ee | siden 2 . +d Se # * ea a wa a ae <3 & RADIEL & Se x x SESE RESE: wan commmmeneeevmecauns .BPrefacs Simile is a figure of speech, in which two things which heve 5 some strong point or point of resemblence are compered. It differs from metaphor that the resemblence betwoon object and image is stated expresely by means of the words “like or "as" whereas in the metas phor the resemblence is assumed, "he tiger is as brave as the lion" is not a simile, it is a @izcet or simple comparison because both tiger and lion have the at= tribute of bravery, When we say “The girl is as brave as a lion", we find the causal characheriestic of brevery of the girl as compared with the gonoral characteriestio of the lion, Sonetine, simile has the sane meaning among all the netionss sometime it has « special meaning owing to its own environment. "as quick as lighting, or an arrow" "ae fleot as the wind, « hare, a deen" are the common simile. "We have gone astray like sheep" (Ise, 53 6) is « familiar @imile which refaects the particular living environment of the Jews. The merit of using simile is as follows:= 1, Simfle makes the statement plainer, (a). They shall be chased as the chaff of the mountain before the wind, (Isa. 17: 13) (0). Tne fear of king is as the roaring of a lion, (Pro. 201 2). (o)s My days are passed as the eagle that hasteth to the prey(Job, 9¢ 26). (a). Goa hath broken in upon mine enemics by mine hand like ‘the breaking patth of weters. (I chron. 14: 11). 2. Simile makes humor, (a). The teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shom, which came up from the wasting, (d). Tay neck is like the tower of David builded for an ar- mou moury. Cart 41 4.wee Bee (0). Thy two breasts are like two poung roes that are twins, which feed among the 141i as, cant 41 5. 3. Simile help to develop wit. (a). Follow me exd I will make you as fishews of men, Matt. 42 19. (b). You shall be as the wings of a done covered with silver Pe 681 13. (c). And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chasted you, as boos ao Dout lt 44. 4e Simile make phrases sound rhythmically. red as rose} azy as dusts close as calms mits ee mouse good as gold busy 68 bee@hives Simile makes conerete the abstract conception. (a). The ungodly are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Pa, lt 4. (b). His glory is like the fistling of his bullock, Dewt 33: 17. (ce). He is epradd as a grasshopper, Job. 39: 20. 6. Similes put e tangible vision into a more indistirct vie sion, The impression of the miltitude streaming from that gap in the wooden wall was like nothing more than the im pression of a burst main which only the emptying of the reservoir will assuage.Historical background for Jews solecting their similes. ‘The Hebrew lived south of the Aramseans and the Phoenicians, Hee ‘brow history begins with the imigration of twelve tribes into Palestine, Here they gave up the life of wandering shepherds. They wandered here and there cocking pasture and flocks, Fron this faot we find that Jews people were always under the condition of uncertainty as flocks of sheep, which were easy to go astray and lose, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep thet have not a shepherd ( 1 kings 223 17). They needed 2 powerful leader unlike those capitalistic society where man cen live independently. ‘They went their way as @ flok, they were troubled, beceuse ‘there was no shepherd.--~---Zech, 10: 2. They necded the one who camld lead them as Mose, Jows, ‘Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses— ereeePs. 77? 20, Jesus was moved with compassion toward them because they were es sheep not having a shepherdena--Mark. 6 34, ‘The ancient Hebrews sacrificed the prodigious numbers of sheep at the dedication of the tample ané an otner oocessions, We are counted as sheep Zor the slevehter weeeeneen ene eenePa Aft 22 He was oppressed as @ lamb to the slaughter waneencnsenennnotsa 551 Ts I will bring them dow Like lambs to the slaughter novenJer 512 40. There were nunerous worls relating to the life and association of nomad of the Jews, They are common to all the dialects,Cattle of the early time were put in ploughing and threshing, too. Thou best chastised mo, and I was chastified, as a bullock unacustimed to the yoke. Jer 31: 16. They wore also used as draught animals, Their milk formed one of the main articles af diet, and their skins were used for clothing. Now let us see some animals, Fow animals are mentioned more frequently in the 0. T. than the lion, and familiar acquaintance with its habits ie shown by tho many cimiles omployod, Tt 4s plain enough that lions were a source of danger in ancient Palestine, The reedy swamps of the Jorden, tho recesses of ts, Her- mon and Senir, anf the desent S, of Judah were their favourite haunts, Their habit of lurking in secret places is often reffered to vy the 0. 7, writers. He shall come up Like e lion from the owelling of Jordan ega= inst the strong, Jer 491 19. . He was unto me as lion in secret place, Lam, 3t 10, The lion was the shepherd's terror. Ordinary shepherds had to hand themselves together to drive off the enemies, The lion's roar is a favourite figure applied to enemies, They gaped upon me with their mouths, as @ ravening and a roaring lion Po 22 13, to falea prophet (Ezek. 221-=25), to the wrath of an earthly monarch, Tae king's wreth is as the roaving of a linn, Pso 19: 12, The fear of king is as the roaring of 2 linn.—---Pro 20: 2. to the wrath of God, and to the fury of the devil, ‘ne Lora spoken unto me, like as the lion roaring on his prey----------Isae 51 t de Others references are made to his open mouth ready to rend the help- less, to his chasing his victims (Ps 7-2} and to his ponerful teeth, aynbols of strength, In Gen 49-9 the tribe of Judah is compased to & lion. He stooped down, he couched as @ lion, and as an old lion. Gen. 49 2 9.sees were The roe is chiefly alluded to for its swiftners, and partly on sccount of its grace and beauty is « favourite image of femile obierms. ly deloved 4s like a roe or a young hart —Cant 21 9% ‘Thy two breasts are like two young roes that ave twin srenenenneCant Tt 5s Jews people never used horse for draught purposes. lor can we assume that the horse was used to any extent for riding purposes in preexilic times. The horse known to the Hebrews was a war-nori As such it excited mingled admination and awe, Its strength and swift= ness seemed almost supernatural, so that hte early prophets complein~ ed thet it was more regarded ty voliticians than the God of Israel himself, The Hebrews marked its fiery trampling, its rushing and stamping, and its eagerness for the fray. Every one turned to his course, as the horse rashes into the battle, ---Ter 8: 6. The Lord hath mde Judsh as his goodly horse in the hattle, manneeZeche 10 1 36 Bear is froquently mentioned in 0,7, No diffioulty arises in conneo- tion with any of the OT Passage; the attacks of the lion and the bear on David's flock, and of the she-bear on the children who mocked Blishe, accord with the ravenous habits of the animal, "A bear roobb= ed of her whelp" or " a ranging hear" is naturally regarded es the most dangerous possible object to encounter, They be chafted in their minds ae a hear roobbed af her whelps in the field. - 2 Som, 17 8, ‘Tho stealthiness of & bear's attack is mentioned as follow. He was unto me as 2 bear lying in wait. sccececlam, 31 10.No dogs of any noble type are nentioned in the Bible. The Tsrachitish kings were not great hunters. The swepherds dog is mentioned in Job. 30-1, and dogs which gur4 the howe my be intended in Is, 56-10; but neither passage Vouchsapes the dog any friendly words. The OT, refer- ences are infact almost entirely to the parish dog, such as may be seem in any of the "Bible lands" today, They seem to have gone car- scoring in packs round the city at nights ‘They return at evening, they howl Like a og, and go round about the city. Pe 598 6. it was dangerous to stop one of them He that pesseth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to hin, is Like one that taketh a dog ty the ears. wenen---Prov. 260 181 Doubtless, however, they wore useful as scavengers. They were ready to devour even human bodies, It would be bazarious to have inferred a sympathy botwoen mon and dogs in the time of christ. The wolf is still found in Palestine, It is there somewhat ligh- ter in color and has a stronger and stouter build than in Europe, re- rely moves in packs, and prowls, sometines in patrs, round the chepf- olds at night. By day it frequents the rocky valleys, Naturelly it plays @ large part in the life of the Israelites, and the references to its boldness and ferocity are frequent. Benjamin shall raven as a wolft in the mourning he shall devour the prey, and at night he bhall devide the spoil. Gen, 49 t 27. Her princes in the midst thereof are Like wolves revening the pray. Ezek, 22 © 27,References to birds are frequent in OT and WE. Allusions to birds! h habits in metaphors, gimiles, and proverbial oxpressions prove how prominent they were in the life and thought of the people. They were 4m the life and thought of the people. The were evidently observed with the keenest interest as being Links between earth and heaven, and regarded with a certain ewe, Tt was noticed how they cared for and protected their youngs how and where they mde their nestoy in wwhat sad plight they wandered about when cast out of the nest; As @ bird that wandereth from her nest, so 4s a man thet wondereth from his places naens--Pro 27 § 8 ‘The daughter of Zion shall be es wondering bird. wa-w-e----I88 161 26 how swiftly they flew evay when scared; Their glory shell fly awsy Like a bird, secennnneneneneeneenfios 94 11 Flee es a bird to your mountain, men-Ps 11: le how eargerly they returned to their nest; ‘They shall tremble es a bird out of Reynte wnnnn-nne-Hos, 11 t 1. how from care they weres how regulaary they migrated; how vorecious ‘they were; how they descended from the clouds in a bevy; how sweet= ly they warbled. Farther, Isracl's enemy is often pictured es rape- cious bird that sights its prey affar off and swoops down upon it. Mine enemies chased ne sone, Bike a bird, without cause, wecnwnnnnnnnnnalam 51 526 Of all the birds, eagle were largely used ty the writer of OT, They ave noble birds of lerge size, and form conspicious on landscape towards evening they perch on the peak of rocks or cliffs, or when soaring, The comparison of in vaders to a swooping vulture is oftenweb eee employed in the on, ‘The lard shall bring a nation agairt thee as swift as the eagle flies, Deut 26 + 496 My days are passed as the eagle that hasteth to the prey, waJob 9 26. he Lord shall fly as an cagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab. eonnwwnnnnne-Ser, 481 40, ‘They aze carrion fecders and sight their food fron afer. Their head and neck are hald, a fact which did not escape the notice of the Prophet Micah, Make thee bald, and pull thee for ‘thy delicate childrens enlexgo ‘thy haldness as the eagle. ‘The word dove, it harmless end timid mature, is usually thought to be synbolical of Israel, Ye shall be harmless as doves. wonnnnnnwnnlatt, 10 16s Allusion is made in Ps 552 6 to its plumage, I had wings Like a dove, Its mournful note wae writton in Ieaih. I did mourn as = dove. We mourn sore like dove Ite gentle nature mikes the dove s favourite simile or term of end- earnent in love poins His eyes are as the eyes of dove wennaCant 5 ¢ 12,‘That doves were domesticated among the Hebrews may be inferred from this passage ‘They fly as the doves to their windows ------Isa 602 8. Though there are still my birds use as similes in the Bible, they are so small number as to be discussed. Reptile and insect are also Jess in number to be used as similes in the Bible. But serpents and sone of insects are worthyto be discussed, Serpents abound in Palestine. The Of writers use eleven different words for serpents of one kind or ancther, The root of Hebrew word serpent means to utter a groaning or hissing sound, ne voice shall go like @ serpent. wrnsader 461 226 Serpents were said to have many characteristics, such as serpent- charming, serpent in Paradise, but they oan be concerned ae mytho- logy. ‘The noth was used ase synbol for the perishableness of man a and his possessions, They are destructive of woolen fabrics and of furs. ‘Thou makest his beauty to consume away Like a moth, Ps 39 11 But we cannot select any one of these as more likely than the rest to represent the biblecal moth. Job. 27:16 brings the house of the rich man into come mot vory clear connection with the moth, He huildeth bis house as a moth. -—-Job 27 + 18. ‘The biblicel reperences to the locust are of much interest. They are an apt figure for swarming hordes, Their habit of handing toge- ther. The likeness they beer to horses was also noticed, also the suddenness of their dissapperance, Your spoil shall be gathered as the running to and fro of locust, shell he run upon them weownconweIsa 331 de Boos are found wild, making their lives in asvices of the rocksand follow trees. The temper of this race of bees is very irritabl and they are vexy revengefulj indeed, it seems that the farther Bast one trowels, the more the bee is to be avoided. This cager- ness to attack may explain ss such passages: And the Amorites, which éwelt in that mountains, came out egainst you, and chased you, as bees do menanennnneeBeut 11 44. They encompassed me about like bees, eenwenennne-Pa 1181 12,eo-ne-- CHAPTER PLANTS ‘The primitives lived on the fruits of trees and vegetations first, then ae thoir onlture Geveloped they killed the animals for foods, It natural for them to afop those trees and plants for many figures of speech, There were many plante in Palestines but not all plants re used as 2 figures of speech, Some of them were used because they were so closely connected with the life or religion of Jews people. For example, the olive, the fig, and the vine were the typi- al of oultivated trees, They are so widely spread in Syria and Pa- lestine. They were often overshadow the wells beside which sravellers halted. The phrase "to sit uhder one's om vine and one's fig treo" occurs constantly in descriptions of a time of peace, Palestine, eo dosoribed in the OF, was a great wine-producing o country. Joseph in Gen. 49: 22 and Israel in Ps. 80%6 are compare to @ vine, Passages like Judg. 9-13, Ps 104-15 chow with what cimpli- city men thanked God for the gift of wine, But the vine supplied ane other figure, Isreel, when unfaithful, is compared to uines, and the enemies of Israel are even likened to a "Vine of Sodom", The fig trees that had born no frubt for three years would seem to its omer to be useless, or even worth than useless. As the evil figs, they are $0 evil menccenenntor. 241 8. I will make them like vile figs thet can not be eaten. a Jer 298 17, There are many references to the olive tree, Tt is as characteristic of Palestine and chased the notice of Hebrew writers with corn and the vine. The leaves of the olive are not strikingly green, Olive trees stand aa an image of freeb beauty. His branch shell be spread, and his beauty shall be as elive treo. Hos 142 6.2--R--- 4s is well mown, the palm flourishes best in a ary and even reinless atmosphere, provided that its roots can reach a supply of subterran~ ean water, In Hebrew poetry the palm tree is an image of prosrerous growth, ‘The nighteous shall flourish like the palm tree, woven=—-Ps 928 125 and tall conely stature, Thy stature islike to palm treo. one-veevcant Tt 7. Of writers employ the cedar as a type of beauty, majesty, strength « and loftiness, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. “Ps 92112, ‘The woot, which was mch more precious than that of common trees, was largely used in the construction of great buildings like the temple and Solomon's palace. The characteristic of fir tree, references to the 0.'!. was of large stature and spreading boughs, ewengreen, a chief element in the "glory of Lebanon" and specially associated with the cedar. Grass may be found in any part of the land. Though it had @ close connection with those momeds in their pastoral life, Merry similes in Of adopted from grass. But they had no special character= istic connected with the environment or religion of He brow, They were used universally. Their comnan attributes are, tender, feable, easy to be tramped or destroyed, and prosperous. ‘Thy seed shall be great, and thine offopring shall bo as tho grass of ‘the earth. oo=—Jobs 58 25+jassave! L Frere Thorn, stubble, chaff stran, were always oppose to those the olive, ‘the fig, and the olive. Thorn was concezned to be a hidden danger, ‘hey shell be as thorns in your side. --—-Judge 21 3. It was usually taken to be a symbol of comrupticn, ‘The people, as thorns cut up shall they be numned in the fire, woeeemeweIsa 33 1 12 We may at all events gather from Pro. 15-19 that a thorny plant capable of foring a hedge 4s intended. ‘The way of slothful man is as an hedge of thorns, seceenenePro. 158 19. Stubble, chaff and straw were the useless materials compare to the o crops. They were always oncomed as light things easy to be flow away ty winds ansy to de scattered; easy to be bumt; easy to be ‘trodden dom, They shall be as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind. Hos. 13 3. They shell be as stubble: the fire shell burn them 472 14emieltid omen ) shall be trodden under as straw is trodden down for the dung hill. Isa 251 10. The Bible could not be expected to do justice to the floral beauty of the landscape of Pal jtine in spring, It is true, the neighbour ing Jerusalem hes not ¢ rich flora, [wo of the most beautiful of the flowers of Palestine compete for the honor of being referzed by Jenus in his saying of lilies. Though their are still many flowers men— tioned in the Bible but they are not used as simile, That flowers should be evanescence is natural. As for man his days are ac florers of tho field. eeccon-Pse 1038 154 He cometh forth like a flower. dod. 142 20ee l5eee GHAPFER III. ASPRONOMICAL PHENONUGIA Universe and the natural phenomena seemed to primitive mn to be so misterious. They had to be in contact with the nature in their daily lige, The heavenly bodies were a constance source of interest and wonder. They concerned the great numer of stars knom only to Gods ‘The movements of stars excited the keenest attention and opened up + ‘the widest field for the imaginetion. When they saw fire they thought At was divine, and bring it as an essentiel element in the rutual, @ and in imaginative description of thesphanios. So in this wise there are many figures of speech are used in + ‘the Bible. The stars were compase to the sand of cea-shore (Con, 15¢ 5, Gen 228 17, Gon, 261 4, ote). In mitiplying I will miltiply they seed as the stars of heaven, and es the sand, eenneenenesGon. 221 IT. their brightness and their shinning are used: ‘They who tum many poople to righteous? ness shall be as the stars forever and ever. weneenaaa-Dan 121 3. Both oun and moon were thought as bodies of brightnes, shinning and permanence » Bis throne shall be as the sum before mo, —----Ps, 891 36,eee eee His throne shall be established forever as the moon, - Ps. 89-57 Moon had also an attribute of beauty. She is fair es the noon, Cant 62 10 ‘the conception of wind in the Hebrew mind was that the four'ends! of the earth correspond to the four "ends" of the heavens and it night equally well be said thet the fo ur winds came from the ends of the earth and from the ends of heaven, Through four of thses ¢ came winds of blessing end prosperity and burt, damage. ‘They pursue my cbul ac the wind ——aJObs 508 154 ‘The whirl wind in the Hebrew word is not always used in the strictly teclmical meaning of the English expression, The whirlwind suggested itself as an apt figure for the rapid attack of great conquering powers, As whirlvinds in the south pass through, 20 the enmy cometh from® the desent. wevecensIsa, 21 1,1, In Is 5-28, Jer, 4-13 the wheels of warchariots ere "like a whirlwind" and in Den, 11-40 "the king of the north" (syris) comes out "like a voirlwind, W ‘The whirlwind also symbolises the suddenness of the divine judgments,— 7 Twill come with fire, and with chariots Like a whirlwind, wocewnnnenIsa, 661 15. ‘The passage in Prov, 10-25 (The wicked as whirlwind passeth is no nore), where the whirlwind spoken of certainly means the devine w wrath. No material phenomenon seemed to primitive man to be so plainly Govine as fire, Fire became an essential elonent in the ritual, and 4n imaginative descriptions of theophanies. It was also a conception of God's nature, The lord thy God, as a consuming fire he shall dostroy thom, wawveewnneDeut, 98 3s God (fire) is a checring hight to those who obey him, These two man~ ward aspects of God's nature are combined in Is, 10-17 The Light of Israel shall be for a fire, end his Holy one for s flane, From the parallelism of the two expressions "light" and "Holy one” we see that the appearance of "fire" or "Light" is the outward mani~ fastation of the devine holiness. Most of similes, adopted from fire, in the Bible were concern to the wrath of God, and the fear of mu, Vy (Goa) fury go out Like fire eeneenceneeder 211 126--+18--- My (God) word is Like fire ~a--Jer 251 296 Many simles of weter were written by the writer of Of. Its chief attributes ere of mltibude in quantity. Yo shell pour the blood unpon the earth as water. It is also easy to be shaped in any fora, hence it wes also used to vent, break eacily. ‘Te Lord hath broken forth upon my enenies as the breach of water, wannenene2 Sam 58 20, Some times wrath was compared to the pouring out of waters My roaring ere poured out like the waters. menceennndobs Ft 2de Water wae the symbol of uncontrolable desire such ee vantouess, Unstable es water, thon shall not excel. Gene 49 fo Tt wae @lso the symbol of God's power, ‘The Lord's power is es a flood of nighty waters overflowing. Isa 26 1 2 Rain and deu were considered in Palestine as one of God's best gifts.eee es Jews implored heaven fer the "Showers that water the earth", He (Go@) shall cometh down like vein upon the mom grass, “Ps 721 65 As husbundry spread the character of rain became as “lords of rain" God is the rein given, He (God) shall como unto us eo the latter and former main unto the earth. wan-Hos 6: 3. In general rein was concerned as « swect giftt pipple of farmer hed to depend it for cultivating their crops. They believed thet they were able to bring rein through proy the simile in Job 29: 23. They waited for me as for rain, enJob. 29: 23. clearly explains it. "Dew" is a thene which kindles the enthusiasm of the OF writers. The land of Israel was called "a land of corm and wine; yea, his heavens aropdom dow" God himself resembles "dew", Iwill be as the dew for Israel, weewiios 142 5a The dew fell suddenly, and gently, like persuasive oloquences Wy (God) speech shell Gistil as the dew. wa-n-Deut 321 26 it lies elinight, but csrly Gisappers like superfieikl goodnwie @ Bee Your goodness is as the early dew it gooth away. cnwacnenttos 61 de Such a dew (night mist) is to be expected in the early sumer, in the gett led hot weather of harvest. I will consider my dwelling like cloud of dow in the heat of harvest. —~-Iea 18: 4. Like rein and hail, the snow was traditionally supposed to be kept in store-chanbers in the sky. It was et God's command that it f fells it is he who "pluck out snow like wool" (Ps, 147116). It was a symbol of brilliant whiteness, © conscience free from the sense of guilt, shinning reimout Hie raiment vas white as snow, Matt. 28: 3. It is elso for the appearence of levers He wont out from hie presence a leper as white as snow. ann? King 5 227. Raturel stones which are in any way remarkable---for brilliance, color crystalline form, or any other property----were prized and treasured ‘by many primitive peoples; either simply for ornament, or for use ‘as charmos or as curronoy (for their rarity, value in exchange, and exteene portability).ee-21--- It 4s this reason that we find many ridiculous similes such as in Cent 7: 1 compase the joint of thighs to jewls; and body, heryle The joint of thy thighs are like jewls. weceeedant 7s Le His body w like the heryl. wone--w=Dan, 10: 6, Stone, commonly known to us, wes the symbol of steadiness, hardiness, clunsiness, His heart is firm as a stone. eance-maJobs 41 4 de Pow motale wore mentioned in the Bible, We osn find several metals s such as dron, gold, silver, brass and lead, are used for similes, It was very early, from the Canmenites, Israelites derved the use of irons Bat there wore fow passages of tho Bible which refer to iron. The symboles of iron were affliction, « severe rule, a tiresome burden by 6 mass of iron, @ powerful imperial powers ‘The kingdom shall be strong ae iron, menwennna--Dan, 22 405 ‘There is 8 becutiful simile drewa from iron Iron sharpens iron, so @ man charpeneth ‘the countenance of his friend, mewnwnePros 271 176 ‘There are still mny similes in the Bible, euch as coal, pot food,ete, but they are so few in number as to represent the general type of simile used ty the writers of the Bible. Scercely from its few examples of similes we oan find the nature and development of Jews people. CONCLUSION I find more than 800 similes in the Bible, I classify then/into five main parte: namely plants, animels, astronomical phenomena, articles of daily use and miscellaneous object. Of ell cimilee I emphasize rather on plents, animals and astronomical phenomena, ‘because these three had systemtical formod and reflected the Tife t ‘they sew heaven and began to wonder at its mysterious, Their regard- ed heaven naturally the ebode of supematural beings} and forned the basis of Paradise-story. Here the tree of wisdom and the tree of Life were stated, It is furthur described as " in that place in which Goa reste when he comes into Paradise," and as ‘on all sides in appears ence like gold end crimson, and transparent as fire" and covering every thing. In the later period heaven becattse as the dwelling place of the dead. They considered that the wicked enjoy prosperitys but they were speedily to meet with unexpected retribution, As for the righteous— ness, their highest good consist in commmian with god, In compasison with God the whole world is hothing to them, They also wondered at the heavenly bodies; stars, the mocn, sun etc, The imgination on---23--- them developed into astrology. Joseph's dream on star, moon and sun were to be the truth, They saw fire and thought it to be so plainly devine or God himself, There was a flaming srord at the gate of Para~ aise and inthe storm, fleches of devine fire etill lightened the vorld, betokening the passage of the devinity. When they saw blood they could not wonder and think it as the seat of the!ssul', It was ~ therefore too sacred Zor ordinary use, and to be reserved for, and restored to God, the author of all life, We know when the region K, of the Jordan was occupied by Israe- lite tribes, they were capable of supporting enormous flocks upon their rich and extensive pasture, And from the life of yesture we Amon the Israelites life passed 1ike flocks of sheep wondering here and there, Their trouble of this wondering life were the unfamiliar weather and the harm , of lions and wolves. Thy had to band them selves together to drive off the enemies. When they learned to got living from the soil their agriculture began to mako contributions to religion and literatures ‘That agriculture was an important element in popaler life is very evident, Land wes wesured by yokes (1 3, 14-14; Is +) and valued b y the amount of seed it necéed (Lev. 27116) Time was mesured by har- vosta (Judith 2-27) ana places were ddentified by the crops growing on them (2 S, 23= 11; 1 Ch, 11-13, banley}, Tilling the soil was pro= verbially the source of wealth(pr. 12-11, 28-19); implements not need~ ea for other purposes would as matter of cour: be tumed to agri-evlturel use (Is, 2-4)---- snd 50 on, That work in the fields was not confined to slaves and people of no culture is evident, not only from the existence of such naratives as that of Joseph's dream, but also from what is told of saul (1's, 11-5) and Elise (ak, 19-19), and Amos (7:14) before they appeared on the stage of history, On the other hand, the narrator of the story of Ruth seems to represent neither Boaz himself nor his depaty, as doing more than overseeing end encomeging the leborere, and in the time of the writer of Zech, 155 a tiller of the soil seemed to be most naturally 2 purchased slave, while the idea of writer of Is, 61-15 is thet plonghmen and vine~dreason should be alions. Of course their life at the harvest=tine was recorded fully in the Bible, We can see the mean, especially the pounger men { Ru 209), cutting the grain, the youmg children going out to their fathers (2 K4e18) in the field, the jealousies that might spring up between the reapers (Gen, 37: 7), and the dengere that young men and maddens might be expose to (Eu, 2-95 Hos. 9-17), the simple fare of the reapers (Ru, 2-14) and the unrestrained joviality of the evening meal (Bu, 3-7) after the hot day's work (2K, 4-19) the poor women and girls gleaning behind the reapers and usually finding more than ‘they seem sometimes to find nowadays, heating out the grein (Iu, 2- 17) in the evening and carrying it eway in a mantle to the older gmes at hone (Ru. 3-15), not noly the lsbourers but also the ownersw 2-25 0-6 sleeping by the stacks at night (Ru. 3-7), so that the villages would be largely emptied of the in hebi tants. such 2 mode of life had naturally a profound effect on the moon of the commons, the religious consciejice, and the literary thought of the potples . The influence on Hebrew literature was very great. Nuch of the modes of expression reflect the agricultural life are té bo acon, Prophetic descriptions of an ideal fusure abound in scenes conceived in agricultural iméinary. Great jay is like to the joy of harvest. What is ovanescont #s like chaff that is burned up or blow away; something unexpected is 1ike coh, or rain (Pr. 26-1) in harvest. lack of space prevents proof in deteil of how on the one hand, fig- ures and modes of speech are drawn from all the operatious and natural phenomena of agriculture, while, on the other hand, every conceivable subject is didactically or artictically illustrated by idass and expressions from the same source.