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MEASURES OF DISTANCE.

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our old guide every here and there placed a stone on a conspicuous bit of rock, or two stones one upon the other, at the same time uttering some words, which I learnt were a prayer for our safe return. This explained to me what I had frequently seen before in the East, and particularly on a high road leading to a great town, whence the town is first seen, and where the Eastern traveller sets up his stone accompanied by a devout exclamation, as it were in token of his safe arrival. The action of our guide appears to illustrate the vow which Jacob made when he travelled to Padanaram, in token of which he placed a stone and set it up for a pillar. A stone on the road placed in this position, or one stone upon another, implies that some traveller has there made a vow, or a thanksgiving. Nothing is so natural in a journey over a dreary country as for a solitary traveller to sit himself down fatigued, and to make the vow that Jacob did. 'If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, so that I reach my father's house in peace, then will I give so much in charity;' or again, that on first seeing the place which he has toiled so long to reach, the travelÏer should sit down and make a thanksgiving, in both cases setting up a stone as a memorial."-MORIER'S Second Journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, p. 84.

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The measures of distance along roads used by the Hebrews were as follows:-the pace, noticed only in 2 Sam. vi. 13; an undefined distance, described in our version as a little way' or "a little piece of ground" (Gen. xxxv. 16, xlviii. 7; 2 Kings v. 19), probably about three miles; a day's journey (Gen. xxx. 36; Jonah iii. 4), which we may put at from twenty to thirty miles; and a Sabbath-day's journey, which was limited by the Jews to two thousand cubits (Acts i. 12). In the New Testament we have notice on one occasion of the Roman mile, which was somewhat shorter than our own (Matt. v. 41).

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CONSTANT WARFARE IN JEWISH HISTORY.-ENEMIES OF THE JEWS. EGYPTIAN ARMY.-WAR-CHARIOT. ASSYRIAN ARMOUR.-SHIELD-BEARERS.-ARMS.-CHARIOTS WITH BOWMEN USED BY THE ELAMITES.-ORNAMENTS ON THE CHARIOTS AND HORSES.-ASSYRIAN HORSES.-SIEGES.- BATTERING-RAMS.FORTS AROUND A BESIEGED TOWN.-MODES OF DEFENCE.ENGINES OF WAR.- SPOILS.- PLACING THE FEET ON THE NECKS OF CAPTIVES.-THE RING OR HOOK IN THE NOSE.NUMBERING HEADS.-IDOLS CARRIED AWAY.-DEDICATION OF SPOILS. ALLUSIONS IN NEW TESTAMENT TO ROMAN SOLDIERS. -DESOLATION PRODUCED BY EASTERN WARFARE.

THROUGHOUT the whole of their national existence the Jews were with but brief intervals either actually

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engaged in war or in danger of it. Hence every male adult "from twenty years old and upward " was obliged by law to serve as a soldier (Num. i. 3), and the whole people, or any portion of it, such as a tribe, formed an army ready at any moment to take the field against an enemy when summoned to do so by the call of the trumpet or by the erection of a standard on some conspicuous height.

The most powerful enemies with whom they came into contact were the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Romans. Their wars with the last-mentioned people are not recorded in Scripture, but there are frequent references both in the historical and prophetical books to the manner of carrying on war that prevailed among the former nations and throughout the East generally. These references have received a large amount of illustration from the monuments recently discovered amidst the ruins of Nineveh and elsewhere, and from these sources we extract the following information as likely to be of interest.

The Egyptian army consisted of infantry, cavalry, and war-chariots. The two latter are mentioned in Ex. xiv. 9, 23, as joining in the pursuit of the Israelites: The Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen,

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and his army.' Whether we are to understand by the " army the other branch of the service; viz., the infantry, is uncertain; as they are not mentioned in verse 23, it may refer to the chariot-warriors. Some doubt indeed has been expressed as to the use of cavalry, from the circumstance that there is no representation of them in any of the numerous battle-scenes on the Egyptian monuments: but on this subject we may rely on Wilkinson's authority, who tells us that: Though Egyptian horsemen are rarely found on any monuments, they are too frequently and positively noticed in sacred and profane history to allow us to question their employment; and an ancient battle-axe

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represents a mounted soldier on its blade."-- Ancient Egyptians, i. 338.

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The war-chariot of Egypt and of the Canaanites was a very light structure, of which the sides were partly open, and the back quite open; it was very low, and the riders entered from behind, and stood upright in it, as there was no seat. In the Song of Solomon an allusion is made to the beauty and richness of the trappings of the horses, as well as to the fine animals themselves "I have compared thee, O my Love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots" (Cant. i. 9). In the case of a general, "a second car with fresh horses was always ready in the rear," in order to provide against accident or deceit. Hence we read in 2 Chron. xxxv. 24, of Josiah, who had doubtless borrowed the custom from the Egyptians, that "his servants

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ASSYRIAN ARMOUR.

417 took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had."

The costume of the Assyrian warriors differed according to their rank and the nature of the service they had to perform. Those who fought in chariots, and held the shield for the defence of the king, are generally seen in coats of scale armour, which descend either to the knees or to the ankles. A large number of the scales were discovered in the earliest palace of Nimroud. They were generally of iron, slightly embossed or raised in the centre, and some were inlaid with copper. They were probably fastened to a shirt of felt or coarse linen. Such is the armour always represented in the most ancient sculptures.

In removing the earth from the pavement of a chamber in the ruins of Nineveh, Mr. Layard found a large quantity of iron amongst the rubbish, and soon recognized in it the scales of the armour represented on the sculptures. Each scale was separate, and was of iron, from two to three inches in length, rounded at one end, and squared at the other, with a raised or embossed line in the centre. The iron was covered with rust, and in a very decomposed state. Two or three baskets were filled with these relics. As the earth was removed, other portions of armour were found; some of copper, others of iron, and others of iron inlaid with copper. At length a perfect helmet was discovered. When the rubbish was cleared away it was perfect, but immediately fell to pieces.

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The dress of the soldiers appears to vary according to the manner in which they are armed. Those with spear and shield wear pointed or crested helmets, and plain or embroidered tunics, confined at the waist by a broad girdle. A kind of cross-belt passes over the shoulders, and is ornamented in the centre of the breast by a circular disk, probably of metal. . . . Both the spearmen and slingers have greaves, which appear to have been laced in front. Several iron helmets

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