The 1st watch, from sun-set to the third hour of the night. The 2d, or middle watch, from the third hour to the sixth. The 3d watch, or cockcrowing, from the sixth to the ninth. The 4th, or morning watch, from the ninth hour to sun-rise. RULES FOR PRONOUNCING SCRIPTURE PROPER NAMES. 1. WHEN a vowel ends an accented syllable, it has its long open sound; as in Je'-sus, Je-ho'-vah, Mit-y-le'-ne, Mel-chise-dec. 2. When a consonant ends an accented syllable, the preceding vowel is short; as in Sam'-u-el, Sim'-e-on. 3. Every i forming a distinct syllable at the end of a word, has the long open sound; as in A'-i, A-ris'-a-i. 4. Every unaccented i, forming or ending a syllable in the middle of a word, has the sound of e; as in Ab'-i-gail, Lyd-i-a, E-thi-o'-pia. 5. The diphthong ai has always, according to Walker, the long sound of a, as it has in daily; but with us it has more usually the sound of a in fa-ther. It is important to remark, that when this diphthong is in the middle of a word, and followed by a vowel, the i is pronounced as if it were y, and as if this y articulated the following vowel; thus, Cai'-a-phas and A-chai-a are pronounced as if written Cai'-ya-phas and A-chai'-ya. 6. The diphthongs æ, œ, and ei, are pronounced like long e in the same situations; thus, Ju-do'-a, Be-rœ'-a, and Sa-mei'-us are pronounced as if written Ju-de'-a, Be-re'-a, and Sa-me'-us. 7. When a and ah are unaccented, and at the end of words, they should be pronounced like a in fa-ther; as, E-li'-sha, E-li'-jah. 8. When c has the sound of s, and g of j, they are, in the following tables of proper names printed in Italics, and should be carefully attended to; thus, A-cel'-dama, Ge-nes'-a-reth, Beth'-pha-ge are pronounced as if written A-sel'-da-ma, Jenes'-a-reth, Beth'-pha-je. 9. Ch before a vowel is always pronounced like k; as in Chal-de'-a, Char'-ran, Che'-bar, Che'-mosh. From this rule however, Cher'-ub, Cher'-u-bim, and Ra'-chel, are excepted. 10. Cis silent before n and t, as Cni'-dus is pronounced N'-dus; and Ctes'-i-phon as if written Tes'-i-phon. RULES FOR PRONUNCIATION. 11. Pis silent before t, as Ptol'-e-my is pronounced Tol-emy. N. B. In the following catalogues of proper names when one word is succeeded by another in Italics the latter is only to spell the former as it should be pronounced; as Na'-son is the true pronunciation of the preceding word, Mna'-son, and Ni'-dus of Cni'-dus. As a ready and correct pronunciation of scripture proper names is of great importance, and can easily be acquired, attention to the subject cannot. be too strongly recommended. In order to acquire this pronunciation, let the learner audibly read fifteen or twenty words several times in succession to some one, who, by the application of the preceding rules, will be able to correct any errors in the pronunciation. Short lessons, repeated several times at the same reading, will more effectually correct bad habits, and establish good ones, than reading-long lessons but once. A few lessons read in this way, will complete the catalogues, and on a review a greater portion may be read at the same time. Attention for a few days only in this manner will be requisite to acquire a good pronunciation of all the difficult names in the New Testament. PROPER NAMES OF PERSONS, AND SOME OTHER WORDS, CORRECTLY a Abaddon o Apollyon, destroyer or destruction; the angel of the bottomless pit, Rev. ix. II, whom writers on prophecy suppose to be the impostor Mohammed, the author of the Mohammedan religion. b Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet. c Anathema, signifies things set apart, or devoted; it is generally used to denote some heavy denunciation or curse. e Beryl, a bright, transparent gem of a bluish green. f Centurion; the c in this word, and in every instance, when printed in Italics, has the sound of s, thus, Senturion. g Chalcedony, a precious stone, variegated with divers colours in the form of clouds. b Chrysolite, a precious stone of a gold colour, very transparent. i Chrysoprasus, a precious stone of a green colour, mixed with a golden brightness. k Crystal, a very bright, transparent stone, of a watery colour, exceedingly clear. 1 Damascenes, the inhabitants of Damascus. m Diamond, the hardest and most valuable of all precious stones; it is also called adamant. n Emmanuel, a Hebrew word, which signifies God with us. • Emerald, a precious stone of a yellowish colour, next in hardness to the ruby. Esaias, for the pronunciation of the syllable sai, see note on Caiaphas. q Euroclydon, the northeast wind. Hosanna is a Hebrew word, which signifies, save, I beseech you. s Immanuel, God with us. |