This was probably because the camel, being an animal of so much importance in those countries, had been retained by their conquerors.

ESTHER viii. 10, 14. In those days there were no postoffices, nor such means of communication as there are at the present day; and all communications, &c., were taken to their destination by persons upon mules and camels. Vide also 1 Kings xxi. 8; Esther iii. 12-15.

JOB i. 3. The principal riches of the Bedouin Arabs (a nomadic race), no less than that of the princes and patriarchs of old, continue to be estimated from the number and quality of their cattle. Several Arabian tribes can bring into the field only three or four hundred horses, at the same time that they are possessed of more than so many thousands of camels, and triple again that number of sheep and black cattle. JOB i. 17. Chaldea is a country lying between Mesopotamia to the north, Persian Bay to the south, Susiana to the east, and the Arabian desert to the west.

JOB xlii. 12. Thus the great Creator rewarded Job for his patience and righteousness. Vide Job viii. 7.; James v. 11. ISA. xxi. 7. Darius and Cyrus, the Medes and Persians, are intended to be distinguished by the two riders or two sorts of cattle.

ISA. XXX. 6. The word "burden" here seems to be used in its proper sense, a LOAD, not an oracle. The flying serpents are so called because they twirl themselves to a branch of a tree by the tail, and spring or "fly" to another, or to some other object.

ISA. Ix. 6. Midian was the fourth son of Abraham by Keturah. Ephah was the son of Midian, and therefore grandson of Abraham. Gen. xxv. 4. For Sheba, see

Psalm 1xxii. 10; Isa. lxi. 6; Matt. ii. 11.

JER. xlix. 29. Their substance consisted of their cattle, their furniture, and their tents, from whence the country itself is called "the tents of Kedar." Psalm cxx. 5. With these they removed from place to place for the convenience of pasture. Isa. xiii. 20.

JER. xlix. 32. The prophet here foretells the destruction of Hazor by Nebuchadnezzar. The Hebrew gives, "cut off into corners, or that have the corners of their head polled." Vide also Jer. ix. 26; xxv. 23; xlix. 36; Ezek. v. 10.

EZEK. XXV. 5. Rabbah was the chief city of the Ammonites. See 2 Sam, xii, 26; Jer. xlix. 2; Ezek. xxi, 20.

MATT. iii. 4. This raiment was a coarse stuffmanufactured from the long and shaggy hair of camels, and which was anciently worn by monks and anchorites. St. John fed on such simple food as the desert affords to its lowest inhabitants. The abstemiousness and rigour of his life was calculated to produce very important effects. It was fitted to excite great attention and reverence in the minds of his hearers. It was well suited to the doctrine he was to preach-that of repentance and contrition-to the seriousness he wished to inspire, and to the terror he was appointed to impress on the impenitent offenders.

MATT. xix. 24. That expression is figurative, denoting something beyond human power. The same form of expression is used among the Malays and by the rabbins in respect to the elephant. Some critics would alter the spelling of the Greek word rendered CAMEL, to make it signify a CABLE, but without any proof or necessity. The Koran, too, has a similar phrase-a proof of its general occurrence as a proverb over the East: "The impious man who in his pride will accuse our doctrine of falsehood, shall find the gates of heaven shut, nor can he enter there till a camel shall pass through the needle's eye."

MATT. xxiii. 24. This is another figurative expression, in which the inconsistency of the Scribes and Pharisees (who attended to the most unimportant ceremonies of their religion, while they were unjust, unmerciful, and faithless), is compared to one who should very carefully strain our (not AT) a gnat or other small insect from the liquor he was about to drink, and yet leave in the vessel to be swallowed an animal as arge as a camel. Out," and not "at," is used in Archbishop Parker's Bible of 1568.

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MARK X. 25. See explanation of Matt. xix. 24.

GEN. xxxi. 17. Whilst Jacob continued with Laban (twenty years) he went through great hardships, and Laban changed his wages ten times; but the Lord blessed Jacob, so that though Laban strove to hinder it, he became very rich in cattle, &c. Laban's sons grew very spiteful and envious, which made Jacob and his family uncomfortable; yet he would not return to Canaan till God gave him leave to do so, and then, Laban being absent, he left in the manner recorded in the verse.

GEN. xxxii. 15. This present was sent for the purpose of assuaging the malice of Esau, whom Jacob had offended. Gen. xxvii.

LEV. xi. 4; DEUT. xiv. 7. The camel was considered as an unclean animal among the Jews, because, though it chewed the cud, it "divideth not the hoof;" those animals alone being considered clean which both parted the hoof and chewed the cud.

W. R. B.

LINES ADDRESSED TO A FRIEND
ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

EACH birthday saith, “A year's passed by,"
And we to death are drawing nigh;
Oh! may we well consider, then,
That life is short, 'tis but a span.

How oft are children heard to say,
"Oh! mother, this is my birthday!"
But brightest hours they vanish fast,
How very soon the birthday's past!

I can look back on childhood's dream,
(How brief the space which rolls between!)
By an older sister much oppressed,

I thought, "maturer years will give me rest."

And when they said, "Your tears for greater troubles save,"

My little breast a sigh would heave;

Myself I asked, "Do men and women weep?
How kind then's God to give me sleep."

But when my sins were brought to view,
I found that even sleep fled too;
But He who made me sigh and cry,
Soon brought to me salvation nigh.

And though a rebel I had been,

He kindly said He'd pardoned all my sin;
And though from Him I often rove,
Yet still He is the God I love.

And sure am, the sweetest place of rest
Is to recline upon the Saviour's breast;
And, oh! when mortal life is closing,
May we upon his breast be found reposing.
Elsworth.

MRS. S.

ALL RIGHT OR, TRUE OBEDIENCE. "AUNT MARY, may I go to the top of the house and fly my kite?" asked Henry Alford one day. Henry was a visitor in the city, and almost a stranger to his He saw the little boys on the tops of th

aunt.

C