We find then (Dan. xi. 40.) that "at the time of the end the king of the South," pushes at "the king of the North," fearing most probably for the safety of his possessions. The great Conqueror rushing like a whirlwind through the glorious land, and leaving as it would appear, foes in his rear, invades and conquers the land of Egypt, whose treasures of gold, and silver, and valuable things fell into his hand. In the midst of his triumphs, tidings from the North (Palestine), and the East trouble him. The long buried tribes are probably hastening to their ancient land from the distant East, and the countries which the king of the North has left unconquered in his haste; Moab, Edom, and the children of Ammon, are subdued by them. He turns from Egypt in fury to meet his doom upon the mountains of Palestine. The Restoration of the Jews and their return to their Messiah, appears to be the signal of blessing for Egypt. The favour which Egypt showed to Israel in early days, shall be recompensed, tripled with spiritual blessings. It would appear as if the Jews were to conquer Egypt; from Isa. xix. 17.,* where it is said, that “the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt." Perhaps they come as deliverers from foreign yoke, (see ver. 20.) At any rate we learn from the suc ceeding verses of the chapter, that colonies of Jews shall be settled in that fertile country, and that the once renowned city Heliopolis shall with other cities then speak the language of Canaan, and call upon the name of the Lord. An altar to Jehovah is to be erected in the midst of the country, and a pillar, perhaps an * The Jews in Egypt at present are calculated by Mr. Lane at 5000. They are held in the utmost contempt and abhorrence by the Mussulmans in general, and have a double share of humiliation and oppression heaped upon them. Obelisk, after the fashion of the nation on the border.— When all nations go up to keep the great Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem, Egypt is particularly mentioned. Want of rain is the punishment to be inflicted on those countries who do not send their representatives to that solemn gathering of the nations,-but as Egypt does not require rain, a peculiar plague is threatened to its inhabitants as the penalty of non-attendance. (Zech. xiv. 18.) Many spiritual blessings are promised to Egypt at the latter days; they shall return unto the Lord and he shall heal them, they shall serve him with the Assyrians, they shall be a blessing in the midst of the land, "whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance." How much this precious prophecy should strengthen the hands and encourage the faith of those who are wearily labouring for the benefit of the debased descendants of Mizraim ! X. Y. Z. THE HERDMAN OF TEKOA. No. II. continued. "And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house, And the houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end, saith the Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, That are in the mountain of Samaria, Which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, Which say to their masters, Bring and let us drink : Each cow at that which is before her; And ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Two explanations have been given of this passage: Secker supposes it may refer to the luxurious matrons of Israel, who oppressed the poor, and invited their lords, or husbands, to drink. Alas! woman can be as cruel an oppressor as man; and, who shall say, how many victims have, of late years, in our own land, fallen overtasked with labour at the shrine of her vanity: infant victims, or females young and delicate as the oppressor herself, condemned to drain away their life in the drudgery of ill-paid toil. To British females, then, this passage may teach an important lesson. Calvin, however, thinks it ought to be regarded as a continuation of the former chapter, still addressed to the great men of Israel. The feminine gender is used throughout to reproach their effeminacy, whilst, in yet further contempt, the prophet will not call them men at all, but kine; fatness was what they gloried in, therefore he calls them cows, the fat kine of Bashan. They were in Samaria, the seat of government, but they were occupied there, not in seeking the welfare of the nation; but, in growing fat; therefore, though they were in the mountain of Samaria, he will call them kine of Bashan, which was celebrated for the fatness of its pastures. They ought to have protected the poor; but, instead of this, they oppressed them themselves, and were willing to connive at their masters doing the same, whilst they shared their sensual indulgence, "Come and let us drink." But the days were coming when, fat and large as they were, they should be taken away easily as a little fish with a hook. They prided themselves on the punctilios of their rank, but then they would be glad enough to flee out at the breach directly before them, escaping through the broken wall. A cow in flight, what an image to pour contempt on the pride of these haughty rulers. They had enclosed themselves in their own fat, till their ears waxed dull of hearing; therefore God was obliged to rebuke them sharply by the mouth of his prophet. "Ye shall throw yourselves down from the palace," is the translation given by Calvin of the last line, and it is more easy to trace the connection of this version with the rest of the passage : "Come to Bethel and transgress, At Gilgal multiply transgression, And bring your sacrifices every morning, And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, For this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith What more was wanted: here was a most costly service, daily sacrifices as commanded, Exod. xxix. 38, tithes every three years, according to Deut. xiv. 28, 29, sacrifices of thanksgiving with leaven as they were wont to be offered, and even free offerings beyond what were laid down in the law. All this too at Bethel and Gilgal, places hallowed by the most sacred associations, where God appeared in vision unto Jacob, where the reproach of uncircumcision was rolled off Israel. But all is of no avail, it is the worship of self-will. God had commanded his altar to be erected at Jerusalem, and no altar at Bethel, however scrupulously served, was pleasing in his sight. They came to Bethel but to transgress; at Gilgal they multiplied transgression. This liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord." These sacrifices flattered their vanity; they loved to boast of them but God took no pleasure in them. 66 We are told of the zeal and devotion implied in the gorgeous sanctuaries of popery; there are those who would have us think a religion which excites to such sacrifices must be well-pleasing in the sight of God; and they would moreover excite our imaginations with the associations of holy places. When we are thus tempted, let us remember the gorgeous will-worship of Bethel and Gilgal, and the judgment God has pronounced upon them. Let us remember that to obey is better than to sacrifice; and that if they could lavish on their cathedrals the wealth of both the Indies, it |