutting off the beard; plucking off the hair;

spitting in the face; clapping the hands, hissing, and wagging the head;

gnashing the teeth; speaking evil of one's mother
238

SECT. IX. Jewish Measures.—1. Of length. A finger; a handbreadth; a span;

a foot; a cubit; a fathom; a reed; the measuring line; a furlong; a sabbath

day's journey; a mile; a Berè; a Parsar; a common day's journey; an Egyp-

tian aroura; the Levitical cities. 2. Liquid measure. Their quadrans; log or

sextarius; firkin; hin; measure; bath; cor. 3. Dry measure. Their cab;

omer, or tenth deal; seah; ephah; lethec; humer. 4. Weights. The shekel;

manè, or minah; talent. 5. Money. The shekel; bekah; diner, or denarius ;

meah, gerah, or zuz; pondion; assar; semissis, or mesimes; farthing; mite.

-Maneh or mina; talent; shekel of gold; talent of gold; drachma; di-

drachma; stater, Daric, Suidas's table of Jewish money. Relative value of

gold and silver; their original form in commerce; usury between Jews pro-

hibited; allowed with strangers. Money changers, their origin, utility, abuse.

The custom of transacting money in sealed purses common in the East 259

SECT. X. Division of Time among the Jews.-1. Days; their length; why

the evening put before the morning; not peculiar to the Jews. Division

of the day into morning, noon, and night; then into 12 hours and 12 hours.

Origin of dials; that of Ahaz considered. The clepsydra, or water-clock;

Jews had three kinds of days; natural, artificial, prophetical. 2. Weeks;

their origin; the seven Hebrew numerals descriptive of the seven days'

work of creation; computation by weeks very general. 3. Months, four

kinds of; the Jewish feasts and fasts, depended on their months. 4. Years;

lunar; solar; periodical; siderial. Jewish division into civil and ecclesias-

tical: these described. The Hebrew and Syro-Macedonian names of the

months. The intercalation of years explained; the translation of feasts

depended on this intercalation; their lunary, political, and mixed transla-

tions
- 273

SECT. XI. Commerce of Judea.-Internal; external with Arabia, Egypt, and

Tyre; remarks on the nations that have distinguished themselves by trade.

The fleets of Solomon to Tarshish and Ophir particularly considered. The

situation of these two places

292

SECT. XII. The Jewish Mode of Warfare.-Causes of the Jewish wars;

number of their armies; degree of efficiency; arms a helmet, breastplate,

habergeon, girdle, greaves, sword, shield, battle-ax, sling, bow, quiver,

poisoned arrows. The Jewish cavalry: their accoutrements; chariots of

war; camels of the kings of Midian; qualifications of an ancient warrior;

time of going to war; methods taken to distress an invading enemy; order

of encampment among the Jews; camps on hills; religious ceremony before

fighting; method of fighting; their cruelty afterwards. The transplanting