CHAP. IV.

They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.-Verse 10. The margin has, instead of they shall rejoice," since the seven eyes of the Lord shall rejoice." "Upon one stone shall be seven eyes." (Zech. iii. 9.)

Dr. Boothroyd says that these eyes represent "the perfect oversight and providence of God;" which I doubt not is the true meaning. It is a curious fact, that the sun, which shines seven times in the course of the week, is spoken of as the seven eyes" of the Deity, because there is an eye for each day. Thus, the Sunday, the "first eye" of God, shines; and so on through the rest of the days. In verse 9, mention is made of laying the foundation-stone of a temple for Jehovah; and again in verse 10, it is asked: "Who hath despised the day of small things?' saying, 'It is only the foundation, this is a small beginning!' Fear not; for the seven eyes of the Lord are over the work. His good providence shall accomplish the whole, because he has an eye for each day of the week." Has a man suffered a great evil? has an antagonist triumphed over another, either in a court of justice or any other manner? in talking about his misfortunes, his remark is: "God has lost his eyes, or I should not have fallen into this trouble." "Well, friend, how is this? I hear you have gained the day." "True, true! the eyes of God were upon me." Should there not have been rain for some time, the people exclaim: "God has no eyes in these days;" that is, He does not take care of us.

In the book Neethe-veanpā it is affirmed: "To all there are two eyes; to the learned there are three; to the givers of alms there are seven eyes;" (alluding to cach day;) "but to those who through penance have received gracious gifts, there are innumerable eyes."

CHAP. VIII.

I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country. -Verse 7. The margin has, instead of west country, "country of the going-down of the sun."

The form in the margin is exceedingly common. Thus people do not always say, "We are to go to the East or * This is in good keeping with, "Curse God, and die."

West," but "to the side where is the going-down," or "to the side where is the ascending place."-" In what direction are you going?" "To the place of the going-down."

CHAP. XII.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people.-Verse 3.

Thus was Jerusalem at last to crush her enemies; she was

then to have the ascendency. "Alas! alas! my enemy is now as a mountain upon me; he will crush me to atoms."

Judah was to be like "a hearth of fire among the wood." (Verse 6.) Of one who conquers all, it is said, "He is like fire amongst straw." Jerusalem was again to be inhabited. The people were to "look upon" Him "whom they had pierced."

CHAP. XIII.

I will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried.

manner.

-Verse 9.

The people of the East try the quality of gold by the touch. Thus, they have a small stone on which they first rub a needle of known quality: they then take the article which they wish to try, and rub it near to the mark left by the other; and by comparing the two, they judge of the value of that which they "try." In those regions there are not any marks by which we can judge of the standard, except in this Under these circumstances, it is no matter of wonder that there is much which is not "fine gold;" and such is the skill of some of the goldsmiths, that they often deceive the most practised eye. The grand secret of alchymy, by which other metals could be transmuted into gold, has never been fully divulged; but multitudes believe that certain individuals possess this knowledge. Nor was that invaluable acquirement confined to the Hindoos; for "Diocletian caused a diligent inquiry to be made for all the ancient books which treated of the admirable art of making gold and silver, and without pity committed them to the flames; apprehensive, as we are assured, lest the opulence of the Egyptians should inspire them with confidence to rebel against the empire.

"The conquest of Egypt by the Arabs diffused that vain science over the globe."*

Numbers in the East waste their entire property in trying to acquire this wonderful secret. Not long ago a party of the "gold-makers," having heard of a very charitable man, went to him, and said they had heard of his good deeds; and in order to enable him to be more benevolent, they offered, at a trifling expense, to make him a large quantity of gold. The kind-hearted creature was delighted at the thought, and furnished the required materials, amongst which, it must be observed, was a considerable quantity of gold. The time having arrived for making the precious metal, the whole was cast into the crucible, the impostors taking care to put-in an extra quantity of gold. When it was nearly ready, the alchymists threw-in some stalks of an unknown plant, and pronounced certain incantations; after which the contents were turned out, and there the astonished man saw a great deal more gold than he had advanced. Such an opportunity was not to be lost: he therefore begged them to make him a much larger quantity: and, after some objections, the knaves consented, taking good care immediately to decamp with the whole amount.

An Armenian gentleman, who died at the age of eightytwo, as is recorded in the Madras Gazette of July 22nd, 1830, had expended the whole of his property, amounting to thirty thousand pagodas, in search of the philosopher's stone, but left the world a beggar.

"With crucible and furnace, bursting on his trunk,

His last remains of blissful fervour sunk."

CHAP. XIV.

In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.-Verse 20.

Round the necks of horses, elephants, bullocks, and buffaloes, bells are tied, for three reasons: First. To have the pleasure of hearing them; Secondly. Should the cattle stray, they can easily be found; and, Thirdly. To frighten off the wild beasts.

• Gibbon's Roman Empire, vol. i. p. 19.

MALACHI.

CHAP. I.

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts.-Verse 13. The margin has, instead of and ye have snuffed at it, or whereas ye might have blown it away."

THE marginal reading I conceive to be the best. The Jews had complained of the "weariness" of their duties. They were tired of making offerings; and those which they did offer were "polluted," or "lame," or "blind;" whereas, instead of those duties being burdensome, they were so light that they might have blown them away. Does a person complain of his numerous labours or duties? another will ask: "What are they? why, a breath will blow them away.""Alas! I have many things to attend to." "Fie on you for talking so! if you blow on them, they will go."

CHAP. II.

I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts.-Verse 3.

In verse 11 of this chapter, allusion is again made to the Heathenism of Judah: they had "married the daughter of a strange god."

Dung upon your faces-To what can this refer? Probably to the custom of the idolaters, of spreading the ashes of cowdung on their faces; and to "dungy gods," the marginal reference of Deut. xxix. 17; on which see the remarks.

CHAP. III.

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?-Verse 14. The margin, for mournfully, has "in black."

Here we have another instance of the base ingratitude of the people: "It is vain to serve God." In black-" My

"Alas! my

friend, why has your face become so black?" "Alas!

sorrow, my sorrow! therefore my face is full of blackness." "Yes, my sorrows are chased away, like dew before the sun; and my face no longer gathers blackness."

MATTHEW.

CHAP. II.

They saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts.-Verse 11.

THE birth of a son is always a time of great festivity in the East; the relations come together on the occasion, to congratulate the happy parents, and to present their gifts to the little stranger. Some bring the silver anklets; others, the bracelets or ear-rings, or the silver cord for the loins. Others, however, are the bearers of gold, and a variety of needful articles. The wise men did not make presents as a matter of charity, but to show their affection and respect. When the infant son of a king is shown, the people make their obeisance to him.

CHAP. III.

Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.-Verse 11.

A respectable man never goes out without his servant or attendant: thus, he has always some one to talk with, and to do any thing which he may require. When the ground is smooth, or where there is soft grass to walk on, the sandals are taken off, and the servant carries them in his hand. The devoted, the humble John did not consider himself worthy even to bear the sandals of his Divine Master.