26. "O celebrate the praises of God in this united congregation of our tribes. Celebrate the praises of Jehovah, all you who are descended from Israel, your great and fruitful progenitor."

27. Even Benjamin himself was present, who, though the smallest of our tribes, had so far the pre-eminence over the rest, as to give the first king and ruler to the people; even he was present, and rejoiced to see the honour done to Jerusalem, and the crown established on my head. Here the princes of Judah attended, with the supreme council of that powerful tribe; with the princes of Zebulon, and those of Naphtali; who from their distant borders joined the procession; all unanimously consenting that Jerusalem should become the seat of worship, and capital of my kingdom.

28. It is thy God, O Israel, who hath thus advanced thee, as a nation, to thy present state of dignity and power. Strengthen, O God, the foundation of our happiness, and by thy favour render it perpetual.

29. As the ark of thy presence is now fixed in Jerusalem, protect it by thy power, and let the kings of the earth bring their gifts, present their offerings, and pay their adoration at thy altar.

30. O rebuke and break the power of the Egyptian crocodile, his princes and nobles, who pay homage to their bulls, and all his people, who stupidly worship their calves, and dance in honour of them to the tinkling sounds of instruments and bells. Trample under foot their silverplated idols, and utterly disperse the people who delight in

war.

31. Let the princes of Egypt come and worship at thy sanctuary, and the far-distant Ethiopia accustom herself to lift up her hands in adoration of thy majesty.

32. O may all the kingdoms of the earth celebrate, in sacred songs, the majesty of our God. Let all sing the praises of our Jehovah.

33. He is the omnipresent God, the proprietor and Lord of the heaven of heavens, which he spread out of old. He makes the clouds his chariot when he rides through the heavens, and storms and tempests, thunders and lightnings, the instruments of his vengeance against his enemies. When he sends forth his voice in the mighty thunder, how awful and astonishing that voice!

34. Ascribe to him that almighty strength which belongs to him. Though his empire is universal, his kingdom is peculiarly exalted over İsrael, by whom alone he is acknowledged as the true God, and who manifests the greatness of his power in the clouds of heaven.

35. O God, the God of Israel, how terrible is thy majesty, when thou comest forth from thy heavenly and earthly sanctuaries, for the destruction of thine enemies, and the defence of thy people. It is he who inspires them with strength and courage, and renders them a mighty and powerful nation. Eternal blessing and praise be ascribed unto our God.

I think the division I have made of this psalm, into its several parts, is natural and easy, which the subject matter of it points out, and which renders the whole of it a regular, well-connected, and elegant composure. With out this, or some such method, it appears to me broken, and its parts independent on each other; the expressions will be many of them unintelligible, and the occasion and propriety of them scarcely discernible. The very learned Michaelis acknowledges the difficulties attending this psalm, and I suspect my own strength, when I attempt to do what he thought above his much greater abilities. I have however done my best, and submit the whole to the candour of my readers.

I shall now conclude by making a few observations on the whole anthem. And I would first take notice of the great and glorious subject of this hymn. It is the God of the Hebrews, and designed to celebrate his praises, on account of the perfections of his nature, and the operations of his providence. And with what dignity is he described! How high and worthy the character given him, in every respect suitable to his infinite majesty, and the moral rectitude and purity of his nature! How grand are the descriptions of him as the omnipresent God, inhabiting his sanctuaries both in heaven and earth! as the original self-existing being, which his name Jehovah signifies; the tremendous being, worthy of all adoration and reverence, included in the name of Jah! as the almighty God, encom

passed with thousands and ten thousands of angels, and innumerable chariots, that stand ready prepared in the armory of heaven! that rides through the heavens in his majesty, whose voice is in the thunder, who makes the clouds and vapours of heaven subservient to his pleasure, and at whose presence the earth, the heavens dissolve, and the highest hills seem to melt away like wax! Descriptions the most sublime in their nature, and that tend to strike the mind with a holy reverence and awe. And as to his moral character, and providential government of the world, he is represented as the righteous God, the hater and punisher of incorrigible wickedness, the father of the fatherless, the judge of the widow, that blesses men with numerous families, that breaks the prisoner's chains, and restores him to his liberty; the God and guardian of his people, the great disposer of victory, and giver of national prosperity; the supreme author of every kind of salvation, and as having death under his absolute command, and directing the outgoings of it by his sovereign will. This was the God of the ancient Hebrews. This is the God whom David worshipped, and whom all wise and good men must acknowledge and adore. Nor is there one circumstance or expression in this noble composure, derogatory to the majesty and honour of the supreme being, or that can convey a single sentiment to lessen our esteem and veneration for him. Let any one compare, with this psalm of David, the ancient hymns of the most celebrated poets on their deities, how infinitely short will they fall of the grandeur and sublimity which appear in every part of it. Strip the hymn of Callimachus on Jove of the poetry and language, and the sentiments of it will appear generally puerile and absurd, and it could not be read without the utmost contempt. Jove with him, that αιεν αναξ, αει μέγας, δικασπολος ovpavidno, that perpetual king, ever great, and lawgiver to the celestial deities, as he calls him, was born, he can't tell where, whether in Mount Ida, or Arcadia, washed on his birth in a river of water, to cleanse him from the defilements he brought into the world with him, had his navel string fall from him, sucked the dugs of a goat, and ate sweet honey, and so at last he grew up to be the supreme God. No despicable ballad can contain more execrable stuff than this, and some other like circumstances that he relates of him; circumstances that render utterly incredible what he says of him, as never dying, giving laws to the gods, obtaining heaven by his power and strength, governing kings and princes, and the inspector of their actions, the giver of riches and prosperity, wisdom and virtue, strength and power. That a mortal-born baby should grow up to become the one supreme and immortal God, or an infant nursed in Crete should rise to be the king of heaven, or one who gloried in his adulteries, should be constituted lawgiver to the celestial deities, or he whose character was stained with the vilest impurities, should be the giver of virtue; are absurdities, that one would think it was impossible for any one to digest. How free are the hymns of David from all such absurd, dishonourable, and impious descriptions of God! Every sentiment he conveys of him is excellent and grand, worthy a being of infinite perfection, and the supreme Lord and governor of the universe. It would be easy to enlarge on this subject. We may further take notice of the propriety of these historical incidents, that the Psalmist takes notice of in this sacred composure, and how the whole of it is calculated to promote the true spirit of piety and rational devotion. The ark, that was now translating to its fixed seat in Jerusalem, was the same ark that accompanied the Hebrews in the wilderness, where God was in a peculiar manner present, where Moses consulted God, where he received answers from him, and whence he received his directions; and who gave him manifest tokens of his special protection and favour, in the miraculous works he performed for them. Hence David puts them in mind of God's going before them in the wilderness, of the terror of his majesty on mount Sinai, of the manna and quails he rained down on them as from heaven, of the victories he gave them over their enemies, and his enriching them with the spoils of their conquered forces and countries; to excite in them a religious hope and trust, that God would protect Jerusalem, which was to be the future residence of the ark of his presence, and bless the whole nation with prosperity, if they continued firm in their allegiance to and worship of him. On this account the hymn is calculated

to celebrate his praises for these ancient wonders of his power and goodness wrought in their favour, as well as for that present state of national grandeur and prosperity to which he had advanced them under David's government; and, on the other hand, to excite their fear of his displeasure, if they went on in their trespasses, and proved a corrupt and wicked people. Well might this grand assembly be glad and rejoice before their God, sing praises to his name, ascribe all power and dominion to him, whose excellency, whose majesty and government, were peculiarly over Israel on earth, and who rules in heaven, and manifests his power in the clouds thereof. I would just add, that the several ascriptions of glory to God, and the frequent exhortations to bless him, with which the psalm abounds, give an agreeable relief to the mind, are added with great propriety, and render the whole composure more pleasing and solemn. It was customary, as has been observed, among the gentiles, to celebrate the supposed advent of their gods, at particular times, and to particular places, with the greatest demonstrations of joy; but David had much nobler reasons for introducing the ark into the tabernacle he had prepared for it at Jerusalem, with all the pomp and splendour, and public festivity and joy, that could possibly be shown on the occasion. The whole procession was in honour of, and a national instance of homage paid to the true God. By the ark's being fixed at Jerusalem, that God, who honoured the ark with the tokens of his presence, made Jerusalem his perpetual habitation, became the immediate guardian and protector of the new-built city, and thereby peculiarly concerned for its prosperity and peace. This is represented as the language of God himself. "The Lord hath chosen Sion. He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever. Here will I dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions. Her saints shall shout aloud for joy."-CHANDLER. Ver. 3. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. The history of conveyance by means of vehicles, carried or drawn, is a subject too extensive to be treated of fully here. There can be no doubt, that after man had accustomed cattle to submit to the control of a rider, and to support the incumbent weight of a person, or persons, whether the animal were ox, camel, or horse, that the next step was to load such a creature, properly trained, with a litter, or portable conveyance; balanced, perhaps, on each side. This might be long before the mechanism of the wheel was employed, as it is still practised among pastoral people. Nevertheless, we find that wheel-carriages are of great antiquity; for we read of wagons so early as Gen. xlv. 19, and military carriages, perhaps, for chiefs and officers, first of all, in Exodus xiv. 25: "The Lord took off the chariot wheels of the Egyptians:" and as these were the fighting strength of Egypt, this agrees with those ancient writers, who report that Egypt was not, in its early state, intersected by canals, as in later ages; after the formation of which, wheel-carriages were laid aside, and little used, if at all. The first mention of chariots, we believe, occurs Genesis xli. 43: "Pharaoh caused Joseph to ride (recab) in the second chariot (marecabeth) that belonged to him." This, most likely, was a chariot of state, not an ordinary or travelling, but a handsome equipage, becoming the representative of the monarch's person and power. We find, as already hinted, Gen. xlv. 19, that Egypt had another kind of wheel-carriage, better adapted to the conveyance of burdens; "Take out of the land of Egypt (ay ogeluth) wagons, wheel-carriages, for conveyance of your little ones and your women:" these were family vehicles, for the use of the feeble; including, if need be, Jacob himself: accordingly, we read (verse 27) of the wagons which Joseph had sent to carr him, (Jacob,) and which perhaps the aged patriarch knew by their construction to be Egypt-built; for, so soon as he sees them, he believes the reports from that country, though he had doubted of them before when delivered to him by his sons. This kind of chariot deserves attention, as we find it afterward employed on various occasions in scripture, among which are the following: first, it was intended by the princes of Israel for carrying parts of the sacred utensils; Numb. vii. 3: "They brought their

offering-six covered wagons (ogeluth) and twelve oxen;" (two oxen to each wagon.) Here these wagons are expressly said to be covered; and it should appear that they were so generally; beyond question those sent by Joseph for the women of Jacob's family were so; among other purposes, for that of seclusion. Perhaps this is a radical idea in their name; as gal signifies circle, these wagons might be covered by circular headings, spread on hoops, like those of our own wagons; what we call a tilt. Considerable importance attaches to this heading, or tilt, in the history of the curiosity of the men of Bethshemesh, 1 Sam. vi. 7, where we read that the Philistines advised to make a new covered wagon, or cart (ogeleh ;)—and the ark of the Lord was put into it-and, no doubt, was carefully covered over-concealed-secluded by those who sent it;-it came to Bethshemesh; and the men of that town who were reaping in the fields, perceiving the cart coming, went and examined what it contained: "and they saw the very (N) ark, and were joyful in seeing it." Those who first examined it, instead of carefully covering it up again, as a sacred utensil, suffered it to lie open to common inspection, which they encouraged, in order to triumph in the votive offerings it had acquired, and to gratify profane curiosity; the Lord, therefore, punished the people, (verse 19,) "because they had inspected-pried into (2) the ark." This affords a clear view of the transgression of these Israelites, who had treated the ark with less reverence than the Philistines themselves; for those heathen conquerors had at least behaved to Jehovah with no less respect than they did to their own deities; and being accustomed to carry them in covered wagons, for privacy, they maintained the same privacy as a mark of honour to the God of Israel. The Levites seemed to have been equally culpable with the common people; they ought to have conformed to the law, and not to have suffered their triumph on this victorious occasion to beguile them into a transgression so contrary to the very first principles of the theocracy. That this word ogeleh describes à covered wagon, we learn from a third instance, that of Uzzah, 2 Sam. vi. 3, for we cannot suppose, that David could so far forget the dignity of the ark of the covenant, as to suffer it to be exposed, in a public procession, to the eyes of all Israel; especially after the punishment of the people of Bethshemesh. carried the ark of God, on a new ogeleh-covered cart" -and Uzzah put forth [his hand, or some catching instrument] to the ark of God, and laid hold of it, to stop its advancing any farther, but the oxen harnessed to the cart, going on, they drew the cart away from the ark, and the whole weight of the ark falling out of the cart unexpectedly, on Uzzah, crushed him to death -" and he died on the spot, with the ark of God" upon him. And David called the place "the breach of Uzzah"-that is, where Uzzah was broken-crushed to death. See now the proportionate severity of the punishments attending profanation of the ark. 1. The Philistines suffered by diseases, from which they were relieved after their oblations. 2. The Bethshemites also suffered, but not fatally, by diseases of a different nature, which, after a time, passed off. These were inadvertences. But, 3. Uzzah, who ought to have been fully instructed and correctly obedient, who conducted the procession, who was himself a Levite-this man was punished fatally for his remissness-his inattention to the law; which expressly directed that the ark should be carried on the shoulders of the priests, the Kohathites, Numb. iv. 4, 19, 20, distinct from those things carried in ogeluth-covered wagons, chap. vii. 9. That this kind of wagon was used for carrying considerable weights and even cumbersome goods, (and therefore was fairly analogous to our own wagons-tilted wagons,) we gather from the expression of the Psalmist, xlvi. 9:

They

He maketh wars to cease to the end of the earth, The bow he breaketh; and cutteth asunder the spear; The chariots (ogeluth) he burneth in the fire. The writer is mentioning the instruments of war-the bow-the spear; then, he says, the wagons (plural) which used to return home loaded with plunder, these share the fate of their companions, the bow and the spear; and are burned in .he fire, the very idea of the classical allegory, peace burning the implements of war, introduced here with the happiest effect: not the general's marecabeth; but the plundering wagons. This is still more expressive, if these wagons carried captives; which we know they did in other

instances, women and children. "The captive-carrying wagon is burnt." There can be no stronger description of the effect of peace; and it closes the period with peculiar emphasis.-TAYLOR IN CALMET.

Ver. 6. And when they came to Nachon's thrashing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. Happy were it for us, if we could account for the operations of God, with the same facility that we can for the actions of his saints; but his counsels are a great deep, and his judgments (just though they be) are sometimes obscure, and past finding out. For what shall we say to the fate of Uzzah? or what tolerable cause can we assign for his sudden and untimely end? It was now near seventy years since th Israelites had carried the ark from place to place, and s long a disuse had made them forget the manner of doing it. In conformity to what they had heard of the Philistines, they put it into a new cart, or wagon, but this was against the express direction of the law, which ordered it to be borne upon men's shoulders. It is commonly supposed that Uzzah was a Levite, though there is no proof of it from scripture; but supposing he was, he had no right to attend upon the ark; that province, by the same law, was restrained to those Levites only who were of the house of Kohath: nay, put the case he had been a Kohathite by birth, yet he had violated another command, which prohibited even these Levites, (though they carried it by staves upon their shoulders,) upon pain of death, to touch it with their hands so that here was a threefold transgression of the divine will in this method of proceeding. The ark, (as some say,) by Uzzah's direction, was placed in a cart; Uzzah, without any proper designation, adventures to attend it; when he thought it in danger of falling, officiously he put forth his hand, and laid hold on it, (all violating of the divine commands !) and this (as is supposed) not so much out of reverence to the sacred symbol of God's presence, as out of diffidence of his providence, as unable to preserve it from overturning. The truth is, this ark had so long continued in obscurity, that the people, in a manner, had almost lost all sense of a divine power residing in it, and therefore approached it with irreverence. This is implied in David's exhortation to Zadock and Abiathar, after this misfortune upon Uzzah. "Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites, sanctify yourselves therefore, both ye and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel, unto the place that I have preJed for it; for, because ye did it not at the first, the Lord onr God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order." What wonder then, if God, being minded to testify his immediate presence with the ark, to retrieve the ancient honour of that sacred vessel, and to curb all licentious profanations of it for the future, should single out one that was the most culpable of many, one who, in three instances, was then violating his commands, to be a monument of his displeasure against either a wilful ignorance or a rude contempt of his precepts, be they ever so seemingly small; that by such an example of terr, he might inspire both priests and people with a sacred dread of his majesty, and a profound veneration for his mysteries. -STACKHOUSE.

Ver. 13. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

From these words, some would infer, that David, having measured the ground between Obed-edom's house, and the place he had built for the reception of the ark, had altars raised, at the distance of every six paces, whereon he caused sacrifices to be offered as the ark passed by. But it is easy to imagine what a world of confusion this would create in the procession, and therefore the more rational construction is, that after those who carried the ark had advanced six paces, without any such token of divine wrath as Uzzah had undergone, then did they offer a sacrifice to God, which might consist of several living creatures, all sacrificed and

offered up at once. But even supposing that, at set distances, there were sacrifices all along the way that they went; yet we are to know that it was no unusual thing for heathens to confer on their gods, nay, even upon their emperors, the same honours that we find David here bestowing upon the ark of the God of Israel. For in this manner (as Suetonius tells us) was Otho received-Cum per omne iter, dextra finistraque, oppidatim victimæ cæderentur: and the like he relates of Caligula-Ut a miseno movit, inter altaria, et victimas, ardentesque tædas, dencissimo ac lætissimo obviorum agmine incessit.-STACKHOUSE.

Ver. 14. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

In the oriental dances, in which the women engage by themselves, the lady of highest rank in the company takes the lead; and is followed by her companions, who imitate her steps, and if she sings, make up the chorus. The tunes are extremely gay and lively, yet with something in them wonderfully soft. The steps are varied according to the pleasure of her who leads the dance, but always in exact time. This statement may enable us to form a correct idea of the dance, which the women of Israel performed under the direction of Miriam, on the banks of the Red Sea. The prophetess, we are told, "took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her, with timbrels and dances." She led the dance, while they imitated her steps, which were not conducted according to a set, well-known form, as in this country, but extemporaneous. The conjecture of Mr. Harmer is extremely probable, that David did not dance alone before the Lord, when he brought up the ark, but as being the highest in rank, and more skilful than any of the people, he led the religious dance of the males. -PAXTON.

Ver. 16. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the LORD. 18. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt-offerings and peaceofferings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

When this public transaction of removing the ark was happily concluded, the pious prince retired to his palace, to bless his own family and household, and share with them the public joy. But an unexpected accident interrupted the pleasure he promised himself, and could not but greatly affect him, as it arose from one, from whom he had no reason to expect the contemptuous treatment that she gave him. As the ark of the Lord was just entered into the city of David, or mount Sion, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window of the palace to behold the procession, saw David dancing with great spirit and earnestness, and viewed him with contempt; or, as the text says, she despised him in her heart; and when, after the solemnity,

been one of them, and not the king of Israel. And the meaning of Michal's words in this view will be: How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered, i. e. stripped himself of his majesty, and all the ensigns of his royal dignity, and openly exposed himself to the most public view of the meanest of the people, as a vain thoughtless person, who, without a proper habit, or regard to character, exposes himself to public ridicule and scorn!

Mr. Bayle seems to be pretty much of Michal's opinion, when he says, "It would be thought very strange, in any part of Europe, if, on a day of procession of the holy sacrament, the kings should dance in the streets with nothing but a small girdle on their bodies." It may be so, but the observation is nothing to the purpose, because David did not dance in the streets in this manner, as he insinuates. Besides, Mr. Bayle could not but know, that customs vary, and that the same customs may be thought very venerable and ridiculous, in different nations, and at different times. However solemn and sacred the procession of the sacrament might have seemed here, two or three centuries ago, and may at this day appear in popish countries, it would now seem a most contemptible and absurd farce in this nation. We should look with indignation and scorn, to see a crowned head holding the stirrup or bridle of a triplemitred monk's horse, or humbly bending to kiss his toe; or emperors and princes carrying wax candles in their hands, in company of a set of shorn baldpated priests, or devoutly praying before a dead log of wood, or going in pilgrimage to consecrated statues, and kiss thresholds, and venerate the relics of dead bodies; and yet, despicable as these practices are in themselves, they have been used, and some of them continue in other nations to be used to this day; and have been, and are now, so far from being thought strange or ridiculous, as that they were, and are still esteemed very high and laudable instances of piety and devotion.

If we examine the words themselves, by which Michal reproached David, they can never be fairly so interpreted, as to mean that indecency, which some writers would be glad to find in them; and as to David's answer, it is utterly inconsistent with such a meaning. David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord." What was before the Lord? What, his discovering his nakedness? The very consideration of his being before the Lord would have prevented it, as he knew that such an indecency, in the solemnities of divine worship, was highly offensive to God, and prohibited under penalty of death. Again he says, "Therefore will I play before the Lord," i. e. play upon my harp; which must refer to her reproaching him, as appearing like a common harper; for it would be no answer to her, had she reproached him for that scandalous appearance, which some would make him guilty of. Further he adds: “And I will be more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight." I will not scruple to submit to lower services than this, in honour of God; and notwithstanding my regal dignity, will not think myself above any humiliations, how great soever they may be, that may testify my gratitude and submission to him;-expressions these which evidently show, that what she called David's uncovering himself, was what he had designedly done, and not an accidental involuntary thing, without design, and contrary to his intention. And had he designedly exposed his nakedness, or even without design, how could he have made himself more vile, or rendered himself more worthy of censure and reproach? Upon the whole, that David danced so, as to discover what he ought to have concealed, is an invidious surmise, that no man of learning or candour will affirm, and which has nothing in the grammatical sense of the expressions made use of to support it, and is in its nature impossible, from the make and form of the garments he was clothed with.

I shall only add, that when the scripture says, "Therefore Michal, Saul's daughter, had no child to the day of her death," it doth not seem to be remarked, as though it was a punishment on her for this contempt of David, unless he voluntarily left her bed, for so heinous and undeserved an insult; but as a reproach on herself for her barrenness, she having never had any children by David; barrenness being accounted as reproachful and dishonourable a circumstance, as could befall a married woman. So that she had little reason to reproach her husband, when she was liable to a much greater reproach herself.-CHANDLER.

Ver. 19. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

The entertainer at a feast, occasionally dismissed his guests with costly presents. Lysimachus of Babylon having entertained Hemerus the tyrant of the Babylonians and Seleucians, with three hundred other guests, gave every man a silver cup, of four pounds weight. When Alexander made his marriage feast at Susa in Persia, he paid the debts of all his soldiers out of his own exchequer, and presented every one of his guests, who were not fewer than nine thousand, with golden cups. The master of the house among the Romans, used also to give the guests certain presents at their departure, or to send them after they were gone, to their respective habitations. It is probable that this custom, like many others which prevailed in Greece and Rome, was derived from the nations of Asia; for the sacred writers allude repeatedly to a similar custom, which closed the religious festivals or public entertainments among the chosen people of God. When David brought up the ark from the house of Obed-edom, into the place which he had prepared for it, he offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord. And as soon as the solemnity was finished, "he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a flagon of wine."-PAXTON.

Dr. Chandler and his associates, received presents from the Greeks of Athens, consisting of perfumed flowers, pomegranates, oranges, and lemons, pastry, and other articles. The presents made by David were no doubt very different. Leavened and unleavened bread, the flesh which remained from the peace-offerings, and some of the wine then presented. (Josephus.) The rabbins suppose that the word we translate, a good piece of flesh, signifies the sixth part of an animal. Without, however, admitting the propriety of this assertion, it may lead to the true explanation of the word. Maillet affirms, that a sheep, with a proper quantity of rice, which answers the purpose of bread very frequently in the East, will furnish a good repast for sixty people. If now the people of the Jewish army were divided into tens, as it seems they were, who might mess together, and lodge under one and the same tent, as it is highly probable, from every tenth man's being appointed to fetch or prepare provision for their fellow-soldiers, according to what we read, Judges xx. 10, then the sixth part of a sheep would be sufficient for the men at one repast, and be sufficient for one mess or tent of soldiers; and from this particular case it may come to signify, in general, a sufficient portion for each person, which, indeed, seems to be the meaning of our translators, when they render the word a good piece of flesh-enough for an ample repast. The other part of this royal and sacred donation was a flagon of wine, perhaps a gourd full of wine is meant. The shells of gourds are used to this day in the eastern parts of the world for holding quantities of wine for present spending, and particularly in sacred festivals. So when Dr. Richard Chandler was about leaving Athens, he tells us, he supped at the customhouse, where "the archon provided a gourd of choice wine, and one of the crew excelled on the lyre." And describing a panegyris, or general sacred assembly of the Greeks in the Lesser Asia, he informs us, "that the church was only stones piled up for walls, without a roof, and stuck on this solemnity with wax-candles lighted, and small tapers, and that after fulfilling their religious duties, it is the custom of the Greeks to indulge in festivity; at which time he found the multitude sitting under half-tents, with a store of melons and grapes, besides lambs and sheep to be killed, wine in gourds and skins, and other necessary provision." What the size of the gourds that anciently grew in that country was, or what that of those that are now found there, may not be quite certain. But a gourd full of wine, for each person, was abundantly sufficient for a joy that required attention to temperance.-HARMER.

CHAPTER VII.

Ver. 18. Then went King David in, and sat be