aud appeared mounted on the shoulders of a Hercules. Our second figure is copied from Zuzzeri, who, in 1746, did not know what had become of it. The other represents a large marble sun-dial, on the point of a rock on the right of the monument of Thrasyllus, at Athens: from a fine engraving of which, in Le Roy, (Sur les Ruines des plus beaur Monumens de la Grèce,) our figure is copied. This writer thinks it corresponds to the description of that, the inven tion of which is attributed to Berosus the Chaldean. This Berosus lived about the time of Alexander; and when Vitruvius says that the invention of a kind of dial was ascribed to him, we are probably to understand no more than that he first introduced it to the knowledge of the western nations. In this case it may well be supposed to have been in use in and before the time of Ahaz, and it may have become known to him when he went to meet the Assyrian king at Damascus. His curiosity in such matters would soon have brought to his knowledge the existence of so important an instrument, and, as a king, he could have found no difficulty in obtaining one, or a pattern from which one might be made. It is to be regretted that the few words of Vitruvius do not indicate with greater precision the kind of dial intended. He says "Hemicyclium excavatum ex quadrato ad enclimaque succisum, Berosus Chaldæus dicitur inve nisse." Some think, rather loosely, that this is the same concave hemisphere which has been already noticed; but there is a difference between a hemisphere and a hemicycle (half-circle), and we think that such dials as those represented in figs. 3 and 4, best answer to the descriptions of the dial of Berosus, and which therefore have some claim to

be identified with the dial of Ahaz. And this is further strengthened by the consideration that the principle of this sort of dial will (as we may endeavour to show under Isaiah xxxviii.), better perhaps than any other, illus trate the retrogression of the shadow upon the dial in question. The figure 3 is copied from the representation (in the 'Antiquités d'Herculanum ') of one of white marble found at Civita, in 1762: it is particularly interesting as one of the most simple and primitive of its class. The other (fig. 4) very beautiful dial, also of marble, was discovered in Mount Tusculum (near Rome), in the year 1726; and is the principal subject of the dissertation of Zuzzeri ( D'un antico orologio a' sóle scavato in una villa antica sul monte Toscolo-1746); to which we are indebted for this figure, as well as for that of the hemispherical dial. The resemblance of these two dials to those of Chaldea, attributed to Berosus, has been noticed by most antiquarians who have adverted to them. Perhaps to this class also belongs the compound dial (fig. 5) in the Elgin collection, which exhibits four different dials on as many faces of the stone, and which is conjectured to have been intended to show the hour at one of the cross ways of Athens, where it was found.

In concluding this note, we cannot omit to notice the curious portable dial (fig. 6.) of which some specimens have been found, and which seems to have been used both by the Greeks and Romans. We have no means of determining its antiquity; but it is clear that it could not, in the form it usually bears, that of a ham, have been known to the Jews, who hated the hog and all that belonged to it. The principle of its construction, however, was otherwise applicable, and as a portable convenience, we are not precluded from supposing that an application of its principle was known to the Jews in later times, while connected with the Romans. It may be described as a ham, the tail of which served for the gnomon, and which was furnished with a

hook or ring at the extremity, for the purpose of suspension. The dial is on the back of the ham, on which are described seven vertical lines, under which are abbreviated the names of the twelve months, beginning with January, retrograding to June, and again returning to December, as shown in the cut. Six horizontal lines traverse the vertical ones, and by their intersection show the extension of the shades thrown by the gnomon, on the sun's entering each sign of the zodiac, and consequently at every point of his path through the ecliptic. This also points out the hours of the day, the shadow descending with the rising, and again ascending with the setting sun. The square compartments were marked with the hours. It seems that when in use it was suspended by the hook or ring, the side being presented to the sun, and that when the extremity of the shadow of the gnomon reached the extremity of the line marked with the name of the actual month, the horizontal intersection showed the hour. As it is not very clear how it could be made to revolve with the sun, we do not know that it could spontaneously convey its intimations. We should think that it was kept suspended, and, when consulted, must have been adjusted for the moment with reference to some fixed rule or standard, which was probably connected with the beam or pillar from which it usually hung. This dial was found at Herculaneum in 1754, and is described in the Monumenta Peloponnesia' of Paciaudio; and a similar one, found at Portici in 1755, is well described by Maréchal in the Antiquités d'Herculanum,' t. iv. p. 14-18. Besides these authorities, and Zuzzeri, as cited above, we have also used Calmet's Dissertation sur la retrogradation de l'ombre du soleil sur l'horologe d'Achaz;' Goguet's Origine des Lois,' t. ii. p. 231-234; and the articles Gnomon and Gnomonique in the Encyclopédie Mathématique. We have specified these different ancient time-measures, under the impression that they were all probably known at different times to the Hebrews, and used by them; and we wish it therefore to be taken as an illustration of the subject generally, rather than of the dial of Ahaz in particular, though we have no doubt that it is included in the statement we have given. 12. "Berodach baladan...king of Babylon."-This is the first king of Babylon mentioned in Scripture, his prede cessors having been, apparently, præfects or viceroys to the Assyrian kings This is he who asserted his independence, as mentioned in the last note. After his death, the affairs of his kingdom would appear to have fallen into much disorder, if we may judge from the recurrence of fi e reigns, and two interregnums of ten years each, in the twenty-nine years which passed before Esarhaddon succeeded in again bringing it under the Assyrian yoke (see Hales, vol. iv. p. 58). Berodach had the same political interest as Hezekiah, in opposition to Assyria; and it is probable that the ostensible embassy of congratulation had the real object of bringing the king of Judah into an alliance against the

common enemy.

Fig.

a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, 'In Jerusalem will I put my name.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son,

51 Kings 8. 29, and 9. 3. Chap. 23 27. 6 Jer 15. 4. 71 Sam. 3. 11.
9 Heb. from mouth to mouth. 10 2 Chron. 33. 20.

Chap. xxi.—The parallel chapter is 2 Chron. xxxiv. ; and although there is considerable difference, the resemblance between the two parallel chapters is considerably greater than in some of those which have preceded. See the notes on the chapter referred to.

Verse 7. "He set a graven image of the grove."-This is scarcely intelligible. The two most common explanations are: 1. That Manasseh really planted an idolatrous grove in the temple, that is, in its court; and 2. That, although a grove is literally expressed, we are to understand it, as a metonymy denoting a sylvan goddess, or an idol worshipped in a wood. So Boothroyd renders, "grove-idol." But we are rather disposed to agree with Selden and Gesenius, that the word TN asherah) rendered "grove," ought to be taken, at least in this place, as a proper name of Ashtoreth or Astarte. At all events, the account in xxiii. 6, of the manner in which this same idol was taken out from the temple and destroyed, seems applicable rather to an image than "a grove," though our translation has the same word there also. It there, in our translation, seems to be a literal grove, and here the image of a grove. Concerning Ashtoreth, see the note on chap. xxiii. 13. Mr. Landseer, in his 'Sabæan Researches,' has entered into much curious investigation, the object of which is to prove that in this and similar expressions neither a grove on the one hand, nor an image on the other, is to be understood; but that the object intended was a sort of artificial tree, with its stem and curved branches, being an astronomical machine, answering some of the purposes of our celestial spheres, planetaria, and armillary machines. This, in its origin, might have been innocently and usefully employed in pure astronomical calculation, apart from the superstitions which deified the heavenly bodies and made them the dispensers of good and evil. But when this corruption had taken place, the asherim came to be regarded idolatrously as sacred astrological indicators of the will and intentions of the gods, and engines of divination; on which account they are prohibited in Scripture and mentioned as abominable things. With a reference to the peculiarly astronomical character of the Sabaan superstition, its pre

valence in the East, and the gross addiction of the Hebrews to it, together with the mention of the asherim in connection with the worship of the host of heaven," this explanation deserves more attention than many readers would at the first view be disposed to allow it. We do not wish however in this place, to express any opinion as to its value for the explanation of the Hebrew word asherah. Our present object is to illustrate the present text, without entering into the general subject, which perhaps we may do on some future occasion. Meanwhile, however, we may say, that, in our opinion, the arguments of Mr. Landseer go a good way to strengthen the conclusion, that the asherah cannot always be understood to mean a literal grove or tree, and that this is one of the texts in which it does not bear that meaning; although we can by no means subscribe to the opinion that it never has that signification. In short, our own impression is, that "a grove" is literally indicated, but that the word is appl.ed by metonymy to other idolatrous objects, and that this is probably one of the texts in which it is so applied.

Heb. melled.

Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept

before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

Chaps. xxii. and xxiii.-These two chapters, embracing the account of Josiah's reign, correspond to 2 Chron. xxxiv. and xxxv. The two narratives are nearly of the same extent, and include generally the same facts related with considerable variation of language, and some of circumstances. The difference is chiefly that the account of the great passover kept by Josiah occupies only three verses in Kings (xxiii. 21-23), whilst in Chronicles it occupies the first nineteen verses of chap. xxxv.; but, on the other hand, the Chronicles report very summarily in five verses (xxxiv. 3-7) the reformations which are described in much detail in sixteen verses (5-20) of chap. xxiii. of the present book. To this portion we shall therefore confine our present attention, referring to Chronicles for such observations as the other parts of the narrative may require.