Sect. 1.-The Atmosphere. Modern Science.]—Under this term we comprehend as one body, that gaseous or aëriform fluid, which every where invests the surface of the terraqueous globe, and which partakes of all its motions, both diurnal and annual. Its obvious properties are fluidity, elasticity, expansibility, and gravity:* and its various uses are manifest from its being necessary for the support both of animal and vegetable life-indispensible in all the common processes of combustion-from ministering to several of the pleasures which we derive from our senses-giving buoyancy to the clouds-and enabling the feathered creation to transport themselves with ease from one part of the earth to another. All the discoveries of modern science are calculated to awaken sentiments of Scriptural piety, exhibiting indisputable and most impressive indications of the very highest wisdom and goodness, in the arrangements of the Creator. Air.-Ang, Air, evidently from" (ar) to flow: and used by the Sept. for pr(shahcak), in 2 Sam. xxii. 12; and Psal. xviii. 11; but for which, there does not appear any distinct term in the Hebrew language. It is ordinarily expressed by (shamayim), heaven, as in Gen. xix. 24; and 2 Kings i. 10. To beat the air, 1 Cor. ix. 26; and to speak into the air, 1 Cor. xiv. 9, are modes of expression used in most languages, signifying, to speak without judgment or understanding, or to no purpose; to fatigue ourselves in vain. It may be questioned whether in Eph. ii. 2, the Apostle positively maintains the fact of a diabolic operation on the air, in the way of exciting storms or other malign influences (Job i. 9.), or speaks rather in an accomodation to the Jewish manner of speaking, current in his days.† Wind.J-Wind is air in motion, for which the Biblical words are (rooach) and μa. (Gen. i. 2; Ps. civ. 4, 30; Is. xl. 7.) In Gen. · iii. 8,) □17 717 (rooach hayom) appear to denote, the morning breeze. Job xvi. 3, M 27 (divray rooach), words of wind, are, vain, noisy words. Eccles. xi. 5, may be illustrated by reference to John iii. 8. In 1 Kings xviii. 12, mm/rooach yehouah) seem to mean, a miraculous wind from Jehovah: compare Ezek. iii. 14; viii. 3 ; xi. 1, 24; 2 Kings ii. 11, 16; Acts viii. 39. There were four principal winds acknowledged by the Hebrews, 1 Chron. ix. 24; Ezek. xlii, 16—18; the East, the North, the South, and the West. The statement of Prov. xxv. 23, is especially confirmed by the Pagan Classics. TheEugoxλudar of Acts. xxvii. 14, from Eugu xλudwv, an eastern tempest; may express the very meaning that is affixed by English mariners to a "Levanter" at this time. (Ps. xlviii. 7; and Ezek. xxvii. 26.) *The Chemical Catechism, &c. by S. Parkes, 10th. ed. pp. 33-54.—A publication, whose deservedly extended sale supersedes the necessity of any farther recommendation. + Editor of Calmet, in Bib. Encyclop. on "Air."-Consult, however, the works of Doddridge and Macknight. Homer, II. v. lines 524-526. Virgil, Georg. iii. line 196. and Ovid, Metam. i. lines 262, 263. 328. || Dr. Shaw, Travels, p. 330. See also Wetstein, Doddridge, and Bowyer's Couject. on the text. Clouds. The Heb. and Gr. terms for a Cloud appear to convey a similarity of idea: ¡ (anan) because of its returning from the heavens in rain, snow, &c.; and EQEλn, from, (naphal) to descend, or fall down. From the real manifestations of Jehovah in a cloud (Exod. xix. 9, 16; Deut. iv. 11; Lev. xvi. 2.), we have similar appearances ascribed by the heathen to their false gods. Very small clouds are the forerunners of violent storms and hurricanes in the east as well as the west: they rise like a man's hand (1 Kings xviii. 44.), until the whole sky becomes black with rain, which descends in torrents. In our Saviour's time, this phenomenon seems to have become a certain prognostic of wet weather, Luke xii. 54; Tny veQελny, THE† CLOUD. About the middle of harvest, the morning cloud is seen early in the morning, and disappears as the sun ascends above the horizon. (Hos. vi. 4; and xiii. 3.) These light fleecy clouds are without water, Qλa awdę, and to them the apostle Jude, (ver. 12.) compares the false teachers, with very great propriety and truth. The astrological practice of divining, by looking up to the clouds, is often adverted to, as in Lev. xix. 26; Deut. xviii. 10, 14; Jer. x. 2. Rainbow.)-up (kesheth') is very appropriately and philosophically read in Eng. Rainbow; and the circumstance recorded in Gen. ix. 13, has been additionally confirmed and immortalized by the Irist of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The propriety of its introduction in Ezek. i. 28; Rev. iv. 3; and also Rev. x. 1, cannot be omitted. Dew.- (tal), Agoros, Dew, a moist vapour, descending|| upon the earth. (Gen. xxvii. 28, 39; Prov. iii. 20.) It needs scarcely be remarked, that, in the hot eastern countries where it rarely rains during the summer months, the copious dews, which fall there during the night, are essential to the nourishment and life of vegetables. (Hag. i. 10; 1 Kings xvii. 1; Zech. viii. 12.) The allusions to it, in all writings, Sacred and Heathen,§ are too familiar to be forgotten either by the Scripture or Classical reader. Sect. 2.-The Weather. Weather. This word seems to occur only four times in Scripture, but each of them may not be unworthy of notice. In Job xxxvii. 22, the words лn (mitzaphon zahav yeëtheth) are rendered by almost every version, ¶ ancient and modern, to this sense, the north cometh gold:" but this does not appear so natural from the connection. Prov. xxv. 20, por (yom karah) are literally, "From 66 a * Homer, in numerous instances, also Horace, Virgil, and Ovid, in their several works. ↑ Dr. Middleton's Doctrine of the Greek Article, p. 327. Lexicons. page 50. Aristot. Cic. Virg. Ovid, &c., cited in Calepin. Dict. under. Ling. p. 1272. Dr. A. Clarke, who quotes Calmet, and questions Goode's rendering, &c. on this text. cold day." In Matt. xvi. 2. "fair weather" is expressed by Eudia; from Ev, well or good, and A, Jupiter, that is, the heavens or air, whence the Latins say, sub Dio, in the open air. Matt. xvi. 3. Xuμur, stormy weather, or winter. Rain.-Rain, (matar), veros, is the descending of heavy aqueous drops from the clouds; and is mentioned by Biblical writers in a great variety of connections. In the sublime chapters of Job,* there are some truly scientific notices of it, particularly chap. xxxvi. 27, 28. and xxxviii, 28. By the former and the latter rains (Deut. xi. 14; Hos. vi. 3.), are understood those which fell in the spring and autumn; as in Judæa it commonly rained, but during those two seasons. Snow. (sheleg), Xiwy, Snow, is formed when the atmosphere is so cold as to freeze the particles of rain as soon as they are formed, and the adhesion of several of these particles to each other, during their descent through the air, forms the usual fleeces of snow, which are larger when the clouds are higher. (Ps. clxvii. 16). In Prov. xxv. 13, the allusion is thought to be, to the cooling effect of snow, on wines drank in the East. A beautiful trine comparison is given in Prov. xxvi. 1. That very difficult text,† Ps. lxviii. 15, has been compared with Ecclus. xliii. 18. or 20. Hail. Congealed rain is Hail: (barad), Xaλaža; but its mode of composition is not so satisfactorily ascertained. This is the only meteor from which no good is apparently derived: and what is intended by the reasures of hail, Job xxxvii. 22, is not well known. The most tremendous hail mentioned in Scripture, or in any writer, is that alluded to in Rev. xvi. 21. How prodigious is this description! in comparison with which, all accounts of hail-stones, and hail-storms are diminutive. We have in the Philosophical Transactions, mention of hail as large as pullet's eggs: but what is this to the weight of a talent ?|| Thunder and Lightning. (raam), Bgorrn, Thunder, is a repercussion of the air violently agitated, among dense clouds, by the lightning or electric flash. As this is the loudest natural noise with which mankind are acquainted, it has been ascribed directly to the Almighty, as his own voice. (Exod. ix. 28; Ps. xxxix. 3, 4.) Thunder-bolt is certainly a great rarity: what sually does the mischief, which is attributed to the thunderbolt, is the lightning which occasions the thunder; nevertheless, as this notion of a bolt has been common, our translators have not refused to employ this word§. Ps. lxxviii. 48. It is suggested, that Job, xxxvi. 30, 33, may be best explained by this notion of a thunderbolt. The words in Psal. cxxxv. 7, are strictly and philosophically true. Does not the lightning, by discharging the electricity from an electrical cloud, suffer its waters to coalesce, and so occasion rain? * Dr. A. Clarke, who has given some very instructive notes, &c. By Parkhurst, Heb. Lex. who also refers to Chandler's life of David, vol. ii. p. 69. &c. So remarks the above celebrated critic-Dr. A. Clarke, on the passage. Thus observed the late learned and laborious Editor of Calmet, who has supplied here an unaccountable deficiency in his author-on the word "Hail," The same remark also applies to this particular in meteorology, which appears to have been completely overlooked by the celebrated Calmet. Simoon.-The pestilential wind or blast, by the Arabs termed the Sam-wind; by the Persians, Samoun; by the Turks, Simoon or Samiel, is noticed in Jer. iv. 11. Its effects are most dreadful; and it is doubtless the very sorest calamity with which any of the fair regions of the East are visited.* Most probably it is alluded to in 2 Kings xix. 26; as well as certainly by Psal. ciii. 15, 16; and 2 Kings xix. 7, 35. Sect 3.-The Seasons. The seasons of the natural year are indicated by a very ancient portion of the sacred history, Gen. viii. 22; and as agriculture constituted the principal employment of the Jews, during most periods of their history, they seem to have adopted this simple division of the year. As this topic has already been discussed in the present publication, it would be unsuitable here not to consult the utmost possible brevity. May it be suggested, that a kind of Scripture Calendar or Almanack, would be useful, comprising (in separate columns) a tabular view of all the months, with the notice of sacred festival days, some particular events in Scripture History, changes of weather, economical business of each month, &c., &c. ? Seed-time -The Seed-time, (Zera), Exigua, comprised the latter half of Tisri, the whole of Marchesvan, and the former half of Kisleu : that is, according to our time, from the beginning of October to the beginning of December. Winter.J-Winter, (Choreph), Eag, included the latter half of Chisleu, the whole of Zebeth, and the former part of Shebeth: or from the beginning of our December to the beginning of February. Cold Season. The cold season, (Kor), uxos, takes in the latter half of Shebeth, the whole of Adar, and the former half of Nisan; from the beginning of February to the beginning of April. Harvest The Harvest, (Ketzeer), giopos, comprises the latter half of Nisan, the whole of Jyar, and the former half of Sivan: from the beginning of April to the beginning of June. Summer. The Summer, pp/Kayitz), gos, comprehends the latter half of Sivan, the whole of Thammuz, and the former half of Ab; or from the beginning of June to the beginning of August. Hot Season. The Hot Season, on (Chom), and its derivative Kaupa, includes the latter half of Ab, the whole of Elul, and the former half of Tisri; that is, from the beginning of August to the beginning of October. [Cosmography to be concluded in the next.] * Bruce's Travels, &c. vi. pp. 462, 463, 464; Harmer's Observations, vol. i. Pp. 94-96. Morier's, sec. Journey, p. 43; and vol. i. pp. 342, 343. + See vol. i, pp. 343–350. Buhle's Econom. Calend. of Palest. Calmet's Fragments, &c., &c. τω Θεω all its terms: eyakuw, is simply to magnify, to celebrate, to praise; ayaλaw denotes exultation, or exstacy: xn is the animal soul; Eμ the immortal spirit: To xupio is the simplest and most general expression of Godhead, the Lord of all men; TW σwraps μou is, in terms, a considerable amplification, and in meaning, abounds with appropriative and heart-felt comfort; the God who is My Saviour. Now, all the terms of the second line, thus respectively rising above their parallel terms in the first line, the fact can surely not be questioned, that, in the lines themselves, there is an intentional gradation.*** ἂν ὁ Κύριος Ιησους 'αναλώσει, τω πνέυματι ςόματος αυτε και καταργήσει, τη ἐπιφάνεια της παρουσίας αυτού. Whom the Lord Jesus will waste away, with the breath of his mouth, 2 Thess. ii. 8. "The first words, Kupios 'Indous, are common to both lines; αναλώσει implies no more, in this place, than gradual decay; xarnyno denotes total extirmination: while in terror and magnificence, no less than in the effects assigned, the breath of his mouth, must yield to the bright appearance of his coming. The first line seems to announce the ordinary diffusion, gradually to be effected, of Christian truth: the second to foretell the extraordinary manifestation of the victorious Messiah, suddenly, and overwhelmingly, to take place in the last days."+ καθαρίσατε χειρας, ἁμαρτωλοι And purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Jam. iv. 8. "Kadapioare, here, relates to outward cleansing; dynoare, to inward purification; xupas, to outward actions; napdias, to inward principles: auaptaho, persons determinately engaged in sin; Suxo, persons in whom conscience is awakened, wavering between tendences to good and evil.+" ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αυτου ανατέλλει ἐπι πονηρους και αγαθούς, και βρέχει έπι δικαιους και αδικους. For he maketh his sun arise on the bad and good; "The first of these lines contains the higher character, the second, a lower character, of good and evil; Tommpos, bad, wicked, is more than adixos, unjust; the former is positive; the latter only negative again, ayados, good, is superior to dinaios, just the latter is no better than strict law requires him to be; the former follows the kind and benevolent dictates of a kind and benevolent nature: Quis legem det amantibus? Major lex amor est sibi. * Sacred Literature, p. 310. Ibid, pp. 313, 313. + Ibid, p. 312. |