year. A stronger proof, therefore, may be drawn from these words: "And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in; so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's." Two yeanings are supposed to be suggested in this passage, by the terms stronger and feebler; the lambs of the first were always stronger than those of the second: and consequently, they fell to Jacob by the special bounty of Heaven, causing the cattle, not by any law of nature, but by an act of Almighty power, to conceive among the rods, the use of which was merely the test of Jacob's faith in the divine promise. This is evident, by the sense in which the Syriac interpreter, and the Chaldee Paraphrast understood the text; for, instead of the term "feebler," they use the word "later," rendering the clause, so the later were Laban's. Jerome, Aquila, and other expositors, interpret the clause in the same manner. Kimchi, and other Jewish writers, often speak of the first and second yeanings; referring the former to the month Nisan, which corresponds to our March; and the latter to the month Tisri, which nearly corresponds to September; and they assert, that the lambs of the first yeaning are called p, keshorim, or bound, because they had a more compact body; and those of the second,'y, Aetophim, or deficient, because they were feebler. The autumnal lambs, however, were preferred by many before the vernal, and the winter before the summer lambs, as being more vigorous and healthy. But it must be confessed, that no certain trace of two yeanings z Gen. xxx, 41, 42.~ a Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. viii, cap. 47.

in the year can be discovered in the sacred volume. The fact is attested by many common authors, and seems necessary to account for the rapid increase of oriental stock, and the prodigious numbers of which the Syrian flocks consisted. The words of Moses may refer, at least with equal probability, to the vigorous and healthy constitution of the ewes which Jacob selected for his purpose; and signify, that robust mothers produced robust lambs, and feeble mothers a weak and spiritless offspring. Aware of the advantages of a vigorous and healthy stock, especially with a long and perilous journey before him, “Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the stronger ewes in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; but when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in; so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's."

No animal is more gay and playful than the lamb. In a few days after its birth, which are spent in repose, it begins to discover the sportiveness of its disposition, in a variety of harmless and cheerful gambols. These have not escaped the notice even of inspired writers, but have furnished them with many beautiful and striking allu sions. The trembling of the earth, and the reeling of the mountains, at the presence of Jehovah their creator, have been compared to the frisking of a lamb, in that sublime ode in which the royal Psalmist describes the majesty of God, and the corresponding fear of his people: "What ailed you, ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills like lambs?" The holy Psalmist expressed in the presence of all Israel, the joy and exultation of his heart, when he brought home the ark, dancing before the Lord with all his might; or as the words may be rendered, leaping as a lamb.Þ

b Bochart. Hieroz. lib. ii, cap. 46, p. 515.

The sheep naturally delights in a mountainous country. Theocritus observes, the sheep feed on the mountains:

ταν δε καλαν Κυθέρειαν εν ουρεσι μάλα νομεύει. And in Virgil, the shepherd sings:

"Mille meæ Siculis errant in montibus agnæ."

Idyll. iii, 1. 46, 47.

Ec. ii, 1. 21. "A thousand ewes of mine wander on the Sicilian mountains."

To this characteristic inclination of the flock, the sacred writers have more than once alluded. Thus, when Moses tended the flocks of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, he "led them to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb."c The prophet, in a later age, compares the return of Israel from the land of their captivity, under the mighty protection of Jehovah, to the return of a flock, after long absence, to their native mountains: "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered, in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country."a

On any alarm, they forsake their pastures, and run together into one close compacted group:

Αι μεν τ αρχιςηναι επ αλλήλησι κεχυνται.

Iliad, lib. v, 1. 141.

To this circumstance, the prophet undoubtedly refers, when in the name of Jehovah, he warned his people of the time, when, terrified by the invasion of hostile armies, and the cruel devastation of their country, they should seek for safety in their cities, as the flocks of Bozrah in their d Ezek. xxxiv, 12.

c Exod. iii, 1.

fold, from the attack of the wolf or the lion; "I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel: I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise, because of the multitude of

men."e

This useful and harmless animal is neither distinguished for its sagacity, its strength, nor its swiftness; it is, therefore, exposed to the attacks of many enemies; and when deserted by the keeper, no domestic animal is more helpless and wretched. To the misery of this destitute condition, the sacred writers frequently allude; and among the Hebrews, it seems to have become a proverb. The passages in which the allusion occurs, are too numerous to be quoted; the following instances may suffice: "And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep that have not a shepherd." "Therefore, they went their way as a flock: they were troubled because there was no shepherd." "Sinite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered."h "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.'

f

The sheep is a creature prone to wander from its accustomed pastures; to separate itself, although a gregarious animal, from the flock, and ramble into distant and dangerous solitudes. The perils to which this erratic disposition exposes it, are greatly increased by the want of inclination or skill to return. To these defects, the Psalmist pointedly refers, in that well known confession; "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant.”j

• Mic. ii, 12.
f 1 Kings xxii, 17.

VOL. II.

8 Zech. x, 2.
h Zech. xiii, 7.

D

i Mat. ix, 36.

j Ps. cxix, 176.

The prophet extends it to all mankind: "All we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." This is confirmed by the apostle: "For ye were as sheep going astray: but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls." Such is the true cha

racter of all mankind; prone to wander from God, their only proper rest, disinclined to return, without knowledge to discern, or wisdom to secure the true interests of their immortal souls, till in the day of power the mind is illumined from above.

This placid and gentle animal, on account of the mildness of its dispositions, has been chosen as the symbol of the Redeemer.m "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain." In other parts of Scripture, he does not refuse to be compared with a lamb and a sheep: "Behold," cried the Baptist, "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." The apostle Peter leads us directly to the efficacy of his blood for the remission of sins: "For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold—but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Such figures were familiar to the ancient prophets: “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." As a lamb so tame and gentle, that he licks the garments of his destroyer.