sometimes rises one story higher than the house; at other times it consists of one or two rooms only and a terrace, whilst others, that are built (as they frequently are) over the porch or gateway, have (if we except the ground-floor, which they have not) all the conveniences that belong to the house, properly so called. There is a door of communication from them into the gallery of the house, kept open or shut at the discretion of the master of the family, besides another door, which opens immediately from a private staircase, down into the porch or street, without giving the least disturbance to the house. These back-houses are known by the name of olee or oleah (for the house properly so called is dar, or beet) and in them strangers are usually lodged and entertained; in them the sous of the family are permitted to keep their concubines; whither likewise the men are wont to retire from the hurry and noise of the families, to be more at leisure for meditation or diversions, besides the use they are at other times put to in serving for wardrobes and magazines.

The oleah of holy scripture, being literally the same appellation, is accordingly so rendered in the Arabic version. We may suppose it then to have been a structure of the like contrivance. The little chamber, consequently, that was built by the Shunamite for Elisha (whither, as the text instructs us, he retired at his pleasure, without breaking in upon the private affairs of the family, or being in his turn interrupted by them in his devotions;) the summer-chamber of Eglon, (which in the same manner with these, seems to have had privy stairs belonging to it, through which Ehud escaped, after he had revenged Israel upon that king of Moab;) the chamber over the gate, (whither, for the greater privacy, king David withdrew himself to weep for Absalom ;) and that upon whose terrace Ahaz, for the same

reason, erected his altars; seem to have been structures of the like nature and contrivance with these olees." SHAW's Travels, p. 280.

No. 130.-iv. 24. Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, drive and go forward.] Asses were much used for riding, and PocoCKE tells us, (vol. i. p. 191.) that "the man, (the husband, I suppose, he means) always leads the lady's ass, and if she has a servant be goes on one side; but the ass-driver follows the man, goads on the beast, and when he is to turn, directs his head with a pole." The Shunamite, when she went to the prophet, did not desire so much attendance, but only requested her husband to send her an ass and its driver, to whom she said, Drive, and go forward.

HARMER, vol. i. p. 449.

No. 131.-vii. 10. Horses tied and asses tied.] From the circumstances recorded concerning the flight of the Syrians, it appears to have been remarkably precipitate. That they were not altogether unprepared for a hasty departure may be inferred from comparing this passage with the following extract (from Memoirs relative to Egypt, p. 300.): "As soon as the Arabs are apprehensive of an attack, they separate into several small camps, at a great distance from each other, and tie their camels to the tents, so as to be able to move off at a moment's notice." Such a precaution is not probably peculiar to the modern Arabs, but might be adopted by the Syrian army. If this was the case, it shews with what great fear God filled their minds, that though prepared as usual for a quick march, they were not able to avail themselves of the advantage, but were constrained to leave every thing behind them as a prey to their enemjes.

No. 132.-xi. 2. Bed chamber.] A bed chamber does not, according to the usage of the East, mean a lodging room, but a repository for beds. Chardin says, " In the East, beds are not raised from the ground with posts, a canopy, and curtains; people lie on the ground. In the evening they spread out a mattress or two of cotton, very light, of which they have several in great houses, against they should have occasion, and a room on purpose for them." From hence it appears that it was in a chamber of beds that Joash was concealed.

HARMER, vol. ii. p. 489.

No. 133. xi. 12. Clapped their hands.] The way by which females in the East express their joy, is by gently applying one of their hands to their mouths. This custom appears to be very ancient, and seems to be referred to in several places of scripture. PITTS (Religion and Manners of the Mahometans, p. 85.) describing the joy with which the leaders of their sacred caravans are received in the several towns of Barbary through which they pass, says, "This Emir Hagge, into whatever town he comes, is received with a great deal of joy, because he is going about so religious a work. The women get upon the tops of the houses to view the parade, where they keep striking their four fingers on their lips softly as fast as they can, making a joyful noise all the while." The sacred writers suppose two different methods of expressing joy by a quick motion of the hand: the clapping of the hands, and that of one hand only, though these are confounded in our translation. The former of these methods obtained anciently, as an expression of malignant joy; (Lam. ii. 15. Job xxvii. 23.) but other words, which our version translates clapping the hands, signify, the applying of only one hand somewhere with softness, in testimony of a joy of

a more agreeable kind. Thus in 2 Kings xi. 12. and Psalm xlvii. 1. it should be rendered in the singular, Clap your hand, and as the word implies gentleness, it may allude to such an application of the hand to the mouth as has now been recited.

HARMER, vol. iii. p. 277.

No. 134. xii. 10. They put up (bound up) in bags, and told the money.] It appears to have been usual in the East for money to be put into bags, which, being ascertained as to the exact sum deposited in each, were sealed, and probably labelled, and thus passed currently. Instances of this kind may be traced in the scriptures, at least so far as that money was thus conveyed, (2 Kings v. 23.) and also thus delivered from superior to inferior officers for distribution: as in the passage referred to in this article. Major RENNELL (on the Geography of Herodotus, sect. 15.) in giving an abstract of the History of Tobit, says, "we find him again at Nineveh Tobit xi. 16.) from whence he dispatches his son Tobias to Rages by way of Ecbatana, for the money. At the latter place, he marries his kinswoman Sara, and sends a messenger on to Rages. The mode of keeping and delivering the money was exactly as at present in the East. Gabael, who kept the money in trust, "brought forth bags, which were sealed up, and gave them to him," (Tobit ix. 5.) and received in return the handwriting or acknowledgment which Tobias had taken care to require of his father before he left Nineveh. The money we learn (Tobit i. 14.) was left in trust, or as a deposit, and not on usury, and, as it may be concluded, with Tobit's seal on the bags. In the East, in the present times, a bag of money passes (for some time at least) currently from hand to hand, under the authority of a banker's seal, without any examination of its contents."

No. 135.-xx. 13. Shewed them all the house of his precious things.] The display which Hezekiah made of his treasure was to gratify the ambassadors of the king of Babylon. It appears to have been an extraordinary thing, and not done but upon this and occasions of a similar nature; such probably was the general practice. Lord Macartney informs us, that "the splendor of the emperor of China and his court, and the riches of the mandarins, surpass all that can be said of them. Their silks, porcelain, cabinets, and other furniture, make a most glittering appearance. These, however, are only exposed when they make or receive visits: for they commonly neglect themselves at home, the laws against private pomp and luxury being very severe.”

No. 136.-1 CHRONICLES xxvii. 28.
Cellars of oil.

Dr. Chandler (Trav. in Greece, p. 126.) says, the modern Greeks keep their oil in large earthen jars, sunk in the ground, in the areas before their houses. The custom might obtain among the Jews; it is certain they sometimes buried their oil in the earth, to secrete it in times of danger, in which case they fixed upon the most likely place for concealment-the fields. (Jer. xli. 8.) Joash may therefore be properly considered as set over the treasures of oil, whatever was the place in which it was stored. HARMER, vol. iv. p. 108.